Chapter 137: One More Song

Rainbow Records is a mid-sized record company, primarily responsible for organizing appearances for its signed artists. It shares some similarities with large entertainment agencies but also has distinct differences. However, its lack of strength is far from ordinary.

In a spacious dormitory, a middle-aged woman and four young girls anxiously watched a live television broadcast while keeping a nervous eye on the door of a room.

“What should we do? The pressure from the other side is mounting; we can hardly hold on,” the middle-aged manager said with a grim expression.

The four girls remained silent, but their eyes betrayed their true feelings. They felt disdain and anger toward the manager, as no artist could warm to a manager who constantly tried to push them into others’ arms.

“We’ve persuaded her nearly a hundred times, but this little girl just won’t speak. What else can I do?” the manager lamented. “I don’t mean to scare you all, but Rainbow Records is simply too weak. They could crush us with a single finger. We’re truly at a loss.”

“Sister Hong,” a slightly older girl spoke gently, “we’ve also tried persuading Tong Tong, but to no avail. She locks herself in the room all day except for meal times and barely talks to us. We’ve urged her so much we’ve started resenting her ourselves. At this rate, sisterhood will fall apart.”

“Yeah,” another girl smirked faintly, “You know Tong Tong’s personality. She’s gentle on the outside but resolute within. Once she makes up her mind, not even nine bulls could drag her back.”

“Alas, why must fate be so cruel?” Sister Hong’s voice trembled. She knew exactly what Tang Zhijie and his group were plotting. Lin Qihua’s unexpected flawless performance on TV tonight would turn public opinion upside down. If Tang Zhijie and his team didn’t act swiftly, things would become very difficult.

The pressure now shifted onto her. She regretted ever trying to curry favor. It had only brought trouble, and now she was trapped with no way out.

“Bang!” The door suddenly swung open. Su Zitong stood at the entrance. Once radiant, the girl now looked pale and gaunt after two weeks of torment.

“Oh, you finally decided to come out,” Sister Hong exclaimed, rushing forward with a radiant smile.

“Don’t come near me,” Su Zitong said coldly.

“Alright, I won’t,” Sister Hong halted, then eagerly asked, “Have you made up your mind?”

“Inform the other party,” Su Zitong said expressionlessly. “I agree to their demands on one condition: once everything is settled, my contract with the company must be terminated. We will have no further ties.”

“Okay, okay, no problem,” Sister Hong nodded eagerly like a pecking chick. “I’ll coordinate immediately and get back to you soon.”

“Good. As soon as possible.” Su Zitong closed the door again, isolating herself from the outside world.

“Haha, this is truly a case of reaching a dead end only to find a new path ahead,” Sister Hong chuckled foolishly, then hurried to the lobby to report to—or perhaps claim credit from—the relevant parties.

“Big sister, why did Tong Tong suddenly agree?” one girl asked.

“No idea,” Sister Hong shook her head. “Judging by her request, she wants to leave the company and regain her freedom. Or perhaps this is the exchange she’s settled on after much thought.”

“And what about our group?”

“What else can we do? Reorganize,” Sister Hong sighed. “Surviving in the entertainment industry is tough. Next time we face such a situation, how will we choose?”

“Yeah.” Silence fell over the group in the living room.

On stage, Lin Qihua finished a song and quietly savored the moment as the entire audience rose to their feet, applauding. He was well aware he loved this feeling, even to the point of addiction.

“To ask me to leave the stage—I simply can’t.”

After a long pause, the venue settled. Lin Qihua didn’t leave immediately but took up the microphone with a smile.

“Next, please enjoy my next song, ‘Me.’”

“Huh?” The audience was stunned.

“Didn’t he just perform?”

“Singing again? It’s beautiful, but isn’t this against the rules?”

“Is he out of his mind?”

Whispers filled the hall. Wei Hongzhang, sitting in the director’s room, smiled broadly. When Lin Qihua proposed this, he agreed without hesitation. The effect would be excellent. Rules? What rules? This was a reprise, not a competition round. Singing two songs was no big deal. Lin Qihua had achieved his goal: the audience heard beautiful music, ratings soared, and that was all that mattered. What others thought was insignificant. With his standing in the industry, Wei Hongzhang simply didn’t care.

“Hehe, this kid is quite mischievous,” Teacher Cheng smiled and shook his head, having already figured out Lin Qihua must have prepared two songs to surprise everyone.

Despite the audience’s astonishment, Lin Qihua began his second performance as the music started.

“When the glamorous facade fades and I remove my mascara,
When I slip off my high heels, can I still stand tall?
When the applause dwindles, will anyone still smile at me?
When the singing and dancing stop, do I still matter?”

“Hey, this isn’t the same song—the lyrics and melody are different!” the audience quickly realized.

“These lyrics must be about a female artist—mascara, high heels. Lin Qihua is really defying the odds?”

“People said his style was too varied to be true, that he couldn’t possibly understand a girl’s mind so intricately. Now he’s proving them wrong, slapping their faces. Ouch, does it hurt?”

The slow yet resolute song narrated a female artist’s journey through the entertainment industry and her inner struggles.

“I defined my existence through others’ love, afraid of a blank life,
Yet forgot whether dreams should overshadow the girl I once was.
If you saw this timid, weak version of me,
Would you turn away, or love me even more?”

Which version of her did you love—the dazzling star on stage or the vulnerable, genuine self beneath the mask? Artists have dual natures; sometimes they can’t even distinguish their true selves. But the most authentic side is always hidden, for fear that if revealed, no one would like them anymore.

Why do I live? Am I still the girl who just entered the industry? Or the ambitious one dreaming of becoming a diva? Why can’t I live without everyone’s support? Why have I grown accustomed to becoming someone else to meet their expectations? Without their applause and support, my life is empty.

Wang Yalin silently wiped tears from her eyes. Zhang Yuxian stared blankly at Lin Qihua on the screen. Cai Yuting was sobbing in her room, and Huang Weidan recalled countless past memories.

At this moment, many female artists watching the broadcast were reduced to tears. Lin Qihua’s words—slow, calm, and heartfelt—captured the complex emotions of a female artist reflecting on her years in the industry, touching their hearts deeply.

The audience lacked such personal feelings but still found their own emotions in the song—regret, helplessness, and determination.

“If you saw this version of me, huddled in a corner,
Would you turn away, or love me more?”

The voice gradually softened, ending in a deep sigh. Once one steps into the entertainment world, as deep as the sea, life quickly becomes complicated. Throughout a career, one inevitably encounters myriad truths and falsehoods. May everyone open their eyes and view things rationally. Sometimes what you see isn’t the truth. And may you continue to love me, so I can bravely walk this path.

“Bravo! Bravo!” The entire audience stood, applauding Lin Qihua’s brilliant performance.

“This kid, two songs with the same title but different styles, both perfectly fulfilling my challenge — truly impressive,” Teacher Cheng thought, applauding. “Now I understand why Han Han insisted I help him. The entertainment industry would be a poorer place without such a talented singer—at least half as exciting. As for whether you two have a chance, that’s fate. In this industry, no one fully controls their destiny.”

Lu Zhixuan, the first to finish his performance, sat in the lounge looking envious. “This kid completely stole my thunder. One song was bad enough; now two. Everyone’s forgotten how good I was.”

His music manager, Yuan Jiayi, comforted him, “It’s okay. He was just doing an encore. The audience wanted him, and there’s nothing we can do.”

“Heh,” Lu Zhixuan smirked mischievously. “We eliminated him last round, so this time he must be conflicted. He’ll be thinking about it constantly, right?”

Lin Qihua took a final bow and left the stage. His next appearance would be in the breakout round after the New Year.

But Lin Qihua felt no regret. Instead, he was relaxed. He had performed the songs he wanted to sing, expressing his true feelings. In the backstage lounge, he watched the other performers.

Su Jianhao told him the surprises continued. Not only Lu Zhixuan but also the second performer, Yuan Xiaolai, chose his song “Blue Lotus.” It was less wild, more tender, with nuances even he couldn’t match.

Xu Yichen picked his song “Has Anyone Told You,” playing and singing it himself, rearranged to suit the competition with more variation—a nice touch.

Unexpectedly, Huang Weidan selected “Tick Tock.” Though her singing was somewhat lacking, the song suited her voice perfectly. Its simple melody was well-controlled, yielding excellent results.