Love Variety Show: The despised me exploded in popularity

This also directly led to weaker contestants, for example, Qi Yingying, ending up with a mediocre result of just over five hundred votes.

As kick-out challengers without the qualification to have supporting acts, diva Zhang Yuqi and Wang Yu, despite being strong performers, still ended with fewer votes than in the previous round.

If they had been eligible to invite supporting acts, the two of them could have probably achieved around six hundred and eighty votes.

In such circumstances, nobody expected Pei Muchan to surpass six hundred votes without a supporting act, let alone suddenly surge to six hundred and fifty votes.

Even... the vote count was still slowly climbing, creeping up to six hundred and eighty before gradually coming to a halt.

"Has it stopped?" The gentlewoman fixated on the screen, asked curiously.

"It should have, I'm a bit nervous now." Jiang Jingsheng touched his face, his eyes not leaving the screen as he spoke, "My palms are sweating."

He had only once achieved second place; other times, he was either third or fourth. Yesterday, he was defeated by Lin Wanzhou into third, and today he finally had a chance at second...

Beep, the vote numbers moved again, suddenly increasing by twenty votes.

Seven hundred votes!!

Seeing this, Jiang Jingsheng's dangling heart finally died. When he saw Pei Muchan's vote count still climbing, he perked up, looking forward to the final tally.

"Teacher Hou, are you nervous?" The gentlewoman turned and flashed a smile at Hou Xueheng.

"What do I have to be nervous about? It's good for someone to surpass me." Hou Xueheng smiled heartily, "Being first all the time, what's the fun in that?"

Maybe it was as he said, the final count froze at seven hundred and eight.

When the results came out, everyone couldn't help exclaiming at how intense it was. Just two or three votes short, two or three more people's votes, and Pei Muchan would have taken first place.

"Almost first?" Zhang Yuqi covered her mouth in disbelief, her face a picture of shock, "That's too amazing, to achieve seven hundred votes with a soothing song?"

"Yesterday, Lin Wanzhou sang 'Fleeting Years', which is also a calming song, and still secured seven hundred votes." The gentlewoman reminded her, sighing.

"I used to think slow-paced songs didn't stand much chance in competitions, but it seems theory isn't absolute, it really depends on the singer."

Hearing this, Hou Xueheng offered timely commentary.

"Actually, it's also related to the song itself, whether it's Lin Wanzhou's 'Fleeting Years' from yesterday, or 'Late Marriage' sung by Pei Muchan today."

"Both songs already far exceed the category of high-quality songs. Interestingly, their performance styles seem to have a coincidental resemblance."

Having said this, Hou Xueheng just laughed without continuing his point.

Lin Chuan standing beside Hou Xueheng clearly picked up on the hidden meaning and curiosity flickered in his eyes, but in front of his senior, he dared not speak more.

Wasn't this song written by Pei Muchan?

The lyrics and music fit so perfectly, but upon further thought, they seemed tailor-made for Pei Muchan. If she wasn't the writer, then who was?

"This song is really well written, I couldn't write lyrics like that in my lifetime." Jiang Jingsheng, devoid of any airs, said, "It requires strong emotion and skill, truly beyond my reach."

Ji Chen sat at the edge of the gathering hall, overhearing the high praise from afar. His face was expressionless, but deep down, he didn't agree with these opinions.

This song hardly showcased any skill, there wasn't much of a highlight. It was only because it had received a high vote count that these people were singing incessant, brainless praises.

That's how the entertainment industry is, hyping some, and harshly dismissing others, he was used to such scenes.

Replacing skill with emotion, anyone can use that tactic. He often has moments of brilliance during his concerts, what's so great about that, why the endless praise?

If it weren't for the mood ruined by that damn Teacher Xu Qingyan today, he'd been fuming all morning, growing more furious as the day went on, how could his performance possibly be faultless?

With every step back, the more he thought, the angrier he got—it was all Xu Qingyan's fault!

Pei Muchan's score soaring over seven hundred, Ji Chen couldn't care less; it was just a friend who wasn't feeling well. It didn't matter, he was just a supporting guest anyway.

It was Guan Fengchen, the old codger, who lost. What did that have to do with Ji Chen?

Always that old fuddy-duddy holding him back, didn't even know how to pick a song. Ridiculous, was it so hard to admit he was past his prime and still dreaming of a comeback?

Something nearly impossible to achieve, blaming it on him was just disgusting. If the show had invited him, getting seven hundred votes would have been a cakewalk.

Besides, if Pei Muchan won, so be it.

No matter what, she was stronger than Xu Qingyan. She didn't use her full strength in order to give her a hand. And Xu Qingyan?

He was probably just standing below the stage, being a pretty boy and ceaselessly stirring up trouble, trying to undermine her relationship with Pei Muchan.

On stage.

Pei Muchan stood on the stage, quietly listening to the hostess reading the commercial.

She had already learned of her score of seven hundred and eight votes and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in her heart. She had finally not ruined the song and succeeded.

She was quite satisfied with this result. It proved that her performance was recognized, "Late Marriage" was recognized, only...

He had not yet been recognized, not known to others.

At this moment, Pei Muchan stared at the brightly lit audience, with eight hundred people sitting together in a dense crowd. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and an idea rose inexplicably in her heart.

She wanted to push him to the forefront, to share the success with him.

Xu Qingyan usually didn't like to show his face, saying that writing songs was an occasional accomplishment, and when probed further, it was just making a bit of money. He always said there was no need to step forward, as he didn't have the habit of drawing public attention.

It wasn't like this during "Love Synthesis."

Pei Muchan felt that the phrase "A true gold does not fear the test of fire" didn't even sufficiently describe Xu Qingyan, but "The storm puts to test the strength of the grass" was more apt.

Thinking about the criticism he had shouldered recently, she tried several times to clarify for Xu Qingyan but was stopped, on the grounds that he didn't care.

He could hurt himself without thinking of the cost, indifferent to going through thorns if it meant the safety of those around him.

He really didn't care about himself, but there would always be someone who cared...

She wanted him to walk on paths filled with people's voices and cheers, to be surrounded by sunlight and flowers. Not to lean in a dark corner, being misinterpreted and cursed at...

The hostess finished the commercials and turned around with a smile to interview Pei Muchan.

"We see that Muchan not only successfully challenged the position but also achieved second place, just two votes shy of Teacher Hou's first place."

"How do you feel at this moment?"

"Yes, I can answer that," Pei Muchan began, "It's an honor to compete on the same stage with the other teachers, and I'm very happy with this result."

"At the same time, I have to thank someone. Without him, I wouldn't have been able to perform tonight."

The hostess felt her eyelids twitch inexplicably, thinking that she had heard this phrase somewhere the day before.

Still, she continued to ask with a smile.

"Oh? May I ask who this person is? Can you introduce him to us?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Muchan gripped the microphone tighter and looked up at the audience and cameras in front of her. She hadn't been nervous when she got on stage, but at this moment, she felt an inexplicable nervousness.

Her heart thumped wildly as if about to reveal a secret buried deep within, to the public.
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"He... He is the lyricist and composer of 'Late Marriage,' as well as the lyricist and composer of my two recently released songs, 'Qing Tian' and 'Always Been Very Quiet.'"

"Without him, I wouldn't have been able to take such excellent songs onto this stage."

Perhaps because she was too nervous, Pei Muchan unintentionally misspoke halfway.

"He is my...

In the guest assembly hall, everyone stared blankly at the screen, somewhat taken aback by this unexpected turn of events, and the tone... hm??

Lin Wanzhou's face suddenly turned pale; she obviously knew who "he" Pei Muchan mentioned was. So, what exactly was Xu Qingyan to her?

This phrasing was rather ambiguous; surely not, when did all this happen?

Ji Chen looked even more displeased; he had known for a while who was writing songs for Pei Muchan, but he hadn't expected "Late Marriage" to be written by Xu Qingyan as well.

Pei Muchan herself was shocked by her slip of the tongue, her heart racing as she quickly recovered.

"He's my lyricist and composer partner, Xu Qingyan, Teacher Xu."