Chapter 166: New Year’s Eve Uncertainty

Netizens were basically on the same page. While many viewers in front of their TVs began humming along, some had already posted updates about Yan City TV on entertainment forums.

“Comrades, there’s news coming from Yan City TV,”

“News? Less than half an hour into the New Year’s Eve gala and there’s already a car accident scene?”

“Hurry up—what happened? Did a singer’s pitch take off, or did someone hold the mic upside down?”

Some nosy netizens immediately replied.

There was one year when a TV station boasted a live broadcast, yet one singer held his mic upside down the entire time. That incident remains one of the most unforgettable moments of a New Year’s Eve show.

“No, the Tiger Leopard Band just performed a brand new song—it was phenomenal!”

The netizen who posted first responded.

“A new song from Tiger Leopard Band? Really? They haven’t released anything in years.”

“It’s true. Netizens don’t lie to each other. If you don’t believe it, go back and listen. It seems to be called ‘Ashamed to be Here.’ If you’re late, you might miss it.”

“Just from that, I believe you!”

However, when these viewers tuned into Yan City TV, they confirmed it really was the Tiger Leopard Band – but the song they performed wasn’t ‘Ashamed to be Here.’ Instead, small letters slowly scrolled across the lower screen reading ‘Flower House Girl.’

“Flower House Girl?”

Were they performing more than one new song this time? Back in their heyday, their signature hits were played over and over—and none had that title.

So,

Driven by curiosity, the first wave of viewers who tuned in listened patiently.

“I walked by you alone”

“With nothing to say, I couldn’t dare look up at your… oh, your beautiful face”

“You ask me where I’m headed, and I point toward the sea.”

Initially, it was fine if you weren’t paying attention. But once they listened, the second wave of viewers were instantly captivated by the rock vibe. That nervous flutter of young love expressed through rock resonated deeply with many.

“I’m not sure how that ‘Ashamed to be Here’ turned out, but this song is undeniable. It even feels like it surpasses their earlier hits.”

Could it be that after years of silence, the Tiger Leopard Band is experiencing a renaissance?

As the song continued, some viewers expressed heartfelt admiration.

Soon, as forum posts about the Tiger Leopard Band multiplied, Yan City TV’s ratings graph began to shift noticeably.

It was a cold winter night in Yan City. Ren Long walked alone down the street, his mood sinking as he watched the excited young men and women dashing by on their way to the New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Earlier, he had told the editor he was out for dinner, but in truth he wasn’t in the mood to eat—he just needed to get away.

He had believed that with shows like Wulin Wai Chuan and Snowbound, if the New Year’s Eve gala went off without a hitch, Yan City TV’s overall popularity would solidify its place in the top tier.

But now… a single New Year’s Eve show had dragged Yan City TV right back to square one.

That heady mix of nearly reaching the pinnacle only to plunge suddenly is a feeling outsiders and regular employees simply can’t understand.

Ding, ring ring. Just as Ren Long turned a corner and considered stopping by a tavern, his phone suddenly rang.

He glanced at it, his brow furrowing—it was a call from his subordinate editor.

“What’s up, Xiao Wang!”

Upon answering, Ren Long asked in a low voice.

“Director, have you finished eating? There’s been an incident on the live broadcast—the ratings are up and forums are exploding. Netizens are all talking about our station.”

In the next moment, the editor’s excited voice came through.

“An incident? That singer!”

“Tiger Leopard Band!”

“What? Tiger Leopard Band? What happened to them?”

Ren Long’s heart skipped a beat.

While a live mishap could sometimes boost Yan City TV’s buzz, Ren Long dreaded any issues from the performance team—especially not from the Tiger Leopard Band.

The Tiger Leopard Band came under the auspices of Haofang Culture and Haofang Brokerage Company in partnership with Yan City TV. He sincerely hoped they would deliver a flawless performance.

Moreover, since the Tiger Leopard Band was here to support the gala, any mishap would spell disaster. In hindsight, he wished they had sung fewer songs—the more they performed, the greater the risk of errors.

“Director, the first two new songs by the Tiger Leopard Band are just too amazing. It feels like a breakout moment! They’re now on their third song.”

The editor hurriedly explained.

“Too amazing?”

Ren Long’s face registered instant shock.

When he heard that Haofang Brokerage had sent the Tiger Leopard Band, he felt a cautious optimism. After all, at the Mingsha Tourism Festival, Haofang Culture had launched ‘Desert Camel’ and ‘Passionate Desert.’

Both songs’ copyrights belong to Haofang Culture. Had they performed those, the show would have been a hit. Instead, the band delivered three brand new songs. As the beneficiary, he dared not dictate their setlist, hoping only for a smooth performance.

“Director, it’s unbelievably good! While online viewers might not fully grasp it, the live audience is absolutely fired up!”

The editor exclaimed excitedly.

“Hold on a second—I’ll be right back!”

Ren Long’s earlier desolation was suddenly replaced by a surge of renewed energy.

If what the editor reported was true, Yan City TV’s New Year’s Eve show wouldn’t go unnoticed—it would make a huge splash.

Ten minutes later,

Ren Long appeared in the editing room.

“Director, look!”

As Ren Long entered, an editor quickly rose to make way. “This…”

After checking the ratings curve on the screen, Ren Long was stunned.

At that moment, the ratings had reached 1.4. While that number might be excellent on a normal night, on a fierce New Year’s Eve competition it was truly remarkable.

“Director, just as the Tiger Leopard Band hit their third song, ‘Nothing at All,’ the rating peaked at 1.7—ranking first in the time slot and far surpassing Mango TV and Eggplant TV.”

Now that other performers had taken to the stage, the ratings had dipped!

The editor’s voice trembled with excitement.

That’s the nature of New Year’s Eve ratings—no station dominates the entire night, especially when top-tier stars take turns, causing significant fluctuations.

A peak of 1.7 is equivalent to having a top-tier star at Yan City TV. What more could they ask for?

“It may drop, but it’s more than enough!”

Coming back to reality,

Ren Long promptly draped his down jacket over the back of a chair.

“Director, check out the entertainment forums—the homepage is flooded with comments about the Tiger Leopard Band’s three songs and our station.”

The editor pointed to another computer screen.

“Let me see,”

Settling into his seat, Ren Long stared at the screen.

The ratings were rock-solid. If they also secured good reviews, the New Year’s Eve concert would be a massive success. Meanwhile, on Long Kingdom’s biggest entertainment forum, posts were pouring in:

“I didn’t expect the Tiger Leopard Band to deliver such a surprise.”

“Old bands are old bands—their talent speaks for itself.”

“I’m a fan again!”

“Absolutely! Each song has its own charm, especially the final one, ‘Nothing at All’—it really touched my soul.”

“Besides, Yan City TV gave the Tiger Leopard Band plenty of room and time to shine. Performing three new songs live is something top-tier stations wouldn’t dare.”

“Maybe that’s why Yan City TV didn’t book bigger stars.”

“So, hats off to Yan City TV! This will encourage more singers to try new hits on New Year’s Eve instead of just playing it safe with old songs.”

“Exactly!”

“Now here’s the problem: after all that, I want to listen again. Where can I get a replay? Once isn’t enough.”

“Same here—I need ‘Nothing at All’ on loop!”

“Isn’t it on the short video sites?”

“No, copyright issues mean short video platforms aren’t allowed to post it.”

“Then I’ll search some more.”

At 9:30 PM, the guesthouses lining both sides of Qing Brick Avenue in Mingsha, their ancient structures bathed in light, looked especially enchanting. Yet inside, the employees of Haofang Brokerage Company were too preoccupied to glance outside.

Seven or eight employees incessantly tapped on their keyboards, while Xu Xin, seated in the boss’s chair, appeared extremely tense, typing even faster than the rest.

While others relaxed to watch the gala, Haofang Brokerage had been waiting for this moment for far too long.

“Xiao Wang, how many new fans has Tiger Leopard Band gained on Jinbang so far?”

After a brief pause,

Xu Xin, still typing furiously, asked,

“Director Xu, we’ve hit three million!”

A young woman quickly replied.

“Three million? In that case, you all keep channeling traffic across various forums and post comments! Tiger Leopard Band already has a solid fanbase—if you guide the traffic right, their numbers will skyrocket.”

Xu Xin immediately responded.

“Director Xu, for traffic, just keep posting comments saying, ‘After years of dormancy, Tiger Leopard Band triumphantly returns tonight. Where are those old comrades? Our youth is back!’”

A young woman instinctively scratched her head.

“This is simple. Just keep posting that Tiger Leopard Band, after years in hiding, is staging a hero’s comeback tonight. Where were the old days? Our youth is back—and let’s not forget, old fans may age, but they never die!”

Without hesitation, Xu Xin recited the comment.

“Where were those old comrades? Our youth is back. Alright, Director Xu, we’ll post it now.”

At that,

A female employee and her colleague exchanged a knowing glance, admiration shining in their eyes.

Xu Xin really knows her stuff! Hearing that, everyone—especially the longtime fans—felt a surge of excitement.

“Xiao Li, has the song been uploaded to Long Kingdom Music Network yet?”

After a brief pause, Xu Xin asked,

“Director Xu, it was just uploaded!”

A young man quickly responded.

Earlier, Haofang Brokerage had Tiger Leopard Band record these three songs in a studio—the effect is even better than the live version.

“Alright, log in to the user account and set these three songs as free downloads for three days. After that, start charging.”

Xu Xin said.

“What? Only after three days? Director Xu, fans are already clamoring for these songs online. If we charged now, we’d earn a fortune from download fees.”

The young man was momentarily stunned.

“This time, I’m not after big profits—I want Tiger Leopard Band to reclaim the top spot on Jinbang within three days!”

Xu Xin stopped typing,

Looking up at the young man with conviction, she declared, “