C11 Real Emotions

It was clear that this was a warning for Soong Fei and his group. Guo Yan cleared his throat and began to sing. Su Weiwei and Chen Le were taken aback as soon as he opened his mouth. Despite Guo Yan's burly and greasy appearance, he had a surprising talent for singing. There was no denying it; his performance was filled with heartfelt emotion. When the song ended, Hee Zheng was beaming with happiness. In contrast, Su Weiwei and Chen Le looked as though they were nursing a deep-seated resentment, especially since the system had awarded him a lofty score of 85.

Su Weiwei and Chen Le glanced at Soong Fei, curious to see how he would respond. Soong Fei's eyes lit up with fervor as he fixed his gaze on Guo Yan. Guo Yan tensed up immediately. Su Weiwei averted her gaze, Hee Zheng's eyes bulged in surprise, and Chen Le covered his face in disbelief.

"Mr. Huo, your singing is incredible. You're my idol," Soong Fei gushed, his demeanor that of an adoring fanboy as he dashed over to Guo Yan. He grasped Guo Yan's hand with a look of intense admiration, practically radiating excitement.

"Mr. Huo, your performance was even better than the original. The system may have given you 85 points, but if it could truly discern the depth of feeling and artistry in your singing, it would surely have given you a perfect score," Soong Fei exclaimed, his own skin crawling with the effusiveness of his praise. Yet, his attention was fixed on the progress bar that had appeared on his system.

Guo Yan tried to pull away, but Soong Fei held on even tighter, his enthusiasm undiminished. The collection was now 80% complete. He just needed to hold on a little longer.

"Who the hell are you really with?" Chen Le shuddered involuntarily, contemplating severing ties with Soong Fei. Su Weiwei was also regretting her choice, feeling utterly humiliated by the situation.

Just then, Hee Zheng spoke up, "Soong Fei, have you conceded defeat?"

At that moment, a 'dong' echoed in Soong Fei's mind—the collection was finished. "Concede? As if!" Soong Fei rejoiced inwardly, elated that he had finally acquired the skill he had long coveted. Now, he was ready to take on the world.

Soong Fei declared, "I'll give a Zhou Huajian song a shot," as he grabbed the microphone and belted out the tune.

His voice was so impressive that it took everyone by surprise.

Chen Le was almost convinced it was Zhou Huajian himself singing.

Su Weiwei's jaw dropped in astonishment.

Hee Zheng, a professional singer, was floored, feeling outshone by Soong Fei's amateur prowess.

Guo Yan was at a loss for words!

When the song finished, the system awarded a score of 98.

Everyone was dumbstruck by the result.

It was a true no-holds-barred assault.

Su Weiwei whipped out her phone and started crunching numbers, "85 plus 87. Mr. Huo and Hee Zheng, your average score is 86." Soong Fei kept tallying, "79 plus 84, plus 98, makes 261. Divide that by three, and our side's average is 87."

"Mr. Huo, much as I revere you, it seems we've lucked out and won," Soong Fei remarked with a nonchalant air.

Chen Le couldn't contain his glee.

So that was your game, he thought.

A classic case of buttering up only to knock down.

His face was practically emblazoned with the word 'thrilled.'

Su Weiwei couldn't stop smiling either.

They hadn't just won the battle; they'd won respect too.

Soong Fei wasn't done yet. He approached Hee Zheng and reminded him, "Don't forget what you promised earlier."

Guo Yan shot Hee Zheng a meaningful glance.

But Hee Zheng turned away, clearly not in the mood to apologize.

Guo Yan felt awkward and gestured to Hee Zheng.

"Just apologize to him. A few words won't hurt," he implied.

Hee Zheng was known for being petulant. If he lost, he'd sulk.

Now it was Guo Yan and Hee Zheng who were at odds.

"Looks like we're not going to be buddies after all," Soong Fei commented, unimpressed.

He had little patience for these diva-like stars.

In fact, he found them quite off-putting. A man, he believed, should act like one.

"She was more like a sister to me anyway," Su Weiwei chimed in with a laugh.

Her words struck like a venomous dart, shattering Hee Zheng's fragile ego.

"I'll have my fans tear you to pieces," Hee Zheng declared, orchid fingers raised, his words seething with anger.

A sore loser of a man, his fury sent chills down everyone's spine.

Guo Yan was so embarrassed he wished he could disavow any association with him.

Soong Fei now thought he might have been too harsh on a 'woman.'

Yet, the words were on the tip of his tongue, and he couldn't hold back. "You haven't even been in a TV show or a movie. You've only released a single online. Where do you get off claiming to have fans?"

Hee Zheng was livid, practically ready to burst.

Chen Le was in stitches, laughing so hard he doubled over.

What a brilliant decision it had been to come and witness this spectacle.

Haha.

The drama was just too good.

Su Weiwei also let out a chuckle. Being part of the elite, there wasn't much she could decide for herself,

which meant she seldom laughed with genuine joy.

But in this moment, her laughter was hearty and sincere.

As she laughed, the poised demeanor she always maintained seemed to fade slightly.

The weight of her family's expectations was suffocating.

It wasn't so much that she was confronting Hee Zheng as she was rebelling against her own destiny.

When had she realized that Soong Fei's antics were the perfect antidote to the rigid constraints of high society?

"I'm off to get my beauty sleep; I'm done with you all," Hee Zheng announced, turning on his heel and making a beeline for the door.

In his tantrum, he wouldn't even give Guo Yan the time of day.

Guo Yan was inwardly groaning with frustration.

It was like a mute suffering the bitterness of coptis—suffering with no way to express it.

Losing a singing contest was no big deal.

He could just win back his pride by other means.

To use a gambler's logic, it's not losing if you're still betting.

"Mr. Huo, shall we keep singing?" Su Weiwei suggested coyly.

Truth be told, she was subtly showing them the door.

The trio couldn't wait for Guo Yan to leave so they could revel in their merrymaking.

Guo Yan shook his head, consoling himself with a thought: "Now I understand why Sun Wukong could single-handedly take on the Heavenly Palace, yet struggled against demons once he was tasked with protecting Tang Xuanzang."

"Why?" they asked in unison.

"It's not the godlike opponents I fear, but rather having a teammate like Second Senior Brother," Guo Yan lamented.

That's some high-level insight!

Mr. Huo truly is a seasoned veteran.

His implication was clear: he hadn't been bested by them; it was Hee Zheng who had let the side down!

"Mr. Huo, you're like Sun Wukong, and it's Hee Zheng, that pig of a teammate, who's been holding you back."

"A momentary win or loss doesn't count for much. It's winning in the end that matters. And the He family has deep pockets."

Guo Yan, the crafty old-timer, spoke with the wisdom of the streets. Even in defeat, he didn't lose face.

Mr. Huo proceeded at an even pace.

Guo Yan's grace was undeniable; he even remembered to close the door behind Soong Fei and the others as he left the private room.

His composure only made Soong Fei, Su Weiwei, and Chen Le respect him more.

Afterward, the trio was joyously drunk and singing, reveling in the moment.

But their revelry was short-lived, as Hee Zheng's "fans" soon arrived to stir up trouble.