Chapter 13: Priceless Beyond Measure

Qi Shao was stunned to find his hand so easily seized by Lin Chuan. Coupled with that remark just now, the once-arrogant second-generation rich kid couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart, his expression shifting several times. He even began to suspect, deep down, that Lin Chuan might be some kind of hidden martial arts master.

But in the very next moment, that suspicion was dispelled. The burly man who had come along with him didn’t hesitate to raise his foot and kick Lin Chuan hard in the back. Caught completely off guard, Lin Chuan was sent flying and landed heavily on the ground with a thud.

Seeing this, a triumphant smile flickered across Qi Shao’s face. He pushed aside the two women at his side, strode over, and sneered, “Heh, I thought you were something special. Turns out you’re just a loser. Guys, give him a beating!”

“Yes, Qi Shao!” The two men flanking him grinned viciously and advanced on Lin Chuan. In the next instant, a storm of fists and flying kicks rained down on Lin Chuan, forcing him to curl up on the ground, unable to get up.

Lin Chuan knew no martial arts and was no master. The only reason he’d managed to grab Qi Shao’s hand earlier was out of desperation, fearing Lin Yi Yang would be hurt and thus tapping into some hidden potential.

As Lin Chuan endured the beating, screams erupted from the fans below the stage—especially the girls, who covered their faces in fright and dared not watch any longer. A few hot-blooded young male fans seemed ready to rush up to help, but at the sight of Qi Shao, they all hesitated and gave up. He was not someone they could afford to offend.

The bar descended into chaos, with screams, shouts, and sobbing mingling in the air. Some, gripped by fear, surged toward the exit, making the scene even more tumultuous.

At this sight, Boss Xu, who had been all smiles before, suddenly darkened. He strode up to Qi Shao and said, “Qi Shao, whatever the case, your men have made their point. Isn’t it about time they stopped?”

“Stop? Hmph, and who do you think you are, daring to lecture me? Get lost!” Qi Shao snorted coldly and slapped Boss Xu across the face.

Boss Xu, already past forty and approaching fifty, staggered back several steps under the force of the blow before barely managing to steady himself. His face now was a picture of fury.

“You’re a bad man, a bad man!” At that moment, Lin Yi Yang rushed over, sobbing, and pounded Qi Shao with his tiny fists.

Qi Shao was no saint to begin with. Seeing Lin Yi Yang only fueled his rage. He lifted his foot and kicked the child away.

Lin Yi Yang was only five years old—how could he withstand such a kick? He tumbled across the floor several times, and his cries abruptly ceased.

“Yangyang!”

“Yangyang!”

Both Lin Chuan and Boss Xu cried out at the sight, their voices overlapping. Boss Xu, ignoring the pain in his face, dashed over and scooped Lin Yi Yang into his arms.

Meanwhile, Lin Chuan rolled across the floor, ignoring the blows still raining down on him, and charged straight at Qi Shao. In his former life as a student, he’d often gotten into fights and knew that when outnumbered, the only way to fight back was to single out one person for a beating—even if you suffered, the other side would pay as well.

Seeing Lin Chuan charging at him like a madman, Qi Shao panicked and froze on the spot. Before he could react, a fist smashed into his face, sending him reeling. As he tried to regain his balance, another blow landed in his gut.

Thus, as Lin Chuan endured the onslaught, Qi Shao himself was not spared from pain and humiliation, crying out in agony. The two women who had been with him had long since vanished without a trace.

No one knew who called the police, but just as the fight on stage reached its peak, the sharp wail of sirens grew louder and closer. Several officers rushed into the bar and quickly subdued Lin Chuan and the others. Only then did the arrogant Qi Shao breathe a sigh of relief, a look of narrow escape on his face. He didn’t know what would have happened to him if things had gone on any longer.

Such a violent brawl in the bar meant that everyone involved, including Lin Chuan and Boss Xu, was taken to the local police station.

It wasn’t long before Lin Chuan and the others were brought separately into interrogation rooms.

“What’s your name?”

“Lin Chuan.”

“Lin Chuan? Aren’t you the contestant from ‘A Song to Fame’?” The young officer across from him looked up in surprise at the mention of Lin Chuan’s name. Evidently, he too followed the ‘A Song to Fame’ talent show.

By rights, he should have recognized Lin Chuan at first glance. But Lin Chuan’s face was covered in bruises, his lips swollen, and one eye badly puffed up. The injuries weren’t life-threatening, but the sight was shocking—he looked almost disfigured.

Taking in Lin Chuan’s battered state, the officer frowned and asked, “Isn’t the next round of competition coming up soon? How did you end up getting into a fight at a time like this?”

Suppressing the pain in his face, Lin Chuan gritted his teeth and recounted everything that had happened.

Meanwhile, news of Lin Chuan’s bar fight was spreading online, especially as several videos of the scene surfaced, confirming the incident. Some online media outlets quickly published articles on the event, with headlines like “A Song to Fame Contestant Lin Chuan Gets into Brawl with Second-Generation Rich Kid at Bar.”

With the fight and these reports going viral, a wave of attention swept across the internet. At first, most netizens were quick to condemn Lin Chuan, some even exaggerating the story, claiming that he not only frequented bars himself but also brought his young son along. This only fueled more backlash and criticism.

Overnight, Lin Chuan’s reputation plummeted, and many called for the ‘A Song to Fame’ production team to immediately disqualify him, threatening to boycott the show otherwise. The situation escalated rapidly, seemingly beyond redemption.

But by morning, a new wave of self-proclaimed insiders emerged online, offering firsthand accounts of the incident. Suddenly, many who had been criticizing Lin Chuan began to change their tune, lamenting the dangers of offending the privileged and blaming Lin Chuan’s misfortune on bad luck.

Still, some extremists held their ground, insisting that these so-called insiders were nothing more than paid shills hired by Lin Chuan himself. If Lin Chuan could have seen this, he would have been infuriated—he was still sitting in the police station, hardly in a position to hire anyone to defend him online.

Time ticked by. Around nine in the morning, a complete video of the incident was uploaded to the internet, including audio of the exchange between Lin Chuan and Qi Shao. Instantly, those who had been eager for drama vanished as if they’d never existed. In their place, people claiming to be loyal Lin Chuan fans emerged to voice their support.

This, in turn, sparked a new wave of discontent. Some felt that when Lin Chuan had needed support most, these so-called fans were nowhere to be found; now that the truth was out, they’d suddenly become active.

Others focused their anger on the fans present at the bar that night—how could so many people stand by and do nothing while Lin Chuan was being attacked? Their inaction was despicable.

Conversely, when the video showed Qi Shao flaunting tens of thousands in cash, everyone scoffed at the so-called “second-generation rich kid,” dismissing him as a typical nouveau riche. Who carries that much cash around these days, except to show off?

Meanwhile, Lin Chuan’s original songs experienced a surge in popularity, some even labeled “priceless.” Every song he’d performed in bars or competitions—such as “Ten Years,” “Childhood,” “Zebra, Zebra,” “Love Not by Choice,” and “The World Outside”—shot to the top ten on major music charts. Many who hadn’t known of Lin Chuan before were drawn to him due to the bar brawl, and especially to his music, which became a sensation across the internet.

As time passed and noon approached, Lin Chuan, sleep-deprived and groggy, sat slumped in a chair, hovering between wakefulness and sleep. Suddenly, the door banged open.

“Lin Chuan, wake up! Someone’s here to pick you up—you can go home now!” The officer who’d questioned him the night before entered, smiling.

Lin Chuan opened his eyes blearily, glanced up, and asked weakly, “Who is it?”

“Your girlfriend, and a little kid—must be your son, right?” the young officer replied with a grin.

“My girlfriend?” Lin Chuan sat up with a start, surprised.

“Heh, the paperwork’s done. Just sign your name and you’re free to go—and don’t get into any more fights…”

Under the officer’s reminders, Lin Chuan signed his release forms. As soon as he stepped out, Lin Yi Yang, eyes red, rushed over and threw himself into his arms.

“Daddy!”