Chapter Forty: There Must Be a Profound Meaning Behind Writing This Book

I used to turn my nose up at it, but now I study it frame by frame.

That was exactly what Qi Yuan was thinking at this moment. He was watching the seventh episode of "Hello Roommate" as if it were an instructional video, paying especially close attention to the segments featuring Yu Wei.

Know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

To focus on studying his opponent, Qi Yuan had hung up on his manager four times. Finally, he simply switched his phone to airplane mode—even if the sky were falling, it would have to wait until he finished the episode!

He was determined to see exactly how Yu Wei managed to write his songs.

How is a song born? Qi Yuan was the only one who actually believed the show’s premise, mostly because he had completely cut off contact with the outside world and hadn't checked the trending topics. It was hard to imagine that he was the only one truly watching the program tonight.

"Is it really necessary to type so much just to write a song?"

Qi Yuan didn't understand, but he was deeply shaken. Yu Wei’s approach was incredibly unconventional; he had never seen any other musician compose this way.

"There must be a profound meaning behind this."

A master never makes a wasted move, and clearly, Yu Wei was a master in Qi Yuan’s eyes.

More than half the show had passed, yet most of the footage of Yu Wei showed him typing in his room—typing by day, typing by night, typing when it was sunny, and still typing when it rained.

However, Qi Yuan didn't find it monotonous. Instead, he felt greatly encouraged. Was this the persistence and perseverance of Yu Wei’s creative process? He had originally assumed that Yu Wei would dislike the fickle, fame-hungry world of variety shows, but now it seemed he had been dead wrong. Only those who could remain true to themselves amidst such instability were the real masters.

Soon, the show reached the segment where Yu Wei performed.

Qi Yuan sat up straight, savoring the calm, cold melody. It felt as if, in an instant, the noisy world had quieted down, leaving only a fine mist of rain to prick at his numb heart.

The production team had specifically edited this segment from three perspectives: the rainy scene outside, the heartwarming image of Yu Wei sitting on the sofa singing to the others, and finally, the scene in the "hospital room" where Fei Hong was taking care of Zhou Mumu.

The rain was meant to set the mood, and the footage of the patient care paired with Yu Wei’s love song added a unique flavor, not to mention the potential for shipping them as a couple.

"What kind of editing is this!"

Other viewers might have enjoyed that sort of thing, but Qi Yuan only wanted to watch Yu Wei sing. With the camera cutting away, how was he supposed to study his opponent?

Then, the chorus surged like crashing waves. Yu Wei’s voice remained steady amidst the tumultuous sound, and the anger Qi Yuan had just felt vanished, leaving him once again immersed in the music.

As the lingering melody slowly faded, he watched the program reach its end in silence. The stillness remained in his ears, as if the afterglow of that rain were frozen in the air, a heavy, persistent dampness that wouldn't dissipate.

This song was in no way inferior to "Heart Wall," and in terms of lyrical craftsmanship, it was even superior. To be so prolific while maintaining such high quality in every song—it was terrifying.

Qi Yuan calmed his nerves slightly before finally turning his phone back on and connecting to the internet. Surely everyone must be praising this song right now...

Wait. What? A novel? What on earth?

Seeing the top trending topic, Qi Yuan was dumbfounded. He had only been offline for an hour—why did it feel like half a century had passed? Was this even the same country?

He had read web novels back in middle school; he wouldn't call them "low-brow," but they were definitely cliché. Now he was being told that Yu Wei was an author of this stuff?

So, when he was typing on the show, he was writing a novel? I’ll be damned...

"Sister Wu, why didn't you tell me about such a huge thing?"

Wu Qi: 6.

Was it that she hadn't reached out? She had called Qi Yuan the moment she saw the trending topic, but he hadn't picked up once...

After hanging up, Qi Yuan felt like a primitive man. He no longer had any idea what Yu Wei was up to.

"I have to read this book."

Yu Wei wouldn't make an unnecessary move; there had to be a reason he was writing this!

Driven by a desire to get to the bottom of it, Qi Yuan downloaded Qidian Reading.

...

The midday sun was scorching and blinding. The giant tempered glass curtain wall of the revolving door acted like a searing mirror. Qi Yuan hurried through, only feeling a sense of clarity once he reached the lobby.

Under his eyes were two dark, bruised patches, and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot—clearly, he hadn't slept a wink last night. He had spent the entire night researching *Why Do Celebrities Care So Much About Ratings?*, which had yielded some small insights. He planned to try his luck at the company to see if he could run into Yu Wei and verify his theories.

"Yo, isn't it our God Qi?"

He didn't run into Yu Wei, but he did encounter Zhang Lingye, who was getting water downstairs. Setting aside the external drama, their personal relationship was fine, so they naturally stopped to chat.

"Holy crap, what did you do last night?"

Zhang Lingye only noticed Qi Yuan’s state as he got closer. The man was visibly exhausted, his dark circles making him look like he was on the verge of death. This guy usually dressed so exquisitely, like a mannequin; when had he ever looked this disheveled?

Qi Yuan smiled without saying a word. His bloodshot eyes lifted slightly; that hint of a smile seemed forced, a mere effort to keep his spirits up.

He felt it was worth it.

"Cough, cough, has Yu Wei’s impact on you really been that devastating?"

Having known each other for four years, Zhang Lingye understood Qi Yuan all too well. A perfectionist as arrogant as him would likely have his psyche twisted after being surpassed by an obscure newcomer like Yu Wei.

"Vulgar!"

Qi Yuan had felt unbalanced at first, but now he had accepted reality and found a way to defeat Yu Wei.

"Do you know why Yu Wei is writing this book..."

His expression was weary, even wretched, yet that smile was exceptionally confident. Originally, Qi Yuan hadn't intended to tell anyone, but seeing Zhang Lingye still in the dark, he couldn't help but feel a desire to share.

"Maybe... just out of interest?"

Although Zhang Lingye had no idea what Yu Wei was doing, he wasn't curious either. Everyone had their quirks; maybe Yu Wei just liked this sort of thing?

"Heh, you don't deserve to be Yu Wei’s opponent with that mindset. He’s writing this book because there’s a deeper meaning to it!"

"?"

After chatting all night with a reader named "My Chinese is Poor," Qi Yuan had gradually uncovered the truth behind Yu Wei's book.

"First, while this book looks like a standard power fantasy, the plot involving ratings actually hides Yu Wei’s dissatisfaction and disappointment with the entertainment industry. Aren't those exaggerated, farcical plots actually a true reflection of the industry?"

As soon as he heard "first," Zhang Lingye knew things were going south. You’re talking nonsense, and you’re going to list several points? Don't drag me into your madness...

In truth, after Yu Wei’s book went viral, public opinion split into three categories. The first was the conspiracy theorists like Qi Yuan. They firmly believed the plot had a traceable logic and was full of idealism, reflecting Yu Wei’s silent rebellion against the industry.

The second group were the liberals, who believed Yu Wei was writing web novels purely as a hobby and that there was no need for over-interpretation. However, there were many branches of liberalism; one school of thought believed Yu Wei’s writing was a process of "mental excretion"—that while he produced high-quality songs, he also generated waste, and writing novels was his way of relieving stress. This group, however, was attacked by novel fans: How dare you call our book waste?

The third group was the "upside-down" sequence; they believed it was normal for Yu Wei to write books and that it was abnormal for him to be a celebrity. This is a web novel site; you guys should be the ones leaving!

But Qi Yuan’s conspiracy theory had reached a state of perfection, standing several layers above mere over-interpretation...

He smiled, the dark patches under his eyes seeming even deeper. "Second, Yu Wei is writing this book to sully his own reputation."

Zhang Lingye: What the hell are you talking about?

"The current internet environment loves to build up gods, only to wait for the hype to die down and then personally tear them down..."

Those who rise to fame overnight are praised to the skies only to fall all the harder. Any product of public opinion will eventually be harmed by it.

"Yu Wei is the same. He exploded in popularity because of a song, and many media outlets and netizens have called him the musical genius of the new era. You know as well as I do, that’s dangerous!"

Zhang Lingye had been ready to stop listening, but he paused at those words. The current environment did seem to be like that; whether it was an influencer or a star, the more people hyped them up, the harder it was for them to have a good ending. The internet’s god-making is terrifying.

"But Yu Wei deliberately wrote a cliché, even vulgar power fantasy. This is equivalent to personally lowering his own perfect image in the eyes of the netizens—he’s sullying his own reputation."

"This way, netizens still think he’s talented, but they won't over-hype him, because compared to a 'star,' a struggling author is more real and more approachable."

"Setting an imperfect persona for oneself is what a human with flaws and weaknesses does, rather than being a god puffed up by others."

"This move by Yu Wei—sully himself to preserve himself. It seems abstract, but in reality, he is personally stepping down from the pedestal, coming from the masses and going back to the masses."

What could he do? Zhang Lingye felt he was actually being persuaded...

Qi Yuan forced a smile, his bloodshot eyes looking like cracked porcelain glaze. Yu Wei was a terrifying opponent—talented, strategic, and even more far-sighted.

Too bad he had seen right through it.

"A gentleman sullies himself to keep his own counsel; this is great wisdom."