The Villain Slaps The Protagonist’s Halo - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: I'll Tell You Who's the Boss

The thunderous applause continued to echo in the room. Even though DDD's current votes hadn't surpassed Galaxy's, the momentum felt as if they had already won the championship.

The broadcast cameras captured the expressions of everyone on stage: Galaxy's astonishment, Hertz Era's acknowledgment, and Box's enthusiastic celebration. However, the true members of DDD, Nie Jia included, stood calmly on the stage.

Nie Jia maintained an air of calmness throughout, unperturbed by either glory or shame. After politely expressing his gratitude, he returned to his spot. Perhaps due to the excessively passionate audience reaction, which prolonged the recording process, he even found himself idly playing with the embroidery on his cuff, feeling the boredom creeping in.

Chen Tian and Shi Yanshen displayed evident embarrassment and forced smiles. The flush on their ears spread to their necks, not due to Chen Huanyin's public reprimand but because it awakened them to their past foolishness. They exchanged a glance that reflected their mutual embarrassment and shame.

As for Xie Yihang, the target of criticism, tears that had been lingering in his eyes streamed down uncontrollably. Yet, he realized the absence of his fans' concerned voices amidst the cheering for Nie Fei. His eyes reddened as he lowered his head, his mind going blank, a growing fear gripping his heart.

Nie Fei seemed superior in every aspect. Losing his spot on the C-Station was already a blow, and now, was he about to lose even his own fans to Nie Fei?

"Xiaohang, don't cry. Old Chen might be sharp-tongued but soft-hearted," the host intervened, stabilizing the chaotic atmosphere before resuming the recording. Lin Haoclear, the father of rock, who hadn't spoken until now, comforted Xie Yihang briefly.

Chen Huanyin chuckled, "Nonsense. I'm sharp-tongued but kind-hearted."

The audience chuckled softly at their banter.

But Xie Yihang remained with his head bowed, tears trickling down his nose, silently drowning in his sorrow.

"Everyone knows Lin Haoclear has been a staunch supporter of Galaxy from the start. Today, Galaxy's performance stood out, but other artists were equally impressive, especially DDD. I'm curious as to whom Lin Haoclear will vote for," the host said.

Yu Jingwei immediately focused on Lin Haoclear, who had been smiling all along. It was expected that Galaxy wouldn't receive the votes from the Music God or Chen Huanyin. However, Lin Haoclear's vote would seal the deal, and it seemed like a sure win for Yu Jingwei! The domestic rock music scene had been dwindling, and Galaxy was the only group that could revive it. Even if their performance today was overshadowed by DDD, Lin Haoclear wouldn't ignore them for the sake of rock music's revival!

Though Lin Haoclear was relatively young, not yet fifty, he held the position among the judges. After jesting a bit, he leaned on the table, holding the microphone, and addressed the four contestants onstage with a slightly hoarse voice, "I agree with Teacher Chen's comments on the contestants. Box and Hertz Era were stable, but they paled in comparison. Tonight's first finalist will undoubtedly emerge between DDD and Galaxy."

"Ah!" Lin Haoclear suddenly exclaimed before voting, turning to the Music God and Chen Huanyin. He widened his eyes in mock anger and amusement, "I just realized, my 450 votes directly decide the result. Are you two doing this on purpose?"

"After the show airs, you'll be the number one trending topic, Lin Haoclear. Your mentions will be flooded," the Music God chuckled.

Chen Huanyin chimed in, "Haoclear, don't worry. If you don't trend, the two of us will chip in to get you to trend. Don't worry, we guarantee you'll be the top trend on that day."

Pointing at the two, Lin Haoclear turned to the audience, "What do we call this? Using the slang of today's youth, isn't it being a bit conniving? Two conniving old men."

The audience erupted in laughter, easing the previously heated atmosphere.

"Alright, back to business," Lin Haoclear sat back, eyeing the contestants onstage, "I was initially inclined to vote for Galaxy for several reasons. Primarily, because they surpassed themselves today. It's a level they haven't reached in the past few shows or even in their solo concerts. Galaxy debuted six years ago, not too long but definitely not short in the music industry. There's hardly any band like Galaxy that has stayed in the public eye for six years and still managed to reach new heights. However, I'm not talking about popularity but about their status as musicians. There have been artists who revived after a period of decline, but rarely did they attain their previous peak, let alone surpass it. So tonight, Galaxy surprised me. When they performed, I made up my mind to vote for them!"

The members of Galaxy seemed to perk up.

"But," the Music God interjected, "don't keep us in suspense; there's usually a 'but' after statements like this."

Lin Haoclear glanced at him and cleared his throat, "However..."

A small wave of laughter rippled through the audience.

"Galaxy surprised me, but following that, DDD amazed me. More precisely, Nie Fei amazed me. Everyone here has heard 'Battle of the Stars,' even if some don't like it, they've surely heard it. This song has been a hit for the past two years, yet today, DDD's performance of 'Battle of the Stars' was different. Did you, Nie Fei, rework it yourself?"

"I recall Nie Fei never allows anyone to alter the songs he writes, right?" Chen Huanyin added.

Nie Jia nodded.

Lin Haoclear continued, "Yes, this is well known. I want to remind everyone here that Nie Fei only confirmed his participation in the program's recording yesterday at noon, which was less than 30 hours ago. In such a short time, he completed the adaptation of the war song, and the impact of this brand-new version far exceeds the old one. The performance just now was flawless. This goes beyond self-transcendence; I believe Nie Fei is on the brink of legend."

All of Lin Haoclear's praise was focused solely on Nie Fei, prompting continuous applause from the audience. It was evident that the viewers highly approved as well. Shi Yanshen and Chen Tian blushed; they knew better than anyone else about Nie Fei's immense talent, yet previously, for some reason, they couldn't stand him.

"Since I'm about to trend again, let me say something controversial. If it weren't for Xie Yihang's fall or Shi Yanshen's support, I would unhesitatingly cast my vote for DDD. If it were only Nie Fei performing, I'd probably rush up there and ask for his autograph," Lin Haoclear said. "The outside world often uses the term 'exceptional talent' to describe many artists in the entertainment industry because they don’t understand how artists are packaged. Do they think it's a wholesale market? I entered the industry at 16, and I can confidently say that truly talented artists in the entertainment circle are a tiny fraction, and Nie Fei is one of them."

The godfather looked puzzled, "Why can't I understand your point? Whom are you planning to vote for?"

"I said all that to give the audience a reference. As I mentioned earlier, I decided to give my vote to Galaxy during my performance. Here, I want to apologize to the four members of DDD and to the audience. The judge's seat's votes should be absolutely fair, but I didn't uphold that. If it were possible to change votes midway, I might have already voted for Galaxy. Both I and many in the voting zone made a mistake, prematurely dismissing DDD who hadn't performed yet. I don't have the right to influence the results of both teams, so I've decided to relinquish my voting rights." Lin Haoclear's words fell, causing a gasp from the godfather and Chen Huanyin.

Nie Jia was somewhat surprised. Lin Haoclear, being a rockstar, indeed didn't follow the usual path. Showering both Galaxy and DDD with extravagant praises and then abstaining?

The host felt like today's recording session would be incomplete without a bonus, a string of unexpected events that even his robust heart couldn't handle!

"Professor Lin Haoclear, are you certain about giving up your voting rights? Aren't you afraid of trending?" the host quipped in a lighthearted manner. "Let me tell you, by giving up your vote now, even before the show airs, you'll be trending when we release the program preview."

Lin Haoclear laughed heartily.

With Lin Haoclear abstaining from voting, Galaxy's vote count still topped. Yu Jingwei breathed a slight sigh of relief, his heart finally settling, assured of victory.

"I'm not finished yet," Lin Haoclear stood up, facing the audience, making a metal salute, and stirring them up with fervor. "I'm giving up my voting right and deciding to hand my judge's vote to the live audience. Shout out loud the name of the group you want to receive these 450 votes. Let's not repeat the 'behind-the-scenes manipulation,' okay!"

The live audience erupted instantly, with shouts filling the venue.

For Yu Jingwei, it felt like Lin Haoclear had slapped him across the face.

The host added, "Dear audience, you can scream! Of course, for those watching at home, you can also cheer for your idols outside the venue. Even if you scream your lungs out, it won't make a difference, haha! By the time you shout, this episode has been recorded for a week."

After the host's words, the backstage promptly dimmed the stage lights, leaving only the silhouettes of the four male groups on the big screen.

With a full house, initially, each fanbase wanted to cheer for their beloved idols. Although it was just the semi-finals, nobody knew who would win today or even if they could secure the championship, but it was about the honor of their idols! Fans exerted all their energy in cheering.

Gradually, the DDD fans' section and the voting zone set the rhythm, quickly spreading throughout the audience, drowning out all other voices, leaving only a uniform chant.

It wasn't Galaxy, much less DDD.

It was— "Nie Fei!"

"Nie Fei! Nie Fei!"

"Nie Fei!! Nie Fei!! Nie Fei!!!"

The result was already evident; the entire venue echoed with nearly 4,000 people passionately shouting. The host even feared the studio might collapse.

Yu Jingwei's face turned pale. If the stage lights came on now, his humiliation and anger would be unmistakable.

Soon after, with a 'ding,' DDD's vote count increased from 967 to 1417! They decisively crushed Galaxy's 1327 votes with an absolute advantage, claiming the first spot in the finals!

Nearly half of the total votes, the first slot for the finals had been secured.

In this round of the competition, except for some Galaxy fans, everyone in the audience section had been swayed by DDD or, more accurately, had completely surrendered to Nie Fei. This was the shocking effect of genuine talent!

"Congratulations to DDD for advancing to the finals!" Even the host couldn't contain his excitement, almost breaking into a shout.

The audience erupted into frenzied cheers, while the assistants backstage huddled together, ecstatically exclaiming, "Wow, the boss was absolutely stunning!" They spun around in a collective dance of joy.

"Thank you, Nie Fei," Chen Tian murmured softly. His thanks were barely audible, even though they stood together. Nie Fei couldn't be sure he heard the gratitude amidst the chaos.

The lights brightened, sealing DDD's flawless victory. The judges rose, applauding earnestly. The uproar in the venue refused to die down. This spectacle resembled more of Nie Fei's personal mini-concert than anything else. The host, for the first time, empathized with the strain on the audience's voices.

After acknowledging the audience, Nie Jia (Nie Fei) was the first to leave the stage, followed closely by the rest of the team. Next up were the performances from the other three groups, vying for the final spot in the competition.

Nie Jia returned to the green room, collapsing on the couch where he had been lounging earlier. Pulling out his phone, he sent a text.

Nie Jia: [Wasn't I super cool just now?]

If it weren't for the disruption it might cause to the recording, Shi Si would have rushed to the contestants' resting area upon receiving the cute text from Nie Fei. At this moment, right now, Shi Si really wanted to embrace him tightly.

"Super adorable," Shi Si replied with a smile.

On the screen, Nie Jia, with a serious expression, tapped on the phone screen: [Impossible, I was definitely cool. I'll only show you the cute side.]

Reading this, Shi Si inadvertently swallowed a mouthful of syrup, the sweetness lingering in every breath he took.

Two minutes passed, and Shi Si hadn't replied. Nie Fei wondered if something had come up suddenly.

"What's Shi Si doing?" Nie Fei waited a while longer, unable to resist and bothering KK.

KK responded, "Director's gone to the restroom."

Just as KK finished, Nie Fei received a message from Shi Si: [Come to the dressing room C3.]

Nie Fei paused, pocketed his phone, and indifferently said, "I'll go to the bathroom for a bit."

Xie Yihang, nestled in the corner of the couch, glanced at Nie Fei with reddened eyes.

Dragging someone to a remote dressing room midway could easily lead to misunderstanding. So, being cautious, KK, who was born in the Year of the Rooster, had already blocked himself. Nie Fei, however, didn't entertain any suspicious thoughts. His lover wasn't someone who lacked discretion. Most importantly, Shi Si respected Nie Fei.

Just as Nie Fei pushed open the dressing room door, strong arms encircled him.

Shi Si leaned against the door, trapping the two inside the room. Almost impatiently, he hugged Nie Fei tightly, one hand gently caressing the back of his head, unable to resist leaning down and kissing his fair neck.

When facing the thunderous cheers of the fans earlier on stage, Nie Fei hadn't blinked. Yet, being held by Shi Si now made his heart race uncontrollably. He reached out, wrapping his arms around Shi Si's waist, tilting his head to softly kiss him, intense emotions flooding from beneath his long eyelashes.

The love in his eyes was almost tangible. Shi Si looked down at Nie Fei's slightly moist eyes and the affectionate expression. Contrary to his dazzling and aloof demeanor on stage, here was an adorable side that only he could witness.

Shi Si's heart melted. He couldn't help but kiss Nie Fei's rosy lips, but immediately realized they were still in the middle of filming. He stopped abruptly, gently touching Nie Fei's thin lips with a hint of remorse. "I was too careless."

"It's okay. When we pass by the restroom later, I'll use cold water to soothe it," Nie Fei said, holding his hand and lightly nibbling his fingertip.

Shi Si exhaled a warm breath, tenderly pulling Nie Fei into his embrace, gently nuzzling against him, unable to resist whispering, "Fei Fei, will you marry me?"

They'd only known each other for less than two days, and Shi Si found it somewhat ridiculous to propose so soon.

However, Nie Fei, in his arms, softly chuckled, "Of course, in this life and every life thereafter, I'd want to spend it with you."

There was a sparkle in his eyes, while in this moment, Shi Si only saw Nie Fei.

"After you're done with the finals, let's get married," Shi Si said, pleasantly surprised.

Nie Fei bounced up, planting a kiss on Shi Si's cheek, sweetly saying, "Okay."

If the secretary knew that not only did his boss fall in love at lightning speed, but was now proposing within the second meeting, he'd probably question life itself, or suspect that his usually composed and serious boss had his brain replaced by an alien.

"The program was still being recorded, and even though DDD had advanced, Nie Jia couldn't leave early. It was just an excuse to step out to the restroom, and after a few minutes of intimacy with Shi Si, Nie Jia was supposed to return.

Passing by the restroom, Nie Jia noticed that his lips were a bit vibrant in color. He pushed the door open, intending to cool them with some water.

Xie Yihang was also inside, standing in front of the sink, staring at his own red-rimmed eyes in the mirror. His makeup, originally light, hadn't smudged badly due to crying. Instead, the reddened eyes and subtle reddish eyeshadow complemented his appearance, making him appear cute and pitiable, like a deer from a cartoon.

Nie Jia completely ignored Xie Yihang, took a tissue, moistened it, and gently dabbed it over the rosy lips.

Clearly noticing the change in Nie Jia's lip color, Xie Yihang was momentarily bewildered, slow to react. But Nie Fei said he was going to the restroom, yet there was nobody in there. And now, he was coming in with flushed lips... Even the most clueless person wouldn't think Nie Fei went in for a touch-up since he hadn't put on any makeup today.

"Nie Fei... I'm really sorry for today. I didn't mean to fall," Xie Yihang pleaded, looking pitifully at Nie Jia, speaking softly.

Nie Jia leaned closer to the mirror, lifting the tissue to check his lip color, which had already faded a bit.

Seeing Nie Jia's silence, Xie Yihang hastily added, "Nie Fei, can you forgive me today? I truly didn't mean it... I'm sorry..."

Tears, previously halted, suddenly surged again. Xie Yihang bowed his head, tears streaming down as he sniffled in sorrow. He genuinely didn't mean to fall. After noticing he had breathing difficulties, he had tried his best to endure until the end. It was just a momentary lapse, forgetting that the rearranged 'War Song' didn't fade out with music but ended in a clear vocal, that caused this...

Nie Jia still didn't respond. Xie Yihang, distressed and anxious, asked, "Nie Fei, won't you forgive me?"

After a while, seeing his lip color return to normal, Nie Jia tossed the tissue into the trash and looked at Xie Yihang as if appraising an object. Coldly, he spoke, 'Xie Yihang, every time you make a mistake, what do you say besides apologizing? You not only don't know what you should do but also don't even know what to say. Do you think it's more important for me to forgive you now than for you to promise to practice harder in the future?'"

Xie Yihang hung his head, lost in thought, as Nie Jia noticed tears continuously falling to the floor.

Nie Jia continued calmly, 'Yes, besides apologizing, you cry, but you never earnestly commit to your responsibilities.'

"No, that's not how I think," Xie Yihang immediately wiped away his tears, trying to defend himself.

Nie Jia retorted, 'But that's what you do.'

"I've been trying so hard..." Xie Yihang was already on the brink of collapse when criticized by the judges on stage. At this moment, he couldn't control his emotions anymore, breaking down into uncontrollable sobs. "I know you've always looked down on me. You're good at everything - writing lyrics, composing, better in looks and singing. You can spend an afternoon making a perfect 'War Song' even better, while I might spend half a lifetime and never compose anything half as good. You, a natural talent who effortlessly excels, will never understand the effort and hardship we, with no inherent gifts, endure to reach where we are today!"

"Half a lifetime," Nie Jia coldly sneered, showing disdain, "Forget half a lifetime, Xie Yihang, have you ever spent half a day writing a song since your debut?"

Xie Yihang abruptly stopped sobbing, looking at Nie Jia with a distraught gaze.

"You haven't because you believe you can't do it, so you never choose to try. How you see yourself determines who you are. If you don't even respect yourself, how can you expect me to?" Nie Jia washed his hands indifferently, speaking impassively.

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