Chapter Sixty-six: The Gift

"You really went to great lengths just to get on the show." Wei Hongzhang looked at Lin Qihua with a half-smile, knowing that he wasn’t wrong. As long as it was a show, even a competition, all sorts of entanglements and exchanges of interests and relationships were bound to exist. It didn’t necessarily mean the fairness of the competition would be compromised, but having someone who was completely willing to cooperate always made things easier to handle. It was, undeniably, a difficult temptation to refuse.

"I admit that. I think you’ll agree with my intentions too. It means I truly care about this stage, that I’ll do whatever it takes to stand upon it. It also means that if I do get the chance, I’ll give it my all and bring you surprises. If I didn’t have the confidence, if I fell flat on my face in the first round and became a laughingstock, wouldn’t that be the end of me? High rewards always come with high risks. I’m willing to gamble. All I need is a chance. I don’t need to be one of the original contestants, or even a backup; just a challenger’s spot is enough for me.”

"Alright, you’ve half convinced me," Wei Hongzhang nodded, admiration written all over his face. "I can’t deny it, your preparation is thorough and your timing spot on, but I still can’t make the final decision."

"Why?" Shen Manni blurted out. They had been preparing for so long and poured in so much effort, yet was this the answer they would receive?

Lin Qihua stopped Shen Manni and said seriously, "I understand. That’s why I came prepared."

He gestured for Ma Xiaoqian to open the briefcase, take out the USB drive inside, and hand it to Wei Hongzhang. "Here are the demos of the two songs I prepared for ‘The Singer.’ Please take them and listen when you return. Whatever outcome you decide, I will accept it."

"Very well." Wei Hongzhang gave Lin Qihua an approving glance and took the USB drive. "I’m all ears."

"Thank you. I’m confident in them." Lin Qihua smiled. "Also, there’s a small gift inside for you all. I hope you’ll like it."

"Oh? Another surprise?"

"Yes, I think it will be a pleasant one." Lin Qihua stood up confidently. "Thank you for making time in your busy schedules to meet me. If I’ve been too frank, I hope you won’t mind."

"No, it was a wonderful morning and a delightful meeting," Wei Hongzhang stood and patted him on the shoulder. "I look forward to it."

"As do I." Lin Qihua beamed, pulling along a still-bewildered Shen Manni as they left the villa.

"Director Wei asked me to see you off," Wei Hongzhang’s assistant was already waiting outside, smiling as he opened the car door.

"Thank you." Lin Qihua signaled to Shen Manni not to speak, climbed into the car, and the others followed. They soon drove away from the villa complex.

"It’s been a while since I’ve seen you smile like that," Ge Shengyang remarked as he stood with Wei Hongzhang at the villa entrance, nostalgic as he noticed the smile at the corner of Wei’s mouth.

"Indeed, I didn’t expect any surprises today, but I got one." Wei Hongzhang’s smile didn’t fade. "Seeing him, who did you think of?"

"Who?" Ge Shengyang pondered, and suddenly a light went off in his mind. "Could it be him?"

"Exactly. In him, I saw that tall figure. No, compared to him, Lin Qihua is even more astonishing."

"That’s quite the compliment. Who is he? The hottest superstar, the king of the music world, the king among kings. Even if Lin Qihua is outstanding, he’s still far from that, isn’t he?"

Wei Hongzhang chuckled, "Do you think my reputation as Wei Bole is only because I’ve discovered a few unknown yet talented singers? A true Bole’s vision goes far beyond that."

"Alright, I’ll keep my eyes open and watch," Ge Shengyang laughed.

"Shall we bet a bottle of wine? That one you have at home?"

"Knew you’d be thinking about it. No problem—if your prediction comes true, I’ll open it myself and drink with you," Ge Shengyang grumbled good-naturedly.

"Then I have something to look forward to," Wei Hongzhang waved the USB drive, "Interested in what’s inside?"

"Of course I am—hurry up!" Ge Shengyang replied, feigning annoyance.

"Haha, let’s go see what surprise he’s prepared for us."

······

Back at the hotel, Shen Manni finally understood.

"Dealing with you smart people is such a drain on my brain cells," she said gloomily.

Lin Qihua flopped onto the sofa without a care for his image, laughing. "That’s the way they like it—what can you do?"

"Can you tell me what it all means?" Ma Xiaoqian pleaded pitifully. After a whole morning of discussions, she felt her brain had been fried.

"To put it simply, it’s basically settled, but nothing’s final yet. Wei has approved it, but the rest depends on whether what Qihua provided can truly move him, and whether he can use it to convince the other producers. The final decision is still uncertain," Shen Manni replied through gritted teeth. "So roundabout—aren’t they tired?"

"Yeah, dealing with people like that is exhausting," Lin Qihua said with a wry smile. "I stopped you earlier because I didn’t want you to reveal too much. With old foxes like him, the best approach is to be direct and not overthink things. No matter how much you think, you can’t guess what’s in his head. In fact, he’d already made his decision halfway through—to give us a chance. The rest was just adding a layer of negotiation, and also for us to strive for better terms. For example, the original plan was to let us be challenger singers, but now we might get a backup spot, or even a main contestant slot. The final result depends on their internal discussion and maneuvering. The rest has nothing to do with us. We just have to wait patiently."

"True enough." Ma Xiaoqian looked at the tired Lin Qihua with some concern. "Then get some rest."

"Don’t worry." Shen Manni stood and pulled Ma Xiaoqian with her. "He’s a little fox himself—he knows what he’s doing."

"Bring me some food," Lin Qihua called after them.

"Got it!"

Because of confidentiality, the three couldn’t go out to experience the charm of Xiangzhou. After a simple night’s rest, they flew back to Yanjing.

"Next time, we have to tour around properly," Shen Manni said longingly as she looked back at the city. "Xiaoqian, we’ll go together."

"We’ll see," Ma Xiaoqian replied.

"Hehe, we’ll have Qihua take us around and let him pay. He’s a rich man now. He can even carry our bags. But maybe by then, he’ll be a household name in Xiangzhou, with fans chasing him for autographs and photos—so annoying," Shen Manni joked.

Ma Xiaoqian’s face flushed with anticipation.

"Hehe, Xiaoqian, you’re blushing. What are you thinking of?"

"Nothing!" Ma Xiaoqian protested coquettishly.

Lin Qihua could already foresee his future torments. One Shen Manni was already enough to handle, but now with Ma Xiaoqian too—he could never say no to those expressive eyes. He truly didn’t know how to handle the situation.

The meeting with Wei Hongzhang might have seemed amicable, but in truth, his side had given up too much—laying all his cards on the table. It was more like petitioning and persuasion than negotiation, but with his current fame, even with utmost confidence, he couldn’t change the fact that he was still a little-known singer. The two sides were negotiating from a completely unequal position.

At first, he was just an optional extra for them, a possible embellishment. Wei Hongzhang’s interest was likely piqued by professional instinct and curiosity over his recent achievements. Their meeting did not mean he’d already caught Wei’s eye. It was likely that Wei already had plenty of suitable candidates. In the end, the relatively satisfactory outcome was only achieved because he humbled himself, outlining his own strengths while subtly showing how they fit the program’s needs, prompting the other side to consider how best to utilize his advantages to elevate the show. Thus, he shifted from being an optional extra to someone mutually needed.

It couldn’t quite be called delivering coal in the snow, since "The Singer" was still the top stage for vocal competitions, a platform countless singers dreamed of joining. All he did was try to showcase his strengths and usefulness, to become a singer the show would see value in working with. Only then did Wei Hongzhang start to take him seriously and consider the possibilities he presented.

That was essentially exposing all his vulnerabilities, almost like a puppy showing its belly in submission. But precisely because of that, he was able to convince the other side that he had more collaborative value than other singers, thus winning their recognition.

In the end, the outcome was much better than he’d expected. By the end, Wei Hongzhang was discussing matters with him as an equal, which meant everything he’d done had moved him. He was seriously considering inviting him to participate.

The last words from Wei were, in fact, an explicit attitude: As long as you have the strength and your songs satisfy me, I can give you a tentative nod. Of course, the final decision still needs to be discussed by the whole production team, so it couldn’t be confirmed on the spot or reveal what role he’d be given.

Still, Lin Qihua was confident in the songs he’d prepared. So the matter was more than halfway settled. The rest would depend on luck. Whatever happened, he had already done his best. As he’d said, even if it didn’t work out this year, he’d appear on that stage next year—and by then, the show would be inviting him personally. He believed this deeply.

Thinking of the little gift he’d tucked into the USB drive for Wei Hongzhang, Lin Qihua couldn’t help but smile. He hoped this hidden surprise would please him.