To offend her is to turn your back on fortune itself!

On stage, she was a fierce, fiery little rock dynamo, but off the stage, Hailan was quiet and reserved. Now, her bright eyes were fixed on Ji Fanxing, shimmering with anticipation. She had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Looking forward to working with you," Ji Fanxing said warmly.

Ji Fanxing admired this girl’s talent greatly and hoped that this time, Hailan would finally soar.

"Me too," Hailan replied, walking up to the stage and clasping Ji Fanxing’s alabaster hand.

To the audience watching the livestream, the scene was harmonious and full of camaraderie. Instinctively, everyone believed that this pairing would deliver a truly stunning performance.

After joining hands, Ji Fanxing and Hailan left the stage together and took their seats. Next up was Chu Hao’s turn to choose a teammate.

As they passed each other, Ji Fanxing sensed a chill in Chu Hao’s aura and glanced at him curiously—only to meet his gaze directly. The instant their eyes met, Chu Hao’s expression hardened and he immediately looked away.

Do I have thorns on me? Ji Fanxing wondered, baffled.

Chu Hao acted as if he didn’t care who his competitor was. He pressed the button at random, and after the names scrolled for a while, the screen finally landed on Song Qing.

Thrilled, Song Qing leapt up onto the stage, eager to greet Chu Hao with a friendly hug, only to be coldly rebuffed.

Watching from the sidelines, Ji Fanxing thought Song Qing’s luck wasn’t half bad.

Now that Li Sheng had been caught and everything had been confessed, the production team was fully aware of Song Qing’s actions. Normally, given the production team’s notorious style, they’d never let the instigator off so easily. But with the show being broadcast live, and Song Qing now confirmed as Chu Hao’s teammate—and given Chu Hao’s substantial background—for the remainder of this round at least, Song Qing was safe.

Ji Fanxing shifted in her seat, leaning forward and propping her chin on one hand, a sly glint in her eyes.

Originally, she’d planned to let the production team handle things, saving herself the trouble. But now, she cared little for Chu Hao’s connections.

Good people always get bullied; perhaps it’s easier to be the villain. The good Ji Fanxing had perished long ago, on that snowy night.

Since Song Qing dared to provoke her again and again, she ought to be ready to reap what she’d sown.

So, was Song Qing—who’d just escaped the production team’s punishment—really lucky, now that she’d caught Ji Fanxing’s eye?

If anything, her luck had just taken a nosedive.

With all 22 pairs matched, the MC stepped forward to announce the next round’s theme.

A tense atmosphere descended as the contestants awaited the announcement, each holding their breath.

Everyone silently hoped it wouldn’t be another obscure theme like rap.

"The next round’s theme is..."

"Flowers!"

No one expected the production team to pick something even more abstract this time.

"Flowers? What does that even mean? Are they trying to stump us with essay prompts?"

"Enough! Enough! Flowers are way better than rap!"

Viewers in front of their screens were equally confused.

[First round: love songs. Second round: rap. Third round: flowers? Are the producers playing games with us?]

Producer Liu Qi wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed. The last episode’s bold experiment had been a disaster—if not for "The Rivers and Mountains" as the finale, the show would have become a laughingstock in the industry.

He’d proven through hard experience that innovation in domestic entertainment only leads to disaster. "Flowers" was abrupt, yes, but at least it was safe.

This show was crucial for the boss; no more unexpected mishaps could be allowed.

After the session ended, Ji Fanxing led Hailan to King’s exclusive practice room.

With fewer contestants now, the practice rooms weren’t as crowded, but Ji Fanxing’s room never required booking, nor was it disturbed. It was a haven of peace.

"Hailan, do you have any ideas for this round’s theme?" Ji Fanxing asked.

She had a favorable impression of Hailan—not just because of past events, but also because, from the very first stage, Hailan hadn’t let rumors color her attitude. Instead, she’d quietly observed, trying to judge for herself whether Ji Fanxing was as unworthy as the gossip claimed.

"Uh?" Hailan hadn’t expected Ji Fanxing to consult her. Last round, when paired with Ji Shengxue, she’d simply been handed the music and told to follow along.

She’d assumed it would be the same with Ji Fanxing.

Hailan was, in truth, a quiet and introverted person. She lowered her head in thought for a long moment, then shook it helplessly.

She’d always performed solo, rarely singing in duets, and her last duet had gone poorly, leaving her with little confidence to make decisions.

"Why don’t I prepare the piece?" Ji Fanxing offered tentatively.

"Okay, sure!" Hailan agreed at once.

Ji Fanxing smiled. Trust begets trust—she would not let the girl down. Looking at Hailan, so different on and off stage, Ji Fanxing couldn’t help but ponder.

Hailan’s strengths were singular; if possible, Ji Fanxing wanted her to break through in areas beyond singing.

[My god, I’ve never seen Ji Fanxing so gentle—has she been possessed?]

[Hailan, go for it! With Sister Ji, you’re sure to rise!]

[Looking forward to their stage~]

Among the live viewers, Li Ming immediately posted a comment in support of the pair.

He was both a fan of Ji Shengxue’s looks and Ji Fanxing’s music.

Watching this scene unfold, he felt a strange mix of emotions. He’d followed last round’s pairing of Hailan and Ji Shengxue closely, too.

Comparing the two duos, Ji Shengxue had seemed rather domineering, whereas Ji Fanxing and Hailan actually discussed things as equals.

No, Li Ming shook his head, maybe it was just the camera angles, or maybe he was imagining things, being so busy lately.

Li Ming was a developer of horror games with traditional Chinese themes, and their latest project was nearing completion—only the music remained.

As everyone knew, in horror games, music was as essential as graphics and story; the right background music and theme song were key to immersing players in the atmosphere.

Unlike most Western-style horror games, theirs was set in Dragon Country 150 years ago, and they needed music with a traditional flair. The team hoped to integrate traditional instruments into the game.

Staring at his computer screen, Li Ming could still hear his teammates’ complaints echoing in his ears.

"You don’t know! That so-called music producer treated our game like a joke! Said, ‘How could I take on something so lowbrow?’"

He rubbed his temples and slumped in his chair. Their game might be niche, but it was the product of their passion and hard work.

Now, the music issue had brought everything to a standstill.

A sense of helplessness weighed on him.

Then, he remembered Ji Fanxing’s words from last round:

"But some things, though ancient, are precious, like treasures buried and forgotten. These treasures are traditions passed down through generations..."

Suddenly, an idea flashed in Li Ming’s mind: "What if we could get her to compose our game’s music...?"

But then he frowned. Would Ji Fanxing be interested in a niche horror game?

After a moment’s hesitation, Li Ming resolved to give it a shot.

As an actress, Ji Fanxing always had a business email listed on her profile.

He quickly opened his inbox and began to compose an email...

At eight that evening, the first episode of "King of Song" aired as scheduled.

At the same time, Ji Fanxing’s long-dormant social media account suddenly stirred.

StarlitFanxing: Thank you all for your support! Here are lossless versions of all my first-round songs~

Links: "Little Love Song", "Confession Balloon", "Absolutely Devoted", "Those Fleeting Years".

The news swept the internet, sparking a fresh wave of excitement.

[Oh my god, Ji Fanxing spoils her fans too much!]

[Crying—was just fretting about the poor quality of the live recordings, but now we have lossless tracks! I’m over the moon!]

[With lossless versions, who wants to listen to the live ones anymore, sob sob sob.]

[Just listened, so good—especially "Absolutely Devoted"!]

[And they’re the same price as the live versions! So, so generous! Ji Fanxing, I’m sorry! I used to criticize your voice too much! I apologize!]

The whole internet was moved to tears by Ji Fanxing’s gesture—everyone except the "King of Song" production team.

"What’s going on? When did she record these?"

Seeing Ji Fanxing’s post, Liu Qi was furious.

"It was... today, in the recording studio..." someone replied nervously.

"The recording studio! On Robin Island?!"

"Yes..."

"Unbelievable, even used our equipment!"

Liu Qi stared at the pitiful download numbers for the official live tracks, his heart aching.

"That girl... so calm on the surface, but so cunning underneath."

There was nothing he could do. The copyright to the songs belonged to Ji Fanxing—she could do as she pleased, and no one could interfere.

In fact, to boost the show’s public image, he even had to ask the social media team to repost her announcement on the official account.

King of Song, Season One: [Repost] So moved by this show of love for the fans—about to cry [flowers][flowers][heart]

All night, Liu Qi could only watch helplessly as downloads for "Little Love Song", "Confession Balloon", "Absolutely Devoted", and "Those Fleeting Years" each surpassed ten million—while downloads of the official show tracks barely trickled in.

He regretted ever proposing that reckless plan to sacrifice the music for the sake of the show.

Now, he understood: Ji Fanxing wasn’t some controversial little girl—she was a money-making powerhouse not to be trifled with. To cross her was to court financial disaster.

Taking advantage of the moment, Ji Fanxing released all four songs online. They shot up the rookie charts, occupying the top four spots and relegating "Wind and Rain"—which had dominated the chart for nearly three years—to fifth place.

Looking at her growing balance, Ji Fanxing calculated that at this rate, she’d soon have enough to pay Ning Ze’s penalty fee with just a few more songs.

But then again, why should she pay it at all?

Just then, her phone vibrated.

The caller ID showed Ning Ze, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time. She answered, and after a few moments of poor connection, the video stabilized.

Ning Ze’s haggard face appeared on the screen.

His eyes, once deep and lively, were now dull; his sharp features had been worn down by exhaustion.

Ji Fanxing frowned. "It’s only been a few days—what happened to you?"

Ning Ze forced a laugh. "It’s nothing, just a couple of night shoots."

He made light of it, but Ji Fanxing could see from his hollowed cheeks and deepening dark circles that it was far more than that.

She knew he simply didn’t want her to worry.

She didn’t call him out on it. The last time they’d met was after the first stage, and since then, their chats had been sporadic—if Ning Ze didn’t want her to know his hardships, she’d pretend not to notice.

Ning Ze was having a tough time with this crew.

They exchanged only a few more words before he was called away to film again.

After the call ended, Ji Fanxing glanced at the time: 12:35 a.m.

"Sitonhai Films, is it?" she murmured to herself, her gaze turning deep as she looked out the window. The sea, bathed in moonlight, appeared calm and still—betraying nothing of the undercurrents surging beneath.