Chapter Seventy-Six: Damn It, Tonight We Go All Out (1)

Chen Yi’s most devoted fans wasted no time unleashing their fury on Yang Xiaofan. After all, to them, their goddess was sacred and belonged to them alone! Yang Xiaofan’s own supporters joined the fray, and soon both livestream chats were ablaze with insults, the air thick with tension, as if two armies were preparing to clash.

Yang Xiaofan couldn’t have cared less about managing the chaos. He knew better than anyone that the only true path was to give his best performance. If he failed, it wouldn’t just be Chen Yi’s fans turning on him—his own followers would curse him for his shamelessness.

With that in mind, he cleared his throat, ready to sing.

“I’ll sing a popular song for everyone—‘Romance of Wandering the Mountains.’ Since I’m in a hotel right now and don’t have any instruments with me, I’ll have to sing a cappella. I hope you won’t mind.”

“My god! He’s actually going to sing a cappella! Has he lost his mind?”
“A cappella! This is the wildest streamer I’ve ever seen.”

Everyone knew that only with musical accompaniment could a song truly shine. Singing a cappella was like streaming without a beauty filter—unless you had an absolutely flawless voice, you’d never be able to captivate anyone.

To attempt an a cappella performance was to place himself at a terrible disadvantage. To put it bluntly, he was courting disaster—sheer self-destruction!

At that moment, Chen Yi’s fans sneered, eagerly waiting for Yang Xiaofan to make a fool of himself. His own supporters, meanwhile, were worried sick.

But no one could stop Yang Xiaofan. He had already begun.

“I stagger, wine in hand, up the cold mountain...”

A collective gasp rippled through both livestreams. In an instant, everyone watching felt a jolt run through them, goosebumps rising on their skin.

It was astonishing! Was this really a human voice? Could a mortal truly sing like this? Surely this was the music of heaven!

With nothing but his unadorned voice, he captured the ancient elegance of the song, transporting his audience to a world steeped in classical beauty. Such mastery—across the entire Chinese music scene, even among the greatest superstars—was almost unheard of.

One song left everyone in a daze. By the time he was halfway through, the chat exploded:

“Incredible!”
“I never imagined the brother-in-law could sing this well. No, this isn’t just skillful—this is divine! I’ve never heard anyone sing this beautifully. If he joined the entertainment industry, he’d sweep the Eastern music scene in no time!”
“I’m in love! From now on, I’m your die-hard fan.”
“Count me in!”

Meanwhile, Chen Yi’s chat fell utterly silent—not even insults appeared. Clearly, her fans had been left dumbstruck by Yang Xiaofan’s performance. He wasn’t someone ordinary people—or even their beloved Yi Yi—could hope to match.

It wasn’t long before a few couldn’t help but confess:

“Uh... sorry, everyone, I can’t hold out anymore. I’m switching sides. I love his singing—I’m heading to the other stream.”
“I can’t resist either; my soul is drooling.”
“I’ll go pay my respects first. See you all in the other chat.”
“Wait for me, I’m coming too!”

Soon, Chen Yi’s viewer count plummeted, while Yang Xiaofan’s chat swelled as if fueled by rocket boosters. By the time he sang the final note, his audience had grown by fifty percent—all in the space of a single song, just a few short minutes!

“Brother-in-law, your voice is amazing!”
“I’m obsessed!”

The chat went wild with messages and applause icons. Even the expensive rocket gifts flooded the screen.

Why were internet celebrities often looked down upon? The main reason was the low barrier to entry—anyone from any background could join, leading to wildly varying quality. But when a true master like Yang Xiaofan appeared, he left everyone else in the dust; no one could even lift their heads in his presence.

Naturally, everyone was eager to shower him with gifts.

Yang Xiaofan smiled graciously and thanked his audience. “Thank you, everyone. I appreciate your support.”

The chat continued to surge:

“Brother-in-law, sing another one! Encore!”
“Yes! We want more!”

A slight smile played at Yang Xiaofan’s lips—this was exactly the reaction he wanted. But, of course, he didn’t intend to give in so easily. Instead, he responded with mock seriousness:

“Ah, that won’t do. That would break the rules of the PK battle, wouldn’t it? I’ve performed my act, and now it’s the other side’s turn. Otherwise, wouldn’t I be bullying her? We can’t do something so dishonorable, right?”

On the other side, Chen Yi nearly exploded with rage. How could anyone compete with a voice like that, especially a cappella? Now he wanted her to perform? Was he trying to set her up for disaster?

She’d met her share of sly operators, but never someone quite like him. Sure enough, the chat erupted:

“Brother-in-law, don’t let her sing. We only want to hear you.”
“That’s right—her singing is unbearable, like a pig wailing. It can’t compare to your soulful voice!”
“No more Yi Yi—let’s hear more from the brother-in-law!”

Yang Xiaofan’s eyes sparkled with hidden laughter, though he maintained the air of a noble gentleman.

“No, no, I’m a grown man—how could I bully a young lady, especially a classmate? That would be beneath me.”

“Wow! I never expected such integrity from you. You’re a real man! I’m going to spend my whole month’s salary on you!”

Gifts poured in even faster.

Chen Yi could have throttled him if she were nearby. He was simply too good at playing the part! She’d thought herself a master of manipulation, but in the face of Yang Xiaofan, she was like a mouse before a cat—completely outmatched.

Just then, her guild sent a message:

“Yi Yi, you must win this PK battle. Otherwise, forget about signing with a film company and breaking into the entertainment industry—your dream will be over before it begins.”

Her face darkened. Gritting her teeth, she quickly sent a message to her wealthy supporters:

“Dear brothers, please help me one more time. I have to win today’s PK championship. I’m ready for battle, and I promise you, I won’t let you down.”