Chapter 28 Tension
Based on these vivid and apt animal names, some netizens had a flash of inspiration during the voting process and cleverly combined "Zoo" (zoo) with "Aletheia" (the Greek word for reality) to create the name "Zoothys".
The pronunciation of "thys" sounds very similar to "sis" (sister), which gives the whole name a natural sense of intimacy when called.
The name instantly resonated with a large number of variety show fans, gaining unprecedented popularity.
Thus, although the core long-time fans were well-organized, their limited numbers meant that, under the absolutely fair rule of "one person, one vote," they could only watch helplessly as the name "Zoothys" rose from the bottom of the voting list like a rocket, eventually making a comeback and reaching the top.
The longtime fans at the scene had a variety of expressions: some were laughing so hard they couldn't stand up straight, some were so embarrassed they were digging their toes into the ground, and some were trying to maintain their idol's image but couldn't help but break down.
Li Jinyue felt her heart bleeding; the carefully crafted persona she had created for Ling Wei, such as "Star River Goddess" and "Moonlight Lead Singer," had completely collapsed.
But as the organizer, she could only try to maintain her composure and force a smile: "Welcome new fans... Um, the official group name is still in the transition period. We will update the support information once it is confirmed."
"Okay! Fighting, 'Zoothys'! I'll cheer you on!" The variety show fan happily accepted a beautiful gift and skipped into the venue, leaving behind a group of longtime fans with mixed feelings.
After the crowd dispersed, Li Jinzhao put down the sign, rubbed his sore arms, and complained, "When did you become such a crazy fan? I, as your older brother, had no idea."
Li Jinyue rolled her eyes at him: "All you ever do is drink, go to bars, and race cars. When have you ever cared about my hobbies?"
"Nonsense!" Li Jinzhao scratched his blue-streaked hair. "I've toned it down a lot in the last three years. But your girl group really isn't my type. I prefer..."
He was about to demonstrate his incredibly sexy physique when his sister delivered a precise straight punch to his nose.
"It hurts so much! What are you doing?"
"I don't care what type you like," Li Jinyue said angrily, pulling back her fist with a sharp look in her eyes, "but you're not allowed to comment on them!"
Li Jinzhao rubbed his nose, feeling wronged, but dared not argue back.
Since his younger sister's depressed mood improved three years ago, the whole family has doted on her. Outside, he is the young master Li, whom everyone fawns over, but here he can only obediently work as a laborer.
He resignedly continued distributing support items, reciting the promotional script his sister had devised: "Please support Zoothys! Tonight's performance will definitely not disappoint! Remember to follow our official Weibo account for more surprise events to come!"
As the sun completely sank below the horizon, the lights in the science museum gradually came on.
In the square, the originally scattered fans had gathered into an orderly force, and everyone's eyes were shining with anticipation. Li Jinyue looked at the large screen stage that had been set up and felt a sudden tension for no reason.
Vivi, keep it up!
...
Backstage, ten minutes to go.
The director's urgent voice came through the walkie-talkie: "Group A, get ready! Final check of lighting and sound on the main stage of the Science and Technology Museum! The host will come on stage after the introductions!"
In the backstage dressing room, Ling Wei looked around and noticed that her teammates were all acting strangely.
Ye Zhen leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. Her already aloof face now looked as if it were covered with frost, and her jawline was taut.
Not to mention Lu Xiaoxiao, whose face was pale and whose fingertips were trembling slightly, even Sha Jing, who was usually the most composed, had a blank face and empty eyes.
"Hey, hey," Ling Wei said, both amused and exasperated, waving her hand in front of their faces, "You didn't look this grim on our debut night. What's wrong? Were you scared by the scene outside?"
Sha Jing: "Captain, I feel a million times more nervous than on the night of the group's formation."
Ye Zhen took a deep breath and succinctly admitted, "The pressure is immense."
Lu Xiaoxiao didn't speak, but nodded vigorously, her face pale.
Zhao Xiaohe: "The legs are all trembling."
Ling Wei looked at them and suddenly smiled. She walked up to Lu Xiaoxiao, took her cold hand, and gently rubbed it: "Your hands are so cold? Do you remember what I told you before?"
Lu Xiaoxiao looked up and met Ling Wei's gaze. Strangely, the panic in her heart subsided a little, and she replied softly, "Yes. I remember."
She recalled being a trainee on a debut variety show, where she often made mistakes due to nervousness and was frequently criticized by the mentors. Although her teammates didn't say anything, their disappointed looks made her feel bad.
Once, she was hiding in the stairwell, secretly wiping away tears, when Ling Wei found her.
She asked, sobbing, "Weiwei, aren't you nervous?"
Ling Wei replied, "No, the more people there are, the more excited I get. They all say I'm a bit of a social butterfly."
"Waaah... Am I really that useless?" After hearing Ling Wei's words, Lu Xiaoxiao's tears were about to burst forth again.
“Hey, Xiaoxiao,” Ling Wei handed her a tissue, her tone relaxed, “If you’re nervous on stage, just watch me.”
"Look at you?"
“Yes, look at me.” Ling Wei nodded vigorously, her eyes shining like stars. “As long as we perform together, your eyes will be on me. If there’s a solo stage in the future, I’ll ask the director to let me stand at the very front where you can see me.”
She opened her arms, making a gesture of embracing the world, her tone filled with undisguised love and longing: "Because I absolutely love the stage! Standing on it, with the lights shining down and the music playing, it's like... like when you and your friends hear amazing music on the street and can't help but spontaneously jump up and dance! It's not an exam, it's our party!"
Later, during a small performance, Lu Xiaoxiao stood on the stage, and the familiar tension returned, making her hands and feet feel cold.
She subconsciously searched for that figure in the chaotic lights, and then met Ling Wei's gaze as she looked back.
Ling Wei noticed something was wrong with her, but instead of scolding her, she winked at her, her eyes seeming to say, "See, it's easy, isn't it? Come play with us!"
At that moment, Lu Xiaoxiao's heart suddenly calmed down.
Feeling the warmth from Ling Wei's palm, Lu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, squeezed it tightly, and her eyes gradually became firm: "Yes! With the captain here, I'm not afraid!"
Ling Wei smiled and ruffled her hair: "That's right!"
She turned around and met the gaze of all her teammates. "I know what you're worried about, but all those days and nights over the past three years will not be easily negated by a single stage."
Her voice grew stronger, “The fact that we can still stand here, jumping and singing together for the same dream, is already the greatest victory.”
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