My agency went bankrupt before I even got on stage.

Online users: 568!

What a terrible live stream! The director thought to himself, this must be the live stream with the lowest number of viewers in this episode of "Morning Star". Other trainees have at least a thousand viewers in their live streams because they have management companies running them, plus various fan leaders stirring things up and interacting with them, making them incredibly popular.

Lin Fan's live stream only has a few hundred viewers so far. Even though his good looks have attracted some people, the number of viewers in the live stream is still pitifully small.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have gained 1 popularity point! Activate popularity point exchange.]

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat. What was this damn system up to at this time?

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have gained 10 popularity points! Main quest activated!]

[Ding! Host, you have a main quest. Please check it promptly!]

[Ding! Main quest issued: Gain 100 million popularity points, reward 100 million RMB. As a superstar aspiring actor, how can you lack popularity? Young man, keep up the good work!]

[Current popularity value: 568; Task progress: 568/1000000]

[Popularity Point Exchange Rules: One active fan provides the host with 1 popularity point. 1 popularity point can be exchanged for 1 RMB. 1000 popularity points can be exchanged for one lottery draw. Popularity point exchange does not affect the total popularity point value or the progress of the main task.]

[Note: Popularity points have a limit, but there is no limit to the number of points that can be redeemed. Please explore the hidden functions of popularity points on your own.]

Lin Fan's eyes lit up instantly!

Can popularity points be exchanged for RMB?

This system isn't entirely malicious!

Knowing that I'm short on money right now, they came up with this popularity value exchange system for me!

You should know that 1 point of popularity is equivalent to 1 RMB. If you get 1 million points of popularity, you can get 1 million RMB. I love this main quest!

If that's the case, wouldn't it allow me to achieve my bigger dreams?

For example, in a tourist area, you could rent a courtyard, open a small guesthouse, and only cater to single young women every day.

If it were ten million, then... why bother opening a bed and breakfast! Single ladies could just pick and choose! How wonderful would that kind of stay-at-home life be?

Stay home as much as you want!

Staying home forever!

We've struck it rich!

In a way, Lin Fan felt his inner otaku being ignited.

Sing!

I absolutely have to sing it well!

Taking advantage of the opportunity of the "Morning Star" program being broadcast live across the entire network, I'll use such a big platform as my girlfriend's to build up my popularity. Why not take advantage of it!

It's all money!

[The name is too long to fit here, so I'll just say: Oops—I'm loving that smile more and more, oh no, I have to tip him!]

[Hahaha: I'm in love! I want to find a boyfriend... If all the guys on talent shows were this good-looking, the ratings would be phenomenal! The person in charge of selecting the contestants this episode deserves a bonus!]

[Sa_Sa: ...Everyone get out of the way, Fanfan is mine...I'll say it three times! Fanfan is mine! Fanfan is mine! Fanfan is mine!!!]

[Last Night's Stars: A man with such a handsome smile, even if his singing is just so-so, I still love him! Keep it up, bro!]

……

"...So, Lin Fan, have you thought it through?" Luo Yu was fulfilling his duty as a host. Although he didn't want to be the villain, he still had to keep the show going for the sake of the program's effect.

"think……"

Lin Fan's smile quickly froze.

Dream on!

There's so much music and so many songs on Earth! All this guy can do is sing the chorus!

I can't remember the lyrics!

The only song I can sing in its entirety is probably "Only Mother is Good in the World".

Or perhaps "Two Tigers"?

Sing "Two Tigers" on a talent show stage?

Rather than social death, let him be eliminated directly!

Wait, it seems there's still a chance!

The newbie gift pack he just received from the system seems to include a mandatory skill: never singing off-key!

This is it!

Just hum a tune, no lyrics!

Hey, wait a minute!

Speaking of songs whose lyrics he can't remember, he seems to recall one that has only one word throughout!

The decision is yours!

"...I'm ready, mentor, I'm ready to sing an original song!"

"Okay, please bring your performance!" Luo Yu was taken aback, but quickly composed himself. He hadn't expected this amateur to be preparing to sing an original song. The other mentors also looked puzzled.

However, the director backstage was overjoyed. He hadn't expected the kid to be so reliable. Even if he didn't know what song Lin Fan had written, it was still a topic of conversation. Topics bring popularity, and topics bring ratings. The director felt he was growing to like the kid more and more.

[A rainbow of black: Really? An original performance? Or was it scripted?]

[Chrysanthemums blooming everywhere: I don't believe it! The big company is fooling people again. What kind of agency went bankrupt and now they're starting to create original songs? This must be a newcomer promoted by the big company!]

【Why can't I get enough to eat@_@: Everyone get out of the way! My Fanfan is so handsome, what's wrong with him creating original content? Only your idol is allowed to create original content? What a joke!】

……

Lin Fan nodded in affirmation: "Four mentors, the song I will perform is called 'I Caught a Cold in That Corner'."

This is a song with a very strange name. Lin Fan first heard it on a GG (Girls' Love) website. It was the background music in a music video for a music phone endorsed by Song Hye-kyo.

He was very young at the time, but after hearing the background music, he remembered it immediately.

The melody is clear, catchy, and easy to remember.

Most importantly, Song Hye-kyo is beautiful!

So much so that he never forgot the melody and even used it as his phone ringtone, which shows how powerful it was.

The entire room fell silent.

Everyone held their breath, eager to see what kind of song this contestant would bring to the stage.

Lin Fan picked up the microphone, paused for a few seconds, and then began to hum that familiar tune.

"Darling, darling, darling, darling, darling, darling, darling, darling, darling, darling, darling~~~"

The entire song has only one lyric.

A pure voice, softly, humming.

There was no accompaniment.

There are no extra lyrics.

Only Lin Fan's voice, which lacked much skill.

He just kept humming it.

Darling, darling, darling, darling, darling…

On the mentors' panel, the four mentors exchanged surprised glances, and after noticing the astonishment in each other's eyes, they turned their attention back to the stage.

The somewhat tense yet joyful atmosphere among the trainees gradually quieted down.

The live stream chat also stopped.

This song, or rather, it can't be called a song, but rather a piece of instrumental music.

Its melody is pure and light, with a touch of unintentional sadness amidst its melodious tune.

It makes people feel relaxed and peaceful, yet it also brings back many memories of the past.

Those past memories carry a touch of beauty, but also a hint of sadness.

However, as time goes by, all the wrinkles stirred up by the wind in the lake of the heart will be smoothed out.

Only tranquility remained.

Darling, darling, darling, darling, darling…

Close your eyes and let the music rise and fall, as if you are lying on a vast meadow, with only a gentle breeze on your cheeks and thin clouds drifting across the sky. Finally, you can break free from those people and those things and simply enjoy the tranquility of this moment.

Enjoy the good things...

darling……

P.S.: "I Caught a Cold in That Corner", by Fiona Fung.