Chapter 138: Amidst the Song
In the evening, Li Sishi, who had finished filming as scheduled, celebrated briefly with the rest of the crew. Then, she excused herself by saying she had something to discuss with Miss Zhuang and left early to go to Zhuang Menghua's office.
Upon hearing that Li Sishi had come because of the Ling Chen incident, Zhuang Menghua leisurely sized her up: "I've also heard about what happened to Ling Chen recently. Many people are unwilling to get involved in this turmoil, but you're taking the initiative to go. That's quite loyal of you."
“After all, he has helped me a lot, and we are friends. How can I stand idly by when a friend is in trouble?” Li Sishi replied seriously.
"Just friends?" Zhuang Menghua raised her voice slightly.
"I'd say we're... good friends with some feelings for each other, but I know what's most important to me." Li Sishi shook her head and said softly, "Although I really want to help him, I will also do my best to protect myself."
Zhuang Menghua stared at Li Sishi for a while before slowly revealing a smile: "There's no need to be so serious. The fact that you came to ask for my opinion beforehand, instead of going there on your own, is enough to prove that you're not the kind of person who acts impulsively."
"Go if you want, do what you think is right. My only request is that you try not to get yourself involved in any trouble." Zhuang Menghua put down the documents she hadn't finished reading and winked at Lu Yiting beside her, "Do you need a car to take you?"
"Thank you, Ms. Zhuang, but no need. I plan to go in as an audience member first, and then I'll contact the backstage to become a guest depending on the situation." Li Sishi shook her head again. "Many reporters recognize my van. Driving it there would attract too much attention. I can have my family driver take me there."
"Alright, since you have your own ideas, then you can handle it yourself." After waving Li Sishi away, Zhuang Menghua looked at Lu Yiting again, her expression a mixture of relief and helplessness. "Young people..."
"But Ah May knows to report to you first and only go over after getting your permission. This proves that although she may be attracted to the opposite sex like young people today, she always puts her career first."
“Yes, if she hadn’t come here first to make things clear, I might not have let her leave so easily.” Zhuang Menghua smiled. “But then again, Kaihua and Lei Jun’s move was indeed too short-sighted.”
"Kaihua has always been like this. As for Lei Jun, he's simply been enjoying his wealth from the cash cow of Lingchen for too long, and he's become greedy, thinking that if he can lift up the first one, he can lift up the next."
The second one... Lu Yiting smiled somewhat sarcastically, "Little do people know that to cultivate a money tree, the right time, the right place, and the right people are all indispensable."
After winning a singing competition in the early morning, Ling Chen initially signed with TBL. At that time, TBL was full of talent and did not have the opportunity for a young person like him who needed to hone his skills. Later, Lei Jun noticed him and transferred him to Bao Yi Yin. In the end, he became famous by picking up the songs that Shang Hanyou and Li Dewen had left over. At that time, Ling Chen had been tempered by years of ups and downs, and at the same time, the TV series he starred in became a big hit. He also had a tall and handsome appearance that was rare in the industry. In fact, if you really think about it, the reason why Ling Chen became famous overnight was not only due to Lei Jun's strong support behind the scenes, but also because Ling Chen had reached the time when he was supposed to become famous.
A good talent scout creates strategies to help a thoroughbred horse win even more spectacularly; and to win spectacularly, the first thing to do is to ensure that the horse put in the race is a true "thoroughbred".
Unfortunately, Lei Jun, now arrogant and overconfident, has completely forgotten this crucial factor that will determine the outcome of the match.
"In the future, we can go even further in the early morning. As for Lei Jun, if he's lucky, he can find another one with good qualifications. If he's unlucky... well, that's about it."
As Lu Yiting spoke, she suddenly remembered something from before, so she mentioned it to Zhuang Menghua again, "A few days ago when we contacted the Golden Boy and Jade Girl team with Ling Chen, Ling Chen clearly agreed but then went back on his word... I thought it was because Ling Chen was concerned about his image and didn't cooperate, but now it seems that this is very likely Lei Jun's doing."
"You mean, he already had the idea of changing jobs back then, which is why he deliberately went against his word?" Zhuang Menghua frowned.
"Yes, if Lingchen teams up with our Ah May, we'll definitely have to reciprocate by giving Lingchen some resources in return. This would be very disadvantageous for Lei Jun, who's on the opposite side of Lingchen." The more Lu Yiting spoke, the more she felt that her idea was correct, and she immediately became so angry that her face changed color.
They say Ah May is young, beautiful, and loved by everyone. Lingchen has always been very good to her, so there's no reason for them not to agree to the suggestion of pairing them up to create a CP (couple pairing).
It must have been that ugly bastard Lei Jun who sabotaged things behind the scenes, breaking up the perfect couple she had her eye on at first sight!
"In that case, Ah May really has to go this time. Whether it's to do someone a favor at midnight or for some other reason."
Unaware of the topic being discussed by her two powerful backers, Li Sishi quickly made a phone call home after leaving Zhuang Menghua's office.
After asking a few simple questions, Li Jinhao immediately agreed to send a driver to take her there as soon as possible, and also...
He even gave Li Sishi a few pointers, as if it were his professional habit, saying that if she wanted to sue a scoundrel like Lei Jun, he had many friends who specialized in such cases...
"Let's focus on resolving the concert issue first. After all, if the concert doesn't go well, it will be much more troublesome to hold another one later." Li Sishi wiped her sweat and thanked her father. She quickly tidied herself up, gave her assistant some instructions, and then headed towards the entrance of the TV station to wait for her car.
She also borrowed a little red hat from the props team – the fans in the early morning are all dressed in red, wearing little red hats and red T-shirts, and they always form a sea of red in the audience. Since Li Sishi wanted to "keep a low profile", she must have blended into the fan group.
When Li Sishi arrived outside the Hong Kong Coliseum, it was already close to the time indicated on her ticket, but she neither heard the fans' frenzied shouts nor saw the countless heads of people outside the Coliseum...
Instead, I saw a police cordon.
After putting on a hat and disguising myself, I got out of the car and asked around. That's when I learned that someone had recently called the police saying there was a bomb inside the venue. As a result, the police had cordoned off the area and were conducting a thorough search. The performance would have to be postponed or possibly canceled.
After waiting in the car for nearly twenty minutes, the police, having completed their search and confirmed that the information was incorrect, finally withdrew the cordon and directed a group of ticket-refunding audience members to leave through the exit.
Because of these ticket refunds, at least a hundred seats will be empty at tonight's concert—for a concert that is always packed and tickets are hard to come by in the early morning, so many empty seats will definitely make him, who has been feeling down lately, sad again.
A wealthy woman, furious, bought all the tickets and offered them away for free to fans at the concert in the early morning. However, due to recent controversies and the recent fake news, tickets for the early morning concert, which were originally in high demand, are now so rare that even giving them away for free is difficult to do tonight…
As Li Sishi got out of the car and walked in, a group of young people who looked like students were hurrying out, seemingly looking for a phone booth to call their friends and call for backup.
"Leo's concert tickets are being given away for free! They usually sell for four figures! Tonight, a boss has booked the whole venue and is giving them away for free. Don't miss out, come and take a look!" Seeing another group of people wearing little red hats handing out tickets, Li Sishi went up and took a ticket with a good seat. Then she walked over to the rich woman hosting the event and gave her a few large bills according to the price marked on the ticket.
"All Ling fans are one family. Your support is enough. You don't need to give me money." The rich woman waved her hand with a chivalrous air.
“I just think this ticket is worth the price,” Li Sishi insisted.
The wealthy woman was taken aback for a moment, then looked at Li Sishi seriously before slowly revealing a smile: "That's right, you're right, this ticket is worth the price!"
Although the money spent on these tickets was just a drop in the bucket for her, it was indeed inappropriate to book the entire venue. If some paparazzi used this to make a fuss about "pitying" someone who was there in the early hours of the morning, it would defeat the purpose of her wanting to support her idol.
Seeing Li Sishi's actions, some fans who had just been invited by their friends also started to take out their money, or put it on the spot and then go home to pay later after the concert.
With the support of these enthusiastic fans, the refunded tickets were finally properly rearranged before the concert started, and then they gathered into a sea of red and entered the venue in a grand manner.
Because Li Sishi “performed” well but seemed to be a new fan, the wealthy woman sitting in the row in front of and behind her even generously shared a megaphone with her, telling her that if anything happened, she should join Ling’s fans in clapping, shouting, and screaming to support her idol and help maintain order at the scene.
"Sigh, thirty minutes are missing for no reason. I wonder if Leo will still have the mind and time to perform 'Adoring Angels.' I've watched 19 shows already..." The rich woman was clearly the kind of person who never missed a show just to see Leo's clothes being torn off in the early hours of the morning. Her sigh, besides expressing regret, also seemed to be "hinting" to Li Sishi, a new fan, about a major highlight of the concert.
"If this event doesn't happen, you'll really miss out." The rich woman's enthusiastic introduction couldn't hide a hint of disappointment.
Holding the megaphone, Li Sishi was somewhat amused and exasperated: if you really wanted to count, she hadn't really missed anything—because the pink shirt she wore for the first show of "Adoring Angels" at midnight was one she had personally torn...
The noisy sounds gradually quieted down as the surroundings suddenly darkened. A beam of light silently fell on the stage in the center, and a slightly slender figure could be vaguely seen walking out of the light.
When he got on stage, Lingchen couldn't help but take another look at the seat that had been specially reserved for him.
His heart was as empty as it was at that moment.
Forget it, everyone is focused on their careers, so why bother expecting something as luxurious as love in this industry?
Perhaps if she hadn't come, the two of them would have had a better future...
He forced a smile and greeted the audience, then picked up the microphone in the early hours of the morning and started singing one song after another.
He was still in good condition, and his singing skills and emotions were still there, but Li Sishi could vaguely hear a trace of fatigue that he was trying hard to hide in his voice, which was almost the same as the recording.
However, his singing voice is naturally a deep bass, and unless you are a professional, it is difficult to hear the slight hoarseness or dullness in it.
However, Li Sishi was present at the scene.
Listening to him quickly change into a performance outfit and then go on stage to finish singing a song that was originally intended for a guest performer, Li Sishi frowned slightly. Logically speaking, the interval between the guest songs was not only to make it easier to change his performance outfit in the early morning, but also to allow his voice to take a short "intermission break".
His smile on stage was already strained. Whether it was the reflection of his performance costume adorned with numerous rhinestones, or the sweat and tears hidden in his still bright eyes, he persevered, hoping to bring this final concert to a satisfying close...
“Leo looks really tired…” Li Sishi leaned forward and said to the wealthy woman in front of her who was quietly enjoying the music, “I also study music. If this continues, his voice might not be able to hold up.”
"What should we do then?" the rich woman asked anxiously.
In the early hours of the morning, in order to raise more funds for the disaster relief gala, he had already finished performing and left, but soon returned to sing again because of a 500,000 yuan donation request. Unfortunately, he hadn't communicated well with the band, which caused his singing to be out of sync with the accompaniment and his voice to crack. As a result, he was dubbed the "King of Off-Key Singing" by the media for several years...
Not wanting to see her idol being unfairly attacked again, the wealthy woman, after receiving advice from Li Sishi, immediately started gathering people – and coincidentally, the song below was the very popular "Summer Promise" from the early hours of the morning.
Because this was a gift that Ling admitted to himself in the early morning as a gift for his fans, most of his fans can sing it—which can form a big chorus and allow him to rest a little.
"Is it you, the one holding flowers..." So, when I forced a smile and sang the first line of this song in the early morning, I suddenly heard a spontaneous live sing-along.
"You and I once secretly made a promise in our dreams this summer..." As a wealthy woman with a special influence among her fans took the lead with a megaphone, the sea of red at the scene immediately joined in singing this musical love letter, which is always the grand finale of every concert.
Although it's not summer yet, as the lyrics and melody unfold, it almost makes you feel as if you can already see the colorful sunlight that is unique to summer.
.
The level of choral singing has always varied, after all, it is impossible to expect every fan to have the skills of a choir. But it is precisely because of this singing that comes only from love that everything in front of you seems to soften.
He had held back for so long, not wanting to shed tears in front of others anymore...
When he first debuted, he was too emotional and would often be moved to tears by his fans. So his father always taught him that boys shouldn't cry so easily... and he tried his best to control his emotions.
He has always maintained this approach. Even at award ceremonies and concerts, no matter how much he wanted to cry, he would only let his eyes well up with tears, suppressing all his overly emotional emotions and transforming them into a restrained and rational smile.
But this time, he really couldn't hold back anymore—he had gone through so much hardship and pain during this period, and people had come and gone in a hurry, but in the end, there were always these lovely fans who stayed by his side...
Feeling wronged, heartbroken, and moved...
Looking into those eyes that had been brimming with tears for so long, she finally bit her lip and let them fall amidst the chorus of voices. In an instant, in addition to the chorus of voices coming from all directions, the venue was filled with swaying, twinkling lights.
A group of fans who will always love their idol have brought a sky full of stars to their idol.
Then, we look forward to the long night passing and the dawn returning.
"Thank you, thank you..." Watching him go from being reserved with tears in his eyes to sobbing, but still insisting on thanking the fans for their love, the fans, who had already reached the chorus, sang even more enthusiastically.
"I love you, can you believe it? I've fallen deeply in love with you. Just seeing you once would ease my longing..."
"Thank you..." He bowed deeply to the audience, "I, or perhaps I am not the best... but with your support, I will always feel very happy..."
His words, like him, seem calm and unassuming, but upon closer examination, they possess a genuine and heartfelt quality that makes it impossible to ignore his presence.
He maintained that posture for as long as the singing lasted.
Only when the melody of the next song began did he straighten up again, and with his hoarse voice, sing the prelude to the next song: "Where in the world can you find a burning desire that never fades..."
As the group finished singing, the fans called out his name repeatedly, expressing...
They showed their support for his continued singing: "Leo! Leo!"
Speaking of which, this song was a hit song that dominated the charts for most of last year. With the airing of "Mr. Morning", this ending theme song sung by Li Sishi was even more popular and "catchy" than the opening theme song in the early morning.
Perhaps it's because this song resonates so deeply with people and events that have endured hardship yet maintained hope that it has touched the hearts of both those who have experienced hardship and those who, while not having experienced it, like to feign sorrow.
However, the original singer was unable to attend, so he had to make up for it by performing the song himself.
Suppressing the throbbing pain in his throat, Ling Chen's gaze swept over an empty seat in the front row of the audience, then he looked around without lingering, wanting to persevere until the very last moment for the sake of the shimmering Milky Way.
"Having the courage to step forward in search of happiness, never looking back..." Unfortunately, when he finished singing this line, he suddenly felt a blackout before his eyes, his whole body swayed, and the original lyrics turned into an uncontrollable painful gasp.
Like a stray note, cruelly shattering the perfectly maintained melody.
"Leo—" Many fans had heard the news that he had collapsed backstage from exhaustion in the early hours of the morning, so this sudden announcement startled everyone present.
"I, I'm fine... Where did I get to in the song?" Ling Chen regained her composure after the initial shock and stood up straight. Then she tried her best to tilt her head back so that the fans in the audience could see her smile, which she hoped would reassure them.
At the same time, carefully discern the progress of the accompaniment amidst the chaotic sounds—
Suddenly, a familiar yet slightly unfamiliar voice, seemingly lost in the absence of a microphone, rang out from the audience. With a calm, steady, yet incredibly powerful tone, it overwhelmed the chaotic murmurs and reached the ears and hearts of everyone present: "Undeterred by the changing world, the harder the love, the stronger..."
"I'm here for you... I'm looking forward to it."
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