Life countdown begins, ice queen bursts into security room

It was almost midnight when I got back to the hotel.

Shen Nian entered the room first, followed by Jiang Fan, who closed the door behind him.

The trending topics are still climbing.

#The Voice of China Behind the Scenes# rose from fourth to second.

The comments section received tens of thousands of replies, filled with insults.

But despite the criticism, the results of this episode will not change.

The rain outside the window started falling at some point, pattering softly against the glass.

On the sofa, Shen Nian nestled in Jiang Fan's arms, twisting the hem of his shirt twice with one hand.

"Are you angry?" Jiang Fan asked.

"No," Shen Nian's voice was muffled, "I'm just a little unwilling."

Jiang Fan placed his hand on the back of her head and rubbed his thumb against the top of her head.

"Fang Yiming won't stand idly by. If they try to sabotage things again next time, it won't be so easy."

"Um."

Shen Nian buried her face even closer to his chest.

After a while, the sound came out again, much more relaxed than before.

"Second place is fine. I'll win it back next time."

He slid his fingers from the top of her hair to behind her ear and gently pinched her earlobe.

Shen Nian shrank her neck.

"Stop fooling around."

She lifted her head from his embrace, rested her chin on his chest, and looked up at him.

"Stay with me tonight, I don't want to sleep alone."

Jiang Fan raised an eyebrow.

"Is this why you didn't let Zhou Yutong come?"

Shen Nian's face flushed red instantly.

"Who...who stopped her from coming? She said she had something to do."

"Oh." Jiang Fan sat up and wrapped his arms around the person from behind. "That is quite a coincidence."

"Aren't you annoying?"

-

The next morning, Fang Yiming called Jiang Fan's cell phone.

"Jiang Fan, are you free at noon? I'd like to invite you to lunch."

"Director Fang, you're too kind."

"How about Hunan cuisine? I found a well-established restaurant, it's on the street behind the hotel."

"Can."

12:30, private room on the second floor of the Hunan cuisine restaurant.

Fang Yiming was wearing a gray polo shirt, his hair was combed back meticulously, but the dark circles under his eyes betrayed that he hadn't slept well last night.

The dishes were all served, but neither of them touched their chopsticks.

Fang Yiming poured Jiang Fan a cup of tea and got straight to the point.

"You should have figured out what happened last night."

Jiang Fan took the teacup: "The vote count isn't quite right."

"That's more than wrong." Fang Yiming tapped his fingers twice on the table. "Zhang Yihan and Chen Hao have a hundred votes difference in the audience? Are you kidding me?"

"You found it?"

"We found it. Qin Wanhao from Global Times got a batch of temporary replacement hearing lists approved by Deputy Director Liu. Conservatively estimated, there are more than three hundred votes, which were directly given to Zhang Yihan."

Fang Yiming took a sip of tea and put down the cup.

"Deputy Director Liu has been suspended from his duties. Starting from the next session, I will personally oversee the list of juries, verify each person upon entry, and require all mobile phones to be handed in throughout the process."

Jiang Fan nodded: "You're quick enough."

"We have to hurry. I built this show from scratch, and I'll fight anyone who tries to sabotage it." Fang Yiming looked at Jiang Fan. "I've come to see you today for two reasons: first, to give you a heads-up on the situation; second—"

He paused for a moment.

"I have high hopes for Shen Nian. Not only is she a great singer, but she can also write her own songs, which is very rare among the younger generation. I hope she can go all the way."

"Director Fang has a really good eye."

"Whether my taste is good or not doesn't matter, the key is that you have good taste." Fang Yiming pointed at Jiang Fan with his chopsticks. "The songs you gave her—including the one she wrote herself—are all of excellent quality. I'm counting on the two of you to anchor this show."

Jiang Fan didn't mince words; he picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Don't worry, the next song won't disappoint you."

Fang Yiming smiled. "Alright, I'll wait. Let's eat."

-

I have nothing to do this afternoon.

Jiang Fan and Shen Nian didn't rush to leave. They went out of the hotel and strolled along the Xiangjiang River.

It had just rained in Changsha in September, and the air was damp and cool.

Shen Nian took a few photos with her phone—river bay, red leaves, and Yuelu Mountain in the distance.

She held up her phone and gestured for a while, then turned to Jiang Fan and said, "Stand there and don't move."

Why are you taking pictures of me?

"To serve as a backdrop."

Shen Nian pressed the shutter, looked down at it, and a smile appeared on her lips.

"Alright, let's go."

The two walked slowly along the riverbank.

We didn't talk about work, the competition, or any of those random trending topics.

Shen Nian bought a roasted sweet potato, broke it in half, and gave it to Jiang Fan.

On the way back to the hotel, Shen Nian walked with her head down, then suddenly spoke.

"Today is fine as it is."

Jiang Fan turned his head and glanced at her.

Shen Nian didn't explain, but quickened her pace and walked ahead, her ponytail swinging back and forth behind her head.

-

Six p.m.

Jiang Fan escorted Shen Nian back to her hotel room. Just as he closed the door, his phone vibrated.

An unfamiliar number, the message contained only one line:

"Are you free? Seven o'clock, Xiangjiang Qinghu Club, room V333. — Tang Yingxue"

Jiang Fan stared at the screen for three seconds.

Ha, you couldn't hold back so quickly.

He put his phone back in his pocket and said to Shen Nian.

"I have something to do tonight, I'm going out."

"What is it?"

"I'm meeting someone. Don't wait for me."

"Oh." Shen Nian's eyes darted around. "Then come back soon."

-

Xiangjiang Qinghu Club is one of the most expensive private clubs in Changsha, with annual fees starting at six figures. It does not accept walk-in guests.

The receptionist verified his identity, and someone led him up to the third floor.

V333 is a private room with a terrace.

Outside, the Xiangjiang River offers a nighttime view; the rain has stopped.

Tang Yingxue was already sitting there.

Today she wore a black dress with the neckline plunging just right—

The earrings were made of jade, which accentuated the lines of her profile, making her look several years younger than she did on the show.

On the table were a cup of tea, a plate of dried fruit, and a plate of osmanthus cake.

It wasn't a grand affair, but everything was carefully selected.

Jiang Fan walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

"Teacher Tang."

Tang Yingxue poured him a cup of tea and pushed it towards him.

"Just call me Yingxue. Don't be so formal in private."

Jiang Fan took the cup.

How did you get my number?

"It's not hard to get your contact information." Tang Yingxue picked up her cup, took a sip, and said, "I'd like to talk to you in person."

"What would you like to talk about, Teacher Tang?"

Tang Yingxue put down the cup and placed her hands, folded, on the table.

"To be honest, I'm quite envious of Xu Qingya."

These words, coming from the second-ranked of the Four Heavenly Queens, carry considerable weight.

Jiang Fan didn't respond, waiting for her to continue.

"On the day 'As You Wish' was released, I listened to it more than a dozen times." Tang Yingxue traced a circle on the rim of her cup with her index finger.

"I've noticed that the songs you write for everyone are incredibly precise. The styles are completely different, but the quality is just as high."

She looked up at him.

"Moreover, your lyrics and music are bold and avant-garde, completely different from anything seen before in the Chinese music scene. How did you manage to do that?"

Jiang Fan took a sip of tea.

"Teacher Tang called me here today, not just to discuss how to write songs, right?"

Tang Yingxue chuckled, a smile tinged with helplessness.

"Okay, then I'll just say it directly."

She put down the cup and leaned forward slightly.

The neckline of the black dress dipped slightly with the movement.

"I want you to write a song for me. Name your price."

Jiang Fan's fingers rested on the side of the cup, without moving.

"Teacher Tang, regarding the incident where you made things difficult for Shen Nian on the show—I'd like to know, what makes you think I would help you?"

Tang Yingxue's smile froze on her face, and her eyes changed.

She leaned back in her chair and remained silent for a few seconds.

"Those two comments... I really didn't do them properly."

Jiang Fan placed the cup on the table, refusing to accept the offer.

"Teacher Tang—I know what your biggest problem is right now?"

He picked up the plate of osmanthus cake on the table, broke off a small piece, and put it in his mouth.

"Xu Qingya's song 'As You Wish' is about to dethrone you from second place. Su Yuyan's 'Poisonous Perfume' is also catching up in terms of data. You can't reach Ye Anran above you, and both of them are chasing you with my song below you."

He looked into Tang Yingxue's eyes.

"So, you couldn't sit still anymore."

Tang Yingxue clenched her fist and then loosened it.

If someone else had said that, she would most likely have thrown a cup of tea at them.

"You're right. I can't sit still anymore. I'm not convinced by Xu Qingya—she was just lucky to have met you."

That's a very straightforward way of putting it.

Jiang Fan put down his cup and stood up.

"Writing songs isn't urgent. At least Teacher Tang should show some sincerity first—"