After being dumped by the diva, I was picked up by her arch-enemy.

Jiang Yichen picked up the warm cup of coffee on the table and took a small sip.

Amidst the rising steam, his tone was calm.

"Serving the Country with Utmost Loyalty"

Xu Zhiyou was clearly taken aback.

She blinked her big eyes, searching her mind for the name.

"This song title... it sounds so serious, it feels like it carries a sense of historical weight." Xu Zhiyou tilted her head and asked curiously, "Is it one of those patriotic songs?"

Jiang Yichen put down his coffee cup and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

I guess so.

"On a stage like the Spring Festival Gala, love songs and pop songs can't hold the stage."

"It needs to have some presence."

Xu Zhiyou rested her fair chin on her hands, like a well-behaved student waiting for the teacher to tell a story, her face full of anticipation and her eyes sparkling.

"Then... could you sing me a couple of lines?"

Jiang Yichen couldn't help but chuckle at her adorable pleading expression. He cleared his throat lightly, and his entire aura instantly shifted.

The original gentleness and refinement have faded, replaced by a profound sense of desolation and solemnity, as if emerging from the long river of history.

He didn't use falsetto, but rather a powerful chest resonance, singing in a deep voice:

"When the smoke of war rises, we look northwards to see the vast land."

With just one sentence, the air in the office seemed to freeze. Xu Zhiyou felt as if she were no longer in a bright office, but in an ancient battlefield engulfed in flames, with the setting sun as red as blood and horns blaring.

Immediately afterwards, the second sentence rose up abruptly, and the emotion suddenly became intense!

"Dragons rise and whirl, horses neigh and gallop, sword energy is like frost—"

Clashing swords and thunderous horses! A spirit that could swallow mountains and rivers!

That unique blend of iron will and heroism of the Chinese nation seemed to transform into tangible sound waves, crashing heavily into Xu Zhiyou's heart, giving her goosebumps all over her body.

Xu Zhiyou was stunned for a full five seconds before she suddenly came to her senses, her face flushed with excitement.

"This is so good, Jiang Yichen! If this song were on the Spring Festival Gala, it would absolutely blow the audience away!"

Jiang Yichen smiled, the sharpness in his eyes fading, replaced by his usual gentle demeanor. He picked up the paper and pen on the table.

"Since you, as the first listener, think it's good, then this matter is settled. I'll be going into seclusion for the next few days to work on the arrangement of this song. It's a huge project, so I might not be able to spend much time with you. Don't miss me too much, okay?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhiyou immediately made a face, but still stood up straight and gave a very non-standard military salute.

"Sir! I can't do it... I'll miss you terribly!"

..........

The next three days.

Jiang Yichen locked himself in the recording studio of Xingchen Entertainment.

The arrangement of this song is extremely complex and grand.

To perfectly capture the solemn atmosphere and patriotic sentiments of the ancient battlefield, a large number of traditional ethnic musical instruments are needed.

The steady and profound sound of the Chinese drum, the tragic and desolate sound of the trombone, the resolute and unyielding sound of the pipa, and the plaintive and sorrowful sound of the erhu...

It not only needs to incorporate the rhythm of modern pop music, but also retain the solemn atmosphere of the ancient battlefield.

Jiang Yichen meticulously crafted each note day and night.

Hsu Chih-yu transformed into the most dedicated "logistics minister".

They delivered three meals a day to the recording studio in various ways.

Just as Jiang Yichen was oblivious to what was happening around him.

However, a storm targeting him swept across the internet.

The cause was a trending topic that suddenly appeared on Weibo.

A well-known entertainment influencer launched a poll on Weibo: "Selection of the Four Most Beautiful Faces of the New Generation in the Chinese Entertainment Industry".

With his cool killer look in a black suit and sunglasses in "Crazy Stone" and his reputation as a pioneer of Chinese style, Jiang Yichen topped the votes.

In the photo, he has handsome features and a sharp jawline, truly deserving the title of "divine face".

At first, the comment section was full of fans' amazement and admiration.

But just half an hour later, the wind direction completely changed.

A large number of zombie accounts and online trolls flooded in and began to frantically stir up trouble.

"She is quite good-looking, but isn't she too delicate? Her skin is so smooth and tender, she has no masculinity at all. The current aesthetic is really distorted."

"To put it bluntly, he's just a male pretty face. What's wrong with the entertainment industry these days? They're all promoting these pretty boys with all that makeup."

"If you ask me, a man should act like a man. Look at Xu Zhe, the new star promoted by Brilliant Entertainment, with his muscles, that's what you call walking testosterone!"

"Jiang Yichen, with his delicate skin and tender flesh, probably couldn't even lift a brick on a construction site, right? He's a complete sissy."

Xu Zhe.

The newcomer that Brilliant Entertainment is currently promoting.

He gained some popularity by starring in a tough-guy-themed TV series. His company created the persona of "China's number one tough guy".

The online trolls combined Jiang Yichen's heavily edited photos with photos of Xu Zhe sweating profusely and showing off his abs at the gym, creating a vicious attack on him.

#Jiang Yichen is an effeminate man#

#The Chinese entertainment industry has suffered from a lack of young, handsome male idols for too long#

#Xu Zhe is the real man#

Driven by capital, these malicious keywords skyrocketed to the top of Weibo's trending topics.

In a large, single-level apartment in the heart of Shanghai.

Xu Zhiyou sat cross-legged on the carpet, looking at the comments on Weibo, and angrily threw the pillow in her arms onto the ground.

"I'm so angry! Are these people blind?!"

"How is Jiang Yichen effeminate! He has eight-pack abs, okay?!"

...........

a few days later.

Jiang Yichen pushed open the heavy soundproof door and rubbed his sore neck.

The arrangement and demo of "Serving the Country with Utmost Loyalty" are finally finished.

He checked his phone and learned about the online uproar.

Jiang Yichen flipped through the pages expressionlessly. When he saw the puzzle pieces and the words "sissy," he didn't get angry at all; instead, he chuckled softly.

sissy?

He stroked his chin. It was just like a pillow being delivered when someone was about to fall asleep.

He walked to the computer, packaged the audio file of "Serving the Country with Utmost Loyalty", and clicked send.

Recipient: CCTV Spring Festival Gala Program Team.