Chapter 130: The Conspiracy Succeeds!

Qiao Ranran in private is a far cry from the persona she projects on television. On screen, she maintains an icy, aloof image that contrasts sharply with her fiery, passionate sister—a dichotomy that has earned the pair the nicknames "Ice and Fire."

During their first meeting, Qiao Ranran left Jiang Lun with a remarkably warm impression, as if her on-screen frigidity were nothing more than a performance. The two exchanged compliments and flatteries; Qiao Ranran claimed she had been a fan since first hearing Jiang Lun’s music, convinced he was destined for greatness. Jiang Lun, in turn, confessed to being a fan of hers, adding that his parents were particularly fond of her hosting style, noting that back in his hometown, many parents held her up as the gold standard for a prospective daughter-in-law.

Qiao Ranran had heard countless compliments—"you're so pretty," "you're stunning," "you're the greatest beauty in China's four-thousand-year history"—but Jiang Lun’s praise, which invoked his parents and elders back home, felt both novel and deeply gratifying. It made her realize just how much she mattered to the hearts of the vast audience.

"Little Jiang, you must come visit my show sometime!" Qiao Ranran said before they parted.

"No problem!" Jiang Lun laughed. "You set the date. Even if I have to cancel other plans, I’ll be there for your show!"

"It's a deal, then!"

"Sure. Oh, by the way..." Jiang Lun touched his nose. "I’m working on a drama series recently. I wonder if you might be interested in a cameo? The pay won’t be an issue!"

"Hey! Don't talk about pay for a cameo!" Qiao Ranran replied generously. "Just treat me to a meal!"

"Then thank you so much!"

The two chatted for a long time, drawing envious and jealous glares from other singers, until the program began and they finally stopped.

The event was hosted by the Wireless Music Department under China Telecom. The performing artists were invited based on monthly rankings from the Wireless Music Chart. While billed as a way to give back to users, it was, in reality, a cash-grabbing endeavor. The concert was not ticketed, but it was backed by corporate sponsors, and local governments provided the venue at a symbolic, friendly rate—the perks of being a state-owned enterprise.

From eight in the evening until midnight, four hours of back-to-back performances ignited the nightlife of Changzhou. Jiang Lun performed midway through the lineup and returned to the backstage area to rest afterward. His flight out of Changzhou was scheduled for five the next morning, and by convention, he should have headed straight to the hotel to sleep. But Liu Nan and the others wouldn't let him leave, insisting he sit with them.

The organizers brought out a crate of beer and some fruit and snacks, and everyone began to drink and chat. Even Zhai Di, a singer who usually only drank red wine, was knocking back cup after cup of beer with the rest of them. Given the atmosphere, Jiang Lun couldn't bring himself to walk away, so he stayed. He was exhausted, however. Although his schedule hadn't been packed, the demands of his production crew meant he had had very little downtime.

Sitting at the table, Jiang Lun remained quiet. When others toasted him, he returned the gesture; when they raised their glasses, he joined in, but he barely spoke. The reason was simple: every time he opened his mouth, he felt like nodding off.

As the drinking progressed, Gu Saner returned from his performance. Seeing the scene, he exclaimed, "Everyone’s already started? Come, come, count me in!"

"Brother San, let me pour you a drink!" a male singer said, fawning over him.

"Brother San, here, have some peanuts. I’ve shelled them for you!"

"Brother San, have a cigarette!"

"Brother San..."

Everyone scrambled to cater to him. Gu Saner enjoyed the attention, accepting all the flattery with ease. He asked languidly, "What were you all talking about?"

"Oh, nothing much, just some trivial matters in the industry!" said the singer who had been the first to flatter him, having already taken the seat next to Gu Saner.

Jiang Lun had heard their previous conversation. It wasn't "trivial matters"—it was all bragging about how great and important they were. Jiang Lun had no interest in this; whether they were blowing smoke or genuinely talented, the entertainment industry was fickle. One could be on a pedestal one day and in the gutter the next.

"Oh? Trivial matters?" Gu Saner was intrigued. "What kind of matters? Tell me, I’m getting old and out of the loop. I haven't heard any fresh gossip in a long time!"

"Hey, Brother San, if you want to hear it, we’ll tell you again!" the singer next to him laughed. "Consider it professional experience from us juniors. If there’s anything improper, we hope for your guidance!"

Gu Saner raised his glass, drank with everyone in turn, and then slowly pointed to the young man beside him. "You, go ahead."

"Alright, sure!" The singer, looking smug, began to boast again. This time, however, he was much more restrained. Perhaps because Gu Saner was present, he didn't dare exaggerate as much as he had before.

After a few others took turns bragging, three crates of beer had vanished. When the fourth crate was brought out, Gu Saner stopped them. "Enough, stop with the beer. Let’s have some hard liquor, shall we?"

"Hard liquor?" Everyone was taken aback. The beer was meant to keep the conversation going; hard liquor was a different story, especially while the show was still ongoing. But since Gu Saner had spoken, no one dared to defy him. They exchanged awkward glances.

Finally, Zhai Di stood up and said, "Hard liquor it is. I’ll go outside and grab some skewers!"

"Go ahead!" Gu Saner nodded. After Zhai Di left, he tapped on the table. "Who has cigarettes? Give me one!"

"I do!"

"Brother San, have mine!"

"Mine are top-notch, authentic Jinlanmei!"

In an instant, seven or eight cigarettes were thrust toward Gu Saner’s face, and someone even reached out with a lighter. Gu Saner didn't choose; he took the nearest one, lit it, took a long drag, and exhaled a ring of smoke.

Once everyone had settled back into their seats, he said with a "solemn" air, "Everything you guys were talking about earlier is absolute nonsense. Back in our day, when we brothers picked up our guitars to play rock in Beijing, those were the truly hard times. What does having no commercial performances mean? We couldn't even afford to eat, but we persevered!"

Gu Saner then began his own round of bragging. His level of storytelling, however, was on a different plane. For one, his status carried weight; for another, his language was plain, making it feel as though he were recounting his own life. Yet, those who knew better were aware that these ancient stories were often borrowed from the people he had originally played with—some were things he had never actually done, yet he claimed them as his own. Regardless, no one called him out on it; everyone was happy to indulge him. After all, he was a man of great prestige.

"Thirty years of rock and roll!" Gu Saner sighed. "Those comrades who held dreams and passion together back then have mostly retired. They won in the history of rock, but lost to reality. Lost to family, and followed the same paths as their fathers. Look at me—I’m still persisting, still fighting. Why? Because I have a rock-and-roll heart!"

"Brother San! The liquor is here!" Someone returned with a crate of local Changzhou spirits. They opened the bottles, poured a glass for Gu Saner, and then filled a tempered glass cup for everyone else—about a quarter-pound each. The six bottles were finished off in one go.

Ten minutes later, Zhai Di returned with two bags of meat skewers and dropped them on the table. Everyone immediately dug in, using the plastic bags as plates.

"Brother San, have a skewer!" someone offered.

Gu Saner took it, but said righteously, "That’s enough, I can move on my own. I’m not bedridden; I don't need you to feed me!"

The man gave a sheepish laugh, feeling as though his flattery had backfired.

Gu Saner sighed. "Speaking of bedridden, sigh, I have to mention Brother Er. He was the number one guitarist in the circle, but now... sigh, he’s been lying in bed for so many years. Now, if you want to hear him play, you can only listen to old tapes. Sigh!" He sighed three times, the depth of their brotherhood evident.

Everyone knew the story behind it. Brother Liu, whose real name was Yang Jianping—a very plain name by today's standards, but common in that era—was well-known. Just like Gu Saner, whose real name was Liu Weiguo, which didn't fit his rock-and-roll image at all. That was why they never used their real names; they only went by their nicknames.

Even today, every musician in the circle would give a thumbs-up at the mention of "Old Six of the Bronzeware." His legendary deeds were numerous: he was the first person in the country to play a double-neck guitar in public, and the first Chinese person invited to perform at a White House concert. His love life was also the stuff of drama: his first wife was a famous Hong Kong star—in that era, Hong Kong stars were like foreign celebrities, untouchable, yet he had managed to marry her before they eventually divorced. His second wife was an Australian singer; they fell in love during a collaboration and dated for five years, but divorced just a month after marriage due to her infidelity.

After that, Brother Six seemed like a different person. He drank, fought, caused trouble, and was even forcibly committed to a mental hospital for two months. Later, one midnight, he held a gun to rob a small store, all for a pack of cheap cigarettes. He was beaten into paralysis by a passerby acting in defense of justice. He had been bedridden for ten years since. His parents had passed away, he had no children, and his life depended entirely on his sister and brother-in-law.

Recounting the past was heart-wrenching. Gu Saner described those days in fragments, adding his own embellishments. For instance, he claimed the gun had actually been his, bought for revenge after he was extorted by local forces while performing in Dongguan—a trap involving two women who turned out to be prostitutes. He hadn't been able to pay the money and was forced to eat excrement. He had bought the gun to take revenge, but before he could act, Brother Six had already met his fate. He felt he had failed Brother Six, and as he spoke of the pain, tears streamed down his face.

Many in the industry knew the truth—it had even been reported in the news years ago. The gun had actually belonged to Brother Six himself, and it had nothing to do with Gu Saner. Furthermore, when Brother Six got into trouble, Gu Saner was in Japan and South Korea on a commercial tour, gone for over half a year. Rumor had it that during those six months abroad, he had fathered several illegitimate children.

These stories were best taken with a grain of salt. The entertainment industry was a melting pot, filled with all sorts of people. It looked glamorous on the surface, but there was plenty of filth underneath. Some viewed their pasts as a source of shame; others bragged about them as if they were medals of honor. Regardless, Jiang Lun felt he had gained a great deal from listening that night. It was like taking a masterclass in how to distinguish right from wrong and how to protect himself while navigating this cesspool.

...

The next morning, Jiang Lun woke up with a splitting headache. He checked his phone and saw, to his shock, that it was already ten o'clock. He rubbed his eyes, intending to go back to sleep, but then he suddenly remembered: wasn't his flight at nine? Why hadn't anyone woken him? This was a disaster. Had Mai Le overslept too?

He got out of bed, dressed, and stepped out of his room, only to see Mai Le sitting stiffly on the sofa. Jiang Lun didn't think twice. "What time is it? Wasn't our flight at nine? You—"

Before he could finish, he noticed someone else in the room. A woman was sitting on the sofa across from Mai Le, turned slightly toward him. Jiang Lun’s jaw dropped. "Sister Qiao? Why are you here?"

He never expected Qiao Ranran to be there. He looked down at his own disheveled state and felt his face flush with intense embarrassment.

"Didn't we agree yesterday?" Qiao Ranran said with a smile. "You promised to come play on my show. We happen to be recording a new episode today, so... I came!"

"Ah? So soon?" Jiang Lun stared at her, unable to process the situation.

Mai Le chimed in, "The company has already been notified about this recording, so we canceled today's flight. We'll head back to Beijing after we finish Sister Qiao's show!"

"I see," Jiang Lun nodded. He sat on the sofa, ruffled his messy hair, and asked, "Is there anything I need to prepare?"

"The production team will go over the script with you when it's time to record!" Qiao Ranran said, her eyes darting to Jiang Lun's hair and then his clothes, a look of triumphant mischief playing on her face.

"Alright, let me just wash my face!" Jiang Lun said.

As he headed toward the bathroom, Qiao Ranran and Mai Le exchanged a secret, knowing grin, then signaled a victory gesture toward the corners of the room.