After several songs, Xu Qingqiu needed to step off stage to change her clothes and take a rest.

And this was when it was time for the guest appearances.

With her fame growing, the so-called invisible ban had effectively become non-existent.

Although on the surface, all the major companies still acted as if it was none of their business, several had internally let it be known, implying privately that people could make contact.

On one hand, with this album, as long as Xu Qingqiu stayed on course, she was practically guaranteed to thrive.

On the other hand, her popularity was visibly soaring, and her songs had an incredibly high sing-along rate, clearly setting the stage for a meteoric rise.

If they couldn't discern the direction of the wind by now, they would be utter fools.

The crucial point was that there was no benefit in offending her. If someone accidentally did, a single subtle hint from the highly popular Xu Qingqiu could be fatal for one of their artists.

This didn't even need to be true; the mere possibility was enough for those major companies to strive to avoid it.

Even giving Habes some deference was debatable, as the value of that 'face' was highly questionable.

Being the world's largest record company was impressive, and having a plethora of famous singers under their label was certainly notable.

However, the crux was that no matter how formidable you were, others weren't just sitting idly by. Why should they charge into the fray and offend people on your behalf for no reason? Right?

Previously, when Xu Qingqiu had lost favor, people didn't mind kicking her while she was down. Now that she was clearly making a comeback, continuing to stir trouble could very well bring misfortune upon themselves—it simply wasn't worth the risk.

Of course, there was another critical point: for a long time, Xu Qingqiu had kept the identity of the person called Youmeng under tight wraps. To this day, no one had discovered who this suddenly prominent lyricist and composer truly was.

These companies' current maneuvers were simply aimed at gleaning some information about him.

Therefore, while not all the guests present today could be called A-listers, they were, for the most part, well-known figures.

Some had collaborated with Xu Qingqiu before, shared no conflicts, and came as friends to support her and participate in the event.

Others were there as part of a benefits exchange. Chu Tian wasn't clear on the specifics of these arrangements; it was all Sister Hua's handiwork.

Among them was one particularly special individual: Hua Ruyue.

Hua Ruyue had met Xu Qingqiu on *The Sound of Nature*.

Originally, Hua Ruyue had left the entertainment circle in anger after encountering the 'unspoken rules,' choosing to return home to focus on her family.

Later, unable to relinquish her passion for singing, she occasionally ventured out for appearances.

She felt an instant connection with Xu Qingqiu, and they maintained a very close private friendship, always keeping in touch.

Upon hearing Xu Qingqiu was holding a concert, she enthusiastically volunteered to be a guest, an offer Xu Qingqiu naturally accepted with delight.

And now, she was the one performing on stage.

"Alright, I won't steal the spotlight any longer. Let's give the stage back to the main star," Hua Ruyue said with a smile after finishing her song, warmly greeting Xu Qingqiu as she stepped down.

She wore over-the-knee boots and a black-and-white, long-sleeved minidress, giving her an appearance that was both cute and somewhat coolly elegant.

It perfectly combined the features of a princess dress and professional attire without any conflict, making her exceptionally eye-catching on stage.

"Thank you to Sister Ruyue for joining us. I'm so grateful for her guidance and care over the years."

"Now it's time for the fan interaction segment! Let's chat for a bit. I'm quite curious about what questions you all might have."

This was all part of the planned procedure, a standard practice aimed at fostering a closer connection with her fans.

"Alright then, lighting director, please begin! Let's see which lucky fan gets chosen," Xu Qingqiu announced.

"Stop!"

As Xu Qingqiu finished speaking, the spotlight landed on a young man wearing glasses.

He froze for a second, then jumped up excitedly.

"Me! It's me! I've been chosen!"

"Please don't get too excited just yet. It really is you. Could a staff member please pass him a microphone? Let's take this slowly," Xu Qingqiu said, understanding his excitement. She empathized with his elation, gently calming him while moving the program forward.

"President Xu, hello! I'm your loyal fan! ...I'm a die-hard fan!"

Xu Qingqiu was about to reply when his final, blurted-out remark left her momentarily speechless.

"Thank you for your support, but that last part really wasn't necessary," she said, playfully shrugging her shoulders. Her playful shrug elicited waves of laughter from the audience below.

Everyone was amused by the label he'd given himself.

"No, no, that's not what I meant, I..."

The young man tried to explain, but in this situation, any attempt at justification seemed rather feeble.

"Alright, please calm down. Let's take it slow; there's no rush."

"Okay, actually, President Xu, I just want to request a song. I absolutely love your 'Song of the Wind'; I listen to it several times every day. Could you please sing it for us?"

Faced with his request, Xu Qingqiu playfully furrowed her brow and said a little awkwardly, "Don't you know I'm scheduled to sing that song later?"

The song request segment existed because some singers have so many songs they can't possibly perform them all in a single concert, allowing lucky fans a chance to pick.

But Xu Qingqiu only had a limited number of songs; there was no way she would run out of material to perform.

In other words, his opportunity had been utterly wasted.

He apparently hadn't noticed several young girls nearby who looked furious enough to run over and hit him.

"Uh, no, that's not right! I misspoke. President Xu, can I have another try?"

"Alright then, that one doesn't count. Go ahead, ask something else."

"I'd like to have an album signed by you, if that's possible?"

"Of course, that's no problem at all! After the show, please wait a moment and then go backstage to find my staff to collect it. Alternatively, you can go over now to leave your information and address, and we'll mail it to you."

"Thank you so, so much!"

"No, I should be thanking *you* for your support."

After the endearing fan sat down, Xu Qingqiu selected a few more people. When the next fan was chosen, however, she froze. "Susu... Susu, you're here too?"

Lin Junsu had never imagined she would be chosen.

Yes, this lucky fan was indeed Lin Junsu, who used to be with the same company as Xu Qingqiu.

As mentioned before, to counterbalance Xu Qingqiu's influence and contend for narrative control within the company, Ye Zhonghuai and the former chairman, Jiang Wangtao, had each cultivated a new singer.

Ye Zhonghuai had chosen Qin Xiao, while Jiang Wangtao had chosen Lin Junsu.

Recently, Qin Xiao had been very active, causing quite a stir, and Chu Tian and Xu Qingqiu had even sent a few 'surprises' her way.

However, Lin Junsu had vanished from the public eye ever since Ye Zhonghuai's return.

Unexpectedly, she had appeared here.

"Welcome, welcome! I never expected you to come," Xu Qingqiu said, her face lighting up with pleasant surprise.

Seeing Xu Qingqiu's genuinely surprised and pleased expression, Lin Junsu felt a wave of emotion.

Indeed, she had been going through a very difficult time lately.

With Jiang Wangtao's fall from power, she had naturally lost her backing and became progressively marginalized within the company. Lacking resources, her own efforts to develop her career proved exceedingly difficult.

Then, just a few days ago, due to the company's tightening financial situation, she had been unceremoniously cast aside like refuse.

She knew that her former rival—or perhaps, her former target—was holding a concert, marking a comeback after a year of silence.

Unsure what compelled her, she had impulsively bought a ticket to see the concert, never imagining she would encounter Xu Qingqiu in such a way.

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