93. On the Feasibility of Ji Fanxing’s Reform of the Music Scene

The result was exactly as expected.

The entire venue erupted in cheers.

"Ji Fanxing! You deserve it!"

"My God, I was worried that since Ji Divine Singer never signed with a company, she might leave the industry. Now that's settled!"

Fang Zhijing's voice was steady and gentle, filled with unmistakable admiration for Ji Fanxing.

"This outcome also does justice to your elder sister's efforts..."

In the contestants' section, Ruan Lin had not clearly seen where Fang Zhijing was standing. She only caught the name Ji and, unable to wait, turned to share her delight with Ji Rufeng beside her.

Ji Rufeng stood there, stunned once again. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, his voice stumbling.

"Mother... no... elder sister..."

It felt as though his whole being had split in two. One half was clutching its head and shouting, How could this be? This is that useless Ji Fanxing! Has Master Fang gone senile? How could our elder sister be inferior to her?!

The other half took a long, weary drag from an imaginary cigarette held between its fingers and gazed into the distance. Why couldn't it be? Was Ji Fanxing's song not good? Were you not moved? This is a singing competition. Is it wrong for someone with her strength to beat the elder sister? No, it isn't.

"How could it be her? We clearly agreed it would go to Sheng Xue." Only after her younger son reminded her did Ruan Lin realize that the name being called all around them was Ji Fanxing.

"Mother, what are you saying? What was agreed?" Ji Rufeng rubbed his ear, convinced he had misheard.

"Nothing..." Ruan Lin poured herself a cup of tea before easing the irritation in her chest. "We'll talk when we get home."

Though she did not know why Master Fang had done this, the invitation was still in the Ji family’s hands. As long as it remained within her own home, anything could still be arranged.

Onstage, Ji Fanxing saw the silver envelope and felt as though she were being handed a hot potato.

The level of the music world in this country was, compared with the music scene of her former world, like that of an elementary school child facing a university graduate.

What was there for her to exchange and discuss? The pronunciation of vowels with a bunch of grade-schoolers?

She still had far more important things to do later; she had no time to waste on this.

"Teacher Fang, I'm not interested in the invitation. I've never thought about these things. Could you give it to someone else?"

Ji Fanxing's hands were already full, and she had no microphone, but she still tried to refuse.

Du Ge, who had been jogging over to resume hosting, froze at the words, his expression cracking for a brief instant.

What was this girl saying? Those were dangerous words.

The microphone he had just handed over happened to carry her last sentence to everyone.

"Could you give it to someone else."

In the contestants' section, Ruan Lin's hand paused around her teacup. Remembering her earlier warning to Ji Fanxing, she unconsciously assumed that Ji Fanxing was speaking up for her elder sister.

Her brow knitted tighter. This second daughter was still far, far behind her sister. To say something like that in public—how was Master Fang supposed to handle it?

If he simply handed it over to Sheng Xue, it would inevitably spark talk such as, Why does the invitation keep ending up in the Ji family? or Is there some hidden arrangement?

But if he then gave it to someone else on the spot, wouldn't that be the same as giving away a wonderful opportunity?

Before the television, Ji Changming thought exactly the same as Ruan Lin.

"Fit only for the dogs, useless for anything but causing trouble!"

As a celebrity family, the Ji family did not lack fame. In his eyes, the little notoriety Ji Fanxing had gained by winning the championship was nothing worth mentioning.

What Ji Changming valued more was controlling greater resources in the entertainment industry. No director, no matter how acclaimed, could escape the sway of capital. Only by becoming capital itself could the Ji family secure its place forever in the industry.

What the Ji family needed was a daughter who would take the right path and bring benefits to the family.

"You little girl, interesting. Why would you refuse?"

At the venue, Fang Zhijing did not take offense at the rejection. Even the way he addressed Ji Fanxing changed. Du Ge on the side let out a breath of relief and once again extended the microphone toward her.

After all, this was a master of music in the Dragon Nation, and her musical philosophy was something he greatly admired.

After thinking for a moment, Ji Fanxing decided it would be better to speak more cautiously.

When Chu Hao had refused earlier, Fang Zhijing had not made things difficult for him. She assumed the same would be true for her.

After all, this was a live broadcast watched by millions, and a great musician still had to maintain a certain grace.

"Because this invitation is too rare. I want to give this hard-won opportunity to someone who needs it more."

As she spoke, Fang Zhijing kept watching Ji Fanxing. Seeing her expression open and honest, her words clearly sincere and without the least hint of coercion, he admired her even more.

Her temperament bore a slight resemblance to his own when he was young. The more he looked at Ji Fanxing, the more he liked her.

"Haha, little girl, I gave it to you not because you need it, but because it needs you."

With the knot in his heart untied, Fang Zhijing spoke and acted with increasing ease. How could he possibly let a talent like Ji Fanxing slip away?

After saying this with earnest warmth, he did not wait for her refusal. Instead, he tucked the invitation into the bouquet she was holding and smiled at her.

"Little girl, if you don't return it to me, I'll take that as your agreement. One month from now, I'll be waiting for you."

Ji Fanxing's eyes widened.

The invitation that everyone had been fighting over was now just like a greeting card, thrust into her bouquet and forced into her hands?

The whole venue was stirred by this astonishing turn of events.

[Wait, what just happened?!]

[Ji Divine Singer refused, Master Fang refused Ji Divine Singer's refusal, and then stuffed the invitation into her hands.]

[The result makes me very happy, but the process is unbelievably surreal.]

[So this is the terrifying strength of a singing king!]

[Thinking about it now, Ji Divine Singer really doesn't fit the style of the exchange conference. Wasn't there a joke before? "The worst music in the Dragon Nation is all at the exchange conference." Hahaha.]

[That's true. The music at the exchange conference keeps getting weirder and weirder, all technique and no emotion at all. The performances look like some sort of ritual.]

[Honestly, that song was harder to understand than a fashion runway show.]

[It seems like ever since Master Fang announced his retirement, the music in domestic entertainment has grown stranger and stranger. It wasn't until I heard the songs on The All-Around Singing King that I understood what music really is.]

[I hope Master Fang can also attend this exchange conference and join Ji Divine Singer to clean up the music scene.]

[The comment above is brilliant! Others might not dare to say it, but if it's Ji Divine Singer, maybe it could really happen! Even Master Fang said that the exchange conference needs someone like Ji Fanxing.]

[Exactly. Setting aside Hai Lan and Chu Hao for the moment, just look at how the later growth of Ji Shengxue, Chong Ming, and the others was all inspired by Ji Fanxing.]

[Say it like that and I get even more excited! Ji Divine Singer took The All-Around Singing King so far; the final episode was practically divine. It was on par with the New Year's Gala!]

[NONONO, the New Year's Gala doesn't have songs this good...]

The more the netizens discussed it, the more excited they became. Even after the final episode of The All-Around Singing King ended perfectly, everyone was still brimming with enthusiasm.

They moved to Weibo and other social platforms to continue the discussion, even opening a trending topic called: The Feasibility of Ji Fanxing Reforming the Music Industry.

Within that topic, netizens compared every song Ji Fanxing had performed since joining the competition with the classic pop music of the Dragon Nation, one by one.

In the end, they reached the same conclusion: none of the Dragon Nation's songs could compete.

To their surprise, they discovered that all the major music charts in the Dragon Nation had, without anyone noticing, already been conquered and held by Ji Fanxing.