### Chapter 10: Overnight Sensation
Li Qing had no idea that his performance on "Music Star" had caused the ratings of Beijing Satellite TV to skyrocket to 21%, breaking the long-standing 20% barrier and garnering strong support from the station's director. He only knew that his TV performance, despite not having any glaring mistakes, felt slightly abrupt due to the brief comments from the four judges.
Although the audience's reaction was vividly captured on camera, perfectly compensating for the judges' brief remarks, the abruptness was even more noticeable because of this. Li Qing had a faint premonition that the audience wasn't blind and would certainly have some kind of reaction to such a scene.
This premonition was confirmed the next morning while he was out jogging around his apartment. Passing by a newsstand, he decided to buy a newspaper.
"Boss, a morning paper, please."
It was still early, and there were few people around the newsstand. Li Qing stood in a corner, silently looking through the papers before picking up a copy of "Entertainment Weekly" and tossing fifty cents to the owner, who was having breakfast. He then turned and left.
The owner, a bearded man in his thirties, looked somewhat unkempt but was watching the handsome young man with great interest. After Li Qing left, he paused his meal, looked at the coin in his hand, and scratched his head, puzzled.
It wasn't that the amount was wrong; it just felt like something was off. The young man, though extraordinarily handsome, seemed familiar.
"Where have I seen him before?"
The newsstand owner thought for a moment, grabbed a morning paper himself, and started flipping through it. After skipping the political and social sections, he found what he was looking for in the entertainment section.
In the top left corner, a photo of the young man caught his eye. There was Li Qing, playing a guitar, surrounded by flashing lights.
Underneath the photo, bold black text read: "Shock! An Eighteen-Year-Old Singer Creates a Ratings Miracle!"
The owner then remembered where he had seen the young man before. The article described how Li Qing, a contestant on "Music Star," performed an original song, "Angel's Wings," and helped the show's ratings soar to 21%, breaking the long-standing record.
The article detailed Li Qing's background, revealing that he was signed to Far Expedition Media and was a former member of the boy band "Fire Boys," which had achieved a gold record. After the band disbanded, Li Qing had been off the radar for a year before making a stunning comeback on "Music Star."
"He lives around here?"
No wonder he looked familiar, and he was exceptionally handsome, like a small star…
The newsstand owner continued flipping through various entertainment papers, all of which carried similar stories.
"Music Star Unveils Talented Young Contestant; Beijing Satellite TV Breaks 13-Year Rating Record!"
"Exploring the Path of a Rising Star: The Journey of a Handsome Singer!"
"Original Singer's Dawn: Young Man's Original Song 'Angel's Wings' Goes Viral Overnight!"
"Former Fire Boys Member Li Qing Stuns on 'Music Star' with Debut Performance!"
The more the owner read, the more excited he became. This Li Qing seemed like someone with substantial backing, capable of becoming an overnight sensation.
Then, a headline caught his eye in the "Entertainment Weekly": "Explosive Scandal! 'Music Star' Suppresses Talented Contestant!"
A scandal? This is interesting!
Forgetting his breakfast, he eagerly read on. The article first introduced Li Qing and his past before turning to the four judges of "Music Star."
"Let’s focus on one judge in particular: Zhao Wendi. This 20-year-old has recently been making waves in the music industry, winning numerous awards at major festivals. But here's the kicker: Zhao Wendi was also a member of 'Fire Boys,' the same group Li Qing was in!
Is this just a coincidence? Hardly!
But is it a scandal? Not quite yet.
According to reliable sources from within the 'Music Star' production team, Zhao Wendi, using his influence and favoritism from higher-ups, attempted to manipulate the results to remove Li Qing from the competition! This news is solid, and I have enough evidence to prove it in court!
We were heartbroken, thinking such a talented musician would be unjustly suppressed. Thankfully, the situation didn't escalate to the worst-case scenario.
We were lucky!
Li Qing's talent was too dazzling to ignore. His original song, 'Angel's Wings,' left a lasting impression. Even as I write this, the melody is still ringing in my ears, lingering long after the show ended.
If this is how I felt watching on TV, imagine the 1,600 audience members at the live show! They stood, applauding and cheering, forcing the four judges to reconsider and ultimately pass Li Qing through."
The newsstand owner chuckled, tossing the "Entertainment Weekly" aside and returning to his breakfast. The article seemed over-the-top, especially its exaggerated praise of the song.
However, as the morning progressed, and all the entertainment papers sold out, he realized the impact of the story. His hands trembled as he picked up the phone, dialing frantically.
"Hey, Xiao Wang? It's Old Yu. Can you send me another batch of today's 'Entertainment Weekly'? No, make it two…"
"Hey, Brother Xi, it's Old Yu. Great to hear from you. Can you send me another batch of 'Entertainment Morning Post'? What? You're out? Damn it…"
"Hey… Do you have any 'Capital Entertainment' left? You're printing more? Great, send me two batches as soon as they're ready. It's urgent…"
"Hello, 'Southern Entertainment'? Do you have…"
"Hello…"
NEXT