Chapter Seventy-Four: A Forceful Response

Beneath the comment section, a swarm of strange creatures gathered.

“Big brother is so handsome!”

“Wow, he’s so imposing!”

“Rotten fish and shrimp, Lin, when you hear my brother’s song, don’t you dare chicken out and not release yours!”

Lin Ze was suddenly bewildered. With Zhang Yang’s singing skills, how could he say such things? How could he be so audacious?

The many fans noticed Lin Ze’s silence, and for a moment, the atmosphere quieted.

After all, Zhang Yang was a long-established... singer?

Looking at Lin Ze now, was this expression because Zhang Yang was actually talented?

“Um... Lin, um...” A nearby fan tried to say something to ease the awkwardness.

But Su Zitan, full of confusion, spoke up, “What’s wrong with Zhang Yang? Did you provoke him too much before and drive him crazy?”

“That’s possible. Or is there some conspiracy?” Lin Ze rubbed his chin. “Or was he always pretending? Maybe he actually can sing?”

Their words left the would-be comforter’s hand frozen in mid-air.

Could such talk be aired publicly?

Moreover, didn’t Zhang Yang debut as a singer? Why were these two questioning his ability to sing?

Lin Ze came to his senses, realizing his earlier words weren’t appropriate.

“Well, my phrasing was a bit off earlier. I didn’t mean he can’t sing...”

“Just that he doesn’t sing well. No, that’s not right either...” Su Zitan added, “Just not well enough.”

At the next table, Chen Weiguo and his wife, eating coconut chicken, stepped in to help smooth things over.

“You all know that Lin has always held himself to high standards.”

“That’s right, Teacher Chen gets me. That’s exactly it,” Lin Ze nodded earnestly.

The fans all around could clearly see Lin Ze’s attempt to cover up was quite perfunctory.

“So what’s Lin going to do? Will he release a song and challenge him?”

“There’s no need. Do I have to prove anything to him?” Lin Ze replied lightly. “Our songs are for our fans, not for Zhang Yang.”

Although he said that, the fans exchanged glances. If he didn’t respond, wouldn’t that look like he was backing down?

“Don’t worry, everyone. Isn’t the first of the month the day after tomorrow? By next Friday, the second week ends, and there’ll be another new song.”

“Oh? That’s right!”

The fans immediately grew lively.

“Lin, if you won’t challenge him yourself, just write a song for me to take him on,” Ji Chen said from the stage.

Lin Ze smiled at Ji Chen’s words, “That’s no problem, but you’ll have to wait a bit. Recently, a lot of people have approached me to buy songs; we’ll take it slow.”

“Another song written by Lin? Who’s buying it?” a curious fan asked.

“In a few days, you’ll all know.”

Seeing that everyone had finished eating, Lin Ze stood up. “Looks like we’re done; it’s time for the next group of customers.”

“Hiss! The boss is kicking us out!”

The fans joked, but all picked up their things and helped clean up.

“No need, no need — we’ll handle it ourselves. Thanks for coming, hope to see you next time,” Lin Ze said with a smile.

Su Zitan brought two aprons and a rag from the kitchen, handing one to Lin Ze.

As the group left and the next arrived, the tables were wiped clean and the floor swept.

Soon, celebrities usually only seen on television came out carrying hot pot base.

Lin Ze’s response was edited, paired with electronic voiceover, and posted online within minutes.

“In the face of Zhang Yang’s provocation, Lin Ze responded on the show. Let’s see what Lin Ze had to say!”

“Lin Ze declared, ‘Songs are for fans, not for Zhang Yang.’ Does this count as avoiding the battle? Let’s hear what the experts say.”

Zhang Huai picked up his phone, intending to scold Zhang Yang, but before the call connected, he hung up.

Forget it; a bit of drama could boost popularity. Anyway, Shi Lao’s lyrics and music are solid.

It shouldn’t go wrong... right?

This powerful showdown between the two also drew some attention away from the Wu Qian incident.

Faced with all this, Lin Ze made no further response.

That night, he sat in the courtyard, chatting with fans who had waited in line for ages.

Round two of the hot pot featured Lin Chunshui singing. Though the endless grasslands seemed out of place, the longing for freedom was the same.

Sitting in the courtyard, one could look up and see the stars; a few steps away was Erhai Lake, and the bustle of the hot pot was like a wisp of smoke in the silent city.

It stirred a yearning within.

Many viewers at home leaned against their bed, watching the lively scene, feeling as if they too were part of it.

The distance between themselves and the celebrities on screen seemed to lessen.

Perhaps this was why they liked Lin.

The hot pot night ended, and the stars washed pots and dishes in the kitchen.

Director Zhang stood at the door and said, “Everyone did a great job on the first day. Today’s ledger is at the front desk.”

“There are no strict tasks this week. Just run the inn well, but the more money you earn, the more funds you’ll have next week.”

“Got it. But couldn’t you come in and help wash a couple dishes?” Chen Weiguo glanced at Director Zhang.

“I didn’t eat, so why would I wash dishes?”

General Manager Zhang chuckled at the door.

He’d just checked backstage at the viewer numbers.

At peak, concurrent viewers had nearly reached half a million.

Though it streamed across multiple platforms, this was a historic high, showing the show’s widespread approval.

Even if some fans came over to vent because their favorite shows had been shut down, it was still a success.

The live broadcast ended, and everyone returned to their rooms after cleaning up.

After showering, Lin Ze and Su Zitan stood at the window, looking outside.

The moist wind brushed against their faces, feeling exceptionally comfortable.

So comfortable, it made them sleepy.

It seemed today’s atmosphere was not quite enough.

...

Early the next morning, all eight were up and gathered in the courtyard.

Breakfast was porridge with pickled vegetables and steamed buns bought from outside.

Su Zitan held the ledger, calculating yesterday’s revenue.

“We’re almost out of ingredients,” Zhao Funing noted. “I checked this morning and made a list of what we need.”

“Buy them!” Su Zitan was pleased with yesterday’s earnings. “We’ve got enough money.”

As expected, the profit from drinks was still the largest.

“Lin? Zitan? We’re checking out!” came a call.

“Alright, just a moment.” Su Zitan hurried over, picked up the intercom at the front desk, and contacted the housekeeping upstairs.

“It’s such a pity — we have to leave for another place today, tickets are booked. Otherwise, we’d definitely stay longer,” said a young couple, regretful.

“Take in the beautiful sights. Every day the world changes; isn’t this world as beautiful as us?” Su Zitan smiled and waved them off.