Chapter 53: Is Tang Guo a Man or a Woman?

Kong Qishui looked at Su Chen with some concern and said,
“Isn’t this kind of direct confrontation going to cause problems?”
Su Chen gave a cold laugh.
“People have bullied us to the point of almost trampling us underfoot—are we supposed to hand them a tissue while they shit on us?”
Kong Qishui was momentarily speechless, unable to respond.
After a long pause, he gave a self-deprecating smile.
That’s right! It’s just a music critic, isn’t it?
Why had he let himself become so anxious and hesitant?
Sensing that wild arrogance on Su Chen’s face, even for just a fleeting moment, he was suddenly filled with a sense of nostalgia.
Hadn’t he once been the same—young, brash, and unrestrained?
“If that’s the case, then let’s play along with him!”
-------------------------------------
If Su Chen’s current popularity was a surging torrent,
Then Mu Qingyun’s remarks were like a massive boulder dropped right in its midst, splitting the flood in two.
“Teacher Mu is right. Just anyone thinks they can show off and call themselves king now? They should take a good look at themselves first.”
“If I’m not mistaken, this Tang Guo is a newcomer, right? Ha! Barely started in the industry and already scrambling for fame and profit! I doubt they’ll achieve much in the future.”
“Seriously, what’s so great about topping the rookie chart? There are so many heavyweights on the main chart, but I’ve never seen any of them act so cocky right after debuting!”
“...”
This was probably the most exhilarating moment of the day for Mu Qingyun’s fans.
Every day at this time, Mu Qingyun would post something new.
Whether it was sharing music theory or criticizing singers and songs,
There was always plenty of “substantial content” to get his fans fired up.
Of course, compared to previous posts, today’s was the most explosive yet!
Because this was the first time Teacher Mu had criticized a composer directly.
They were eager to see what kind of sparks would fly!
Birds of a feather flock together, sharing the same rotten stench!
Compared to Mu Qingyun’s fans, others were far more measured.
Aside from most people just watching for the drama, there were also those supporting Su Chen.
“This music critic really has issues. If he’s not trashing someone today, it’s someone else tomorrow!”
“People with certain ‘imbalances’ are like that—done in two seconds, all their fire stewing inside!”
“I think there’s nothing wrong with calling someone ‘Rookie King.’ Maybe it’s a bit cocky, but the songs are genuinely good!”
“...”
Although Mu Qingyun was influential and had a sizable fanbase,
There were still plenty who disliked his methods—
Especially fans of celebrities he’d criticized before.
You could say they despised him with a passion,
Some to the point of looking down on all music critics because of him.
While the public remained divided and debate raged on,
Su Chen’s latest Weibo post set off an explosion.
“Who the hell do you think you are?”
Whoa!
What a bold composer!

Since Mu Qingyun started his career as a music critic, he had insulted countless people—
Sometimes in public, sometimes online.
But since most singers didn’t want trouble, they’d usually swallow their pride and stay silent.
After all, someone like Mu Qingyun was a real troublemaker; you might not even get your dignity back, and end up worse off.
But this was the first time someone had dared to stand up to him directly.
“Tang Guo is really gutsy!”
“Haha! Finally, someone is giving this old nutcase a taste of his own medicine!”
“I think it’s better to just let it go. Mu Qingyun is a lunatic—if he latches onto you, you’ll never hear the end of it!”
“As a public figure, cursing people out on Weibo—what about your professionalism?”
“He’s an old man; you shouldn’t treat an elder like that!”
“...”
-------------------------------------
In a luxurious villa in Yangzi District, Shanghai,
An elderly man with graying hair and glasses sat at the dining table.
With a bang,
He slapped his fork hard against the table.
The fingers of his right hand, scrolling on his phone, trembled with agitation.
How dare this Tang Guo?
For all the years Mu Qingyun had been a music critic,
He’d appeared on countless programs,
Served as a judge, acted as a live music director,
And later became a professional online critic.
He’d criticized more songs and singers than he could count,
Yet never had anyone dared insult him like this!
He had listened to several of Su Chen’s songs and admitted they were good—
But his profession was to critique music. If he praised everything, wouldn’t he lose his livelihood?
How else would he have afforded this villa over the years if not for these stunts?
Lately, the media had been buzzing about Tang Guo.
He had immediately sensed this was a hot topic!
If he could leverage it, he’d surely go viral!
The public was easy to manipulate; stir up their emotions a bit,
Guide them in the right direction, and they’d become his mouthpiece.
Besides, he genuinely disliked Tang Guo.
The media called him “Rookie King,” and he accepted it without a hint of humility.
He himself had been a music producer for years, yet never received such accolades.
But he hadn’t expected Tang Guo to be so brazen!
Hmph! He’d have to teach him a lesson!
He frowned, trying to compose himself,
Then, with a still-trembling hand, posted on Weibo:
“Some people shouldn’t think they’re so great just because they have a few works to their name. Today’s gold and silver medal composers were all once stars on the charts.
But I’ve never seen anyone so arrogant. Compared to them, some people’s works are plain and unremarkable—where does this confidence come from?”

Perhaps because he was so angry, he wrote a lot more than usual.
Normally, he wouldn’t attack someone at such length—
Usually just a song critique, with a passing jab at the singer.
Today was a first.
“Su Chen, check Weibo!”
The people in the composing department had been following the matter online, always keeping up with the latest.
As soon as Mu Qingyun’s post appeared, they immediately alerted Su Chen.
Su Chen glanced at his phone.
He scoffed—this old man was attacking both the person and their work!
Clearly, he was truly angry!
He picked up his phone, and using the same method as before, reposted Mu Qingyun’s Weibo—
Adding just a few simple words:
“If you’re so capable, why don’t you do it yourself?”
As soon as he posted, Dong Xiaojie beside him got the notification.
She couldn’t help but laugh.
“Su Chen, you’re ruthless!”
Back when Mu Qingyun was a producer before digital music took over, he hadn’t produced anything noteworthy,
So this was the one thing he hated people bringing up.
Su Chen’s words hit him where it hurt!
But what she didn’t know was that Su Chen hadn’t thought that far ahead.
The situation simply reminded him of a classic retort from his previous life—
He’d once been on the receiving end of it, left speechless.
Even after finding the perfect comeback online, he’d never forgotten it!
Now, facing off against Mu Qingyun, the phrase popped into his mind and he posted it without hesitation.
He hadn’t expected it to feel so satisfying!
After posting on Weibo, Mu Qingyun felt smug.
He was using the weight of all the old-timers to press down on Su Chen—let’s see how you respond!
If you reply, you offend your elders; if you don’t, you let me win!
But his joy was short-lived, shattered by Su Chen’s single sentence.
“If you’re so capable, why don’t you do it yourself?”
“You brat! Brat...”
One hand shaking as he clutched his phone, the other frantically searching his pocket for heart pills!
“Hahahaha! ‘If you’re so capable, why don’t you do it yourself!’ Tang Guo is savage!”
“Finally someone’s putting this old man in his place!”
Online, there were insults, support, and plenty of bystanders enjoying the drama.
Suddenly, someone raised an unusual question.
“Hey guys, does anyone know if Tang Guo is a man or a woman?”
“With that style, could it be a tomboy?”