Ye Huanqiu was still unaware of the situation, and even if he knew, he wouldn't have cared. The production team probably dismissed his success with a couple of hit songs as a fluke, but the show was far from over. He welcomed their stubborn denial.
That evening, two text messages arrived on Ye Huanqiu's phone. One confirmed a transfer of over 1.17 million yuan, and the other notified him that his Music Association rating had reached Silver Five-Star.
Quitting feels great, and quitting again feels even better!
A better life starts with leaving that dead-end job behind. Ye Huanqiu immediately transferred the money using his mobile banking app. He had initially wanted to send more, but he worried his elderly parents back home might fret over the amount.
So he settled for sending 100,000 yuan for now.
Even so, the moment the money arrived, his phone rang. It was his parents—his parents in this new life, the ones he now called his own.
"Hello, Mom?"
"Xiaoqiu, you already sent us 50,000 yuan. Why are you sending more? Your father and I have enough. You need the money more in that big city. I don't know how to use these phone apps. I'll go to the bank tomorrow and transfer this 100,000 yuan back to you."
Listening to his mother's words, Ye Huanqiu felt a lump forming in his throat, and his nose stung with emotion.
"Don't worry, Mom. You don't know I got a promotion, and the bonuses are really good now. Dad's health isn't great, so he shouldn't be delivering bottled water door-to-door anymore. It's barely worth the effort. I'll be getting a 300,000 yuan bonus at the company's awards ceremony in a few weeks. You can relax... Oh, have you eaten yet?"
The rest of the conversation drifted into familiar small talk about family matters. After hanging up, Ye Huanqiu realized his ambitions weren't as grand as he thought. For now, all he wanted was to make his simple life a little better each day.
All eight songs from the "I Am a Creator" live performances had been released online. Although Zhang Yanzhuo couldn't make public appearances due to restrictions, there were no restrictions on releasing his music. Thanks to his devoted but ragtag fanbase, the initial streaming numbers looked respectable enough.
"Chinese" was the last song to be released, but it immediately topped the daily charts on Sunday! It also climbed to second place on the weekly charts, narrowly beaten by a hit single from a top-tier artist that had accumulated a full week of streams. "Chinese" had nearly surpassed it in just half a day. Though the veteran artist barely retained the weekly crown, their reign would likely end next week.
Among the other contestants, Tan Weiwei achieved the best result, reaching fifth place on the daily charts. The rest languished outside the top twenty, disappearing entirely from the weekly rankings.
On social media, numerous stay-at-home dads and moms shared videos of their children singing "Chinese." Kindergarten teachers also posted clips of their students practicing the tongue-twisting lyrics from the song.
"Chinese" had become universally appealing, its cheerful melody resonating across generations and social circles. This widespread popularity was precisely why the authorities had designated the song for performance at the upcoming gala.
The production team of "I Am a Creator" was already in the final stages of preparation for the second episode's recording. With Zhang Yanzhuo gone, they needed to invite a new singer and replenish the pool of Creators.
That evening, Ye Huanqiu received a notification from Shen Tao on his phone: "Be at Tomato TV by 9:30 AM next Monday sharp."
Later that night, Ye Huanqiu went to the mall and, following Starbeam's styling advice, picked out several outfits. Otherwise, this die-hard straight man's wardrobe would have been far too plain.
He also visited a digital electronics store to upgrade his old equipment, spending over 100,000 yuan in one go.
Money truly emboldens the spirit. The previously unaffordable devices were now his, marking a quantum leap in convenience and efficiency for his work.
After transferring his data to the new devices, he completely wiped his old computer and stored it away.
Early the next morning, Ye Huanqiu left his apartment at nine o'clock and arrived at Tomato TV. The staff greeted him differently than they had during the previous episode. Some wore forced smiles, while others even called him "Teacher Ye."
Ye Huanqiu entered his dressing room to find his previously missing nameplate back in place. He took it in stride and didn't linger. A staff member soon came to fetch him, and when Ye Huanqiu arrived at the backstage gathering area, he was finally not the last to arrive.
The competition currently featured seven Creator teams, and today they would be welcoming a challenge team, as well as a new singer to fill the vacated spot.
Wang Ziqiang and Meng Yan took the stage to kick off the show, followed by the introduction of the participating singers and Creators.
"Last week's episode was truly spectacular, but sadly, we had to say goodbye to some participants. This week, we'll be welcoming special replacement contestants—both a singer and a Creator. Who could they be? Let's all take a guess! Here's a hint..."
A familiar melody filled the studio. Ye Huanqiu didn't recognize it, but Li Yuanjie and his group suddenly snapped to attention, their eyes glued to the large screen.
"Young Master Li, what's wrong?"
"So it's him..." Li Yuanjie muttered, refusing to show any weakness, though his eyes burned with anticipation for the newcomer. "Heh, this show really knows how to spend big."
"It seems everyone recognizes him," Wang Ziqiang prompted. "Can anyone shout out his name?"
The audience erupted in unison: "Gao Jin!"
For a moment, Ye Huanqiu almost thought the God of Gamblers had arrived. But as the backdrop curtain parted, a man in his late thirties—though actually forty-one—stepped onto the stage.
Like the other Creators, he was performing solo, but his fame far surpassed theirs.
"That's right! Please welcome Creator Gao Jin as this week's replacement contestant. His musical works speak for themselves, and his life story is truly inspiring. Let's give him a warm round of applause!" Wang Ziqiang led the audience in thunderous applause.
As Ye Huanqiu clapped, he retrieved Gao Jin's profile from his memory.
Gao Jin, a Golden Five-Star Creator, writes and arranges all his own music. He formed his first band in his teens and later taught himself music production, including mixing and mastering. Before turning twenty, he ventured to Beijing to earn tuition money for his older sister, fueled solely by his passion for music.
After more than a decade as an independent musician, Gao Jin finally caught the eye of a benefactor and successfully joined Hai Die Company as their exclusive songwriter.
Having collaborated with numerous renowned singers in the industry, he didn't achieve mainstream success until his thirties. Yet, he rose to Gold-tier writer status in less than five years, now just one hit song away from Platinum-tier—a song with widespread acclaim.
With over a dozen "Rising Fame" caliber tracks already to his name, Gao Jin is widely considered the uncrowned king among Gold-tier writers.
No wonder Li Yuanjie harbored such competitive fervor toward him. As Li's mentor had said, "Once Gao Jin breaks through his creative block and ascends to Platinum-tier, he'll become the youngest Platinum-level Writer and a future candidate for membership in the Music Association."
Nearby, Zhao Ziyun and Sui Gu were equally excited, their gazes filled with reverence for Gao Jin.
When Gao Jin stepped down to shake hands, everyone politely reciprocated.
Upon reaching Ye Huanqiu, Gao Jin suddenly declared, "I look forward to our showdown."
"You flatter me, Senior," Ye Huanqiu replied. "I'm just here to exchange ideas and learn from you."
Though he wondered why Gao Jin had singled him out, Ye Huanqiu sensed this was different from Li Yuanjie's competitive hostility. Gao Jin seemed genuinely interested in a friendly artistic exchange.