Chapter 9

Since his debut at the age of nineteen, Qin Qingzhuo had experienced ups and downs in the music industry for nearly a decade, encountering countless paparazzi along the way.

He was well aware that, in general, paparazzi were mostly motivated by money. Considering Jiang Ji’s previous attempt to extort money from the production team, it could be inferred that Jiang Ji was probably after money this time as well. For extortionists, the photos they took were their trump cards, and they wouldn’t easily expose them until their demands were met.

But Qin Qingzhuo couldn’t quite figure out Jiang Ji.

Jiang Ji was in a band and seemed to be a resident singer at a bar, not someone who specialized in paparazzi work. Faced with such an unpredictable variable, Qin Qingzhuo had to consider the worst-case scenario—once Jiang Ji’s demands were not met, the photos might actually be made public.

For Qin Qingzhuo, who had already retreated from the limelight, although he didn’t want his love affair to be exposed to the public, he could bear the various consequences that might arise if the photo were indeed released.

However, for Ji Chi, if this photo were to be made public, the explosive news of a same-sex underground romance might cause significant repercussions for him, especially since he was currently in the midst of a rising career.

Encountering ordinary paparazzi, Qin Qingzhuo often dealt with them himself, but this time was different. He felt it was necessary to discuss the handling of this matter with Ji Chi.

Qin Qingzhuo dialed Ji Chi’s phone number, but the line was greeted by a mechanical female voice prompt—”The number you have dialed is powered off.”

He hung up and tried calling Yuan Yu, but the same voice prompt sounded again.

Both of them were powered off…

That night, Qin Qingzhuo didn’t sleep well. The relentless onslaught of reporters, media, incessant flashes of cameras, and endless reports in his dreams made him feel suffocated.

The next morning, Ji Chi took the initiative to call, and as soon as Qin Qingzhuo answered, Ji Chi explained on the other end, “Qingzhuo, how did you sleep? I was filming night scenes too late last night and didn’t notice that my phone ran out of battery and automatically shut down. I also thought you had a recording session for the show today, so I didn’t call you in the middle of the night…”

At this moment, Qin Qingzhuo was not in the mood to listen to his explanation. He raised his hand to rub his temples and interrupted him, “Ji Chi, we were secretly photographed.”

“Secretly photographed?” Ji Chi was stunned. “By which paparazzi? What did they capture?”

“They captured the scene of us kissing in the car that night. It wasn’t a paparazzi who took the photos, it was…” Qin Qingzhuo paused. “It was one of the musicians in my band, the one who kindly gave me a ride back last time. I’m sorry, Ji Chi, I was too careless and completely underestimated the possibility of being secretly photographed by a musician.”

“A musician from your band?” Ji Chi’s tone was somewhat incredulous. “What does he want? Money?”

“I assume he also wants money, but for now, he hasn’t mentioned anything about money. He just insists that I must choose him for today’s competition.”

“If it’s about money, that’s easier to handle.” After a pause, Ji Chi asked again, “What do you plan to do?”

Because he hadn’t slept well, Qin Qingzhuo had a headache. “I’ll talk to the boy face to face in a while.”

“Will you be able to persuade him? If not, should I have Zhou Song talk to him?”

Zhou Song was Ji Chi’s agent, and Qin Qingzhuo had met him a few times. He knew that Zhou Song was efficient and straightforward in handling matters, leaving no room for negotiation. After a moment of thought, Qin Qingzhuo said, “Let’s not involve Zhou Song for now. I’ll try to gauge his intentions first. The boy is young, and we had a small conflict during yesterday’s shoot. Maybe it’s just a prank.”

“Okay,” Ji Chi said with hidden concern. “But if you need Zhou Song to intervene, just call me anytime.”

Qin Qingzhuo nodded.

The broadcasting studio before the recording was as busy as last time, with everyone backstage working tirelessly.

Qin Qingzhuo arrived early, hoping to have a good chat with Jiang Ji, but he waited until all the other bands in his team had finished rehearsing, and the Asperatus band was still nowhere to be seen.

Chen Jia hurriedly approached several times to ask the staff, but the answers were always “not here yet” and “can’t get in touch.”

“Still can’t get in touch?” Chen Jia was somewhat anxious. “If they don’t show up for this team-to-team PK, won’t it be just one band performing? Are they coming or not…” She turned around and saw Qin Qingzhuo flipping through the script with a distracted look. She walked over and asked, “Qingzhuo, Asperatus hasn’t arrived yet. Can you contact them?”

Qin Qingzhuo’s gaze moved away from the script and he shook his head at Chen Jia.

“Are they still not here? We shouldn’t have relied on them in the first place,” Chen Jia sighed, turning to leave. “Forget it, I’ll revise the script first.”

Seeing Chen Jia in a sweat, Qin Qingzhuo spoke before she could step away, “They’ll come. Don’t worry too much.”

Chen Jia paused, turning to look at Qin Qingzhuo. “Who? Did Jiang Ji say that?”

“Yeah,” Qin Qingzhuo replied casually.

Chen Jia nodded, visibly relieved. “That’s good then.”

After Chen Jia left, Qin Qingzhuo continued flipping through the script, but his mind wasn’t on it. He knew that Asperatus’s late arrival was probably to avoid a confrontation with him. It seemed unlikely that he would be able to talk to Jiang Ji before the competition.

His phone vibrated, and Qin Qingzhuo picked it up to see a message from Ji Chi: “How did it go, Qingzhuo? Have you talked to the musician yet?”

“Not yet,” Qin Qingzhuo replied. “He’s probably avoiding me.”

“It’s the first time encountering something like this. What should we do about the competition later?” Ji Chi seemed somewhat anxious. Before Qin Qingzhuo could figure out how to reply, Ji Chi sent another message, “Based on your description, this person seems unpredictable. Shouldn’t you just do as he says for this one competition? After it’s over, I’ll have Zhou Song talk to him immediately.”

Following that, he quickly sent a few more messages:

“Qingzhuo, you need to think this through. Once that photo is released, the consequences may be unbearable for both of us.”

“You’ve finally made a comeback, gaining the audience’s approval again. I don’t want you to face public scrutiny once more.”

“Qingzhuo, you must handle this matter with caution.”

Reading this series of messages, Qin Qingzhuo fell into silence.

Not far away, Chen Jia hurried over again. “Qingzhuo, it’s time for the mentors to take their seats.”

“Okay,” Qin Qingzhuo replied, sending a message to Ji Chi, “I understand.”

As the host took the stage, Asperatus band was still nowhere to be seen.

This competition was an intra-team PK, where each mentor’s eight bands would draw lots to compete in pairs, selecting four bands to advance. The PK consisted of two rounds: performing original songs and improvising on random themes. The winner would be determined by the total number of votes received.

The order of the intra-team PK was Yang Jingwen, Ren Yu, Shen Cha, and Qin Qingzhuo. When one mentor’s band was competing, the other mentors would provide feedback on the performance and suggest who should advance.

It was Qin Qingzhuo’s turn for his eight bands to compete, and the show had been recording for over four hours.

Everything was going smoothly, except for the uncertainty surrounding Jiang Ji and Asperatus. Qin Qingzhuo couldn’t know the current situation in the waiting room or if Asperatus could deliver a satisfactory performance. If they couldn’t, he would have to make a decision.

Asperatus band was scheduled to compete against Marsara, a new band formed two years ago with experienced drummers and guitarists from underground bands.

Marsara’s performance was extremely stable, with a well-chosen song that represented the band’s signature post-rock style. The performance itself was flawless, with the song’s emotion flowing seamlessly without any breaks, and the chorus directly ignited the emotions of the entire audience, pushing them to the boiling point.

After Marsara’s four band members finished their performance, Jiang Ji walked onto the stage with his old guitar, followed by bassist Peng Keshi and drummer Zhong Yang. He adjusted the microphone height, tested the sound by plucking the strings, and Qin Qingzhuo noticed that the scab had formed on the back of his hand where he had bled yesterday. Once everything was ready, Jiang Ji lifted his eyelids and glanced in Qin Qingzhuo’s direction.

The glance seemed casual, as if it were just an inadvertent glance, but only Qin Qingzhuo knew what it meant— a reminder, or a warning.

Due to the expectations set by the previous performance, many audience members were anticipating another unique experience from Asperatus. However, after Jiang Ji started singing, the ordinary melody, emotionless and hollow singing, and the obvious lack of coordination among the band members lowered the audience’s expectations even further.

As the coda played, the audience began to stir, disappointment evident on their faces, and the atmosphere in the venue became tense.

Qin Qingzhuo wasn’t surprised by the outcome. It was normal for a band that hadn’t even rehearsed until yesterday to deliver such a disastrous performance.

With the completion of the first performances by the two bands, the four members of Marsara and the three members of Asperatus stood on stage, ready to draw the themes for the second round of improvisation.

The themes drawn by Marsara’s lead singer were “necktie,” while Jiang Ji drew “easy-open can.”

The backstage discussions of the band members were broadcasted in real-time on the large screen behind the stage. Marsara’s discussions seemed more intense, with each member expressing their opinions, while Asperatus’ side appeared unusually quiet. Initially, for almost two minutes, no one spoke, and they collectively fell into contemplation.

“It seems like they’re struggling over there,” Yang Jingwen turned to interact with the other mentors. “Which theme do you think is simpler?”

“Definitely the necktie. Easy-open can…” Ren Yu chuckled and shook his head. “Who came up with this theme? It’s a bit tricky.”

“In the suitcase, your necktie lies scattered, as if time hasn’t changed, and everything remains the same…” Shen Cha softly hummed a line from one of Ren Yu’s old songs and said with a smile, “No wonder Teacher Ren thinks the necktie theme is simple. He’s written love songs with ‘necktie’ before.”

“They were just early works,” Ren Yu also laughed. “The reason why the necktie theme is considered easier is because it can represent many images, such as love, growth… which are common themes in creation. As for the easy-open can…” Seeing that Qin Qingzhuo hadn’t spoken, Ren Yu turned to him. “Qingzhuo, what do you think?”

Qin Qingzhuo’s gaze remained fixed on the video frame where Asperatus was, and at this moment, Jiang Ji had already started speaking, talking to his drummer and bassist, and the two opposite him occasionally nodded in response.

Upon hearing Ren Yu shift the topic to him, Qin Qingzhuo snapped out of his thoughts and shifted his gaze to the words “easy-open can” on the big screen. “Easy-open can… the fate of being discarded? Perhaps it’s about abandonment, loneliness…”

“So Qin Qingzhuo has been silently contemplating behind our backs all this time,” Yang Jingwen chuckled. “If you think like that, the theme of easy-open can might indeed offer more room for creativity compared to necktie. But I wonder what Asperatus has in mind.”

After he finished, the gaze of several mentors shifted to the big screen. Marsara was still in heated discussion, while Asperatus seemed much calmer. Jiang Ji appeared to be the one leading the situation, strumming his guitar while humming softly and conversing with the drummer and bassist. In contrast to the tense demeanor of Marsara’s four musicians, these three appeared relaxed, as if they were not here to compete but simply to pass the time.

“The preparation time is up,” a few minutes later, the host’s voice interrupted Qin Qingzhuo’s thoughts. “According to the draw order, we’ll have Marsara perform first, and the three members of Asperatus, please move to the stage’s waiting area.”

This time, Marsara sang a love song, perhaps influenced by Ren Yu’s old song. Although this improvised song didn’t constitute plagiarism in terms of melody, it bore some resemblance to Ren Yu’s song, to the extent that Ren Yu slightly furrowed his brows. As for the lyrics, they were even less satisfactory, with a few simple lines repeated several times.

After their performance, the three members of Asperatus took the stage. Jiang Ji sat on a high stool, still holding his old guitar. However, unlike the previous performance, as soon as he began to sing this time, his slightly deep, highly textured voice immediately brought the audience back to the atmosphere of the first round of the competition—

“The empty easy-open can on the street corner, is it waiting for someone to pick it up, or is it enjoying the loneliness of the night? On this road, with people and cars coming and going, the light brightens and dims, but it has nothing to do with it, nothing to do with it…

“The empty easy-open can on the street corner, living like a year in the corner. It has seen too many faces, some gloomy, some hesitant, some longing…

“As time goes by, it becomes rusty, and time blinds its eyes. It waits for an end in the long night. At the end of the rainy night, someone hears it sigh gently, sighing about the length of loneliness, and the shortness of yearning…”

The melody of this tune wasn’t particularly complex, with the guitar, drums, and bass all light and slow, and the deep voice of the lead singer was very gentle. Jiang Ji, strumming the guitar strings and singing with his head bowed, appeared relaxed and comfortable, not at all like someone singing an improvised song.

Watching Jiang Ji on stage, strumming the guitar strings and singing with his head bowed, Qin Qingzhuo couldn’t connect him with the person who had secretly taken photos and threatened him.

As the final coda faded away bit by bit, Asperatus on stage finally finished singing this song. After a brief silence, applause erupted from the audience, explosive and thunderous, in stark contrast to the gentle and melancholic tone of the song.

The applause lasted for quite a while, and before the host could proceed with the mentor evaluations, Shen Cha took the initiative to speak, her tone full of surprise. “Was this song really improvised by you guys?”

Jiang Ji nodded.

Rarely receiving so much appreciation, Zhong Yang also spoke up, “Absolutely, who would write a song about an easy-open can for no reason…”

Shen Cha chuckled, “That’s true. However, to achieve this level of completion in ten minutes, with a fresh and pleasant melody, touching lyrics, and such harmony between the band members, it really impressed me. And because this song highlights the vocals, I have to say, Jiang Ji, your voice is a gift from heaven, please take good care of it, okay?”

“So, Shen Cha, if you were their mentor,” the host timely asked, “which band would you choose?”

“I would choose which band…” Shen Cha propped up her chin, looking at the two bands on stage. “The performances in the two rounds have been quite surprising. If I were the mentor, I would be very torn right now, but I’m not,” she smiled and said, “so I choose Asperatus.”

“That’s a truly spontaneous answer,” the host laughed. “What about Ren Yu, then?”

During the improvisation round, Marsara’s song bore some resemblance to Ren Yu’s old song, but Ren Yu didn’t mention it. “From the first performance, it’s evident that Asperatus made too many basic mistakes, while Marsara’s performance was almost perfect, with excellent cooperation among the band members. As for the improvisation round, I must say, Asperatus’s performance was indeed outstanding. This song had a light melody, a great atmosphere, cleverly used chords, and all the instruments sounded just right, neither overshadowing nor overpowering the vocals. I loved it. Considering both rounds, if I were their mentor, I would choose Asperatus.”

After Ren Yu, the host asked for Yang Jingwen’s choice. Yang Jingwen chose Marsara, reasoning that “If a band makes multiple basic mistakes, I don’t believe they’re taking this competition seriously.”

After the three mentors finished their evaluations, it was Qin Qingzhuo’s turn to make a choice.

The eyes of the seven musicians on stage all fell on Qin Qingzhuo, and before speaking, Qin Qingzhuo glanced at Jiang Ji once more. Jiang Ji stood on the stage, also looking at him, his dark gaze emitting a silent sense of oppression.

Qin Qingzhuo looked at Jiang Ji, accurately assessing him.

Honestly speaking, he also really liked the song “The Empty Easy-Open Can on the Street Corner” that Asperatus just performed. This song was even better than Asperatus’s previous round’s “The Train Station,” or perhaps it was better than most of the meticulously prepared songs in this round, because it seemed casual but was still deeply moving.

But the more so, the more it indicated that the disastrous performance of Asperatus in the previous round was completely intentional on Jiang Ji’s part — he deliberately made things difficult for Qin Qingzhuo, wanting to manipulate and control him.

For Qin Qingzhuo, this was a choice that needed to be made with extreme caution, and choosing Asperatus was clearly the most prudent approach at the moment. Qin Qingzhuo could be sure that if Jiang Ji really made that photo public, it would not only impact his and Ji Chi’s careers but possibly also their relationship and even their lives.

The butterfly effect caused by the fermenting public opinion would inevitably make the consequences of this matter uncontrollable.

In the face of such a dramatic turnaround in the improvisation round, choosing Asperatus didn’t seem abrupt, especially since Shen Cha and Ren Yu had just made such a choice. However… was he really going to condone Jiang Ji’s actions?

“Qingzhuo,” the host asked again with a smile, “is this decision really so difficult to make?”

After a moment of silence, Qin Qingzhuo made his decision.

He leaned forward, adjusting the microphone near his jaw with a hand gesture, then looked towards Marsara. “Marsara, from a technical perspective, your first performance can be described as flawless. The resonance between the musicians was exceptionally rare, a result of the band’s meticulous rehearsal and polishing, resulting in a highly cohesive and perfect performance.”

“As for Asperatus,” Qin Qingzhuo glanced at Jiang Ji, “I still stand by my assessment from the previous round. The lead singer is a talented musician and vocalist, as confirmed by the improvisation round just now. But why was your first performance so terrible? Did you really choose your songs seriously? That riff was uninspired, the chorus repetitive, not even comparable to many internet pop music garbage, let alone the song you improvised just now. I feel that if you put in a little more effort, you wouldn’t have presented the current result.”

Qin Qingzhuo looked at Jiang Ji, whose eyes remained dark and expressionless. His slightly raised jaw made his mouth corners appear slightly downturned, showing indifference to Qin Qingzhuo’s critique.

Qin Qingzhuo’s tone grew heavier, continuing in a slow and deliberate manner, “In my opinion, Asperatus presenting such a flawed performance not only shows disrespect to the stage and the audience but also constitutes a serious blasphemy against music.”

After Qin Qingzhuo finished speaking, the entire audience quieted down, and the other mentors looked somewhat surprised at Qin Qingzhuo. Before this, the atmosphere had been harmonious, with few serious moments. Qin Qingzhuo was usually gentle and almost never uttered harsh words.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the room plummeted. Just as the host was about to speak to lighten the mood, Jiang Ji suddenly made a low “hmph” sound, a mocking sneer evident in his voice.

“Teacher Qin accuses us of disrespecting the audience and blaspheming music,” Jiang Ji looked at Qin Qingzhuo, his voice slightly deepened by the microphone, “but I think, compared to certain people causing a scene at their own concert, our performance doesn’t seem that bad, does it?”

His words were pointed, and whispers immediately erupted from the audience. Even though Qin Qingzhuo’s back was turned to the audience, he could feel hundreds of eyes suddenly focused on him, making him feel uncomfortable.

The audience, always eager for excitement, began to get excited, waiting for Qin Qingzhuo to respond.

The audience couldn’t see Qin Qingzhuo’s face, but Jiang Ji could see it clearly. There was a moment when Qin Qingzhuo’s expression seemed somewhat hurt, and the rapid fluttering of his eyelashes almost made Jiang Ji feel a bit sorry for him.

But Qin Qingzhuo quickly closed his eyes, hiding that fleeting look of vulnerability, and when he opened them again, he took a deep breath and looked at Jiang Ji, his tone very soft, “So, Jiang Ji, since you think some people are wrong, why can’t you learn from their mistakes?”

Half of the audience waited for Jiang Ji to continue arguing with Qin Qingzhuo, hoping to see a more intense back-and-forth, a sharper conflict between the two.

Originally, Jiang Ji wanted to indulge these people’s malicious desires, but for some reason, his gaze shifted away from Qin Qingzhuo’s face, and in the end, he didn’t say anything more.

Seeing the two men stop talking, the host posed the question again, “So, Qingzhuo, what’s your final choice?”

Looking at the two bands on stage, after a brief silence, when Qin Qingzhuo spoke again, there was no hint of hesitation in his tone —

“I choose Marsara.”