Chapter 151: Unlocking a New Skill, Master of Disguise

"Haha, brother-in-law is dropping a new song! Got to show some support."
"I love my brother-in-law's new songs the most. They're bound to be just as amazing as the previous ones."
"Gosh, brother-in-law is as prolific as a sow!"

Naturally, the trolls wouldn't let such a prime opportunity slip by, chiming in once again:
"Tch! Playing the good guy again, aren't we? After dropping the tracks and milking a wave of traffic, won't he just end up putting them behind a paywall anyway?"
"Exactly. I wonder if those brainless simps have any brains at all."
"The songs he's releasing now are nothing more than a stunt to win people over. How could he possibly release great songs for free just for you guys to listen to?"

Yang Xiaofan sneered coldly.
"I guarantee you, the quality of these songs won't be the slightest bit different from the previous ones. Furthermore, no matter what happens, I will never charge for these ten tracks."

A staff member from the recording studio also chimed in in the comments section:
"It's true! Brother-in-law's songs are consistently high in quality! They are mind-blowing!"
"Tch! Keep on bragging, you shameless paid trolls. Let's wait and see."

Yang Xiaofan couldn't be bothered to engage with these trolls at all.
In their eyes, everything was flawed. All he needed to do was release the songs and thoroughly slap them across the face!
He quickly logged into his computer and published the ten tracks.
Fortunately, he had recorded twenty songs previously.

As soon as the songs were released—perhaps because major websites had already signed contracts with Yang Xiaofan, or perhaps simply because his fame had reached astronomical heights—his tracks skyrocketed to popularity.
And not just moderately popular, either.
The comment section on Weibo was instantly overrun once more.
"Holy crap! Brother-in-law is such a genius! These ten newly dropped tracks are piping hot, and neither the lyrics nor the artistic conception fall short of the previous ten songs at all!"
"If I'm not mistaken, brother-in-law's ten songs are about to dominate the charts again!"
"Too powerful! Brother-in-law truly lives up to his name!"
"I yield. I apologize to you, brother-in-law. I admire you to the point of prostration. Your talent for singing is simply too monstrous."

This time, the haters were forced to their knees once again.
No one could possibly match Yang Xiaofan's level of prowess!
Never before.
He said he would release songs, and he released them.

Once the songs were out, they effortlessly became massive hits. It was simply freakish!
He existed on a level that even cheating couldn't beat.
Soon enough, Yang Xiaofan's ten new tracks replaced his previous ten songs, completely dominating major music charts.
Since these ten songs were entirely free, and free content always held the greatest appeal, coupled with the fact that their quality was every bit as exceptional as the earlier tracks, this became the most crucial factor.

In less than a day, a bizarre phenomenon appeared across all major music apps.
The charts were completely filled with Yang Xiaofan's name. Even on websites that displayed the eleventh or twelfth positions, those spots had somehow been entirely replaced by his name as well.
Occupying the eleventh to the twentieth positions were Yang Xiaofan's previous ten paid tracks.
In other words, even when paid, the only thing capable of suppressing Yang Xiaofan's own songs were his other songs!

At Magic City Starlight Entertainment, the Queen of Mandopop, Sister Qi, lowered her smartphone and let out a long, helpless sigh.
"Since Yu exists, why must Liang exist? I am no match for him!"
Aboard an airplane, the God of Songs, Jack, was so excited that he became incoherent!
"Incredible! Absolutely incredible! I'm not going to seek him out for an exchange; I'm not worthy. I should go seek him out to become his apprentice instead! An existence like this is the true God of Songs. Compared to him, I am truly nothing at all!"

Yang Xiaofan was naturally unaware of these developments, but even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared.
After releasing these tracks, he might never bother singing again in this lifetime.
For him, there were far too many ways to make money now!
He was in no shortage of money whatsoever!
Moreover, he wasn't inherently passionate about singing; to him, singing was merely a form of entertainment, a game.

Unsurprisingly, Zhao Liufang called him again, rambling on and on—mostly consisting of shocked flattery and compliments—until Yang Xiaofan's ears were practically growing calluses.

...

Because he was far too popular, Yang Xiaofan had been trapped in the hotel for several days, not daring to step outside. Feeling utterly stifled and out of options, he finally came up with a brilliant idea.
That was... disguising himself!
Disguise allowed Yang Xiaofan to alter both his face and his physical build to a certain extent, ensuring that others would not recognize him.
Once disguised, he could roam the streets as he pleased just like before.

He immediately spent his system currency to upgrade his Disguise skill to the Grandmaster level, applied his makeup, and rushed off to find Qin Nanyu.
Qin Nanyu wasn't in the hotel; she was taking a stroll downstairs. For an expectant mother, moderate exercise helped aid the baby's development and allowed for better oxygen absorption.

"Nanyu darling."

When Yang Xiaofan abruptly appeared before Qin Nanyu out of nowhere, it gave her a fright.
"Ah—!"
Qin Nanyu let out a shrill scream, her face turning somewhat pale. Nearly giving Yang Xiaofan a scare in return, he quickly explained:
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it's me, Xiaofan."
"X... Xiaofan?"

Qin Nanyu looked completely dazed, staring in bewilderment at Yang Xiaofan's disguised appearance. Her face was a mix of shock, confusion, and a trace of wariness.
"How could you possibly be Xiaofan? Exactly who are you?"
Yang Xiaofan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Take a closer look at my eyes. I'm wearing a disguise so I could come out and see you. Otherwise, I'd be stuck cooped up in the hotel."
"So it really is you."

Prompted by Yang Xiaofan, Qin Nanyu carefully scanned his eyes and immediately confirmed his identity.
She couldn't help swatting him on the shoulder as she said:
"You're impossible. If you were going to disguise yourself, you should have given me a heads-up. Popping out of nowhere like that scared the daylights out of me! What if you had frightened the baby?"
"My bad, my bad."
Yang Xiaofan apologized repeatedly.

Qin Nanyu wasn't truly angry with him; she was merely acting spoiled.
"All right, you don't need to apologize. It's been several days, and keeping you cooped up in the hotel must have been tough. I understand. Since you're finally out, I'll properly accompany you on a shopping trip today."
"Let's go."

Yang Xiaofan linked his arm through Qin Nanyu's. Being able to go out made him too lazy to even drive a car.
Besides, the luxury hotel itself was located right in the city center, surrounded by all the finest shopping malls in the city, so there was no need to travel back and forth.
However, the appearance of the two of them instantly attracted some peculiar gazes.
"Look, that woman over there looks just like brother-in-law's wife!"
"Right! It's her! I saw the livestream when brother-in-law proposed to her in Subei."
"Then who is that man beside her?"