Entertainment: A song that brought his deceased wife back to life.

"It's settled, it's Zhou Yan." The bespectacled man pushed up his glasses. "Zhou Yan is a well-known 'rule enforcer' in the industry. As long as the money is right, he'll do anything. And what he hates most are troublemakers like Xu Qing who don't play by the rules."

Qian Wansan nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. Xu Qing's votes these past few rounds have been ridiculously high, outrageously high. Over 80 million votes? Hmph, this is a slap in the face to all of us. If we don't suppress him, how will we lead the entertainment industry in the future? Who will listen to us?"

"Mr. Qian, simply changing the director probably isn't enough. Xu Qing's popularity is terrifying right now, and online opinion is all on his side. Especially that song 'Xi' (囍), although it's controversial, it's definitely generating a lot of buzz."

"Popularity?" Qian Wansan threw the walnuts onto the table with a dull thud. "In the face of absolute strength and rules, popularity is nothing but a fart."

He pulled a photo from the file folder behind him and threw it on the table.

The photo shows a man with a sinister look in his eyes, holding a microphone, exuding a kingly aura.

"Let him go."

The bespectacled man's pupils constricted sharply when he saw the person in the photo, and his voice trembled slightly: "Ye... Ye Zhi Qiu? The champion of the previous 'Rising Star' competition? The Ye Zhi Qiu known as the 'High-Pitch Demon King'?"

"That's right." Qian Wansan picked up his teacup and took a sip. "Ye Zhiqiu has been silent for a year, studying abroad. His voice is a gift from God. That's why he's the 'Challenger King' who will be parachuted into the next match."

"But... that's against the rules."

"Rules?" Qian Wansan laughed, a sinister laugh. "In this circle, I have money, I am the rule. Tell Zhou Yan to change the format of the next round. Let Ye Zhiqi and Xu Qing have a 1v1 duel. The topic is... 'Hitting High Notes'."

The bespectacled man gasped.

This is practically trying to kill Xu Qing.

Although Xu Qing's songs are full of emotion and touch people's hearts, most of them are folk songs or narrative songs in the mid-to-low range.

Ye Zhi Qiu, on the other hand, is a monster who can easily sing up to a High C.

Using Xu Qing's weaknesses to compete with Ye Zhi Qiu's strengths is not a competition; it's an execution.

"Go ahead and do it." Qian Wansan waved his hand. "I want everyone to know that if you offend capital, even if he's a top online novelist with tens of millions of fans, he'll have to grovel before you."

……

Backstage at the "Rising Star" program.

The atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.

The door to the director's office was violently pushed open.

Wang Gang was smoking when he saw the person who came in. He frowned and said, "Zhou Yan? What are you doing here? This is my office."

Zhou Yan, dressed in a sharp suit, held a red-headed document in his hand and wore a fake smile: "Director Wang, how have you been? Sorry, from now on, this place is mine."

"What do you mean?" Wang Gang suddenly stood up.

"The literal meaning." Zhou Yan slammed the document on the table. "The board of directors has decided that, given Comrade Wang Gang's repeated major live broadcast incidents during the program's recording, which have seriously affected the program's reputation and the interests of sponsors, he is hereby removed from his position as chief director. I, Zhou Yan, will take over in full authority."

Wang Gang stared at the document, unaware that the cigarette butt in his hand was burning his fingers.

He knew this day would come, but he didn't expect it to come so soon.

"Is it because of Xu Qing?" Wang Gang sneered. "Because I didn't listen to them and didn't eliminate Xu Qing?"

"Director Wang, some things are better left unsaid; saying them aloud makes them meaningless." Zhou Yan walked over and patted Wang Gang on the shoulder. "You're being too reckless. Is it worth offending half of the entertainment industry's capital for the sake of one contestant?"

"worth!"

Wang Gang abruptly shook off Zhou Yan's hand, his eyes resolute: "Xu Qing is the most talented and sincere artist I've ever met. His emergence is a blessing for the Chinese music scene. You bunch of vampires will destroy this industry sooner or later!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, what noble sentiments." Zhou Yan curled his lip in disdain. "Too bad, sentiments can't put food on the table. Pack your things and leave, or I'll have to call security."

Wang Gang took a deep breath and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.

He picked up his coat and stopped at the door.

"Zhou Yan, let me give you a piece of advice. Xu Qing is not someone you can easily bully. That kid has a certain strength about him, it's really uncanny. If you want to kill him, you'd better watch out and break a mouthful of teeth."

After saying that, Wang Gang left without looking back.

Zhou Yan watched Wang Gang's retreating figure, chuckled, and turned to sit in the director's chair.

He picked up the walkie-talkie and pressed the call button.

"Attention all departments, this is Zhou Yan, the newly appointed chief director. Inform the technical department to immediately revise the rules for the next match. Also, contact Ye Zhi Qiu's agent and tell him that the Big Boss is about to make his appearance."

……

Cloud Top Manor, third floor master bedroom.

Three o'clock in the morning.

A terrified scream suddenly erupted from the previously quiet room.

"don't want--!!!"

Luo Qianyu suddenly sat up in bed, drenched in sweat, her pajamas clinging tightly to her body.

She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving, her eyes filled with endless fear and despair.

Just now, she had an incredibly vivid nightmare.

In her dream, Xu Qing stood on the rooftop of a hundred-meter-high building, staring blankly at her.

No matter how much she cried and begged for mercy, Xu Qing couldn't hear her.

He just smiled gently and said, "Little Fish, I've come to find you," and then, like a kite with a broken string, he plummeted straight down.

The feeling of weightlessness as she fell, the helplessness of watching her lover die before her eyes, made Luo Qianyu's heart feel as if it had been torn apart.

"Xu Qing... Xu Qing..."

Luo Qianyu threw off the covers, not even bothering to put on her shoes, jumped off the bed barefoot, and stumbled out.

The floor was ice-cold, but she felt nothing.

She had only one thought in her mind: to confirm that Xu Qing was still alive.

Make sure he's still alive!

She rushed out of the room, walked down the long corridor, and arrived at the guest room door.

That was Xu Qing's room.

Luo Qianyu gripped the doorknob with trembling hands and twisted it hard.

The door wasn't locked.

She pushed open the door and, using the dim light filtering in from the corridor, looked at the large bed.

The bed was empty.

no one!

Luo Qianyu's mind went blank with a "buzz," and the fear in her dream was magnified countless times.

"Xu Qing!"

She cried out, her voice trembling with tears, and turned to run downstairs.