After Spectating Gossip, the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Big Shot – CH16

Chapter 16

The room fell silent.

Then, after a beat, the chat stream erupted.

[Who does he think he is?! A plagiarist has the nerve to challenge a mentor?!]

[Can we kick this guy out already? I can’t even focus on the others!]

[Haha, I think it’s perfect! Either the ungrateful assistant stole the songs, or the boss exploited him—let’s see the truth come out!]

[The proof is right there, what else is there to prove?! Who knows what shady stuff is going on here?]

[Oh, it hasn’t even started yet, and we’re already calling it rigged? Or maybe you’re just worried your idol can’t even beat a trainee?]  

The challenge hadn’t even begun, and the internet was already buzzing.

Jiang Mo sat in his chair, feeling a faint sweat on his palms.

All eyes were on him.

He knew there was no way to decline the challenge.

So, he tried to swallow his resentment, adopting a casual air as he said, “Although this is all very sudden, since Meng Yuansheng has suggested it, I assume he’s already prepared. I accept the challenge.”

His words implied that Meng Yuansheng had come prepared, whereas he himself hadn’t had the chance. This challenge was unfair.

People at the scene began to murmur as well.

After all, how could an improvised piece compete against something that had been carefully prepared and polished?

Quite a few people were swayed by Jiang Mo’s words, protesting that the challenge was unfair.

Unexpectedly, Meng Yuansheng shook his head. “Since I’m the one proposing the challenge, it’s only fair that you, Teacher Jiang, choose the topic.”

Jiang Mo froze, barely able to believe his ears.

The audience was in an uproar.

What kind of challenge was this?

Was he just handing Jiang Mo the win?

Jiang Mo looked at Meng Yuansheng in disbelief, but Meng Yuansheng’s expression remained calm, showing no sign of his intentions.

This side of Meng Yuansheng felt completely unfamiliar.

What on earth was he trying to do?!

This was the same question Yin Hefeng asked Gu Xingshi during the chaos.

“President Gu, I understand that you want to clear up the rumors about Meng Yuansheng plagiarizing, but isn’t this too risky?”

“Why do you say that?” Gu Xingshi asked curiously.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Yin Hefeng replied. “If Jiang Mo gets to pick the topic, what if he chooses something he’s already worked on? Or is this a ploy to pressure Jiang Mo to back out?”

Gu Xingshi shook his head with a smile. “I’m more worried he won’t pick a topic!”

Yin Hefeng: “?”

Gu Xingshi patted him on the shoulder with a knowing look. “Relax, Brother Yin. The real show’s only just starting.”

All eyes were now on Jiang Mo.

Yet Jiang Mo hesitated.

He knew that the most graceful way out would be to defer the topic selection to someone else at the event.

But he couldn’t.

This challenge was as crucial for him as it was for Meng Yuansheng.

Jiang Mo had made his name as a composer, but how much talent he really had was a secret only he himself knew.

A public misstep could devastate his career.

In comparison, choosing the topic himself might earn him some criticism, but he could pick an unpublished song of his own—a safer choice.

Besides, even after all these years with Meng Yuansheng, he only knew that Meng Yuansheng could write lyrics; he’d never actually seen him compose a song.

If Meng Yuansheng wrote some incoherent nonsense, he would only be ridiculed, and the issue of the topic choice would fade away.

With this in mind, he said, “Alright, I’ll come up with something simple. We’re in Dunhai City, so let’s go with ‘The Sea’ as the theme.”

The whispers among the crowd grew louder.

But Jiang Mo pretended not to hear them. “Ten minutes to compose. How does that sound, Meng Yuansheng?”

Meng Yuansheng nodded decisively. “Fine. To make it more challenging, let’s write the lyrics as well.”

Jiang Mo’s face stiffened.

Well, that only confirmed that Meng Yuansheng really couldn’t sing; he was probably relying on his lyric-writing skills to save face.

Thankfully, he was prepared—the song he chose was one that Meng Yuansheng had written lyrics for.

His mind eased, and he grew even more confident.

The two of them each went to opposite sides of the stage, with a camera following each to capture their creative process for the audience.

It was the first time the audience had seen a live composition session, and they were buzzing with excitement.

Jiang Mo made a show of plucking a few guitar strings and scribbling on paper, while on the other side, Meng Yuansheng just stood there, eyes closed, as if lost in thought.

[Is Meng Yuansheng just giving up?]

[I really thought he’d put on a show—total waste of my expectations!]

[Maybe he’s just thinking? After all, this isn’t his choice of topic. If he started writing right away, that would be even weirder, wouldn’t it?]

A few minutes later, Meng Yuansheng opened his eyes.

With a small flourish of his pen, notes began to flow smoothly onto the page. When he finished the music, he paused for only a moment before starting on the lyrics.

By the time he wrote the final line, the allotted time had just run out.

The two returned to the center of the stage.

The audience was on the edge of their seats.

The host got right to the point and asked who would sing first.

Meng Yuansheng said, “I’ll let Mentor Jiang Mo go first.”

Jiang Mo had convinced himself by now that Meng Yuansheng couldn’t compose music, so he picked up his guitar with full confidence and performed.

It was a bittersweet love song.

The melody was gentle, and the lyrics were lively. It conjured an image of a young couple, having quarreled at the beach, making up in the salty breeze.

Shen Yu on the judges’ panel gave a slight nod.

The song was decent—not stellar, but the lyrics, as usual, were touching.

Meng Yuansheng, however, remained expressionless.

He remembered the lyrics he’d written; they were his own work.

For years, he had been Jiang Mo’s ghostwriter, foolishly thinking it was for love.

Thankfully, he would never make such a mistake again.

He closed his eyes, banishing the last traces of softness from his heart.

When he opened them again, he felt the stage around him expand, the world suddenly transforming before his eyes.

The host motioned for him to sing, and he said calmly, “I haven’t been learning instruments for very long, so my playing is a bit rough. Could one of the mentors play for me?”

[Is he for real? He can write songs but can’t play instruments?]

[What’s the big deal? There’ve been plenty of singers like that! And besides, he didn’t say he couldn’t play, just that he’s a beginner. Is that worth complaining about?]

[I’m still not convinced—he probably just wrote something so terrible that he’s too embarrassed to perform it himself!]

As the crowd murmured, Shen Yu raised his hand. “I can play for you.”

Everyone was taken aback.

But Shen Yu had already made his way onto the stage.

He’d seen the online rumors.

Plagiarism was Shen Yu’s biggest pet peeve.

When Jiang Mo had found out Shen Yu and Gu Xingshi had a good relationship, he had even warned Shen Yu, saying Gu Xingshi was a bit too trusting and that Meng Yuansheng might have tricked him to get this chance on [Boy Group Training Camp].

Though Shen Yu’s own brief encounters with Meng Yuansheng hadn’t given him that impression, he had subconsciously distanced himself.

But seeing Meng Yuansheng’s performance today, Shen Yu felt his opinion of him shift.

Besides, he was curious about this supposedly “musically illiterate” and “habitual plagiarist” that Jiang Mo had described. How would his song actually sound?

Meng Yuansheng handed the sheet music to Shen Yu.

Reading the lyrics, Shen Yu’s eyes widened in shock. He shot a complex look at Meng Yuansheng, then became completely absorbed in the words until the host’s prompt snapped him back to reality.

Instead of beginning right away, Shen Yu gestured for his assistant to bring him his own guitar.

His fans in the audience immediately began to stir.

Bai Ran, too, looked at Meng Yuansheng with a conflicted expression.

A nearby fan asked, “Sister, why is everyone so excited just because Shen Yu went to get his guitar?”

Bai Ran pursed her lips. “Brother Shen treats that guitar like his ‘wife.’ If a song is plagiarized or subpar, he would never use it to perform.”

Bai Ran had seen the rumors online too.

She hadn’t expected that the candid photos she’d taken of Meng Yuansheng would later ignite such a controversy.

When the accusations of plagiarism surfaced, she had initially considered deleting those photos.

But she couldn’t bring herself to do it—they’d turned out too well.

Now, she realized she wouldn’t have to.

Many people were aware of Shen Yu’s rule.

The internet, which had quieted down, now erupted in excitement once again.

[Is the song really that good? Good enough for Brother Shen to break his rule and use his “wife” to play it?]

[Why is it breaking his rule? Maybe Meng Yuansheng never plagiarized at all.]

[Am I the only one noticing that Jiang Mo, supposedly Shen Yu’s close friend, never got Shen Yu to use his ‘wife’ to play his songs? But Meng’s first song gets the honor. Tsk, tsk…]

[Let that sink in…]

On stage.

Jiang Mo was struggling to maintain his composure, his nails digging into his palms to keep his expression from slipping.

Meanwhile, Shen Yu was discussing the lyrics with Meng Yuansheng as if they were oblivious to anyone else, sometimes even smiling in surprise. The audience’s curiosity was almost unbearable.

Finally, the assistant returned with the guitar.

After tuning it, Shen Yu nodded at Meng Yuansheng.

The intro played, and the audience quickly grew quiet.

It was a rock song.

The lyrics were raw and powerful, telling the story of someone dragged down to the ocean’s depths by despair, fighting furiously to survive through anger and defiance.

From the very first note, it seized the hearts of everyone listening.

Meng Yuansheng’s clear voice held no embellishments as he gripped the mic, pouring his soul into his singing.

He thought of those days and nights when Jiang Mo had manipulated him under the guise of love.

He thought of himself, like a rat in the gutter, gazing with envy at the adored performers on stage.

And he thought of the hand that, one night, had pulled him out of that darkness.

He thought of Gu Xing, the person who had given him the best contract, the best opportunities, who had always stood firmly behind him, unwavering in his belief.

Despair shattered.

Sunlight fell upon the sea.

*

When the song ended, the audience was still immersed, reluctant to leave the moment.

Bai Ran wiped the tears from her face and then raised her camera, furiously snapping photos of Meng Yuansheng on stage.

She had a feeling—a new star was rising.

Meng Yuansheng put down the microphone and turned to look at Jiang Mo, whose expression had turned sour.

In his eyes, there was no longer hesitation, no longer self-doubt or fear.

He had been reborn from the ashes like a phoenix.

With his gaze, he told Jiang Mo: I will win!

And I will win beautifully!

I’ll shatter every slander against me and throw them back in your face!