Chapter 126: The Much-Anticipated Premiere of the Fifth Season

“Damn it, they can even fabricate such rumors.” Watching the mounting wave of public opinion, everyone was filled with righteous indignation.

“When you can’t nail them head-on, you play dirty,” He Li sneered.

Yet, there was no denying that this tactic was far more effective. Without control over the media front, resisting the overwhelming public pressure was truly impossible.

Even when “Morning Star” urgently issued a clarification: Zhao Qiao had long signed a contract with Starshine Entertainment and was punished by the company as soon as the misconduct was discovered. Galaxy Entertainment only had a few female artists left because Starshine Entertainment had poached most of its talent, leading to the current situation.

Still, they could only hold onto their final stronghold — their own social media platform — and stubbornly endure the storm of opinion from all sides.

On the fourth day, Tang Zhijie and his allies struck an even harsher blow.

Su Zitong’s manager stepped forward, publicly accusing Lin Qihua of molesting her artist at a banquet, causing significant psychological trauma and leaving her with lasting scars. Even now, the artist stayed shut away, afraid to face the outside world.

This was undoubtedly a dagger thrust directly into the heart of Galaxy Entertainment and Lin Qihua, drawing blood immediately.

In response, Galaxy Entertainment used Lin Qihua’s social media platform to retort: “Let Miss Su speak for herself. Because, you, the manager, are the very one who pushed your artist into the fire.”

But it was to no avail. To the public, the fact that the artist’s manager had come forward essentially represented the artist’s stance. Since managers, companies, and artists stood united, the manager’s words were tantamount to the artist’s voice. The facts were clear: Lin Qihua’s professional ethics were indeed questionable, just as Tang Zhijie had claimed.

The situation took a sharp turn for the worse. Galaxy Entertainment was silenced, clinging desperately to one crucial point: evidence. Words alone meant nothing. To convict Lin Qihua, solid proof was demanded; otherwise, they would not hesitate to request intervention from the authorities.

Naturally, Tang Zhijie and company could produce no stronger evidence, while Galaxy Entertainment could not prove its innocence. The outlook was bleak, with no supporters stepping forward. For most, this would have been crushing.

Yet, the staff at Galaxy Entertainment noticed Lin Qihua remained composed, sitting with everyone as usual, his smile as radiant as ever. Apart from checking the progress in the meeting room daily, he stayed in the rehearsal space preparing for the competition, showing no sign of being overwhelmed by the media storm. This steadiness brought calm to their hearts.

The power of public opinion, after all, was as much psychological as anything else. Until influential figures in the industry spoke out or authoritative institutions took action, the greatest impact was on the individual’s morale. If he could ignore it, then it was manageable.

Lin Qihua’s serene confidence reassured them all. As long as he did not break, why should they compromise?

Outside, media, involved parties, and netizens formed a terrifying tempest bent on crushing Lin Qihua. Yet at the storm’s center, Lin continued methodically with his tasks, unaware whether those who stirred the gale would spit blood in frustration.

Of course, this had little effect on him. However, countless netizens left messages demanding Lin Qihua’s expulsion from “The Vocalist,” refusing to let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch.

During this period, “The Vocalist” strangely remained silent, issuing no statements. Many who cared were left guessing their true intentions.

But none of this mattered anymore. On Thursday, Lin Qihua and his group quietly arrived in Xiangzhou to prepare for the competition.

With no prior announcement, no fans were at the airport to greet them. Instead, a few audience members waved banners bearing insults and shouted things like “Get out of the entertainment industry” at Lin Qihua.

At Xiangzhou Television Station:

Gao Rui simply patted Lin Qihua’s shoulder and said softly, “Hold strong.”

“No problem, don’t worry,” Lin Qihua responded with a brilliant smile.

“So, what surprise do you have for us this time?”

“I want to borrow a few of your people,” Lin said.

“Just say the word. Though I’m limited in what support I can offer for certain reasons, on this stage, whatever you need, I’ll provide.”

“Thanks, that’s perfect,” Lin Qihua said happily. “For this song, I want your vocal harmony group to collaborate with me. Form a temporary group to help me finish it.”

“No problem. They were prepared for you anyway; it’s just moving them from the sidelines to center stage. They’ll be thrilled.”

“Good, I need four male partners and plenty of rehearsal time.”

“That’s easy. I’ll call them now. You can rehearse all day today; tomorrow is for other performers’ rehearsals.”

“I appreciate it.”

“Seeing your dedication to music still so strong puts me at ease. Music should be judged by music itself. I hope you have a great result tomorrow.”

“Let’s hope so,” Lin Qihua smiled faintly.

Soon, several harmony singers arrived. Knowing Lin’s plan, they were eager to cooperate. To them, harmony vocals were just work, but each still harbored dreams of the stage. They looked forward to working with Lin Qihua, even though he was currently the target of fierce criticism.

The song Lin Qihua had prepared was gentle in melody but demanding in coordination. He was the lead vocalist; the others alternated between backing and harmony vocals. After several rehearsals, they began to find a sense of synergy.

“I can already smell a classic,” Gao Rui said with a knowing smile. “You should feel lucky. Even if this song is temporarily buried for other reasons, its brilliance will shine through with time. As performers, you’ll create a beautiful story. No matter your future paths, at this moment, you belong to this stage.”

“We’ll definitely work hard—not for anything else, just to perform this song perfectly,” Lin and the others exclaimed. What once was a mere collaboration of lead and harmony was now a friendship born from a shared joy in making music together.

“Let’s keep practicing,” Lin encouraged after a short break. Temporary groups are always far from fixed ensembles; building chemistry is tough. Yet, all were top-tier musicians, with rich experience harmonizing with different singers. With Lin’s outstanding lead vocals inspiring them, their coordination improved steadily. By evening, the song’s charm was well conveyed.

“That’s enough for now. Rest. We can’t force the rest today. Tomorrow’s performance will show how things go. Remember the feeling. Imagine you’re the protagonist in the song’s story, touching its emotions and expressing them—that’s all.”

“Got it.”

“Also, tomorrow may bring many unexpected events. Don’t panic. No matter what, we must respect this stage. If allowed, we must keep singing.”

“Understood.”

That evening, Lin Qihua received a call from his father.

“How are you feeling?” Lin Yilun sounded upbeat.

“Pretty good,” Lin Qihua replied with a bright smile. “I guess being disciplined strictly when I was young helped. My mindset hasn’t collapsed yet.”

“That’s how it should be. ‘Though the dusk is vast, the pine stands strong; clouds fly wildly, yet calm remains. Born to the immortal’s cave, infinite splendor lies on the perilous peak.’ The entertainment world is no quiet place; you’ll face all sorts of trials. Get through them, and it’s a test and a step forward,” Lin Yilun said with satisfaction. “Your mother was worried at first, afraid you wouldn’t hold up. I told her to have faith in you. As long as you’re clear in your conscience, why fear ghosts or gods? Those not envied by heaven are mediocre. Xiaohua, you make me proud.”

“Thanks for the compliment, Dad. Mom’s just worried, a bit unsettled,” Lin Qihua reassured. “I’m taking tomorrow’s competition lightly. Just want to perform my work well. The result doesn’t matter. The key is to withstand the pressure and see the clouds part to reveal the moon.”

“With that mindset, I’m relieved,” Lin Yilun said before hanging up.

Could Lin Qihua really remain unaffected by the external storm? After all, he was just a young man in his twenties. He wanted to break free, to tell everyone that Tang Zhijie was a liar, that it was he who got drunk and harassed female artists, that he tried to stop it but was instead smeared.

But could he do that? Would it help? With the media so one-sided, it would be useless. It would only invite accusations of desperation and reckless attacks, achieving nothing.

So he remained composed before everyone. Only by doing so could they continue to hold on, guarding their last bastion, waiting for dawn.

He didn’t know when the turning point would come, only that if he didn’t grit his teeth and endure, his career would end prematurely. He would have to say goodbye to the stage he loved, carrying a lifetime of shame, watching people like Tang Zhijie dance triumphantly on it from the shadows.

Now, he had only his voice on the stage he could still control, telling his story through song.

On Friday, under the lingering siege of the public uproar, “The Vocalist” aired its fifth episode of the week.

What measures would the production take? How would Lin Qihua respond? What would the audience choose?

All these questions captivated viewers nationwide. The usual focus on substitute and challenger singers was pushed to the sidelines.