My Landlord is an Idol Singer - Chapter 186

Gu Zhinan saw the van door wide open and jumped straight in. “Go!”

Xiao Li nodded, slammed on the gas, and sped away. Gu Zhinan hurriedly slid the door shut. There was no way he was doing interviews. He didn’t need hype, and he definitely didn’t want to become some trending-topic celebrity.

If A Little Thing Called First Love finished shooting, then maybe he wouldn’t mind giving a few interviews to promote the film. But for now, with a small-time company like theirs, no resources, no money, no finished product, any publicity was pointless. Even if the heat spiked, it wouldn’t last.

As for Blue and White Porcelain, there was still no news. Who knew what was going on with those two old masters? He’d already been on Masked Singer for three episodes, and it was now December 18th. One more episode and it would be the New Year, his first year in this world. Time really flew.

The Sword and Fairy novels were still in printing. Cheng Mengxi only said the physical editions would hit bookstores sometime in January, aiming for a premium release.

“Damn it!”

“What the hell??”

“This guy has so many tricks up his sleeve!”

“I’m going to write a hit piece on him! I can’t stand it, too arrogant!”

“Same here. I’ve been a reporter for years and never seen anyone refuse interviews like this!”

“Doesn’t he want fame? Doesn’t he want buzz? Doesn’t he realize his popularity is through the roof right now?”

“I saw online someone claiming the Frog is actually the author of Sword and Fairy, username Straight Guy, real name Gu Zhinan. I’ll just write it up that way!”

“I’m definitely going to drag him!”

The reporters were fuming. In the whole month since Masked Singer began, they’d never managed to corner the Frog for an interview.

Finally, when they got a chance, he slipped away again!

“Teacher Gu, honestly this isn’t great. If you never give interviews, people will say you’re putting on airs.” 

The regular driver wasn’t here today, so Xiao Li was behind the wheel. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, but his mouth kept running. “I know you don’t want to enter the entertainment industry and just want to focus on writing novels. But talent like yours can’t stay hidden forever.”

“Where’d you learn to say stuff like that?” Gu Zhinan was surprised. It had been less than half a day, and this kid was suddenly so slick with words?

“Nowhere. Just saying it as it is.”

“Anyway, it’s not the right time. When I get eliminated, then we’ll talk.” If it were the old Gu Zhinan, he would’ve avoided the entertainment world like the plague, and he’d have had no chance to enter it anyway.

Across two lives, he felt the same: the pay didn’t match the value.

Someone like him could earn a hundred to two hundred thousand just by appearing on Masked Singer once. But those unsung heroes who served the country, the researchers who worked day and night in silence, they gave everything and got little recognition.

It wasn’t fair. They were the ones who should enjoy the prosperity their efforts had built. That was why he insisted on donating part of the profits from Sword and Fairy and Blue and White Porcelain.

Do what you can, within your ability.

He was also glad that the landlady remained pure, untouched by the murky waters of the entertainment world. That was one of the reasons he’d agreed to write songs for her in the first place. Well, if he was honest, the main reason was that she was really good-looking. Just seeing her made him feel like he could eat an extra few bowls of rice.

“Hahaha, Teacher Gu, stop joking around. Tonight you were on fire, you got first place!” Xiao Li spoke with a trace of pride. After all, he was the one responsible for Gu Zhinan. If he became famous, he’d gain recognition at Hangzhou TV too.

And Gu Zhinan’s songs weren’t just good, they were top-tier originals every single time. Tonight, he even sang and played guitar live. When the guitar blended with traditional instruments, Xiao Li got goosebumps all over, never mind Gu Zhinan’s voice itself.

He’d heard him in the studio before, but on stage it was completely different.

Explosive. Overwhelming.

“Still, Teacher Gu, you can’t keep your identity hidden. In the Sword and Fairy forum, tons of threads have popped up analyzing whether the Frog is you.”

“Really?” Gu Zhinan was stunned. These people had nothing better to do?

“Yeah. The hottest one is by a user named Yan Yue. Supposedly a girl. She straight-up pointed out that you joined the Poetry Association two months ago, that you’re both a poet and a musician, and that your surname is Gu. The only match is you.”

“Yan Yue?” Only one name popped into Gu Zhinan’s mind: that little brat Du Xiaoyan?

He listened to Xiao Li’s explanation, then opened the forum on his own phone. Sure enough, in just half a night, threads speculating he was the Frog had exploded. At the very top, pinned and trending, was Yan Yue’s post.

Gu Zhinan chuckled and clicked in. Line by line, she’d listed his timeline of poems, his Poetry Association membership, and narrowed it down: of the few surnamed Gu, the only one who fit was the new member, Gu Zhinan.

“Not bad, little miss.” He read with interest. At the end, she smugly declared that the reason he kept updating slowly was because he was afraid of his identity being discovered, but he didn’t expect Masked Singer itself would expose him!

She even complained that he was overworked, writing Sword and Fairy while competing on the show, no wonder the recent story arc was “so watery” with no plot progress. Finally, she called on fellow readers to join the “urge for updates” army!

A rebellion led by a girl?

Gu Zhinan found it amusing. He hadn’t seen Du Xiaoyan since she sang Blue and White Porcelain on Huayang TV. From the looks of it, she really had a bone to pick with him!

“After reading this, it feels like even the half-unmask next episode won’t mean much. Everyone already considers it confirmed.” Gu Zhinan muttered. Scrolling further down, nearly every post was the same, solid evidence pointing to him.

He couldn’t escape this one.

“It’s fine. The readers are all saying if Teacher Gu were really on Masked Singer, he’d have stopped updating ages ago. But you haven’t stopped, you even posted extra chapters the other day!” Xiao Li tried to comfort him, thinking he was upset about being exposed.

But Gu Zhinan only smiled unconcernedly. “Small matter.”

He decided to make one last attempt at denial. On the forum, he created a new post.

“I just woke up at home from a nap, what’s all this about Masked Singer? I honestly don’t know. Please don’t overthink it. I’m just an ordinary little author. Everyone, enjoy reading and chatting! Don’t stick random titles on me, mwah~”

Send!

But within minutes of posting, his phone rang. A late-night call from Cheng Mengxi. 

“You really went and joined the entertainment industry?” A soul-piercing question right out of the gate. Gu Zhinan was already used to her style, Cheng Mengxi, swift and sharp as always.

“I didn’t! I’ve been focused on writing my novel, haven’t I?”

“Still pretending? Du Xiaoyan practically ripped your ID card open. Every word cut to the bone. You’re like the emperor in his new clothes right now.”

“…”

“Why aren’t you talking?” Cheng Mengxi frowned, pulling the phone away to check the line. Nope, still connected.

“If I ever got the chance, of course I’d want to sing on stage. It’s been my dream since I was little. If the opportunity was right in front of me, I’d think, maybe this is the one and only chance in my life.”

“Shut up! Don’t feed me that crap! You really think you can fool me with your novel-writing lines?” Cheng Mengxi snapped. Gu Zhinan really lived up to being an author, smooth excuses rolled off his tongue nonstop.

“Hehehe.”