Chapter 64: The Lingering Effects Left by the Fairy Maiden

Long indifferent to love and romance, Long Linger now found herself unexpectedly moved. She even began to doubt whether her lifelong approach to handling matters had truly been right. In Long Linger’s world, there was nothing a single punch couldn’t solve—and if one wasn’t enough, then two would do the job. Yes, in her eyes, if someone dared defy her, she’d simply keep fighting until they yielded.

This tactic had never failed her within the circles of Yanjing. Since her reputation as a formidable fighter spread, everyone in her social sphere treated her with the utmost respect. No one dared to make a mocking remark in her presence.

Today, had Su Bai not shown up, she was ready to take matters into her own hands. Her philosophy was to make an example—find the most outspoken troublemaker and put her in her place with a couple of slaps. That would quiet her down, and the rest would follow suit. No one would dare point fingers at Yang Mengke anymore.

But today, Su Bai’s actions had truly opened Long Linger’s eyes. Achieving victory without bloodshed? Defeating a crowd with words alone? These were the phrases that surfaced in her mind.

With nothing but a song—“Fairy Maiden”—Su Bai not only captured the hearts of all the girls present but also moved them to sincerely apologize to Yang Mengke. Long Linger had to admit, her method of making examples could never achieve this. At best, it would leave people seething with silent anger, not daring to speak up. But Su Bai had inspired a collective change of heart.

Where moments ago everyone supported Xu Xiaolu and resented Yang Mengke, now their gazes toward Yang Mengke brimmed with envy and warmth. Xu Xiaolu, meanwhile, now met with looks of disgust.

The truth dawned on them—they had been used as pawns, manipulated by Xu Xiaolu’s scheming. Without her instigation, none of them would have harbored such hostility or made such unfriendly decisions.

“Su Bai, can we take a picture together?”
“Su Bai, I really love your song—let’s have a photo!”

As the crowd of girls swarmed around Su Bai, the stars from Tiandu Entertainment, who had previously been surrounded by their own fans, now wore sour expressions. With just one song, “Fairy Maiden,” Su Bai had turned all the girls into his fans.

Of all, Hua Xingyu looked the most vexed. Su Bai’s performance seemed to have nothing to do with him, and no one even considered comparing the two. Their pursuits were entirely different. Hua Xingyu prided himself on technical mastery and was highly accomplished in his craft. Su Bai, from his debut until now, also possessed considerable skill, but he never showed off. He cared more about the meaning and flavor of the lyrics.

Every song, whether “Lone Warrior,” “Scales of Heaven and Earth,” or this impromptu “Fairy Maiden,” placed emphasis on the message and emotion of the lyrics. At least, that’s how the audience saw it.

But Hua Xingyu did not see it this way. He had hoped to showcase his talent through this indirect talent show, expecting the comparison to make his skills all the more revered. But the result was far from what he had anticipated.

Su Bai simply understood how to interact with fans. A couple of lines sung together, and the atmosphere soared to its peak. Then having everyone apologize to Yang Mengke drew him closer to the fans, and dedicating the final line of “Fairy Maiden” to everyone there ignited all the girls’ passion. Every step was carefully planned.

When all the photos and videos were done, Su Bai found himself still surrounded by people. With a helpless smile, he addressed the crowd, “Can you let me catch my breath for a moment? The organizers invited me here, and I still haven’t even met them! If I keep you all waiting, they’ll think I’m being difficult and flaking on them! When I have time, I’ll chat with everyone again, all right?”

The crowd burst into laughter. A singer with such a beautiful voice, speaking with wit and humor—no wonder the girls’ eyes sparkled with admiration.

“Actually, we can vouch for you!” someone called out, just as Su Bai was about to leave. He could only spread his hands in mock resignation, making everyone laugh again before finally dispersing, though many still glanced back at him as they left.

At last, Zhang Mingke managed to approach Su Bai. “Heavens, I just don’t understand. No matter where you go, you’re adored by countless people! But this is good—let the people from Tiandu Entertainment see just how influential you really are!”

At that moment, a regal, elegant middle-aged woman approached from not far away. “Congratulations, Director Zhang, on befriending our future superstar ahead of time!”

“To be honest, I hadn’t realized how popular Mr. Su Bai was. But after that song, I’ve truly felt it. From the moment you entered, I wanted to come greet you, but was blocked by a legion of enthusiastic women for nearly an hour! And these are women who’ve seen the world! Some are models, others already established stars—insiders in the industry—and even they reacted so strongly! I can hardly imagine what would happen if Su Bai appeared on the street. He’d probably cause a stampede!”

Both Zhang Mingke and Su Bai laughed, understanding the jest. Zhang Mingke proceeded to introduce her, “This is President Mei of Tiandu Entertainment! We were classmates in college—decades of friendship!”

Su Bai realized and quickly extended his hand. “President Mei, nice to meet you!”

President Mei smiled warmly. “A true hero shines from youth! Who could have imagined that in less than a month, you would rise from obscurity to become a household name? What’s more, you’ve become the ambassador for the Forbidden City’s cultural promotion! With this leap, Su Bai, you’re now among the top stars.”

President Mei’s words were no exaggeration. Once the Forbidden City officially announced Su Bai’s “Scales of Heaven and Earth” as their anthem for cultural promotion, Su Bai would, in effect, become the face of the Forbidden City’s culture. The impact is self-evident—he would rise with the tide and directly enter the ranks of first-tier celebrities. This is official national recognition, not just online popularity. The two are worlds apart.

So, when President Mei heard from her old friend that Su Bai’s song had been chosen for the Forbidden City’s campaign, she organized this very gathering at Tiandu Entertainment. In truth, the event was held in Su Bai’s honor, though it could not be stated so openly—this was simply the proper way to do things. If they could secure collaboration with Su Bai now, the future returns would be geometric in scale.