Entertainment: A song that brought his deceased wife back to life.

The news broke at 2:17 PM.

Luo Qianyu was nestled on the sofa, munching on an apple, when her phone suddenly started vibrating violently.

She glanced at the screen, and the apple nearly rolled off her hand and onto the floor.

The top three trending topics on Weibo were all marked with the red word "Explosive".

#Zhou Yaoyang confirmed to join the Echo of Cloud Edge Grand Finals#

#Heavenly King Makes a Guest Appearance as Su Man's Backing Singer#

#Is there any hope left for the Bluebird Flying Fish?#

Zhou Yaoyang.

The last man in the Chinese music scene to be universally recognized as a "King of Pop".

Three years ago, he retired at the peak of his career, leaving behind seventeen Golden Melody Awards and 400 million album sales, disappearing from the public eye without looking back.

The industry's assessment can be summed up in one sentence: When this person is around, everyone else can only compete for second place.

Luo Qianyu scrolled through the comments section twice.

[Oh no, oh no, a nuclear bomb has arrived. This isn't inviting a guest performer, it's inviting the Terminator.]

No matter how much Luo Qianyu improves, she's completely crushed when faced with Zhou Yaoyang's monstrous vocal pressure and stage presence.

[To be honest, I feel a bit sorry for Qingniao Feiyu. They're facing a living legend, folks! Is there any suspense left in this match?]

[Max-level characters returning to the starting village to slaughter everyone—game designers, come out and take your punishment!]

Deepsea Capital is really going all out this time; I heard they spent eight figures on appearance fees alone.

Luo Qianyu scrolled through the comments from beginning to end, and then back again from end to end.

I took a bite of the apple; it was crunchy and delicious.

The study door opened, and Xu Qing came out carrying a glass of water. The gauze on the web of her right hand had been replaced with a new one, and it looked clean.

He sat down at the other end of the sofa, picked up his phone, and swiped a couple of times.

Then he turned to look at Luo Qianyu.

Luo Qianyu was cracking apple peels with her front teeth, thoroughly enjoying herself.

"Everyone outside says we're doomed to lose," Xu Qing said casually. "Aren't you worried?"

Luo Qianyu didn't even raise her head. She simply draped her long legs over Xu Qing's legs, her toes curled up, and her chin raised.

"What's the rush?"

Xu Qing waited for her to continue.

Luo Qianyu precisely tossed the apple core into the trash can on the coffee table, wiped her hands with a tissue, and turned to face Xu Qing.

His expression was incredibly arrogant.

"My Xu Qing is the best."

Xu Qing didn't respond.

Luo Qianyu continued her attack: "So what if the opponent is a Heavenly King? Losing isn't shameful—being able to force a Heavenly King to come out of retirement and compete on the same stage proves that I'm qualified."

She stretched out her index finger and poked Xu Qing's chest domineeringly, her eyebrows raised high and her voice full of confidence.

"What if we win?"

"Rise to power by stepping on the Heavenly King, and if you win, you'll be deified!"

Xu Qing looked at her fearless demeanor and remained silent for two seconds.

Then he reached out and ruffled Luo Qianyu's hair.

Luo Qianyu instinctively slapped his hand away: "I told you not to rub it! It's messing up your hairstyle!"

"Slip of the hand."

"You always accidentally click the wrong button!"

Xu Qing withdrew her hand and comfortably leaned back into the sofa.

He discovered something.

Six months ago, Luo Qianyu would unconsciously clench her fists whenever she heard Su Man's name. Three months ago, she was so angry about the judges' malicious scoring that she couldn't sleep.

And now.

Her opponent had changed to a retired superstar, and the entire internet was overwhelmingly pessimistic about her, but she sat on the sofa eating an apple, her legs draped over him, without a trace of panic in her eyes.

It wasn't an act.

I'm really not worried.

"When did you become so arrogant?" Xu Qing asked.

Luo Qianyu tilted her head and thought for a moment.

"It probably started... from the day you broke the glass for me."

She spoke very softly, but Xu Qing understood.

It's not about smashing the cup itself.

She said that she witnessed him break down and bleed, but he could still sit down and write a song in one night to stand up to everyone.

"Anyway," Luo Qianyu snuggled into Xu Qing's arms, burying her head under his chin, "as long as you're here, I'm not afraid."

Xu Qing placed his hand on her shoulder and rubbed his thumb against her sleeve.

"What if I'm scared too?"

"If you're scared, I'll carry you and run away," Luo Qianyu said in a muffled voice.

Xu Qing couldn't help but laugh out loud.

She laughed very softly.

There was a moment of silence on the sofa. Then Luo Qianyu suddenly spoke up again.

"Xu Qing."

"Um."

What song are you planning to use?

"I haven't decided yet."

"You're lying." Luo Qianyu raised her head and glared at him. "Someone like you, the moment the opponent's name pops up, you already have a plan to blow up the scene in your head."

Xu Qing looked into her eyes and reluctantly gave in.

"Okay, we have an order."

"What song?"

You'll find out then.

"Here we go again!" Luo Qianyu slapped him on the chest. "You said the same thing last time, and the time before that! Couldn't you at least give me a heads-up?"

"Once it's all out in the open, there's no suspense."

"I don't want suspense! I want security!"

"Didn't you just say you weren't afraid?"

"I'm not flustered when facing those people outside! But I feel extremely insecure around you!"

Xu Qing's eyes crinkled with laughter at her robber-like logic.

He lowered his head and kissed Luo Qianyu's smooth forehead.

Trust me.

Luo Qianyu's complaint caught in her throat.

Her face flushed, she glared at him for two seconds, and finally obediently buried her face in his chest, humming and whimpering without saying a word.

The phone vibrated a few more times on the coffee table.

Neither of them paid any attention.

......

the same day.

Across the Pacific Ocean.

Another late night, twelve hours ahead of time.

In a cold, hard capitalist office, blinds cut the streetlights outside into strips, slanting across the black marble tabletop.

The overseas agent of Deepsea Capital sat behind a table with a laptop in front of him.

A video of the airport is playing on a loop on the screen.

In the footage, a man wearing a baseball cap is escorted out of the arrival gate by a dozen top-tier bodyguards. His cap brim is pulled very low, but his profile is still captured by the media.

Zhou Yaoyang arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport.

The comments section below the video has already received over 100,000 views, with the screen filled with the same message: "The King of Pop is back."

The agent pressed the pause button and leaned back in the large boss's chair.

He was in his early forties, and his suit was very well-tailored, with his cufflinks gleaming with the cold light of custom-made platinum.

My left index finger tapped slowly on the edge of the desk, once, twice, three times.

"Zhou Yaoyang," he muttered to himself, "this level of leverage is substantial enough, isn't it?"

Another silent, encrypted phone on the table lit up.

He picked it up, swiped it open, and clicked into the encrypted communication software.

The message was sent by Wang Jianguo.

[The person has landed. They'll be rehearsing with Su Man in the main studio tomorrow afternoon. Remember to transfer the remaining appearance fee to the overseas company's account.]

The agent glanced at it but didn't reply.