Chapter 99: The Reality Show!

The song ended, yet everyone remained immersed in its spell.

Some were captivated by the melody, some by the emotions it evoked, and others simply by Jiang Lun himself.

Folk music has always been niche, a genre that conveys a certain sentiment. It’s not a catchy pop tune; some find it hard to accept, others fail to grasp its charm, and some feign understanding merely to appear sophisticated.

Like all musicians, Jiang Lun carried his own sense of passion. When he sang folk or rock, he was entirely different from when he performed pop.

In the vast library of secondhand books, there were countless great songs from other worlds, spanning all genres. Because of this, he knew how to strike a balance between heartfelt emotion and commercial appeal, avoiding the pitfalls of despair.

Before launching into the final song, Jiang Lun asked the crew, “Can you turn off all the lights? Leave just one beam on the stage?”

“Of course!” The staff quickly complied, and the auditorium plunged into darkness.

Jiang Lun then addressed the audience, “Could you all turn on your phone flashlights?”

The students understood immediately. The sea of light from their phones flickered like stars scattered across the night.

At the edge of the stage, Maile whispered in awe, “This is magnificent! Quickly, take a video.”

“Sharing this online will be incredible!” Li Fangfang also pulled out her phone to record.

Chen Yingying remarked, “If this happened at a stadium concert, it would be even more breathtaking!”

Seeing the lights below twinkle like stars in the night sky, Jiang Lun softly began to sing, “The brightest star in the night sky, do you hear it clearly? The person gazing up, the loneliness and sighs deep in their heart…”

The fans below were instantly swept away by emotion.

“I thought Jiang Lun had forgotten this song. When will the official version come out?”

“I’ve watched that video online countless times. Finally, I get to hear it live today!”

“Shh! Don’t talk, just listen quietly!”

…

That night, some videos from Jiang Lun’s fan gathering were uploaded online.

Among them, “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky” had the most staggering number of views—over 200,000 within half an hour of going live.

“Southern Girl” was different. It didn’t gain many listeners or a high play count, but it earned substantial praise within the folk music community.

First, folk singer Wang Ye posted on Weibo: “Almost every folk singer tends to write a song about a certain girl or lady to express their own struggles with sexual repression. In Jiang Lun’s ‘Southern Girl,’ you can hear a yearning, but it’s different from the usual folk singer’s complaint about physical repression. The lyrics are poetic, carrying a faint melancholy yet a deep, inescapable narrative.”

Then another folk singer, known as Shu Angsan, tweeted: “The first time I heard Jiang Lun’s folk music was ‘Those Flowers.’ I even asked a few old friends in the scene, and no one knew him. Later, I found out he was a bar singer signed with a film and television company, taking a rather unusual path.

I followed him for a while, and many of his songs didn’t resonate with me. Honestly, I never considered him a folk singer—maybe he just has a folk heart, but not the folk soul. But today, after hearing ‘Southern Girl,’ I acknowledge him as a folk musician, one with both passion and soul. I hope one day we can sit down and have a drink.”

Soon, more folk singers seemed to join in, voicing their support one after another, propelling “Southern Girl” to peak acclaim.

The folk circle itself is divided into many smaller factions—campus style, urban style, ** style, traditional style, even ethnic styles—each with distinct flavors. Yet representatives from each subgenre stood up to recommend this song, stirring quite a buzz online.

Only then did listeners turn back to savor “Southern Girl.”

“Don’t analyze it too much. The song is simple, the lyrics subtle, yet it strikes the heart in a way that makes you think of certain people, certain memories. It’s bittersweet, closing your eyes with a faint tremble of emotion, some hidden feeling lurking somewhere inside.”

“There’s a girl living in my heart. In her eyes, I’m her entire love. To her friends, I’m a scoundrel. To her parents, a kidnapper. All because I took her heart but couldn’t give her stability.”

“I don’t like folk music to show off or to prove I have a story. I just enjoy hearing those stories of youth, the dream-chasing lives they live—things I envy but can never achieve. I hope you accept it, but I don’t force it. I just pity you if you miss out on a world where music alone can bring happiness.”

“After listening to ‘Southern Girl,’ going back to ‘Those Flowers,’ I feel like I’m standing alongside Jiang Lun.”

…

Of course, folk music is folk music. No matter how much praise it receives, some still can’t understand it.

“I replayed it several times before finally catching the line: ‘Southern girl, do you like the straightforwardness of northern people...’ But I kept hearing: ‘Southern girl, do you like the intelligence of northern people?’ I kept wondering what intelligence had to do with anything.”

“I don’t really like folk music. I don’t get it!”

“Can’t appreciate it at all!”

“Too highbrow—take my knees!”

…

The topic continued to ferment online, yet Jiang Lun showed no intention of getting involved. He had come to accept it all—he sang for those who loved him; as for the rest, life is too short to bother with.

On the second day in Nanjin, Jiang Lun took a full day off. In the afternoon, he visited a nearby scenic area, taking a leisurely stroll without venturing into the city—just enjoying the beautiful mountains and waters.

On the third day, he was scheduled to film a reality show for two consecutive days.

The filming location was in the outskirts of Nanjin, far from the main city and in a different direction from his lodging in Jiangning.

At eight in the morning, Jiang Lun arrived at the filming site. After Maile made a call to coordinate, they waited for their contact.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

About ten minutes later, while dozing in the car, Jiang Lun was startled awake by a tapping on the window. Opening his eyes, he saw a girl peering inside from the driver’s side.

The car’s glass was specially made: from inside, the view outside was clear, but from outside, no one could see in.

Maile opened the passenger door and asked the girl, “Are you from the ‘Speed Run’ show?”

“Yes. I’m Zhou Xue, the director from the production team. Is Mr. Jiang Lun in this car?” the girl asked politely.

Maile nodded. “Get in, and we can talk inside.”

At that moment, Chen Yingying opened the rear door, and Zhou Xue nodded before stepping in.

She immediately saw the sleepy Jiang Lun and, passing by Chen Yingying, stretched out her hand. “Hello, Jiang Lun! I’m Zhou Xue, the show’s director. I’ll be responsible for your entire filming process.”

“Hello, nice to meet you!” Jiang Lun returned the greeting and asked, “Where’s the production team based?”

“Just in the hotel ahead.”

“Have the others arrived?”

“Mr. Sun Wu and Tong Zhiya haven’t come yet, but everyone else is here.”

“Looks like I’m late!” Jiang Lun chuckled. “Sorry about that.”

“No worries!” Zhou Xue waved her hand. “Several of them arrived yesterday, some on red-eye flights, and came straight here.”

The conversation lightened the mood inside the car, and Jiang Lun’s drowsiness vanished. Faced with work, he instantly became alert and energetic.

Following Zhou Xue’s directions, the car wound through the still undeveloped scenic area, finally arriving at the hotel where the production team was staying.

The entire hotel had been booked by the show. Staff and celebrity guests all stayed here, but on different floors.

Zhou Xue assigned rooms: Maile and A Jin were on the first floor, along with male staff, assistants, and managers.

Chen Yingying stayed on the second floor, similarly occupied by female personnel.

Jiang Lun’s room was on the third floor, where all the celebrity guests, including the two female guests for this episode, were accommodated.

After the arrangements, Jiang Lun followed Zhou Xue alone to meet the production team’s leadership.

In a temporary meeting room on the fourth floor sat four people: the show’s director Chen Hao, producer Zhang Ying, chief planner Sun Jun’an, and coordinator Wang Li.

“Director! Jiang Lun has arrived!” Zhou Xue introduced them one by one as they entered.

Jiang Lun courteously shook hands with each.

Chen Hao smiled warmly. “Jiang Lun, hello! We’re delighted to have you on the show.”

“Welcome! Sorry for the delay,” Zhang Ying added with a smile.

They casually settled on the beds and sofas. Sun Jun’an handed Jiang Lun several pages. “Here’s our show’s outline. It’s a reality show, so it’s all about your own performance.”

“Got it,” Jiang Lun said, flipping through the papers.

Sun Jun’an continued, “The guests today will each be assigned roles that suit them. This is our usual approach. Jiang Lun, do you have any thoughts on how you want to be portrayed?”

“I…” Jiang Lun scratched his head awkwardly. “Could I have a reference?”

Sun Jun’an thought for a moment. “Alright, why don’t you show us a talent? We’ll design your role based on that.”

“Uh… does singing count as a talent?” Jiang Lun smiled.

“It does, but we hope you can show us something besides singing,” Chen Hao said.

Jiang Lun pondered and then said, “Okay, I’ll tell a joke.”

“That works!” Sun Jun’an nodded. “You can tell any popular jokes from social media. We’d like to see your style.”

“Alright.” Jiang Lun nodded. “There was a man who thought he was too fat, so he went to a weight-loss center. Since it was his first time, he chose the cheapest option. When he entered, he was surprised to find a woman in a bikini smiling at him, saying, ‘You chase me, and if you catch me, I’ll let you have some fun!’”

As he mimicked the gestures, tone, and expressions, everyone couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Unfazed, Jiang Lun continued, “The man was delighted. ‘Oh, so this is what the weight-loss center is like—quite artistic! A beauty wants me to chase her, and if I catch her, there’s fun to be had…’ So he chased after her…”

“And then?” Director Chen Hao asked, blushing.

“Fun!” Jiang Lun grinned. “You know what I mean!”

Sun Jun’an burst out laughing, while Zhang Ying, Wang Li, and Zhou Xue blushed deeply but tried to hold back their laughter.

“The story’s not over!”

Jiang Lun went on, “The man went home and found he’d lost two kilos. Excited, he went back a second time, choosing a pricier option this time. But inside, the woman was completely naked and smiled, saying, ‘You chase me, and if you catch me, I’ll let you have some fun!’”

Watching Jiang Lun’s vivid expressions, everyone struggled not to laugh. The three women looked away to preserve their dignity, while the two men feared losing face in front of them.

“A few days later, the man came for a third time and went for the most expensive package. Before entering, he wondered, ‘First time bikini, second time naked, what will happen this time?’”

Jiang Lun acted out the scene with a mischievous grin. “He locked the door eagerly, but then he was shocked!”

“What happened?” Chen Hao asked, cheeks flushed.

Sun Jun’an looked eager, while the three women pretended not to listen but leaned in with their ears.

Jiang Lun feigned terror, “There was a gorilla inside!”

“Ah?”

The three women immediately turned to him in surprise.

Just when they thought the story was safe, Jiang Lun suddenly imitated a gorilla’s voice and said, “I chase you, and if I catch you, I’ll have some fun!”

Everyone froze for a moment, then broke into uncontrollable laughter, some bowing their heads, others turning away, their bodies shaking with mirth.