Eldest Senior Sister Became a Sensation After Being Blacklisted Online - Chapter 6

If you’ve got the guts, come at me.

This response flashed through Liu Zimang’s mind, but the strict family rules that had bound her since childhood, and her mother’s teachings, prevented her from uttering such defiant words as Song Cheng had.

Yu X was wrong. It wasn’t that Song Cheng had influenced her; rather, Song Cheng had awakened the rebellious spirit that lay dormant within her.

In truth, Liu Zimang had always harbored a rebellious streak. Abandoning the elegant and widely admired piano for the less popular flute, and defying her family’s plans to pursue her passion at a dance academy, were all testaments to her defiance.

She refused to live a life of conformity like her mother, nor would she swallow her grievances in silence when wronged.

So what if she lacked martial arts talent? She would still live a vibrant and fulfilling life.

After leaving Phoenix Sky Entertainment, Song Cheng returned home by tax with Zhu Ke.

As she entered the living room, a mocking voice greeted her: “You’ve made quite the progress these past few days, haven’t you? Coming up with such a dirty trick to grab Xu We’s attention.”

Song Cheng glanced sideways to see her brother, Song Yu, sitting on the sofa with a cup of coffee.

Seeming displeased by her silence, Song Yu set his coffee on the coffee table and fixed his gaze on her. “You’re so bold when confronting others, but suddenly mute when you’re home?”

A thought struck him, and he stroked his chin with a nod. “A bit foolish, but your courage has definitely improved. If you’d acted like this sooner, you would have snagged that pretty boy Xu We long ago.”

Song Cheng strode over and sat down opposite Song Yu, her expression serious. “That mouth of yours has blocked quite a few… romantic opportunities, hasn’t it?” She paused, searching for the precise term. “Romantic prospects, I mean.”

Junior Martial Uncle had taught her that when confronting someone, you must strike their sore spot to leave them speechless.

And Song Yu’s sore spot was his romantic failures.

Silent, he was a gentle, popular male god. But the moment he spoke, you wanted to clench your fists.

Because of this, the original owner had been reduced to tears countless times by her brother since childhood.

Song Yu’s expression darkened, and he gritted his teeth, “Song Cheng!”

Song Cheng shrugged. “Your ability to handle pressure needs work. At least get it up to the level of your mouth.”

Song Yu: “……”

How can that mouth be so infuriating?

Wu Guifang, who was sitting at the dining table with Sister Feng, picking vegetables, had been keeping an eye on the siblings’ bickering, worried her son might say something harsh to his sister.

To her surprise, Song Cheng not only didn’t get upset as usual but actually left Song Yu speechless.

As a mother, she knew her son’s character all too well. His sharp tongue had offended countless people. Fortunately, he exercised some restraint in business, which kept the company from collapsing.

Logically, with such a son, one would expect the daughter to be equally strong-willed. Yet, when Song Cheng was a few years old, the family’s finances were strained. Wu Guifang and her husband were constantly working, and over time, their once cheerful daughter grew withdrawn and quiet.

To help her daughter regain her former spirit, Wu Guifang and her husband had put in considerable effort.

Unfortunately, their family’s sudden wealth attracted a flood of rumors and gossip. Despite their best efforts to avoid the so-called high society circles, their daughter was still affected, losing some of her confidence and even developing a sense of inferiority.

A girl who once avoided large gatherings now shied away from crowds altogether. Yet, driven by her desire to be near Xu We, she mustered the courage to enter the entertainment industry, even spending lavishly to get closer to him.

Thinking that a little spending was worth it if it made their daughter happy, they never imagined that within a month of her debut, she would be attacked by sasaeng fans, dragging the entire family into the chaos.

Compared to the emotional toll on their daughter, these troubles seemed insignificant. The mother never blamed her daughter.

What truly angered her was seeing her daughter torment herself by refusing to eat or drink, her entire being consumed by despair over online criticism.

Even in her weakened state, their daughter insisted on appearing on the same stage as Xu We on a variety show.

It was then that the mother realized she could no longer indulge her daughter’s obsession. She couldn’t let her daughter degrade herself for the sake of chasing a star.

That’s why she used her wealth to issue her daughter a final ultimatum.

When their daughter announced she wanted to leave the entertainment industry, she and her husband couldn’t have been happier. But amidst their joy, they also feared she might change her mind, and worried about the impact of online criticism and potential bullying. For the past two days, she had been glued to her phone, anxiously monitoring the situation.

Watching her daughter’s outstanding performance, she was overwhelmed with excitement and pride.

As she calmed down, a nagging sense of unease crept in. She had never known her daughter could wield a sword, let alone with such skill.

Only when her husband suggested it might be something she learned at school did her doubts give way to pride.

But that doubt resurfaced when she heard her daughter’s sharp retort to her son.

I’m just overthinking things, she told herself inwardly.

Song Cheng, lounging comfortably on the sofa, remained oblivious to her mother’s conflicted emotions. She leaned back casually, waiting for dinner to be served.

Meanwhile, at the Talent Clash Clash production team’s headquarters…

Two hours had passed since the program’s official clarification statement was released.

Zeng Jiong forced himself to stand up and analyze the situation. “Today’s incident has undoubtedly tarnished the program’s reputation. However, on the bright side, our viewership has surged by a third compared to its previous peak. If we can follow up with another explosive talent performance, Talent Clash Clash will stand out among all variety shows.”

Zhang Heng, his face grim, swiveled his chair to face the projection screen.

Zeng Jiong immediately signaled his data team colleague, and a graph illustrating the data trends appeared on the screen.

Seeing Zhang Heng’s silence, Zeng Jiong continued, “Song Cheng’s behavior is infuriating, but now isn’t the right time to kick her out. The media and the audience are watching closely, and there’s also Liu Zimang to consider…”

Zhang Heng abruptly raised his hand, cutting off Zeng Jiong’s unfinished sentence. “I don’t want to see any more stage dramas.” He stood up from his chair and strode toward the door, adding, “Handle the rest yourselves.”

Feeling Zhang Heng’s gaze, Zeng Jiong’s heart sank.

He bore partial responsibility for the recent fiasco, and as a partner in Talent Clash Clash, his accountability was even greater.

Once Zhang Heng had left, Zeng Jiong moved from his seat to the chair Zhang Heng had just vacated. “You’ve all heard General Zhang’s instructions. If anyone has any ideas, please speak up.”

The next day, Song Cheng returned to the living room after finishing her training to find Zhu Ke sitting anxiously on the sofa.

Seeing her, Zhu Ke immediately stood up, her voice trembling with tears. “Sister Song, you’re finally done!” She glanced at the time, her eyes widening in alarm. “Sister Song, hurry, we’re going to be late!”

Zhu Ke had arrived an hour earlier and waited at the door for a long time, but Song Cheng hadn’t come out. She had no choice but to reluctantly ring the doorbell.

Sister Feng informed her that Song Cheng was training and couldn’t be disturbed.

Left with no other option, Zhu Ke had been forced to sit and wait.

Song Cheng thanked Sister Feng, accepted the towel, and wiped her sweat as she said, “Go call a car first. I’ll be right behind you.”

The absence of a call from the company confirmed that the production team hadn’t kicked her off the show, meaning her plan to remain a Hidden Talent would continue.

She hadn’t expected the production team to resume filming so quickly.

After quickly changing into a white, traditional Chinese-style long dress, she hurried out the door.

After all, the original owner of her body had signed a contract with the production team. If she terminated the contract due to her own reasons, she would have to pay a hefty penalty.

She had learned this while looking up the meaning of “Hidden Talent” the previous night.

Upon arriving at the studio, she immediately drew numerous gazes.

Long accustomed to such attention, she simply ignored it and headed straight for the stage.

Just as she reached the steps, a staff member stopped her. “Teacher Song, your seat is over there.”

Song Cheng followed the staff member’s gesture and saw a transparent booth had been set up on the left side of the stage, barely a meter from the front row of the audience.

Though less elaborate than the waiting area on stage, the booth contained the same hanging chair she had reclined in during her previous appearance.

Having no interest in the stage itself, she merely glanced at the staff member before turning and walking toward the booth.

Live Stream Chat:

Hahaha, the production team finally did something right—isolating Song Cheng!

This… are they sure it’s not because they’re afraid she’ll say something shocking again?

Upstairs is spot on.

Am I the only one curious why Song Cheng hasn’t gone berserk over this differential treatment? Where’s the promised explosive dragon?

As netizens buzzed with speculation, Song Cheng had already reached the hammock chair and was about to lie down when Zhu Ke grabbed her arm. “Sister Hongxia said you can’t ruin your image.”

Song Cheng shrugged off Zhu Ke’s hand and settled into the hammock with practiced ease. “I don’t rely on my looks for a living. What image do I need to maintain?”

Zhu Ke fell silent, unable to refute her logic.

Song Cheng’s features, while not conventionally striking, and her lingering baby fat made her easily overlooked in the entertainment industry, where beauties were a dime a dozen.

Realizing she couldn’t dissuade Song Cheng, Zhu Ke resignedly lowered her head and took a seat in the assistant’s waiting area, barely half a meter away, her gaze fixed on Song Cheng.

Sister Hongxia and General Manager Hu had both warned her: if Sister Song caused any more trouble, she’d be packing her bags and heading home.

Liu Zimang, seated among the mentors, glanced briefly at the nonchalant Song Cheng before quickly averting his gaze.

Good riddance, he thought. At least she won’t say anything outrageous now.

The rest of the show proceeded so smoothly that Zeng Jiong and everyone present felt a sense of unreality.

Precisely because of this seamless flow, it was soon time for Guest Number Nine to perform.

The guest chose to play the violin. While the piece wasn’t particularly challenging, the performance flowed effortlessly from beginning to end.

Song Cheng lazily rolled over, glancing sideways at the stage. “Out of tune,” she muttered.

Not her problem.

“Now, let’s have the five mentors give their scores!”

Three mentors awarded 9.0, while Liu Zimang and Xu We only gave 8.5, dragging down the average.

“So far, five guests have achieved an average score of 9.3 or higher. According to our show’s rules, this round is a top 10 to top 6 elimination. Will the final spot go to one of the remaining guests, or will Song Cheng, who performed last, seize it with her performance? It all depends on what she does next.”

The moment the words left the host’s lips, the audience erupted into murmurs.

The question on everyone’s mind: Could Song Cheng pull it off?

Just then, a hunched man wearing a black baseball cap approached the audience behind Song Cheng. Leaning close to the nearest spectators, he whispered, “The betting odds are out. 1 to 3 against Song Cheng winning, 1 to 10 for her winning. Anyone interested?”

“The show’s rules prohibit advancing guests from performing the same talent in consecutive rounds. I’ll bet three thousand against Song Cheng winning.”

“Besides sword dancing, she probably doesn’t have any other tricks up her sleeve. I’ll bet five thousand against her winning.”

“Ten thousand against her winning.”

“Two thousand against her winning.”

The more Song Cheng heard, the more excited she became. She beckoned Zhu Ke, who was still staring at her, with a flick of her finger.

Seeing the signal, Zhu Ke immediately leaned closer, her voice barely a whisper: “Sister Song, are you… nervous?”

Song Cheng shook her head, unlocked her phone, which she had been carrying, and handed it to Zhu Ke. She nodded toward the man in the black baseball cap. “Bet everything on it. Remember, bet on me to win.”

Zhu Ke looked utterly bewildered.

“The password is XXXX. Hurry!” Song Cheng urged.

Zhu Ke nervously approached the man in the black baseball cap, tightening her grip on the phone. “I… I want to place a bet.”

The man sized her up with a glance. “You’re Song Cheng’s assistant,” he sneered. “What’s this? Trying to help her save face?”

He glanced sideways at Song Cheng, who had already left the hammock chair and was heading toward the stage, his expression mocking. “Aren’t you afraid of losing everything?”

The man’s attitude infuriated Zhu Ke. She straightened her back. “That’s none of your concern.” She glanced down at the remaining balance on the phone—three thousand yuan. The words “three thousand” were on the tip of her tongue, but under the surrounding jeering gazes, she gritted her teeth and declared, “Bet twenty thousand.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them.

She was still in her probationary period, and her monthly salary was a meager four thousand yuan.

S City was notorious for its exorbitant housing prices and high cost of living. Zhu Ke’s monthly salary barely covered her basic needs.

Excluding the 3,000 yuan from Sister Song’s phone, she had to dip into her hard-earned savings.

Upon hearing the amount, the man immediately pulled out his phone. When Zhu Ke didn’t move, he sneered, “If you’re broke, don’t try to act rich. Or do you not believe in your own boss?”

Provoked, Zhu Ke gritted her teeth, pulled out her own phone, and transferred the money.

Song Cheng, already on stage, glanced at Zhu Ke walking back. When their eyes met, Zhu Ke forced a smile, signaling her success.

Just as Song Cheng looked away, Zeng Jiong’s voice boomed through the venue: “Teacher Song, would you like us to prepare any instruments for you?”

“I need a flute,” she replied calmly.

Her words ignited another wave of commotion in the audience.

“Did I hear right? She’s going to play the flute?”

“Oh no, our ears are about to suffer!”

“Let’s bet how long it takes for Brother or Best Actress Liu Yinghou to stop her. Remember Guest Number 5? He sang decently, but Brother still cut him off immediately!”

“I’ll say one minute.”

“One minute? You’re being too generous to this country bumpkin. Twenty seconds, tops!”

The online chatter continued to intensify.

I already predicted this slaughter.

My poor brother’s ears!

Let me guess, is this country bumpkin trying to cozy up to Best Actress Liu Yinghou? This… won’t this just anger her?

I’ve never seen such overconfidence.

Reading the online comments, Zhu Ke, who had just returned to her seat, clenched her fists tightly.

She mentally repeated her mantra: Trust Sister Song. Sister Song can definitely do it.

If Sister Song can wield a sword so masterfully, a mere flute won’t be a challenge for her.

The only person who remained calm was Liu Zimang. Her intuition told her that Song Cheng would surprise her.

Unaware of Liu Zimang’s high expectations, Song Cheng accepted the flute from a staff member and began to play.

She chose a melody she had once heard in the mortal realm. The tune started smoothly, yet it possessed a calming effect on restless hearts.

As the melody rose, listeners found their hearts involuntarily swaying with the music. They felt the heroic fervor beneath the clash of swords and the desperate unwillingness to yield.

Further on, an indescribable sense of tragic grandeur emerged, as if lamenting the mercilessness of war.

Even after the melody ended, the audience remained lost in sorrow, some already weeping openly.

Zeng Jiong, the first to break free from the music’s spell, gripped the microphone tightly.

Though he hadn’t checked the data yet, he knew their show would explode in popularity after today.

Their first step had succeeded.

Snapping out of his excitement, he raised the microphone only to see Xu We leap from his mentor’s seat, completely disregarding the occasion. He rushed toward Song Cheng, excitedly reaching out to grab her shoulder, but she deftly sidestepped him.

Undeterred, Xu We withdrew his hand casually. “Who composed this piece? Could you introduce me?”

A thought struck him, and he added, “If he’s willing to come, name your price.”

Song Cheng’s eyes lit up at the mention of money, but she had no intention of claiming someone else’s credit. “You can’t meet him.”

When she first heard the melody, curiosity had piqued her interest. After inquiring, she learned it was composed by a general who had died in battle. To honor his memory, the emperor ordered the piece to be played before every military campaign.

Over time, the melody spread far and wide. Whenever people heard it, they would remember the general’s heroic deeds and the soldiers who swore to defend the border to the death.

Xu We returned to the mentor’s seat, his expression downcast. He quickly wrote a high score of 9.8 on the scoring board and raised it, saying, “I can’t give a perfect score. I believe you can do even better.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the three mentors beside him gaped in astonishment.

Since the start of the show’s filming, Xu We had rarely spoken, and when he did, it was usually to point out flaws in the contestants’ performances.

Yet, faced with Song Cheng’s flute performance, he not only awarded a high score of 9.8 but also offered such high praise, clearly indicating his profound admiration for her playing.

The audience below the stage was equally stunned, shaking their heads in disbelief.

“Am I hallucinating? How could a country bumpkin possibly play such a soul-stirring melody?”

“Ahhh… my money, my reputation!”

“I trust my oppa’s judgment. He never favors anyone. If he says Song Cheng is good, then she’s good.”

A chorus of online skeptics echoed these sentiments.

I never imagined that just listening to a melody could conjure such vivid imagery in my mind.

This is the first time I’ve ever found flute music so captivating.

Is this really just a flute? It sounds like the entire life of a warrior.

Ah… I’m going to rewatch this later and save the clip of Song Cheng’s performance.

Me too! Me too!

Song Cheng, tell us, what else are you hiding from us?

On the judges’ panel, Xu We had already taken the lead by awarding a high score, and the others quickly followed suit, unanimously giving a 9.8.

Liu Zimang went even further, awarding an exceptionally high score of 9.9.

Zeng Jiong swiftly seized the opportunity, asking, “Teacher Song, what are your thoughts on Mentor Liu’s exceptionally high score?”

Song Cheng, eager to collect her winnings, repeatedly glanced at Zhu Ke, who was still in a daze, signaling her to hurry up and get the money.

At ten-to-one odds, three thousand yuan could instantly become thirty thousand.

But Zhu Ke remained frozen.

“Teacher Song?” Zeng Jiong called out again.

Song Cheng shifted her gaze to Liu Zimang. “I’ll play it for you again later.” With that, she turned back to Zeng Jiong. “Anything else? If not, I’m leaving.”

Before Zeng Jiong could react, she had already started walking away.

Spotting the man in the black baseball cap trying to slip away, she immediately declared, “You haven’t paid yet. You’re not going anywhere.”

The man quickened his pace, getting closer to the exit.

Song Cheng wasn’t about to let the money slip through her fingers. She immediately channeled her inner energy, moving through the crowd like a phantom. Just as the man stepped out the door, she grabbed his shoulder and extended her hand. “Give me the money.”

The man feigned ignorance. “What money? I don’t understand.”

Song Cheng narrowed her eyes, her gaze locked on him. “You bet on me to lose at 1:3 odds, and on me to win at 1:10 odds.”

The man’s face turned ashen. He hastily pulled out his phone. “I only have 150,000 here. Take it all. Will that be enough?”

Zhu Ke, who had rushed over as quickly as possible, panted, “No! 200,000. Not a penny less.”

After catching her breath, she threw the man’s earlier taunts back at him. “If you’re afraid of losing everything, maybe you shouldn’t try to run a gambling ring like others do?”

Hearing this, Song Cheng realized her assistant had personally increased the stakes, using her own money.

But how did Zhu Ke know I would win? Did she really believe in me that much?

Without dwelling on it, Song Cheng tightened her grip on the man’s shoulder. Before she could speak, the spectators who had placed bets swarmed around them, blocking his escape.