Chapter 60: Creating a Ratings Miracle! (Double Release—Please Keep Reading!)

Inside the broadcast control room.

Director Chen quietly watched the screen, his gaze fixed on Xu Ze. Only when Xu Ze finished his performance and bowed in gratitude did Chen finally let out a long breath.

“This time, he made the right bet.”

He knew that Xu Ze’s song was certainly qualified to be the finale. Yet Xu Ze was still an unknown newcomer, and Chen had promised his superiors this choice would deliver. If anything went wrong, he’d be packing his bags.

Chen never doubted the song’s quality; his sole worry was Xu Ze’s lack of stage experience. On a grand live broadcast like this, nerves could ruin a performance, affecting the singing and possibly causing a disastrous live mishap.

But now, he realized he’d been overthinking. Xu Ze’s stage presence and vocal skill were astonishingly steady. He’d only ever seen such composure among veteran superstars who’d been in the business for years.

Xu Ze’s talent was simply frightening. Some people were born for this world.

Backstage.

Zheng Xiyi waited early in the spot where Xu Ze would pass by. When she saw him emerge, she took a deep breath and quickly stepped forward to meet him.

She had to apologize for her earlier rude behavior.

Had Xu Ze merely been a singer with a great voice, she wouldn’t care so much. But he wasn’t just a performer—he was a prodigious songwriter and composer. In the music industry, singers could afford to be on bad terms with anyone except the writers and composers. A singer without good songs was like a soldier without bullets, helpless on the battlefield of the fiercely competitive music scene.

“Xu Ze!”

Zheng Xiyi’s voice became unusually gentle, and she lowered both her posture and her gaze.

Xu Ze stared at Zheng Xiyi, sensing the change in her attitude.

Before he could speak, Zheng Xiyi earnestly said, “I’m sorry, Xu Ze. I apologize for how I treated you earlier.”

“I’m truly sorry!”

Her sudden apology genuinely surprised Xu Ze. He understood she was referring to her earlier impoliteness backstage, but to ignore the stares of those around them and genuinely apologize showed character.

Xu Ze couldn’t help but muse.

This woman is worth teaching.

Since she’d apologized, Xu Ze wasn’t one to hold grudges. He waved it off, saying, “It’s fine, I didn’t mind it. I should apologize too—I didn’t know you before, nor had I heard your song ‘Dora Meow’.”

“You really accept my apology?” Zheng Xiyi asked happily, then added sincerely, “You’re so considerate, Xu Ze. You pretended to know me just to spare my feelings even though we’d never met.”

Xu Ze grinned—typical woman.

Just then, Zhang Yingjing approached, greeting Xu Ze from a distance.

Seeing her, Zheng Xiyi quickly bowed, then whispered to Xu Ze, “You two talk, I’ll leave you to it.”

“Alright,” Xu Ze nodded. As Zhang Yingjing came closer, Xu Ze thanked her, “Thank you for arranging this performance for me.”

He knew that being allowed to headline as a newcomer wasn’t just about the quality of his song; Zhang Yingjing must have played a significant role.

Zhang Yingjing flashed a stunning smile. “You deserve it. You sang even better than I imagined. It’s hard to believe you never formally studied music.”

Then she adopted a rare, playful expression and teased, “Are all the prodigies from Qingbei this impressive?”

Xu Ze stroked his chin, pretending to ponder. “Maybe I’m the only one who’s this impressive.”

Zhang Yingjing laughed, her eyes turning into beautiful crescent moons.

Xu Ze blinked and asked, “By the way, for the five thousand you spent on my clothes, should I send it to your WeChat or do you want my bank account?”

Zhang Yingjing waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t be so formal. Consider the clothes a gift. I might need to ask you for help in the future.”

“Ask me for help?” Xu Ze quipped, “That might cost more than five thousand.”

Feigning aloofness, Zhang Yingjing replied, “No matter, I can afford it. Money’s not a problem for me.”

...

Meanwhile, in the data department of Yangshi Channel 3, the room was packed with senior executives.

Yet silence reigned. Not a single word was spoken.

After an oddly tense five minutes, a young man suddenly shouted, “It’s out! The accurate ratings have been tallied!”

“How much?”

Several leaders asked excitedly at once.

“The show’s average rating so far is 3.5%!”

“The peak real-time rating was 6.8%!”

“It happened at two hours and eight minutes into the program—right when Xu Ze performed ‘Young China Speaks’.”

“And, from Xu Ze’s entrance, ratings soared to 3.5%, and during his four-minute performance, the average rating was 5.8%!”

The young man rattled off the key figures in one breath.

A collective gasp swept the room.

They had just smashed the previous record of 3.4% set by last year’s hit show ‘Starlight Road’.

And all this with a children’s music competition.

In past years, the highest average for this kind of show was barely 1%.

Now, they’d multiplied that several times over!

Everyone could tell: the one behind this ratings miracle was the monstrous newcomer.

“Xu Ze!”

In the capital, inside a luxurious villa.

At the dining table, Liu Xiaoli watched her daughter lost in thought and frowned.

She suspected her daughter was in love.

That look of yearning—she knew it all too well. Many boys who used to fancy her would often show the same expression.

Liu Xiaoli tapped Liu Yifei’s bowl with her chopsticks. “Yifei, eat your food! What are you daydreaming about?”

“Huh? Oh.” Liu Yifei snapped out of it, quickly picking up her food.

Watching her daughter, Liu Xiaoli sighed softly. She decided not to press her daughter now.

As an intellectual with high status, she understood it was better to guide than to block. She didn’t oppose her daughter dating, but her partner had to be capable and outstanding.

She then found a topic to show concern. “Yifei, how’s your practice for the piece you’ll play at the Golden Hall?”

Hearing her mother’s question, Liu Yifei hesitated, then lowered her head and spoke softly, “I plan to change the piece.”

“Change it?” Liu Xiaoli frowned and pondered a moment. She didn’t ask why Yifei wanted to change her choice.

Instead, she patiently asked, “So, whose piece are you planning to play—Grigory’s? Or Zimmerman’s?”