Chapter 67 Graduation Concert
Lin Yujie exclaimed "Huh?" loudly.
Li Song reacted faster:
"Is it because their program was rigged and they manipulated the votes?"
These are common problems in talent shows. Manipulating the rankings based on debut positions is common, but when it goes too far, fans easily notice something's wrong. The controversy surrounding Jiang Wenxi and Qi Xiuxiu on "Starlight" was huge, and the production team didn't issue a statement distancing themselves from the two, which seemed odd to many.
Zhong Xinfan nodded:
"Yes, they bought votes behind the scenes, maliciously edited the footage, and badly edited the contestants who didn't pay, while creating a positive image for the contestants who did pay..."
Every idol who comes from a talent show is afraid of this. Although YueDong was bad, it was still normal when they debuted. They didn't encounter this problem, so they can be considered to have dodged a bullet.
Zhong Xinfan found this behavior utterly despicable, but she recalled that she had previously speculated that Yu Shuling did this partly because she liked Jiang Wenxi. However, after the two were exposed, Yu Shuling didn't even give Jiang Wenxi a glance, which made her realize that she had misunderstood.
Jiang Wenxi is incredibly irresponsible. If he had openly admitted his feelings for Qi Xiuxiu and then used his resources to support her honestly, he could at least have done right by some people. However, the moment Yu Shuling made her move, he turned into a coward, cowering and only daring to claim that he had "nothing like that with Qi Xiuxiu."
His public image has plummeted, and his fans' trust in him is also in jeopardy.
Putting aside whether the rule that "idols can't date" is reasonable, nowadays, it's the mothers who are spending money. If fans do something they don't allow, they have to bear the consequences, instead of taking advantage of others and making things up that can't be hidden.
He himself was supported by fans with real money, and he even secretly helped Qi Xiuxiu cheat. His persona of not being interested in women collapsed instantly.
As for Qi Xiuxiu, her debut failed, and I heard she switched to acting and is currently trying to adapt. Knowing Jiang Wenxi's identity, she still contacted the PD privately and tried to take shortcuts instead of practicing properly. She deserves to fail.
The fates of these two are so disastrous they're practically making one's breasts tingle; Zhong Xinfan is thoroughly enjoying watching it.
Kawana couldn't help but smile.
After finishing the recording, Yu Shuling was greeted by them like a triumphant hero. The other three chattered away. Zhong Xinfan, who was usually quiet, bought her her favorite rose and lychee flavored low-calorie cold brew yogurt and placed it by her bedside. This small box of yogurt was Yu Shuling's recent favorite. After finding out who bought it, Yu Shuling blew Zhong Xinfan a kiss without hesitation.
Zhong Xinfan: "..."
Yu Shuling immediately raised her hand: "I've already washed it."
"How about hot pot for lunch?"
"The concert is almost here, can you guys please stop causing trouble! Our leader has gained three pounds, can't you set a good example!"
The girls were laughing and joking in the rented apartment, and they seemed to have a lot more youthful energy than before.
September arrived as scheduled, and for the remainder of the month, the company refrained from further conflict, resulting in a brief period of peace between the two sides. Unlike Jiang Zhou, the agent didn't boss them around; he handled matters strictly by business and there was little private communication, which worked out quite well.
The concert venue can accommodate 8,000 people. It wasn't very big. These kinds of venues usually need to be booked in advance. When YueDong booked the tickets, they were prepared to fill the empty seats with black cloth. Unexpectedly, the tickets sold out quite quickly after they went on sale. All 8,000 tickets were sold out.
You Jingzhou and Li Song's collaboration went smoothly. He came to the company in advance to tell them personally that Yue Dong didn't want to offend a producer who had already made a name for himself, so the song was presented directly at Lyra's graduation concert.
To ensure Li Song's solo performance wouldn't be at its best, You Jingzhou also attended the event, arriving at the same time as them. Before the concert, the girls ate some vegetable and fruit salad to maintain their figures and be in top condition, and then started getting their makeup and styling done after rehearsals.
Lyra is known as a "female model group". When they first debuted, they became famous for their looks and figures. Kawana, the shortest member of the group, is 1.65 meters tall, making them a true "long-legged girl group".
Yu Shuling is naturally tall but not awkwardly so. Wearing black and white rhinestone eight-centimeter high heels, her slender figure resembles an elegant swan. Because she is going to dance, apart from makeup, there is no need for maximalism. The designer has embellished the straps on her shoulders with a few tassels, which sway with her movements, making her extremely alluring.
Their debut song has a mature and elegant style, unlike many sunny and energetic girl groups. Each of them has different colored velvet adorning their sideburns, giving it a dreamy feel reminiscent of the ballet stage's "Swan Lake".
"Thank you for your help today, Teacher You."
Li Song has become much more outgoing now, but she still reverts to her shy demeanor when facing unfamiliar people. You Jingzhou, being a well-known independent producer in the industry, made her even more nervous. You Jingzhou shook her hand backstage.
"Keep going, don't be afraid."
Knowing that Lyra had some bad experiences, he gave Li Song a warm look and softly encouraged him before returning to his dressing room without saying much. In the video, Yu Shuling pinched Li Song's face several times, and Li Song couldn't help but hit her back. The two then started joking around before going on stage.
"Are you feeling better, Captain?"
"Much better!"
Li Song answered loudly. She used to speak softly, but when she lowered her voice, Yu Shuling would tickle her. Yu Shuling raised an eyebrow, showing off to her teammates how great she was, but then noticed Lin Yujie frown after receiving the call.
"I'm going out for a bit."
Kawana: "Where are you going?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the voice on Lin Yujie's phone swelled up, almost shouting:
"Lin Yujie, are you still my sister? If you block my number again, I'll go to your concert with a sign and see who's afraid of who. Do you think I can't afford a ticket?"
"Or I'll tell your fans that you're shameless, that you've abandoned your family and your brother..."
Hearing the man's unrestrained words, Lin Yujie finally lost her temper and, her face pale, cursed:
"Shut up! You piece of trash!"
"What, you've hit a nerve, haven't you? Hehe, then could you send me my living expenses for this month?"
Lin Yujie's pretty face instantly turned ugly; she was so angry she wanted to throw her phone and smash it. She hung up the phone, tears welling in her eyes, gripping it tightly, and quickly walked out.
Kawana grabbed her arm.
This mixed-race girl looked delicate and frail, but as the main dancer, she was quite strong and easily grabbed Lin Yujie.
"Ignore him."
Kawana spoke these words with perfect precision, her bright eyes fixed on Lin Yujie, which immediately calmed the anger that had just risen in Lin Yujie's heart, preventing her from venting it.
Li Song also asked:
"Your brother is asking you for money again?"
When Yu Shuling transmigrated, she only knew the plot developments but not the specifics, nor did she have the original owner's memories of this part. She could only guess from their fragmented conversations.
Lin Yujie has a younger brother who seems to be asking her for money, and he'll go crazy if he doesn't get it.
Yu Shuling recalled the plot summary she received when she first arrived here a long time ago, which mentioned that some of her teammates were drinking with others and others were fighting.
Then she probably understood who was "fighting" in the original novel.
"Don't worry about this for now. If he dares to cause trouble backstage, there are security guards patrolling the area."
Lin Yujie has a rather impulsive personality, so Yu Shuling quickly tried to calm her down to prevent her from doing anything irreversible. After being interrupted by her two teammates, Lin Yujie calmed down considerably and turned off her phone.
The performance was about to begin, and the sounds of the fans could be heard from the audience. Unlike previous variety shows, this was a concert entirely dedicated to Lyra. With one minute left in the countdown, Li Song took a deep breath, extended her hand, and cleared her mind of all distractions:
"Lyra, you can do it!"
"come on!"
As the concert lights came on in the darkness and she heard the thunderous cheers from the audience, Yu Shuling felt a real sense of reality. As she slowly ascended the rising and falling steps, her heart pounded uncontrollably.
Although they had performed at music festivals before, this was the real occasion for them, and unsurprisingly, three whole hours were given to Lyra.
The cheering sticks below the stage were all bright spheres, with stars drawn inside based on Lyra's constellation Lyra, flickering on and off. The five brightest stars would connect together as the stage swayed.
The view from the stage was excellent. Yu Shuling saw Wu Leilei, Yuan Zhiyao, and several other girls who had debuted through talent shows, all sitting on benches in the inner area, wearing masks and waving their light sticks enthusiastically at them. Further back, all eight thousand seats were packed, with their support signs waving and bright lights flashing everywhere.
This was the first time Yu Shuling had felt so unconditionally loved, and a warm current surged through her chest. As the music began, leaving them no time to think, the five of them lined up, their flowing skirts outlining their silhouettes under the focused lights, creating the illusion of ballet tutus.
Most of the girl groups in China come from talent shows, and their skills vary greatly, or they are just a little short of being ready. The fully-fledged idols are a huge disadvantage for most trainees. However, Yu Shuling did not perform a traditional girl group dance in that talent show, so everyone was still uncertain about her.
There has been much debate about her abilities, with many people bringing up old videos to mock her and draw conclusions. Her performance at the music festival improved somewhat.
This time, however, it truly turned the tide.
No one can resist a group that shines on stage. They complement each other, and none of them overshadow the other's brilliance, because after settling down, they are all excellent in their own right.
As the dance of the swans progressed, the stage positions changed. When the lights went out, instead of the usual graceful exit of all the performers, this concert added an extra segment. With a change of music, the black swan and the white swan stood back to back, pressed tightly together. Yu Shuling suddenly knelt on one knee, her movements both tender and sharp, like thorns binding the white feathers. At that moment, a vast expanse of snow-white feathers appeared on the big screen, as if riding a storm, with lightning and thunder, and thorns blooming everywhere.
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