Chapter 83
Ling Yao's solo piano performance at his concert went viral, like water dropped into boiling oil. The image of him singing with intense concentration under a beam of white light, his voice moving and soulful, was edited, shared, and discussed by countless fans and passersby, quickly sweeping across major social media platforms.
Terms like "Ling Yao piano solo," "Ling Yao live performance," and "Ling Yao new song" dominated the top search trends. The video's views grew exponentially, and the performance was praised as "textbook-level stage presence" and "proof of his top-tier looks and talent." His popularity soared again, reaching a new peak, and his commercial value skyrocketed.
The company keenly grasped this trend, striking while the iron was hot and quickly adjusting its strategy. The group, which had been somewhat dormant due to the members' individual development, now, with Lingyao's support, announced its impending return to the music scene! The news sent fans into a frenzy, with expectations reaching a fever pitch.
The company invested heavily in creating a new album for the group, showcasing a more mature style and striving to maintain Ling Yao's reputation for high-quality music. An intensive promotional schedule followed, including appearances in variety shows, interviews, and book signings.
The atmosphere on a popular, highly rated variety show was lively. The host, a veteran in the industry known for his sharp and forthright questions, discussed the music on their new album and some interesting group stories, but the conversation inevitably turned to the members' personal lives.
When the microphone was passed to Ling Yao, the host, with his usual, seemingly harmless smile, asked half-jokingly, "Ling Yao is so popular now, he's practically a national idol! I wonder if he's secretly dating, to satisfy the fans' curiosity?"
The fans at the scene screamed with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
Everyone thought Ling Yao would be like other idols, using Tai Chi to muddle through, or give a standard answer like "I'm currently focusing on my career."
However, Ling Yao remained silent for a moment. In the close-up shot, his eyes seemed to drift for a moment, as if recalling something extremely distant and heartwarming. Then, he raised his eyes and gave the camera a faint, somewhat nostalgic and bitter smile, his tone unexpectedly frank:
"As for love...actually, I've only been in love once. It was a long time ago, when I was still a trainee."
The scene was silent for a moment, and even the host seemed a little surprised.
Ling Yao continued speaking, his voice calm, yet with an unmistakable sincerity: "I was under a lot of pressure and confused at that time. It was her... who gave me a lot of warmth and strength. It can be considered... my first love." He didn't reveal any details, just described the feeling, and the nostalgia in his tone was so real that it was moving.
After saying that, he even smiled slightly at the camera, with a hint of apology, yet extremely calm.
This confession was like pouring a basin of ice water into boiling oil, instantly causing an explosive effect!
Before the show was over, terms like "Ling Yao's first love" and "Ling Yao's relationship during his trainee period" jumped to the top of the hot search list at an alarming speed, each followed by a bright red word "explosion".
Fan circles were in an uproar! Some were moved by his honesty and this story of first love, sharing hardships and hardships, and expressed their love for him, saying things like, "I love him even more," "He's so sincere," and "That was his youth." But many more fans, especially those who viewed him as their "perfect idol" and "dream lover," were filled with shock, disappointment, and anger.
"How can an idol be in a relationship?! And it's his first love?! How could he even say that!" "I've stopped being a fan! My heart is broken! It turns out his affection was all for someone else!" "I can't accept this! I thought he was a career guy, but it turns out he's already had his sweetheart!" "During his trainee years? Who was that girl? Why?"
A flood of calls to quit following him began to emerge, sending social media into a state of chaos. Countless fans, acting as detectives, frantically dug up clues from his trainee days, trying to uncover the identity of his "first girlfriend." Any former trainees, staff members, or even women he'd even appeared in the same frame with, were singled out for scrutiny and speculation, stoking rumors and creating a chaotic atmosphere.
The entry "Ling Yao's first love girlfriend" was like a huge black hole, swallowing up all the attention, and even overshadowed the popularity of the group's return with a new album.
The company team and the agent were probably already extremely worried. And Ling Yao, standing at the center of the storm, perhaps only then realized what a powerful bomb his sudden, genuine honesty had dropped on the idol industry.
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