Chapter 29: Catching a Ride with Fame

The final exams at Jiangnan University were scheduled from January 9th to the 18th, and once the exams were over, the students were free for the holidays.

Ren Qian spent his break in tranquility, chatting with his nurse sister over the phone, reading books, practicing his instruments, and letting the days slip quietly by.

Meanwhile, as soon as the holiday began, Rolling Verse Entertainment started building up momentum for his father-in-law’s comeback. They hired hundreds of thousands of online influencers to dig up his past achievements and former glory; they unearthed his fifteen-year-old Cantonese album to use as a hot topic; even his close relationship with the diva Li Feifei was exposed in the media. Leveraging company resources and connections, they arranged for his father-in-law to appear on variety shows, and during the holiday, he’d visited nearly every major TV station in the empire. Even Jiangnan TV’s Spring Festival Gala featured him singing alongside Li Feifei, dazzling millions of her fans.

With his mature charisma that young idols lacked, his good looks rivaling current stars, his mastery of every instrument, and a sprinkle of wry humor, his father-in-law amassed a huge fan base. These fans promoted him spontaneously, making the news of the genius singer’s comeback and upcoming new album spread everywhere.

Of course, the power of fandom is immense. The heat surrounding his father-in-law’s return wasn’t confined to the Weibo circle. Headlines on Search Degree, Hundred Dog, and Special Search were all dominated by him.

By the end of February, the much-anticipated album was finally released, selling fifteen million copies, sending the entertainment industry into a frenzy. Such astounding sales hadn’t been seen in years—the last time sales broke ten million was Li Feifei’s "Station."

Such extraordinary achievement naturally sparked heated discussion!

Art Entertainment commented: "Looking at the past five years, not a single album has achieved the kind of innovation seen in 'Return.' Even Li Feifei only dabbled in such boldness, never daring to so recklessly and unreservedly kick open a new door. We must admire this musical genius for his courage to lead the way.

'Return' is not only innovative in arrangement and track listing, but also in lyrics. Several songs break free from the shackles of old-fashioned styles, such as 'last…order' and 'new…order.' There’s no literary posturing, no pretentious depth, no meaningless lamentations. If you listen closely, you’ll find that the two songs complement each other beautifully and possess a unique charm when played on repeat."

It is said that the creation of these two songs is itself a delightful story.

Lin Ruowan has been renowned for a long time, once known as a rising star in his era. Had he not left the music scene to blaze a new trail, he would surely have held a place among today’s Four Heavenly Kings. Genius often stands apart, and things too far ahead of their time are rarely accepted by the masses. His departure was destined to make his return even more brilliant—and so it proved.

The story goes that not long ago, Lin Ruowan was drinking at a small bar, drowning his sorrows, when inspiration struck. He composed a gentle melody, wrote the lyrics on the spot, and sang it improv—this became the 'last…order' we now hear.

Those familiar know 'last…order' tells the tale of a down-and-out drunkard who loses love twice in one night. The story is absurd and humorous, yet reflecting the twists of real life. Upon careful appreciation, one discovers a subtle delight.

Soon after, a young man arrived at the bar, heard the song, and was inspired. Within minutes, he erased the lyrics of 'last…order' and wrote his own.

Thus, 'new…order' was born.

Listening with a quiet heart to 'new…order,' one can't help but be impressed by the young man's insight and understanding of the melody. The lyrics are unpretentious, yet within their simplicity lies an unmistakable elegance—like a princess fallen amongst mortals, or a plain blossom blooming under the silver light of the evening moon.

Let’s not linger on further lyrical analysis.

The author’s favorite lines are from 'new…order': “Let me, next year, open a flower shop,” and from 'last…order': “It seems I’ve become what I am.” Each is the highlight of its respective song.

The former perfectly sketches the lively attitude of the waiter toward life; the latter deepens the drunkard’s sense of helplessness.

If you don’t want to miss the feast of these two musical geniuses, hurry and buy the album.

By the way, the young man’s name is Ren Qian.

It wasn’t just Art Entertainment praising Lin Ruowan.

Other media reported in succession, some focusing on 'Rascal,' others on 'Voice of the Wanderer,' some examining the overall style and concept of the album. Ren Qian knew Rolling Verse Entertainment was driving much of this, but there was no doubt—his father-in-law’s comeback was astonishingly impressive.

'new…order' and 'last…order' became must-have tracks for young literary types to show off. 'Rascal' became a sweet love song for couples to support and encourage each other; boys with a hint of mischief would listen, feel a resonance, secretly learn to sing it, and then serenade their girlfriends face-to-face.

'Voice of the Wanderer' finally silenced the conservative old-school critics.

What more could they say? Lyrics like, “Ignorant frog in a well, vainly hoping for acclaim, only proud of empty glances, who’d expect a golden house to turn to ruin?” brim with biting satire. To nitpick would only invite ridicule.

The sales miracle, combined with the album’s solid quality, propelled Lin Ruowan to fame overnight. "True musician," "Returning king," "Pioneer of a new era," "Mature male god"—a series of labels branded him deeply into the public consciousness.

Yet, to the world’s surprise, Ren Qian quietly became famous in the midst of this storm.

The reason for his fame? People began to notice that Lin Ruowan’s 'Return' album featured three classics, all composed and written by Ren Qian!

Three classics by one person—nothing could be more impressive. If he were already famous, people might nod, thinking it expected, but this was a name they’d never seen before.

So thousands began searching for Ren Qian’s background and history, and once they started, they couldn’t stop!

“Hey? Isn’t this the 'Boundless Sea and Sky' I hear everywhere and can sing along to? Turns out Ren Qian sang it? Talented indeed, no wonder he wrote 'Voice of the Wanderer,' a song full of life’s philosophy.”

Instant fan conversion!

“Huh? This song is called 'Lingering Regret'? I heard it once from a beautiful colleague and thought it was wonderful, but was too shy to ask the name. Who knew it was sung by Ren Qian—he’s truly a talented person!”

Instant fan conversion!

…

Meanwhile, all the Ren God fan clubs began posting enthusiastically, analyzing Ren Qian’s talents, beautifying his image, and spreading articles praising his abilities across the internet—most of these posts, analyses, and embellishments came from elementary and middle school students.

Though the writing was a bit immature, the sincerity was clear, and their admiration for Ren Qian was unmistakable (not at all less than that of crazy superfans).

Ren Qian never thought he would make it to number four on the Hundred Dog trending search and number five on the Weibo topic list! He hadn’t done anything, yet got a free ride on the elevator to fame—what a delight.