The live interview was nearing its end. Yan Wenguang saw the barrage comments digging up Sheng Jun, with fans continuously cursing him, and couldn’t help but feel smug.
See, just one ambiguous remark from him could get Sheng Jun cursed by the entire internet. How dare he challenge him? He was overestimating himself.
The manager sitting beside him remained calm. After all, Yan Wenguang hadn’t explicitly named anyone. It was the fans who dug up the person and cursed him—it had nothing to do with him. This wave had attracted many casual viewers, a sure win with no losses.
The host was also very satisfied with the live stream’s effect. The number of viewers in the live stream room kept rising, and the data looked excellent. As it was about to end, she wanted to create another hot topic from this interview, so she asked Yan Wenguang if he would seek advice from that senior in the future.
Yan Wenguang’s manager smiled and looked at him. Although Yan Wenguang wasn’t much in private, his public statements had undergone systematic training. At this moment, he only needed to express respect for the senior, tactfully indicate that their styles might not align, and mention the possibility of collaborating in the future if the opportunity arose.
It was simply perfect.
Then, Yan Wenguang spoke, his face still wearing a humble, sunny smile.
“That old geezer Sheng Jun, why the hell would I seek advice from him?”
“It’s his honor that I took a liking to his songs. I offered to buy them, but he actually refused to sell. If I don’t ruin him, I’ll consider it a loss. Those songs will definitely be mine.”
“I’ll put my name on all the composition and lyrics, and when the album comes out, I’ll personally deliver it to his house, hahaha! That’ll piss him off!”
The barrage comments went blank for a moment, then exploded instantly.
“What the hell is this? Wasn’t it the senior bullying the junior?”
“Casual viewer here, just clicked in, completely confused. I had a good impression of Yan Wenguang before, but I never expected him to be so disgusting, my god.”
“So, the so-called original works were all bought from others? Impressive!”
“Got it now. He took a liking to Sheng Jun’s songs, and when Sheng Jun refused to sell, he led his fans to curse him to death.”
“Em… both stupid and evil, brainless, with such a dirty mind. He should just be banned.”
“I’m a fan of Sheng Jun. I’ve been listening to his songs for over a decade. He’s always been low-key, and his songs are of high quality. He just doesn’t like to hype himself, which is why he’s not popular. Seeing those people cursing him like crazy today really breaks my heart. A quiet musician who creates in peace goes unrecognized, and now he has to suffer cyberbullying led by someone like this!”
“Sheng Jun… Are Yan Wenguang’s fans all elementary school kids? How could they not even know him?”
“I just found out my Jun was cursed onto the Hot Search. I was wondering how he got cursed when he stays indoors all day and hasn’t been in the news for a year. Now I know after clicking in—oh, it’s just a brainless idiot.”
Yan Wenguang’s manager’s expression cracked. For a moment, he didn’t know if he was dreaming. Was Yan Wenguang trying to die, saying such things in a live stream?
He’s finished, finished!
While the manager was still in shock, Yan Wenguang’s mouth didn’t stop at all.
“It’d be best if Sheng Jun gets cursed so badly he quits the entertainment industry. Then those songs will be mine. And that old bastard Fang Qingshan—if he hadn’t refused to write lyrics for me, my album would’ve been out long ago!”
The manager finally snapped out of it and lunged forward to cover the camera.
The host was also stunned. He wanted to create some news, but not such huge news!
Before the host could even speak, the manager dragged Yan Wenguang and sprinted all the way back to the dressing room.
Yan Wenguang now came to his senses, remembering every word he had just said clearly, and instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
“Yan Wenguang, are you trying to get yourself killed?” His usually polite and almost reverent manager cursed at him mercilessly. With those words spoken, Yan Wenguang could forget about keeping any of his current endorsements or public appearances.
And as for the endorsements he was already signed to, even if he sold himself, he wouldn’t be able to cover the breach-of-contract penalties!
Yan Wenguang crouched on the ground, hugging his head and trembling. “I—I don’t know, I didn’t mean to say those things. I really… it was like I was Possessed by Evil.”
His manager said coldly, “It’s too late for excuses now. You’d better prepare to pay those penalties.”
With millions of people in the live stream room having heard him say those words, what kind of public relations could possibly salvage this?
“No, no, no, it can’t be. I still have my fans. Brother Zhang, you know I’ve always been careful with my words,” Yan Wenguang thought of the experience of being choked in the stairwell and quickly recounted it in detail. “Brother Zhang, I really was Possessed by Evil. It must have been Sheng Jun—he’s keeping a ghost child!”
Such eerie rumors weren’t unheard of in the entertainment industry, and besides, Yan Wenguang wouldn’t have said those things unless he had gone mad. The manager pondered for a moment and said, “Let me think of a way. We’ll salvage as much as we can.”
If Sheng Jun really was behind this, then the company might have to sacrifice him entirely to restore Yan Wenguang’s reputation.
The incident spread rapidly. Videos of Yan Wenguang’s insults quickly spread across the entire internet. Although Jushang hired a massive Water Army, they still couldn’t control the situation. This time, he had truly provoked public outrage.
Some fans, even after hearing Yan Wenguang’s insults firsthand, still insisted that Sheng Jun had bullied him, which was why he had said those things during the live stream.
“He’s always been such a humble person. If he hadn’t suffered such great injustice, he definitely wouldn’t have said those things!”
“Wenguang is on an actor’s path; he doesn’t even care about albums. I think he was speaking sarcastically—it’s Sheng Jun who wants to steal his songs!”
As for such people, netizens directly cursed them out.
“Has your brain been soaked in sewage? Have you even finished your homework before daring to jump around like this?”
“He dares to insult even Elder Fang? He’s not even worthy of polishing Elder Fang’s shoes!”
On the contrary, Sheng Jun, who had been suddenly hit with this massive accusation, became the object of sympathy for millions of netizens. Those who hadn’t been familiar with him before wanted to go to music platforms to help suppress the negative reviews. But after opening the player, they suddenly felt as if they had stumbled upon a treasure trove.
“Oh my god, such great songs—how come I never heard them before?”
“Ah, I should thank that brainless guy. Otherwise, I would never have discovered such a treasure of a singer.”
“I used to think rock music was all noisy and grating, but I never expected these songs to move me so deeply. Really, he’s singing the voice of our generation.”
The play counts of Sheng Jun’s songs skyrocketed to the top of major platforms. Rock music, which had been dormant for years, suddenly caught fire.
Meanwhile, Sheng Jun, who had never been fond of going online, was still unaware that he had suddenly been thrust back into the spotlight. After leaving Jushang, he had originally planned to go straight home, but remembering Qi Yuqiu’s words, he hesitated for a moment. Instead, he drove his car northward.
Changing routes to see different scenery could also bring a different mood.
It was rush hour, yet the roads weren’t congested. He drove smoothly, turning north at every intersection, passing through towering commercial districts and crowded old neighborhoods. He saw all kinds of people along the way, but his heart remained unmoved.
Until he spotted a bar. He pulled over. The bar was called “Ten Years,” with a large cross hanging on its weathered wall, as if whispering something to passersby.
Sheng Jun walked in and discovered it was actually a rock-themed bar, with rock elements visible everywhere.
He followed the path deeper inside and saw a wall behind the innermost counter, crammed with record albums and posters—all of them his.
The young man sitting behind the counter greeted him, “What would you like to drink, handsome?”
Sheng Jun walked over and ordered a soda water.
“You like rock too, handsome?” the young man asked, leaning casually on the counter with his head tilted, as if they were old friends.
Sheng Jun didn’t remove his sunglasses. Hearing the question, he nodded, somewhat surprised. “You like it too?”
“Of course!” the young man replied cheerfully, taking a sip from his drink. “This bar is rock-themed. Most people who hang out here are rock fans. Look at the wall behind me—it’s filled with our boss’s idol, Sheng Jun’s records. Hundreds of them.”
“Our boss is a huge fan of Sheng Jun. He opened this bar just for him, haha.”
Sheng Jun looked at the familiar posters and records on the wall, even spotting his autographed photos. His heart seemed to warm up again. He asked, “Are there many young people in the bar?”
“Of course!” the young man pouted, as if offended by the question. “Uncle, why can’t we young people be into rock? We even have a rock band at our school. Liking rock isn’t just for you older folks.”
Sheng Jun smiled. “You’re right. Liking rock isn’t just for us.”
He stayed in the bar for a long time. Perhaps because it was too dimly lit, no one recognized him. As evening fell, the bar grew lively. Someone took the stage to sing, and after finishing his work, the young man urged Sheng Jun, “Uncle, why don’t you go up and sing a song? We’ll give you a free drink~”
Sheng Jun looked at the soda water in his hand, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. “Sure.”
He walked onto the stage. Seeing him alone, someone asked which song he wanted to sing so they could accompany him. Sheng Jun shook his head with a smile, asking only for an electric guitar.
The spotlight shone on the stage. Sheng Jun’s fingers brushed the strings of the guitar as he began to sing his new song.
This was one of the songs Yan Wenguang had taken a liking to—a reflection of his two years of silence but unwavering determination. The lonely yet uplifting emotions echoed through the bar with his voice. The audience below paused for a moment before erupting into cheers, following the rhythm.
No one had heard this song before, yet they were instantly moved by the emotions it conveyed.
Sheng Jun looked at the cheering audience below, the heaviness in his chest completely dissipating. He laughed heartily, as if returning to the first time he had ever performed on stage.
Once the song ended, Sheng Jun stepped down. The audience applauded and whistled for him. Some watched him with tears in their eyes, but no one approached to disturb him. He simply returned to his seat at the counter and continued drinking his water.
The bartender behind the counter had been replaced by a man in his thirties or forties, wearing a white shirt and a gray vest, with messy hair falling over his forehead. When Sheng Jun finished his water, the man naturally refilled his glass.
Though they didn’t know each other, sitting there listening to music and occasionally chatting a few words made them feel like old friends who had known each other for years.
As the night deepened, Sheng Jun stood up to leave. Suddenly, the man pulled out an electric guitar from under the counter and handed it to him.
Sheng Jun took it and examined it carefully, recognizing it as one once used by his idol, Sprouton. The guitar even bore Sprouton’s signature.
“When’s your concert?” the man asked him.
Sheng Jun looked at him and replied, “This year, soon.”
“Alright, when the time comes, give me your guitar in exchange.” The man smiled.
Many people in the bar watched Sheng Jun walk out, including a bearded man wearing a hat. The bearded man laughed in broken Chinese to his friend beside him, “See that? He’s holding my guitar.”
“I think his songs are better than yours,” his friend shrugged. “You should invite him to your concert.”
“Good idea.”