Love Variety Show: The despised me exploded in popularity

Backstage, Xu Qingyan was still somewhat perplexed the moment he heard Pei Muchan mention his name.

He didn't care about being popular per se, mainly because he had no intention of being a singer-songwriter.

Only singers and singer-songwriters worry about songs being hits while they remain unknown; songwriters simply don't need to. Besides, he could handle both lyrics and melody all by himself and still produce high-quality works continuously.

It wouldn't matter if the songs were hits but the songwriter wasn't; you'd still rake in cash by the sackful.

"Popular" is relative—well-known songwriters do gain some fame, which can enhance their reputation. But ultimately, it all comes down to the quality of the songs themselves.

The reputation is just an "extra charge," like a flashy sign to impress others, a safety net for song sales. For instance, even if the songs go to lesser-known artists, audiences might still buy them because of the songwriter.

Whether you're "boosting" someone or being "boosted," it's convenient.

But in another scenario, when the public hears a song they like, they don't usually check who wrote the lyrics and composed the music. They only realize who the songwriter is by chance, an "Oh, all these songs are by him" kind of revelation.

For capable songwriters, the difference between these two scenarios isn't substantial.

Xu Qingyan preferred the latter—he knew the songwriting circle was just that big. After all, being a singer-songwriter was rare, and ultimately, great singers needed great songs, which often were priceless gems.

Talented songwriters generally won't go unnoticed, with industry insiders monitoring new releases daily.

For instance, when "Qing Tian" and "I Miss Those Days" became modest hits, didn't Jiang Ling from Cloud Wing Entertainment contact him through an agent or by calling him personally?

In any case, Xu Qingyan wouldn't be overlooked by industry clients, not affecting his earnings. As for fame, it would naturally come with the multitude of songs he wrote.

He was just curious why Pei Muchan suddenly brought up his name, not that it mattered much, as he had no intention of hiding deliberately.

But... well, being praised so bluntly was a bit embarrassing.

It could have been more subtle, like saying the songwriter could debut as a performer. Clearly able to rely on looks, yet choosing to compete with talent, giving others a way to live, too.

Or saying, just asking out of curiosity, who is this celestial songwriter?

Being praised outright like that is also, well, acceptable.

In the guest assembly hall.

Everyone fell silent, their expressions priceless from the moment they heard the words "He's my..." to the line "my collaborating songwriter, Xu Qingyan, Teacher Xu."

Jiang Jingsheng's gaze uncontrollably turned towards the other side of the recording hall, the rest area, where Lin Wanzhou and her assistant, Qi Ting, were sitting.

Yesterday, Lin Wanzhou also seemed to have said something similar on stage, about how Xu Qingyan had given her the confidence to pull herself together. So... was that person writing songs for two divas at the same time?

And every single one was a masterpiece?

Not only did he write "In a Flash," but the song "Late Marriage" was his too? Damn, what kind of monstrous standard is that, just an amateur, right?

It's hard to imagine what kind of all-rounder could produce "Qing Tian," "I Miss Those Days," "In a Flash," "Late Marriage," such a wide range of genres.

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Initially, Jiang Jingsheng had only thought about making a connection, hoping to perhaps negotiate a song. After all, his biggest weakness was not having a signature song, but now he felt compelled to seek guidance personally.

Hou Xueheng's eyes widened slightly, but he wasn't too surprised, and even had a hint of a smile.

"If I remember correctly, wasn't the song by Lin student also written by Xu Qingyan?"

Being the youngest on the show, Lin Wanzhou was either called Zhouzhou or Wanzhou. Hou Xueheng, being the eldest, had a senior's dignity and couldn't bring himself to call her by overly sweet names.

So, he resorted to calling her Lin Meimei or affectionately referring to her as Lin student.

"Yes, Zhouzhou already mentioned it on stage yesterday," Wen Shuanghua said with her eyebrows as soft as water and stars in her eyes, resembling a little girl despite being a thirty-year-old lady.

"I really didn't expect 'Late Marriage' to be written by Teacher Xu too, lyrics and music by the same person. That kind of talent really can't be envied. How did he come up with it?"

Guan Fengchen had already come to terms with his impending elimination, but seeing Wen's delicate beauty and her dewy eyes, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sourness.

"It's probably because he's a newcomer. The music industry does have many cases of newbie's strikes. Young people have nimble minds; perhaps more creativity sparks from that."

At first listen, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with what he said, but upon closer consideration, there's a distinctly sour note. It's like he's comparing it to fishing as a newbie, where you're unlikely to come up with nothing on the first try.

"A newcomer can write five songs like this?" Qi Yingying retorted. She didn't care anymore, ready to be eliminated along with Guan Fengchen, and wasn't afraid of offending him.

After all, Guan Fengchen was into rock music, which didn't align with her idol singer fan base. Usually, simply showing respect to gain good public relations was enough, but now there was no need.

Lacking a signature song is tantamount to having no foundation for an idol singer. She had negotiated plenty of songs and wasn't exactly new to the music scene, but she couldn't get a firm foothold.

She was maintaining her popularity by banking on her public image and frequent TV appearances.

Belonging to that breed of singers with a bit of substance, but not much—compared to average idol singers, her singing was more solid, and her basics were better, though not on par with Jiang Jingsheng.

Having discovered a possibly strong new lyricist and composer, shouldn't she take the chance to cling to this rising star instead of waiting for an uncertain future?

That's why, upon hearing Guan Fengchen's sour grapes talk, she immediately shot back.

"If I could write any one of them, let alone 'Late Marriage' or 'In a Flash,' even just any one of them, I'd be very proud."