Chapter 41: A Textbook Example of Playing the Victim

The applause from the audience lasted for a full minute, and the live chat was flooded with messages cheering for Meng Xiaotian.

Was Meng Xiaotian’s singing really that good?

To be fair, for those with a discerning ear, Meng Xiaotian’s performance was indeed solid, but it was hardly enough to warrant such an outpouring of adulation from everyone present.

But Meng Xiaotian was clever. He knew that the Optimists had a vast, latent fanbase, and he understood that, for these fans, it didn’t matter whether his rendition of “Face Everything With a Smile” was technically flawless; what mattered was nostalgia.

This song was the anthem of their lost youth.

“Aaah! Meng Xiaotian’s ‘Face Everything With a Smile’ still sounds just like it used to!” “The last time I heard this song, I was cramming for college entrance exams; now I’m just another office drone…” “I played this song when I confessed my feelings that year. Too bad, listening again now, she’s no longer by my side.”

Each comment stirred up memories, sending emotions spiraling out of control.

On stage, Han Hong looked at the nearly thirty-year-old Meng Xiaotian and asked, “If I’m not mistaken, Xiaotian, I believe we met three years ago, didn’t we?”

Meng Xiaotian picked up the microphone and replied with a smile, “Sister Han Hong, you have a great memory. Three years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet you at Penguin’s Music Gala.”

Han Hong sighed and said, “It’s been three years already… I never expected to see you on this talent show, let alone as a contestant.”

Beside her, Yan Mi asked curiously, “Let me ask on behalf of your fans: What have you been doing these past three years? There hasn’t been any news about you.”

A flicker passed through Meng Xiaotian’s eyes, and he lowered his head with a bitter smile. “I didn’t want things to turn out this way. Singing has always been my dream, and bringing joy to the fans of the Optimists is my greatest honor, but at the time, my body simply couldn’t support me any longer.”

Yan Mi was taken aback and blurted out, “What happened to you back then?”

Meng Xiaotian paused, running through the well-rehearsed lie in his mind, and then said in a somber tone, “It happened after a concert—I suddenly fainted and was taken to the hospital, where doctors discovered a tumor five centimeters in diameter in my brain.”

Upon hearing this, Yan Mi instinctively covered her mouth, and the entire venue fell silent, everyone quietly listening to Meng Xiaotian’s story.

“Afterwards, the doctors told me I couldn’t sing or do any strenuous activity, or else my life would be in danger if the tumor was agitated. But I’m a singer—I had to finish the concerts I’d already promised to my fans! But it was that very concert that left me bedridden for a full month…”

Meng Xiaotian let out a long sigh and said to the audience, “After that, I was forced to undergo treatment and had brain surgery. Luckily, the operation was a success. There isn’t even a scar on my head, and I have now made a complete recovery.”

By the time Meng Xiaotian finished his story, his fans in the audience were already in tears, some even sobbing uncontrollably.

Yet some people noticed inconsistencies in his tale.

A five-centimeter brain tumor, yet he still managed to perform concerts? Brain surgery with no scars? Something about this seemed off.

But swept up in the emotion, no one voiced any doubts.

Zhou Zhiqian, too, was puzzled and frowned as he asked, “With something so serious, why didn’t you tell your fans back then?”

“I didn’t want them to worry. I always thought I’d recover quickly, but I never expected it would be three whole years.”

Meng Xiaotian gazed sincerely into the camera, his voice full of feeling. “I regret leaving without a word back then. Even after I fully recovered, I hesitated to return, feeling I’d let down my fellow group members and failed everyone’s expectations.”

“But then I remembered, during my recovery, seeing everyone constantly asking what happened to the Optimists, where Meng Xiaotian had gone. I realized people still needed me. So I resolutely decided to start anew, and that’s why I came to ‘Star of Tomorrow.’”

At those words, Meng Xiaotian’s fans in the audience could no longer contain themselves—some even called out loudly.

“Tianbao, don’t say that! You never let us down, you’re the best!” “Tianbao, seeing you again is our greatest fortune!” “Having you is our blessing!”

The audience was steeped in sorrow, and the live stream even more so.

Meanwhile, Han Jiangxue munched on sunflower seeds, frowning—she found this Meng Xiaotian fellow a bit fake.

As the audience wept below, Meng Xiaotian lowered his head on stage, and out of sight, a wild, triumphant grin broke through his mask of sorrow.

These fans are so gullible and easy to fool! I just made up some story and they bought it! Ha!

In the control room, Director Wu Tong watched the numbers spike backstage, his face alight with excitement.

I knew it! Pushing Meng Xiaotian was the right call! If Su Chen had taken the stage, there wouldn’t be numbers like these!

At that moment, with Meng Xiaotian finished, the three mentors—other than Zheng Huayu—exchanged frowns, all too familiar with the tricks of the entertainment industry. They felt the story Meng Xiaotian told was simply too perfect.

Sometimes, perfection is just another word for falsehood.

Still, they didn’t say much. After all, if a contestant wanted to play the sympathy card, that was their prerogative.

After exchanging glances, Han Hong spoke first. “Your singing truly stands out among these contestants, but choosing to perform ‘Face Everything With a Smile’ is a bit of an easy win, so—”

She hadn’t finished when Zheng Huayu interrupted, “Contestants have the right to choose whatever song they wish. I think calling it an easy win is unfair. I think ‘Face Everything With a Smile’ was excellent!”

Turning to Meng Xiaotian, Zheng Huayu said, “Xiaotian, I really believe in you. Would you like to join my team?”

Meng Xiaotian raised the microphone and answered at once, “I would.”

Having spoken, Han Hong could only frown and remain silent.

Afterward, Meng Xiaotian thanked the audience and Zheng Huayu, but seemed to forget to thank the other three mentors for their comments.

Finally, Meng Xiaotian said, “In these three years, I’ve learned a lot. The greatest lesson has been about taking time to grow. It’s made me a better person, so I want to offer some advice to other contestants: Don’t get cocky just because you’re currently popular.”

“Don’t think that just because you have one or two hit original songs, you can challenge others at will. Stay humble—music relies on true ability.”

With that, Meng Xiaotian smiled and left the stage.

Backstage, Su Chen watched Meng Xiaotian on the big screen, feeling a touch of surprise.

There’s a reason this Meng Xiaotian was so popular back in the day. He’s a master of nostalgia and playing the victim—truly a textbook example.

“But to strike while the iron is hot like this—is he hoping to finish me off in one blow?”