Chapter 64: Frenzied Fans

August 31st.

With the arrival of the “One Song to Fame” grand finals, all major media outlets and websites erupted with shocking headlines. Yet among these reports, truth and rumor were inextricably mixed—no one could say with certainty what was real. At the same time, forums and microblogs were ablaze with heated arguments.

Some fans supporting Huang Quan insisted that, while Lin Chuan was undeniably a gifted singer-songwriter, talent wouldn’t matter in the finals, which would come down to popularity. Considering that Huang Quan had invited Dong Kai to perform with him, he held an absolute advantage. Even though Fang Hao, who was backing Lin Chuan, was adored by many young female fans, he still couldn’t compare to a veteran artist. The supporters of Lin Chuan, however, did not agree and voiced their objections loudly.

In no time, the internet became a battleground, with two camps readying for a fierce war of words.

Meanwhile, several renowned celebrities began publicly endorsing their favored contestants, urging fans to vote. Although the competition had yet to begin, the campaign was already in full swing.

“In my view, Lin Chuan’s talent in songwriting is something everyone has witnessed. Especially with his renditions of ‘Old Boy’ and ‘The World Outside,’ I was deeply moved. I hope everyone will support Lin Chuan during the competition and stand by this musical prodigy,” posted the famous singer Wang Liang on his microblog, offering robust support.

“I was surprised to see Brother Dong return to the stage. Supporting ‘One Song to Fame’ contestant Huang Quan is a wise choice. Personally, I like Huang Quan—the calmness he exudes. Everyone, please support Brother Dong and this singer who brings tranquility to our hearts,” wrote comedy star Ma Pu, joining in with his endorsement.

“Lin Chuan is a talented young man. I admire him and hope he wins the championship,” posted the renowned domestic film director Chen, a rare public show of support.

This caused quite a stir online, especially among celebrities within the industry. Some even speculated about the relationship between Lin Chuan and Director Chen, wondering what connection could prompt such a prominent figure to publicly voice his support.

A storm of rumors and discussions swept through the internet.

The show’s producers took this year’s grand final very seriously. After several days of deliberation, they chose the Baining University Gymnasium as the venue for the final showdown.

The Baining University Gymnasium was vast, able to accommodate tens of thousands of spectators. Yet even so, tickets had sold out a week in advance, leaving many fans deeply disappointed at missing the chance to witness the event live.

Yang Xue was among them. She had prepared for the finals long ago, but when she tried to buy tickets online, she discovered they had already sold out. With no other option, she spent the morning in front of her computer, chatting with other Lin Chuan fans in the forums.

“Today is the day Lin Chuan competes! Everyone, be sure to tell your friends and family to vote for him,” posted a user named Blood on the Waves.

Replies quickly flooded in.

“Of course! I’ve already persuaded my parents, and they’ve spread the word to their colleagues at work.”

“Same here. My classmates are actively canvassing for votes. Tonight, the champion will definitely be Lin Chuan.”

“Hehe, you’re all so active. I don’t have that many friends, but I’ve rallied my gaming clan to help out with votes.”

“That’s a great idea! There are so many people in games—I need to stir things up there too…”

“Sigh, I don’t play online games or have as many friends as you all, but I still have to support Lin Chuan. I just went to the phone store and bought a bunch of SIM cards to switch out and vote.”

“We have a big spender here!”

“Hey, can we be friends?”

“Same here, same here.”

…

That afternoon, crowds were already gathering outside the Baining University Gymnasium.

Meanwhile, in a hotel apartment not far from the venue, Lin Chuan stood at the window, gazing at the scene outside and sighing to himself. He was worried about how he would make his way inside.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated. Seeing who was calling, Lin Chuan smiled—it was Yuan Ye, calling from Quancheng.

“Hey, you still remember me?” Lin Chuan joked.

“Come on, even if I forgot everyone else, I wouldn’t dare forget you… Seriously though, where are you now?” came Yuan Ye’s voice over the phone.

“I’m near the gymnasium,” Lin Chuan answered, slightly surprised but keeping his tone calm.

“Send me your exact location. I’ll be there soon.” Yuan Ye’s words left Lin Chuan stunned.

Could it be that Yuan Ye was already in Baining?

The answer was yes. According to Yuan Ye, the competition had reached its final stage, and as Lin Chuan’s childhood friend, he had to show up in person. He’d even bought tickets days in advance.

Lin Chuan had known nothing of this. After hanging up, he sent his address via text.

He didn’t have to wait long. Twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

Opening it, Lin Chuan found Yuan Ye, Boss Xu from Night Bar, and several people from the TV station all standing outside. He recognized them all and quickly ushered them in, surprised and touched that they had traveled all the way to Baining.

“Lin Chuan, you already know Boss Xu and the others. This is Uncle Gao, an old friend of my grandfather’s, who came all the way from the capital to cheer you on!” Yuan Ye introduced a middle-aged man.

Lin Chuan had never met this man before. He looked to be in his forties, but was tall, handsome, and youthful—nothing like what Lin Chuan would have expected from one of his grandfather’s friends. With a gentle smile, he radiated warmth, entirely different from the white-haired old man Lin Chuan remembered.

“Uncle Gao, thank you for coming to support me,” Lin Chuan greeted him politely, shaking his hand.

“Hahaha, there’s no need to be so formal. Your grandfather and I have been friends for years. I once worked at Quancheng TV as well, but later went to the capital to start a small business,” Uncle Gao replied with a hearty laugh.

After a few pleasantries, Lin Chuan invited everyone to sit.

Boss Xu glanced around, frowning, “Where’s Yangyang?”

“He’s with Wang Yue. They should be here soon,” Lin Chuan replied with a faint smile.

Boss Xu had heard of Wang Yue and even met her before—during that brawl at the bar, many had assumed she was Lin Chuan’s girlfriend. Boss Xu had even considered playing matchmaker, but as Lin Chuan had been busy with the competition and rarely visited the bar, the matter had faded away.

Still, Boss Xu had a very good impression of Wang Yue.

The other guests from Quancheng TV also exchanged a few words with Lin Chuan, explaining that they were there to represent the station and cheer him on. Panli had wanted to come as well, but since she had to report the news live the next morning, she’d had to bow out.

Lin Chuan smiled, “There was no need for you all to travel so far—your support means enough.”

“That’s not how it works—you’re competing for the championship and you’re the chairman of Quancheng TV. How could you not have your own supporters?” Yuan Ye replied, full of mock seriousness.

Lin Chuan was at a loss for words…

At half past three in the afternoon, Lin Chuan left the hotel apartment and got into a van parked by the roadside.

“Nervous?” Fang Zi, sitting in the front passenger seat, asked with a smile.

“What’s there to be nervous about? With you all here, I’m confident. By the way, where are Fang Hao and Qin Xiyao? I haven’t seen them.”

“Heh, Fang Hao already took Qin Xiyao to the gymnasium. Don’t worry about them—we’ll go ourselves,” Fang Zi laughed.

Hearing this, Lin Chuan couldn’t help but smile and nod, saying nothing more.

The van slowly pulled out and headed toward the gymnasium.

Back at the apartment, Yuan Ye and Boss Xu’s group hadn’t left yet. It wasn’t time to enter the venue, and arriving too early would be pointless. Besides, Wang Yue and Lin Yiyang would be joining them soon, and it would be easier to go together.

As the van approached the gymnasium’s east gate, a large crowd of fans surged forward. If it weren’t for the security staff holding them back, the fans might have torn the van apart. Even so, the fans were wild; several weaker security guards were knocked to the ground and almost couldn’t get up.

If Lin Chuan hadn’t gotten out of the van in time, the headlines of every major news outlet the next day would likely be about a “stampede on the eve of the finals.”

Faced with such enthusiastic fans, Lin Chuan could only greet them with a smile, which immediately set off a wave of shrieks from the female fans. Some fans even broke through the security cordon, desperate for a signature or a photo with Lin Chuan. He didn’t refuse them.

Close to four o’clock, Lin Chuan finally made it to the dressing room that the show’s producers had arranged for him in the gymnasium.

His appearance, however, was far less tidy than when he’d left the van. His clothes were wrinkled and creased, with several indistinct handprints smeared across them.

Seeing him, Fang Zi couldn’t help but laugh and tease, “Anyone who saw you now would know you just met your fans. Anyone who didn’t would think you just got into a fight. Come on, change your clothes—we still need to rehearse a few more times.”

Lin Chuan gave a wry smile and shook his head. Thankfully, Fang Hao had anticipated this situation and prepared a spare set of clothes for him, or else he would have been truly embarrassed.

He could only blame the fans for being a bit too enthusiastic.