Chapter 244: Unstoppable, the Final Battle

Because it is the domestic home base, the location selection for the performance cannot be as casual as it is abroad, and safety considerations must be put first.

Moreover, as the final battle of the last stop, it is of great significance, and the production team also attaches great importance to it.

After Xie Qingyu and the others have finalized the main procedures, they only need to hand over the remaining funds, and the other trivial matters can be left to them.

"Director, you haven't been waiting for this moment, have you?"

Xie Qingyu held on to the bulging wallet full of funds and revealed the director's thoughts with a smile.

The small wallet with the program logo printed on it had been stuffed so hard that it was deformed and the zipper was about to burst.

The director tugged at the other corner of his wallet without changing his expression. "Teacher Xie, you're overthinking it. We're just trying to help you out."

But he was secretly exerting strength with his hands.

Xie Qingyu had a knowing smile on his lips, and his hands did not move at all.

Since it is a tug of war, it is natural for you to go back and forth and see if you can gain more rights and interests in the end. If you don’t fight for some things... you won’t have them!

Just as he was about to raise the bar a little and demonstrate his top-notch pulling, the director suddenly gritted his teeth and said,

"Teacher Xie, don't forget where most of this funding comes from?!"

When talking about this, Xie Qingyu thought to himself that it was not good, as this move of cutting off the source of the problem came too suddenly.

He immediately stopped while he was ahead, let go of his hand, smiled brightly at the director, turned around and shook his head slightly at his teammates on the sofa.

The director snorted complacently and put the bulging wallet into his arms like a treasure.

It's really helpless.

At the beginning, the production team set the sites one by one, which was more tricky than the other. Being in an unfamiliar overseas place, if you don’t find some loopholes in the rules, you might not even be able to raise enough money for the travel expenses.

Who knew the effect would be so surprisingly good? After recording ten episodes, their battle of wits and courage with the program team's rules and regulations has almost become a regular part.

Now that I have handed over all the funds, I don’t feel too bad about it.

After all, apart from the first stop in Coria where we suffered a bit after using up the initial capital, in every subsequent period we lived comfortably and ate well.

But when Xie Qingyu weighed the small schoolbag that was suddenly empty, he felt empty in his heart.

"Then let's pack up and get ready to go?" Gu Qi asked with a raised lip.

Now that the funds have been submitted, it would be unacceptable if the production team does not arrange the last episode properly.

It was just past noon and the sun was shining brightly.

After everyone finished lunch, the production team's efficiency suddenly became surprisingly high. After all, they had made preparations in advance and were at home in China, so they had enough manpower and were able to deploy the staff easily.

Just now, I was just looking for a reason to recover the funds.

The director waved his hand, and the treatment was instantly upgraded - even the exclusive nanny car came back.

You know, they had to pay for a taxi out of their own pockets when they were transferring yesterday. It was so realistic that it made people laugh and cry.

"Do you have any more here?"

Xie Qingyu tilted her head slightly, covered her mouth, and asked Wei Liangchen who was walking next to her in a low voice.

He was really curious. With the director's shrewdness and stinginess, was it really possible that he hadn't noticed Wei Liangchen's little tricks at all until now?

Wei Liangchen was stunned for half a second, then patted his coat pocket as if nothing had happened and winked at him.

Ever since he was "caught" by Xie Qingyu buying corn in Tyrande, he has been much more cautious and has never revealed a penny of his money in front of the camera.

"What's the matter?" Ding Zai's ear was sharp and he immediately came over and asked in a low voice.

The other people also glanced over here vaguely, and the cameraman moved his camera closer.

Xie Qingyu coughed twice strategically, "Ahem...it's nothing~"

After saying that, he grabbed the drawstring of Wei Liangchen's down jacket and walked forward quickly.

This was something they had agreed to keep secret, he couldn't go back on his word, and...

"Something's wrong~"

You Jinzhao pretended to push up his non-existent glasses and squinted his eyes, "There's a ghost!"

As soon as the words fell, the five people looked at each other tacitly, and quickened their pace to catch up.

After getting on the car, Xie Qingyu patted the small schoolbag that had become "solid" again with satisfaction.

After he "appealed to people's emotions and explained things to them with reason", Wei Liangchen's small treasury was successfully transferred and taken over by him.

Of course, he was not greedy for the money, he just enjoyed the pleasure of keeping it.

Anyway, the show is coming to an end tonight, and Wei Liangchen has promised to hand over the full amount honestly. Besides, it's not much anyway, so we're just having fun.

——

Nine o'clock in the evening, Huangtan Park in Yun City.

As the largest and most iconic wetland park in Yun City, Huangtan Park is crowded with visitors day and night.

Especially the lantern show at night attracts countless tourists to check in.

Yu Meng was half-dragged and half-pulled by her mother as she walked along the stone pavement in the park, her face full of reluctance.

This is almost a regular "night activity" in her family.

Ever since she can remember, her mother has been persistently dragging the whole family to watch the Lantern Festival, day after day, year after year, and she can even recite the program by heart.

"Mom~ I really don't want to come!" Yu Meng protested in a long tone.

It would be fine at any other time, but tonight is different. According to various online analyses, the last group variety show performance of the group her Qingyu Baby is in may very well be tonight!

As a native of Yun City, she had planned to wait for news and take action at any time, but in the end she was defeated by the authority of her mother.

"Dad, do you really want to watch 'Searching for Pei', 'A World in a Foreign Land', 'Second Grandma Plays the Drum'... 'The Wolf of Zhongshan in the Wall'?"

She quickly recited a series of program names and turned to look at her father for help.

Just as Yu Dad was about to chime in, his wife cut him off with a glare. He could only rub the back of his head and laugh dryly:

"Hehe...it's the same if I go back later, hehe..."

My daughter, it’s not that daddy doesn’t want to help you, it’s just that the power of the family has fallen into someone else’s hands.

I can’t even touch the TV remote control normally, so how can I have a say at a time like this?

While his wife wasn't paying attention, he quietly spread his hands to Meng, with helplessness written all over his face.

Yu Meng took out his cell phone in despair and kept refreshing the internet updates.

"All you do all day is hold your phone!" Yu's mother couldn't help but scold her. "I asked you to see a proper traditional Chinese performance, but you kept putting it off for various reasons. It's one thing to cover your room with posters and cards, but now you're even canceling family activities to go look for that boy on the poster? I think you've lost your mind!"

In fact, Yu Ma has always been tolerant of her daughter's star chasing. After all, who doesn't have a hobby?

There was no need to force my daughter to come with us tonight, but when I heard that she was going to run around the city alone to chase her idol, how could I, as a mother, feel at ease?

The cases of lone girls getting into danger in the current social news make her shudder just thinking about them.

But what made her even more disappointed was that her daughter, with whom she used to talk about everything, now had eyes that lit up when she mentioned her idol, but had less and less to say to her.

All of this is to blame on that brat on the poster!

Xie Qingyu (the stinky boy on the poster): My nest doesn’t stink, it’s so innocent~﹏

At this moment, the crowd who were originally strolling leisurely suddenly became agitated.

The screams of young girls rose one after another, and the crowd surged in a certain direction like a tide.

The elderly tourists looked at each other in confusion. Although they didn't understand what was going on, they were attracted by the scene and thought there was some free giveaway, so they all started running.

"Mengmeng, let's move to the side..." Yu's mother was about to pull her daughter away, but before she could finish her words -

"Ahhh! Mom, come with me!"

Yu Meng let out a startling scream and rushed forward, pulling her mother.

Yu's mother staggered and before she could react, she heard Yu's father's breathless voice behind her: "Wait for me..."

The three of them followed the crowd to their destination. Yu's mother stood on the familiar stone bridge, looking at the high platform on the water, and couldn't help but teasing:

"Who said he would rather die than come and see this? Now he's running faster than anyone else."

This was the venue for the lantern festival they had originally planned to watch.

Yu Meng covered his chest which was heaving violently, and couldn't tell whether it was because of running or because he was too excited.

Just two minutes ago, she saw netizens taking photos of the group variety show production team's car appearing at the park entrance, and her heart skipped a beat.

When she heard the voices around her calling out Xie Qingyu and the others' names, she could no longer hold back and rushed over, grabbing her mother.

Could it be true?

Will Qingyu Baby and the others really appear here?

Or is it... just a false rumor?

"Mengmeng?" Yu's mother called out worriedly.

She noticed that her daughter started biting her nails unconsciously. This bad habit, which she had given up for many years, now resurfaced.

Sudden--

“Swish!”

The lights on the entire staircase platform suddenly went out.

Under the gaze of thousands of people, ripples appeared on the water surface.

The show has begun.

Yu Meng's pupils trembled slightly, and the fingers recording the video shook unconsciously.

In the camera, seven young men in pure white silk shirts stood quietly on a high platform.

There was a silver microphone in front of each person.

The loose cut of the silk shirt fluttered slightly in the night breeze, the hem swaying lightly like water waves, and glowing with a soft pearly luster under the light.

Seven beams of light descended from the sky, enveloping them in a pure halo of light.

The outlines of the young men were coated with a soft silver edge, as if they were seven glass statues carved by the moonlight, both independent and integrated.

Then, the song began to spread——

(The night is filled with ink in the blink of an eye

Time slips away quietly in whispers

Fingertips gently stroke the outline of memories

A subtle warmth)

This is the hidden song "No Dreams When Awake".

Yu Meng had listened to the studio version countless times, but only at this moment did he truly understand why it had become the most special treasure in the album.

The infectious power of the live version has the power of redemption that can overwhelm everything in its path!

Her eyes were fixed on the figure in the center of the stage.

Xie Qingyu was lowering his head with his eyes slightly closed, his slender fingers loosely gripping the microphone.

As he moved, a corner of his shirt collar slipped down, revealing the faint line of his collarbone.

Yu Meng held her breath, quickly switched to the photo mode to freeze the moment, and then immediately switched back to the video mode.

The crowd around was still gathering, obviously all fans who had rushed over after hearing the news.

When the chorus comes, the seven layers of voices pile up like waves.

Bai Tang, who was standing on the commanding heights, suddenly raised his hand—

The silk sleeves suddenly slid down to the elbows, revealing the taut forearm muscles.

(When awake, I have no dreams, my heart is like a lonely boat drifting with the wind

Let the past ebb and flow like the tide

I can't hear the noise of dreams, I can only hear the heartbeat and pulse

Finding the real me in sobriety)

He suddenly clenched his five fingers together, as if trying to grasp the empty dream, and then slowly stretched them out.

This impromptu action caused a suppressed exclamation from the audience.

During the interlude, the seven people suddenly turned around.

The spotlight cast their backs on the wall of the ancient building. Seven silhouettes slowly raised their heads to the melody of "Let the light of clarity illuminate the corners of the heart", like butterflies emerging from their cocoons and spreading their wings.

Yu Meng in the front row suddenly discovered that the backs of those pure white shirts were embroidered with faint butterfly patterns in silver thread, which were now shimmering slightly with the rise and fall of breathing.

Was it Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly, or was it the butterfly dreaming of Zhuang Zhou?

(No longer obsessed with that illusory outline

No longer attached to the flowers in my dreams

Let the light of clarity illuminate the corners of your heart

Embrace this real life)

The final chapter arrives, and seven beams of light blend and spread like flowing water.

When the members were walking down the stairs, Gu Qiong, who had the most mischievous taste, deliberately let the ribbons of his shirt fly in the wind, attracting fans on the bridge to lean over to grab them.

But the ribbon is still far away, just like some dreams that are destined to be unreachable.

(When awake, there are no dreams, and the years flow by like a song

My heart is clear, no longer imprisoned by dreams

Feel the vastness of life between breathing and whispering

Let the soul rest freely——)

The last syllable faded into the night.

They remained in their farewell pose for a long time without moving. Water droplets splashed from the fountain not far away fell on their silk collars, leaving transparent traces of varying depths, like a silent farewell that no one knew about.

The bells of "The Seventh Night" ring, and all living beings awaken from chaos, and all obsessions and delusions turn into morning mist and dissipate.

Just as the unspoken "Awake, No Dreams" says, the deepest awakening is to admit that this dream never existed...