Chapter 20: The Power of the Internet

The atmosphere in the private room suddenly became awkward. Yang Fan was anxious, worried that Lin Ruo might suddenly say something to stun everyone.

"Yang Fan, is your sister working here as a waitress?" Zhao Jing seemed unconcerned, just as the marriage agreement stipulated—its restrictions applied only to herself.

"Ai Xiaomei just loves to mess around," Yang Fan replied, truly at a loss for how to introduce Lin Ruo and Lin Xi.

"So who are these two?"

"They are..."

"We're his sisters!" Lin Ruo spoke up directly.

Yang Fan immediately caught on and nodded quickly, "Yes, these two are my sisters."

"Hello, I'm Zhao Jing."

"We know," Lin Ruo responded expressionlessly.

Seeing Yang Fan and Zhao Jing standing together, Lin Ruo promptly pulled Yang Fan over.

"What are you doing?"

"We're going to dance!" Lin Ruo said, much to Yang Fan's dismay—he realized she was preventing him from standing with Zhao Jing.

Of course, Lin Ruo had her own strategy. She had seen the marriage agreement, so provoking Wu Qian wouldn't work. Her method was simple: stir things up, sow discord, and let the internal relationships unravel.

The music began. Lin Ruo held onto Yang Fan tightly. Lin Xi and Zhao Jing sat to the side; Zhao Jing, not understanding the situation, even applauded, while Yang Fan was on the verge of collapse.

"Big sister, what exactly do you want?"

"Nothing much. Come on, put your hand on my waist! Let's perform a passionate dance right in front of your girlfriend," Lin Ruo whispered, guiding Yang Fan's hand to her waist.

At this moment, the two crossed the boundary of safety. In the haze of lights, their expressions blurred, and Yang Fan swallowed hard—their bodies were pressed tightly together.

This was pure temptation. Yang Fan nearly cried.

"Do you think Zhao Jing assumes we're siblings, so she won't imagine anything else?"

"So what are you going to do?" Yang Fan dared not move a muscle; with every movement, he didn't know what part of Lin Ruo he might touch. Her tight dress was already too alluring.

"One day, when I tell her we're not siblings and she recalls tonight, she’ll realize I snatched her boyfriend right under her nose. Do you think she'll lose her mind?"

"You're ruthless!"

"Same goes for you. Dealing with a playboy like you requires special tactics," Lin Ruo retorted.

Perhaps even Lin Ruo felt her breathing grow irregular; she had merely forced herself to stay calm. After separating from Yang Fan, she couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart.

Outside, the venue suddenly became lively, thanks to the blessings of the information age.

The spread of news in the information era could be summed up in one word: fast. One person told ten, ten told a hundred, and in a short time, the place was packed, the doors blocked, and videos circulated online. Xu Zihan's fan army grew at an astonishing rate—this was the power of the internet.

Liu Mingfeng returned as well. Seeing the bustling Four Seasons Hymn, he was stunned. Just tonight alone, how much money would they make?

Moreover, as long as they were affiliated with Yang Fan and Ai Xiaomei, Xu Zihan would be present. Once the celebrity effect took hold, Four Seasons Hymn would be a pure gold mine.

"It's crazy! Look, Zihan's fan count surpassed one hundred thousand in just an hour, and an hour ago there were only twenty thousand."

"Let me see!" Xu Tao snatched Zhang Chen's phone and was instantly speechless.

"Previously, Zihan's fans were only in Tianning, since she participated in Tianning's talent show. But now, fan clubs are forming nationwide."

Liu Mingfeng and his younger brother were dumbfounded; their decision back then had truly been the right one.

Ai Xiaomei went back on stage, this time dragging Liu Mingfeng with her, since an hour of singing would be too much for Xu Zihan.

Ai Xiaomei’s appearance wasn’t the main event—it was Liu Mingfeng’s. If the crowd had eggs, they’d have hurled them at him. Everyone was immersed in the moment, and he interrupted their reverie; how could they be pleased?

"Sorry, everyone, for interrupting your fun!" Liu Mingfeng said with a dry laugh, realizing his presence had negligible effect.

"We want to hear Xu Zihan sing!"

"Xu Zihan, I love you!"

The crowd erupted again. Anyone who didn’t know better would think they were at a concert—the atmosphere was electric, everyone felt as if they were truly part of the scene.

"Please don't be impatient! Let Zihan rest a bit; there’s still a grand finale to look forward to," Ai Xiaomei said.

The room burst into cheers. Liu Mingfeng felt awkward; his announcements had zero impact.

After about five minutes, Liu Mingfeng continued, "First, today marks the opening of our Liu family's Four Seasons Hymn. Thank you all for coming. Second, as a member of our family, my sister Xu Zihan, I deeply appreciate your support. Once again, thank you."

Applause swept the room. Liu Mingfeng was no fool—he wanted to acknowledge Xu Zihan as part of the Liu family, while also shielding her from risks.

He was building momentum for both Xu Zihan and Four Seasons Hymn—a win-win.

"Alright, please take a break and look forward to the final performance!" Liu Mingfeng stepped off the stage, having nothing else to say.

At the entrance, people continued to flood in. Ai Xiaomei stood on stage, her beauty and charm eliciting cheers from the crowd.

And the stories she told...

Backstage, Xu Zihan sipped water. Zhang Chen and the others were there as well. This was already a small-scale concert.

"Hey superstar, do you know your fan club has surpassed one hundred and fifty thousand? Clubs are popping up everywhere."

"That can’t be," Xu Zihan was dumbfounded, pulling out her phone. She had calls from directors, people from the production crew—over fifty.

There were a dozen messages as well. She skimmed through them, typed a quick reply that her phone was out of battery and she’d talk tomorrow, then turned it off.

The shock was overwhelming, the power of the internet truly frightening.

"One hundred fifty-five thousand, and the number keeps climbing!"

"Tianning TV wants me to be a judge for this round of the talent show," Xu Zihan said with a bitter smile.

"Then just go! Take us all with you—I’ll be your driver, Xu Tao your manager, Wang Jie your bodyguard!" Zhang Chen said excitedly.

"What about me?" Liu Haoyu couldn't help but ask.

"You’ll be the backup driver."

"Humph!"

Liu Mingfeng came in to greet everyone, then left—finding it too chaotic. He and his younger brother stepped outside.

"Big brother, we've made it! With this momentum, Four Seasons Hymn can’t help but be a huge hit."

"That’s exactly what we want. Call the karaoke place and tell them to halt renovations; we need to reconsider how to remodel!"

"Alright!"