Chapter 157 (First Update)

157:

"Teacher Shao, although you are very popular now, you can't be so hasty!" the director couldn't help but advise.

"I didn't." Mu Shaoting wasn't very satisfied with his obviously resistant attitude. "My nephew sings very well, so I didn't act rashly."

Director: ...This isn't about whether it sounds good or not. This is, who would let their nephew stand on the stage as a guest performer?!

The director could only smile and say to her, "But I think Teacher Murong Qing is more suitable. You see, the public is very interested in Teacher Murong Qing right now, and they all want to know what she looks like. Having Teacher Murong Qing sing as a guest performer at this time would be good for you and for our show's ratings, right?"

Mu Shaoting nodded, "Yes, yes, but..."

"He probably won't come."

"Why?" the director asked, puzzled.

Mu Shaoting sighed, "He's socially awkward, the kind of person who's extremely, extremely socially awkward. Putting him on this kind of stage, with all the spotlight on him, is no different from taking his life."

Director: !!!

The director really didn't expect Murong Qing to be this kind of person.

But it's normal for a talented person to be aloof.

Since Mu Shaoting had already said that, the director naturally couldn't say anything more.

He just wants higher ratings, not lives.

"But your nephew?"

Mu Shaoting frowned, "What's wrong with my nephew?! My nephew is so good-looking, he's doing you a favor by appearing on your show?!"

The director nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes..."

etc!

He suddenly realized that he had actually met Mu Shaoting's nephew before. Not only had he met him, but many staff members had also met him. He was incredibly cute, well-behaved, and pretty. At first glance, they might have mistaken him for a child star who had come to their TV station to record a program.

Good-looking people are always likable, whether they are young or old.

Perhaps this combination of a beautiful girl and an adorable child can actually bring about a unique effect!

but……

The director kindly said, "Teacher Shao, let me remind you in advance that the guest singers will affect the final rankings. So if the remaining two contestants invite well-known singers, their fame may affect the final voting results, which may be detrimental to you."

"I know," Mu Shaoting said with a smile. "It's nothing."

With her current popularity, she'll definitely debut and sign with a company as a singer, so it doesn't matter whether she's first or third.

Besides, what kind of skill is it to win first place by relying on someone else's fame and popularity?

Isn't it just riding on someone else's coattails?!

She doesn't want to!

She will rely solely on herself!

Okay, at most we'll add one more, like her at the beginning, Murong Qing, who was unknown and had no popularity or fame.

Otherwise, why would she have changed her name to Shao Ting?

It's because they're afraid people will associate it with Mu Shaowu and the Mu family.

"I'm leaving." Mu Shaoting turned around and left the director's dressing room.

Looking at her carefree demeanor, the director thought to himself, "It's so good to be young, so good to be popular. A middle-aged man like me no longer has the courage to say 'I don't care' like this girl in front of me."

Hopefully, she and her adorable little nephew will achieve a good ranking.

Mu Shaoting returned to the lounge and left the TV station with Ye Qingxi and Li Jing.

"Auntie, who are you planning to ask to sing with you?" Ye Qingxi asked curiously.

He had always known about this, so he had been considering who would be the most suitable person for Mu Shaoting to invite.

At first, Ye Qingxi thought it would be fine to ask his father to sing.

But just now, when the host said the word "live broadcast" on stage, Ye Qingxi gave up instantly.

With his father's singing voice, the day he becomes a guest singer will be the day his father dies.

Ye Qingxi could already foresee that the trending topic that night, "Mu Shaowu's music is awful," would be followed by "Explosive."

This wouldn't be good for his father's image, so let's just forget about it.

But if his father can't do it, then who can?

He had listened to a lot of songs sung by singers from this world before, because of this talent show, and later he also listened to songs by some singers who wanted to ask him for songs.

There are some singers in the show that he quite admires.

He could also use his own songs as leverage to invite them to collaborate with Mu Shaoting.

However, having never met the person in person, Ye Qingxi hesitated about whether to take this step.

But if we don't take this step, who should we ask to sing with us?

His uncle is busy preparing for the college entrance examination, so it's definitely not possible—nothing can affect or delay the college entrance examination.

I wonder how well his uncle sings? Does he sound like his sister or his brother?

besides……

Ye Qingxi slowly raised her eyelids and looked ahead, wondering how well her Uncle Li sang, and whether he was suitable to sing along with her aunt...

"You," Mu Shaoting replied lightly, instantly interrupting Ye Qingxi's thoughts.

Ye Qingxi: ? ? ?

Ye Qingxi looked shocked and full of questions.

"I?!"

"You want me to be your guest performer?!"

Are you kidding me, Auntie? I'm just a nameless five-year-old!

In your eyes, I'm still Ye Qingxi, not Murong Qing, right?

Mu Shaoting nodded, "Mm."

Ye Qingxi: ...No, are you serious?

"Why?" Ye Qingxi asked, confused. "Who lets a child be a guest performer?"

"There's no explicit rule against children being guest performers," Mu Shaoting argued confidently. "Besides, you're not just any kid; you're our family's genius!"

Ye Qingxi: ...Now is not the time for you to praise me!

"Auntie, do you still want to win the championship?"

Mu Shaoting leaned back in the back seat, his tone indifferent, "Anything is fine."

She said, "My goal is to debut as a singer. I'm already very popular, so whether I win the championship or not, I'm sure I can debut. Don't worry, baby."

Ye Qingxi: ...You seem to have a very open-minded attitude!

However, "Why didn't you invite Uncle Li?"

Li Jing quickly stretched out his ears.

Mu Shaoting pursed his lips, "I don't care about the championship, but that doesn't mean I'm going to give up on it."

Li Jing: ...

Li Jing: "Am I really that bad at singing?!"

Ye Qingxi: Exactly!

Mu Shaoting said in a calm tone, "Then sing a song for Xiaoxi right here and let her hear it."

Li Jing: ...

Li Jing muted his microphone.

Ye Qingxi: ? ? ?

No way!

What's wrong with your world?!

Can't all handsome guys sing?!

This doesn't make sense!

Ye Qingxi had a headache.

Wait a minute, Ye Qingxi suddenly thought, "Auntie, you've never heard me sing before? What if I sing terribly?"

"Impossible," Mu Shaoting said. "Your dad said you sing quite well, and you can even change lyrics!"

Ye Qingxi: ...His show-off father!

"Besides, you're so cute, it doesn't matter if the voice sounds good or not, as long as you look good." Mu Shaoting hugged him. "Xiao Xi, don't feel pressured, just think of it as going out to play with your aunt."

"Auntie didn't necessarily want to win the championship. Auntie just wanted to end this competition happily, and having you by my side makes me the happiest."

She smiled sweetly at Ye Qingxi, "You've been with me since the preliminary rounds. Now that we've reached the finals, I have the chance to have someone by my side, and of course I hope that person is you! That way, when you grow up and your aunt gets old, we can talk about this again, open the video, watch the replay, and relive this precious experience together."

"This is my first time participating in a talent show, and it's also the first time I've been so close to my dream. I'm so happy that you've always been by my side, which warms my heart every time. That's why I wanted to sing with you. Winning or losing doesn't matter. What matters is that you're by my side, not some unfamiliar stranger, nor some other person who suddenly appeared, but you who have always supported and accompanied me~"

Mu Shaoting spoke sincerely and happily, looking at Ye Qingxi with eyes full of hopeful joy.

She genuinely wanted him to stand on the stage as a guest performer, not for fame or fortune, but simply because he was Ye Qingxi, and because she liked him.

Ye Qingxi suddenly found herself unable to refuse.

He couldn't refuse Mu Shaoting like this, nor could he refuse the other's overflowing joy and love.

He couldn't resist such sincere and fervent expectations.

So he could only lower his head in silence and say nothing.

Having been with him for so long, Mu Shaoting already knew his personality well. Her nephew's silence and lack of refusal meant he agreed, he was just too embarrassed to say anything.

So she happily kissed Ye Qingxi's little face, "Thank you, baby, you're so good~~"

Ye Qingxi: ...

Ye Qingxi couldn't help but smile, finding it hard to suppress her shy yet joyful heart.

Li Jing, sitting silently in the driver's seat and driving: ...

So he's invisible!

Didn't he accompany her from the preliminary rounds all the way to the finals?!

Wasn't he always by her side?!

Is it colorless, odorless, and volumeless?!

Li Jing felt that he really shouldn't be in the car at this moment, but should be under the car.

That way, he wouldn't be so desperate.

Mu Shaoting!

She truly can't see herself!

Li Jing, the invisible man, drove the two of them all the way to their doorstep.

Mu Shaoting smiled and said to him, "Be careful on the road."

Li Jing clicked his tongue, looking shocked: "...Oh, you can see me?!"

Mu Shaoting: ...

"What are you being sarcastic about now?"

"I heard you say 'you've always been with me,' and of course I wanted that person to be you. I thought I was invisible. You're in an automatic car; there's no one like me here!"

Ye Qingxi almost burst out laughing when she heard his tone of voice.

Mu Shaoting: ...

Mu Shaoting then realized that he had actually forgotten about him.

However, "Why are you still arguing with a child?"

"Was I arguing with a child? I was just reminding you that there's someone else here."

Mu Shaoting nodded, "Okay, okay, thank you. I'll give you a present after the competition~"

"So, Uncle Li, you actually wanted to help us sing?" Ye Qingxi asked.

Li Jing waved his hand.

That's unlikely.

He wasn't really jealous of Ye Qingxi.

Ye Qingxi is so cute! Besides, Ye Qingxi is Mu Shaoting's nephew, so it's only natural that Mu Shaoting dotes on him and likes him.

He simply wanted to make his presence known, to remind someone who never paid him any attention to occasionally check on him and remember that he was still alive.

"Go, Xiaoxi! Uncle is waiting to hear you sing!"

Ye Qingxi: ...

Ye Qingxi felt a little apprehensive about returning home; was she really about to sing?

How did things suddenly develop to this point?

Isn't that his aunt singing?

Why is he going to sing too?!

Ye Qingxi felt a little unreal. He pinched himself, and hiss, it really hurt. It was actually real.

Ye Qingxi felt even more like she was in a dream.

But……

Ye Qingxi's bizarre discovery, though he found it unbelievable, surreal, and filled him with a sense of trepidation as he approached home, was nothing more than that.

There was no resistance as he had expected.

He didn't feel the completely unacceptable emotions he had imagined.

I don't know if it's because he's been watching Mu Shaoting's performances on stage lately.

It was because he listened to Mu Shaoting sing his songs time and time again, and sang them to himself in his heart time and time again.

Or perhaps it's because singing itself brings him more joy than pain.

Or perhaps it was because Mu Shaoting was by his side that this performance felt more like a parent-child interaction between him and Mu Shaoting than a singing performance.

Ye Qingxi didn't know, but he could sense it.

His mood was calm yet secretly joyful, composed yet brimming with excitement.

He was very happy that Mu Shaoting chose him.

I will resolutely choose only him.

So, he wanted to stand on the stage with her.

I want to create these beautiful memories that belong only to us.