Chapter 173: Sister Wei, Let Me Write a Song for You

In the evening, the sun sank completely without a trace of light, replaced by massive searchlights.

Where the light gathered, the crowds gathered.

As part of the routine pre-recording activities featured in every episode, today's segment required everyone to prepare a gift, present it to someone, and explain the reason behind the choice.

Luo Xiujie sat within the camp of the Wildfire Alliance.

He looked at the bustling crowd in a daze. The Wildfire Alliance had already eliminated one member, and Brother Tang was currently on leave.

Yes, on leave.

Luo Xiujie firmly believed it was just leave; he didn't want to overthink complicated matters, and those things were far beyond his reach.

What left him in a daze were the moving cameras and the noisy crowd.

When Brother Tang was around, it was lively; when he wasn't, it was still lively.

No matter how formidable you were, the world kept spinning along its own trajectory.

"I want to give this to Brother Yuan. No special reason, I just love his music. Go for it!"

"Hahahaha!"

"I prepared a painting. I happened to have some time, so I drew a collective portrait of our alliance. But since I can't paint six copies, I'll just give it to Sister Wei!"

"Gorgeous!"

"Wow, this is truly gorgeous."

"I'm also giving mine to Brother Yuan. I prepared a basketball. Since Brother Yuan and I share a dorm, I know he likes playing basketball. I hope we get a chance to play together in the future."

Luo Xiujie suddenly shook his head.

This show had actually lost its original flavor.

Or rather, the production team was actively cultivating a certain atmosphere.

While there were people genuinely exchanging gifts, those with slightly higher emotional intelligence had prepared multiple copies, but He Shuyuan was clearly the one receiving the most gifts.

Why?

It was simple enough. Yesterday, Zhan Zihua, acting as He Shuyuan's manager, treated everyone in the cafeteria to extra food, handed out numerous small gifts, and chatted happily with everyone.

Nominally a visit to the set, it was actually a form of canvassing support.

Nothing was stated explicitly, but everyone understood the subtext.

Coupled with certain rumors claiming that Tang Zhichu was associated with DY and had gained too much popularity on the show, the higher-ups intended to suppress Tang Zhichu.

Consequently, many people gravitated toward He Shuyuan's side.

Amidst the crowd, Zhan Zihua wore a smile.

This was precisely the effect he wanted.

On the internet, ever since Tang Zhichu defeated Qiu Zhen and He Shuyuan, people constantly compared Tang Zhichu to He Shuyuan.

Would Zhan Zihua simply accept that?

How much time had they invested to cultivate He Shuyuan, only to let him become a stepping stone because of a variety show?

Thus, Zhan Zihua had come.

Seemingly trivial matters, as long as they could be broadcast, were eagerly dissected by viewers looking for details.

With Tang Zhichu present, the show was exciting; with Tang Zhichu absent, the show remained exciting, and He Shuyuan's "popularity" seemed even better.

Every time he received a gift, He Shuyuan would flash a shy smile of gratitude, looking thoroughly embarrassed.

In the middle of it all, Sig stood before the microphone.

He held a white T-shirt with a printed graphic—the silhouette of a figure.

Holding it open with both hands, the silhouette was unmistakably Tang Zhichu, taken from a stage photo.

"The person I want to give this to isn't here, but I want to say: the Wildfire Alliance is waiting for you to come back." With that, Sig stepped back.

The atmosphere turned somewhat quiet.

Back when Tang Zhichu was at the peak of his momentum, no one understood why he chose to take a break.

Moreover, the break lasted for three whole episodes.

Upon inquiry, it turned out there were machinations behind the scenes—matters involving the conflict between Tencent and DY.

The timid chose to stay neutral and mind their own business, while the bold assessed the situation and concluded that, at least in the entertainment business, siding with Tencent was the safer bet.

Given his close relationship with Tang Zhichu, everyone understood why Sig would say such things in this setting.

Those words clearly expressed dissatisfaction—dissatisfaction with the production team.

As Sig stepped down, Shen Jianxin stepped up.

He smiled before speaking into the microphone: "I'll just gift a guitar. Same here, the person I want to give it to isn't here either. But it doesn't matter, there'll be plenty of time in the future."

The remaining four members of the Wildfire Alliance expressed their stances one after another, all dedicating their gifts to Tang Zhichu.

Zhan Zihua remained expressionless; he had anticipated all of this.

Since Tencent Video had decided to suppress someone, these segments wouldn't make it to the broadcast anyway. That was why even Sig hadn't mentioned a specific name, merely hoping the production team would retain the footage.

Were Zhan Zihua's petty tactics brilliant?

Not really. Zhan Zihua was simply a veteran in the industry.

To put it bluntly, the entertainment industry was simple: it was pragmatic to the extreme.

When you were doing well, not a single bad person surrounded you; when you were struggling, not a single good person remained by your side.

Sometimes, all it took was the willingness to be the villain to surpass ordinary people.

When Bai Xixi, draped in a white dress, stood in the center, the atmosphere livened up again.

Bai Xixi raised her right hand and smiled, "Then I'll gift my latest album. After all, music is for making friends, right? The person I want to give it to—what a coincidence, he's not here either—is Tang Zhichu."

Unlike the previous members of the Wildfire Alliance, Bai Xixi didn't just hint; she called out his name directly.

Yet, the audience's reaction was enthusiastic, accompanied by warm applause.

Following Bai Xixi was Guo Jinglong.

Guo Jinglong strolled leisurely toward the center.

Before even arriving, he let out an inexplicable chuckle.

It wasn't because the situation was comical, but rather because who could have imagined that Tang Zhichu, who had joined the show two months alongside him, would grow to the point of becoming a pawn in a platform war.

It also highlighted how poor China's commercial environment was.

And one more thing was quite absurd: the agency Tang Zhichu signed with was actually DY.

"It's very simple. I brought a bottle of liquor. Tang Zhichu promised to drink with me and still hasn't made good on it, so I prepared a bottle," Guo Jinglong laughed.

If people could understand Bai Xixi giving her gift to Tang Zhichu—partly because of her erratic personality, her perceived sense of justice, and her status as a woman—

Guo Jinglong doing the same was a different story entirely.

Many gazes shifted toward the production team.

As Guo Jinglong stepped down, Liu Xingyun stepped up.

As the initiator of the Constellation Alliance, his statement held particular weight.

Liu Xingyun first glanced at He Shuyuan, who maintained his docile expression.

A moment later, Liu Xingyun said, "Shouldn't Tang Zhichu be coming back by now? Running away after beating us once—where is the logic in that?"

A burst of laughter erupted from the audience.

If the laughter following Bai Xixi's speech was one of pleasant ambiance and willing applause,

the laughter directed at Liu Xingyun carried a different shade of meaning.

Luo Xiujie suddenly felt a tingling sensation down his spine and muttered, "I suddenly feel this industry is quite something."

Sig grinned, "Any industry is the same. People aren't fools. Look at old Deng—he gave his gift to He Shuyuan, yet isn't he smiling happily right now? In this circle, what people think and what they express are often two different things."

Yun Miao cast a surprised glance at Sig, astonished that he could articulate such insight.

Shen Jianxin chimed in, "Remember Zhichu's song? *He is fine, and you aren't bad either; it's merely different stances, no need to get too caught up in appearances.*"

Luo Xiujie nodded with a half-understanding look.

"Everyone's already clapped, so should I still speak? It's nothing special either, just a book belonging to my son. He asked me to get an autograph from Zhichu, hahaha!" Liu Xingyun chuckled at his own joke.

Amidst the laughter, Liu Xingyun returned to the Constellation Alliance's spot.

Within the crowd, Zhan Zihua frowned. He hadn't expected everyone to have such a strong sense of identification with Tang Zhichu.

Still, it didn't matter.

Exchanging a momentary glance with He Shuyuan, he gave him a subtle wink.

On stage, only He Shuyuan had yet to present his gift.

He Shuyuan walked to the center, and the crowd quieted down.

With lowered head and his signature shy smile, he said, "Thank you everyone for the gifts you've given me. I love them all, and I hope our interactions moving forward become better and more pleasant. Dreams are important, but happiness is even more so. I've prepared two items: one I'd like to give to Teacher Sun Zhe—thank you for your hard work, Teacher Sun Zhe—and the other I'd like to give to Brother Zhen..."

Before He Shuyuan finished, gasps rippled through the crowd.

"Wasn't that quote something Tang Zhichu said?"

"Yeah, I thought..."

"Good grief!"

The Wildfire Alliance frowned, and Zhan Zihua wore a gloomy expression.

To the Wildfire Alliance, the people He Shuyuan chose to gift weren't particularly special, but why quote Tang Zhichu?

This guy had spent the past few episodes hammering the Wildfire Alliance, and this episode even Shen Jianxin had personally taken the stage.

Zhan Zihua's complexion looked poor because He Shuyuan hadn't listened to him.

The two had discussed that if the public sentiment turned unfavorable, they should also gift something to Tang Zhichu.

Harvest Tang Zhichu behind the scenes, but keep up appearances on the surface.

Yet, He Shuyuan had gone his own way.

Zhan Zihua sighed softly. Well, just because he didn't mind acting as the "real villain" didn't mean He Shuyuan felt the same way.

After the recording ended, people left the location in twos and threes, whispering among themselves.

Once the massive searchlights were turned off, the moon quietly hung high in the sky.

Qiu Zhen and He Shuyuan walked side by side.

Qiu Zhen genuinely hadn't expected He Shuyuan to give him a gift.

Both of them were entirely clear on where they stood with each other.

"Are you confident?" Qiu Zhen asked proactively.

It sounded like he was asking about He Shuyuan facing Shen Jianxin, and also about facing Tang Zhichu.

He Shuyuan smiled, "Who knows? I'll just do my best."

"To be honest, I don't really like you either, but I still hope you win. Being the runner-up isn't bad either."

He Shuyuan glanced at Qiu Zhen, "Has your confidence been shattered?"

"Maybe. A portion of my fans are disappointed in me. Losing in singing isn't humiliating; getting suppressed off-stage is the most humiliating part. I damn well suspect that video leak wasn't someone targeting Tang Zhichu, but someone targeting me, damn it!" Qiu Zhen muttered under his breath.

Qiu Zhen hadn't had an easy time lately.

He had assumed that since both he and He Shuyuan lost to Tang Zhichu, He Shuyuan would bear the brunt of the public discussion as the frontrunner.

Instead, that video had leaked.

Discussions centered around him had increased instead.

On the surface, it looked like Tang Zhichu was bullying him, but people didn't care much about that aspect; the information revealed instead highlighted Tang Zhichu's dominance.

"Don't take it to heart; once time passes, it'll blow over. Tang Zhichu withdrawing from the recordings afterward will make everyone forget about this incident immediately," He Shuyuan offered a comforting perspective.

"I hope so."

As the two chatted, cheers suddenly erupted from the distance.

Qiu Zhen and He Shuyuan turned around simultaneously. In the direction of the cafeteria, several people were jogging over.

Beneath the lamplight, a figure leaned against the doorway, seemingly holding a bowl of noodles and eating.

Qiu Zhen frowned, "He... he's back."

He Shuyuan narrowed his eyes, "Yeah."

Tang Zhichu was indeed eating noodles; he had felt hungry and headed straight to the cafeteria.

Luo Xiujie ran the fastest, shouting "Brother Tang" before he even reached him.

Tang Zhichu replied with a "Long time no see."

"Brother Tang, you're finally back."

"Zhichu."

"Long time no see."

Shen Jianxin arrived last, hands buried in his pants pockets, laughing, "Thought you got scared and ran off."

Tang Zhichu looked at Shen Jianxin and raised an eyebrow, "Showing up early to give certain people some time to prepare."

"Hahahaha, classic you!"

With Tang Zhichu's return, the Wildfire Alliance felt like they had found their backbone, chatting animatedly.

Everyone else watched the commotion from afar, though none approached.

Some even kept glancing at the production team.

Zhan Zihua had seen him too and initially intended to find He Shuyuan for a chat, but Tang Zhichu's return changed things.

After staring for a good while, Zhan Zihua left the scene.

Having finished his bowl of noodles, Tang Zhichu was now briefed on the general situation.

During the two episodes of his absence, He Shuyuan had appeared in both.

It was as if he was replicating Tang Zhichu's previous performances, churning out a song within a single day.

"At first, I was baffled as to how things suddenly got so absurd. Even if he and Sun Zhe were putting on a double act, it shouldn't have been this extreme. Later on, I heard rumors that the show intended to drop you, and it finally clicked—they must have had them prepare in advance," Sig muttered quietly.

"It was basically cheating, leaking the themes to them beforehand. Several times, the themes we chose had no takers, and we were forced to swap through a few options before a project was finalized," Luo Xiujie chimed in, sounding resentful.

The Wildfire Alliance had indeed had a very tough time these past few episodes.

Once everyone had finished venting, Yun Miao said, "Zhichu, honestly, I think you didn't even need to come back."

Tang Zhichu waved a hand, "It's fine, no major issues."

"I'm not trying to deflate our own morale, but the situation is genuinely complicated."

Tang Zhichu stood up and stretched lazily.

"I'm heading back first. I've shown my face, and I'll handle the next episode."

With that, Tang Zhichu headed for the door. Halfway out, he looked back at Shen Jianxin, "Teacher Shen, you remember our agreement, right?"

Shen Jianxin smiled and nodded, "I knew you weren't just sitting idle. Don't worry, rock musicians keep their word."

"Alright."

Watching Tang Zhichu leave, Yun Miao remained somewhat worried, "This isn't as simple as dealing with Tianhe."

Sig curled his lip, "What's there to be afraid of? If anything, I think this makes it interesting. It's a shame nobody's targeting me."

Yun Miao kicked Sig, "Ha, you think it's that simple? Just acting on a sudden impulse and flipping the table? Zhichu has way too many things to balance."

Shen Jianxin smiled, gesturing outside, "Indeed. Look, isn't he balancing it right now?"

The group looked outside and saw Tang Zhichu walking side by side with another figure.

Sig muttered, "Good grief, he only exchanged two sentences with us, but he goes out for a stroll with her?"

Yun Miao rolled her eyes at Sig, "You really are simple-minded. Sister Wei is just being righteous on purpose. Do you think everyone has the same relationship with us as Zhichu does?"

Outside, just as Tang Zhichu stepped out of the restaurant, he spotted Bai Xixi.

Bai Xixi enthusiastically waved at Tang Zhichu.

The two began walking side by side.

"Looks like you gained a tiny bit of weight. You've been doing well," Bai Xixi smiled.

Tang Zhichu looked down at himself; he believed that—he hadn't worked out in a while.

"Thank you," Tang Zhichu replied.

Of course, he understood why Bai Xixi was waiting for him at this moment: to show the production team, and to show the gossips.

This industry had its shining aspects.

"Why are you being so polite? Remember when I joked with you before, asking if you wanted to come to my studio? If you come, it'll just be the two of us. I didn't mean it in that way—I meant you can completely leave the operations to me, you won't have to worry about a thing, and nobody will force you to do things you dislike."

Tang Zhichu pondered, deepening his understanding of Bai Xixi.

Even Shen Jianxin had sensed that he was dealing with complex maneuvers.

Bai Xixi, clearly, hadn't noticed any of it.

She was happy, eager to help others, and at the same time, wonderfully simple.

It was as if she lived inside a protective membrane, automatically filtering out everything she disliked.

He hadn't initially planned to rope her in, but since she delivered herself to his doorstep, it would be foolish not to accept.

Compared to Shen Jianxin, Bai Xixi possessed even greater popularity.

"Sister Wei."

"Hm?"

"How about I write a song for you?"

Bai Xixi's eyes lit up, "Really?"