"Next up, I'll be performing 'Baby' for everyone—a tribute to myself, and to who we truly are."
As Zhou Yi finished speaking, the crowd fell silent, their eyes fixed intently on him.
[Baby, baby, baby, oh]
[Like baby, baby, baby, no]
[Like baby, baby, baby, oh]
[I thought you'd always be mine, mine]
[Baby, baby, baby, oh]
[Like baby, baby, baby, no]
[Like baby, baby, baby, oh]
...
While Zhou Yi sang, the influencer's live stream had already erupted in excitement.
Outside the live stream, some people at the venue had uploaded clips of his performance to TikTok.
Gong Zi watched Zhou Yi with an expression of captivated admiration. Seeing this, Song Wei knew that Gong Zi had likely fallen for him.
"Stop staring so hard, or you'll start drooling."
"Wei-ge, he's absolutely stunning. Do you get it? This is the first time I've ever heard such an incredible live performance."
"I know he's impressive. What I'm saying is, don't let yourself get too carried away. Someone like him... well, he's not exactly someone you should chase after."
It was then that Gong Zi remembered why she'd approached Zhou Yi in the first place.
It had only been a few days, yet she was already completely smitten.
She sighed and muttered under her breath,
"I know. I didn't expect him to be so perfect for me. If I'd known, I wouldn't have gotten close to him... Or maybe I would've anyway. Even if I hadn't felt anything for him before, hearing him sing today would've still swept me off my feet. Either way, I'm stuck now."
Propping her chin in her hands like a devoted fan, Gong Zi decided: From today onward, she was officially one of Zhou Yi's earliest supporters!
Turning to the person beside her, she asked,
"Hey, did you guys record the captain singing?"
"Yeah, I'll send it to the group chat."
"Okay."
After saving the video of Zhou Yi's performance, Gong Zi posted it on TikTok and her WeChat Moments.
She had added quite a few people from the music scene on WeChat.
It didn't take long for likes to pour in, with some even asking if Zhou Yi was a new artist who had just debuted.
As the video spread across TikTok and WeChat Moments—especially after a prominent figure in the music scene reposted Gong Zi's TikTok—Zhou Yi's performance surged back onto the trending list.
After finishing "Baby," Zhou Yi was immediately surrounded by a crowd. Gong Zi and the others couldn't even get close.
People were snapping photos, asking for his contact information, and even representatives from entertainment companies were there.
Realizing the night was effectively over, Zhou Yi struggled to make his escape.
"Captain, you're trending!"
"No way, it's true. The captain's hitting the trending list almost as often as a celebrity."
Zhou Yi pulled out his phone and scrolled through the comments.
Many praised him, though a few negative remarks stood out among them.
[Zhou Yi was supposed to be competing in the math modeling contest, but he's out partying at a bar? Laughable. What kind of results can someone like that even achieve?]
[Exactly, so what if he can sing a couple of songs? He's not focusing on what's important.]
[Is it even his own song? I don't believe he's that talented.]
[If he's really that good, why didn't he go to a music conservatory?]
[Probably had someone ghostwrite it for him. Why doesn't he try writing a song live on The Singer Competition?]
Some criticized Zhou Yi for going to a bar instead of focusing on the competition, while others doubted the song was his own.
Zhou Yi skimmed through a few comments before closing the app.
A few sour remarks weren't going to affect him.
After trending, Zhou Yi's Affection Level and wealth experienced another significant surge.
He opened his attribute panel to check the updates.
[Name: Zhou Yi]
[Level: lv33 (Platinum)]
[Wealth: $267,789,000 (Wealthy)]
[Appearance: 100 (Unmatched)]
[Combat Power: 100 (Dominant)]
[IQ: 200 (Genius)]
[Reputation: 88 (Well-Known)]
[Attribute Points: 2,754,000]
Mission Progress Panel:
[Xia Qiuzhi Regret Value: 89]
[Chu Han Regret Value: 100]
[Su Ning Regret Value: 85]
[Comeback Progress: 90]
[Affection Level Earned: 3,892,000]
[Admirers: 1 (B-tier Character: Jing Wen)]
[Achievements Unlocked: Rising from Defeat]
[Items/Skills Acquired: Photographic Memory, Exceptional Recall / Level 1 Medical Skills / Light of Entertainment]
[Current Ranking: 19,900]
[System Store Unlocked]
Seeing the changes in his stats, Zhou Yi smiled with satisfaction.
"But why did Xia Qiuzhi and Su Ning's Regret Values increase?"
The system explained, "Who knows what they've been imagining? It's been gradually accumulating. Since it's been increasing bit by bit, I didn't notify you every time."
Zhou Yi nodded and opened WeChat. Sure enough, there were messages from them.
Xia Qiuzhi told Zhou Yi that she had broken up with Wang Xuan, expressing regret and asking forgiveness. She wanted to meet him at the park they used to visit as kids over the weekend.
Su Ning wished him good luck on his upcoming exam and said she had something to tell him when he returned.
Chu Han mentioned that she had found a decent part-time job and even sent Zhou Yi photos of her workplace, interspersed with nostalgic remarks.
Zhou Yi ignored all of them.
After the group returned to the hotel, Zhou Yi reminded everyone,
"Get a good rest tonight. The exam is tomorrow afternoon. Let's give it our all."
"Got it, Captain."
"Let's do this! With the captain leading us, we're sure to win!"
As everyone dispersed to their rooms, Zhou Yi called out to Kong Xiaohe.
"Xiaohe, come to my room. I'll give you an acupuncture session."
Kong Xiaohe turned around and followed Zhou Yi back to his room.
Gong Zi, who had wanted to hang out with Zhou Yi, decided she'd have to wait until Kong Xiaohe left.
"Just lie face down here."
"Okay."
Kong Xiaohe lay down on Zhou Yi's bed, unsure where Zhou Yi had pulled out a set of acupuncture tools from.
Bringing something like this to an exam trip was strange, but he didn't feel comfortable asking. Instead, he closed his eyes and waited for Zhou Yi to begin.
In a drowsy haze, Kong Xiaohe felt incredibly sleepy and soon drifted off.
Zhou Yi used his Level 1 Medical Skills to treat Kong Xiaohe, then took out a piece of paper and wrote down the names of some medicinal herbs, along with precise measurements for each.
This was calculated by the system—beneficial and harmless to Kong Xiaohe's body.
"Xiaohe, wake up."
Kong Xiaohe, unsure how long he'd been asleep, stirred awake at Zhou Yi's voice.
He immediately felt a difference in his usually sluggish body.
It was as if he had more energy and strength.
"How do you feel?"
"I feel like I've got more energy... Captain, is acupuncture really capable of such wonders?"