After offending capital, my songs became more and more popular.

Chapter 134 Shen Ming'en: I wrote all three Olympic theme songs, so why doesn't anyone believe me?
A light rain shower, a misty fog shrouding the skies above Shanghai, glistening raindrops pattering onto the bustling streets. The raindrops on passing vehicles accentuated the city's rainy scene, a sight that should have been tranquil...

But from a van waiting at a traffic light, came an incredulous shout from Lin Bei, CEO of Ruixing Entertainment:
"What is Shen Ming'en doing in Beijing?!"

When Lin Bei heard his secretary say that Shen Mingen had gone to Beijing today, he didn't react at first. After all, he had only asked casually and didn't think that Shen Mingen would actually go anywhere...

Having just finished recording "Chinese Music Music Center: Red Song Season," he should have rested for a few days and been studying for the civil service exam in Qingdao...

The company hasn't assigned him any work, so why is he going to Beijing for no reason?!

This week happens to be the opening ceremony of the Olympics, and it's hard not to think that Hakimka went to Beijing at this time!

"This……"

In the car, even the secretary was stunned by Lin Bei's question...

What is Shen Ming'en doing in Beijing?
How the hell should I know?!
The company has connections with some staff members at the Chinese Music Awards, and they've asked them to keep an eye on Shen Ming'en. This is to prevent Shen Ming'en from cultivating relationships with some officials behind their backs and causing harm to the company, so they can make plans in advance...

But that only meant keeping an eye on him and knowing his whereabouts. Nobody knew what his purpose was in going to the capital or what he was going to do!
Even if you ask, he won't tell you...

Lin Bei seemed to realize this as well, so he stopped wasting words with his secretary and took out his phone to call Hajiling.

As soon as the call connected, Lin Bei asked, "Did you know that Shen Ming'en went to Beijing?"

"I...I know, Mr. Lin..." Haji Ling on the other end of the phone was taken aback by the question.

"What's he going there for?" Lin Bei asked bluntly. "He's not involved in anything related to the Olympics, is he?"

While speaking, Lin Bei was actually a little uneasy, thinking, "Please don't think so." He was frantically reassuring himself, "It can't be, it can't be. I've offended Zhou Chujian badly. With Zhou Chujian's connections, there's no way Shen Ming'en would participate in any Olympic-related activities..."

What Lin Bei never expected was that Hajiling would say something like:
"yes……"

Lin Bei: "???"

Yes?
What is it?

How the hell did that happen?!

Do you even know what you're saying, Haki-ling?!
Do you even know what it means for Shen Mingen to participate in Olympic-related activities?

"He went to participate in Olympic-related activities?" Lin Bei's lips twitched, and he asked incredulously, "Why didn't you say so sooner?!"

Towards the end, Lin Bei couldn't help but shout, his tone extremely harsh...

Please!

With the exposure from "Chinese Music Awards" and "Singer Challenge," these investors are already powerless against Shen Mingen. If he participates in an event of the Olympic level, his image as an artist will be unparalleled. How can these investors possibly do anything to him then?!

He actually managed to get right in his face and take it down?!

Is their company really going to be "forced into 91" by Shen Ming'en?!
what the hell!

I don't know what Hajiling is thinking. Doesn't she know how scary it is for the company if Shen Mingen goes to participate in Olympic-related activities?

Lin Bei couldn't understand how she could say it so casually!
"Haha, Mr. Lin, don't worry..." Fortunately, Haji Ling on the other end of the phone laughed and said, "He went to Beijing to attend an Olympic-related event, but he didn't participate."

Lin Bei: "???"

What does it mean to not participate?
Lin Bei didn't ask, meaning he wanted Hajiling to speak voluntarily. Hajiling didn't dare to keep him in suspense any longer and said directly:
"He was indeed not invited to participate in any Olympic-related activities, but Yao Shuli was invited. He went there mainly to accompany Yao Shuli and to get some publicity."

From Ma Ling's perspective as a seasoned professional agent, she could actually see that Shen Mingen's trip to Beijing was somewhat of a publicity stunt...

Didn't every trending topic related to the Olympics have comments discussing Shen Mingen? Many people said it was a real pity that Shen Mingen, as the spokesperson for the main theme song, didn't participate in the creation of the Olympic theme song, which really made many fans feel disappointed...

In this situation, Shen Mingen's presence at the scene, even though he didn't participate in the performance, made many fans feel even more sorry for him.

This can be considered a way to strengthen fan loyalty.

Ma Ling thought she knew Shen Mingen quite well, and couldn't think of any other reason why Shen Mingen would go to Beijing.

Ma Ling believes that Shen Mingen has no chance of participating in Olympic-related activities.

"..."

After Ma Ling finished speaking, Lin Bei on the other end of the phone remained silent for a long time...

Just as Haji Ling was getting a little anxious and was about to ask a question, the voice of President Lin Bei speaking to his secretary came from the other end of the phone:

"Notify the finance department that Ma Ling's performance bonus for this month is canceled."

“Yes, Mr. Lin.” The secretary nodded without hesitation.

Ma Ling: "???"

No...

I was just kidding!

Mr. Lin, is this really necessary?!
"President Lin, I..." Ma Ling was just about to prove her innocence and apologize to President Lin...

"Beep beep..." Then came the sound of the phone being hung up.

Ma Ling: “…”

How despicable!

She's fucking despicable!

Why the hell would you make such a ridiculous joke with the CEO?!

"..."

He tossed aside his phone, rested his chin on his hand, and turned to look at the rainy scene outside the window. Lin Bei remained silent, his brows furrowed tightly.

Although he learned from Ma Ling about Shen Ming'en's intention to go to Beijing, for some reason, an ominous premonition was spreading wildly in his heart...

Like the haze in the sky, it never dissipates and accumulates into rain, leaving one covered in a foul smell.

……

In the North, in July, the weather is so hot that you almost want to strip naked and run naked in the street...

Shen Ming'en dislikes any northern city except for coastal cities. Sometimes he wonders how inland cities manage to be so hot that winters are minus 10 or 20 degrees Celsius and summers are 30 or 40 degrees Celsius.
Wearing a black jacket and loose black pants, all in black, Shen Ming'en originally wanted to wear black sunglasses and a bracelet to play the role of a "Buddhist monk in Beijing's elite circles" and be a bit flamboyant. However, after landing in Beijing, he felt so hot that he was going crazy after only a few steps.

Black absorbs too much heat!
He simply changed out of his white T-shirt and oversized shorts before getting into the car and lay down in the back seat of the van, feeling cool and comfortable.

"call……"

After letting out a long breath, Shen Ming'en finally felt much cooler.

“You don’t look like a celebrity at all…” A familiar male voice came from the driver’s seat.

Through the rearview mirror between the driver and passenger seats, one can see a very familiar face: Shen Ming'en's best friend Feng Yucan, whom he hasn't seen for over a month since the show "Chinese Music Center" was upgraded to "Red Song Season".

The city's "prosperity" is linked to "traffic jams." Generally, no one in the capital is willing to drive. In Feng Yucan's words, it's only because Shen Mingen is here that he doesn't drive himself, no matter how big the person is.

"So what if they're celebrities? Celebrities are people too..." Shen Ming'en pouted, seeing a small shop on the roadside still shouting, "Stop the car up ahead and buy me an ice cream!"

“…I have plenty of ice cream, we can eat it when we get there. I bought you a whole bunch.” Feng Yucan couldn’t help but complain, saying, “If anyone finds out, we’re not leaving today.”

Fearing his brother might suffer, and also fearing his brother might cry while paving the way, Feng Yucan is getting more and more popular with Hajien, and he's too afraid to hang out with him all the time, for fear of being accused by Hajien's fans of "riding on his coattails"...

Those fans in the fandom are all like they have some kind of serious illness; they're incredibly sensitive.

"Haha, now you know your brother is famous?" Shen Ming'en shook his head, quite pleased with himself.

“…You really succeeded!” Feng Yucan gritted his teeth.

Despite his refusal to admit defeat, a slight smile involuntarily crept onto his lips. What deeply moved Feng Yucan was that even though Shen Mingen's popularity had been soaring almost daily, reaching near-peak heights in the Chinese entertainment industry, the feeling he gave off remained unchanged...

I didn't put on airs, I didn't care too much about my image, and I didn't cut ties with the people around me. I was even willing to play with myself during this phase and give myself a hand...

Thinking about it, having friends like these in life is truly worthwhile.

Didn't Feng Yucan release a very aggressive track a while ago? Because it dissed certain people in the industry, some representatives from various rap labels were unhappy and released their own diss tracks in response...

He criticized the other person for having no work and being from a niche, underground audience, while the other person criticized him for always hanging around Shen Ming'en to ride on his popularity. The other person's fame doesn't mean he's famous, so what the hell is he pretending for...?

The two sides argued back and forth, and perhaps because Shen Ming'en was involved, the argument somehow drifted into some rather sensitive topics.

This forced some big names in the industry to step in and mediate. It's not that they wanted to get involved, but if they didn't, the industry might be gone overnight! These rappers are just suffering from a lack of education. Nobody can fix this. I really don't know why these idiots are always dissing each other. Haven't they heard of the lyrics "harmony brings wealth"?

Although the matter ultimately ended with both parties deleting their diss songs, Feng Yucan's reputation was affected, and the claim that he was "riding on Shen Mingen's coattails" began to circulate at that time.

It was around that time that Feng Yucan, intentionally or unintentionally, began to distance himself from Shen Mingen...

Actually, this guy is quite conscientious; at least he didn't drag Shen Ming'en down with him when the scandal was at its peak.

Given Shen Mingen's current popularity, if he were to post an update to support his good friend, not only those few rappers, but even if the entire rap scene, men and women, young and old, were to collectively enter the fray, Shen Mingen wouldn't be able to easily defeat them all.

But Feng Yucan also knew that Shen Mingen's public image and reputation were more sensitive. His upright and righteous image could not tolerate any blemishes. He also knew that although Shen Mingen seemed to be very popular now, he was still facing the threat of being strangled by capital. One wrong step could lead to a precipice.

But sometimes, in the eyes of fans, no matter what you do, it's wrong!

Feng Yucan didn't drag Shen Mingen down with him, which led some haters to say that Shen Mingen was "disloyal." Back when Shen Mingen was wielding his "Eight-Point Light Wheel" and personally ruining the cash cows of various capital groups in the Chinese entertainment industry, even in that situation, Feng Yucan still forwarded "Unwavering Resonance" to speak up for his good brother. But now that Feng Yucan is in trouble, Shen Mingen doesn't say a word. Isn't that too protective of his reputation and too disloyal?

In short, the matter didn't turn out well online, and Feng Yucan always felt guilty, so even though his work was affected recently, he didn't dare to contact Shen Ming'en...

Unexpectedly, last week he received a call from the Olympic organizing committee, saying that Shen Ming'en invited him to sing a halftime song at the Olympics.

It's important to understand that even without this recent incident, someone of Feng Yucan's second or third-tier status wouldn't qualify for Olympic-related activities, let alone a duet performance like this...

Even Zhou Chujian and a whole host of top male and female stars in the Chinese entertainment industry only deserve one or two lines of lyrics in the song "Beijing Welcomes You"!
Its importance and value are self-evident!

This kind of thing is truly kept in one's heart. Shen Ming'en demonstrated what it means to "do more and say less" when it comes to brotherhood through his actions!
Looking back now, remembering how he had been somewhat resentful that Shen Mingen hadn't even asked about his affairs, he felt it was absolutely wrong of him...

He doesn't like to talk much; he just keeps some things in his heart. After all, "brothers are in the heart."

The entertainment industry is intertwined with human nature, so why are there no true friends in it? Often, it's these idiotic fans who "break up" relationships...

There are some things that Shen Ming'en can't do anything about; he can only help within his own capabilities.

"Hahaha……"

For some unknown reason, Feng Yucan suddenly laughed and said:
"If your company knew you'd landed a halftime show performance, I don't know how furious they'd be."

As he spoke, he looked up at Shen Ming'en through the rearview mirror and asked, "Are you sure your company doesn't know about this yet?"

"What else..." Shen Ming'en said with a cheerful laugh, "I wrote all the theme songs for the Olympics, I handled them all. Did I say that? Was I proud? Was I complacent?!"

Is there? !
No!
"...Keep bragging!" Feng Yucan didn't think Shen Mingen was telling the truth at all; he just thought he was bragging.

It's not that I look down on my good friend, but I really think that in such an important occasion as the Olympics, it's already quite good that Shen Ming'en was able to get the opportunity to perform a song during the intermission.

"Beijing Welcomes You," along with another promotional song and an opening ceremony theme song, must all have been produced by people from the national team.

"Believe it or not..." Shen Ming'en chuckled, thinking to himself, "You'll see when the time comes."

Too lazy to waste words with Feng Yucan, and completely unconcerned about the traffic jam, Shen Ming'en lay back in the back seat, gazing at the beautiful scenery of the capital city outside the window, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his face...

Shen Ming'en has always had a biased view of the capital. Having been influenced by red culture since childhood, born under the red flag and raised in the spring breeze, he always yearns for the prosperity of the capital.

But once I arrived, I always felt that my expectations were too high. I don't know if it's because of the times, but Tiananmen Square didn't seem as tall as I had imagined, and the square in front of it wasn't as big as I had imagined...

The streets of old Beijing didn't feel as spacious as their hometown village, and there was even a persistent smell of sewers in the air.

Houses are expensive; those courtyard houses are practically worth their weight in gold. But living here feels so cramped...

In short, Beijing didn't impress Shen Ming'en as much as Yunnan did.

But it's not fair to say we're disappointed. After all, the significance of the capital city goes far beyond its appearance. It is always shrouded in a sacred aura, inspiring longing in every Chinese person.

"How about we go to the Forbidden City tomorrow?" Feng Yucan said, "There aren't many people these days because of the Olympics. Everyone's inside preparing for the live broadcast of the opening ceremony. I got a few work passes through a friend's hands, so we can go in and have a look around..."

There haven't been any tourists inside these past two days; it's mostly staff from the Olympic organizers and celebrities who participated in rehearsals...

Compared to the various streets, courtyards, and delicacies of Beijing, the Forbidden City is truly the most worthwhile highlight to see.

Upon hearing this, Shen Ming'en calmly waved his hand and said, "I'm not going. I'll be going there almost every day for the next few days. I'll see when the time comes."

Both "Thousands of Mountains and Rivers" and "Beijing Welcomes You" were filmed live in the Forbidden City. Shen Ming'en received a notification from the organizers last week, and he will be going there almost every day for the next few days this week. Since he has finally come to Beijing, Shen Ming'en is not willing to stay in the Forbidden City. After all, the Qing Dynasty has been gone for so long, and the palace is not as comfortable as a five-star hotel...

"..." Feng Yucan rolled his eyes so hard they almost reached the sky...

Reaching out, I pressed the sunroof opening button. With a hissing sound, the sunroof opened, and the clear sky of Beijing gradually came into view...

"Hey, Ming'en, look what's that?" Feng Yucan pointed to the sky.

"Huh?" Shen Ming'en scratched his head: "I didn't see anything..."

"Awesome!" Feng Yucan exclaimed. "You've blown this up to the heavens, haven't you seen it?"

Shen Ming'en: "(￢_￢) Shoot"

They chatted and laughed all the way. It was noon, and for their first meal in Beijing, Feng Yucan had originally planned to take Shen Mingen to eat Peking duck...

It is said that no duck can escape from Beijing and the capital city alive, and this is absolutely no exaggeration. Peking duck is a must-eat for both Chinese and foreign visitors to Beijing, and serving Peking duck to friends is definitely the greatest respect one can show.

But Shen Ming'en refused, saying that he had promised to eat roast duck with Yao Shuli when she arrived the next day, and it wouldn't be right to go back on his word.

Feng Yucan: "..."

"You're blinded by lust and forget your principles!" he couldn't help but complain.

Finally, at Shen Ming'en's suggestion, they found a hot pot restaurant to eat copper pot hot pot. The copper pot hot pot in the old Beijing area is also a must-try. Just dip it in the sesame sauce, and hey, you can eat it! After eating, you can go to school, go to work, or have a runny nose!

Feng Yucan, the owner of this hot pot restaurant, seems to know someone here. In Beijing's entertainment circle, connections are often intertwined with many official sources. While Feng Yucan's songwriting style is a bit extreme, he's quite popular; many variety show directors have to rely on his connections to get people on their projects…

Within the industry, Feng Yucan is even nicknamed "Feng Yitong" because of this, and I'm not kidding.

When the owner heard that Shen Mingen was coming, he readily opened a private room for him and led him upstairs with great hospitality.

Actually, in places like Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, etc., celebrities are not uncommon. You can easily bump into one or two celebrities in some bustling areas (but you have to keep your eyes open, Dang Ran). This boss knows Feng Yucan, so he must entertain many celebrities on a regular basis. But even so, Shen Ming'en later heard from Feng Yucan that he had never seen this boss be so enthusiastic towards anyone...

There's no way around it, Shen Mingen's current image is just too exaggeratedly "famous".

It's no exaggeration to describe his current status in the Chinese entertainment industry as "at the height of his power."

Not only had Feng Yucan never seen him so enthusiastic, but many of the restaurant's employees and regular customers also seemed to have never seen him so warm and welcoming...

At the entrance of Zhang Wei's birthplace, a man in a suit emerged from the restroom, shaking the water droplets from his hands as he lifted the curtain. The shop owner's enthusiastic manner piqued his curiosity, and he tugged at his employee to ask:
"What's wrong with Old Qi? Who came to make him so enthusiastic?"

"It's a big star, Brother Liu!" The waiter, holding a tray, said excitedly, "This guy is even bigger than your star!"

"...Can't you show some respect to Teacher Zhou?!" Liu Wei rolled his eyes. Zhou Chujian may have lost his temper, but that doesn't mean just anyone can be more important than him.

"Ha, okay..." The waiter waved his hand: "Then you go ahead and do your work, I still have to serve the dishes."

"Wait a minute..." Liu Wei stopped him again, asking, "You still haven't told me who this person is."

They're all in the same circle, so many celebrities know each other. If they know each other, they can go over and offer a toast later; that's basically the most basic social etiquette.

We're all in the same circle, so if you give someone face, they'll give you face in return, and it'll be easier to get things done in the future, right?
It was precisely because Liu Wei understood these social dynamics that he wanted to get to the bottom of things.

"Him..." The shop assistant thought for a moment, then gave a thumbs up and introduced him in a boastful manner: "Right now, he's the most 'popular' one in the entertainment industry!"

When the shop assistant said the word "red," he emphasized it, and anyone with a modicum of common sense could tell he meant something else.

Liu Wei also realized it...

But after hearing it, he was slightly taken aback...

Who is the most "popular" celebrity in the entertainment industry?
Who?
Shen Ming'en?
No way...

What a coincidence!

What a small world! They've run into each other like this.

Hahaha……

Today's events are exciting, fun, and interesting!

So today, they're not going over to offer a toast, but rather to kick someone when they're down...

……

(End of this chapter)