"Let's go with this one."
In the end, emotion triumphed over reason. Chen Xiaoxi firmly pointed at the song "Courage."
"This song holds special meaning for me."
"I still think 'A Diao' is better," Li Yue leaned in to take a look. "Its theme is powerful, and the melody is incredibly catchy—it'll hook listeners right away."
Chen Xiaoxi pressed her lips together, her gaze flicking between the two titles.
"But I think 'Courage' carries deeper emotion. It means more to me."
"You need to think about your comeback first," Li Yue said seriously."A year ago, you disappeared after breaking your contract. 'A Diao' is about the pursuit of freedom and dignity—it fits your return perfectly."
Chen Xiaoxi fell silent, fingers absentmindedly tracing the mouse, her expression conflicted.
"Stop hesitating," Zhang Yichen suddenly interrupted, his tone calm yet firm."Release 'A Diao.' It suits you better right now."
Chen Xiaoxi looked up, her eyes filled with reluctance and a trace of grievance.
"But 'Courage' means so much to me…"
"Courage" was practically her and Zhang Yichen's love song—she wanted the world to hear it first.
"Then release both," Zhang Yichen said as he stepped beside her. He gently patted her shoulder, his eyes soft with affection."Come on. Being happy matters more than anything else."
"…Alright."
After a brief silence, Chen Xiaoxi nodded, the corners of her lips curling into a faint smile.
It was nearly five o'clock.
She had just made her comeback—there was no way she could break her promise to her fans.
Opening a music platform, she began typing her release announcement:
[Hello everyone, this is Chen Xiaoxi. I'm back with my brand-new songs!Today, I'm releasing two tracks first—more will be uploaded on the Joy app soon.My dear "Snowflake" fans, you can try downloading it on PC or mobile—it's a really fun app!]
[First song: "Courage."I hope everyone finds the courage to protect the love that belongs to them.Lyrics and composition by @Zhang Yichen.]
[Second song: "A Diao."I hope you all stay brave and strong in the face of hardship and injustice.Lyrics and composition by @Zhang Yichen.]
After finishing, she copied the announcement, pasted it across several platforms, and uploaded both songs.
The moment she finished uploading to the last platform, the clock struck five.
Without hesitation, Chen Xiaoxi clicked "Publish" on every platform.
The button instantly turned gray—operation complete.
Then she posted the same announcement on her social media.
"Phew~"
She exhaled softly, suppressing the tension and excitement in her chest.
Beside her, Li Yue was already refreshing the page repeatedly, afraid to miss even the slightest change.
"Xiaoxi!" Li Yue's voice trembled with excitement. "Look—there are already comments!"
Chen Xiaoxi leaned closer. Comments were flooding in like waves, refreshing faster than she could read.
Her heartbeat quickened as her eyes skimmed through them.
"It's really Sister Xiaoxi! After all this time, you're finally back!""'Courage' is amazing! The lyrics hit deep, the melody's beautiful—so emotional!""'A Diao' gave me chills! Her voice carries so much power!"
A soft smile tugged at Chen Xiaoxi's lips, her eyes glimmering.
It had been so long since she'd seen such heartfelt words—so long since she'd felt this warmth and recognition.
Her fingers brushed across the screen, as if she could physically touch those messages of encouragement.
"Feeling better now?"
Zhang Yichen's voice came from behind her, tinged with a lazy smile.
She turned to meet his deep gaze.
That gentle warmth inside her quietly spread through her chest.
Unfortunately, the moment didn't last.
"Xiaoxi!" Li Yue suddenly shouted again, practically bursting with energy."You're in the Top 100!"
"Don't talk nonsense," Chen Xiaoxi frowned slightly."There's no way I made it that fast!"
But Li Yue was already typing furiously on the keyboard, excitement overflowing.
"See for yourself! 'Courage' is already at No.91 on the New Song Chart! 'A Diao' is at No.95! It's only been a few minutes!"
Chen Xiaoxi blinked, stunned.
She leaned closer—and sure enough, the numbers were climbing at an unbelievable pace.
"This…"
Her heartbeat pounded violently.
Her fingers curled tightly around the edge of the table.
"This is way too fast…" she murmured, her voice trembling.
"Of course it is!" Li Yue grinned."This is your comeback—and the songs were written and composed by Zhang Yichen! How could they not blow up?"
Zhang Yichen leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"I told you not to rush. Just let things unfold naturally."
Chen Xiaoxi shot him a complicated look.
She'd always known he was calm—but not this calm.
"You're not even surprised?" she asked. "This is the New Song Chart we're talking about!"
"Surprised?" Zhang Yichen shrugged lightly."Why would I be? I wrote those songs—I know exactly how strong they are."
His confidence left Chen Xiaoxi speechless.
She bit her lip and turned back to the screen.
Every refresh pushed the rankings higher, and the comment section grew even livelier.
"Yao Yao, look!" Li Yue pointed at a few comments."They're saying your voice sounds stronger now—like you've been reborn!"
Chen Xiaoxi followed her finger.
The words on the screen pierced straight into her heart.
"Sister Xiaoxi, I've listened to your songs before, but 'Courage' and 'A Diao' hit differently this time.""There's something unyielding in your voice—like someone who's suffered, yet still chooses to stand tall.""Thank you for giving me strength."
Her eyes grew moist.
Her fingers trembled as they brushed across the glowing screen, as if trying to touch that shared emotion.
"I…" Her voice caught. "I just wanted to tell everyone—I'm still here."
"You already did."
Zhang Yichen pulled her into his arms and patted her back firmly.
"Just look at those comments—everyone's cheering for you."
She lowered her head, tears finally spilling onto his shoulder.
"Ah Chen…" she whispered, gripping his shirt tightly, as if it were her lifeline."Thank you, Ah Chen."
"This is all your own effort," he said softly, wiping away her tears with his thumb.
"Yao Yao! Look—you're in the Top 50 now!"
Li Yue shouted again, loud enough to shake the room.
So much for being a composed company president.
"Can't you calm down a little?" Zhang Yichen groaned, shaking his head."Top 50 is nothing yet. You haven't even touched the Annual Chart."
He sighed helplessly. And this woman is supposed to be the company president? What was I thinking?
"Annual Chart?!" Li Yue's eyes widened."Are you insane? Do you know how hard it is to get into that?!"
Even someone like her—who'd never worked in the music industry—knew how impossible it sounded.
The Annual Chart only had one hundred slots,each one occupied by a certified hit.
She wouldn't deny that Zhang Yichen's songs were hits—but he lacked fame.
Even with Chen Xiaoxi, the former song queen, backing him,entering the Annual Chart was nearly impossible.
After all, she hadn't released her songs at the start of the cycle—she'd already lost that advantage.
Unless…
Li Yue's eyes widened.
Unless they trended on the hot search.
That would bring massive traffic.
Which meant—
Zhang Yichen's "publicity move" planned for tomorrow…
The realization struck her like lightning.
Li Yue inhaled sharply.
This monster… his ambition is terrifying.