Chapter 127: Some people achieve success at a young age, perhaps because...

After finishing their boxed lunches, some people took a nap, while others continued to work on their creations without pause. Only Lin Ze dragged the cameraman off to an internet café to play some games.

"Lin Ze, can you act like a decent human being? How about writing some songs? Is there anything more regrettable than missing that ultimate ability?"

"Lin Ze is so bad at this. Watching him play this hero, I’ve finally found something I’m better at than him!"

"The cameraman is terrible too; he's completely being carried by the assistant."

Whenever Lin Ze slacks off, the audience’s tolerance for him always seems remarkably high.

Let’s look at the footage of Elder Shi. He was sitting in a café with a cup of coffee, finally beginning to write a song. Yet, there was still no sign of Xu Shenshen. Many of Xu’s fans, eager to see him, kept their eyes glued to Elder Shi's channel. Unexpectedly, Elder Shi left around five or six in the evening, headed to some high-end restaurant for a meal, and then went off to attend a concert.

On Friday night, Elder Shi’s wife rubbed her lower back and straightened up to catch her breath. She had just finished washing the dishes, and after sweeping and mopping the floor while hunched over, her back couldn't take it anymore.

Elder Shi, lying on the sofa, glanced at his wife. "Move aside, you're blocking the TV."

His wife looked at the screen. Shi Zhongyin, that wretch, had gone out early in the morning claiming he was filming a show, yet he ended up doing yoga with a female personal trainer? He was eating so well, too—it was a shame she was at home washing his socks and underwear while she had nothing but a bowl of instant noodles for dinner.

"Hey, how do you turn on the comments? Open the comment section for me." Elder Shi smiled smugly. Surely the audience was envious of his lifestyle right now; only an elegant, elderly gentleman like himself could write such distinguished music.

His wife snatched the remote from his hand and enabled the comments.

"This old windbag is so pretentious, I can't take it anymore!"
"I'm starting to wonder, are his usual songs written like this too?"
"Obviously not. I bet he's just acting this way for the show."

"Pfft..." His wife burst into laughter.

Seeing the words on the screen, Elder Shi’s face turned pale and then flushed red. Gritting his teeth, he snapped, "What are you laughing at? Did you finish mopping the floor? Go wash the fruit I bought this afternoon and bring it here!"

The next day, a file was finally sent to Xu Shenshen. Upon receiving it, Xu headed straight to the recording studio. He familiarized himself with the song, recording and listening to it over and over, working with extreme diligence.

The others were much the same; even Lin Ze went to the studio to practice. The camera then cut back to the set, where everyone had gathered in the lounge. The audience felt a strong sense of immersion in this program because they had witnessed the entire process of how each song was written. Even Xiao Wei, who wasn't very famous, wasn't skipped; the audience had seen everyone's hard work.

One song, two songs. When the third song began, and Panda sang in a youthful voice about the story of an immortal and the changing tides of the nation, the audience was just as shocked by the theme, the innovative concept, and the beautiful melody as the people on set.

They were still savoring the music when they realized it was time for the collaboration between Elder Shi and Xu Shenshen.

Hmm... Was that it?

"This old guy postured all day. While others were writing songs, he didn't. I thought he was a master, but it turns out this old man is just a bronze-tier amateur."
"What is this trash? How is the song he wrote worse than some internet singer's work?"
"Put in some effort! We know you had a glorious past, but you're on a show—show some respect! Yet you give people attitude and demand they give up their seats and show you deference."

Watching the screen filled with insults, Elder Shi shoved the remote into his wife’s hand. "Turn it off! Turn..."

No, don't! Elder Shi had known the moment Lin Ze finished singing that he had already lost, but he still wanted to see what people thought of Lin Ze's song. From the beginning to the end of that performance, the comments had actually stopped for a while. Not a single one appeared. Everyone was listening to what could only be called a classic.

"Lin Ze... Lin Ze is the GOAT!"
"Hey, you old windbag from earlier! Learn something! Just because you're old doesn't mean you're right! Learn to respect others, especially those better than you!"
"I’m not a music student, so I don't know the technical details, but I want to say this is the best song I’ve heard in my twenty-plus years of life!"

As he read the comments, Elder Shi’s face grew darker. Finally unable to suppress his fury, he smashed the remote against the floor.

"...'Ten Years'! With the most relaxed attitude, Lin Ze delivered the loudest slap to the face of an 'elder' who was resting on his laurels."
"Yes, just as Lin Ze's fans say: you can always trust Lin Ze!"
"Believe me, there isn't a person who wouldn't love Lin Ze's music. —The journey of a fan of a disgraced artist turning from a hater to a fan of their enemy, Lin Ze."

Lin Ze! Lin Ze! Lin Ze was everywhere! The low-budget program he filmed had only been out for an hour, yet countless accounts were pushing it for all they were worth!

Zhang Huai slumped in his chair. In just two weeks, his hair had turned white. Zhang Yang's case had been submitted to the court; he was looking at at least four or five years behind bars. Zhang Yang's mother had passed away early, and Zhang Huai had poured his heart and soul into the company and his son. But now... Zhang Yang was gone, and the company had been dealt a devastating blow. Even with Elder Shi’s assistance, Xu Shenshen hadn't become an overnight sensation or managed to shoulder the company's burden. Instead... one of the best songwriters on their roster was being cursed at mercilessly.

Zhang Huai felt tired. It made no difference whether the company survived or not. Perhaps, after a lifetime of exhaustion, it was time to rest.

Zhang Huai opened a livestream, suddenly wanting to see the man who was the talk of the town. On screen, a whole roasted lamb was nearly finished.

"So," Su Zithan mused, "some people's success in their youth isn't necessarily because they are all that capable."

"It could also be because their parents gave them a startup fund for life."

Everyone sat there, eyeing Su Zithan as she engaged in her humble-bragging. No one wanted to speak. Especially Pei Xue; although she knew Su Zithan had genuine talent, she couldn't help but feel envious! Envious that Su Zithan had a super-powerful backer. Among those present, only she and Director Zhang knew what kind of behemoth Su Zithan’s family truly was.