Chapter 16 First Performance 4.0

Late at night, the clock on the wall jumped to 23:00. In the practice room of "The Passionate Road", the captain had just announced that today's practice would end here first. Leo jumped up like a cat whose tail was stepped on, stuffed his coat into his backpack and rushed to the door, not even noticing that the zipper of his backpack was stuck halfway.

The water cup spun around on the ground and rolled to the corner.

"Wait!" Ding Zai called out to him helplessly, "Your water cup!"

Leo rushed out without looking back, "Help me get it! My brother is waiting for me!"

Before he finished speaking, he disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

Ding Zai sighed and picked up Leo's blue water cup resignedly.

There was also a small sticker on the water cup that Xie Qingyu had given him after winning a small game in the dormitory. It was a cute little bear, and it was extremely precious.

He shrugged at the other team members and said, "Then we'll leave first. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, hurry up and chase them, they have disappeared." The team members joked with a smile. They were amazed and enlightened in the past two days.

Ding quickly packed up his things and rushed towards Leo. He was actually still a little worried about Xie Qingyu's physical condition.

He was also shocked when Xie Qingyu had a fever early this morning. Her whole body felt like it was on fire, her little face was red, and she was still mumbling.

No matter how we called him, he wouldn't wake up. Fortunately, Gu Yan discovered it early and called the staff in time.

It was originally said in the morning that one of their roommates would stay in the dormitory to take care of Xie Qingyu. Liu Xiu, Wei Liangchen and Wei Ran were of average strength, and the training atmosphere within the team was very tense, so only he and Gu Qiong were left.

But Gu Yan happened to be the captain and C position of their group, and he couldn't be missing without anyone else. Ding Zai had already decided to tell his teammates and stay to take care of them.

At this time, Bai Lang came over and heard about Xie Qingyu's situation. He was silent for a moment and asked them to return to their own groups for training. He would take good care of Xie Qingyu.

Ding was a little worried about Xie Qingyu during the morning training. At lunch, Leo didn't see Xie Qingyu in the cafeteria and thought their group was still training.

He asked Ding Zai if he wanted to bring food for Xie Qingyu. Ding Zai said no. He immediately asked why. After Ding Zai explained the reason to him, Leo, Xie Qingyu's little fan, was so excited that he didn't even eat and rushed to the dormitory.

After coming back from lunch at noon, the training was even more terrible. He was absent-minded the whole afternoon. Ding Zai grabbed the back of his neck and threatened to tell Xie Qingyu if he didn't train well. Only then did he train obediently.

When it was dinner time, Leo rushed out of the training room like a mad dog again, and came back listlessly after a while. Ding Zai guessed that he was driven back by Xie Qingyu. The little fan was sad, hahahaha, he deserved it!

Ding Zai was still at the other end of the corridor when he saw Leo from afar, clinging to the door frame of the "Banana" group practice room and looking inside like a giant strawberry bear.

In the practice room, Xie Qingyu was discussing something with Bai Yan, taking notes on the tablet from time to time.

"Ahem." Ding Zai deliberately cleared his throat loudly, pushed open the door and walked in, "Wow, the air here is really fresher than ours!" After saying that, he kept looking around.

Xie Qingyu looked up and saw Ding taking exaggerated deep breaths. Knowing he was teasing her, she couldn't help but laugh, "Aren't they all the same?"

Ding glanced at Leo, who was staring at him nervously, afraid he'd say something he shouldn't. "Oh, I wouldn't have known it if you hadn't told me. So they're the same? Then why does someone keep coming here without even a water cup?"

Leo was afraid that he would let the cat out of the bag, so he immediately rushed over and covered Ding Zai's mouth: "Brother! Let's go back to the dormitory!"

This is probably because some team members collapsed from exhaustion after practicing for a few more hours last night, so everyone's training arrangements today are relatively moderate and reasonable.

Xie Qingyu looked at Bai Tang, who nodded and said, "That's enough for today. Everyone go back and have a good rest."

On the way back to the dormitory, Leo kept pestering Xie Qingyu with questions: "Brother, can you really train tomorrow?"

"It's okay," Xie Qingyu rubbed his hair. "How about you, how was your training today?"

Leo immediately wilted, looking at Ding Zai for help. Ding Zai snorted coldly, "If I hadn't threatened to tell you, he would probably have turned his dance steps into a calisthenics this afternoon."

"Ding is here!" Leo jumped anxiously.

Ding Zai sneered: "Who made the floor movement into a doggy paddle?"

"You're the one doggy paddling! I'm using the new urban..."

Xie Qingyu laughed: "Okay, we all have to train hard starting tomorrow. If..." He deliberately put on a stern face, "If you don't practice well, I will be angry."

"I will practice hard!" Leo promised immediately, like a puppy wagging its tail.

Bai Lang walked silently behind, watching their playing figures from behind, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

——

When I pushed open the dormitory door, Gu Yan was standing in front of the closet sorting clothes.

The wind brought in by Xie Qingyu when she pushed the door lifted the curtains, and the moonlight took the opportunity to flow in, condensing into a cold silver on the back of Gu Qiong's neck.

Gu Yan turned around, holding a half-folded white T-shirt in his hand.

"Are you back?" Gu Qi's gaze lingered on Xie Qingyu's face for a moment. "Is the fever gone?"

"Yeah, much better." Xie Qingyu walked up to Gu Qi and thanked him solemnly, "Thanks to you last night, otherwise I might still be lying in bed now."

Gu Zheng was stunned for a moment, then waved his hand: "Don't be so polite, we are all in the same dormitory."

He hung the shirt he had just taken back into the closet, and when he turned around, he noticed the veins on Xie Qingyu's wrist.

"How's your team progressing? Do you need any help?"

"I can help too!" Ding Zai leaned out of the closet next to him. "Although my strength is not as good as Gu Qiong's, I also know a thing or two about creative writing."

Xie Qingyu felt warm in his heart and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously.

"Thank you, but our team is almost ready. Now we mainly focus on catching up on the training progress."

Gu Yan nodded, took his toiletries and went out to wash up.

After washing up and lying on the bed, Xie Qingyu stared at the ceiling in a daze.

The moonlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting tiny spots of light on the wall.

He remembered the ahoge on Leo's head that stood up when he pounced on him today, remembered Bai Lang's slightly furrowed brows when he was tidying up the headphone wires, remembered... a lot of things, and what happened today kept flashing back in his mind.

His consciousness gradually blurred and Xie Qingyu fell into a dream.

In the dream, he was standing in the center of the stage, with the spotlight shining on him and countless glow sticks waving in the audience.

The music started, he turned around and raised his hands, every movement was precise.

Suddenly, the stage began to tilt, and he saw Leo teetering on the edge of the stage. Bai Lang's headphone wires were tangled in the props, and Gu Yan was anxiously adjusting the equipment backstage...

"No!" Xie Qingyu woke up suddenly, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

The moonlight still quietly shines on the wall, and the sound of everyone's even breathing can be heard in the dormitory.

Xie Qingyu exhaled lightly and lay down again. This time, he fell asleep quickly. In his dream, there was no longer a tilted stage, only warm moonlight and the sound of breathing.

——

The morning light is dim.

Xie Qingyu woke up to the sound of Ding Zai grinding his teeth. He got up from the bed very quietly. As soon as his toes touched the ground, the bed made a slight creaking sound.

He held his breath and moved slowly, as if dismantling a stage mechanism—hitting the ground with his left foot, following it with his right, knocking something over as his elbow brushed against the bedside table.

"Click."

Gu Yan's electronic watch lit up a faint blue light in the darkness, and the metal buckle on the strap reflected a cold light.

He turned over, his voice still thick with sleepiness: "Five seventeen... so early?"

Xie Qingyu froze in place and nodded. After a while, she remembered that Gu Qi couldn't see her movements: "Yeah."

He lowered his voice, his breath being particularly clear in the silence, "Did I wake you?"

"It's okay." Gu Zheng raised his wrist, the light from his electronic watch reflecting the faint dark circles under his eyes. He paused, "Don't train too much today, the fever will easily recur."

When Xie Qingyu pushed open the door of the training room, the morning light was slanting in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. He bent down to pick up the scattered mineral water bottles and paper scraps.

After cleaning up the garbage on the ground, I stood in front of the mirror wall and started stretching.

The muscle soreness is much less than yesterday, but the joints still make a slight "clicking" sound.

When he performed the movement for the first time, his wave was like a rusty gear, stuck at a certain node and unable to move forward.

"Turn around on the third beat..." He counted the beats in a low voice, sweat dripping down his chin to the floor. The second time, his body finally regained its memory and the movements began to flow more smoothly.

“Snap, snap.”

Applause suddenly broke out behind him. Xie Qingyu turned around and saw Bai Lang leaning against the door frame, holding a breakfast bag in his hand. "You've recovered well."

He walked in, turned around and closed the practice room door, "But the wave of the second chorus is still 3 degrees off."

"How did you..."

"It's getting late." Bai Lang seemed to know what he was going to ask, so he interrupted him, put his backpack aside, and squatted down to tie his shoelaces.

Only then did Xie Qingyu notice that the hour hand on the wall clock was pointing to six o'clock.

The training room gradually became lively, and seven intertwined figures were reflected in the mirror.

Xie Qingyu stood in the center, looking at the serious faces of his teammates, and suddenly thought of Guanghe in his dream.

The hands that held up the stage were now beside him, moving to the rhythm of the music.

The outline of the plaque "Road to Star Dreams" on the top floor is faintly visible in the mist, and the rising sun quietly peeks out from the eastern sky, like a shy girl gently lifting the curtain of night.

The golden light sprinkled on the roof, giving it a warm halo, as if time was stretched and flowing slowly at this moment.

Xie Qingyu tilted his head back and took a sip of water. As his Adam's apple rolled, a drop of sweat slid down his neck into his collar.

He closed his eyes, his palms pressed against the cold floor, and the rhythmic footsteps and breathing of his team members filled his ears.

"Candy?"

Bai Lang's voice was like a breeze. Xie Qingyu opened his eyes and saw a bony hand handing him a candy.

The candy wrapper shone with a pearly luster in the sunlight, but Bai Lang's gaze was still following the team members in the mirror, as if it was not him who had spoken just now.

"Only children like to eat candy." Xie Qingyu took the candy and her fingertips accidentally brushed across Bai Yan's palm.

Bai Lang turned his head, his eyes narrowed slightly: "Aren't you?"

Xie Qingyu peeled off the candy wrapper and threw the candy into his mouth.

The sweetness melted on his tongue, and he suddenly remembered that his current body was indeed only seventeen years old. He couldn't help but smile, thinking that he was really still a "child".

The door of the training room was suddenly pushed open, and cameras and staff rushed in.

Qian Song stumbled and almost fell, and Sun Lele and Huang Ke almost tripped each other.

"Relax, relax!" Wei Qianze, wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans, sat on the ground and patted the seat next to him. "Everyone, sit down. Just treat me as a senior who's here to check on the dormitories."

When he sat down cross-legged, half a bag of spicy strips fell out of his trouser pocket and was kicked into the blind spot of the camera by the quick-eyed and quick-handed cameraman.

The team members looked at each other, some not knowing how to deal with this situation. Finally, they saw Xie Qingyu and Bai Lang walk up to Wei Qianze and sit down, then they lined up and walked over to them and sat down in a straight row.

Xie Qingyu guessed that it might be a preview review, or the mentor acceptance phase before the first public rehearsal.

Unexpectedly, Wei Qianze did not play by the rules. He did not ask about everyone's preparation for the first public performance, nor did he ask about everyone's practice. He just acted like he was just there to chat.

There was a staff member behind the camera diagonally opposite who was making frantic gestures to Wei Qianze. He clearly saw it but pretended not to see it.

"If there's anything you want to talk about or anything you want to know from me, feel free to speak up."

Suddenly he changed the subject, raised his hand to block the staff's view, and his voice came out without moving his lips.

"Of course, if it's gossip, we can only talk about it quietly and privately."

After saying that, he winked towards the work area, and everyone understood.

Sun Lele and Zhu Xiaojun burst into laughter, and the others also laughed out loud, even Bai Lang pursed his lips.

After waiting for a long time, no one asked any questions, and the first one to ask a question was Qian Song.

He scratched the wooden floor unconsciously with his right hand, gritted his teeth, and finally spoke: "Teacher Wei...if the pressure is too great, should I consider giving up?"

Xie Qingyu noticed that Qian Song's right hand stopped its unconscious movement and clenched tightly, with his knuckles turning white. It was obvious that this question had been in his mind for a long time.

He discovered from his contact with Qian Song at the stairs that day that Qian Song was actually a person with extremely internal friction, and was unwilling to transfer negative emotions to others in many things.

So I digest it over and over again, in a vicious cycle, until I push myself to a critical point and become breathless.

To be honest, Xie Qingyu was still surprised that he was willing to open up and communicate with Wei Qianze. Perhaps it was the identity of mentor and contestant that gave him a certain sense of security.

Wei Qianze did not answer immediately, but looked directly into Qian Song's eyes: "Do you feel pressured looking at me now?"

"A little..."

"Is it my role as a mentor that puts pressure on you, or is it the chat environment that makes you feel oppressed?"

Qian Song was stunned. Wei Qianze stood up and sat next to him, their shoulders almost touching.

He started talking about the hotpot he had last night, complained about the lunch boxes provided by the production team, and even talked about the embarrassing incident of forgetting the lyrics when he first went on stage.

Gradually, Qian Song's tense shoulders relaxed, and Wei Qianze patted his shoulders.

“Everyone is a prism. If one side is stressing you out, why not try the other side?”

"Look," Wei Qianze said, stroking his fingertips across the crowd. "You are my mirrors now, but on stage, you will be the audience's kaleidoscope."

Qian Song seemed to understand something, his body gradually relaxed, he closed his eyes, and didn't want to listen, look, or think about anything.

Suddenly, something poked her leg. It was Bai Lang. It turned out that he thought she was staring at Qian Song in a trance. Xie Qingyu laughed and shook her head slightly at him.

The second person to raise his hand was Zhu Xiaojun. He raised his hand timidly: "Teacher Wei... I feel so stupid. Why do you know everything?"

"Why do you have such an idea?"

"I, I'm always slower than others in remembering the movements..." Zhu Xiaojun lowered his head and twirled the corners of his clothes with both hands. His voice was extremely inconsistent with his body size.

Wei Qianze smiled: "You know what? I still can't tell east from west. Every rehearsal takes me a long time to walk around on the stage, but this is precisely the mark of my existence."

He paused and raised an eyebrow. "From now on, whenever anyone mentions that person who lost his way on stage, they will say..."

He rolled up his sleeves, closed his eyes, and shook his head as he said, "That so-and-so who can't tell the direction, ah, I know, it's Wei Qianze from the boy band Eclipse."

Zhu Xiaojun burst out laughing.

“Even if we’re walking on the same road, different people see different scenery. What’s important is that someone is willing to appreciate the scenery as you see it.”

When someone asked him how he felt about the sudden increase in his fan base, Wei Qianze suddenly looked at the flashing emergency lights above the camera.

“It’s like suddenly having a hundred thousand stars, but each one is asking – will you keep shining?”

His fingers drew star tracks in the void.

“So I practice every day until I see the morning star rise. That way, even if it goes out one day, I can still say I’ve seen the light at the darkest point of the Milky Way.”

"What does Teacher Wei usually eat?"

"A boxed lunch! But I'll secretly hide snacks. Do you want to share my secret base?"

"I want to know if so-and-so and so-and-so are really together."

"Ahem, let's talk about this in private."

Xie Qingyu rested his head on his knees and watched the team members ask questions excitedly.

The sunlight pours in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, giving everyone's outline a golden edge.

At this moment, there was no competition or pressure in the training room, only the pure laughter of the teenagers.