Chapter 143: Releasing the Video

After chatting with Dong Xiaojie for a few more moments, Su Chen headed toward the conference room at the end of the office area.

Xu Shuang was sitting quietly in the conference room, her chin resting on one hand as she gazed out the window. In front of her sat a cup of tea that an administrator had just brought in. Seeing Su Chen push the door open, she stood up.

"Why did you have to make such a long trip?" Su Chen greeted her with a smile.

"I didn't have much going on at the moment, and as soon as I heard your news, I decided to come," she replied.

Su Chen nodded and gestured for her to sit back down. "Thank you for the video you sent." Once they were both seated, he looked at her earnestly.

Xu Shuang smiled dismissively. "It’s nothing, just a coincidence."

Su Chen shook his head. "Regardless, you’ve helped me a great deal. The Royal Dynasty Entertainment managed to wipe everything from that day’s event clean; having a mobile recording of it is incredibly valuable." Jiang Yan and Lu Yuanqing had used all their connections to search for footage, but since everyone else was busy watching the commotion, no one had thought to record the entire incident. Moreover, as professional singers, few had the habit of pulling out their phones to film during events. Xu Shuang was the sole exception.

"Well, I did leave the venue early," she said, blinking.

Su Chen was momentarily stunned. In his impression, Xu Shuang was a quiet and serene person. This sudden gesture of playfulness created a sharp contrast that caught him off guard. To be honest, the events of the awards ceremony and the heavily edited, malicious videos that followed didn't bother him much. His philosophy was simple: talent and strength could shatter any rumor. Still, Xu Shuang’s sudden act of kindness—sending over the complete, unedited footage—was a pleasant surprise. He certainly wouldn't refuse such a gesture.

"I’ll post this video later to reveal the true faces of Li Kang and the Royal Dynasty," Su Chen said.

Xu Shuang nodded slightly, then sighed. "Handle it as you see fit. I just didn't expect them to be so shameless in twisting the truth. And with so many singers present, not a single one stepped up to clarify things."

Su Chen chuckled. "Nobody wants to wade into muddy waters that don't concern them. Besides, they would be facing an entertainment giant." He didn't dwell on the topic, then remembered something. "Since you’re here, let’s record that song I promised you."

He had promised to write her a song as a token of gratitude, which was the main reason she had rushed over.

"Actually... I didn't mean for you to write me a song just because of this, even though I really do need one," Xu Shuang said, looking directly into his eyes.

Su Chen smiled. "I understand, but this is the best way for me to express my thanks."

Xu Shuang looked at him for a long while, then replied softly, "Alright."

Su Chen had learned a bit about Xu Shuang from Jiang Yan. The two had risen as newcomers around the same time, though back then, Jiang Yan’s status was far behind hers. Later, Xu Shuang had wanted to go public with a relationship she had with someone outside the industry, but her agency blocked it. At the time, her career was at its peak; going public would have caused her popularity to plummet, a massive loss for the company. After repeated refusals to cooperate, the executives, in a fit of anger, decided to freeze her career. That was when she began to fade from the public eye. Jiang Yan didn't know much else, only that she had since broken up with that man.

*A romantic fool,* was Su Chen’s first thought after hearing Jiang Yan’s description. But now, he couldn't reconcile that image with the serene woman sitting before him.

They hadn't spoken much after adding each other on WeChat, only connecting when she sent the video. When he offered the song, she had flown in from the capital overnight. Because the situation was currently sensitive, Su Chen couldn't easily go out, so he chose Star Orange Entertainment as their meeting place.

"Sing a few lines for me so I can hear your voice," Su Chen said.

"Here?" she asked, surprised.

"It’s fine, no one will come into this conference room," he assured her. Although he had heard her name, he hadn't heard much of her singing.

Xu Shuang straightened her posture and cleared her throat. In an instant, the lazy air vanished, replaced by an intense focus.

"Memories are like a breeze,
Blowing through the streets of the past,
Those beautiful scenes linger in my heart,
..."

Her voice was like a flowing stream—soft and gentle, yet rich with delicate emotion. Every note seemed to touch the soul. After a few lines, at Su Chen’s signal, she stopped and looked at him, waiting for his critique.

"You are one of the most talented singers I have ever heard," Su Chen said simply. A faint smile touched her lips. He wasn't exaggerating; she was truly one of the most naturally gifted vocalists he had encountered.

*Tap, tap, tap.* Su Chen drummed his fingers on the table, then suddenly stopped. He had it. "Follow me."

He led her through the office area to the recording studio. Since his promotion to a gold-tier composer, Star Orange had reserved a studio specifically for him. While technically available to others, few dared to use it lightly. Inside, Su Chen grabbed a pen and paper, scribbling away. In no time, the song was ready.

"Try this," he said, handing her the sheet.

Xu Shuang was bewildered. She took the paper, scanned it, and felt a jolt run through her entire body. "A song?" She had never seen anyone write music like that. Curious, she began to hum the lyrics.

"Finally made this decision,
I don't care what others say,
As long as you are just as certain,
I am willing,
To follow you to the ends of the earth,
..."

The first line shook her to the core.

"Love really needs courage,
To face the rumors and gossip,
As long as you give me a look of affirmation,
My love has meaning,
We both need courage,
..."

As she reached the chorus, her eyes grew misty. When she finished, she turned away. After wiping the moisture from her eyes, she turned back and smiled at Su Chen. "I love this song. Thank you."

Su Chen nodded. The song perfectly captured her experiences; it was as if it had been written for her soul. Yet, even in such an emotional state, she had managed to sing it with perfect composure—her professional discipline was truly remarkable.

"Alright, since that's settled, I’ll arrange to fast-track this. You’re a freelancer now, and your promotional resources might be limited. If we move quickly, we might be able to ride the wave of this incident for extra exposure."

Since her contract with her previous company had expired, she was handling her own recording and promotion. Su Chen suggested she finish the recording at Star Orange to save time.

At that moment, public sentiment regarding the Su Chen incident had reached a boiling point. Just as the crowd was losing interest after he had remained silent for so long, he posted a complete, unedited video of the awards ceremony on Weibo.

The post read: "Everyone, take a break. Want to see the full version?"