Chapter Sixty-Eight: The First Duke (Part Three)
A massive wave of sound crashed over them, with screams and shouts echoing throughout the studio. When they stood in the center of the stage and the audience could see their faces clearly, the sound seemed to surge even more fiercely.
"Lin Ruohe!"
"Zhang Yang! Young!"
"Xu You!"
"Ren Yuchen!"
"Gu Huailang!"
The chaotic shouts of the members' names came in, and all six of them were quite shocked.
As if walking on clouds, his body felt so light he could float away. Meng Fanxi could barely control the stinging sensation in his nose; he felt like he was in a dream.
Because among those voices calling out the names of the VIER members from the previous life, there was one name that reached our ears at a frequency no less than theirs.
"Meng Fanxi!"
"Ahhh, so fancy!"
"Fan Xichong!"
He heard many different voices cheering him on and encouraging him, and every bit of their sincere emotion was truly conveyed to his heart.
This was unlike any practice session in the studio, and completely different from the feeling of facing a mentor's review.
They came for his team, and he dominated the stage, giving them the most perfect performance.
Is this what it feels like to be an idol?
Although he had attended concerts of idol groups of all sizes in his previous life and had even been called up to the stage by Month to interact with them, at this moment, he was no longer a bystander.
An unprecedented sense of excitement burst forth from the depths of his heart. For a moment, he felt no one else; he could only hear his own rapid breathing.
Excitement, nervousness, and a hint of fear.
Meng Fanxi's breathing became slightly sluggish.
No, he's not an idol yet.
He and his teammates have not yet overcome the final hurdle in the competition program.
The studio lights suddenly dimmed, a sign that the performance was about to begin.
Take a deep breath, assume the posture you've practiced countless times, adjust your expression, and get into the right mood.
In the blink of an eye, he had transformed his trembling emotions into a determination to overcome the challenge.
"Thump, thump, thump."
A countdown simulating a heartbeat began.
In the last second of the countdown, Meng Fanxi's lips moved slightly.
"Let's go!"
Silent yet resolute.
A flute melody drifted closer, and the sudden sense of solemnity and desolation silenced the noise in the room.
Many audience members were caught up in the tense atmosphere, covering their mouths and refusing to make a sound while waiting expectantly.
"Those who observe me are the same as those who observe the fish."
"Wing the tail to the right, welcome the green to the left."
"Falling with the wind, a guest comes from the clouds."
"Swim fish, don't shed tears."
"Those who observe me are the same as those who observe the fish."
...
The moment the drumbeats sounded, perfectly matched vocal lines blended together, and a plaintive chanting filled the entire space, a sacred yet sorrowful blend, as light from all sides of the stage simultaneously illuminated the very center of the stage.
The six people also stood in a circle, facing outwards, with one hand behind their backs and their backs straight. With each chant, each person precisely changed their movements, and their feet moved around the center of the circle with minimal movement.
Everyone maintained a slightly turned-to-the-side angle, their other side of their face hidden in the shadows, mysterious and noble, their expressions unreadable.
It's like a tall sculpture in a history museum, full of solemn and ancient charm, being gradually infused with vitality.
Everyone was engrossed in the moment, holding their breath to await what would happen next.
Seeing this, Tan Yi, one of the mentors, couldn't hide his surprise and leaned closer to Zhu Lou, asking, "Did they change the song?"
Zhu Lou had been frequently checking on the progress of the "Eternal Six Stars" group lately, so he naturally knew more about them than the other mentors. "They did make changes, but I didn't expect the final result to be so good."
He thought the setup was a bit strange in the practice room, but on stage, light and shadow intertwined, and brightness and darkness combined, and the boys became the best balancers on stage. This was the most amazing opening in the show so far.
The chanting changed from soft to fierce, the rhythm from slow to fast and then fast again, the sound of the xiao (a type of Chinese flute) became solemn and deadly, and their movements became expansive and bold, guided by the sound of the xiao.
Suddenly, at the moment when other instruments were incorporated, the six dancers' dance incorporated a popping freeze-frame, like puppets controlled in place, motionless, their limbs frozen in a high-difficulty pose.
After a cacophony of various musical instruments and the full presentation of the background music, the six heroes seemed to be completely freed from their constraints, quickly changing formation and taking out prepared props from their waists—folding fans with dark red ribs.
However, they do not intend to perform any fan dance; they simply use the closed folding fan as a "sword" in the swordsman's hand.
Folding fans danced in unison in their hands, the dance blending the strength and gentleness of martial arts. With the fans twirling in their hands, the six people on the stage were both elegant and dangerous.
The first line of the verse was opened by Lin Ruohe, whose exquisite features and indifferent, empty eyes were like a chilling sword, setting the stage for the performance to come.
"Having walked through the misty and rainy season in Jiangnan, I cannot see where my heart longs to go. Oh, clouds, where have you gone?"
The five people behind him leaped lightly, their flowing hems dancing in the air.
With a turn, Meng Fanxi and Lin Ruohe switched places.
He stepped out, his posture upright, his movements fluid and graceful, exuding an ancient charm.
His features were exquisite, his expression serene, yet a hint of sadness lingered in his eyes.
"Walking through the quiet alleys by the lake, I wait in vain for the one I long for. Oh fish, where do you swim now?"
His clear and gentle voice, accompanied by the sword dance, was full of chivalrous tenderness.
No one could tell that he had lost his composure a little before going on stage, and his vivid performance pushed everyone's emotions to an even higher level.
Ye Ni exclaimed in amazement, "If it weren't for his age, I would really think he's a veteran actor." She still couldn't believe it after saying that, her eyes filled with amazement.
Qiu Lü, sitting casually in the audience, was no longer doing so at the beginning. He was watching the performance intently, his eyes, partially obscured by his slightly long hair under his hat, seemed to be lost in thought.
The teammates waved their closed folding fans and danced with swords.
Ren Yuchen then stepped out to the side, his folding fan pressed against his forehead, and sang in a clear, cold voice: "The wind is howling, I am like a fish, you are like a fish, without a home or support."
Finally, the phrase "no one to rely on" was sung in harmony by six people, with a lingering and beautiful ending that moved all who heard it.
In the chorus, it is no longer a chant, but a high-pitched singing that accompanies the melody.
"Those who observe me are the same as those who observe the fish."
"Wing the tail to the right, welcome the green to the left."
"Falling with the wind, a guest comes from the clouds."
"Swim fish, don't shed tears."
The crowd's emotions kept rising. First came Meng Fanxi's high note, then Xu You's high note, and finally Zhang Yang's high note. The three people's voices overlapped one after another, and before the last note faded, the other three gently sang along.
Not only the audience, but also the judges and mentors were so amazed by this exquisite and meticulous handling that they almost lost control of their expressions.
Tan Yi asked, "You're familiar with this design too?"
No matter how busy he was, he should have gone to see it. He couldn't help but regret that he only went to watch once.
Zhu Lou composed himself and laughed, "I really didn't know that. These kids have been hiding quite a bit!"
In the second verse, Gu Huailang, Xu You, and Zhang Yang took turns performing. The latter two, in particular, are the vocalists in the band. Meng Fanxi arranged for their main parts to be in the second half, mainly to use their impact to keep the audience engaged and focused on the song and performance.
On the second chorus, they formed a fish-like formation on stage, swaying from the tail to the head. The production crew's cameras captured the scene perfectly from the best angles, projecting the footage onto the side screens. Viewers were amazed by the ingenious design.
In the final bridge section, the emotions had reached their peak, with Xu You, Zhang Yang, Ren Yuchen, and Lin Ruohe standing in a diamond formation, kneeling on one knee.
Meng Fanxi and Gu Huailang were like two swordsmen in a final battle, standing inside the rhombus, waving folding fans, their restrained yet highly intense martial arts duel, each move perfectly timed.
The clash of swords and the shadows of spears—nothing could be more fitting.
Yun Mengtao exclaimed in amazement, "How can you be so professional? I thought I was watching a martial arts movie."
Fu Hanfei couldn't contain his excitement: "There shouldn't be any martial arts instructors at the recording camp, right? The original dance choreography did incorporate martial arts elements, but this part is clearly not in that choreography. They changed it themselves?"
Zhu Lou recalled a few scenes and nodded, saying, "They should have changed it themselves, specifically, it was Meng Fanxi."
Fu Hanfei chuckled, "When I heard it was him, I suddenly wasn't surprised anymore."
Meng Fanxi has already brought him many surprises.
As the music faded, their duel became increasingly difficult, and the other four suddenly rose in unison and jumped into the midst of the two.
In the blink of an eye, the final curtain fell.
The six people danced in perfect unison, and at the last moment, as they swung their sleeves to the highest point, their folding fans opened with a "whoosh," and pink round pieces fluttered down, as if it were the season of blooming peach blossoms.
The folding fan fell to the ground, and the six people huddled together in a daze, their movements becoming increasingly stiff, while the chanting faded into the distance.
"Those who observe me are the same as those who observe the fish."
"Wing the tail to the right, welcome the green to the left."
"Falling with the wind, a guest comes from the clouds."
"Swim fish, don't shed tears."
"Don't shed tears..."
The sound suddenly dissipated.
The performers on stage were frozen in place, their eyes slightly lowered.
The tall and imposing swordsman seemed to have returned to the form of a sculpture in a museum.
The camera slowly zoomed in, pausing for two seconds on each person's face before finally settling on Meng Fanxi's face, his expression seemingly lingering on something.
The scene shifts.
A peach petal was stuck to his hand.
The stage lights went out.
With that, the performance truly came to an end.
When the lights came on again, six boys stood in a row on the stage, their faces showing slightly shy smiles.
This is in stark contrast to the solemn and sorrowful performance on stage just now.
The air froze for a moment, then erupted in deafening cheers and applause.
"Ahhhhh, he's so handsome!"
"nice!!"
The audience was uncontrollably excited, and even the judges were exchanging their feelings, with applause coming non-stop.
Gradually, shouts of "Encore! Encore!" came from the audience, and the calls for "Encore!" grew louder and louder.
Yun Mengtao stood on the stage without saying a word to stop them, letting the boys enjoy their cheers to the fullest.
Meng Fanxi smiled happily, so happy that he almost cried.
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A note from the author:
Sorry, it's getting late.
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