My ex-girlfriend's best friends are getting restless right after the breakup.

Chapter 34 Challenge Match

On Wednesday morning, the recording base of Haicheng TV's "Singer Battle" was packed with fans, as lively as a Chinese New Year market.

Seven nanny vans were lined up in a row, with at least three assistants surrounding each one, some handing out water, some touching up makeup, and some tidying up clothes.

Although this episode is just a regular season with a challenger segment, for these established, currently popular, or once wildly popular singers, every appearance is a battlefield.

"Brother Wang, you look great today!" A young male singer with silver hair and a studded leather jacket greeted a middle-aged man not far away in a warm tone.

The middle-aged man known as Brother Wang is Wang Han, the prince of love songs who was extremely popular twenty years ago. Although his hairline has receded a bit now, his demeanor is as charming as ever.

He slowly adjusted his shirt cuffs and laughed, "Xiao Jie, you too, this hairstyle is quite eye-catching. When the stage lights come on, the cameras will be chasing after you."

Silver-haired male singer Li Jie is one of the most popular idols right now, with excellent singing and dancing skills and a strong fan base.

He grinned, revealing a set of porcelain teeth: "Brother Wang, you're joking. I'm just here to learn. By the way, are you familiar with today's challenger?"

"Never had any dealings with her before," the female singer next to Wang Han interjected. She was Bai Linlin, the former "Jade Girl" icon from twenty or thirty years ago, who has now transitioned into a music mentor. Her words carried a condescending tone. "I've never heard of her before. I heard she was recommended by Xu Yueqing."

"Xu Yueqing?" Another elegant female singer in a cheongsam raised an eyebrow. She was the pop diva Song Qian. "The challenger competition is no joke. Which of the seven initial singers isn't a seasoned veteran? A newcomer, and she even got in through connections with women..."

She shook her head, but she didn't say it aloud.

The seven singers gathered in the waiting area, chatting amongst themselves. The conversation quickly shifted from exchanging pleasantries to discussing today's challenger.

Although his words were not inappropriate, no one really took Chen Bo seriously.

For them, this episode was more like a break from their regular work.

Last week's challenger, Victoria Song, was terrifying; she directly broke into first place, and making it into the top five is considered a successful challenge.

In this episode's challenger round, the contestants are clearly cannon fodder, eliminated in the first round. This won't threaten their rankings and will only increase the show's buzz.

"I heard he used to be Xu Yueqing's boyfriend?" A cool-looking rock singer wearing sunglasses chatted with his assistant in private. He is Zhang Zhenhan, who has become popular again in the past two years with several hit rock songs. "He still gave her resources after breaking up. Xu Yueqing is a pretty good ex-girlfriend."

"In the entertainment industry, those who can remain friends after a breakup are the real experts," the assistant chuckled, then lowered her voice, "But I heard from the production team that during rehearsals, that kid..."

Before he could finish speaking, assistant director Xiao Wang rushed over: "Everyone, you can come in and get ready!"

The singers stopped chatting and each headed towards the studio with their assistants.

Unbeknownst to them, at the other end of the corridor, Zhang Guanhai was holding a thermos, staring at the monitor screen, muttering to himself.

"Lu Ze, Lu Ze, you almost got me killed..." Zhang Guanhai stared at Chen Bo on the screen, his eyes shining. "Can you just 'take care' of someone like that? This guy is a real gem!"

Rewind to the afternoon of the previous day, at the first rehearsal.

Chen Bo, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and black jeans, walked onto the stage with his guitar in his arms.

The audience was empty except for the program staff and directors.

"Chen Bo, right?" The on-site director, holding the script, spoke in a businesslike tone, "Just go through the official recording process, sing a chorus, that's all. The main thing is the sound check and positioning."

Chen Bo nodded, adjusted the microphone height, and sat on the high stool in the center of the stage.

The lights dimmed, and a spotlight shone on him.

As the prelude begins, the piano chords are as clean as a clear morning after the rain.

Chen Bo closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his expression had changed.

That usual lazy, somewhat cynical demeanor has disappeared, replaced by a calmness, a focus that seems to penetrate the heart.

He sang the first line.

The staff members who had been whispering and discussing what to have for dinner fell silent.

Zhang Guanhai was looking at his phone, dealing with the annoying WeChat message from Lu Ze, when he suddenly looked up the moment he heard the singing.

The young people on stage sat bathed in light, their voices carried throughout the entire studio through top-of-the-line sound equipment.

The voice wasn't flashy, without any deliberate high notes or trills, yet it possessed a power that struck straight to the heart, like someone who had traveled a long way calmly telling their story, each word carrying weight.

What's even more problematic is the lyrics.

Although Zhang Guanhai is not an artsy youth, he has been in the entertainment industry for more than 20 years. What good or bad songs hasn't he heard?

But these lyrics... He quickly pulled out the complete sheet music Lin Wei had sent him and listened to it while comparing them.

The more he listened, the wider his eyes widened.

"This..." Zhang Guanhai put down his thermos, not even noticing the goji berry water had spilled. "Did that kid write this himself?"

The music director next to him leaned over, his eyes lighting up: "Zhang Guanhai, this song... the melody is catchy but not cliché, the lyrics are profound but not pretentious, and most importantly, the emotional expression... it gave me goosebumps."

The rehearsal only included one chorus, lasting less than two minutes.

The music stopped, Chen Bo stood up from the bar stool, bowed to the empty audience, and then resumed his lazy demeanor: "Director, is this alright?"

The scene was quiet for a few seconds.

Then, the executive director finally came to his senses: "Ah? Oh, that's great, that's excellent! Um... Chen Bo, for the official recording tomorrow, stick to this setup. We'll rearrange the costumes and adjust the lighting to give you the best stage effect!"

Chen Bo nodded: "Thank you, director."

After he stepped off the stage, Zhang Guanhai grabbed the music director's arm: "Old Liu, tell me the truth, if this song is officially released, will it be a hit?"

The music director paused for three seconds, then uttered two words: "It's bound to be a hit."

Zhang Guanhai released his grip, plopped back into his chair, and wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead: "Lu Ze... Lu Ze, you bastard, you almost made me miss a gem! 'Dishonest' and 'climbing the ladder through women'? This guy is clearly a future superstar!"

He took out his phone, found Lu Ze's WeChat, and intended to block him directly, but after thinking about it, he sent a message instead: "Teacher Lu, the production team will handle the matter of contestant Chen Bo fairly. Also, the 'small gift' you mentioned earlier has been returned to you. Please check your inbox. Do not contact me during the recording of the program."

After sending the message, I immediately blocked them.

"Xiao Wang!" Zhang Guanhai called to his assistant, "Notify the costume and lighting teams that Chen Bo's treatment is up to the standards of a top-tier singer! Also, arrange a separate dressing room for him, so he doesn't have to squeeze in with those big names and get mistreated!"

"Huh?" Xiao Wang was stunned. "Zhang Guanhai, won't the other singers have any objections?"