Page 37

As for what other entanglements lay behind all this, that was beyond the Sugar Juice Duo's level of understanding.

Lin Xia's eyes lit up at that. She straightened her back and covered her mouth with a coquettish laugh. "Everyone listen carefully, we're about to get some juicy gossip!"

Tang Shi and Lu Hengzhi did not feel much about it, but Qilu glanced at Lin Xia and thought she was not as foolish as she had seemed backstage. At the very least, she knew how to seize attention without making people dislike her. Instead, she gave off an approachable, adorable impression.

Lu Hengzhi calmly explained the conflict they had had with Qian Fujiang during the opening dance rehearsal, though he did not explicitly name anyone and instead referred to them as a certain "staff member." Since Qiao Lin had also been involved, Tang Shi felt especially apologetic toward her. When he heard that Qiao Lin wanted to include a song with traditional Chinese elements on her new album, he thought of writing one for her as an apology.

Qilu picked up from there. "Mm, I've heard about this too. Apparently, Qiao Lin thought very highly of your song. She even decided on the spot to buy the singing rights for it at a high price, but you refused and insisted on giving the song to Qiao Lin. But the song itself is about love, and with your attitude toward her, the media naturally started speculating..."

Qilu's words were also an indirect way of giving those gossip outlets that had broken the story a way out. Apple TV Station might be wealthy and powerful, but there was no need to offend so many media outlets over two newcomers. As for the Sugar Juice Duo... if they wanted to make it in this industry, they would inevitably have to deal with the media. They would keep running into one another, so there was no need to sour the relationship completely.

In truth, artists and the media had always shared a relationship like fish and water. Artists relied on the media to maintain exposure, while the media relied on reporting on artists' various affairs to attract viewers and boost sales and influence. Since the two sides complemented each other, they ought to actively seek a balance that benefited both parties.

The Sugar Juice Duo could not yet fully appreciate that, but they would surely understand it soon enough.

As Qilu spoke, he signaled the production crew to play a clip on the VCR screen of the Sugar Juice Duo performing The Matchmaker during the national top twenty Qualifier Round. Hearing the new song's clear, graceful melody and beautiful lyrics, not only did the audience below erupt into thunderous applause, but even Lin Xia beside them found it refreshing. When she looked again at the Sugar Juice Duo—more specifically, Tang Shi—the smile on her face unknowingly gained a touch of genuine warmth.

She was already considering whether she could ask Tang Shi for a song. At least from the current situation, Tang Shi's songs were quite good in quality.

At that moment, Tang Shi also vaguely understood why Qiao Lin had said she wanted to buy the song at the competition venue. She had probably anticipated that the media would make an issue of it. Thinking about it that way, his rash behavior had once again caused trouble for both of them.

If he had given the song to Qiao Lin privately at the time, perhaps the impact would have been smaller.

Unfortunately, Tang Shi did not know that, once he had been targeted, no matter what he did, he would not escape this scandal. In fact, choosing to give Qiao Lin the song at the competition venue had already simplified matters. At least all their interactions had taken place under everyone's eyes, leaving gossip papers no room to imagine or embellish certain details. If Tang Shi had truly chosen to give her the song in private, the rumors by now would likely have been far uglier.

Tang Shi gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "Actually, it's very simple. I just felt that Sister Qiao Lin had been so good to me, but I hadn't watched what I said. I must have hurt her that day. That's why I wanted to write her a song. But I didn't expect... maybe I just hadn't thought things through. Instead... I caused Sister Qiao Lin even more trouble."

"Then let's see what Qiao Lin herself thinks, shall we?" Qilu said with a teasing grin. He called Qiao Lin live on air. At the time, Qiao Lin was resting at home. Seeing the live call from the recording of Qilu Gossip, and having already coordinated with the production crew in advance, she answered immediately. When Qilu asked her about it, she said, "I never expected such a tiny matter to stir up such a big fuss. All I can say is that gossip tabloids have far too much free time these days. But the innocent need not fear scrutiny. The Sugar Juice Duo and I are simply friends who get along well, so naturally I'm not afraid of whatever nonsense they choose to make up."

When Qilu relayed the Sugar Juice Duo's concern that Tang Shi's abruptness that day might have angered her, Qiao Lin laughed heartily. "If a couple of irrelevant remarks could let me earn such a high-quality song for free, then I'd rather the Sugar Juice Duo argued with me every day and wrote me a song as an apology every day."

The implication was that she had not taken that day's incident to heart at all.

In the end, Qilu exchanged a few more words with Qiao Lin. They wished each other soaring ratings and huge sales for the new album, and even wished the Sugar Juice Duo and Lin Xia ever-growing popularity before politely ending the call.

For the rest of the time, host Qilu mainly spoke with Lin Xia, discussing what she had experienced in her more than two years in the industry, while occasionally tossing a few topics to the Sugar Juice Duo as well. The Sugar Juice Duo naturally knew why they had come today. Since they had successfully cleared up the scandal, they would spend the remaining time as a proper supporting act and certainly would not steal the spotlight.

As Qilu and Lin Xia chatted, they eventually brought up the currently popular issue of celebrities "throwing their weight around." The conversation then naturally turned to the Sugar Juice Duo, since alongside the Tang-Qiao scandal, the other gossip making headlines these past few days was the report that the Sugar Juice Duo had been acting like big shots.

Naturally, the Sugar Juice Duo refused to acknowledge the report. However, Lu Hengzhi's response was different from others. With a bright smile and an open, natural manner, he said, "The Sugar Juice Duo is currently only one of the contestants in the top twenty of Dance Miracle. We can hardly even be called famous, let alone big shots. Since we're not 'big shots,' there's no such thing as 'acting like big shots.'"

"...All I can say is that our tempers might be a little bigger than those of other contestants. But these days, who doesn't have a temper?" Lu Hengzhi smiled indifferently and looked sincerely at Qilu and the audience. "Back in our hometown, there's a saying: 'A wolf eats meat wherever it goes; a calf gets beaten wherever it goes.' The reason they think our Sugar Juice Duo is this or that might be because we stand in different positions, so our views differ too. At least as far as I'm concerned, if people don't provoke me, I won't provoke them. But if they do provoke me, I see no reason to put up with it."

Tang Shi chimed in from the side, "Yeah, that's just how us Northeastern men are."

The audience burst into laughter. Qilu and Lin Xia both looked Tang Shi over, taking in his overly delicate features, and laughed softly as well.

Tang Shi: "..."

After the laughter died down, Qilu took the opportunity to ask what the Sugar Juice Duo thought of the constant reports in the media claiming that Dance Miracle was rigged.

This time, Tang Shi did not immediately respond. After considering it carefully, he slowly said, "When we judge whether something is fair, we often stand from our own position, begin from our own interests and values, and use our own one-sided perspective to measure and evaluate the so-called truth. But is the side we see really the whole truth? That remains to be examined."

"And I think that whenever the word 'fairness' comes from someone's mouth, it already implies unfairness. Because you are trying to use your own standards to measure others, to measure another matter. No matter how hard you try, you cannot deny that the conclusion you reach contains your own views. And is a conclusion formed after weighing pros and cons and making choices really fair? Perhaps you feel it is fair, but to others, it may simply be your own prejudice."

Lu Hengzhi, meanwhile, spoke even more casually. "The truly strong never keep the word fairness on their lips. Because what they strive to do is become the pillar of the scales, the weight—the standard by which fairness is judged. Only the weak place themselves on the scales for others to weigh, passively waiting for a verdict on whether something is fair. We learned about the Theory of Relativity in middle school. Nothing in this world is absolute. So-called fairness has always only been a relative standard. If you truly feel that this world is unfair, that there are shady dealings everywhere, then work hard to become bigger and stronger, become the person who sets the standard of fairness. Use your own strength to create this so-called fairness. If you can't, then diligently do what you can do well. When you have the ability to shoulder certain things, people will naturally see your excellence. I think complaining is the most useless thing in the world."

Chapter 37

By the time they finished recording Qilu Gossip, it was already past eleven at night. Although they had recorded for so long, the final edited version that would air on television was only fifty minutes long. Of those fifty minutes, the Sugar Juice Duo would get at most fifteen to twenty. But those short fifteen to twenty minutes were enough to let more people know them and understand them. That was why so many second- and third-tier minor celebrities fought tooth and nail to appear on variety shows: all they wanted was exposure.

Since she had another engagement to attend the next morning, Lin Xia greeted everyone after the recording and hurried off. Before leaving, she specifically exchanged contact information with the Sugar Juice Duo. She also signed one of her new albums, wrote a message of good wishes, and asked them to pass it on to Cui Yujin. Smiling apologetically, she said, "When I was backstage earlier, I had just gotten off the plane and was a little tired, so my attitude wasn't very good. Please tell him not to be angry."

Her gentle, soft manner made it difficult for Tang Shi and Lu Hengzhi, both grown men, to hold her earlier rudeness against her. They could only wave it off. "It's nothing. Cui Yujin is pretty careless himself. Once he gets worked up, he acts impulsively without thinking things through. Besides, he actually likes you a lot."

Lin Xia curled her lips, intending to exchange a few more pleasantries. Behind her, her mother and manager came over with a fierce expression, staring at Tang Shi and Lu Hengzhi as though they were thieves. The two frowned repeatedly under her gaze. Seeing this, Lin Xia said nothing more. She pointed at her phone and smiled. "Let's keep in touch." Then Mother Lin dragged her away in a hurry.

Tang Shi and Lu Hengzhi had nothing else to do and had originally planned to return to the dormitory to sleep. Brother Chen stopped them instead. The three waited at the recording site for quite some time, staying until the Qilu Gossip crew wrapped up. Then Brother Chen treated the production staff to a late-night meal in the Sugar Juice Duo's name. Since it was rather late and everyone had work the next day, they did not go too far. They reserved a private room at a barbecue restaurant across from the television station building. While chugging beer, the cameraman patted both of them on the shoulders and said, "Once the show airs, you two boys are definitely going to gain followers. We filmed you looking damn handsome."

Brother Chen clinked his beer with the cameraman's, then smiled at the editor on the other side. "Of course. Our kids aren't just good-looking, they've got substance too. Make sure to give them a little more screen time when the time comes. We're all from Apple TV Station—keep the benefits in the family."

What he meant by giving them more screen time was not actually to allot them more time, but to ask the editor to use more of the sections with better image quality and more exciting content during editing. The editor naturally understood Brother Chen's meaning. He knowingly clinked glasses with him, nodding repeatedly and saying there would be no problem.

Because neither Tang Shi nor Lu Hengzhi had turned eighteen yet, Brother Chen refused to let them drink beer and simply stuffed a few bottles of soft drinks into their hands. Tang Shi drank nearly two bottles of cola in a row, then used the excuse of needing the bathroom to slip out of the private room. He went to the counter and tossed down a thousand yuan. The bill only came to a little over four hundred. When Brother Chen and the program crew saw the cashier return the extra money to Tang Shi, they exchanged knowing smiles and rubbed his head. "This kid looks spoiled, but he's actually quite sensible!"