Am I a Kamen Rider or the real young master who was switched at birth?

When Ye Yang pushed open the door to the private room, he was almost knocked out by the deafening music inside.

He steadied himself by holding onto the door frame, but before he could even see who was in the box, his attention was completely drawn to two figures on the stage who were fighting to the death.

Lin Xingran and Han Shuang, each holding a microphone, were singing their hearts out on the small stage in the center of the private room.

The background music was a familiar intro to Ye Yang. It was "Sunny Day," a song he had posted online.

When Lin Xingran sang the verses, she closed her eyes and swayed gently to the rhythm. Her wine-red short hair stood out brightly in the colorful light spots cast by the rotating disco ball in the private room.

Han Shuang, on the other hand, completely abandoned the sentimental route. She pulled the microphone off the stand, put one foot on the speaker at the edge of the stage, and sang the chorus with the air of a rock singer performing a concert.

Her voice was at least twice as loud as Lin Xingran's, but her pitch was only about half that of Lin Xingran's.

"On this windy day—I tried holding your hand—" Han Shuang closed her eyes and strained out a high note, the last syllable of which made the crystal chandelier on the ceiling of the private room tremble slightly.

"But unfortunately—the wind gradually—blew the distance so far—" Lin Xingran continued, not to be outdone. Her vocal condition was actually quite good, with a very stable mid-range, but she struggled a bit with the high notes in the chorus. Every time she sang the words "so far," she would unconsciously furrow her brow.

Ye Yang leaned against the door frame, watching the two clowns on stage, and his lips twitched involuntarily.

He glanced around the private rooms and saw Lin Ying sitting on the sofa facing the stage, holding a cup of hot cocoa in both hands, gently clapping her hands to keep time for the two people on stage.

Lin Yumin and Zhou Zhi sat in a corner booth. Zhou Zhi was whispering something in Lin Yumin's ear. Lin Yumin tilted her head slightly to listen, holding a tablet in her hand. The screen showed photos taken at the auction that day.

Han Li sat in the corner furthest from the stage, his arms crossed, his expression serious and focused, looking more like he was attending a military meeting than singing karaoke.

On the coffee table in front of him was a glass of untouched mineral water and a small dish of popcorn.

"Hi—everyone's here." Ye Yang walked in and waved to everyone.

Lin Yumin looked up and nodded slightly to him. Zhou Zhi put down her teacup and said with a smile, "You've finally arrived. We've been waiting for you."

Lin Ying turned around from the sofa, looked at Ye Yang, her light gray eyes sparkling under the rotating light bulb, and said in a light tone:

"Ye Yang—we're all waiting for you. Second sister... she said... she won't start singing seriously until you come; all that was just a warm-up."

Han Li raised his hand and waved it lightly in Ye Yang's direction, then moved to the side, giving up the seat closest to the air conditioner vent.

Ye Yang walked over and sat down next to Han Li, picked up an unopened bottle of cola from the coffee table, pulled the tab, took a sip, and then turned to look at the immovable iron tower beside him:

"Brother Han Li, what brings you here? I thought you went straight home after finishing the security for the auction today. What made you decide to come to a karaoke bar?"

Han Li picked up the glass of mineral water on the coffee table, took a sip, then sighed and said:

"I don't come here often, mainly to keep an eye on Han Shuang. She's usually too noisy. She was locked up at the auction all day today, and if I don't take her out for some fresh air, she might dismantle the forging hammer in the factory."

Lin Ying leaned over from the other end of the sofa and pushed the plate of popcorn she was holding between Ye Yang and Han Li.

She looked at Ye Yang, her silvery-white eyelashes fluttering gently under the light: "Second sister... Second sister said she hasn't been to a KTV in a long time. The last time she came was after the autumn dance last year with some classmates. That time, she sang until dawn and didn't go back until she was punished by eldest sister to stand for several days."

"Today... today at the auction she said she wanted to go again, but her older sister stopped her, saying, 'You can't go until the mission is completed.' After the mission was completed, she came to beg her older sister again—so we all came."

Ye Yang laughed after hearing this and said, "No wonder Lin Xingran kept urging everyone to hurry up when we were packing things up in the auction hall. It turns out she was thinking about this."

Lin Ying slightly curved her eyes, without denying it.

Zhou Zhi, sitting in a corner booth, put down her teacup, draped her trench coat over the armrest of the sofa, and said in a gentle tone:

"Anyway, what happens after that is no longer our concern. We've already shared all the clues we could find at the auction with Abyss Prison."

"The rest depends on how they analyze the intelligence. I haven't been to these places in a long time either; the last time was probably at Xingran's birthday party."

Lin Yumin nodded slightly beside her, then put the tablet into her bag, picked up her iced Americano, and took a sip.

"Everyone has really been working hard lately, from banquets to auctions without much rest. It's nice to relax here. Besides, Xingran is treating us to today's event. She said her card is unfrozen, so please don't be shy."

Upon hearing the words "Xingran is treating," Ye Yang subconsciously looked down at the bottle of cola in his hand and then at the plate of popcorn on the coffee table.

He muttered in a voice only he could hear, "Then I'll have to get the most expensive Coke."

Lin Ying moved the corner of her mouth very, very slightly beside him.

On stage, Lin Xingran and Han Shuang finally finished singing "Sunny Day".

As the last note faded, the two men turned around simultaneously, glaring at each other with the look one gets after a boxing match, waiting for the referee to announce the winner.

Lin Xingran hugged the microphone to her chest and said confidently, "I still sing better. My emotional expression in the verses is very good—the first few lines are almost on par with the original singer."

"And I didn't forget the lyrics; I sang every single word correctly. Unlike someone who sang half a line wrong in the second verse of the chorus, and even sang 'once upon a time' as 'once upon a time'."

Han Shuang stuck the microphone onto the stand, then put her hands on her hips and said defiantly:

"You were the one who sang off-key, okay? — Just now, when you sang 'the wind gradually blows,' your whole tune soared to the heavens! Didn't you hear it yourself? That note is supposed to rise, but you went way too far, you know that? After you finished that line, I almost thought you were going to sing 'The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau'! And so what if you forgot the lyrics? Forgetting the lyrics means I was immersed in the song, forgetting the lyrics means I was singing with my soul."

Lin Xingran retorted, saying that Han Shuang's hoarse tone at the end was deliberately faked, and the original singer's voice wasn't that hoarse at all.

Han Shuang waved the microphone and said that this was her personal style. Lin Xingran said that this was disrespectful to the original singer. She also said that Han Shuang sang "but" wrong in the first chorus and didn't even remember her idol's lyrics.

Lin Xingran pointed at the lyrics on the big screen and cried out in a heart-wrenching voice, "Ah! My idol! 'I'm just a passing online singer'! You don't even remember his lyrics, and you still have the nerve to call yourself a fan of my idol!"

The reactions from the audience varied. Zhou Zhi held her teacup, but the curve of her lips clearly indicated she was trying hard to suppress a laugh.

Lin Yumin calmly placed the iced Americano on the coffee table, crossed her hands on her knees, but her fingers tapped lightly on her knees.

Han Li maintained the same posture with his arms crossed, but if you looked closely, you would notice that the corners of his mouth were twitching very slightly.

Lin Ying hid her face behind the hot cocoa cup, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Ye Yang placed the Coke can on the coffee table, covered his face with his hands, and laughed so hard that his shoulders swayed, almost sliding off the sofa.

The two performers on stage simultaneously turned their gazes to the audience and shouted in unison, "Tell me—who sings better between us?"

The private room was silent. Zhou Zhi lowered her head, intently studying the tea leaves in her teacup.

Lin Yumin turned to look at the wall, Han Li turned to look at the ceiling, and Lin Ying hid her entire face behind the hot cocoa cup.

Ye Yang was still laughing so hard on the sofa that he was shaking, but he tried his best to keep his voice down.

Seeing Ye Yang's expression, Lin Xingran assumed he was laughing at her for singing poorly, and feeling embarrassed, she put the microphone on the coffee table, put her hands on her hips, and walked up to Ye Yang.

"Ye Yang, what are you laughing at! Didn't I sing it well? Let me tell you, my idol's song is really heartbreaking. Look at the lyrics, 'On the windy day, I tried to hold your hand, but the wind gradually blew the distance between us so far.' This song should be about sadness, regret, and letting go, and the last line, 'Bye Bye,' is so poignant!"

She became more and more engrossed in her speech, her tone filled with the genuine emotion that only someone truly moved by a song could possess.

"Hey, let me tell you, I heard from people online that this song was written for his unrequited first love. Apparently, he and his first love met on campus, and they walked together on the playground and studied together in the library."

"But that girl's family was very wealthy, and her father didn't approve of their relationship. In the end, they were forced to break up because of the difference in their family backgrounds, which is why he wrote this song. Imagine, a poor boy falling in love with a rich girl, that feeling of helplessness—'But the wind gradually blew the distance so far away'—this line isn't about the wind, it's about reality blowing him and his love apart, you know!"

Ye Yang couldn't hold it in any longer. He leaned back, slumped against the sofa, and burst into an extremely unrestrained laugh.

He laughed so hard that tears almost came out, and he had to take off the camera from his chest and put it on the coffee table to avoid breaking it.

He laughed for a while before finally managing to stop, then wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve, and said breathlessly:

"No—where did you hear this rumor from? You can't believe these things online! I—no—that online singer probably wrote this song at home while sitting with a fan blowing and drinking milk tea."

"Where did this first love come from! Where did this rich girl come from! Where did this stroll on the playground come from! These people in the comments section are better at making up stories than writing novels—why don't they go write screenplays?!"

Lin Xingran and Han Shuang turned to look at Ye Yang at the same time, their faces showing the kind of wariness that only offended fans would have.

Lin Xingran frowned, her tone carrying annoyance that seemed to say, "What gives you the right to question my idol?" She said:

"What are you laughing at! Such a tragic love story! How dare you laugh! Besides, you're not him, how do you know he didn't write this song because he was heartbroken?"

"Look at the lyrics in the second verse—'Once upon a time, there was someone who loved you for a long time.' How could someone write such lines if they hadn't experienced it firsthand! You can question my singing, but you can't question my idol's romantic history!"

Ye Yang quickly waved his hand, trying to control his expression, but the corners of his mouth still couldn't help but turn up.

He took a deep breath and said in a tone that he tried hard to sound serious, "Okay, okay—no doubt about it. You're both right. He must have written it because he was heartbroken—it must be. So—which of you two sings it better?"

Lin Xingran and Han Shuang exchanged a glance, then simultaneously pointed at each other: "She sings terribly!"

Then the two of them turned to look at Ye Yang at the same time, their eyes sparkling as they stared at him: "Then tell me, who sings better between us?"

Ye Yang leaned back on the sofa, tilted his head and thought seriously for a moment, then looked at the two people on the stage who were putting pressure on him with their eyes with an extremely sincere expression.

"Can I say—they all sound awful?"

The private room was quiet for a moment.

Then Lin Ying was the first to laugh. The laugh was very soft, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet private room.

The offended expression on Lin Xingran's face shattered, replaced by a wronged yet defiant and awkward look.

"Was it really that bad? I think I sang pretty well—at least I didn't forget the lyrics. And although I didn't hit the high notes in the chorus, the emotion was there. Don't you think so, sis?"

Lin Yumin picked up her iced Americano, took a sip, and didn't answer.

Lin Xingran then turned to Han Li: "Han Li, what do you say?"

Han Li picked up the bottled water, took a sip, and said nothing.

Han Shuang put her hands on her hips and looked at Lin Xingran with a victorious air: "See? Even your sister doesn't want to comment on your singing. The masses have discerning eyes—although Ye Yang said we're both awful, at least I have one advantage over you: I can sing loudly."

Ye Yang watched as the two on stage were about to start a new round of competition, and raised his hand to make a pause gesture.

He placed the Coke can on the coffee table, then sat up straight and said with a slight smile in his voice:

"Actually—it's not all bad. Second sister, you sang the verses really well, your voice was very clean, and the emotion was right. But you tend to overdo it in the chorus. High notes aren't about shouting, you have to use your breath to reach them."

"Han Shuang, you're the complete opposite—you're unrestrained in the chorus, and your voice is powerful, but you're too rushed in the verses, always rushing the rhythm by half a beat, like you're urging the lyrics to hurry up and leave work. If the two of you could team up, it would probably be a pretty good version."

Everyone in the private room turned to look at Ye Yang.

Lin Xingran blinked, Han Shuang opened her mouth slightly, Han Li's hand holding the mineral water cup froze in mid-air, and even Zhou Zhi, who had been watching the commotion from the corner, put down her teacup and glanced at Ye Yang.

Lin Xingran looked Ye Yang up and down, then said in a complicated tone, "What you're saying actually sounds plausible—when did you learn to sing? You don't have singing among your two thousand skills, do you?"

Ye Yang leaned back on the sofa, crossed his legs, and said casually, "I know a little bit. Singing is similar to imitating someone's speech; you have to use your breath correctly."

"I learned a skill from an uncle who busked on the street next to the orphanage for a few days. I don't know which skill it was—it was probably in the range of over a thousand, but it's been too long to remember."

Lin Xingran picked up the microphone from the coffee table, walked up to Ye Yang, and said in an unyielding tone:

"Hey, Ye Yang—don't you know my idol? That 'I'm just a passing online singer,' you told me that yourself at the Kowloon City tennis court last time, and you said you could help me arrange a meeting with him."

"Since he's not here today, you'll pay off his debt for him. Sing a song. You listen to his songs all the time, you should know them, right? Besides, you gave us very insightful critiques just now. It's just being a scoundrel to comment without singing."

Han Shuang also came over. This time, she didn't argue with Lin Xingran. Instead, she surprisingly agreed, with that smile on her face that seemed to enjoy watching the drama unfold.

Before Ye Yang could react, Han Shuang added, "Ye Yang, you have such a wide network of connections! You even know 'I'm Just a Passing By Online Singer.' That's the most mysterious musician on the entire internet—he never posts photos, never replies to comments, and you can't even find his IP address. You actually know him? How did you two meet?"

Before Ye Yang could answer, Lin Ying softly replied for him, "Maybe—they met while learning skills. Didn't Ye Yang learn two thousand skills? Singing counts as a skill, right?"

After listening to Lin Ying's perfect reasoning, Ye Yang silently gave Lin Ying a thumbs up in his heart.

He placed the Coke can on the coffee table, then stood up from the sofa and took the microphone from Lin Xingran.

He weighed the microphone in his hand, looked up at the song request screen on the stage, tilted his head and thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Well—but I don't sing often, so I might not be very good. Just don't be too critical."