"Everyone, please quiet down for a moment."
Zhang Yichen raised his hand. His voice wasn't loud, yet it carried an invisible pressure that instantly silenced the venue.
The entire hall fell quiet.
His gaze swept across the reporters below, a faint smile still resting on his lips—as if everything were firmly under his control.
"Since everyone's so enthusiastic, we won't know which question to answer first. How about this—today, we'll take ten questions in total. Whoever I point to gets to ask one."
Zhang Yichen calmly laid out the rules. His tone carried a hint of humor, yet left no room for objection.
The moment he finished speaking—
Swish, swish, swish!
Reporters across the room raised their hands frantically, like students competing to answer a question in class.
"For the first question," Zhang Yichen said, scanning the crowd, "let's go with the reporter from Starlight Daily."
He had noticed this reporter as soon as he walked in. It was likely the same Xiao Wang who had called earlier.
Judging from how polite he'd sounded over the phone, Zhang Yichen assumed his question wouldn't be too difficult.
"Mr. Zhang," the reporter began, "I was watching your livestream yesterday. May I ask—were the two songs you performed written specifically for Ah Hua and Gangzi?"
Well… that was sharp.
Zhang Yichen instantly realized he had misjudged him.
How was he supposed to answer that?
If he said yes—and they didn't want to sing them later—wouldn't that be awkward?
If he said no—but they did want to sing them—how would he explain it then?
Fortunately, this kind of question didn't stump him.
"I already mentioned during the livestream that those two songs aren't suitable for me, so I won't be releasing them," he replied smoothly. "If any senior artists are interested in performing them, they're more than welcome to."
His answer was generous and respectful, showing deference to industry veterans.
In truth, this had been part of his plan all along—one of the key steps in his strategy to reach the Spring Festival Gala stage.
From what he knew, both Ah Hua and Gangzi had already received invitations for this year's Gala.
The problem was that neither of them had released new songs in the past two years.
One of Zhang Yichen's songs was festive and upbeat—perfect for the New Year atmosphere.
The other was patriotic—equally suitable for National Day or the Spring Festival Gala.
More importantly, both had hit-level potential.
After last night's livestream buzz and today's press conference exposure, it was only a matter of time before Ah Hua and Gangzi heard them.
Zhang Yichen didn't believe for a second that they wouldn't be tempted.
"Second question," he continued, scanning the crowd again. "Let's go with the reporter from Sichuan Television."
Sichuan TV was local media—practically family. Surely they wouldn't make things difficult.
"Miss Chen," the reporter asked, "your comeback album has surpassed ten million sales—an extremely rare achievement in the Chinese music industry. May I ask how you achieved it?"
Well then.
They didn't make things difficult for Zhang Yichen—but instead put Chen Xiaoxi on the spot.
"Allow me to answer that," Zhang Yichen interjected immediately.
"First of all, I'd like to thank all the fans who support Miss Chen Xiaoxi."
"As for how this was achieved, I believe the most important factor is the music itself."
"I've always believed that only good work can earn recognition from the market."
"Every song on this album is a gold-standard track, each one carefully crafted."
"A ten-song album filled entirely with hit songs—surely that's something none of you would want to miss, right?"
As his words fell, thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall.
Many reporters nodded in agreement.
Even the cameramen holding their equipment unconsciously nodded along.
"Alright," Zhang Yichen said, "the third question—let's go with the reporter at the far left in the back."
He pointed casually toward the corner.
Sitting that far back likely meant a smaller media outlet. Their question shouldn't be too aggressive, right?
"Mr. Zhang," the reporter asked, "we've heard that during your school's opening ceremony, you boldly claimed you would release one new song every day for the next two hundred days. May I ask why?"
See?
Zhang Yichen knew it.
This question hit exactly where he wanted it to.
He had been wondering—if no one asked, how would he bring it up himself?
Saying it unprompted would seem arrogant.
Not saying it would mean failing to draw attention away from Chen Xiaoxi.
This small-media reporter was practically a godsend.
"Because I want to become the King of Singers."
Zhang Yichen answered without hesitation.
The hall erupted in shock.
No one expected him to be this bold—this was practically declaring war on the entire entertainment industry.
But before anyone could react, he continued calmly:
"I've already written most of the songs. I can guarantee that every single one will be good."
"Oh, and one more thing—I'd like to announce that everyone is free to cover my songs. I promise I won't pursue any copyright claims."
Another bombshell.
This wasn't just confidence anymore—it was a direct challenge to industry norms.
Many veteran artists relied on copyright royalties for steady income.
If a newcomer like Zhang Yichen refused to charge royalties, what would that mean for them?
If one person started, others might follow.
A nightmare scenario.
Of course, Zhang Yichen didn't care.
"Fourth question—let's go with the reporter on the far right in the back."
The corner reporters seemed more aligned with his rhythm anyway.
"Mr. Zhang," the reporter asked, "you support free covers of your songs. Doesn't this show a lack of respect for creators? And isn't this a deliberate attempt to disrupt industry rules?"
A good question.
Too good.
"Reporter, you're being a bit greedy," Zhang Yichen replied lightly.
"We agreed on one question, but you asked two. Still, I'm generous—I'll answer both."
"First, I wrote these songs myself. Whether I charge royalties or not is my personal choice. I never asked other creators to give theirs away, so how is that disrespectful?"
"Second, regarding these so-called 'rules'—what exactly are they? Who made them? Does the Music Association have any official documentation?"
The series of counter-questions left the reporter completely speechless.
"Alright," Zhang Yichen continued, "fifth question—let's take one from the front."
At this point, he realized none of these reporters were easy opponents. Whoever he picked made little difference.
"Miss Chen," the reporter asked, "do you have anything to say regarding the negative rumors circulating online today?"
Good grief.
That single question practically bundled multiple accusations into one.
"I'll answer this one," Zhang Yichen said again.
"First, let me show everyone something."
As he spoke, Zhang Yichen gestured toward the staff.