Chapter 116: Murong Xue’s New Album

The fans gasped in astonishment. Could Ren Qian be any more thoughtful? He actually intended to sign an autograph for every single person. It must be noted that there were at least five to ten thousand fans gathered in the square. There was no way he could finish signing for everyone in under five hours!

Sure enough, two hours slipped by in a flash, and Ren Qian hadn't even covered half the distance. The fans surged forward, pushing and shoving, which utterly exhausted the bodyguards. Being pressed by the weight of dozens of people, they could barely catch their breath.

"Ren Qian, I love you!"
"Ren Qian, could you let me touch your hand?"

Ren Qian complied, and the girl on the other side suddenly went wild with excitement. "Oh my god! I’m pregnant! The baby is the God of Qian’s!"

Ren Qian: "..."

Many fans, having received their autographs, stood to the side to take photos. Click, click, click—dozens of shots were taken, then edited for half an hour to perfect every detail before being uploaded to Weibo.

"My idol is so heartwarming. There are over five thousand fans, yet he didn't complain about the fatigue and signed every single one personally. Seeing him drenched in sweat makes my heart ache! Many fans are buying him ice cream and drinks. I hope we get to hear him sing on stage tonight; I’ll wait no matter how late it gets. A star who has no airs and doesn't act like a diva—I’ve decided to be a fan for life!"

The post included nine dashing photos of Ren Qian—side profiles, front views, looking up, looking down, smiling, serious—capturing him at his absolute best. They certainly wouldn't post anything that didn't look good! He was their ultimate idol.

"You ask me why I admire Ren Qian? Because he is overflowing with talent. You might say there are many talented people, but I say there is only one in this world with talent like his. You ask me why I admire Ren Qian? Because he is modest and humble. You might say there are many humble people, but I say there is only one megastar who would work tirelessly to sign an autograph for every single fan. We aren't mindless fanatics. If you take the time to learn about him, you will understand why he has fifty million Weibo followers and why he is held in such high regard by so many singers and veteran artists."

Such Weibo posts were frequently shared and praised by many.

Liu Yi hadn't originally been a die-hard fan; at best, he was grateful to Ren Qian and listened to his music in his spare time. But today, his opinion shifted dramatically. Such an idol! He was truly manly! Even someone like him, who never chased celebrities, felt a stir of excitement. He let his girlfriend rest while he ran all over the square, searching for the perfect angles to capture photos of his idol for her.

In the end, the two of them even took an intimate photo together. "My thoughtful boyfriend and my thoughtful idol are both by my side. Brother Qian is truly handsome and has such a classy air about him; he just captivates everyone instantly. My boyfriend is a warm-hearted guy too. I’m so happy! Tee-hee!"

...

The sun was sinking behind the mountains. Neon lights began to flicker on across the square, yet Ren Qian was still signing autographs. He had reached about three or four thousand. His arm ached, his fingers trembled, but there was no turning back now. He couldn't bring himself to just leave. The fans were looking at him with such expectant eyes.

Ren Qian now only hoped that the blockheads on stage would run down and drag him away. This was exhausting. In the future, he would have to carve a dozen stamps and hand them to the staff to mass-produce signatures. It would save so much energy!

On stage, the other singers were completely at a loss. The original plan was for all of them to sign alongside Ren Qian, but it had turned into a solo marathon for him; only the fans who had already received their autographs would wander over... It was so awkward. Plus, it was already six in the evening; after a busy afternoon, they were tired and hungry. What about the performance later? If the press conference didn't end until eleven or twelve at night, they would be exhausted. They still had rehearsals tomorrow, and if they didn't get enough rest, they’d be scolded by Ren Qian for having dark circles under their eyes.

"Boss, should we go persuade Ren Qian? If he keeps signing like this, there will be no end to it."
"Brother Wei, we really need to pull him back. In all my decades of living, this is the first time I've seen such an earnest megastar."
"Brother Qian probably feels too embarrassed to turn the fans away, as some of them traveled from far away just for this. He doesn't want them to have made the trip for nothing."
"Brother Qian is just a warm-hearted person. Let him sign. It’s ending soon, and the media will have something to talk about. This is great for his image."

Director Hong Tao stopped them. He touched his bald head with satisfaction and smacked his lips. No one understood Ren Qian better than him. If Ren Qian knew, perhaps he would be incredibly grateful to him? Then he could just wave his hand and say, "It was just a small favor."

Ren Qian had truly painted himself into a corner. Having signed for over four thousand people, he had gone through three black ink pens and effectively crippled his right hand!

"Thank you for your hard work, God of Qian."
"You've worked so hard, Ren Qian!"
The fans held their signed notebooks or white shirts with satisfaction, offering him thoughtful words of comfort.

"Hehe, it's nothing, it's nothing..."

...

The next day, the glorious deeds of Ren Qian spread through the newspapers and media. Netizens cheered for how warm-hearted he was, contrasting him with those arrogant, diva-like celebrities.

"This is the most confident stance of a star—gentle, respectful, and modest, possessing talent without being arrogant."
"My idol deserves all this adoration."

However, Ren Qian was known for being elusive; just as the media began to report on him, he would always disappear. He was busy producing a new album for Murong Xue!

Due to a gambling wager, he couldn't release albums at will. If the sales weren't high enough, the team behind the Heavenly King would latch onto it and try to drive him out of the entertainment industry. Therefore, if the timing wasn't right, he wouldn't release an album casually, but he still wanted to test the depth of the current music market. Thus, he had to find someone else to do it. A top diva would have been a great choice, but they wouldn't let him have full control over the album's production. So, he had to settle for the next best thing: Murong Xue.

Since participating in *I Am a Singer*, Murong Xue had become famous, her fan base growing by the day, quickly becoming a super-popular singer and being touted as the next generation's top diva. Letting her test the market would not only help cultivate her career but also satisfy his own hidden motives—killing two birds with one stone.

The quality of the album went without saying, and Murong Xue’s popularity was not to be underestimated. With the promotional backing of Jiangnan Satellite TV, the scale would be no less than that of the senior artists. If her record sales were unsatisfactory, it would be a pipe dream for Ren Qian’s own records to break forty million.

This was the pressure. Even the senior divas and veteran singers hadn't managed to break twenty million; for him to double that figure based on their achievements was easier said than done. It wasn't simple addition; it was doubling the effort! Even with his current momentum, even at the height of his popularity, even with his millions of fans...

Sigh, everything depended on this trial run.