Chapter Fourteen: A New Melody

"That's right, have your idol come out and improvise a song—don't tell me she really can't write music?" At this moment, righteous viewers were flooding the live chat with messages in support of Chen Nian.

"Come on, don’t chicken out! Where are those people who accused the young man of plagiarism? If your Goddess Lin can’t even improvise, how could anyone possibly plagiarize her?"

"Exactly! I can’t stand you idiots—spreading rumors is easy but clarifying the truth is a struggle. You accuse the young man of copying you? Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? And your Goddess Lin still hasn’t dared to show her face!"

After witnessing Chen Nian’s godlike talent, the audience in the livestream all turned their guns on Wang Duoyu and Lin Xinrou. Even some of the trolls and paid haters hired by Brother Wei began to switch sides.

"What do we do now, Brother Wei?"

In the artist lounge of Xinji Entertainment, Lin Xinrou was utterly panicked after watching Chen Nian’s performance. He had called her out in front of hundreds of thousands of live viewers, but she didn’t dare respond. She knew better than anyone her actual ability when it came to songwriting.

Even if she stepped forward now, what could she do? The demand was for improvisation, but she could barely play a complete tune, let alone improvise.

"Don’t panic," Brother Wei said, taking a drag on his cigarette as his mind raced. "You’re Xinji’s top artist now. The company won’t abandon you."

With that, Brother Wei quickly sent a message to the still-dazed Wang Duoyu, instructing him to leave the livestream immediately. The next day, he was to issue a statement saying he had been drinking the night before, and that everything he did was his own decision, having nothing to do with Xinji Entertainment or Lin Xinrou.

Upon receiving the message, Wang Duoyu didn’t hesitate and exited the livestream straight away. If he had stayed any longer, he wouldn’t have been able to face anyone as a so-called top producer.

Wang Duoyu’s departure was as good as an admission that the real plagiarist was Lin Xinrou.

The situation in the livestream was instantly clarified, and the hundreds of thousands of viewers sent their heartfelt blessings to Chen Nian.

"You must inform the company at once. No matter what, tomorrow’s trending topics must be suppressed," Brother Wei said darkly, crushing out his cigarette. "Tell Ai Ting’s agent to come to the office for an urgent meeting."

All he could do now was buy time and try to stem the public outcry. But to truly end this absurd farce, he needed a scapegoat with enough weight—and in his mind, he already had the perfect candidate.

"Oh, by the way," Chen Nian said, "I’ll be recording 'The Voice of New Songs' in a few days. Look forward to it."

"What? 'The Voice of New Songs'? That’s Tianxing Entertainment’s flagship music show, with an all-star lineup and massive budget. I can’t believe they invited a newcomer!"

"So what if he’s a newcomer? I’m rooting for him—he’s the best! From today, I’m his number one fan!"

"Exactly! With the original songs he’s performed, he could dominate any competition in the country."

"He’s probably going to school those so-called kings and queens of pop!"

"I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they realize they can’t compete with him!"

"We’ll be your strongest support from now on—take your original music and shake up the entire music industry!"

Chen Nian smiled gently. Seeing that the time was right, he bid farewell to his viewers and ended the livestream at the height of his popularity.

By the end of the stream, Chen Nian’s account had gained over two hundred thousand followers.

"What do you think of him?" In the Tianxing Entertainment office, Zhou Lu asked the executive director of "The Voice of New Songs" with a smile.

When Zhou Lu first suggested inviting a newcomer, Mo Fan was adamantly opposed. His shows had always prioritized quality, and "The Voice of New Songs" was specifically launched to compete with Xinji Entertainment. Letting an unknown participate seemed like a joke.

But after hearing Chen Nian perform "Sunny Day" and "Elopement," and now witnessing his live rendition of "Cinderella," Mo Fan’s opinion changed.

This guy is a prodigy—no, he’s a god!

"I can’t speak for everything, but based solely on the songs I’ve heard, this kid would be top-tier even among the 'Voice' contestants," Mo Fan said, never one to hold back praise for a singer he admired.

"You’re not joking, are you?" Zhou Lu was stunned. She knew Chen Nian was talented, but she hadn’t expected the notoriously strict Mo Fan to praise him so highly.

"How far do you think he can go on the show?"

"If he can keep writing music of this caliber, the least he’ll win is the overall championship. Even you will be just a stepping stone on his path to greatness." Mo Fan adjusted his glasses, his expression serious.

"What? Are you serious, Mr. Mo Fan?"

The overall champion—wasn’t that a bit too much? Their lineup of guests for "The Voice of New Songs" consisted of the top musicians in the country.

Mo Fan chuckled. "You think that’s high praise? I’m telling you, winning is the bare minimum for him."

"You sing well, but you don’t really understand production—so it’s not surprising. Earlier, Wang Duoyu was clearly trying to put the young man on the spot with lyrical rock. Even an experienced producer would struggle to write something like that on the fly."

"But this young man? He composes, writes lyrics, and performs—improvising everything!"

"This isn’t something a normal person can do. This young man is a genius!"

Zhou Lu stared at Mo Fan in disbelief. In all her years in the business and after working with Mo Fan over a dozen times, she had never seen that look of anticipation and longing in his eyes.

She smiled softly, now even more certain that supporting Chen Nian was the right decision.

"I heard you’re going to collaborate with him on a song?" Mo Fan asked.

Zhou Lu nodded. "Yes, it’s to build some buzz before he appears on the show."

"Do me a favor and arrange for me to meet him. I want to discuss his creative process for 'Cinderella.'"

"I’ll do my best," Zhou Lu promised.

Meanwhile, as soon as Chen Nian ended his livestream, Luo Xiaoyi called.

"What’s going on? You’re going to be on 'The Voice of New Songs'? That’s the kind of show I’d kill to get on, but they invited you?" Luo Xiaoyi sounded full of mock resentment.

Chen Nian smiled. "With my talent, is it really so strange that I was invited?"