Chapter 178: A Different Kind of Substitute Singer

Shortly after the conclusion of the second episode, the seven songs performed by Mengxue Qin and the other six singers rapidly dominated major music charts, climbing at a visible, breakneck pace.

Because the copyrights for the dozen or so songs performed in the first two episodes were scattered across various websites, the charts of all other platforms were inevitably affected.

Countless netizens dug up both the original versions and the versions from *I Am a Singer*, putting them on endless loop.

In the words of the netizens, it had been a very long time since they last used the repeat function.

The direct consequence of this phenomenon was that the existing ecosystems of all major music websites were utterly demolished by *I Am a Singer*!

Their original charts all became obsolete!

Every single song that used to occupy those charts vanished entirely, replaced exclusively by the tracks from the first two episodes of *I Am a Singer*.

To put it somewhat exaggeratedly, a mere two episodes of *I Am a Singer* had practically reshuffled the entire music industry!

The heated discussions online and the overwhelming astonishment of netizens injected a faint sign of revival into the long-slumping music scene.

This visible transformation left numerous musicians both pleasantly surprised and somewhat in disbelief.

They could hardly believe that the influence of a single music variety show could be so terrifying!

Even more baffling to them was that, simply due to two short episodes, the singing careers of the six artists, including Mengxue Qin and Qi Song, had shown signs of springing back to life.

As far as they knew, the commercial performance fees for these six individuals had more than tripled compared to before. That was not even the worst of it—they heard that people were now actually waiting in line just to book them!

At this point, virtually the entire music industry could no longer sit still.

Especially after seeing Chen Qi actually eliminate himself, they grew utterly impatient.

As many netizens put it, this truly was a show without any behind-the-scenes manipulation or shady dealings!

Consequently, numerous musicians could not help but proactively reach out to Chen Qi, expressing their desire to participate in *I Am a Singer* either directly or implicitly.

Pride?

It no longer mattered!

Compared to making a comeback, compared to skyrocketing status, everything else paled into insignificance.

They wanted to be on *I Am a Singer*, and they wouldn't even mind if they were eliminated after just two episodes!

Beyond the music industry, the explosive popularity of *I Am a Singer* also caused quite a sensation among major television stations. Especially upon hearing that the ratings for the second episode had surged to 1.7%, they were completely dumbfounded.

In their wildest dreams, they never imagined that under the current industry climate, someone could actually produce a smash-hit music variety show!

Shocking, wasn't it?

Inconceivable, wasn't it?

What made it even harder for them to accept was that Chen Qi, the producer of this show, had previously possessed zero experience in this field!

If this show had been produced by some renowned professional team, they might have swallowed their pride and accepted it, but... Chen Qi?

Chen Qi, whom netizens jokingly described as constantly finding new and creative ways to court death?

What kind of nonsense was this?

A newcomer who had never touched a variety show before had produced a program that beat all of their TV stations black and blue...

Did they have no dignity left?

How awkward did this make them—veterans who prided themselves on years of experience—look and feel?

Let's not forget, they used to produce music shows too. Such a comparison made them look utterly incompetent!

Major TV stations all felt a grievance too bitter to express.

Had the ratings and achievements of *I Am a Singer* not been so monstrously abnormal, they definitely would have resorted to some dirty tricks to show Chen Qi the ugly side of the world!

After venting their frustrations, the TV stations that had new programs scheduled for release silently adjusted their broadcast dates.

They couldn't afford to provoke this!

Toss and turn however you please; we are not playing this game with you!

While stepping aside in haste, two television stations even harbored restless ambitions to produce a music show of their own.

The lucrative cake of music variety shows had been successfully revitalized by Chen Qi, and watching from the sidelines was simply too agonizing to bear!

***

Night.

At the venue of a public welfare gala for environmental protection hosted by a certain government department.

Chen Qi sat in the audience, intently watching the performance on stage.

Of course, he wasn't simply there to watch the show.

He was there to scout for a singer.

In fact, over the past two days, he had received calls from numerous singers and music agencies, including several artists he had previously spent a great deal of effort trying to negotiate with in vain.

Their objective was entirely the same: to secure the substitute singer spot for the upcoming episode.

These singers expressed intense interest in the position—so intense that they didn't hesitate to enlist various prominent figures as lobbyists.

Vice Station Director Wang, Qingqing Zhao, and some even managed to bring in BN Xu...

Two music agencies went so far as to hint that as long as their artists were allowed to take the substitute spot, appearance fees were negotiable to the point of mere nominal tokens.

Chen Qi still turned them down, deflecting by claiming that arrangements for the next episode's singer had already been made.

He wasn't lying; he indeed already had a suitable candidate in mind for the next episode.

And that very candidate happened to be on the performance roster for tonight's event.

***

In the words of netizens from Earth, this was a national-team-level competitor!

Chen Qi held a special fondness for national-team-level performers.

This stemmed from when he watched *I Am a Singer* in the past and was deeply awed by several national-team singers.

Their performances back then had simply left him speechless with admiration!

Too dazzling!

Had it not been for the show *I Am a Singer*, he would never have known that national-team singers could be this formidable!

Therefore, he had come today.

To him, if the show failed to invite at least one national-team singer, it could hardly be considered a perfect production.

In fact, as early as when he was preparing *I Am a Singer*, he had toyed with the idea of inviting national-team singers, but lacking the confidence to secure them at the time, he didn't reach out immediately.

Now that the reputation of *I Am a Singer* had been established, it was time to talk to them.

"Let us welcome Hongti Li."

At that moment, the host on stage introduced the final headlining guest of the evening.

Shortly after, a female singer clad in a colorful long dress slowly walked out from backstage.

The audience in the venue cooperated by bursting into warm applause of welcome.

Chen Qi joined in the applause, but his gaze never left the figure on stage.

This was the person he wanted to invite tonight.

Hongti Li was one of the few domestic vocalists capable of seamlessly blending ethnic, popular, and *bel canto* singing techniques.

According to information retrieved through online searches, she seemed to have recently been promoted to a National First-Class Actor.

Beyond that, she had appeared on the Spring Festival Gala twice and enjoyed a certain level of fame nationwide.

As these details crossed his mind, Chen Qi's ears remained attentively tuned to the live performance on stage.

Ah, that resonant and clear voice was almost identical to the impression he held in his memory.

Chen Qi listened in silence, and just as the song was drawing to a close, he stood up and walked toward the backstage area.

He had sneaked in quietly today without notifying anyone.

He didn't even have Hongti Li's phone number.

On his candidate list, he had prepared a total of three national-team singers, and until he finalized which one to approach, it wouldn't be proper to contact anyone prematurely.

By the time he reached the backstage corridor, Hongti Li had just finished her performance on stage.

Without wasting any time, Chen Qi retrieved his access pass from his pocket and headed backstage.

The pass had been secured with the help of Vice Station Director Wang of Beijing卫视 (Beijing Satellite TV). For someone of her tier, such a favor was simpler than anything.

On stage, Hongti Li bowed, expressed her gratitude, and stepped down.

Yet, just as she walked through the dedicated passage on the side of the stage toward the backstage dressing room, she noticed a somewhat familiar young man standing ahead, looking at her with a smile.

"Director Chen?" After a rapid mental calculation, Hongti Li widened her eyes in slight surprise.

She did not know Chen Qi personally, but she happened to have watched those two episodes of *I Am a Singer*.

She had watched it upon the recommendation of a close friend.

Over the course of the two episodes, the person who left the deepest impression on her was none other than Chen Qi.

Chen Qi's new song, Chen Qi's low vote count, Chen Qi's elimination, alongside the multiple special roles Chen Qi shouldered within the show, and so on.

To be precise, she had spent her time watching the show in a state of continuous amazement.

This brand-new format of the program had also broadened her horizons, and especially after learning about the origins of the show, she genuinely held a great deal of admiration for Chen Qi.

She was well aware of the current state of the music market; under such premises, for Chen Qi to withstand the pressure of universal skepticism and push a show to this level was truly a remarkable feat.

More importantly, because of this program, the sluggish music scene genuinely seemed to display a faint glimmer of revival.

This was entirely his credit.

It was precisely for this reason that she felt a tinge of surprise upon seeing Chen Qi, and she didn't mind taking the initiative to greet someone she didn't formally know.

"Hello, hello. I am Chen Qi."

Chen Qi, who had been wondering how to approach Hongti Li, was genuinely startled when she took the initiative to greet him. He hurriedly stepped forward to introduce himself.

Hongti Li smiled, shook his hand, and asked with mild curiosity, "You've also been invited to attend the gala... Wait, that's not right, why didn't I see you during the performances just now?"

"No, no, no, no, no," Chen Qi waved his hands hurriedly and said, "I came here today specifically to look for you."

"Look for me?" Hearing this, Hongti Li visibly paused.

Chen Qi smiled and nodded, his attitude sincere.

Hongti Li looked at him in bewilderment, feeling somewhat dazed for a moment.

She was no fool; as the chief planner and director of *I Am a Singer*, Chen Qi coming here specifically to find her left no mystery as to his purpose.

After a two-second lapse of astonishment, Hongti Li quickly regained her composure. With an amused glance at Chen Qi, she said, "Director Chen, give me a moment. Let me change out of this outfit first."

To be honest, she had never imagined that she would ever participate in a show like *I Am a Singer*.

After all, their artistic style was completely different from that of the entertainment industry. What kind of effect would be produced if these two completely different styles were placed side by side for public comparison?

She had no idea.

However, she held a rather favorable impression of *I Am a Singer*. If the opportunity truly presented itself, she wouldn't mind giving it a try.

Of course, specific details would still need to be discussed with this prominent director before any decision could be made.

"Alright," Chen Qi nodded.

Without saying anything further, Hongti Li offered a slight nod and briskly walked toward the nearby dressing room.

A dozen minutes later, Chen Qi and Hongti Li, now dressed in casual attire, stepped out of the grand theater.

Emerging from the building, the two of them strolled slowly across the outdoor plaza against the gentle evening breeze, conversing in low voices as they walked.

Chen Qi formally extended an invitation for her to join *I Am a Singer*.

"Why?" Hongti Li did not accept immediately; instead, she voiced the biggest doubt in her heart.

As far as she knew, musicians currently eager to participate in *I Am a Singer* were fighting tooth and nail for the substitute spot. She believed Chen Qi must have received all kinds of phone calls over the past few days.

Under such circumstances, why did he choose her?

From the perspective of fame or ratings, there were plenty of people in the entertainment industry far more suitable than her.

She was deeply curious.

"Since you recognized me, you must have watched the first two episodes, right?" Chen Qi asked.

Hongti Li nodded.

"You should have also noticed that the seven individuals currently appearing on the *I Am a Singer* stage all represent different styles."

Hongti Li pondered for a moment and nodded once more.

The initial lineup of *I Am a Singer* indeed encompassed singers of various genres.

"What I currently aim to do is allow the audience to appreciate various types of good music and fine voices on this show. That is also one of the major highlights of the program," Chen Qi explained simply.

"Oh..." Hongti Li drew out the syllable, seemingly grasping something.

Allowing the audience to appreciate diverse styles of music within the same show?

She cast a thoughtful glance at Chen Qi, seemingly caught off guard by his grand vision.

Coupled with online rumors that he had deliberately requested only a single title sponsor, she figured he must not be joking.

If that was indeed the case, she found herself growing genuinely interested in this program.

Following that, Chen Qi meticulously detailed the show's competitive format and rules for her.

"I am truly sincere in inviting you to participate. I believe the audience will be extremely thrilled to see you appear on this stage," Chen Qi invited her with a sincere tone.

He offered very flexible terms.

Her appearance fee could be increased by 20% on top of her current standard.

Any reservations or concerns could be raised freely; as long as it wasn't a matter of fundamental principle, he was willing to compromise.

Observing Chen Qi's repeatedly accommodating attitude, Hongti Li could not help but smile.

It was evident that he had indeed come today with absolute sincerity.

The fact that he could pass over so many industry heavyweights to invite someone who appeared somewhat unfamiliar to many mainstream viewers was proof enough of his earnestness.

To be frank, she was moved.

After inquiring about detailed questions such as whether there were restrictions on song selection, she said, "Wait for me a moment, let me make a phone call."

This kind of matter was not something she could decide entirely on her own; she needed to report to her organization's leadership for approval.

Although the leadership probably wouldn't refuse such an opportunity, standard procedures still had to be followed.

A few minutes later, after hanging up the phone, she smiled and nodded to Chen Qi.

She had accepted.

***

Monday.

Because the matter of selecting the substitute singer caused a two-day delay, the recording of the third episode was pushed back slightly.

Before eight o'clock, the six singers—including Mengxue Qin—arrived one after another.

As soon as they arrived at the venue, their eyes scanned the surroundings incessantly, looking as though they were searching for something.

Not only them, but even the production crew members also cast searching glances among the six singers as they entered.

Everyone was looking for the substitute singer.

"Stop looking. The substitute singer won't arrive until this afternoon," Chen Qi remarked indifferently, having easily seen through their intentions.

Hearing this, Mengxue Qin and the others could not help revealing expressions of regret and an "I-knew-it" look.

They had known Chen Qi wouldn't let them meet the person in advance.

"Can we observe when the substitute singer rehearses this afternoon?" Song曲奇 asked, somewhat reluctant to give up.

They were simply too curious about the identity of the substitute singer.

"Heh..." Chen Qi chuckled as he looked at her, then shook his head, "Definitely not."

Seeing them sporting expressions that suggested they wanted to ask more questions, Chen Qi raised a hand to stop them. "Hold it right there, don't ask so much. Even if you ask, I won't tell. Everyone, hurry up and get on with your rehearsals."