Chapter Ninety-Nine: Marching Towards the Three Dukes

On the way to the county town, Meng Fanxi could see that the children were both excited and nervous, talking more than usual. One moment they were asking what to do if they forgot the moves, and the next they were talking about who their opponents were in the competition.

The six of them devoted themselves to the logistics team, passing on their experience to the children.

As the leader of the dance troupe, Xiao Shuai bears great responsibility and pressure. Meng Fanxi sat behind him and could see the tension in Xiao Shuai's eyes as he tried his best to answer the team members' questions through the gap in the chair.

Amid the lively atmosphere in the car, Xiao Shuai suddenly turned to Meng Fanxi and asked, "Brother Fanxi, what should I do if I can't control my shaking when I go on stage? I feel like going on stage is a scary thing right now."

Meng Fanxi tried to talk to him to divert his attention: "Little handsome, do you remember the first stage of the Eternal Six Stars?"

Xiao Shuai's eyes lit up. "I remember!" His voice rose a little. "The older brothers are all so handsome. It was a performance I never expected. I loved it so much."

Meng Fanxi's expression was very gentle: "Actually, I was very nervous before going on stage, and my legs were shaking."

Gu Huailang, who was standing next to him, chimed in, "Me too. I don't remember the scene on stage at all. It feels so surreal."

Meng Fanxi said, "Did you notice it when you watched our performance?"

Xiao Shuai's mouth gaped open in surprise: "Not at all..."

He was so well-behaved that Meng Fanxi couldn't help but reach out and pat Xiao Shuai's head across the seat. "It's normal to tremble on stage. It means you respect the stage and care about the audience's feelings. It's okay to be nervous. No one will notice."

Xiao Shuai seemed to be thinking about something, then nodded vigorously.

Meng Fanxi stretched out his fist and said in a childish tone, "I'll pass on my power to you."

Xiao Shuai's little fist reached out and they bumped fists. Xiao Shuai's eyes narrowed with laughter, and Meng Fanxi also smiled happily.

The children here are all very sensible, especially Xiao Shuai, who has taken on the important responsibility of leading a dance troupe at such a young age.

This competition was so important for the children, but their parents were too busy working hard to come back.

Meng Fanxi's heart softened when he looked at the children.

Xiao Shuai quickly put his worries aside, turned to look at Meng Fanxi again, his eyes still bright, "I want to sing?"

"Oh?" Meng Fanxi showed a rather exaggerated reaction of curiosity, typical of children. "What is it?"

Xiao Shuai didn't answer, but instead sang it out. His voice was still childish, but the moment he spoke, the entire carriage fell silent for a moment.

"The stars in the night sky are nameless, just like my always empty and gray heart."

It's "Meteor Shower".

Then, singing gradually filled every corner of the carriage, the voices growing more unified and louder.

"There is no chance for the weather to clear up, and there are no clouds."

...

At that moment, no one on the bus cared about their singing skills or whether they were in perfect pitch. They looked at each other, swayed gently, and sang "Meteor" together.

"I kissed your eyes in my dream, and then the sky began to clear."

"The rain started falling and seemed unstoppable, but I was already captivated."

At this moment, competition is irrelevant; music connects everyone and instills enough courage.

While engrossed in his work, Meng Fanxi couldn't help but glance in Zhang Yang's direction.

Zhang Yang rarely showed his emotions, but at this moment he had a faint smile on his face, which must have been an expression of happiness.

Zhang Yang noticed Meng Fanxi's gaze, smiled back, then nudged Lin Ruohe beside him and said something.

Lin Ruohe passed the ball to Xu You, who was standing by the aisle. Xu You then passed it to Ren Yuchen, who passed it to Gu Huailang, who then passed it to Meng Fanxi.

Xu You could have told Meng Fanxi directly, but they seemed to have reached some kind of tacit agreement, insisting on passing the message one after another, with no one being left out.

“Zhang Yang said he was very happy to thank you for your insistence on choosing the song ‘Meteor’,” Gu Huailang said earnestly, “and so are we.”

Meng Fanxi: "Me too."

The production crew took the dance troupe backstage to get ready. As the show was about to start, the troupe sat in the back row, wearing baseball caps and looking quite casual. They were wearing short-sleeved shirts and jeans that the production crew had borrowed from somewhere. Although they were nothing special, they looked very refreshing on them.

The production team went to great lengths to avoid exposing them.

The chairs in the auditorium were quite deep, so once seated, their presence wouldn't be too noticeable.

Fu Hanfei went to catch up with some acquaintances and only came in after the opening lights dimmed.

The front row was mostly occupied by young men and women, while the middle and back rows were reserved for parents and support groups for the performance team. The seating was arranged on a gentle slope, so there was no situation where people in the back row couldn't see the people in the front row; on the contrary, they could see the whole scene.

Some audience members sitting around watched the group of elegant young men take their seats with curiosity in their eyes, but seeing that they did not make any exaggerated movements and were just like ordinary audience members, they turned their heads and continued to focus their attention on the stage.

Xiao Shuai and his team were drawn relatively late in the order, which might mean they would face the judges' impatience if they performed later in the competition.

But this match was more about warmth than competition.

During each performance, the audience gave enthusiastic applause without reservation, and every child's performance was met with words like "so cute," "so adorable," and "so adorable."

The fact that the children were able to perform on such a big stage without any stage fright is already enough to earn them a standing ovation.

In such a relaxed 'public opinion' environment, Meng Fanxi and the others relaxed their initial tension and watched the program with full attention, occasionally gathering together to discuss it.

The final conclusion is: can we award them all?

When children perform with such dedication and look at you with such sincere eyes, it's hard to judge who wins or loses.

Amidst great anticipation, the Xijingu Little Dance Troupe took the stage.

They struck a cool pose on stage, dressed in specially made ancient-style costumes. When the lights shone on them, the entire audience exclaimed "Wow!" in unison.

With such a determined expression, Meng Fanxi could tell at a glance that the children were completely in the zone. Even before the performance began, he was already filled with pride, and he couldn't stop smiling.

As the intro began, the audience stirred again.

"Wow, it's this song!! Shooting Star!"

"It's super popular right now and it's amazing!"

"This song has already won!"

"I want to sing along; I've been listening to this song on repeat countless times lately."

"It's like the six eternal stars have come to Shanling. Hearing this song makes me feel closer to them..."

Meng Fanxi: Your feeling is correct.

The production team strictly controlled their schedule to prevent leaks. During the filming at Xijingu Elementary School, they also signed agreements with all those who knew about the situation, which is why they only revealed that they were in Shanling City. Fans were still scratching their heads trying to figure out the specific location.

To be honest, the six of them were a little surprised that the intro had already elicited so many reactions.

My heart is bubbling with sweetness.

Soon, the audience noticed that the song had undergone some changes, with a touch of ancient Chinese style added to the melody and the background instruments including what sounded like a guzheng, making the whole song more melodious and ancient.

The traditional Chinese costumes worn by the elementary school students on stage complemented each other perfectly. The content was a collaborative effort of the six of them, with Fu Hanfei responsible for procuring the professional equipment to bring the plan to life.

"Is this an adaptation? It sounds different from what I usually hear."

"There are experts in our small town?"

"It's probably a modified version from the internet."

The members of the dance troupe moved in unison, their timing was precise, and most importantly, their expressions, honed through long-term training, were perfectly presented on stage.

When they changed out of their vests and into modern clothes, it sparked a series of enthusiastic applause.

Not only that, the audience sang along the whole time, creating a concert-like atmosphere, with the entire venue providing accompaniment for the young men and women of Xijingu.

The voices of the original singers intertwined within the scene, making it even more moving.

The six members of Eternal Six Stars not only cheered for the children who performed their best on stage, but were also moved by the sound of their songs resounding throughout the auditorium.

Their initial slight panic has now turned into complete excitement.

It felt so unreal. The music truly broke through the studio of Mushroom Park, the screen, and the distance of space, resounding in this small auditorium as the purest chorus.

It resounded in their ears.

On stage, the members of the small dance troupe turned gracefully, and with that, the song came to an end.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience, accompanied by a chorus of exclamations and praises.

"Who choreographed this dance? It's so talented! It combines the essence of the original dance with elements of traditional Chinese style."

"The ancient style part reminded me of the dance 'Swimming Fish,' the choreographer must be a fan of Yong Liu!"

"This performance is amazing! Upload it online right away, it'll definitely go viral."

"Are elementary school students these days so talented? This is truly eye-opening."

"This performance was absolutely top-notch. Although it was a dance performance, even the songs were rearranged. It was definitely worth coming!"

...

After all the performances were over, each team lined up in a single file on the stage.

Because all the teams performed at a very high quality, the organizers changed the rules at the last minute, deciding that every team would receive a prize.

"Congratulations to the team that won second place—Xijingu Dance Troupe!"

"Yay!" The children couldn't contain their joy and jumped up on the stage. They happily accepted their certificates and prizes, and even after stepping aside, they kept looking towards Meng Fanxi and the others, subtly waving and interacting with them.

The first-place team's dance was extremely difficult, and their performance incorporated elements of acrobatics, making their first-place win well-deserved.

Throughout the entire event, Meng Fanxi watched with great interest, and his teammates were also in high spirits. After the awards ceremony, everyone felt a sense of wanting more.

They weren't in a hurry to go back. Thanks to Fu Hanfei's generosity, the group went to a restaurant where Fu Hanfei often ate and had a big meal. Even though Meng Fanxi and the others only ate a little to maintain their image as public figures, they still enjoyed the meal very much.

The bus ride back was filled with laughter and song. When the bus entered the village, Meng Fanxi felt a sense of familiarity and warmth, as if he had returned to his hometown, and his heart was filled with peace.

All six of them could see the meaning in each other's eyes. The Xijingu Dance Troupe had given them a beautiful example, and they couldn't fall behind, so they did their best to move towards the top three.