"It's been months, but it feels like years," Lin Xia said the moment he saw Chu Zhi, looking at him like a long-lost savior as he stood up to greet him.
"Aren't you supposed to say, 'It's been a few months, so it feels like... a few months'?" Chu Zhi blinked. He didn't expect such classic nonsense.
"Sometimes, the fact that I don't say what you expect me to say is, in itself, a kind of nonsense," Lin Xia replied with unexpected depth.
"Well said. Don't say it again next time," Chu Zhi replied, glancing around.
There was still some time before the concert started, so all the guest performers were gathered in the venue instead of returning to their dressing rooms. Tonight's three-hour concert featured around twenty rock singers, seven bands, and two special guests—Chu Zhi and Lin Xia.
Lin Xia was especially happy to see Chu Zhi. He'd been stuck in dry conversations all evening, mostly people complaining about how "you celebrities make too much money."
"Brother Zheng," Chu Zhi greeted warmly.
"So busy lately, and still arriving early?" Zheng Huo nodded and then got straight to introductions. "This is Chu Zhi, my younger brother. Incredibly talented."
Zheng Huo made it clear he was backing Chu Zhi. To him, Chu was doing him a favor by coming—early no less—so there was no way he'd let others treat him unfairly.
Then he started introducing the many rock musicians present. There were so many names that even someone as sharp as Chu Zhi almost couldn't keep up with the mental rhyme scheme he made to memorize them.
It really lived up to the name Rock Night. All the major figures in the Chinese rock scene were there.
Through Zheng's introductions, Chu Zhi got a quick crash course in the history of domestic rock. There was Xu Ji, the "Rock Godfather," who stood equal to Zheng Huo. His hair was long but thin, reaching his waist yet still looking sparse. His voice was hoarse—like a key scratching glass.
Then there was Chen Aigui, known as the most eccentric rock singer in the country. Famous for smashing guitars, fake-diving into the crowd and then body-slamming the stage on purpose, he'd given the genre plenty of iconic moments.
But in his forties, Chen converted to Taoism. Now his music incorporated wooden fish drums, temple bells, and hand percussion. It sounded more like post-rock with a mystical flavor. He even wore Taoist robes to the concert.
Zheng, Chen, and Xu were pioneers from the earliest days of Chinese rock and the few who were still around. Most others had either changed professions or faded into obscurity.
"Old Zheng told me to listen to Chrysanthemum Terrace. The addition of the hulusi was quite mystical. It's got real soul," Chen Aigui said.
"I still have a lot to learn," Chu Zhi replied modestly.
"You know, Zheng Huo curses more than he compliments. If he's praising someone, it's rare," Xu Ji added, speaking like he was straining every vocal cord. Listening to him was exhausting.
The next generation included Wu Xi, Liao Yiwu, and Ji Gong. Honestly, in terms of musical output alone, they couldn't compare to the old guard. Not even close.
Chu Zhi greeted each one politely. As someone skilled at reading people, he could sense the subtle disdain in their eyes toward a "pop idol" like him. But out of respect for Zheng Huo, they were all civil. Even Wu Xi greeted him with courtesy.
"Good stuff. I actually like your music."
"Been looping your new single."
"Tonight's performance will be interesting."
...Was this what being the main character felt like? Getting personally introduced by a legend? Lin Xia muttered to himself. When he arrived, no one had helped him get acquainted.
The group didn't talk music much. Instead, they shared personal interests. Chen Aigui started quoting passages from the Nanhua Classic.
It sounded mystical, but Chu Zhi recognized it right away. "Wasn't that just the Zhuangzi?"
Xu Ji didn't say much, just shook his head slightly from time to time, seemingly disagreeing but never elaborating. Meanwhile, Zheng Huo was talking about stocks. It sounded like he'd made a decent profit.
About twenty minutes later, everyone returned to their own dressing rooms. Lin Xia and Chu Zhi shared one. Their names were taped to the door. Once inside, Lin Xia shut it and immediately lowered his voice, looking serious.
"This setup? Definitely intentional. No way it was just an oversight."
"What setup?" Chu Zhi asked.
"I figured you wouldn't notice," Lin Xia replied. "And sure enough, you didn't. Everyone else has their own stylist or team room. We're the only ones sharing. That's not a coincidence."
Hmm? Chu Zhi waited for more.
"Never thought you'd show up to Rock Night," Lin Xia said. "This circle's really cliquey. Everyone's a pure rocker. If you perform something soft or pop rock, they might boo you off the stage. And with no appearance fee? Honestly feels like a bad deal."
"There's booing too? Sounded like a lose-lose."
"I came because Zheng Huo invited me. I'm just here to sing one song," Chu Zhi explained. "But what about you? Why'd you come?"
"Because of Liao Yiwu," Lin Xia said, eyes darkening.
Chu Zhi remembered the name from earlier. A respected figure in mid-generation rock. Wore glasses, looked intellectual.
"A bit of personal grudge. I came to overshadow him," Lin Xia said, voice thick with resentment.
"Hmm... Did he get cheated on?" Chu Zhi hated to jump to conclusions, but that was the vibe.
"Forget all that. Just focus on the stage," Lin Xia said when he noticed Chu Zhi deep in thought. He assumed it was nerves. "I've seen your live performances. You've got real skill. You'll be fine."
While the artists prepared, the sound crew was doing final checks on compressors, effects units, equalizers, speakers, mixers, microphones, and monitors.
Meanwhile, third-party media outlets continued to arrive.
There were a lot of them—Penguin News, NetEase News, Today's Headlines, plus traditional print outlets like Capital Daily, Jingxiang Post, and Youth Evening News. The Rock Committee had real influence. Over twenty outlets were present.
Broadcast rights went to Capital TV. But with CCTV also involved, Capital TV's presence was practically invisible. Most people didn't even know it existed.
Cameras were set up. Photographers were stationed at the center of the arena. The Workers' Gymnasium held over 60,000 people, so a central vantage point was essential for clean shots.
"Tonight's crowd's gonna be wild," said Xiao Wu, a chubby Capital TV cameraman who was half a rock fan himself.
"Of course. Even Grandpa Xu's performing. Sure, his voice is gone, but just seeing him up there—that's nostalgia," said Lao Mi, another cameraman who was only slightly overweight.
"That's not all. We've got Zheng Huo live, Wu Xi, Liao Yiwu, the Painflower Band, and Faceup Band. Any one of them could blow the roof off. And we get to sit here for free," Xiao Wu laughed.
"Hah! I heard Lin Xia's here too. I doubt he can handle a 60,000-person crowd," Lao Mi said with a smirk. "Why would they invite a pop idol to a rock show? He'll just ruin the vibe."
Xiao Wu stayed quiet. He knew Lao Mi's ex had dumped him for Lin Xia, so ever since then, Lao Mi had hated anything to do with mainstream celebrities.
Their chatter hinted at the energy building up for the night. Fifty thousand fans had already started filing in.
===
Wei Yunxi transmigrated into the novel she was reading—great, right? Wrong. She's now the tragic female supporting character who exists solely to prop up the flawless heroine, her half-sister Wei Yuqing. The original Yunxi handed over treasures, resources, and even her own cultivation, only to die horribly in the end. Nope. Not happening this time.
Yunxi has a new motto: If it's mine, I'm keeping it. No more playing ATM for the heroine. Especially since Yuqing is the Heavenly Dao's Darling—blessed with insane luck. Try to steal her opportunities? The universe just hands her a better one. Oppose her? Heavenly lightning says bonk.
But Yunxi isn't completely helpless.
First, she snatches the mahogany plaque—her golden finger—right from under Yuqing's nose. Boom! Instant cheat code: a cross-dimensional chat group filled with overpowered allies from the apocalypse, interstellar world, and even the divine realm. Now, Yunxi can trade resources, scheme, and finally fight back.
Too bad the heroine (and the male lead?) won't stop clinging to her. What part of "I'm not your personal loot box" do they not understand?
~"Stealing Luck from the Heavenly Dao's Favorite"~
===
"They called her the 'Vicious Female Supporting Character'—so she decided to live up to the title."
After her brutal death, Song Wanning realized she was nothing but a disposable villainess in a twisted fate.
Her childhood sweetheart? Now the female lead's devoted lover.
Her beloved disciple? The male lead who personally crushed her bones and ashes.
And the sect that raised her? Complicit in her family's massacre.
Reborn with the knowledge of her past life, the Three Lives Mirror warns her: "To survive, you must whitewash your image and beg for the protagonists' favor."
Song Wanning smiles.
Whitewash?
Why play the pitiful victim when she can burn the entire script?
-The divine beast chose the male lead over her? She skinned it alive and drained its blood.
-The sect elders favored the protagonists? She made sure their precious sect was exiled from the cultivation world forever.
They called her insane, ruthless, a demon in human skin—but so what? If kindness earned her only a blade in the back, then she'd embrace the madness instead.
But power comes at a price. To defy fate, she willingly embraces demonic cultivation, fusing it with her righteous Dao in a dangerous, delicate balance. The Heavenly Dao favors the protagonists with blatant, unfair luck, but Song Wanning?
She doesn't need luck. She has wrath.
And this time, she'll make sure everyone burns with her.
===
===
Both of these novels share a similar theme—they revolve around characters who are forced to face a Darling of Heaven.
But unlike the usual side character vs protagonist setup, their pain, their helplessness, and their bitterness are portrayed in a raw and striking way. The protagonist's plot armor isn't just there to move the story forward—it actually makes us feel the depth of the supporting character's despair.
This is especially true in Song Wanníng's story. Her past life, along with all the betrayal and pain she endured, is woven into every corner of the plot.
Compared to Wei Yunxi, Song Wanníng is clearly the more extreme character.
Yes, Wei Yunxi has her share of hardships, but alongside her future knowledge, she still possesses a kind of golden finger.
Song Wanníng, on the other hand, has nothing—just her memories. And because of all the torture and betrayal she experienced in her past life, her mentality is far more twisted than Yunxi's.
There's another key difference too:
Song Wanníng is an authentic cultivator who was given a second chance at life.
Wei Yunxi, despite everything, originally came from the modern world—whether through rebirth or transmigration. That means her mindset, especially her sense of morality, is more rigid and righteous, like most people from a modern setting.
Even if she kills, just like any cultivator in that world, there's still a line she's reluctant to cross.Her internal restraints and modern values set her apart from the cultivators who were born and raised in that world. (Though, I'm not sure whether she eventually steps into the gray—or even black—area by the end of her story.)