Chapter 173: Ears Feeling a Bit Hot

Chapter 173: Ears Burning Slightly

"What did you say? You invited Xiaofan to be a guest at your concert? Have you lost your mind?"

"And he agreed? Is he insane too?"

"Sister Bai, are you planning to ruin your singing career just so you can settle down and act?"

Meng Caiwei, who had arrived at the film set earlier than expected, saw the message from Bai Zhi upon waking the next morning and immediately dialed her number, her voice so shrill with agitation that it startled the assistant bringing in breakfast.

"Why are you shouting so loudly?"

Awakened by the noise, Bai Zhi yawned and said, "Xiaofan sings well, and I happened to be short one guest, so what’s the harm in having him fill in? Besides, this concert is mostly just for fun; I never said I had to invite professional singers. I’m doing it for my own enjoyment and to fulfill my contract with Huya Live."

"Xiaofan sings well?" Meng Caiwei asked, incredulous. "What’s wrong with your ears? His throat sounds like a broken gong; how could he possibly sing well? Let me tell you, not a single person in our family has a musical bone in their body!"

"That’s you, don't drag Xiaofan into it. His musicality is off the charts!" Bai Zhi yawned again. "I’m just borrowing your cousin for a bit, no need to get so worked up. Are you worried he’ll enter show business? It’s just one concert, a small one at that—not much different from his usual streams. Enough, I’m going back to sleep; I have rehearsals later!"

With that, Bai Zhi hung up and collapsed back into bed.

"What is going on?"

Bewildered, Meng Caiwei immediately called Meng Fan.

Meng Fan had just returned from a run and a shower, ready for breakfast. Seeing Meng Caiwei’s name, he answered, knowing this question was inevitable. Having already thought it through, he said, "I just thought it would be fun, so I agreed."

"What do you mean, fun? Bai Zhi says you sing well. What’s that about? Since when have you been a good singer?" Meng Caiwei pressed.

"Just because I used to be bad doesn't mean I can't practice until I'm good!"

Yes, that was the explanation he had settled on.

As for Meng Caiwei, she certainly didn't buy it.

"Meng Fan, I’ve noticed you’ve been acting very strange lately! Just you wait, when I have some free time, I’m going to give you a proper interrogation!"

Meng Caiwei hung up in a huff.

"Such a temper. I didn't even get to mention the studio."

Meng Fan gave a wry smile, finished his meal, and headed to school for class.

He had lunch with Wu Tong, who returned his washed thermal food container, each compartment holding an apple—she said she couldn't return it empty.

During the meal, Meng Fan mentioned Bai Zhi’s invitation and asked if she wanted to watch his rehearsal that afternoon.

"I have class this afternoon. When is the concert? I’ll be there to... cheer for you like crazy."

Wu Tong knew of the relationship between Bai Zhi and Meng Caiwei and had met Bai Zhi before. Though she hadn't watched Meng Fan’s stream yesterday, she had seen the clips later and knew he could sing. Knowing this, she wasn't surprised, just curious.

"Do you have any plans to develop a career in entertainment?" she asked.

Meng Fan shook his head. "I just think it’s fun; I haven't thought that far ahead."

Wu Tong smiled. "They say life is a game. Some people are on easy mode, some on hard, some on random. You, it seems, are playing on custom mode."

A spark flashed in Meng Fan’s mind. He looked at Wu Tong and said earnestly, "It depends on the situation. In some things, I could have chosen easy mode, but I deliberately chose hard. Because only on hard mode can you unlock the hidden plot."

Wu Tong paused, then laughed. "Are you flirting with me?"

Meng Fan was utterly defeated.

Wu Tong pretended to casually tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear; as her fingers brushed past, her ears burned slightly.

Bai Zhi’s concert wasn't at the Huanglong Stadium, but at the Hangzhou Concert Hall, a fair distance from the China Academy of Art. By the time Meng Fan finished his meal and arrived, it was nearly one o'clock.

Bai Zhi was already there, along with a band, crew members, and a female singer who looked familiar but whose name escaped him. After Bai Zhi introduced her, he quickly checked her profile on his streaming assistant to get a sense of who she was.

The singer’s name was Tao Tao—easy to remember, though Meng Fan hadn't recalled it, which suggested she wasn't exactly a household name, even if he had heard a few of her songs.

He saw that Tao Tao was an independent musician who wrote her own lyrics and music. Her vocal technique... he caught a few bars of her rehearsal, and it was excellent. She was quite beautiful, with an artistic temperament. Perhaps her music was too niche, which explained why she hadn't hit it big.

In reality, Meng Fan was an outsider; in this industry, there were plenty of people who were talented and beautiful, but very few who actually made it.

Is it true that gold will always shine?

Forget it.

It’s more true that gold will always be spent.

Of course, "making it" here meant national fame. Within certain circles, Tao Tao was actually quite popular—after all, even Meng Fan had heard her songs.

Bai Zhi introduced Meng Fan to the live band, a group of seasoned professionals. While there were no superstars among them, many were well-respected figures in the music scene.

Naturally, everyone was polite to Meng Fan. Before he arrived, Bai Zhi had already told them that her guest wasn't a celebrity, but her cousin who was a streamer.

Bai Zhi would never let Meng Fan face an awkward situation; she made sure everyone knew they were close.

Meng Fan was to perform two songs. One was "The Rest of My Life," suggested by Bai Zhi—it was a hit with high sing-along potential, bound to resonate with the audience. The other was a duet of Bai Zhi’s own song, "A Long-Term Plan."

Meng Fan focused his rehearsal on the duet, while the other song just needed a little polishing with the band.

With Tao Tao currently rehearsing, Meng Fan had a moment. After checking with Bai Zhi, he logged into his stream.

He had announced earlier that there would be a surprise during his afternoon broadcast.

Seeing the notification, many followers tuned in. They were greeted by the sight of Meng Fan standing in a grand concert hall, the sound of a band and a singer echoing from the stage.

What was going on?

Was he changing things up again, taking them to watch a performance?

Then, a beautiful woman appeared in the frame.

Huh?

The viewers recognized her instantly: Bai Zhi!

Bai Zhi was a star with significant national recognition!

What was happening?

"Hello, everyone."

Bai Zhi greeted the camera with a smile. "In four days, I’m holding a concert in Hangzhou, and your streamer, Meng, will be my guest. The concert will be broadcast live on the Huya platform, so please show your support."

Bai Zhi was actually using Meng Fan’s stream to promote herself.

Of course, it wasn't just for promotion; it was primarily to give Meng Fan some face.