Chapter 351 Swing around freely!
Live streaming always comes with various risks. From the perspective of the program's presentation, pre-recorded broadcasts are definitely safer, as any problems can be adjusted through post-production editing.
Then why are there still live streams?
Or rather, even though the quality of live streaming is generally worse than that of recorded videos, why do so many people love watching live streaming?
Because in this era of constantly developing and highly advanced media technology, every frame can be made to look beautiful. In such times, people crave more realistic drama.
They prefer the real, unpredictable feeling of being there during a live broadcast to a scripted show.
That's why everyone was so excited when "Idol Era" proposed to do a live broadcast.
Audio editing, editing... every program that comes out is entertaining. Entertaining as it is, it always feels like something's missing. What exactly is missing? Not everyone has an answer, or can articulate a clear reasoning.
Just like a singer holding a concert, the live performance will never be as perfect as the studio recording. It will always be affected by various factors such as the singer's condition and the performance environment on the day of the concert. So why do people still go to the concert? Or rather, why do so many people highly praise the live version?
It is precisely because of that inexplicable combination of realism and chance that, to some extent, it is the most inseparable underlying characteristic of humanity.
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The show attracted over eight million viewers right from its premiere.
After that, it kept rising.
Then, about forty minutes into the broadcast, Lu Yanhe appeared.
Sing the theme song for "The Seventeenth Floor".
As soon as the program schedule was published, countless people took screenshots.
Within about five minutes, a group of people appeared out of nowhere and started cursing Lu Yanhe as a liar—didn't he say he wrote three songs in one go? Are these the songs you wrote?
Chen Ziyan knew that tonight would be a tough battle for Lu Yanhe in terms of public opinion.
She had already formed a working group with the public relations department of Star Entertainment, and brought a team to deal with tonight's situation.
Reduce the hype where necessary, and set the pace where appropriate.
Chen Ziyan utilized the self-media "Editor Club" for "Jump Up" and other media accounts—of course, at a cost.
These public relations expenses are not low, but Chen Ziyan knows that this money has to be spent.
In this matter, it is important to let everyone know that Lu Yanhe's performance of the theme song for "The Seventeenth Floor" was itself a form of publicity for the drama.
As for writing three songs... Chen Ziyan doesn't intend to offer any further explanation on this matter.
They soon found out whether it was a "scam" or not.
There is a lot of discussion online about Lu Yanhe's performance.
On the one hand, people questioned why he had promoted the song as "original" in the first place, since he didn't compose it at all. On the other hand, many people were curious to see what Lu Yanhe's singing was like now, since he hadn't sung in a long time.
After Lu Yanhe's performance, he had to rush backstage to get his costume and makeup done for his next performance.
The backstage area of live broadcasts is always as chaotic as a downtown area congested during rush hour.
Lu Yanhe was hurriedly led back to the lounge by Wang Biao, Zou Dong, and Xu Fanxing.
As a result, he ran into Ma Zhiyuan in the corridor.
It really was... a chance encounter. The narrow corridor made it impossible to avoid each other.
When Ma Zhiyuan saw him, he gave him an exceptionally bright smile.
"Yan He, didn't you say the song you performed today was your own original composition?" He looked at him sarcastically, "How come you're singing someone else's song?"
Lu Yanhe ignored him and asked instead, "Are you done performing? You have so much free time that you're paying attention to my performance?"
Ma Zhiyuan smiled calmly and said, "My stage has been polished for a long time, and everything is ready, so you don't need to worry about me. You should worry about yourself instead. If you're going to sing someone else's song, then sing someone else's song. Why do you have to create the gimmick of writing three original songs? Now everyone feels cheated by you and is cursing you."
Lu Yanhe smiled but didn't say anything.
That was all that was going to happen.
At this moment, Wang Biao muttered irritably, "So much nonsense."
Lu Yanhe was stunned for a moment.
Ma Zhiyuan's expression changed instantly.
"Who do you think you are? Who gave you the right to speak?" A hint of hostility appeared on Ma Zhiyuan's face.
When Wang Biao was questioned like that, he realized that he had made a slurred remark.
He can say whatever he wants when he's not alone.
He still speaks on behalf of Lu Yanhe.
Just as Wang Biao was about to speak, Lu Yanhe's face suddenly fell as he looked at Wang Biao.
Wang Biao had never seen Lu Yanhe look so serious before, and he was startled. He was really nervous now.
Lu Yanhe looked at him and said, "How many times have I told you? Don't try to guess what I'm thinking and blurt it out. It'll be so embarrassing if other people hear it."
Wang Biao: "..."
Wang Biao was a little dazed and didn't react.
Lu Yanhe said, "Intelligence should be used where it is needed."
"Oh, I understand," Wang Biao replied somewhat bewildered.
Ma Zhiyuan angrily rebuked, "Lu Yanhe, what do you mean?"
Lu Yanhe's annoyance was written all over his face. "Do you have to repeat yourself if you don't understand after I say it once? Why do you talk so much nonsense? Do you think you can shut me down without Li Zhibai around?"
Ma Zhiyuan's face turned pale.
Zou Dong smiled and said, "Yan He, you need to go back and get your hair and makeup done quickly. Time is tight, so don't delay."
"Oh, right, then let's hurry back." Lu Yanhe ignored Ma Zhiyuan and walked past him.
Ma Zhiyuan cursed from behind, "Keep being arrogant! Let's see how arrogant you are tonight with so many people cursing you!"
-
Lu Yanhe returned to his lounge and said to Wang Biao, "Don't say things like that next time. Someone else might not be as easy to deal with as Ma Zhiyuan."
Wang Biao realized his mistake and immediately agreed.
Lu Yanhe didn't say anything more. The makeup team was waiting for him in the lounge, and as soon as he returned, they started working on his look for "Green Apple Paradise".
He needs to get it done as soon as possible.
To ensure that the three of them had a unified style, the team was responsible for the styling of him, Li Zhibai, and Yan Liang on the show "Green Apple Paradise".
In ten minutes, it will be Yan Liang's turn to perform, followed by Li Zhibai's.
He had to finish within half an hour so he could make it to Li Zhibai and Yan Liang in time.
There is a TV in the lounge where you can watch live broadcasts in the evening.
The live stream is also playing.
Ma Zhiyuan has taken office.
This is his solo stage. He performs on stage with twelve dancers.
It must be acknowledged that Ma Zhiyuan put in a lot of effort on stage. He performed several cool and difficult moves, igniting a wave of cheers from the audience.
Lu Yanhe was particularly shocked by the scene where the thirteen people danced together and played the space walk.
It was indeed a great stage! It was a very exciting show.
Lu Yanhe couldn't help but sigh, "If Ma Zhiyuan weren't such a bad person, his stage presence would be truly first-rate."
At least, on such a stage, neither he nor Li Zhibai could perform; only Yan Liang could—his foundation was very solid, but to perform it, he would have to spend a lot of time practicing; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to achieve such uniformity.
Ma Zhiyuan's arrogance was not without reason.
Lu Yanhe went online and, sure enough, Ma Zhiyuan's fans had started a hashtag #ThisIsTheStageWeWantToSee#.
As for what this topic was implying, Lu Yanhe didn't even need to open it to know what the comments section was saying.
In that instant, a rebellious streak suddenly arose.
He got some stage photos of himself performing the theme song of "The Seventeenth Floor" from Xu Fanxing and posted them on Weibo: "Tonight's quarter is complete. The theme song of 'The Seventeenth Floor' was originally sung by Zhi Bai, but this time I sang it on 'Idol Era.' Let me give a shout-out to our 'The Seventeenth Floor.' It's a very nice and fateful song. If you like my version, you can listen to Zhi Bai's version. If you don't like my version, you should definitely listen to Zhi Bai's version. I was a little nervous because I've been away from the stage for too long, and I also bumped into a live broadcast. I hope I didn't disappoint everyone."
He played his cards right at this point, making it clear to everyone that this song was just a promotional task for "Seventeen Floors".
Now that the concept of 1/4 has been introduced, those who accused him of false marketing should be able to understand what he meant, right?
After thinking about it, I realized that this wouldn't work; what if someone couldn't understand it?
So he posted a second message, adding: The reason I say it's 1/4 is because there are three more performances related to me. Yes, I wrote all three songs for them, and the information circulating online is correct.
-
During the commercial break, Li Xiaobin looked down at his phone. His mother, who had been sitting next to him watching "Idol Era," suddenly said, "That boy named Lu Yanhe from earlier, isn't he the one who got into Zhenhua High School?"
“Yes.” Li Xiaobin nodded, somewhat amused and exasperated. It seemed the only celebrity his parents could remember was Lu Yanhe, who had been admitted to Zhenhua High School.
Li Xiaobin knew very well how dazzling an idol Lu Yanhe was to the parents of high school students.
He was in the same year as Lu Yanhe.
The news that Lu Yanhe was admitted to Zhenhua High School became the biggest news of their year's college entrance examination; there was no senior high school student in that year who didn't know about it.
His mother suddenly said, "He does look somewhat like you."
"What?" Li Xiaobin's expression immediately changed. "It doesn't look like it at all."
His mother said, "Actually, you liked to sing when you were little, but it seems like we haven't heard you sing much lately."
Li Xiaobin shrugged and said casually, "Because I'm not that interested anymore."
His mother didn't say anything more.
The commercial break has ended.
"Idol Era" continues to air.
After a brief introduction by the host, Yan Liang's program began.
"The Battlefield of Youth"
Li Xiaobin was taken aback.
Because the information section for this song says: Lyrics/Music: Lu Yanhe.
The deep blue stage design transformed the stage into a quiet, ocean-like environment.
Yan Liang stood alone on the raised platform, waiting for the prelude to begin.
He picked up the microphone and began to sing: "Today I stand on this battlefield of youth, please give me a ray of love—"
Li Xiaobin has been watching "Idol Era" for a long time and has seen Yan Liang perform on many stages. Yan Liang's singing skills are just average, mainly because his voice is not good enough. He can only say that he can sing.
In comparison, Yan Liang's dancing ability is actually very strong; his street dance performances were so energetic that they ignited the audience.
However, this time, Yan Liang's opening remarks stunned Li Xiaobin.
It's not that Yan Liang's singing skills have improved by leaps and bounds during this period, but rather that as soon as Yan Liang opened his mouth, Li Xiaobin felt a sense of "getting into the zone".
In everyone's life, there are a few songs that you feel are the songs of your life, so perfectly matching your life experiences, as if resonating with your soul.
Yan Liang's rendition of "The Battlefield of Youth" gave Li Xiaobin a sense of "immersion."
-
Why did Lu Yanhe give the song "The Battlefield of Youth" to Yan Liang instead of Li Zhibai?
When Lu Yanhe was choosing songs, he felt that "The Battlefield of Youth" was more suitable for Yan Liang.
Yan Liang is a person with even more "fighting spirit" than Li Zhibai. Before becoming famous in "Friends," Yan Liang lay low for four or five years, working hard all the time. Lu Yanhe watched him insist on going for a morning run every day and going to the rehearsal room to practice dancing. Even if he was not valued by Zhou Ping'an, he did not give up and cherished every opportunity to appear on screen.
His passion for this career perfectly aligns with "The Battlefield of Youth".
"The Battlefield of Youth" was originally the theme song of the male idol talent show "Go! Boys" and later gradually evolved into the "Battle Song for the College Entrance Examination".
Lu Yanhe believes that Yan Liangcai is able to sing out the persistence in striving for dreams and the silent dedication behind youthful exuberance in this song.
Yan Liang's personal journey allows him to express the most essential emotions of this song.
-
Several modern dancers on stage used their movements to depict the various scenes of young people on their journey to pursue their dreams, experiencing setbacks, never giving up, fighting and persevering, and running without stopping.
Yan Liang, who is best at dancing, did not perform any dance moves this time. He simply stood on the rising platform and sang the song in his original voice.
The originally noisy atmosphere was calmed down by the almost a cappella first half of the performance.
"My dream knocks on my heart every morning I wake up."
Tell yourself that the road to success is still long.
...
Compared to Lu Yanhe and Li Zhibai, Yan Liang is not an artist who is easily noticed.
For an artist, lacking individuality and being forgotten is the original sin. Yan Liang's experience in the entertainment industry was different from that of Lu Yanhe and Li Zhibai. When he acted, he was ridiculed for not being as successful as his teammates. When he attended events, he was treated coldly as a third-rate artist. He also knew that he wasn't a particularly talented artist. He couldn't win over a large number of fans with his charm like Li Zhibai, nor could he write a record-breaking script and be hailed as a "genius" for a cameo role in a movie like Lu Yanhe. He was just an ordinary person, an ordinary person who wanted to pursue his dreams.
...
"All the gentleness and strength that have weathered the storms."
All the regrets, troubles, and growth of youth.
All the ideals and aspirations that lead us toward the future.
All the passion and madness that break free from constraints.
While listening to this song, Yan Liang wondered if Lu Yanhe had written it specifically for him. Otherwise, why did every word seem to come straight from his heart?
He stood on the stage, surrounded by darkness. He couldn't see the faces of the audience or their reactions.
In the darkness that enveloped him like ocean waves, he heard himself singing for the first time on stage.
In the past, every performance was for the audience, but at this moment, he suddenly felt that this song was sung for himself.
He wants to sing here, in this desolate place, atop these mountains that belong only to him.
"Today I finally stand on this young battlefield."
Please applaud for my pride.
Today I will march towards that victorious future.
I will make the world resonate with me—
-
Li Xiaobin sat on the sofa, listening intently to this song that was neither like Yan Liang nor like "Idol Era".
His mother suddenly said, "This child is getting emotional. He's about to cry while singing, isn't he?"
His mother turned her head and looked over.
Li Xiaobin hummed in agreement.
But Li Xiaobin didn't hear a response from his mother.
He looked at his mother in confusion, only to see her staring at him blankly.
"What's wrong?" Li Xiaobin asked.
He suddenly realized something and raised his hand to touch his face.
Before anyone knew it, tears were streaming down his face.
-
After singing the last word, Yan Liang put down the microphone.
He took a deep breath, feeling the tears welling up in his eyes, and immediately turned around, his back to the camera.
At that moment, the director suddenly gave the cameraman on camera number 7 an order through his earpiece: "Quickly follow him and film him crying!"
As a result, viewers watching the live stream saw the scene change, and from the angle of the camera, they saw Yan Liang lower his head. At that moment, a tear couldn't be held back and fell down.
At this moment, both Lu Yanhe and Li Zhibai were moved.
Others may not know how difficult Yan Liang's life was, but they did.
Yan Liang's persistence was unknown to others, but they knew it.
Lu Yanhe sighed softly, knowing that Yan Liang had successfully sung the song.
He used this song to dissect his past years, pouring his true feelings into every word and phrase, like the clear song of a nightingale, to express his heart's journey to the world.
-
This moment.
Zhou Pingan, holding his phone, said, "This performance is likely to become the most unforgettable performance in Yan Liang's acting career. Mr. Ma, believe me, as long as you agree to grant me a special publicity fund so that everyone can see this performance, Yan Liang will have a second masterpiece. Such a masterpiece will bring us dozens of times the benefits in the future."
After receiving the promise of permission, Zhou Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief and immediately clenched his fist.
If Ma Zhongquan were here and saw Zhou Ping'an in his current state, he would probably be quite surprised.
Even the eyes of this person, whose eyes were filled with nothing but profit and calculation, were reddening.
Zhou Pingan took a deep breath and looked up at the moon in the night sky—for some reason, it was unusually bright today.
He turned and walked toward the artists' dressing room.
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—Yan Liang, who is best at dancing, didn't dance tonight because he has "The Battlefield of Youth" to perform.
A blogger with three million followers wrote a sentence that became a trending topic on Weibo when the keyword "Yan Liang" was searched.
Within ten minutes, it garnered over ten thousand shares, likes, and comments.
Most of Yan Liang's fans came because of Friends.
They knew Yan Liang was also an idol who could sing, but they weren't very interested in that aspect.
That's how drama fans are; they rarely become interested in all your performances just because they like a particular character.
But tonight, there was an overwhelming momentum – Yan Liang sang "The Battlefield of Youth," using the least idol-like solo performance to firmly hold his place on the stage.
Yan Liang's search data across various platforms has surged.
This data growth trend was also detected by the platform, which was already prepared, and began to push traffic to Yan Liang.
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Yan Liang's ranking on the Heavenly Star Ranking has always fluctuated between tenth and twentieth.
This is only because after Friends aired, it converted a lot of votes from brands and media outlets; otherwise, his ranking would be outside the top 30.
He didn't have much thought about his position on the half-year chart. Since Friends became a hit, his focus has shifted to acting.
"Idol Era" has been recording and preparing for the stage, but it may not really have that kind of stage presence, and the effect has always been lukewarm.
But this time, Yan Liang genuinely felt that it was no wonder the previous performances had been lukewarm.
Tonight, he truly enjoyed being on stage. This feeling was different from every performance he had ever given before.
He walked into the corridor of the artists' dressing room, where Lu Yanhe was waiting for him at the door.
Yan Liang laughed and, without waiting for him to speak, said, "I have fulfilled my mission today and have not ruined the song you wrote."
“It’s your song now.” Lu Yanhe smiled, hugged Yan Liang, and patted his back. “I have a feeling you’re going to be a legend tonight.”
Yan Liang: That's an exaggeration.
"I'm not going to say anything more, you should go get your hair and makeup done," Lu Yanhe said. "We have a performance later."
Yan Liang nodded.
He went into the lounge to get his hair and makeup done.
Lu Yanhe also returned to his rest room.
After two performances, Li Zhibai took the stage.
His "Bewitched" is a typical example of the "Idol Era" style.
It's very similar to Ma Zhiyuan's performance style.
However, Li Zhibai's "cool" style fits the song "Infatuated" so well, especially its "do whatever you want" tone, that he has a strong stage presence as soon as he steps on stage.
Some people can be arrogant in a pretentious way, but others can be arrogant in a cool way.
Li Zhibai is the latter.
For an idol like Li Zhibai, who possesses strong personal charisma, what he needs most is not to highlight his singing or dancing skills, but to achieve a balance between personal charisma and stage presence.
The melody of "Bewitched" is very simple, but its constant repetition creates a gradually progressive rhythm.
Every "thump-thump" is a collective tremor in everyone's chest.
This led Li Zhibai and his dance troupe to move in unison with the powerful music, inspiring the entire audience to dance along.
The infectiousness intensifies with each "dazzling" moment, building up a powerful rhythmic impression.
When Li Zhibai belted out the line "I can't hold back all my anxiety in front of you" with his vibrato and electronic music, the whole audience erupted in cheers.
Just when everyone thought the rhythm was getting intense, suddenly, the stage lights changed, from bright colors to dim colors, and Li Zhibai and all the dancers slowed down their movements in an instant, becoming slow motion.
Li Zhibai pressed the microphone to the corner of his mouth, turned slightly to the audience, and his voice suddenly became very low, deep and magnetic, as if he were speaking into your ear.
—Baby, please close your mouth. Her pink eyes were brimming with a hazy light.
At that moment, the hearts of all the girls present felt as if they were being teased by a feather, or as if they were being tightly gripped by a hand.
If Yan Liang's performance of "The Battlefield of Youth" was a confession of his past experiences and a triumphant song under the spotlight, then Li Zhibai's "Bewitched" was a culmination of his wild and cool charm.
I was completely smitten.
—A restless heart is setting off firecrackers.
—My Cupid is screaming.
—A surge of hormones, all because of your arrival, I'm completely infatuated.
...
Not a single girl in the audience felt her heart pounding when she heard Li Zhibai sing those lyrics.
-
Ma Zhiyuan's face darkened.
The lounge was quiet.
Neither Yan Liang nor Li Zhibai gave a bad performance; on the contrary, they were very well-suited to each other.
The two songs written by Lu Yanhe were produced entirely according to their personalities, experiences, and roles on the show "Idol Era".
Currently, Yan Liang's performance video has been viewed over three million times across the internet, surpassing Ma Zhiyuan's solo stage video.
But Ma Zhiyuan wasn't worried about Yan Liang. Even if Yan Liang won first place tonight, he wouldn't be able to shake Ma Zhiyuan's position.
But Li Zhibai was different.
Li Zhibai's ranking is too close to his.
After watching Li Zhibai's performance, Ma Zhiyuan realized something.
In terms of stage difficulty and complexity, his stage performance is absolutely unmatched, far surpassing Li Zhibai's.
Li Zhibai's stage is so simple that a seasoned idol artist and his dance troupe could replicate it in just one or two days.
However, Ma Zhiyuan also knew that the simpler the stage, the easier it would be to engage the audience if the rhythm was right.
Li Zhibai's song has such stage presence.
Ma Zhiyuan took a deep breath and thought, thank goodness...
-
—Lu Yanhe's "The Battlefield of Youth" and "Bewitched" are truly amazing. Their catchiness is secondary; the key is that these two songs are perfectly suited to Yan Liang and Li Zhibai. These are the most fitting songs they've encountered since their debut. Only Lu Yanhe could tailor-make these two songs for them; someone who doesn't understand them couldn't have written with such emotion. Especially "The Battlefield of Youth," I have a feeling this song will become a crucial work in Yan Liang's career. It's a complete summary of Yan Liang's career so far, and also his cry for the future.
...
After seeing this Weibo post, Lu Yanhe liked it, then edited and posted it himself:
We've reached 3/4, and now we're just waiting for the final performance. It's been a long time since I've performed on stage with them both. I'm so excited and looking forward to it. After this song, I may not be able to give a performance like this for a very long time.
Almost all the people who previously criticized Lu Yanhe have left.
The stage of "The Battlefield of Youth" spread rapidly across various platforms. In particular, the scene where Yan Liang sheds a tear at the end was quickly adapted by many self-media outlets into short videos featuring Yan Liang's efforts, struggles, and perseverance over the years. These videos, emphasizing an inspirational story of realizing dreams, touched the hearts of many.
As a lyricist and composer, Lu Yanhe has once again proven his songwriting ability.
The song "Bewitched," with its completely different style, shocked everyone.
It's astonishing that Lu Yanhe has managed to produce another work with such a unique style after his refreshing "Remembrance" and passionate "Battlefield of Youth".
We're just waiting for him to be the last one.
-
Li Xiaobin was inexplicably excited at this moment. After watching the previous performances, he was looking forward to the joint stage of Lu Yanhe and the other two.
Is Lu Yanhe's songwriting quality too low?
If Li Xiaobin had such doubts before, he has now completely let go of his worries.
If, after listening to "The Battlefield of Youth" and "Infatuated," someone still says that Lu Yanhe releasing three songs in one go means the quality is questionable, he will immediately retort.
"Son," his mother suddenly called out to him.
"Huh?" Li Xiaobin turned his head to look in confusion.
His mother said, "Do you actually still like singing?"
Li Xiaobin paused for a moment, looking at his mother with some confusion.
"I haven't sung much in a long time, but I occasionally go to karaoke with my classmates," he said.
His mother said "Oh," and after a while, she said, "Why don't you try participating in a talent show? Aren't there a lot of talent shows now? I've seen many people who don't sing as well as you, but they've all become famous."
Li Xiaobin was both amused and exasperated, saying, "Mom, I'm in school, and you want me to participate in a talent show?"
"Does being in school mean you can't participate in talent shows? I remember you used to love singing."
Li Xiaobin said, "The next performance is starting, let's watch... eh?"
Li Xiaobin stared at the program information sheet displayed on the screen, stunned. It was Ma Zhiyuan again?
Wait, what about Chen Ziliang?
-
Lu Yanhe, Li Zhibai, and Yan Liang have finished their styling, styled their hair, and are ready to go on stage to perform.
They gathered in Lu Yanhe's lounge, waiting for someone to call them.
"Huh? It's Ma Zhiyuan again? And Chen Ziliang too?" Yan Liang asked in surprise.
The two of them appeared on the television screen.
The next performance was by Ma Zhiyuan and Chen Ziliang.
Lu Yanhe and the others looked at each other in bewilderment.
Li Zhibai was the first to react, "Ha, this was a performance added on the spot, right?"
"It should be. I hadn't heard that Chen Ziliang was coming before." Yan Liang was also surprised.
"This is... Ma Zhiyuan specifically asked Chen Ziliang to endorse him?"
"Was this the program that Ma Zhiyuan rehearsed at the last minute this morning?"
The group remained silent for a moment, unsure of what to say.
"Knock knock!" Someone knocked on the door.
It was a member of the production crew who reminded them that it was time to go on stage.
Lu Yanhe and the others stood up, and the makeup team gave them a final check and tidying up.
"When did Chen Ziliang arrive?" Li Zhibai asked the staff. "We haven't seen him all evening."
The staff member shook his head and said, "I don't know either."
Lu Yanhe: "Forget it, what's the point of asking? Let's just focus on our own performance."
Li Zhibai raised his chin and said, "Let's go and show them what a combined stage is. It's not just about two people sticking their heads on the stage."
He immediately started trembling.
-
The rivalry between Li Zhibai and Ma Zhiyuan is the biggest highlight tonight.
This isn't a highlight created by the production team; it's something that everyone who follows the show and the Tianxing Awards is paying attention to.
Ma Zhiyuan invited Chen Ziliang to perform on stage together, which was not against the rules. However, the fact that he kept it hidden in the early stages, making it seem like a secret weapon, was all for the purpose of winning against Li Zhibai at a crucial moment.
That works too.
Lu Yanhe asked jokingly, "Brother Bai, what if our show doesn't help you get the number one spot on the second half of the year's chart?"
"So what if we didn't win? Do you think I'm like him, staring at the rankings all day long? Aren't you tired?" Li Zhibai said irritably.
Li Zhibai's relaxed state of mind relieved Lu Yanhe.
"Just perform normally," Yan Liang said. "We only get to perform like this once a year. It has nothing to do with anyone else. We'll just perform our own show. We've practiced for so long on the 'Green Apple Paradise' stage, why should we care about anyone else?"
“Okay.” Lu Yanhe nodded and smiled.
Why did they choose to use the song "Green Apple Paradise" for their joint performance?
It's not just because the Little Tigers are also three boys, but because this song is so suitable for them to sing now.
The youthful exuberance of these teenagers—in a few years, they may not be able to sing anymore.
-
When Ma Zhiyuan and Chen Ziliang finished their performance, the entire audience erupted in cheers.
After all, it was a performance by two top stars, and their first time singing together as a duet gave everyone a huge surprise.
Behind them was Song Linxin's performance.
She is the guest of honor for tonight.
Lu Yanhe and his two companions arrived backstage to wait for their turn, where they ran into Ma Zhiyuan and Chen Ziliang, who had just finished their performance.
When they saw the three of them, Ma Zhiyuan and Chen Ziliang were both stunned for a moment.
The three men, dressed in old-fashioned suits of different colors and with their hair parted in a 2:8 ratio, were still very handsome, but they seemed out of place on this modern stage tonight.
Before this, the three of them had never shown their appearances to the public, in order to keep it a secret.
Even the director only visited their room.
Therefore, this was the first time Ma Zhiyuan and Chen Ziliang had seen them in this look.
"You guys—" Chen Ziliang was stunned for a moment, then, as if he couldn't hold it in any longer, he covered his mouth and burst into laughter, pointing at them and saying, "What are you guys doing? A retro performance?"
"You guys are really into retro stuff, huh?" Ma Zhiyuan couldn't help but laugh.
His heart instantly calmed down, and he was no longer nervous. Ma Zhiyuan had specifically contacted Chen Ziliang to add this duet performance, precisely to compete with Lu Yanhe and the other two's joint performance. He wasn't worried that his popularity was inferior to Li Zhibai's; he was only concerned that Lu Yanhe's influence would boost Li Zhibai's. Now it seemed he had worried unnecessarily.
"You don't need to resort to such extreme measures to win, do you? Do you think that so-called classic retro style will make everyone feel novel and vote for you?" Ma Zhiyuan couldn't contain his excitement and sneered.
Li Zhi looked at him with disdain, "If you don't understand, then get lost. Go back to your dressing room and see how your dads perform. Do you think a group performance is just about finding someone to sing with you? Why don't you find a female singer to sing a love song duet with you? Oh, right, you make a living off female fans, how dare you sing a duet with a female singer? You can only sing a duet with Chen Ziliang. After all, he was criticized by others for singing a duet with Song Linxin. No one else is willing to sing a duet with him except you, so he can only sing a duet with you. You two are a perfect match."
Chen Ziliang and Ma Zhiyuan were furious after being ridiculed by Li Zhibai to their faces.
"Fine, let's see how awesome your performance is!" Chen Ziliang sneered. "Do you really think that just because you're famous you can perform anything that the audience will like? You're so arrogant."
“Oh well, what can we do? We just become famous no matter what we perform.” Li Zhibai said sarcastically, “You always fail to reinvent yourself, and your new songs aren’t popular either. You know best how high the sky is and how thick the earth is.”
Chen Ziliang blurted out, "Fuck you!" and swung his fist, ready to charge forward.
"What are you doing!" Zhou Ping'an, who had been hiding to the side, could no longer remain hidden and revealed himself, grabbing Chen Ziliang.
"Let go of me, you fucking bastard!" Chen Ziliang glared at Zhou Ping'an.
Zhou Ping'an glared back without any politeness: "Try moving! If you dare to lay a finger on Li Zhibai here, you'll never be able to show your face again! Hitting someone backstage, let's see how you still act as your idol!"
After being berated by Zhou Ping'an, Chen Ziliang finally regained some of his composure.
That's true. If he really dares to make a move at this time, he'll be in real trouble.
Everyone stared in astonishment at what was happening before their eyes, but no one dared to step forward and offer any advice.
Song Linxin's agent, Zhou Meng, was also waiting for Song Linxin backstage.
Seeing this, she sighed and felt it was her duty to step in and break the deadlock, giving both sides a way out.
“What time is it? Let it go. Whatever grudges you have, at least wait until the show is over,” Zhou Meng said. “They’re all young people, it’s normal for them to get angry easily, but don’t act rashly and do things you’ll regret in the future.”
She said to Ma Zhiyuan, "Ma Zhiyuan, aren't you going to take your friend back to the lounge first?"
Ma Zhiyuan also knew that it was better to just talk about it and not make a big deal out of it, as it wouldn't benefit anyone.
He patted Chen Ziliang on the shoulder and said, "Don't bother with them, the audience will teach them a lesson."
Chen Ziliang snorted coldly and stepped off the stairs.
-
Zhou Ping'an gave Li Zhibai a deep look, but unusually, he said nothing.
"Perform well." After saying these four words, he left again.
Li Zhibai glanced at him, his eyes cold and stern.
"Calm down and get yourself in the right state of mind," Yan Liang said to the two of them, taking a deep breath.
Li Zhibai, with a deadpan expression, stubbornly replied, "I'm ready to go on stage anytime."
Lu Yanhe hummed in agreement and said, "That's good. After this argument, I'm all warmed up. I don't need to warm up anymore."
Li Zhibai glanced at him sideways.
"What the hell are you arguing about? I was the only one doing all the output just now."
"If I add fire while you're dealing damage, won't that interrupt your damage rhythm?" Lu Yanhe said. "Yan Liang and I are your two shields. We'll just stand quietly on either side of you while you're dealing damage."
Li Zhibai: "Damn it, I'm really fed up with these two idiots."
Seeing Li Zhibai's obviously angry expression, Lu Yanhe teased, "Brother Bai, you always say you're the oldest and the eldest brother. You're not going to be the one who lets us down in the end, are you?"
Li Zhibai gave him the middle finger, saying, "If even a single hair falls to the ground, it's on me."
Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang laughed.
"Okay, you'd better not lose a single hair."
Li Zhibai glared at them, finally letting out the anger he had been holding in.
"Everyone, get your act together! If anyone messes up on this stage, I'll curse them for a year! This is a battle for honor!" Li Zhibai said. "Let those two bastards open their dog eyes and see clearly what a real stage for collaboration is!"
-
As soon as Song Linxin's guest performance ended, the main stage went dark.
The host went up to the secondary stage and began to introduce the segments.
Lu Yanhe and the other two went up on stage and stood at their designated spots.
There were no other backup dancers, just the three of them.
This is their stage.
Lu Yanhe took a deep breath, gripped his headset to block his voice from being heard, and called out, "Hello!"
Li Zhibai: "What are you doing?"
His voice came through the microphone, directly interrupting the host.
The entire audience was stunned.
Li Zhibai was also taken aback; he had forgotten that his microphone had already been turned on.
The host was stunned; he had just introduced Li Zhibai.
This is... a stage accident?
Lu Yanhe realized what had happened, and in an instant, a series of thoughts flashed through his mind.
He immediately added, "Just a reminder, it's about to begin!"
At that moment, Li Zhibai immediately replied, "I'm ready to start anytime!"
Lu Yanhe called out in his heart, "Yan Liang."
Yan Liang chuckled, seemingly exasperated by his two teammates, "Alright, alright, let's begin then, did you hear that? Green Apple Paradise, we're about to start!"
The next second, the accompaniment to "Green Apple Paradise" started playing.
Their previous conversation seemed like a pre-planned dialogue.
The stage lights blazed on, and for a moment, it shone with golden light.
Three people jumped out and began to move their bodies to the rhythmic and vintage accompaniment.
The three people's eyes were bright, clear, and full of youthful determination, giving one a sense of a bright future.
"Don't linger on weekend midnights, come to Apple Paradise! We welcome homeless children!"
It turned out to be a cheerful dance piece!
The cheers from the audience rose like the roar of ocean waves.
-
"Don't just stand there dumbfounded, let's shout together and say goodbye to the lonely midnight."
Music, starlight—everything is romantic.
Troubles and worries are none of my concern.
This is our stage.
Shine your charm now!
Let the sweat flow freely—
-
Lu Yanhe had been thinking about what he, Li Zhibai, and Yan Liang should leave behind if they were to do so at the age of twenty.
He once thought that he and a few others could make a movie together, in which the three of them would be good friends, and they could go through life's setbacks and hardships together, and share the glory and brilliance of success.
However, Yan Liang said that it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to have the opportunity to perform together on stage.
At this moment, Lu Yanhe realized that perhaps the most precious memory for Yan Liang was the memory of performing together on stage.
Film and television performances are always delayed. An actor's performance on set must be edited and post-production before it can be shown to the audience. By the time the audience empathizes with the performance, the actor's moment has already passed.
So what is instantaneous?
Is this one of the reasons why Lu Yanhe likes performing? Because he can hide behind the camera and make changes and adjustments again and again.
However, the live performance will always have a charm that cannot be replaced.
For example, right now, right now.
The three of them showed no timidity or awkwardness on the huge stage.
If Lu Yanhe were alone, he would feel quite out of place on stage. But with Li Zhibai and Yan Liang there, and with so many audience members moving together, a surge of passion, like a warm current, flowed through his entire body.
They can dance freely, exuding charm and letting their sweat glisten, just as the lyrics describe.
—Sway with me!
—Follow me and don't be sad.
—Follow me and radiate brilliance
— Illuminating the darkness of the sky
In this joyous moment when all the excitement in his body was being mobilized, Lu Yanhe felt an urge to burst into tears.
—La la la la, sway to your heart's content
—La la la la, sway to your heart's content
(End of this chapter)
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