Chapter 136: A Blazing Debut, Trending Topics Guaranteed

On Weibo, the buzz surrounding the show "Voice," Li Siqi, and Fang Xing continued to intensify. Speculation regarding Li Siqi's contract was rampant.

Some high-profile influencers claimed that Li Siqi had been locked in a high-stakes standoff with the "Voice" production team, trying to negotiate a better contract, only for the deal to collapse entirely. Others stepped in to clarify, suggesting it was merely a standard negotiation, but that Fang Xing had suddenly swooped in, securing the debut spot with a much more cost-effective contract.

The internet was a battlefield, with trolls, drama-seekers, and fans of the boy band SPK clashing in a chaotic melee. With so many people using "doge" emojis—or pretending to—it was impossible to tell who was a genuine fan and who was a provocateur.

However, industry insiders who truly understood the landscape saw through the noise. They ignored the rants of ordinary netizens and fans, focusing instead on the posts from major influencer accounts. It was clear that these accounts had split into two camps: one aiming to frame Fang Xing for malicious competition, and the other exposing Li Siqi’s brinkmanship with the producers, which had led the show to pivot toward Fang Xing.

Those familiar with the entertainment industry knew exactly what was happening: it was a proxy war between Chaoyin Culture and Songshi Records. As for the "leaks," neither side provided hard evidence; it was all just carefully crafted narrative pieces. Actual proof would never be released, as the contracts were protected by non-disclosure agreements. Furthermore, neither company had jumped into the fray directly, preferring to pay for professionally written propaganda.

***

Music critic Ni Hongdan, as per her usual routine, hosted a livestream during any show featuring Fang Xing so she could watch along with her followers. Shortly after the broadcast began, the topics concerning Fang Xing and Li Siqi rocketed to the top of the trending lists.

Netizens flooded into her stream, asking in the chat:
"Is it true that Fang Xing stole Li Siqi’s debut spot? Qiqi’s mom, do you know any inside info?"

Seeing the comments, Ni Hongdan smiled and replied, "I’m not privy to that. Let’s stick to what the show presents. Based on what’s aired so far, it’s not yet certain if Li Siqi is even the second challenger. But, based on my judgment, since Shen Xiyin is a girl group leader, theoretically, the other challenger should be a similar type of artist."

The chat continued to scroll:
"So it’s Li Siqi then, right? A girl group leader and a boy group leader—that’s a perfect match."
"It could be Wu Junchen, too. They’re both leaders of limited-time groups; wouldn't that be even more fitting?"
"Wu Junchen never won a single time against Fang Xing on 'Star of Tomorrow.' He’d dare to challenge him on 'Voice'? His head would be smashed into scrap metal."
"Who cares about the challenger? I’m here for Qiqi! Where’s Qiqi?"

Ni Hongdan turned her camera and said, "Qiqi is playing in her playpen. I’ve got her fenced in, so she can crawl around however she likes."

***

The show continued. The host announced that two singers had been selected as targets for the challengers, and one of them was Fang Xing. Moreover, Fang Xing was the first to perform, choosing the song "The Brightest Star in the Night Sky."

As soon as the chorus hit, many viewers were moved to tears.
"I pray for a transparent heart, and eyes that can shed tears..."

The comment section exploded:
"This song is amazing! Absolute fire!"
"I don’t have eyes that can shed tears—definitely not!"
"Someone actually dared to challenge this? Are they deaf?"
"I suddenly really want to see the expression on the second challenger’s face. They’ve hit a brick wall."

Yet, that wasn't even the climax. During the instrumental break after the second chorus, Fang Xing improvised a vocal run in the fifth octave. Using head voice, his singing swept through the venue like a storm—clean, ethereal, melodious, and piercingly bright.

The chat went wild:
"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap!"
"High... high-energy warning! Too late!"
"What was that vocal run? What just happened? He’s never shown that before!"
"Vocal major here: That fifth-octave head voice run was thicker and more solid than Lu Ming’s, though not quite as high in pitch. In summary: a top-tier fifth-octave vocal run."
"I’ve figured it out. Everything Fang Xing performs on stage is something he has fully mastered. It’s clear he couldn’t do this before not because he lacked talent, but because he hadn't practiced it to a performance-ready level yet."
"This is getting terrifying. Before, he was solid in the fourth octave, hitting A4s and B4s with ease and touching C5s with mixed voice. Now he’s conquered the fifth octave? Is he a monster?"
"Welp, that challenger didn't hit a brick wall—they hit a tank."
"I feel bad for Li Siqi for a second."
"Feel bad +1."
"Fang Xing has one flaw: he always goes too hard. I wanted to see a real challenge!"
"Too hard +1."
"Wanted to see it +1."
"After hearing this, would any challenger dare to step up? Do they not want their legs anymore?"

***

In Ni Hongdan’s livestream, followers kept asking questions: "Qiqi’s mom, what do you think of 'The Brightest Star in the Night Sky'? What level was that vocal run in the break?"

Ni Hongdan answered with a serious tone: "Fang Xing has improved even more since 'Star of Tomorrow' three months ago. It’s a bit frightening. Do you remember? By the finals of 'Star of Tomorrow,' he had already improved significantly from the first episode. Three months later, his technique is even more solid—he’s like a singing machine. His pitch is so perfect, it’s as if it were etched into his vocal cords.

"And he’s a singing machine with genuine emotion, which is just unfair. During the final chorus, it sounded like he was about to crack, but that wasn't a lack of technique—it was him using his voice to vent his emotions. He’s pushing his technique to a higher realm. If I had to evaluate him now, he’s reached the peak of a vocalist and is stepping toward the master level—one foot is already inside. Thinking back, I can’t name another pop singer his age who has reached this level. Maybe you could find one in the national troupe."

"Is that rating too high?" a netizen asked. "Are you looking at him through fan-tinted glasses? That sounds like you're setting him up for a fall."

Ni Hongdan shook her head. "It’s not a setup. In fact, the music industry hasn't truly recognized his strength yet. His technique is enough to shake even the established mid-career vocalists. Ordinary viewers just think he sounds good, but the more professional you are in vocal studies, the more you realize how solid his foundation is. Put it this way: his pitch control is as precise as a piano. And with that thick chest resonance and bright head resonance, I have a feeling he’s going to be the 'Big Demon King' of the industry in a few years."

"So the challenger is doomed?"

Ni Hongdan chuckled. "I don’t know who the challenger is, but if I were the one challenging... obviously I don’t have the skill, but hypothetically—I’d rather choose any other mid-career vocalist than Fang Xing. From a vocal perspective, trying to beat Fang Xing is like trying to take first place. Usually, challengers have a lower profile than the regulars, and honestly, I can’t think of any young singer in the scene right now who could beat him."

***

On screen, after Fang Xing finished his performance, the audience wondered if the challenger would step out. Among the viewers, a few were uninterested in guessing.

Ning Xiaoyun lay on the sofa, popping a grape into her mouth. "Why are all these fans spamming the chat asking Li Siqi to challenge him? Did they forget he didn't even show up in the first round?"

Lu Xiang’er curled up on the sofa, hugging her knees. "It wouldn't matter if he did. Beating 'The Brightest Star in the Night Sky' is too difficult."

On screen, the camera cut to the challenger's waiting room. The director asked, "You have ten seconds to decide. If you don’t press the challenge button within ten seconds, you forfeit tonight’s opportunity."

The mysterious challenger sat with hands clasped over their mouth, thinking for a long time before ultimately choosing not to press the button.

The chat erupted:
"As expected, too scared."
"Boring. They chickened out."
"It’s wise. Sometimes you have to know when to retreat, otherwise you'll lose your legs."
"Have some mercy! How is a challenger supposed to beat 'The Brightest Star in the Night Sky'? Are they supposed to crash into a tank?"
"Crashing into a tank—hilarious!"
"A very smart choice. Looks like this challenger knows how to use their brain. That’s what makes the show fun."
"Exactly. If you see your opponent drop a 'King Bomb,' there’s no point in rushing up to get slaughtered."

A student from a music conservatory commented: "With Fang Xing’s current technique, any strategy is futile."

The show continued. After the masked challenger chose to forfeit, the director conducted an interview. "According to the rules, you can choose a new target next week. Will you still choose Fang Xing?"

The challenger replied, "Yes. I will choose him again."

The chat went wild:
"Stubborn! That’s the spirit."
"Exactly. Fang Xing is just a singer; he won’t go this hard every single episode."
"True, he won’t go this hard every episode—he’ll only go harder each time."
"I have a feeling about what’s coming. Fang Xing said before that he’d go 'a little bit' harder next week."
"Li Siqi is truly miserable!"
"Miserable +1."
"The episode isn't even over, and I’m already looking forward to the next one."

***

After Fang Xing’s performance, it was singer number two, Chen Lizhu’s turn. She sang "Melody in Dream," which was quite good, receiving plenty of praise in the comments. However, English songs are rarely popular with older viewers when it comes to voting.

After Chen finished, the "Challenge Warning" sounded. Shen Xiyin stepped out, and the song she chose to perform was "The Wind Rises."

When the title appeared, the trolls and drama-seekers were amused:
"What does this mean? Killing with a borrowed knife?"
"Using Fang Xing’s blade to cut down singer number two? That’s too much."
"Fang Xing has already performed, but the shadow he cast is already enveloping singer number two."

Shen Xiyin performed the female version of "The Wind Rises" on stage, her voice ethereal and clear, moving many in the audience. However, the votes weren't revealed on the spot, leaving the audience to guess.

"That’s a wrap. This version of 'The Wind Rises' is great. I think Chen Lizhu is done for."
"Shen Xiyin has a great ear for music; her song choice was too precise."
"Does this mean Fang Xing is interfering in the challenge round too?"
"He’s a regular contestant, yet he’s sticking his hand into the challenge round. Never seen anyone so overbearing."

***

When all the performances concluded, it was finally time to announce the rankings. As in previous seasons, Zheng Tao began his usual stalling tactics.

"The singer in first place... does their name have two characters? Or three?"
"The singer in first place... is a man? Or a woman?"
"Did the challenger win? Or the regular?"

After a barrage of questions, the chat exploded:
"Giving up any shred of dignity for ratings."
"Never seen such a shameless person."
"My mom asked me why I keep yelling at the screen while still watching it."
"Where’s the progress bar? I want to skip! Ah, it’s a satellite TV variety show, never mind."
"Scumbag director!"
"Scumbag director +1."

Zheng Tao stalled for several minutes, played another commercial break, and finally announced the challenge results: Shen Xiyin had succeeded.

"As expected, Shen Xiyin took advantage of the momentum and defeated the newcomer champion."
"Good choice of target, good choice of song. The other challenger should take notes."

After announcing the results, Zheng Tao stalled for another ten minutes before revealing the final rankings. Fang Xing’s "The Brightest Star in the Night Sky" had taken first place.

The chat went into a frenzy:
"Holy crap! He actually took first!"
"Wasn't Fang Xing supposed to be eliminated in the second episode? What does this mean?"
"Can someone tell me, if you take first in the first episode, what kind of performance would lead to elimination in the second?"

The netizens began to analyze:
"Theoretically, if you get first in the first round and last in the second, the average would be fourth?"
"No, no, the combined ranking usually adds the votes from both episodes. If he gets zero votes in the second, he could be eliminated."
"Zero votes? That would require being poisoned into silence, right?"
"The facts prove our mysterious challenger Li Siqi is very smart—he didn't choose to challenge tonight’s champion."
"How is he still a 'mysterious challenger' if everyone already knows it's Li Siqi?"
"I’m off to gossip; SPK fans are going to explode."
"Update: 'The Brightest Star in the Night Sky' has hit the top ten trending list."
"Update: 'Li Siqi afraid to challenge' is also in the top ten."
"Update: Another trending topic: Is the mysterious challenger really Li Siqi?"

***

The first episode of "Voice" had just finished, and relevant topics were flooding the trending lists. Shen Xiyin’s victory also made the list, though her fans weren't as fanatical as Li Siqi’s, keeping her topic hovering outside the top ten. The top three were all related to Fang Xing and Li Siqi.

The official "Voice" Weibo account neither confirmed nor denied that the challenger was Li Siqi, effectively letting the rumors ferment because it brought massive attention to the show. Because this season had been rushed, the pre-show promotion was lacking, making these viral topics crucial. Since Li Siqi was a top-tier celebrity, anything involving him generated immense traffic.

However, because Li Siqi was only a "challenger," SPK fans were furious. Many flooded the official "Voice" Weibo:
"If our Siqi is really a challenger, I swear I’ll never watch 'Voice' again."
"Siqi is so talented, why is he just a challenger?"
"Show producers, I’ll give you three seconds to tell me the challenger isn't our Siqi, or suffer the consequences."

Because the heat of the first episode was driven by Fang Xing and Li Siqi, countless viewers were already looking forward to the second. Many commented:
"Li Siqi, you made a promise—you’d better stick to it even if you cry. Don’t change your target for the second episode!"
"As long as he doesn't change his target, even if he loses, it’s still honorable, right?"
"The second episode hasn't even started and you’re already judging the winner? What if Li Siqi wins next time?"
"You said it yourself—'what if'."

***

After the episode aired, Fang Xing received many congratulatory messages.

Li Caiwei: "Your performance in the first episode was fierce!"
Attached to the message was a voice note from Xiao Douya: "Uncle is so amazing, so amazing!"

Guo Keda: "Brother Fang, legendary!"
Lu Ming: "Captain, that was incredible! The song was amazing."
Shao Yu: "What kind of monster are you? You’ve improved even more since the finals three months ago."
Lu Xiang’er: "The song was beautiful. Good luck tomorrow!"

Beyond these friends, there was one voice message that made Fang Xing’s mood complex.
Mom: "You sang so well. Your dad and I watched the show, and he said you were great, too. That Shen Xiyin sang your song—are you two close?"

Fang Xing had complicated feelings about his parents in this world. During the "Star of Tomorrow" training camp, he had received a call from his mother every month. Like most mothers, she asked if he was eating well, if he was tired, if he was under pressure. Fang Xing always gave the same answers: eating well, not tired, no pressure.

Hearing his mother’s voice reminded him of his mother from his previous life. Even though they were two different worlds, a mother’s concern remained the same.

Fang Xing typed a reply: "My work is going very smoothly, and my career is developing well. Don’t worry about me. Take care of yourselves, eat whatever you want, and enjoy yourselves."

He sent the message to his parents in this life, but in his heart, he was speaking to the parents he had left behind in his past.