Eldest Senior Sister Became a Sensation After Being Blacklisted Online - Chapter 10

As soon as she finished speaking, Song Cheng walked to the side and leaned against the wall, familiarizing herself with the melody in her usual manner.

Though Song Cheng hadn’t said anything explicit, Liu Zimang couldn’t shake the feeling that Song Cheng would win the unspoken rivalry between them and Yang Qiong.

Yu X glanced at Yang Qiong’s complex expression, then turned to Song Cheng before quickly averting her gaze. With a subtle nod, she signaled Liu Zimang to continue practicing her dance.

After Song Cheng’s earlier warning, Yu X dared not touch Liu Zimang again. Instead, she guided Liu Zimang through unfamiliar movements with gestures alone.

Liu Zimang possessed both a solid dance foundation and natural talent. While she struggled to fully commit to a few movements, her overall performance was satisfactory.

A camera crew arrived to capture candid shots. The footage showed Liu Zimang and Song Cheng rehearsing separately, several meters apart. Where was the clinginess they displayed onstage? They looked far less harmonious than Xu We and Meng Jie practicing next door.

Song Cheng, currently deciphering the song’s emotions from the lyrics she could understand, merely glanced at the crew out of the corner of her eye before returning her focus to the lyrics.

Both the lyrics and melody leaned toward energetic and exhilarating, resulting in an unusually long climax.

The melodies she had encountered in the past were either joyful or sorrowful, or fiercely passionate, completely unlike the song she was now facing. Mastering the tune and accurately conveying its emotions within an hour was a challenge for her.

Her master had always said that progress required constant breakthroughs. Only by breaking through could one truly immerse oneself in entirely unfamiliar realms.

Yang Qiong, seated in her chair, was the most relaxed of the four. She leaned back leisurely, gazing out the window, but her ears remained keenly attuned to Song Cheng’s performance. With each rendition, she could sense Song Cheng’s improvement.

When she sensed that Song Cheng had grasped two-thirds of the song’s emotional depth, her hands tightened involuntarily on her lap, a subtle smile curving her lips, and her heart fluttered with excitement.

Over the years, countless aspiring disciples had sought to join her sect. She had accepted two with decent talent, but they still fell far short of her expectations. Now, Song Cheng offered her a glimmer of new hope for the Chinese music scene.

Compared to this, her own personal victories and losses seemed insignificant.

The hour passed in a flash. Liu Zimang leaned against the barre, wiping away sweat with a towel while listening intently to Song Cheng’s melody.

If the first rendition was a rough draft, Song Cheng had now added the skeletal structure and spiritual essence. Even without lyrics, the melody was captivating, stirring the bl00d and making listeners sway involuntarily to the rhythm.

Yu X was even more stunned, her mouth agape as she stared at Song Cheng in disbelief. She couldn’t fathom how Song Cheng had achieved such mastery in just an hour.

She instinctively glanced at Yang Qiong, who calmly rose from her chair. “The younger generation is truly formidable,” Yang Qiong conceded. “I’ve lost.”

Hearing this, Song Cheng tilted her chin slightly. “As the saying goes, ‘The Yangtze River’s back waves push the front waves forward.’ It’s just your misfortune to have encountered a particularly fierce back wave like me.”

Yang Qiong: “……”

Liu Zimang: “……”

Yu X: “……”

Song Cheng stepped away from the wall and approached Yang Qiong. “Still, thank you for finding the video.”

Yang Qiong narrowed her eyes, a hint of gritted teeth in her voice. “I may have lost this round, but you still have a ways to go before you’ve truly mastered this.”

The unspoken implication was clear: You still need my guidance.

Remembering the English lyrics she couldn’t understand, Song Cheng averted her gaze and strode toward the exit. “That’s for tomorrow. Training time’s long over for today. Farewell!”

At the doorway, she turned back to Liu Zimang. “You lied to me.”

Combining this with their earlier conversation, Liu Zimang immediately understood the implication of Song Cheng’s words. She glared at her, annoyed. “If you hadn’t stirred up trouble for no reason, would I have needed to change my plans?”

Song Cheng was speechless.

So, it’s still my fault?

Fine. Since the beauty is making a sacrifice, I’ll just endure this slight inconvenience for now and settle the score later.

As she reached the lobby entrance, she spotted Hongxia leaning against a white sedan. Hongxia frowned upon seeing her. “Why are you so late? Hurry up! The Chengyue commercial shoot starts in two hours.”

Song Cheng stopped. “What commercial?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I booked you for a commercial and two endorsements. The commercial is urgent; the endorsements are scheduled for the end of the month.”

“What you booked has nothing to do with me.” With that, Song Cheng ignored Hongxia’s furious glare and turned to Zhu Ke, who was standing awkwardly beside Hongxia. “Let’s go home.”

Sensing Hongxia’s intense gaze, Zhu Ke stiffened, hesitating. “Sister Song, shouldn’t we just listen to Sister Hongxia?”

Song Cheng didn’t reply, turning to walk left.

“Song Cheng, stop right there!” Hongxia chased after her, her voice shrill with anger. “Phoenix Sky doesn’t tolerate idlers. As long as you’re with Phoenix Sky, you’ll follow our arrangements.”

“Did you ask for my opinion before accepting this?” Song Cheng asked.

Ever since learning about the contract, she had searched through her predecessor’s memories and found the document. It contained numerous clauses, but one stood out clearly: “The artist’s own wishes must be respected.”

Hongxia choked, her gaze flickering evasively. After a few breaths, she straightened her back. “Isn’t this for your own good? To help you earn more money?”

Song Cheng scoffed softly, rolling her eyes at Hongxia.

Seeing Song Cheng about to leave, Hongxia immediately scurried in front of her, spreading her arms to block her path. “Either way, the contract’s been signed. You’re going, whether you like it or not.”

Song Cheng stopped, her hand instinctively reaching for her waist. Finding nothing there, she simply formed a sword with her hand, channeled her inner energy, and slashed forcefully through the air.

Hongxia instinctively flinched to the side. The force of the strike sent her tumbling uncontrollably to the ground, followed by a bone-chilling sense of pressure.

Song Cheng ignored the thud and Hongxia’s scream as she landed. With no one blocking her path, she strode forward with long strides.

This scene was witnessed by Liu Zimang and Yang Qiong, who left slightly later.

Seeing Hongxia sprawled face-down on the floor, Yang Qiong felt a chill run down her neck. If Song Cheng had used just a little more force, would I have ended up like Hongxia too? she wondered aloud.

“What kind of monster is she?” she muttered to herself.

Liu Zimang, born into an ancient martial arts family, had seen and experienced far more than Yang Qiong. Hearing Yang Qiong’s words, her lips twitched slightly, and her gaze toward Song Cheng’s retreating figure burned with intensity. “I don’t know,” she replied.

Song Cheng never failed to surprise her.

The next day, Song Cheng arrived at the dance studio right on time.

On the way, Zhu Ke told her that Hongxia, her face still bruised and swollen, had been berated by Hu Tianyu for over an hour. The reason, of course, was that the scheduled commercial shoot couldn’t proceed because Hongxia hadn’t shown up.

Song Cheng didn’t care about Hongxia’s fate. As long as Hongxia didn’t provoke her, they could coexist peacefully. But if Hongxia ever dared to take it upon herself to accept another commercial deal on Song Cheng’s behalf, a simple fall would be the least of her worries.

“You’re already familiar with the melody,” Yang Qiong said, handing her the sheet music. “Today, focus on memorizing the lyrics.”

Seeing Song Cheng staring at the sheet music without moving, Yang Qiong added, “Didn’t you call yourself the ‘fierce new wave’? Then let’s stick to the old rules: one hour to memorize the lyrics.”

Chapter 11: The Heartbreakingly Charming Liu Zimang

Yang Qiong, noticing Song Cheng’s silence, immediately turned her gaze to her. She saw Song Cheng staring intently at the sheet music, her eyes lowered.

Liu Zimang also noticed Song Cheng’s unusual behavior. She stepped behind Song Cheng and followed her line of sight, spotting the English lyrics on the sheet music.

Guessing what was wrong, Liu Zimang leaned closer, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear, “If you don’t know it, I can teach you.”

Hearing the word “don’t know,” Song Cheng’s eyebrows immediately furrowed slightly. “Why didn’t they keep the lyrics in the same language?”

Liu Zimang: “……”

Yang Qiong scoffed softly, “There’s no shame in admitting you’re illiterate.”

Song Cheng immediately retorted, her voice rising slightly, “Who’s illiterate? If I’d studied it, I’d be better than you!”

Behind her, Liu Zimang instantly noticed the faint flush on the tips of Song Cheng’s ears.

Liu Zimang’s eyes widened with surprise, and she leaned in closer, curious to get a better look.

Sensing the slight dampness on her earlobe, Song Cheng froze, her entire body stiffening. Her hand instinctively reached for her waist, seeking the reassurance of her sword.

Her reaction perfectly played into Liu Zimang’s hands, prompting her to lean in even closer.

The sensation was even more ticklish than a feather brushing against her nose, stirring her slightly nervous heart into a restless flutter and sending a wave of heat through her body.

She wouldn’t let the culprit who had caused this get away. She whirled around swiftly.

Their noses brushed intimately, their breaths mingling in the air.

Liu Zimang hadn’t expected Song Cheng to turn so suddenly. The close contact and locked gazes left her momentarily stunned, her eyes fixed solely on Song Cheng.

Through Song Cheng’s eyes, she could clearly see her own reflection: cheeks flushed with a rosy blush, lips parted slightly and glistening with lip balm, and fox-like eyes veiled in a misty haze, utterly captivating and begging to be teased.

Startled, she took a step back, creating distance between them.

Liu Zimang’s movement snapped Song Cheng back to her senses. Her gaze flickered once more to Liu Zimang’s delicate lips, and she unconsciously swallowed.

Yang Qiong had observed the entire exchange. She glanced at Liu Zimang, who had already turned away, shook her head, and cleared her throat. “Learning on the fly without prior experience? This is the perfect opportunity to witness just how quickly a ‘fierce new wave’ can adapt.”

Song Cheng: “……”

Why does her mouth act just like Song Yu’s? Does she really think a few English words can stump me?

Her confidence was quickly shattered. Despite having a foundation in English from her original self’s studies, and Yang Qiong’s special efforts to help her learn faster by isolating English sections for repeated listening, her brain understood the sounds, but her mouth refused to cooperate.

Liu Zimang had already finalized the dance moves with Yu X. During a break, she leaned against the barre, facing Song Cheng, who was sitting in a chair.

Hearing Song Cheng’s clumsy pronunciation, Liu Zimang couldn’t help but cover her mouth to stifle a laugh.

Even though she tried her best to suppress the sound, Song Cheng’s sharp hearing caught it.

Song Cheng glanced up, let out a soft humph, and turned her body sideways, facing away from Liu Zimang to hide her embarrassment.

“Alright, stop practicing,” Yang Qiong said, her voice tinged with fatigue.

This only fueled Song Cheng’s competitive spirit. She glared at the English lyrics on the sheet music. “I’m going to master this today.” With that, she reopened the recording and listened intently.

Despite capturing every phonetic detail, when she tried to pronounce the words herself, something still felt off.

According to Yang Qiong, Song Cheng’s pronunciation was simply inaccurate.

After finishing their dance practice, Liu Zimang and Yu X remained in their starting positions, completely absorbed in their learning.

Not hearing a response, Liu Zimang stepped closer to Song Cheng and found her eyes tightly closed.

Just as she reached out to touch Song Cheng, Yang Qiong’s hand shot out to stop her, shaking her head to signal that she shouldn’t disturb Song Cheng.

Liu Zimang reluctantly withdrew her gaze and left with Zhao Q, who was waiting for her at the door.

An hour after Liu Zimang’s departure, Song Cheng, still in a meditative state, opened her eyes. Before Yang Qiong could speak, she declared, “Let your dreams fly…”

When Yang Qiong remained silent, Song Cheng’s face lit up. “Don’t bother trying to find fault where there is none. You won’t succeed.”

The corner of Yang Qiong’s mouth twitched. “Do you even know what humility means?”

Song Cheng stood up from her chair and slammed the sheet music onto the table. “I only know the word ‘confidence.'”

“Excessive confidence is called arrogance.”

Song Cheng tilted her head. “Shouldn’t it be called ‘overestimating oneself’?” Without waiting for Yang Qiong’s reply, she raised her hand. “I’ve completed today’s task. I’m going home now.”

After taking a few steps, she paused. “Since you kept me company today, I’ll reluctantly call you a car,” she added, suppressing a pang of heartache. “I’ll pay for it.”

“Great!”

Yang Qiong’s decisive response pleased her, easing the sting of spending money.

“Have you ever considered pursuing a career in the music industry?”

Song Cheng waved her hand dismissively. “No.”

Hearing this, Yang Qiong grew anxious and turned to face Song Cheng. “Don’t you like Xu We? Don’t you want to become someone like him?”

This was a decision Yang Qiong had pondered all night. Song Cheng possessed remarkable musical talent; with professional training, she could undoubtedly become a rising star in the country within a year.

Yang Qiong had heard Xu We’s songs and acknowledged his talent, predicting even greater achievements for him in the future.

But Song Cheng’s mindset and natural gifts surpassed Xu We’s, ensuring she would go even further.

The name “Xu We” didn’t pique Song Cheng’s interest. She shook her head dismissively.

All she wanted now was to be shelved by the company as soon as possible, return home to inherit her original body’s share of the family fortune, and experience what it felt like to be a wealthy heiress.

Besides, she still needed to find a way back to the cultivation world. Who had time for the music industry?

“What do you mean you’re not interested? If you weren’t interested, why would you sing? Why would you want to give a good performance?” Yang Qiong raised her voice, wishing she could crack open Song Cheng’s skull to see what was inside.

A thought struck her, and her tone softened slightly. “You must have heard about me from Ziman. Though I’ve retired, every song I released became a gold record and a timeless classic.”

Song Cheng finally understood. She tilted her head slightly to meet Yang Qiong’s gaze. “So you’re trying to sell yourself to me, hoping I’ll become your disciple?” She waved her hand dismissively. “Forget it. I enjoy listening to music, but I have no interest in singing it myself.”

Yang Qiong: “……”

Arriving in the lobby downstairs, Song Cheng scanned the area but couldn’t spot Zhu Ke anywhere.

Because Hongxia always assigned Zhu Ke extra tasks, Zhu Ke couldn’t leisurely wait outside the dance studio like Zhao Q. However, Zhu Ke always waited for her in the lobby or just outside the studio after finishing work.

Song Cheng glanced down at her watch. It was already over an hour past their scheduled departure time.

Is she still busy?

She looked away and was about to start walking again when she heard muffled sobs coming from a corner. Following the sound, she found Zhu Ke curled up like a kitten in the corner. Sensing her approach, Zhu Ke frantically wiped away her tears before turning to look up at her, revealing her tear-reddened eyes.

Zhu Ke awkwardly stood up, forcing a strained smile. Her voice was slightly hoarse as she said, “I’m sorry, Sister Song. I’ll take you home right away.”

Song Cheng nodded lightly and moved closer to Yang Qiong, pulling out her phone. “Let’s add each other. Send me the fare when you get there, and I’ll transfer it to you.”

Yang Qiong’s eyes lit up as she eagerly took the phone. She didn’t even mind that Song Cheng hadn’t pulled up her QR code, quickly taking the initiative to scan it herself and even adding a “Teacher Yang” note to her contact.

Song Cheng retrieved her phone, walked to the roadside, and hailed a tax under the watchful eyes of Zhu Ke and Yang Qiong.

She had learned this just yesterday.

Perhaps she was lucky, as a tax stopped almost immediately. Zhu Ke, reacting quickly, opened the car door for Yang Qiong. “Teacher Yang, please!”

Yang Qiong, who owned a car herself, stared at the tax for a moment before stiffly climbing inside.

After seeing Yang Qiong off, Song Cheng began hailing another tax.

This time, her luck ran out. Every attempt showed that all taxis were occupied. Eventually, Zhu Ke had to book a ride online.

As soon as they got in, the driver, seated behind the wheel, exclaimed excitedly, “You’re Song Cheng, the one who dances with swords and plays the flute, right?”

Song Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly, sensing no immediate danger, and gave a soft “Mmm.”

Zhu Ke, however, remained on high alert, her hand gripping the door handle, her eyes fixed on the driver without blinking.

“My daughter adores you! She’s been talking about you non-stop these past few days. Could you sign an autograph for her? She’d be so thrilled!”

When Song Cheng didn’t reply, the Master withdrew his gaze in disappointment. “It’s alright. She’ll be thrilled to know I gave you a ride. If her legs were still good, she’d be jumping for joy.”

Song Cheng’s eyes flickered slightly. “Give it here.”

The Master’s face lit up with a grin so wide he could barely close his mouth. He nodded eagerly, rummaged through the center console for paper and a pen, and wiped them on his clothes before handing them to Song Cheng. “Thank you!”

Song Cheng took the items and signed her name with a flourish. After a pause, she added the words “Keep going!” beneath her signature.

“Sister Song, your signature is so beautiful!” Zhu Ke leaned forward, her earlier disappointment completely gone.

Song Cheng’s lips curved into a faint smile as she returned the paper and pen to the Master. “Take me to Phoenix Sky Entertainment.”

The Master carefully accepted the items, tucking them into his inner pocket while expressing his gratitude. “Thank you so much!”

Zhu Ke’s eyes widened at the address. “Sister Song, weren’t you going home?”

Noticing the Master’s hesitant glance, Song Cheng repeated firmly, “Phoenix Sky Entertainment!”

Did Hongxia think she could bully my people so easily?