Chapter 59: The Call to Arms for the Chinese Music Scene

“Ziyao, your Weibo account gained a significant number of new followers after the show aired today.”

After dinner with Director Chen, Li Xinan returned to the room, tablet in hand, meticulously observing the fan growth data following the broadcast.

Meanwhile, Lin Ziyao, utterly exhausted from a day of filming, had already showered and burrowed deep into her covers. The mound of blankets enveloped her, making her resemble a soft, glutinous rice dumpling.

With the air conditioning on, tucked under her blanket, and scrolling through her phone, Lin Ziyao was in her most comfortable state. She spoke, “It’s perfectly normal to gain followers after a show airs.”

She was currently browsing Weibo’s trending topics, though not her own. Instead, her attention was drawn to hot searches related to ‘The Singer’.

One particular marketing-style hot search caught her eye.

“Shocking! After recording concluded, the Heavenly Queen and Director Rushed to Do THIS!”

The accompanying photos clearly showed Director Feng Wang and Xie Ying boarding an ambulance. The marketing account speculated that Xie Ying’s old illness might have relapsed due to the show’s demanding schedule.

However, the intensity of this hot search had yet to surpass the heated debates surrounding Zhang Ming and Xie Ying’s tied score.

As for why Lin Ziyao clicked on it, there was only one reason: she had been completely fooled by the clickbait title.

A new message notification popped up on her phone screen, and Lin Ziyao immediately tapped it open. The message was simple, containing only a single image: a patient at what appeared to be Xie Ying’s hospital had secretly photographed her diagnosis results.

Hoarse voice.

This condition is common among many singers, usually caused by vocal overuse or improper vocalization.

This news ignited the entire hot search list. Lin Ziyao’s two-hour reign at the top of the trending topics was swiftly overtaken by Xie Ying’s deteriorating condition.

Many expressed concern over whether her situation was as dire as reported on Weibo.

At this critical juncture, ‘The Singer’ production team could no longer remain silent. They issued an official statement.

The announcement detailed Xie Ying’s current condition to all fans and included a handwritten letter from her.

In her letter, Xie Ying mentioned that doctors had advised her to sing as little as possible, requiring ample rest for her throat. As a woman in her fifties, she acutely felt her physical functions declining.

She wondered how much time she would have left on stage even after her throat recovered.

Her original intention for participating in ‘The Singer’ was to bring a temporary close to her singing career and bid farewell to her audience.

Xie Ying’s letter primarily expressed her regret at not being able to complete ‘The Singer’ and having to temporarily step away from the stage. Yet, the audience clearly understood that it was Zhang Ming’s blatant disregard for the Chinese music scene that had forced Xie Ying’s premature departure.

“Must the Chinese music scene truly rely on a fifty-year-old to defend its glory?”

In the comments section of ‘The Singer’s’ announcement, this highly upvoted comment hung prominently, as if challenging the entire Chinese music industry.

‘Is there no one left in the Chinese music scene?!’

Although many viewers had, in recent years, joked or lamented that the Chinese music scene was a stagnant pond, at crucial moments, they still hoped someone would step forward to stir things up.

“I am Chinese singer Chen Qiling, and I volunteer!”

Chen Qiling’s Weibo post retweeted ‘The Singer’s’ announcement.

Chen Qiling is currently known as a ‘Little Heavenly Queen.’ Though her talent is widely acknowledged as sufficient to claim the title of Heavenly Queen, she has yet to win a Chinese Music Award, hence the common moniker.

However, she possessed a distinct advantage over Xie Ying: she was only thirty years old. If she were to step in and replace Xie Ying, it would be both logical and undoubtedly deliver a shock to Zhang Ming from the Chinese music scene.

With Chen Qiling leading the charge, many other singers subsequently emerged on Weibo like mushrooms after rain. They all shared ‘The Singer’s’ announcement with a unified format.

“I am Chinese singer XXX, and I volunteer!”

Xie Ying’s heartfelt handwritten letter, coupled with the comments section loudly questioning whether a fifty-year-old woman was needed to defend glory, thoroughly ignited the Chinese music scene.

If Lin Ziyao’s song released today served to reassure the audience, telling them there was still hope for the Chinese music scene.

Then the current wave of singers volunteering was a declaration to the audience: the glory of the Chinese music scene would be safeguarded by them, succeeding Xie Ying.

The internet was now united in an unprecedented way, eagerly awaiting ‘The Singer’s’ announcement of the replacement singer.

“You want to participate in ‘The Singer’?”

Lin Ziyao, engrossed in her phone, was startled by Li Xinan’s sudden proximity. Her phone slipped from her grasp and fell onto the bed.

“Manager Nan, you almost scared me to death!” Recognizing the person, she patted her chest and continued, “I’m just a nobody. There’s no way it would be my turn to be on the show, right?”

Upon hearing Lin Ziyao’s remark.

“That might not be true, see for yourself!” Li Xinan smiled, showing her the Weibo comments section.

“Wifey, should we join the fight too?!”

“Dream on, upstairs! That’s *my* wifey!”

Lin Ziyao usually ignored such comments, but she was surprised to see people in the comments section asking her to join ‘The Singer.’ After all, she had only released two songs!

“Why only call for me? Where’s Qin Yu?”

Lin Ziyao rolled her eyes at her, remembering there was another employee in the studio.

“Qin Yu was much faster than you,” Li Xinan said, opening Qin Yu’s Weibo.

Qin Yu’s latest Weibo post stated that due to her work schedule, she would miss the opportunity to participate in ‘The Singer.’

Upon seeing this, Lin Ziyao felt a wave of exasperation, almost fainting from the ‘bad woman’s’ trick. No wonder fans had flocked to her Weibo, urging her to participate.

It turned out Qin Yu had preemptively announced to her fans that she couldn’t participate, making it perfectly reasonable for her colleagues’ fans to come and ask Lin Ziyao to join.

The matter of singers volunteering intensified overnight, the buzz not only failing to subside but growing even more fervent.

In just one night, ‘The Singer’ production team received declarations of challenge from no fewer than thirty Chinese singers, giving Director Feng Wang a massive headache.

This was no trivial matter that could be easily dismissed; it concerned the honor of the Chinese music scene. The selection of Xie Ying’s replacement had to be handled with extreme caution, lest the audience’s criticism alone overwhelm them.

Meanwhile, Lin Ziyao began a new day of MV recording. If the work proceeded smoothly, she would be able to return to Jiang City in the afternoon and be with her grandmother during her surgery.

Online, the full version of “Most Dazzling Ethnic Style” was also about to be released on Penguin Music. Learning from the previous crash, they had recalled all their programmers from vacation this time.

Everyone was on high alert, preparing for Lin Ziyao’s new song release. The lesson from last week was still fresh in their minds, and they were determined not to repeat the same mistake.

The combined pre-order numbers for both versions of “Most Dazzling Ethnic Style” had already surpassed the total when Lin Ziyao and Qin Yu last released a song.

This surge, it seemed, was linked to the song’s widespread popularity on Douyin.

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