Chapter 42: "It's Not That Simple"

Today is the final showdown of the “Vocalist” competition.

After three intense rounds, only three contestants remain.

The first is Zhang Cheng’an, who’s on the verge of becoming a pop king; next is Liu Ruyun, a top-tier singer; and lastly, the biggest dark horse of the season—Wang Tianqi!

As the buzz over the past few days continued to ferment, the show’s exposure skyrocketed, drawing in viewers who wouldn’t normally tune in to music programs.

This season’s show was the most talked-about yet.

It all began with the Shen Xian incident.

The incident had far-reaching consequences. First, Shen intercepted Chen Feng’s song to curry favor with Liu Ruyun—deceiving her in the process. Then came Liu Ruyun’s high-profile label switch. Afterward, everyone believed Shen Xian was trying to dodge a massive breach-of-contract penalty and had casually brought in a bar singer to take the stage.

Many were ready to unleash scathing criticism.

But no one expected Wang Tianqi’s debut performance of “You Are My Eyes” to shine so brilliantly.

Wang Tianqi’s story soon moved countless viewers. Though there was no sweeping, earth-shattering romance between him and Li Xiurong, their steadfast commitment and mutual support made many believe in true love.

Wang Tianqi then broke through the ranks with “Promise” and “This Is Love,” outshining veteran singers and even the almost-king Zhang Cheng’an, and leaving even the legendary musician Wu Shaodong’s works in the dust.

The entire Mandarin pop scene was shaken!

Yet everyone knew that Wang Tianqi’s journey to this point was due to one key figure—the songwriter known as Postman.

Shen Xian, Wang Tianqi, and Postman—these three elements combined to send shockwaves through the usually placid entertainment industry.

It had been ages since domestic entertainment had seen such a sensation.

As a result, the ratings and online viewership for “Vocalist” soared to new heights.

The live stream counted millions of viewers, and the number kept climbing.

The production team had to add extra servers on the fly to prevent the broadcast from crashing.

Of all the contestants, Liu Ruyun was the most anxious.

Wang Tianqi, by contrast, was the most at ease.

Whether or not he could win the championship today, he’d already made a name for himself. Even if he scored just five hundred votes, he’d still come in third.

Zhang Cheng’an, the almost-king, seemed to have resigned himself to fate and decided to just go with the flow.

With over a decade of experience in the industry, Zhang’s insight was sharp and his intuition keen.

He knew that even a hall-of-fame musician couldn’t surpass Postman tonight.

Nor could he outshine the red-hot Wang Tianqi.

As usual, Zhang Cheng’an was first on stage. His song was an old hit from five years ago that had won a Golden Melody Award.

He sang with an easygoing air, and this relaxed, cheerful vibe earned him a stunning score: 50 points from the judges and an incredible 980 audience votes!

“Zhang Cheng’an is still so strong!”

“980 votes, incredible!”

“Give him another year or two, and the pop king’s throne is his!”

Next up was Liu Ruyun. Her song for tonight, written and composed by Wu Shaodong, was originally intended as the debut single for an up-and-coming diva from his label.

But Chen Feng passed it on to Liu Ruyun.

The song was of high quality, and Liu Ruyun played to her strengths perfectly in this round.

She ultimately scored a staggering 968 audience votes and 49 points from the judges.

After singing, Liu Ruyun actually felt a weight lift from her shoulders. This result far exceeded her expectations.

“I don’t think Postman has any more god-tier songs up his sleeve.”

“Right, since Wang Tianqi has already made it this far, Shen Xian must have used his best material earlier to help him advance.”

“I agree, the upcoming song probably won’t match the quality of the previous ones.”

Many doubted, but just as many waited in anticipation.

A lot of people had tuned in specifically to hear Postman’s songs.

Especially the entertainment companies—everyone wanted to see just how high Postman’s ceiling really was.

So far, three rounds had produced three legendary tracks.

If another masterpiece appeared tonight, it would be a feat for the ages.

Postman’s current popularity and reputation had already far surpassed Shen Xian’s from three years prior.

As Wang Tianqi took the stage, the giant screen displayed the details of his song.

Title: “It’s Not That Simple”

Performed by: Wang Tianqi

Lyrics: Postman

Music: Postman

Mixing: Postman

Mastering: Postman

On Earth, “It’s Not That Simple” had won the Most Popular Karaoke Song award at the Music Pioneer Awards on April 9, 2011.

The audience was already numb with amazement.

Wang Tianqi’s voice rose gently:

It’s not that simple
To find a companion you truly connect with
Especially after witnessing so much betrayal
You’re always uneasy, so you put on a tough front
Who murdered my romance?
It’s not that simple
To love someone and ignore everything else
Becoming realistic, half for better, half for worse
…

He had just sung the first verse, and already many in the crowd sat up, taken aback.

This song was different from the previous love ballads—here was a philosophical take on how to navigate a healthy relationship.

“Wow, these lyrics are so insightful!”

“This song expresses love with such clarity!”

“Exactly—it’s so true: it’s not that simple to love and ignore everything else; being realistic can be both good and bad.”

The audience buzzed with discussion.

Zhou Wan, listening, was also struck—this song had moved beyond mere romance, elevating into the realm of love’s philosophy.

Wang Tianqi continued:

If you don’t love loneliness, you’ll get used to it
No need to worry about anyone, no need to be managed
Feeling happy, you keep busy
Feeling tired, you let yourself drift
What others say—just listen in passing
Make your own decisions
You don’t want to be burdened by too many emotions
A glass of red wine and a movie
On a weekend night, switch off your phone
Curl up comfortably on the sofa~

Wang Tianqi sang with the air of someone who’d been through it all, exposing the bittersweetness that had long been hidden, then, like a wise elder, gently told them, “What others say—just listen in passing, make your own decisions.”

The audience was not only captivated by the sound, but also by the meaning.

They stared intently at the big screen, carefully savoring the lyrics.

“I feel like this song describes my own experience.”

“It feels like it’s about me too!”

“The lyrics flow so naturally—it’s rare to hear something this simple and yet so expressive. The quality is amazing!”

While the audience kept discussing, Wang Tianqi had already reached the song’s climax.

Love isn’t so easy
Everyone has their own temper
After the age of dreaming
Peace is better than passion
Happiness isn’t so easy
That’s why it’s so captivating
In the age when we knew nothing
We gave our hearts most freely
And were happiest back then~

As the song ended, the venue fell silent. It was as if everyone’s breath had stopped.

He sang of the state of life after weathering all storms; his voice was gentle and unhurried, like a glass of red wine, full of flavor. Though the song was called “It’s Not That Simple,” it didn’t convey negativity—rather, it said that though life isn’t easy, whether joyful or weary, we must find our own way to cope.

“Holy—what a bombshell!”

“Every song is a masterpiece!”

“Whoever said Postman’s songs lacked depth—come out and say it now!”

“Haters, speak up!”