Chapter 2182 - 2185: The Visual Star of the Talent Show

Hearing Gong Ziyi's words, Shen Qiang laughed, calmly watching the stage crew doing the final prep, and said mildly, "Gongzi, what you just said is a bit disappointing, especially when you nitpick over such trivial things. It really makes me feel your level is pretty low."

Gong Ziyi laughed. "The reason so many people like being the bad guy, the key point is this: being a good person makes others happy, being a bad person makes yourself happy, got it? I do whatever I want, other people get mad and hate me but can't do a thing about it. That way, I'm happy."

Shen Qiang chuckled, glanced at Gong Ziyi who was grinning beside him, and said, "Right now the situation seems completely opposite of what you wanted. It's you who's jealous and resentful toward me, yet can't do anything. Just like how Song Weiyin fell in love with me and doesn't even spare you a glance."

At those words, Gong Ziyi's expression clearly turned a bit ugly, but after a slight silence he still smiled. "It's not like I'm short of women anyway."

"Which is why Song Weiyin is a luxury you'll never have." Shen Qiang smiled.

Gong Ziyi's eyes grew colder. "You think saying that is going to piss me off?"

"Scheming isn't something you can fake." Shen Qiang smiled faintly. "If you truly didn't care, you wouldn't be tangling with me like this."

Gong Ziyi was silent for a few seconds, then put away that insincere smile and said coldly, "Yes, I'm furious. There were moments I even wanted to kill her! I control everything—my family, my business, my wealth. I have everything most people envy. I always thought Song Weiyin was just young, that sooner or later she'd be mine, so I never seriously considered what she was thinking. Not until you, you bastard, showed up."

Shen Qiang said calmly, "When you call other people monkeys, make sure you shave off your own fur first."

Gong Ziyi laughed, then sighed. "I often hear that the person who understands you best is your enemy. Most of the time I thought that line was a joke. But now, I feel you, Shen Qiang, and I are the same kind of people."

Shen Qiang raised his brows coolly. "Looks like your delusions really are incurable. The biggest difference between us is that when it comes to feelings, I've always been able to pick them up and put them down."

"That's because you've already had her." Gong Ziyi said coldly. "The only top-grade steak in the world was originally mine, but you took advantage of a moment when I wasn't paying attention and ate it. Then you wiped your mouth and told me you didn't really feel it was any different from an ordinary steak. That is infuriating, understand?"

Shen Qiang laughed. "So you're using Jinli Qianning to get back at me?"

"This is just the beginning." Gong Ziyi sneered. "Aren't you Shen Qiang supposed to be so damn awesome? Wind when you want wind, rain when you want rain, right? Then let's see who's really more powerful. I'm going to drag you down from your pedestal and let all the women around you know that Shen Qiang is nothing but a piece of trash."

Shen Qiang chuckled and said, "Just because she joined that talent show you're sponsoring, you think you control everything?"

Gong Ziyi raised his brows proudly. "Yes. I think you should understand: ninety‑five percent of the things people encounter in life can be solved with money. As long as you have enough money, you're invincible."

Shen Qiang smiled. "It's not like I necessarily have less money than you."

"If the money's about the same, then it comes down to who's more capable." Gong Ziyi laughed. "I know Jinli Qianning is a soul singer. I'm going to make her watch as someone whose singing only qualifies as 'not off‑key' beats her. Tsk tsk, won't that hurt? Won't that feel awful?"

Gong Ziyi arched a brow at Shen Qiang, smiling mockingly. "Because she has a loser boyfriend, she has to swallow her anger everywhere she goes. Very soon, she'll dump you, and when that happens, I'll pop a bottle of champagne to celebrate for you."

Shen Qiang smiled lightly and said calmly, "You know the difference between talking big and truly being big? Saying it and then doing it—that's real. Saying it and failing to do it—that's called bragging."

Gong Ziyi coldly snorted. "Then just watch."

With that, Gong Ziyi stopped talking, and the show recording soon started.

Since it was a local station's entertainment channel, it couldn't compare to the big productions on major satellite TV networks.

A few judges sat there, giving comments after each singer finished.

Then came the live audience voting.

If Qian Ning weren't so crucial—without her there'd be no way to get the Divine Corpse—Shen Qiang wouldn't have bothered to come; he wouldn't even have the time.

Given Shen Qiang's current ability to make money,

in the same amount of time, the money he earns is already enough to hire dozens of celebrities to hold a concert.

And since it wasn't a live broadcast but a recording,

the whole process ended up with lots of problems.

Even more ridiculous, among these contestants there were actually some who sang off‑key, out of tune, with shredded voices. Listening to them was basically like sitting in a giant KTV listening to customers wail like ghosts—no real difference.

Not only that.

What really made Shen Qiang impatient was,

even the contestants who performed well felt bland after he'd heard Jinli Qianning's singing.

But every time, it was the same routine: one person finishes, the judges comment, then the audience votes.

To Shen Qiang, this was a complete waste of time, so the more he watched, the more annoyed he got.

Just like that, after about two hours, the sixteen singers of Group A finally finished.

Then there was a ten‑minute break in the middle.

At this time, the contestants from Group B went on stage to get familiar with the venue.

Since this was a local entertainment channel's small production, there was no such thing as advance rehearsals, pre‑runs with the band and so on.

The only thing these contestants could do was stand on stage and feel the atmosphere of the live setting.

Take a look at their surroundings, then head back to the backstage area to wait for their turn.

By this point, Shen Qiang, to be frank, was already restless and irritable, feeling he was wasting his time. But at least, people who come to these kinds of talent shows usually look decent.

Especially the pretty girls—there were quite a few.

They might not be on the level of Miao Xiaoxia or Qin Yurou, but they could still be called youthful and attractive, so the chatter and snarky comments from the crowd watching on the side were much more entertaining than the show itself.

"That girl, No. 3 from Group A, looks good. Big eyes, but her voice is a bit weak. If she didn't open her mouth to sing, I'd give her a perfect ten and maybe score her an eight. Once she sings, the most I can give her is a seven."

"Haha, you're just focusing on the face. Whether a girl is hot, you have to look at her legs. All the girls in Group A have thick legs. For me, that's all fails. The best of them only gets a 5.5 at most."

"All caked in heavy makeup. On TV they look okay, but in person they're a mess. Not one of them is truly good‑looking. Now it's all up to Group B. If there isn't a single pretty one, I'm never coming back next episode."

Their comments made Shen Qiang want to laugh. Just then, Jinli Qianning stepped onto the stage to get familiar with the venue. The moment she appeared, not only did Shen Qiang's eyes light up, but the previously noisy scene fell silent in an instant.