Volume One: Debut at the Pinnacle Chapter Fifteen: Delayed Release

The first round of "Voice of Huaxia" would take about ten days to film, and by the fifth day, on Saturday night at eight, it would begin airing simultaneously on television and online. There was something to celebrate: because of Chen Jing’s outstanding performance during the competition, the production team had directly used his performance as the highlight in their teasers to attract viewers, boldly promoting it as “Genius Singer’s Debut: Original Song Sets the Stage Ablaze.” Thanks to this, Chen Jing had already gained some popularity before even officially appearing on the show.

These days, Chen Jing didn’t pay much attention to such matters; all promotional affairs were handled by Lin Xi. With the first round requiring about ten days for all contestants to take their turns, Chen Jing had no more opportunities to appear during this period. Thus, he spent his days training at the company and occasionally dining at Wang Menglan’s home, his routine repeating itself. But today was different—he was moving house.

After the company executives reviewed Chen Jing’s performance in the competition, and with Lin Xi’s persistent advocacy, they finally agreed to elevate his status to that of a top-tier celebrity. As a result, the company provided him with an apartment near the office.

Moving day arrived, but Chen Jing didn’t have much to pack. The studio he had rented was fully furnished; all he owned were some clothes and bedding. Once everything was packed, Chen Jing left the place he’d lived in for over two months, feeling no attachment or melancholy—he had always known he was just a passerby here.

The furniture in his new apartment was all brand new, most of it selected and purchased by Lin Zitan, leaving Chen Jing with nothing to worry about. He had entrusted everything to her. The result was that, before even receiving his first paycheck, he was already tens of thousands in debt.

“These pieces of furniture cost over a hundred thousand?” Chen Jing was stunned. After all, he hadn’t earned any money yet, and now he owed more than ten thousand. Of course, Lin Xi had helped cover the cost of the furniture, telling him he could repay her once he started making money.

“That’s right! Isn’t it cheap? Let me tell you, I happened to catch a factory promotion when I bought these for you, so the total was several thousand less than usual,” Lin Zitan boasted, not finding the sum expensive in the least.

Chen Jing could only force a bitter smile and shook his head, not saying much more. He didn’t think it was expensive, just somewhat wasteful.

Looking at his cozy, tastefully decorated new home, Chen Jing felt a surge of joy—perhaps the money was well spent after all.

After finishing the move in the morning, he went to the company in the afternoon to continue his street dance practice.

As soon as he entered the dance studio, Chen Jing sensed something was off. He noticed people casting furtive glances at him from time to time. Though puzzled, he didn’t dwell on it, simply finding a quiet corner to begin his practice.

“That’s him, right?”

“Yeah, that’s him. I heard the company gave him an apartment as soon as he joined.”

“Wow, an apartment from the company—only top stars get that.”

“Right, and I heard he got the best contract terms too.”

“Isn’t he a newcomer? How did that happen? Does he have connections?”

“Maybe he’s the secret son of one of the company chairmen.”

“Heh, no, it’s mainly because President Lin signed him.”

“President Lin? You mean Lin Xi?”

“Yeah. I really can’t figure out how he got so lucky to catch her eye.”

“Exactly. We’re just as good as he is. If only we had the same chance…”

Hearing the hushed gossip around him, Chen Jing curled his lip in disdain and ignored them, focusing silently on his dance routine.

He hadn’t been practicing for more than an hour when Chen Shuo arrived. Watching Chen Jing execute move after move with practiced ease, Chen Shuo’s gaze was filled with astonishment.

When Chen Jing finally paused for a water break, Chen Shuo said admiringly, “A-Jing, you’ve mastered these moves so quickly. Impressive.” He had only taught Chen Jing these moves the day before, yet now Chen Jing had already perfected them.

Chen Jing just smiled. “It’s alright.”

Chen Shuo then taught him a few new steps, and Chen Jing practiced for another hour before bidding Chen Shuo goodbye and heading for a shower. It was Saturday, and with “Voice of Huaxia” premiering that night—and Chen Jing appearing in the first episode—he was planning to watch with Lin Xi to gauge the audience’s reaction.

As he left early, one of the trainees muttered sourly, “He’s leaving after just a short practice. Chen Jing really knows how to take advantage—backed by President Lin, he barely rehearses the new moves before taking off.”

“I heard he’s performing in tonight’s ‘Voice of Huaxia’ premiere.”

“His luck is incredible. He joined a show and got famous before it even aired. If we had that chance, we’d be popular too.”

Standing nearby, Chen Shuo rolled his eyes and cut in, “Enough talking—get back to practice. Have you even perfected yesterday’s moves? Focus!” With a dismissive glance, he thought, You want to compare yourselves to Chen Jing? You can’t even master a move after days of practice; he gets it right on the first day.

Fresh from his shower, Chen Jing received a call from Wang Youxuan.

“Brother, ‘Voice of Huaxia’ is premiering tonight!” Wang Youxuan’s excitement was palpable.

Chen Jing chuckled, “I know. So I won’t be coming over to tutor you tonight—I’ll be working late at the company.”

“Aw!” Wang Youxuan complained. “I was hoping you’d watch it with me and Mom.”

“If I’m there, what’s the fun? Want me to spoil it for you?” Chen Jing teased.

“No spoilers! I want to see for myself. Hehe, you looked so cool in the teaser. I can’t wait to hear what song you sing.” The teaser hadn’t revealed any of the contestants’ songs, only a few close-ups.

After their call, Chen Jing headed to Lin Xi’s office. Despite his top-tier treatment, he still didn’t have an office of his own.

When he entered, Lin Xi got right to the point, handing him a file with a frown. “Good, you’re here. Something’s come up. After ‘Voice of Huaxia’ airs tonight, you can officially release the original version of ‘The Brightest Star in the Night Sky’ that you recorded. The company will give it a major push. However, the follow-up release of ‘Birch Forest’ will have to be postponed.”

“Why?” Chen Jing was puzzled. The plan had been to release ‘Birch Forest’ the day after ‘The Brightest Star in the Night Sky’—it was already set. A sudden change meant something had happened.

Lin Xi sighed, “One of the company’s top stars rescheduled her single release to a few days from now and needs the company’s promotional resources. The company already invested heavily in promoting you for ‘Voice of Huaxia,’ so this time, the resources will go to her. Your ‘Birch Forest’ will have to wait.” That’s how big companies worked—sometimes you had to compromise.

Chen Jing understood immediately—he was in someone else’s way and had to step aside.

After thinking it over, he asked, “Who’s the star?”

“Ling Ruohan,” Lin Xi replied calmly. “I know riding the momentum of ‘Voice of Huaxia’ to release ‘Birch Forest’ would be ideal, but until you’ve truly made it in this industry, it’s best not to make enemies.”

Chen Jing nodded. He understood—he’d never intended to offend anyone. Yet, he was unwilling to let go of such a prime opportunity. Since it was a matter of balancing resources, perhaps he could find his own way to resolve it.

At eight that evening, “Voice of Huaxia” premiered on time. From an initial rating of just over one percent, viewership steadily climbed, rising even more when Su Tingting appeared. After the judges’ performances, the contestants began to take the stage—first, second... until the seventh, when things finally became interesting. The eighth contestant was Chen Jing.

In a villa at the Grand Regency, Wang Youxuan clung to her mother Wang Menglan as they watched with rapt attention. When the host announced, “Next, contestant number eight,” Youxuan grabbed her mother’s sleeve and shouted, “Mom! Look, it’s my brother’s turn!” The teaser had already mentioned that Chen Jing was contestant eight.

“I know, I know, stop pulling on me—you’ll tear my clothes. I’ll end up exposed,” Wang Menglan said with a half-laugh, tidying her blouse. “What are you so excited for? The performance hasn’t even started yet.”

“Don’t you think my brother’s entrance is super cool?” Youxuan’s eyes sparkled as she watched Chen Jing appear on screen.

Menglan smiled and nodded, “He is quite handsome.”

The introduction ended and the music began. Now, it was Chen Jing’s time to command the stage.

On TV, the live audience clapped along enthusiastically to the rhythm. Off-screen, Youxuan cheered, “Wow! What a heavenly voice—my brother is amazing!” She was utterly captivated by Chen Jing’s flawless harmonies.

“I pray for a transparent heart, and eyes that know how to weep...”

Hearing the deep emotion in Chen Jing’s singing, Wang Menglan couldn’t help but marvel. What a talented person—another original song. How much more did he have to offer? The more she watched, the more she wanted to understand him.

When Chen Jing finished, both Youxuan and the studio audience erupted into applause.

“That was amazing!” Youxuan exclaimed. “I want my brother to teach me to play this song.”

Wang Menglan watched Chen Jing slowly lower his mic, her thoughts wandering. Perhaps someone like him was destined to be lonely.

Youxuan snapped her mother out of her reverie, asking, “Mom, how many points do you think my brother will get?”

“Well, judging by the audience, at least 720,” Menglan replied after a moment’s thought.

“How could it be as low as 720? It has to be over 750! If it were up to me, I’d give him a perfect score,” Youxuan laughed.

Menglan rolled her eyes, unwilling to argue with her daughter’s obvious bias.

In the end, though, Youxuan was right—Chen Jing scored 770, taking the top spot among all contestants.

Youxuan jumped up. “See! I told you it’d be over 750! Mom, my brother got 770!” She boasted as if she’d earned the score herself.

Menglan feigned helplessness, though she was genuinely pleased. Honestly, she’d only guessed 750 offhand; 770 was perfectly reasonable, and perhaps even a little low. If it were up to her, she’d have given him full marks, just like her daughter.