Chapter Eighty-Six: Praise Like a Rising Tide
That night, King Wan Feng did the most satisfying thing he’d ever done in his life!
He roared through the hallway all night, his face twisted with rage, his resolve unwavering as he demanded a divorce again and again!
He declared there was no room for negotiation!
He had finally reached his breaking point.
It turned out that during all those countless nights he spent working late at the company, the wife he trusted more than anyone had shamelessly taken a lover behind his back!
And not just any affair—she’d brought the man into his own home!
On his bed! On his sofa! In his bathtub! On his carpet! On his rooftop! In his attic!
In that instant, it was as if everything in Wan Feng’s house creaked and groaned, mocking him, laughing at how brazenly another man had slept with his wife and left without a care...
Wan Feng, devastated and hollow, screamed through the night, but "Lady Pan" had long since packed up and left, paying no mind to his madness.
Over the years, she’d saved up millions—if not tens of millions—and had no fear of failing to become a wealthy woman.
Divorce? Let it come; she was more than happy to find herself a pretty boy to play with.
The next day.
Their divorce was processed with astonishing speed. Wan Feng published a lengthy post on Weibo, laying out the entire affair.
He blamed the failure of their marriage entirely on "Lady Pan," emphasizing how hard he’d worked over the years, how he’d strived to protect their family’s happiness. The sole cause of their marriage’s collapse, he wrote, was her shamelessness and cold-hearted betrayal.
Unfortunately, the king who sought sympathy was met with indifference. Aside from his fans, no one else paid any attention to his petty divorce.
Even his fans barely reacted. On one hand, they weren’t die-hard followers; on the other, "I Am a Singer" was pushing them toward becoming die-hard fans of Ren Qian instead.
Of course, the real reason was that, in terms of topics and controversy, "I Am a Singer" was far more compelling.
Whether it was the explosive ratings, the captivating program, the addictive original songs, or the dedication of the singers, everything left a deep impression on the audience.
During the show’s premiere, a few clowns posted negative comments online to attract attention, but after a night’s reflection, those taunts and distortions had vanished into thin air.
"I Am a Singer" finally ushered in a wave of online acclaim; the spiteful trolls no longer dared to speak up.
Even those influential bloggers who stood on the moral high ground and harshly criticized "I Am a Singer" the night before had to quietly delete their Weibo posts.
And then, resigned, they sighed at home.
Netizens these days are getting harder and harder to fool.
...
"From the moment Ren Qian and King Wan Feng started their public feud, I didn’t much like this young man Ren Qian.
Then, when he retaliated against Wan Feng with memes, I felt he was disrespectful to his senior. My impression of him worsened.
But after watching ‘I Am a Singer,’ I began to question my prior judgment. I went back and carefully searched his Weibo, read his story.
Only then did I realize that it was Wan Feng who targeted him all along—the memes were just a response when he couldn’t take it anymore.
On the show, Ren Qian is humble and courteous; even his entrance is imitated by all the other singers. I became an instant fan! He truly deserves to be a role model!"
—Comment likes: 87,746
"Welcome to the club! Go listen to all of Qian God’s songs—his charisma is only one reason we call him Qian God; his musical talent is truly unrivaled."
—Comment likes: 12,346
"No regrets being a Qian God fan in this life."
—Comment likes: 124,697
"I’ve discovered the biggest secret: the real highlight of this show is Qian God. Look—the show’s planner: Qian God. The person with the most screen time: Qian God. The provider of the songs: Qian God. In short, this show is essentially Qian God’s personal showcase..."
—Comment likes: 64,555
"I personally admire Ren Qian greatly, and his performance on ‘I Am a Singer’ is dazzling. But, to be fair, the other singers are great too. The veteran singers aren’t arrogant at all—you can see their pure love for music. The new generation learns from the veterans, making up the gap with hard work.
Personally, I really like Murong Xue. Her first appearance was stunning—even Qian God praised her as having the voice of an angel."
—Comment likes: 45,897
"I agree that the other singers have their strengths, but Cai Chengyu is just garbage—like this comment if you agree."
—Comment likes: 14,658
"Only our Qian God could write and compose everything himself with such flair. And every song is a hit, dominating the top ten of the chart."
—Comment likes: 10,986
"I really want to hear Qian God’s rendition of ‘Faint Fragrance,’ want to hear him sing ‘Hair Like Snow,’ want to hear his ‘Chrysanthemum Terrace’... I just know his interpretation would be something different."
—Comment likes: 16,453
"Qian God’s price has skyrocketed—if you don’t have at least a million, don’t even think about inviting him to perform."
—Comment likes: 4,445
"More than a million! I bet even Murong Xue’s appearance fee is a million now. After this show, hundreds of millions of viewers across the country know her. Check her Weibo—it’s all fans."
—Comment likes: 16,453
...
To make travel easier and avoid being mobbed,
Ren Qian specially picked up a car and hired a private driver—he didn’t have a license and didn’t dare to drive himself. If the traffic police caught him and the media found out, it would be handing them a scandal on a silver platter.
As a high-profile public figure, every move he made had to be cautious. He couldn’t afford to give the critics ammunition; too many people were just waiting for him to slip up.
He remembered, back in... the country,
In 2008, a contestant from "Happy Boys" named Wei took a trip to Lhasa and posted a smiling photo online, just after a major earthquake had occurred. Internet trolls accused him of gloating and cursed him so viciously that he had to delete his Weibo and apologize; his company even suspended him for a while.
It just goes to show how important it is to be vigilant and prevent trouble before it starts.
Entering through the special passage at the broadcasting building, Ren Qian wandered through the hallways until he reached the studio.
"Hello, Mr. Qian! Hello, Mr. Qian!"
The staff greeted him with such deferential enthusiasm that it made his scalp tingle.
"Hello, everyone... Don’t mind me, just carry on with your work... I’m just taking a look around..."
Ren Qian was left speechless. Was it really necessary for them all to turn around and shout in unison? It’s not like he was a national leader on an inspection tour. He managed an awkward smile, straightened the tie that the nurse had helped him with before he left, and strode energetically toward the studio.
"Mr. Qian is so approachable—even though he’s become one of the most popular figures in the station, he has no airs at all. No wonder he’s achieved so much at such a young age!"
This was the heartfelt opinion of most of the staff. Who else could remain so humble under such circumstances? Who else would greet ordinary employees in return?
Usually, Director Hong Tao and the others would just nod in passing. That thought alone filled them with motivation—maybe one day Mr. Qian would notice them, and their career at the station would soar.
...
"Ren Qian is here!"
Several singers were slumped in their seats, resting. Sun Munnan, his eyes darting about, suddenly gave a shout. Instantly, all the singers leapt to their feet and looked toward the entrance, and sure enough, there was that familiar figure.
A round of applause broke out in welcome!
To them, Ren Qian was nothing less than a benefactor. The show had only just begun, and their appearance fees had already skyrocketed by tens of thousands. If they kept participating, becoming top-tier singers was all but certain.
So, with the great benefactor himself arriving in person, they had every reason to greet him with the utmost enthusiasm.