The Villain Slaps The Protagonist’s Halo - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Who's the Real Boss

Shi Yanshen, the protagonist and heir to the Wankai Group, also known as the reigning power Shi Si's younger brother. However, apart from the upper echelons of the company, nobody knew his background, not even Xie Yihang.

Rebellious in nature, Shi Yanshen couldn't form genuine friendships due to the daunting shadow cast by his terrifying family background atop the corporate pyramid. He detested his own identity and immediately signed with an agency after graduating from university, hoping to sever ties with the Shi family completely and seek a new path in life. After establishing the D Group, he met Xie Yihang and gradually found himself drawn to Xie Yihang's warmth and kindness. He was slowly influenced by Xie Yihang's upward efforts, secretly aiding him through obstacles.

At this stage, Shi Yanshen was silently enamored.

Nie Jia, Shi Si's brother, squinted slightly, a hint of hostility in his gaze. He had been preoccupied with thoughts of his beloved until he suddenly noticed this detail.

Xie Yihang, sensing the tension between the two, quickly turned off the music, rushed to the side to grab a drink placed by the sponsor on the ground to offer it to Nie Jia. However, Shi Yanshen snatched it midway. He opened the beverage and took a big gulp, then walked away without a pleasant expression to take a break on the side.

"Shi Yanshen didn't mean it that way. We're happy you're here. Given the rush, everyone's a bit anxious. Nie Fei, don't take it to heart," Xie Yihang said, offering a peach-flavored drink to diffuse the awkwardness for Nie Jia.

He always played the peacemaker within the team, preventing sparks from flying, and the fans adored this side of Xie Yihang, like a warm little sun. Nie Jia had only known about Xie Yihang from records before, but now that he saw him in person, he understood why Nie Fei disliked Xie Yihang even more than Shi Yanshen.

Direct confrontation seemed better than Xie Yihang's pretense of friendliness.

Trying to hand the drink to Nie Jia for a while, Xie Yihang received no response. He took off his coat, removed his mask, and sat aside to review the preparations with the other two. Shi Yihang looked embarrassed, raising his eyebrows at the camera before sitting back at the round table.

"Yan-ge, your phone," Shi Yanshen's assistant called from outside.

He immediately put down the drink and went out, lowering his voice as he answered the call, "Brother..."

"We're planning to use the song from the music festival in the semifinals," Xie Yihang said, holding the peach juice. His face was flushed, tiny beads of sweat still visible on his neck that he hadn't had time to wipe off, emanating an irresistibly gentle aura. "We were worried about time constraints, but thankfully, with you here, we won't need to rearrange our positions. We'll just rehearse once later, and it should be fine."

Another member, Chen Tian, sat on the floor, sipping water, seeming somewhat displeased. "If only you had come earlier, we wouldn't have lost face in the semifinals."

"Are you only just realizing I don't participate in variety shows?" Nie Jia said without lifting his gaze. Chen Tian got up, irritated, staring at Nie Jia. Nie Jia leaned back lazily, flipping through the script. "When you sent the notice for this event, you should've known I wouldn't come. Since you came, presumably, you were prepared to win with three people. But halfway, someone messed up, and now it's somehow my fault. It's all just melodrama from you three."

"You!" Chen Tian's face turned red, staring at Nie Jia, momentarily at a loss for words.

"Don't be angry, Ni Fei. A-Tian didn't mean it..." Xie Yihang attempted to play the mediator again but was coldly interrupted by Nie Jia.

Flipping a page lazily, Nie Jia glanced briefly at Xie Yihang and said indifferently, "What he means doesn't need your explanation. I have ears of my own."

Xie Yihang pursed his lips, looking aggrieved, and fell silent. He sat upright with his knees together, his posture obedient, like a well-behaved child. In contrast, Nie Jia reclined casually in the chair, legs crossed and draped over the chair, appearing boneless yet exuding an imposing air. When the program's directors entered and saw this scene with the camera rolling, they were shocked. Despite knowing about the conflicts within D Group, to witness it so openly with cameras around surprised them. Inwardly, they were thrilled; if this aired, the show's discussions and popularity would undoubtedly skyrocket.

Though Nie Fei's debut on the show had already generated enough buzz and attention.

After the directors briefed Nie Jia about the current situation, he casually tossed the script onto the table and said nonchalantly, "Change the song. This one won't do."

"What do you mean, change it?" Xie Yihang asked, puzzled.

"Change it to 'War Anthem.' It's already been eliminated once, and you're not taking it seriously for the semifinals?" Nie Jia stated.

As soon as he finished speaking, the directors' eyes lit up as if they were torches.

Because this song was nothing short of legendary.

"War Anthem" was the title track Nie Fei wrote for an album released by D Group in his second year of joining. With a luxurious yet faintly sorrowful melody, it portrayed a victorious yet tragic war from the perspective of a battlefield medic. The grandiose tone and each beat propelled D Group to the pinnacle of fame, earning Nie Fei accolades as a maker of divine songs.

Upon its release, "War Anthem" dominated charts across multiple countries, skyrocketing in popularity. Fans dubbed it D Group's anthem. However, for reasons unknown, this song was rarely performed live by D Group. Even during concerts, it only appeared once or twice. Despite being an electrifying song, live performance videos were scarce in the past two years, leaving fans to endlessly rewatch old videos or music videos.

Upon hearing this, Xie Yihang remained silent, clenching the bottle in his hand.

Chen Tian frowned in annoyance. "We're recording tomorrow, and now you want to change the song last minute?!"

"What's wrong?" Shi Yanshen returned after taking the call, sensing the tense atmosphere. He furrowed his brows and asked.

Xie Yihang hesitated before saying, "Nie Fei wants to change the song for tomorrow's semifinals, to switch to our 'War Anthem.'"

Shi Yanshen's pupils contracted, and he asked the directors and producers to leave. When he came back, he glared fiercely at Nie Jia. "Xiao Hang is still recovering from a sore throat and can't sing properly. Bringing out 'War Anthem' won't have the desired effect; it's a wasted opportunity."

Nie Jia simply acknowledged, saying, "Then I'll take the center stage; I'll sing his part of the lyrics."

"Are you looking for trouble?" Shi Yanshen gritted his teeth, glaring at Nie Jia.

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