Idol Chapter 110 Part 1

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Huo Ren chose someone to go and pay respects.

His father eventually turned into a handful of ashes and was placed at the foot of the mountain.

His mother is at a high place, his father at a low place, the two never to meet, each resting in peace.

The security company of Yongning Cemetery has been completely taken over by Pei Ruye and has managed the remaining spaces with risk management, strictly limiting the entry of idle visitors.

According to old customs, even if he follows his mother’s surname, he should have smashed a bowl and kept vigil for this father, fulfilling the duty of an only son.

Zhang Wu, in his lifetime, had been a good father for ten years, but gradually degenerated after becoming addicted to gambling, eventually choking to death in a pile of vomit.

He had mistreated the Huo family mother and son too much, and he himself might not have been able to rest in peace.

In the end, Huo Ren only stood in front of that black and white photo for a long time, holding his coat tightly and remaining silent.

The naive and sensitive side of him had been buried for a long time.

It is rare for people in their twenties to completely sever emotional ties with their parents and live in the world without any concerns.

Parents are like anchors and lighthouses, even if they sometimes provide wrong guidance and constraints, they are ultimately the existence that gives a sense of belonging.

“…… Let’s go.”

Huo Ren took one last look at that unfamiliar photo, then walked up the mountain to visit his mother.

Wiping off the dust, placing a bouquet of flowers and a fruit plate, and then seriously kowtowing three times.

He knelt on the ground, his heart sour and tears welling up, but still took deep breaths and swallowed back his emotions.

If a person has to shoulder too much alone, they can only live rationally and coldly, not being manipulated by emotions.

He cannot afford to have weaknesses now.

Meanwhile, in the conference hall of Juyu Culture.

“How come that old fart Jiang Shu hasn’t died yet?!” Han Qu cursed: “He’s been saying he’s in poor health and wants to retire for the past few years, why the hell doesn’t he just go and retire? Can’t SPF even afford severance pay, damn it?!”

“Boss,” the people from the other branch companies joked along: “FALSE is making a big debut this time, we have a good chance of winning.”

With his dad as a god shining over him, what resources and endorsements are hard to negotiate? Buy a few more domestic awards, and we can still become the top in the industry.

“Been dismantling groups since ’14, and not a single person has left to this day,” Han Qu swept the desk with his hand, the phone and other items rolling to the ground, his throat hoarse from cursing: “Trash, all of them!”

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door twice in a hurry, and without getting permission, quickly walked in.

It was President Xu from Litchi Culture.

“Get out.” Han Qu’s eyes were bloodshot: “Rude bastard, don’t bother me.”

“President Han.” President Xu didn’t back down, took out his phone, and showed him the screen, smiling somewhat ambiguously: “Look at this.”

Han Qu frowned and fixed his gaze, his knuckles unconsciously gripping the edge of the table.

His voice suddenly softened considerably.

“So provocative… Where did you get this from?”

“It’s the real deal, no mistake.” President Xu, eager to take credit, pushed the phone into his hand, winking, “This material is too hot, even I can’t handle it at over forty.”

“Heh, first ask those little boyfriends of yours if they can handle it.” Han Qu slapped his backside and turned to leave: “Call You Qiao over, I want to talk to her.”

“What about my company…”

“Sure thing.” Han Qu turned his head to look at this old fellow, his eyes half-closed, “President Xu, I’ve got to give you a third-class merit for this.”

Zhang Wu’s death went unnoticed, and no one cared about the life or death of a poor drunk.

From October to January, SPF had been silently grappling with Caibi Media, with undercurrent-like confrontations and stand-offs never ceasing.

The debut resources for the boy group FALSE were mostly obtained through tough negotiations, and it’s said that the only significant resource they got was thanks to Han-gongzi using his father’s influence, and even the endorsement fee was merely symbolic.

Han Qu’s company lurked behind the scenes, with Caibi Media being just one of the many puppets bought over.

He was nearly reckless with his spending, making FALSE appear in the headlines almost absurdly every week, and any action by the members, whether crying, laughing, or even wearing cat ears, could dominate the trending searches.

This style of operation is quite similar to certain financial investments.

The bigger the splash, the more business it attracts.

No one cares how much froth is in that splash.

On one hand, SPF was trying to maintain its journey in the film and television industry, and on the other hand, they were sawing back and forth in a tug-of-war with FALSE.

The main battlegrounds were the major charts, public opinion, and reputation management.

Now, not only does Weibo have a celebrity power list and super topic data chart, but other major portals and well-known TV stations also have many charts, showing the popularity and trend tendencies of celebrities to varying degrees.

In the past, everyone relied on their own abilities, and over-manipulation was often mocked and taken as a joke.

But in recent years, as second and third-tier artists have been inventing ways to manipulate data, the ability to manipulate has also become one of the criteria for assessment.

But Corona has never lost.

Even now, they have never lost.

They are the top celebrities, the influencers of the flow, unbeatable in terms of strength, work, and national popularity.

The sisters of the “Gem” fan group have already established a complete system of controlling and manipulating the charts, and the company’s cooperation and financial rewards have never ceased.

All the rumors and scandals of the year have been successfully blocked; they are invincible and full of fighting spirit.

At the end of 2015, all the overall charts are still dominated by the “Crown” group.

But there’s an even tougher battle to fight.

The “Musi Strongest Chart” is a senior national music program and a weathervane for the music and entertainment industry.

— Crown is about to dominate the chart for four years.

The record of 36,270,000 votes is still as dazzling and brilliant as the stars beyond the mountain peaks, seemingly unshakable by anyone.

FALSE is hesitating to set a schedule, and Corona, after completing their new song, is also standing by, waiting for the other party to show their hand.

Whoever makes the first move loses, and the real data doesn’t matter anymore.

What matters is winning.

FALSE intends to use Crown as a stepping stone, eagerly inquiring about SPF’s schedule.

The longer Corona delays, the more reason they have to ridicule and belittle them.

Are they afraid? Feeling guilty?

Qi Ding worked overtime to the point of going bald, and finally cursed and directly called the people at Baichuan Station, asking them to arrange for both groups to appear on the same day, set for January 15th.

And it’s a live broadcast.

Baichuan Station has been riddled with internal strife in recent years, and in 2015, they changed their leadership team and new hosts, with a complex composition of backing capital—including shares from SPF.

This isn’t the best choice, but after February 10th, Corona’s four-year domination will be defaulted as expired, and they have to perform.

The honor itself is not important; what’s important is to reassure all the “Gems” and provide a strong proof to the entertainment industry.

They cannot lose.

FALSE immediately agreed to the challenge.

Before going on stage on January 15th, Uncle Jiang meticulously arranged each of their ties, his expression serious.

“Be patient and cautious, remember to think before you speak or act.”

He turned his head to look at Huo Ren, and seriously added: “You’ve seen the invitation, right? The OSC Crown Award nominations have been received. Mei Heng took eight years to get nominated and twelve to win, but you guys are already ahead of your seniors, you don’t need to be afraid.”

“Once you’re on stage, just focus on your performance, don’t think about anything else.”

“Okay.” Huo Ren nodded: “I’m here, don’t worry.”

The hype for this showdown had been built up early, with tickets for the live audience being sold at astronomical prices. Fans of both groups had been organizing and strategizing half a day before the broadcast, almost ready to use every phone and computer in their households for voting.

The stage was flanked by LCD screens styled in a sci-fi aesthetic, displaying the real-time scores of the red and blue teams, which were still at zero.

The Crown fans clearly made up more than two-thirds of the audience, with their banners, glow sticks, and light boards passing through security in an unbelievable manner, some even with 3D dynamic effects.

The fans of FALSE, scattered in twos and threes, seemed almost swallowed up by the vast sea of gold, with their red support lights barely visible.

“Ladies and gentlemen, happy New Year 2016!” The female host, with a warm smile, started the show: “I’m the new host, Xiao You, nice to meet you!”

The new male host, tall and handsome, spoke with conviction: “At the start of spring, let us welcome tonight’s audio-visual feast, and witness the dazzling brilliance of both teams!”

Corona drew the blue team and entered the stage with composure, finally sharing the frame with FALSE.

During the handshake, Huo Ren glanced at the team leader named Pan Si and the four members behind him.

Inner eye corners surgically enhanced, noses with implants, one person’s smile too obviously done, beautiful but fake.

Each of them had undergone cosmetic procedures.

He discreetly withdrew his gaze, maintaining a warm and friendly smile.

“Nice to meet you.”

The program, from the stage to the hosts, had been upgraded, and the old competition format had been revised.

Due to the participation of two boy groups, no other guests were invited this time.

The first round involved the team leaders drawing lots for themed performances, followed by showcasing their new albums.

The second round featured individual challenges from each group, showcasing their talents to further attract votes.

The third round remained a special stage performance segment, with an increased level of difficulty.

“I declare, the real-time voting channel—officially open!”