Chapter 16: The True Strength of Chen Meijing!

“Can, you really planned this—tricking people with a fake face just to hit them,” someone teased.

“Ha! If he wasn’t desperate, how could he be fooled?”

“Honestly, Can, is the third song you prepared also something not quite serious?”

“Uh... it’s got a bit of an edge, but it’s very inspiring.”

“Edge and inspiring? Can those two even go together?”

“You’ll see when the time comes.”

The studio was filled with a lively atmosphere. Watching Li Can’s mischievous grin, Lin Feng had a premonition.

The song “Little Chicken” was explosive.

But the contrast created by “Dazzling Realm” was even more intense.

By this logic...

Whatever the third song would bring might be explosive to the power of three.

Unfortunately, Li Can wouldn’t say a word.

But it didn’t matter; Lin Feng was sure he’d find out eventually. He even looked forward to seeing what kind of otherworldly spectacle would unfold.

Following Can taught him a lot.

...

Time passed quietly.

The noisy debates on the internet seemed to have no effect on the real world.

But Li Can’s songs did.

Since “Little Chicken” went online, it quickly skyrocketed in popularity—a catchy, hypnotic tune spreading through every street and alley.

Chen Meijing had an undeniable presence this time.

Most listeners might not notice the producer, but the singer was impossible to ignore.

After all, anyone who builds a wall around their ears leaves a deep impression.

Even online, discussions about Chen Meijing herself began to appear.

For example...

“What’s wrong with Chen Meijing now?”

“Is Chen Meijing losing her mind?”

“Even desperate fame-seekers don’t go this far, right...?”

Because of this, many curious about Chen Meijing started to research her past events and works since her debut.

She had been quite normal before, very normal.

The stark contrast sparked massive discussions.

...

In this atmosphere, Chen Meijing’s reputation grew large, with both praise and criticism.

But the praise... was mostly about the amusement she provided.

If it had stopped there, her future as a singer would likely have been over.

And then, as expected, the time to step onto the variety show stage finally arrived.

When Star Beauty Entertainment requested her appearance, the production team of the variety show “Stars Forward” still decided to follow the plan: expose Chen Meijing on the show and give her a chance to perform.

At first, the production team admitted they were somewhat skeptical.

They even thought about cashing in on Chen Meijing’s current buzz, watching how things unfolded, and cutting ties if things went south.

But they never expected Star Beauty Entertainment’s strategy to be so different from their assumptions.

During the rehearsal, the song “Dazzling Realm” blew away all the guests and crew present; the entire venue erupted with exclamations: “There are actually such masters in the entertainment industry!”

The production team’s attitude toward Chen Meijing changed drastically.

In the free time that day, Director Jin took the opportunity to visit Chen Meijing, greeted her, made his attitude clear, and showed it off to other guests.

“Meijing, tired? We’re about to start recording soon.”

“Not tired at all, thank you for your concern, Director Jin,” Chen Meijing answered, overwhelmed with the unexpected star treatment.

For the first time, she understood why some people get arrogant after becoming famous.

That feeling was intoxicating.

But Chen Meijing knew:

If it was just about popularity, none of these people would be so polite.

A normal internet celebrity and a star are not the same—the difference lies in having works and future potential.

If it weren’t for “Dazzling Realm” and her own skills, she’d just be a one-hit wonder, fading away silently after the hype died down.

Thinking this, Chen Meijing grew even more determined in her future path.

“Stay humble, practice hard, and hang on to Li Can’s coattails.”

With her goal set, Chen Meijing stepped onto the recording stage, her eyes free of any confusion.

---

The recording went very smoothly.

After editing and review by the guests, everything was approved and set for release.

During the promotional period, “Stars Forward” did encounter some controversy, but only minor.

It wasn’t significant and didn’t affect anything.

Compared to that tiny dispute, the show gained massive attention.

On the night the new episode aired,

In a small restaurant specializing in beef tripe near Weizi Pit, the latest variety show was playing.

---

Though the place was small, its equipment was impressive.

A large LCD screen, streaming all the TV networks, even professional sound equipment—just a bit low-key. If you weren’t in the industry, you might not even notice.

Many customers eating tripe occasionally looked up, curious about the TV.

Just then, Chen Meijing appeared, interacting and playing games with the other hosts as usual.

As a recent hot topic, many customers started discussing her.

“Hey, isn’t that the one who sang ‘Little Chicken’? What was her name?”

“Seems like Chen Meijing. Wow, are the standards for entertainers really this low nowadays?”

Two diners chatted.

One looked quite displeased.

“She’s just making a fool of herself. I could do that too.”

Hearing this, Wang, the owner of the tripe shop, glanced up reflexively, then smiled and shook his head without saying a word.

Though not a musician, Wang played music in his youth.

Twenty years ago in the capital’s underground red-rock scene, Wang was a cool young rebel.

As the nearest street food area to the Royal Academy in Weizi Pit, Li Can and his friends often ate there and were very familiar with Wang.

While others might overlook the producer behind “Little Chicken,” Wang recognized it instantly.

To be honest, when he first heard it, Wang also felt like thunder rolling across the sky.

But knowing Li Can, Wang thought carefully: when he was young and rebellious playing underground rock, wasn’t he also seen as just making noise by many “normal” people?

Putting himself in their shoes,

Wang, in his forties, could now calmly look at things.

“Uh-oh, this crazy woman’s about to sing.”

“Boss! Can you turn it off or change the channel? We won’t be able to eat!”

Hearing the customers’ pleas, Wang laughed and replied,

“Coming right up!”

But no one saw that Wang deliberately delayed his actions, smirking quietly, as if wanting everyone to hear it twice.

Unexpectedly,

Chen Meijing did not sing “Little Chicken.”

The song title on the screen read: “Dazzling Realm.”

There was no time for mockery.

The moment Chen Meijing began to sing, everyone in the shop looked up at the screen in surprise.

A heavenly, melodious voice soared through the air!