Chapter Twenty-Eight: Calamity from the Skies

After all, the audience for fashion shows is limited. No matter how famous an ordinary streamer may be, their fame rarely extends beyond that small circle. Yet Su Tong became a sensation outside the circle, thanks to his songs.

There are many classic songs buried and forgotten, but because an operator at the Great Qin Music Library had watched Su Tong’s live broadcast and heard a bit of his story, they gave him the green light within their authority. Three songs by Nian Nu Jiao appeared in quick succession on the new release chart: “Childhood,” “Brothers Sleeping in My Upper Bunk,” and “I Believe.”

All three were written, composed, and performed by a single person—Nian Nu Jiao.

As soon as the inspirational youth anthem “I Believe” was released, it climbed to the top of weekly charts on major music sites within three days.

“Damn, what an incredible song! Who is this unknown artist? They must be under some entertainment company, getting famous overnight.”

“Yeah, this company is really going all out. Normally, a newcomer’s debut takes a process, but this one swept the country in one night. Aren’t they worried about burning out too quickly?”

“I don’t care, this song is so damn inspiring! It feels like my lost youth has returned, burning bright.”

“You lost your youth at twenty-four? Nonsense—anywhere from teens to thirty counts as youth. Rounding up, you should be twenty.”

“And ‘Childhood’ and ‘Brothers Sleeping in My Upper Bunk’—wow, releasing several classics at once, it’s crazy.”

“…”

Nian Nu Jiao became a household name overnight. Their songs played everywhere, especially “I Believe,” which echoed down every street.

“Wait, Nian Nu Jiao is actually a group, not a single person?”

“Comparing people is infuriating—turns out it’s a college student with two younger sisters.”

“Wow, the brother is so handsome, and the Qiao sisters are adorable. When they grow up, they’ll be breathtaking.”

“…”

Many people listen to songs without caring who the singer is; if it sounds good, that’s enough. Still, plenty went looking for information on the performers.

The internet is full of talented people, and some managed to track down information about Nian Nu Jiao.

The elder brother, Su Tong, is a student at Central Nationalities University, starting his sophomore year in September.

Da Qiao, Su Yu, is a middle schooler, starting her third year in September.

Xiao Qiao, Su Xiaoxiao, is in kindergarten, not yet four years old.

“My god.” When Su Tong discovered his personal information had been exposed online, he shivered. He was certain that even when he’d gone with his best friend, the admin Dong Tian, to visit Huangshan, he never revealed he was a student at Central Nationalities University—just that he’d be a sophomore next semester.

The information he’d exposed was limited—only Nian Nu Jiao’s diehard fans knew, and even then, they didn’t know he lived in the remote Jinzhou District of Seaside City.

Previously, Jinzhou District was just a county under Seaside City, only later upgraded to a district.

Su Tong was sure his home address had also been uncovered, but due to privacy concerns, those who found it hadn’t released it.

These past few days, Zhang Xin has been both delighted and overwhelmed.

Many artists called or visited, wanting to buy the cover rights for “Childhood,” “Brothers Sleeping in My Upper Bunk,” and “I Believe,” or even commission new songs from Nian Nu Jiao.

Though many doubted that Nian Nu Jiao wrote them all, it didn’t matter; as long as they could reach Nian Nu Jiao, it was enough.

Su Tong knew little about the complexities of the entertainment industry or its rules. For now, Zhang Xin was only his manager in name; they hadn’t signed a contract yet.

He judged people by their character. Zhang Xin, who had returned to Yandu, had been playing happily with the three siblings these days. Su Tong believed you could never truly know someone’s heart, but Zhang Xin gave him a good feeling, like an elder sister—someone trustworthy.

Su Tong didn’t feel especially famous; after all, none of his classmates had called him, which meant they still didn’t know.

Even now, as he stood on the street with “I Believe” swirling around him, a tall, pure-looking girl stood by his side.

“This song is so beautiful,” said Gao Litong.

This was the real blow to Su Tong. All his pride vanished; even with the singer standing right before her, she had no idea.

Different worlds, different mountains—Gao Litong wasn’t part of the entertainment circle, so it was normal she didn’t know Su Tong wrote and sang the song.

“Nian Nu Jiao is such an artistic name. Can it be used as a stage name? Such a good song, wasted,” Gao Litong said, twirling her parasol and eating ice cream, oblivious to Su Tong's darkening expression.

Su Tong truly felt disheartened. He thought he was famous, but he was still just a nobody his classmates didn’t recognize.

“Tongtong, ahem, I asked you out today not only to repay you, but also to ask for your help,” Su Tong said, taking Gao Litong’s parasol. The two strolled, eating their ice cream.

Gao Litong snorted, “I knew you wouldn’t call me unless you wanted something. Say it. If it’s about borrowing money, don’t ask for more than five hundred.”

Su Tong was speechless. This girl came from money but had a reputation for being stingy.

“I heard in high school that Li Wen’s family owns a bar. I thought…” Su Tong hesitated, “She’s your best friend, right? I wanted to ask through you if I could work there for a while, singing. My family urgently needs money.”

Gao Litong was surprised. “You can sing?”

Su Tong felt like a failure. The song she’d just praised, the one sweeping the country, was sung by him!

“I can audition. I wouldn’t pull strings for something like this; if I’m not good enough, I won’t force myself on stage. The audience would tear me apart,” Su Tong said.

Gao Litong frowned, “Wenwen chased you in high school, and you ignored her. Now you want something from her—what’s your deal?”

Su Tong was embarrassed. In high school, Li Wen had indeed pursued him, but that was the old Su Tong. He hadn’t accepted then, and he wouldn’t now. He was a man with a whole world behind him—how could he just pick a girlfriend at random?

His future girlfriend would have to be either a superstar or a campus beauty.

“I just need money. Besides, if I sing at Li Wen’s bar, I hope to get paid daily, not monthly. The money is urgent—I can’t wait,” Su Tong sighed. His father had transformed again the previous night, burning down a neighbor’s house in the village.

He’d been beaten half to death himself, but the family whose house had burned suffered injuries while fighting the fire.

Compensation for the house and medical bills—all money.

Su Tong estimated he’d earned about a hundred thousand from live streaming on CoolCool platform, but it wouldn’t be paid until the fifth of next month. Zhang Xin had sold cover rights for those songs, and the money had arrived, but it was only tens of thousands—not enough.

Even Xiao Yu and Xiaoxiao’s school fees for next term had been spent.

His father’s medical bills would be covered by others, but since their house had burned and someone got hurt, Su Tong still had to pay compensation—a lose-lose situation.

The medical bills others paid would amount to only tens of thousands, but Su Tong’s compensation for the house and injuries would be at least a hundred thousand.

“What happened at home?” Gao Litong was shocked. After hesitating, she struggled to say, “The New Year money I’ve saved since childhood amounts to four or five hundred thousand, but I can’t lend it all to you. I’ll lend half—ten thousand, and no more.”

Su Tong nearly dropped his ice cream. Damn, four or five hundred thousand in New Year money—she really is from a wealthy family.

Li Wen’s father, he’d heard, was also powerful, owning several nightclubs and bars. Maybe she had as much New Year money, too.

“No need, just let me sing at the bar for a month. I don’t need a loan,” Su Tong waved her off. They were from the same village. When his grandparents were alive, the Su family had a great reputation. Though his father became a troublemaker in recent years, people were still tolerant.

The family whose house burned didn’t require compensation for the injured; compensation would go to Su Tong’s father, who was beaten and hospitalized anyway. Each party paid for their own.

The rest was just for the house—not urgent. Su Tong didn’t have to pay immediately; just covering his father’s hospital expenses was enough.

Su Tong was exasperated. If his father hadn’t been so irritating—constantly provoking people with his unending sarcasm—they wouldn’t have beaten him so badly after the fire.

His father was hospitalised by their beating, so they didn’t press Su Tong for compensation, not even expecting him to pay up before graduation.

“Not borrowing is better; it means it’s not urgent. I’ll call Wenwen over,” Gao Litong said, pulling out her phone to call Li Wen.