Chapter 150: Next Station, Diva [Subscription Requested]

"Why does this feel a bit like I Am A Singer?"

The audience paused for a moment before bursting into thunderous applause.

This meant Murong Xue, the rising princess of the music scene, was about to take the stage.

Everyone present certainly knew who Murong Xue was.

Originally an obscure young female singer, she had been discovered by Ren Qian while performing at the Wangfujing Art Plaza. She then joined the original lineup of I Am A Singer and won the championship of the very first episode with a self-titled song, Murong Xue.

With her striking looks and a charming voice and temperament, her popularity had been rising day by day, making her a major highlight of I Am A Singer.

In the eyes of the audience, Ren Qian was a synonym for sheer talent, while Murong Xue was a synonym for breathtaking amazement. Her prominence was perhaps second only to Ren Qian and the Diva herself.

The four pillars of Rolling Poetry: Ren Qian, Li Feifei, Lin Ruowan, and Murong Xue. This was far from unfounded gossip among netizens.

The King and Queen of Pop had invited her to sing When You Are Old during their first concert. Naturally, she was invited to this second pinnacle concert as well, though nobody knew what song she would perform.

Ren Qian hadn't given any details, offering only a hint: the title track from Murong Xue's new album.

A new album.

That much everyone knew. Rumor had it that the new album would be released alongside Diva Li Feifei, which showed how much importance Rolling Poetry attached to her.

Since that was the case, the title track certainly wouldn't be disappointing.

What song could it be?

The audience could hardly wait.

"Hello everyone, I am Murong Xue. Tonight, I will be performing a Cantonese song from my new album, Next Station, Diva. This song was written for me by Brother Qian. 'Diva' doesn't refer to the superstar, but rather a specific subway station between Wangfujing and Jiangnan Broadcasting. I'm sure everyone knows where it is now that I mention it. And now, please enjoy the song."

With that, Murong Xue bowed very politely.

This song was originally one of the signature tracks of Twins, a once immensely popular duo, featuring lyrics by Albert Leung and music by Ronald Leong.

It was a magnificent song. It had two versions: one in Cantonese and another in Mandarin. The Mandarin version was titled Moscow Has No Tears. Mention Moscow Has No Tears, and surely everyone would remember it; it had been a sensation across the entire country back then.

Compared to the Mandarin version, Next Station, Diva might not be as widely known, but its lyrics carried an extraordinary emotional depth.

Albert Leung had originally written it for two innocent young girls just stepping into the world, telling them that "popularity is nothing more than soap bubbles." Little did he expect that in 2008, the scandalous photos of one of the Twins members would leak, causing the duo to face cold stares and scorn from all directions, and their popularity to plummet drastically.

Albert Leung's words had turned into a prophetic curse. It was truly sigh-inducing.

Murong Xue's new album was also titled Next Station, Diva. The selected tracks included both this Cantonese version of Next Station, Diva and the Mandarin version Moscow Has No Tears.

Tonight, she was performing Next Station, Diva.

The prelude began.

"Standing before Daimaru, I carefully look at my path.
The very next station, reaching the Diva, is surely the best~
Yet on this glamorous starry path, once I grow afraid of heights...
Will there still be an embrace waiting behind me?"

Murong Xue's voice was just like that—purely celestial. The moment she sang the first note, it gave people the illusion of total bodily relaxation and endless enjoyment.

This was the kind of voice that could naturally capture people's hearts. Over the past three months, honed through Ren Qian's training to reach near perfection, the emotions embedded within her singing became even richer.

Merely through the first chorus, joy, hesitation, and a faint sense of anticipation poured forth vividly.

It felt as though the audience had lived through this very scene: riding the subway, sitting beside a fairy-like young girl who was so breathtakingly beautiful that the gaze of every man in the carriage was drawn to her.

Yet she sat there with her head lowered, waiting gradually, her face painted with anticipation, nervousness, and youthful innocence. That demeanor was enough to arouse the protective instincts of every male.

Her temperament was what made her discovered by a talent scout...

And thus led to this scene:

The girl stood hesitating before a bustling shopping mall. Regarding her future, she had a very ideal path to walk: she had been discovered by a scout, about to wear the most exquisite clothes, illuminated by the flashing lights of magnesium bulbs, and splendidly stepping onto the red carpets of major award ceremonies, her every gesture triggering screams from the crowd. She was about to become a heavily watched, world-famous superstar...

"The lovers on Paterson Street,
Carry a proud look in their eyes~
Singing whatever I please on stage might not be a better glory...
Popularity is nothing more than soap bubbles..."

This section of the chorus matured the tone of the entire song. The girl next door on the subway deeply yearned to become a star, to become a diva.

That was every girl's dream.

Yet she also had her concerns—as a girl who believed "romance is above all else," she deeply worried that her love life would be affected by her career.

Although stars shone brightly, they also had their troubles. Things ordinary people could take for granted were sometimes completely out of reach for an influential diva.

Love, for instance.

Even if the girl's company consented to her relationship, with the woman being strong and the man weak, could her boyfriend accept it?

Even if he could accept it, would her hectic work schedule lead to a lack of timely communication and ultimately result in a breakup?

None of these vicissitudes were things the girl could accept...

"Even if one day I hold a concert, who would want to sing?
If he cannot be at the scene! It would still feel like living in vain...
Without love, how can you teach me to sing?
No matter how many love songs are given to me to sing, it's still forced...
No matter how brightly I shine on stage..."

The girl's values were obvious.

Love supreme.

She saw things very clearly: "popularity is nothing more than soap bubbles."

The girl believed that even if she held a concert on stage, no matter how magnificent the singing and dancing or how dazzling the lights, the glory could never compare to strolling and dating lovers on Paterson Street.

External glamour and brilliance could not fill the loneliness and emptiness within her heart. Without seeing the silhouette of the person she adored, even if she sang to the entire world and accepted the cheers of six billion people, she would feel no joy.

...

"Daydreams fly,
Never too far or too abstract~
Ultimately becoming a diva or a bride are both ideals.
In the plaza of the times, everyone gets a prize~
I have no fans, only his adoration..."

To the girl, becoming a "diva" and "his bride" were essentially the same ideal. As long as she put in the effort, ideals could always be realized. In the girl's eyes, everything was within arm's reach, and success was not a problem for her.

The problem was choice; which one should she pick? Naturally, love!

"No matter how brightly I shine on stage,
It can hardly compare to having my dearest whisper
And gently sing right into my ear~"

Sometimes you get the chance to sing to ten thousand people, but in the end, you realize you only wish that one special person could understand the meaning within the lyrics...

This song was originally glorious. Shortly after their debut, Twins used Next Station, Diva to win a spot in the Top Ten Jade Solid Gold Songs (Hong Kong's highest award).

In the blink of an eye, the two rookie girls became the hottest sensations.

It almost fulfilled the song's title, Next Station, Diva. At that time, they sang of their boundless starry path and triumphant careers.

However, the world changes in the blink of an eye. Life is like a chessboard, and who could foresee the treacherous turns of fate beforehand?

I'm afraid when Albert Leung wrote the lyrics, he never imagined they would turn out to be a prophetic curse, did he?

Today, if Twins were to sing it again, surely the song would carry an extra layer of sorrow: yes, the two of them eventually became divas. They became divas who had to wear dark sunglasses and masks when going out, and whose casual meals would be secretly photographed by paparazzi.

Yet, those two innocent girls of the past who believed "romance is above all else" were gone.

When Ren Qian wrote this song for Murong Xue, it was not without a warning.

Becoming a diva meant both gains and losses.

His only hope was that she wouldn't lose herself and would protect herself well...

The final melody faded, leaving absolute silence in the air.

A sense of loss surged into everyone's hearts. Whether they were the audience at the venue or viewers watching the live television broadcast, everyone felt a touch of helpless resignation.

So this is what it's like to be a star.

So, popularity is truly nothing more than soap bubbles.

"Thank you, thank you everyone."

Murong Xue bowed, preparing to leave the stage.

"Sing another one!"

"Sing another one!"

The diva standing backstage beckoned to her.

"Go ahead and sing another one, it's fine, pick a song."

"Then I'll sing Crossing the Ocean to See You."

Thunderous applause erupted.

...

The concert came to its curtain call, and the live audience left with a sense of fulfillment. Viewers in front of their TVs were also overjoyed. Although it wasn't like the first concert, which was packed entirely with new songs and classics, every performer managed to infuse existing songs with their own unique style.

Among them, the most widely discussed by netizens was undoubtedly Next Station, Diva. Murong Xue's new album also gained massive traction. With some further promotion from Jiangnan Television later on, it was bound to sell like hotcakes upon its official release.

Next came another period of downtime. Ren Qian spent every day in the courtyard practicing his illusory "martial arts." Though he was still no match for the nurse sister, he felt his muscles had grown much stronger.

By now, Ren Qian's status in the entertainment industry was firmly established. There was no doubt that his standing and influence were the greatest.

Even the Diva herself found it hard to rival him.

It could be said that Ren Qian had achieved a monumental leap forward through the program I Am A Singer.

On one occasion, when he casually checked his personal solo artist profile on Yiyun Music, he discovered that his discography now spanned two whole pages.

The Book of Songs,
Long Time No See,
Farewell Ideal,
Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies,
It Really Doesn't Look Like the Truth,
Guardian Angel,
Haunting Regrets,
Contentment,
New Order,
Long Time No See (re-listed),
Wukong,
Beneath the Cherry Blossom Trees,
Heavenly Ladder,
Cherish You So Much,
Misty Rain and Sorrow,
Hills,
Pity It Wasn't If,
Exaggerated,
Great Wall,
Silence is Golden,

A total of twenty songs.

Of course, such a quantity couldn't even match the sheer volume of singles released by many rookie singers, but Ren Qian was different.

Every single song of his was a classic.

Aside from a few, the rest of his tracks all ranked within the top thirty of the overall Jade Solid Gold charts.

In fact, six of them were in the top ten.

Such rankings, such honors. There was only one phrase that could describe them: "Unprecedented, and likely without successor."

...

Time flew by.

June arrived, bringing the release of the albums by the Diva and Murong Xue.

During Jiangnan Satellite TV's prime-time slot, there was only one commercial: the release of the new albums by rising princess Murong Xue and Diva Li Feifei, accompanied by broadcasts of their title tracks.

Because of the television advertising blitz by Jiangnan TV, combined with Rolling Poetry's own media promotion and the bandwagon-jumping reports of other outlets, the entire empire knew about it.

"Rolling Poetry strikes back fiercely; the rookie princess's debut album dares to rival the established Diva. Rolling Poetry is ushering in its peak era. One company, two divas, one king, and one song god!"

"June welcomes a grand event in the entertainment industry, with two blockbuster albums about to hit the market with a shockwave."

"How many copies will the most anticipated debut album of Murong Xue sell this month?"

"Releasing simultaneously with Diva Li Feifei, can she stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Diva?"

"Murong Xue's debut album was entirely produced by Ren Qian, and rumor has it that all the lyrics and music were written by him. Can an album poured with Ren Qian's absolute heart and soul live up to his expectations?"

"We have every reason to believe that Ren Qian is testing the empire's market using Murong Xue, which is why he poured all his heart into it, supervising the entire production and even writing all the lyrics and music himself."

"Let's do a simple calculation."

"A single song by Ren Qian can command a high price of four million, meaning Murong Xue's album would require forty million, not including other expenses. This gives us even more reason to believe that Ren Qian spent all his effort to ensure his bet with Wanfeng was foolproof."

"If this test fails to yield the expected results—in other words, if Murong Xue's album fails to hit forty million—then Ren Qian's boastful claim of surpassing Wanfeng's album sales cannot be fulfilled. By then, Ren Qian's credibility will take a severe hit!"

"Let us pray for Ren Qian first, hoping his album reaches the expected sales figures. Otherwise, what awaits him will be a gloomy exit from the music scene—even if he is currently at the height of his glory."

This was an article published by Texun Entertainment Media. Because their company's servers had once been crashed by Ren Qian's fans, causing tens of millions in losses, they harbored a deep grudge and spared no effort in picking bones to strike down Ren Qian.

Aren't you arrogant?

Don't you refuse to apologize?

Very well, then we will poke right at your wound.

We will cling relentlessly to your bet with Wanfeng. In this era, a singer's credibility is paramount, and a bet like this is no child's play.

Didn't you, Ren Qian, say you would surpass Wanfeng in album sales? Go on and surpass them, then.

There were so many envious haters on the internet.

The moment Ren Qian showed any sign of failing to surpass them—or if he actually failed to do so—they would latch onto this flaw and refuse to let go.

They would use it everywhere to smear Ren Qian, to slander him, until everyone believed Ren Qian was a singer devoid of word and honor.

By then, no matter how influential he was, he would be sickened and heavily criticized by the broad audience until he was forced out of the music industry.

Texun Entertainment Media's intentions were nothing short of venomous and sinister.

Even Murong Xue became a target of their smearing and slander.

"That vase Murong Xue relied on nepotism to get close to Ren Qian, winning his favor and making him write songs for her. Otherwise, given Ren Qian's personality, he wouldn't sell a single song for four million—why would he write ten songs for Murong Xue? There must be unspoken rules behind this."

"Rolling Poetry looks like a sacred ground on the surface, but underneath it is pitch black..."