Chapter 91: Xi Siyuan’s Resentment

Jiang Yan’s voice was delicate and refined. It bore little resemblance to the original styles of “Next Stop, Diva” and “A Thousand Songs” from Earth. Yet, when sung by her, the melodies took on a special flavor all their own. For the inhabitants of Blue Star, who had never heard the originals, her performance could only be described as breathtaking. This effect was equally true for Xi Siyuan.

If “Next Stop, Diva” was somewhat dazzling, then “A Thousand Songs” struck directly at her soul. Music was Xi Siyuan’s field of study; though her focus in recent years had shifted toward managing relationships, a fervent passion for music still burned within her. For a fleeting moment, she felt that if this song belonged to her, it would be worth dying for. But the moment passed quickly.

After listening to both songs, she sat in silence. Su Chen! Both songs were composed by Su Chen. She had always dismissed his talent for songwriting, but now, the profound contrast left her shaken and ill at ease. When had his compositional skills become so exceptional? If anyone on Blue Star knew Su Chen best, aside from Tang Jiayi, it was surely Xi Siyuan. Yet in all their years together, she had never seen him produce such music. Even when he signed with Dynasty, it was only with a barely passable, unfinished piece.

Had he always been hiding his abilities? Suddenly, she recalled their meeting after the graduation gala. Even then, she had sensed a subtle change in Su Chen, though she hadn’t looked into it deeply at the time. Now it seemed that was when everything began to shift. Xi Siyuan was at a loss.

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October 8th.

In just a week, the Storm Chart had undergone a seismic transformation. Thanks to consistently positive feedback online, Jiang Yan’s new album had dominated the top spot on the chart, crushing all competition. Even more astonishing, her two standalone singles, “Next Stop, Diva” and “A Thousand Songs,” had seized second and third place respectively.

“Next Stop, Diva” album sales reached 4.59 million. “A Thousand Songs” single downloads hit 4.22 million. “Next Stop, Diva” single downloads totaled 3.89 million.

Xi Siyuan’s album and singles were pushed out of the top three entirely. The internet was abuzz with heated discussion. Jiang Yan’s fans, in particular, were elated.

“Where are all those haters now? Why are they so quiet? What happened to their arrogance from a few days ago?”
“There’s always a chasm between first-tier and second-tier artists—one that can’t be crossed. The official evaluation from the Weiwave platform is professional!”
“Ha! Second-tier talent trying to challenge first-tier authority? Ridiculous!”
“Exactly! That’s why her fans are just as arrogant as she is.”
“......”

Mockery swept across the internet. Though the facts spoke for themselves, Xi Siyuan’s fans couldn’t resist arguing back.

“What’s there to boast about? She just got lucky and landed some good songs!”
“She even resorted to fabricating scandals just to promote her new album—how can she call herself a diva?”
“Besides, who knows where Su Chen’s songs really came from? Maybe he bought them and slapped his name on them!”
“Su Chen and Jiang Yan’s relationship is ambiguous, and you’re all in the dark about it. I actually feel sorry for you!”
“......”

Unable to win, they resorted to slander—a familiar tactic. Yet, in the face of overwhelming defeat, these sour remarks felt weak and powerless.

October 9th.

“Next Stop, Diva” album sales climbed to 4.89 million. “A Thousand Songs” single downloads reached 4.82 million. “Next Stop, Diva” single downloads rose to 4.38 million.

The momentum remained strong. Perhaps due to stellar word-of-mouth, the sales of the two singles suddenly surged.

October 10th.

For the first time, “A Thousand Songs” single downloads surpassed the album sales of “Next Stop, Diva,” reaching 5.23 million.

October 11th.

“Next Stop, Diva” single downloads also surpassed the album sales, hitting 5.26 million.

October 12th.

Both singles continued to climb in sales, unstoppable.

By October 15th:

“A Thousand Songs” single downloads reached 6.56 million. “Next Stop, Diva” single downloads totaled 5.94 million. “Next Stop, Diva” album sales stood at 5.62 million.

Though the album’s sales had begun to wane, the singles were enjoying a renaissance. Jiang Yan’s songs occupied all top three positions on the Storm Chart. And so, only two weeks after the October chart opened, victory seemed certain.

Xi Siyuan’s new album, “Fly,” had only just surpassed 4 million in sales. Her singles fared even worse.

“Su Chen!” Xi Siyuan hissed his name through clenched teeth, her silent resentment palpable. This was her second moment of lost composure since being driven to tears at the graduation gala.

Initially, she was merely curious about how Su Chen could write such high-quality songs. But as her new album’s data was overtaken, then completely crushed, a sudden hatred welled up inside her. Someone she once manipulated at will was now the direct cause of her humiliating defeat in October. She felt a strange, bitter resentment.

For three years, he was mediocre while they were together. Yet, after their breakup, he quickly climbed to the heights of King Lu Yuanqing and young diva Jiang Yan. Worse still, he was writing songs for her archrival, Jiang Yan, to compete against her?

Xi Siyuan refused to believe Su Chen had composed such masterpieces in just a few short months since graduation. But if he had written them earlier, why hadn’t he given them to her, his girlfriend at the time?

The thought of her years spent networking day and night, groveling for songs, filled her with inexplicable anger. At the same time, doubt crept in.

She had always believed she held Su Chen firmly in her grasp—at least for the first three years. Now, it seemed things were not as she imagined.

“Phew!” She furrowed her brow and let out a long sigh, a sense of defeat washing over her, only to be replaced by her usual composure moments later.

Looking at the numbers, it was clear her chances of surpassing Jiang Yan in October were slim. But as a second-tier singer, her results were still impressive. After this, she might even be promoted to the first tier.

So, she would not give up. The road ahead was long; the future was hers to seize.

Just wait and see!