Chapter 39: The Birth of Nonsense Literature.

Lin Feng had no idea what this little stunt would bring him.

But it didn't really matter. After all, three days had passed, and he was already standing at the entrance of the variety show recording base. Having coordinated the comedic effect with the production team long ago, there was no turning back now.

When he returned to the studio after the recording, Lin Feng still felt as if he were in a dream. Though the stunt wasn't massive, his carefully maintained public persona had certainly been shattered. Still, he supposed he had achieved his intended goal. Thinking back to the gasp that turned into an explosion of laughter from all the guests during the first take, Lin Feng realized that he would never have to worry about maintaining an "idol image" again. If he had, he wouldn't be able to lie back and relax so easily now.

"Brother Feng, don't be like that, cheer up." Li Can patted Lin Feng on the shoulder with a grin. "Your variety show with Jia Yin airs tonight. We’re all waiting to see you lau... I mean, see your performance."

"Li Can, the more I think about this, the more wrong it feels." Lin Feng cast a weak glance at him. "Are you just looking to see me make a fool of myself?"

"Exactly!" Li Can replied with an innocent face, turning to Chen Gang and Zhao Ze. "Do you guys want to see it?"

"We do!"
"Very much."
"What about you, Winnie?"
"I’m dying to see it."

Lin Feng realized with a sense of melancholy that only Han Jia Yin, who was currently burying her face in her hands, was on his side. Everyone else was simply relishing his misfortune.

"If you aren't on my side today, don't come crying to me when it’s your turn."

"It’s alright, Boss," they chimed in. "With all of us in it together, isn't a social death just a team-building exercise?"

"?"

Amidst the banter, Li Can opened the variety show's website. After a few refreshes, the new episode began to play. The first twenty minutes were dedicated to the main guests. Today’s featured star was the lead actress from "Xian Xia," and the episode’s theme revolved around content from the drama.

Finally, the conversation turned to the theme song. The host teased a surprise for the audience. "For this episode, we have invited the singers of the hit theme song, 'A Glancing Look,' to join us. Let’s give them a round of applause!"

As the music swelled, the audience erupted into cheers at the sight of Lin Feng and Han Jia Yin. It was atmospheric and deeply moving.

However, it also caused the people in the studio to burst into hysterical laughter.

"Haha, are you two going up there to get married?"
"I'm dying, Jia Yin is almost having her hand crushed by your grip!"

On screen, Lin Feng and Han Jia Yin were holding hands. Their eye contact was filled with tender, lingering affection. From an outsider’s perspective, it looked perfectly normal—they were clearly a couple in love, their expressions restrained and tasteful. But to the people in the studio who knew Lin Feng was a total simp, the hand-holding felt incredibly bizarre.

"Quiet!" Li Can suddenly turned serious, holding up a finger to the screen with a stern expression. "You have to savor the 'dog food' with sincerity, everyone be serious."

"?"
"AHAHAHAHA!" The laughter grew even more raucous.

"You guys..." Before Lin Feng could work himself into a rage, his own voice rang out from the screen. The group stopped teasing and continued watching.

Their live performance was genuinely excellent; you could tell it was a live take, but the quality rivaled a studio recording. The audience on set was mesmerized, completely unaware of the chaos the two were about to unleash.

"Turning hands to clouds, turning hands to rain..."

Amidst the melody, their clear voices harmonized beautifully. While it might not have been divine, it was certainly top-tier. Their voices rippled like a flowing river.

"History books list the heroes, but who can judge their merits and faults..."
"What do I seek in this life, only~ you..."

Up until this point, everything was normal. The audience was enthralled. But just as the mood was building to its peak, Lin Feng began to sing with profound emotion:

"The distant mountains bring the sound of a leisurely flute at dawn..."
"The noon also brings the flute~ the midnight also brings the flute~~"

"???"
"???"

The entire audience froze. The guests widened their eyes. The director was given a close-up, looking completely bewildered. Countless viewers at home were stunned, and the quicker ones were already spamming question marks in the chat.

[What? Is this a stage accident?!]
[Huh? What just happened?]
[What is this about the flute?]

But things happened too fast. Amidst their intense gaze, Han Jia Yin sang with her soft, beautiful voice:

"With you..."
"The wild goose is just like a wild goose stepping on snow mud~~ Ha ah~~ ah~~"

"?"
"?"
[?]
[?]

The audience's brains crashed. A stage accident? Did they forget the lyrics? No, that wasn't it! Could two people mess up together so harmoniously? Impossible!

After a beat, the audience realized: this was intentional!

"Playing the zither under the willow, listening to the zither under the willow."
"Like a fleeting shadow~ graceful like a fleeting shadow~~"

The two held hands, gazing deeply into each other’s eyes, acting completely serious while singing the most nonsensical lyrics imaginable.

"Who sang two lines of nonsense in the lyrics~"
"Your every frown and smile... a smile and then a frown..."

"Damn it!"
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

When the sound of the guests laughing erupted from the TV, the people in the studio couldn't hold it back any longer and joined in. The comedic effect was so potent that the comment section exploded.

[I was about to roast them, but I had to put my knife away.]
[Hahahaha, they are dead serious while causing chaos.]
[The director's face is killing me.]
[Dead, can they sing it again?]

To the audience's regret, the pair seamlessly transitioned back into the normal lyrics as if nothing had happened. Although their voices remained steady and the emotional delivery was on point, it was painfully obvious that the two on stage were struggling to suppress their laughter, holding it in with all their might.

"Hmm?" Li Can caught a specific comment and flashed a satisfied smile.

[Listening to your words is exactly like listening to your words.]
[If you put it that way, then this can't be put that way.]
[The situation is just this kind of situation, what the specific situation is depends on the situation.]

Netizens were truly talented; they had mastered "nonsense literature" so quickly. It was... absolutely brilliant!

"Li Can, tell me the truth. This isn't just about the persona, is it?" Lin Feng, having accepted his fate, regained his composure and shot a sidelong glance at Li Can.

"Of course," Li Can chuckled. "I need to establish a perception that we welcome fans and viewers to interact with our content, even through creative re-edits. A work needs to be discussed and played with to gain popularity, and it improves our rapport with the general public. Why wouldn't we do it?"

Lin Feng was speechless. He finally understood. If you don't stir the pot, you're dead in the water! Brother Can really understood the essence of traffic.

...

Wang Fu Sheng had been in a good mood lately. His post on "Melodious China" had attracted a lot of traffic and was well-received. The humiliation from a while back had been swept under the rug, and he felt like he was back in control of the industry.

However, not long after opening his computer, he saw a video link sent by a friend. He opened it, and his smile vanished, his face instantly flushing red. He knew whose idea this stunt was without even thinking!

Playfulness, it was always playfulness! Why was it always just a joke to them?!

"Li Can! What exactly do you think music is!" Wang Fu Sheng slammed his keyboard in rage. "People like you will never touch true art! Never!"