Chapter 23 First Performance 5.0
After the recording of the spin-off program was completed, everyone changed back into their own clothes and got on the car back to the base.
The atmosphere in the car was a little tired, but also a little relaxed.
Qian Song was sitting in the front row. He turned around with a look of melancholy and asked Xie Qingyu and Gu Qiong who were sitting behind him.
"So, did the king finally agree to let the princess inherit the throne?"
Ding Zai, who was standing next to him, nodded matter-of-factly and interjected, "Didn't they announce the conclusion of the story? That means the princess must have gotten what she wanted."
Wei Liangchen, who was sitting at the back, rolled his eyes at him and sneered, "Did I ask you? You answered so quickly."
Ding Zai helplessly spread his hands: "You are too petty, aren't you? The roles are all decided by the production team, how can I decide? Besides, I have no choice. It's my duty. What else can I do?"
Wei Liangchen would have been fine if no one responded to his words, but once someone did, especially when it was Ding Zai, he couldn't stand it anymore.
He cried out, “You have no idea what I’ve been through!
I must ask the program team to compensate me for my mental and image losses!
The company arranged for me to play the role of a cool and elegant gentleman idol. Have you ever seen a gentleman spreading manure in the fields or shoveling feces in the chicken coop?
Do you know how much damage this caused to my young heart? Do you know that?" As he spoke, his chest pounded loudly.
Before participating in "Road to Star Dreams", his company repeatedly warned him not to lose his image, otherwise they would give his dog Xianxian to someone else and he would never see her again.
So during the initial recording of the show, he had to work very hard to maintain his hunky image. What a troublemaker the program crew is!
Originally, Wei Liangchen did act in it, but in the end, the more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and he actually made himself cry.
Seeing this, Ding Zai quickly stood up and handed him a tissue. Wei Liangchen thought he was next to You Jinzhao, so he rushed over and hugged the person next to him, sobbing, "I rely on this face to make a living! After this episode airs, my fans will definitely never love me again! Damn the production team, they've made me lose face!"
Wei Ran looked at Wei Liangchen who was hugging her and crying, and turned to You Jinzhao beside him for help.
You Jinzhao turned his head to look at the scenery outside the window, pretending not to see it.
He was hit hard by Wei Liangchen in the king's bedroom. His stomach still ached slightly. He had already made a vow -
If you continue to comfort Wei Liangchen, he will be a dog!
Seeing Wei Ran not knowing where to put his hands, Xie Qingyu turned around, patted Wei Liangchen on the head, and comforted him, "It's okay. From now on, this will be a precious early image of Wei, the cold and noble young man, the idol male god. Fans will understand, so don't worry."
Wei Liangchen raised his head, stared at Xie Qingyu with dead fish eyes, and said quietly: "Benefactor, you have made me have no love anymore!"
There was a burst of laughter in the car, and even the driver couldn't help laughing out loud.
---
The car drove slowly in the night. Everyone was a little sleepy and fell asleep in a mess.
Gu Yan looked at the scenery outside the window, then turned and asked Xie Qingyu softly, "Do you think the king will eventually pass the throne to the princess?"
Xie Qingyu thought quietly about what the princess said to them at the end——
"Although my father still doesn't trust me to govern the kingdom well, he's at least willing to give me a chance. I will prove to him that I can do it!"
Thinking of the princess' shining eyes and firm tone, Xie Qingyu smiled and replied softly: "Of course. But this is not given by him, but earned by the princess herself." After that, she tilted her head and blinked at Gu Qi.
Gu Qi also smiled when he heard this, leaned against the window and closed his eyes.
In the night, the lights inside the car were soft and warm, shining on everyone's face, as if putting a gentle end to the absurdity and emotion of the day.
——
Just two days after returning to the base, what was supposed to happen finally happened. The first rehearsal for the first performance arrived amidst the intensive preparations of the program team.
Xie Qingyu and the other members of the "Banana" group sat in the audience, watching the group of contestants rehearsing on stage. They were the next group to go on stage, and they were both nervous and excited.
This first rehearsal is a group rehearsal, and the movements, dance details, lyrics coordination, etc. will be included in the mentors and the program team's consideration of the strength of each group of contestants.
The order of appearance of the contestants on the official performance stage will also be arranged according to this data.
On the night before the official performance, there will be 1-2 full-process simulations to check details such as lighting, sound, and costumes, which are the dress rehearsals that the public is more familiar with.
At this moment, Zhu Xiaojun, a team member next to him, tightly grasped Xie Qingyu's hand. His face turned pale and he said in a trembling voice, "What should I do? I feel like the instructors below are too strict. I'm so nervous that I want to vomit."
Xie Qingyu looked at the beads of sweat that kept appearing on Zhu Xiaojun's forehead and could see that he was indeed very nervous.
Sun Lele also added: "Yes, I feel more nervous than during the first stage performance. My legs have been shaking non-stop since the first group went on stage until now."
Huang Ke held down his legs and ordered, "Don't shake!"
Sun Lele slapped him away and cursed with a smile: "Go to hell!" Although he said this, his legs were obviously not shaking as much, and his nervousness was slightly relieved.
However, Zhu Xiaojun still stared at the stage. When he saw someone made a rehearsal mistake, he quickly looked at the expressions of the mentors below the stage.
He was under a lot of pressure. As the second contestant to go on stage, he chose a song that was not very suitable for stage performance and a group of very talented members.
In the group, he always felt that he could not play any role and was always a drag in practice. He was afraid that he would drag others down when he went on stage.
If he is eliminated, then so be it, but if he drags others down because of his own wrong choice, then he really cannot forgive himself.
Xie Qingyu noticed his emotions, gently pulled his hand away, held his palm with his backhand, took out a tissue from his pocket, and wiped the sweat off Zhu Xiaojun's hands.
He said to Zhu Xiaojun seriously, "Xiaojun, we're all a team. Regardless of whether the results are good or bad, we can't just share the good results and bear the bad consequences alone. Besides, who says we'll definitely perform worse than other groups when we go on stage? Don't you even ask the others if they agree?"
After saying that, Xie Qingyu raised an eyebrow and looked at the others. Bai Lang looked at Xie Qingyu and said firmly, "We will be the best."
Sun Lele said lazily: "At the moment, the performance of other groups is pretty good, but compared with our group, they are still slightly inferior~" He pinched his thumb and little finger together and gestured to Zhu Xiaojun.
Although he was somewhat reluctant when Zhu Xiaojun selected him to join the "Banana" group at first, seeing how hard everyone had worked to get to where they are now, he had already let go of his prejudice.
Qian Song patted Zhu Xiaojun on the shoulder and said, "Believe in yourself."
Huang Ke and Cai Jiashu also shook their fists to Zhu Xiaojun, indicating that he believed in everyone.
Zhu Xiaojun smiled silently, tears sparkling under the spotlight on the stage.
Xie Qingyu continued, "As long as we are together, then let's try our best and share the honor and disgrace!" After saying that, he looked at Zhu Xiaojun encouragingly.
Zhu Xiaojun wiped his tears, stretched out his hand, and shouted, "We share honor and disgrace!"
Xie Qingyu smiled and placed her hand on the back of his hand.
Next came Bai Jian, Qian Song, Sun Lele, Huang Ke, and Cai Jiashu. They all put their hands together and shouted out loudly: "We share honor and disgrace!"
The noise was so loud that even the instructors watching the rehearsal were startled. Lu Chuan looked at them and smiled, his tone full of nostalgia: "Oh, the youthful spirit."
MCray jokingly said, "Are you in menopause? Otherwise, why are you so talkative?"
Lu Chuan turned around and rolled his eyes at him, too lazy to pay attention to him.
Perhaps it was because the atmosphere was just right, but Li Zhiqiu, for once, indulged in gossip and asked Wei Qianze, "Little Wei, how are you? Do you feel nostalgic when you see these contestants?"
Wei Qianze's team Eclipse is almost one of the top boy groups in the country.
But apart from this concert, which was organized at the request of fans and brought everyone together, he and his teammates might not see each other for several months, and getting everyone together was even more difficult. Everyone's schedules were packed and they were all very busy.
Recalling the time when Eclipse first debuted, the members would sit at roadside barbecue stalls, eating skewers without caring about their image. Wei Qianze couldn't help but smile and replied, "Yeah, I really miss it."
Su Jin also added: "Then Teacher Wei and the team members should have a good gathering for this concert."
Wei Qianze smiled, didn't reply, and continued to watch the group rehearsal on the stage.
There was a hint of tenderness in his eyes, as if he saw his former self and teammates through these young players.
Although those days of youthful recklessness and passionate enthusiasm have long gone, they are still the most precious memories in his heart.
——
"Banana team, next one is ready!" The staff came over to remind them to get ready to go on stage.
Xie Qingyu and others followed the staff to the stairs at the edge of the stage, and the staff distributed hand microphones to them.
The group on stage has finished their performance, and the instructors below are now communicating with them about the problems in the performance and how to improve them.
Their group went on stage relatively early because among the groups with more popular members, they were the first to go on stage for rehearsal.
After the instructor finished, the group on stage left the stage. Xie Qingyu stood behind Zhu Xiaojun, placed her hand on his shoulder, and gently pushed him forward, whispering, "Don't be nervous, just follow the rhythm. We're all in this together."
Zhu Xiaojun took a deep breath, nodded, and followed the team onto the stage.
After taking the stage, everyone quickly took their positions. Xie Qingyu placed his hands on Bai Yan and Qian Song's shoulders, lowered his head slightly, adjusted his posture, and tried to relax.
As the music started, Xie Qingyu raised his eyes, tilted his head and smiled lazily towards the camera. Then, holding the microphone in his right hand, he sang the first line of the song. His voice was clear and magnetic, instantly grabbing everyone's attention.
The instructors below smiled, and Li Zhiqiu whispered, "The typhoon is very stable, a good start." Then, she picked up a pen, wrote a few words on the form, and drew an asterisk.
The performance on stage continued. After Xie Qingyu finished her part, she exchanged positions with Bai Tang through dance steps.
Bai Lang's low and hoarse voice followed the previous tone, with a hint of laziness and sexiness, forming a sharp contrast with Xie Qingyu's style, yet blending perfectly together.
"Wow—so stable!" one contestant exclaimed. Everyone hadn't had any hope for the "Banana" group because of their song selection, but now they had no choice but to add them to the list of strong rival candidates.
"And it seems like they made their own arrangement. It still has the feel of the original song, but for some reason, it sounds a lot better. Oh, I don't know how to describe it."
The team member next to him saw him tapping his forehead and said with a smile, "It's like that makeup you put on but you can't tell where it was applied, but it's applied anyway; it's photoshopped but you can't tell where it was done, but it's definitely photoshopped, right?"
“Yes, yes, yes!”
The performance on the stage is still going on. Now it is the part where everyone dances together. Everyone's dance moves are clean and neat. They are like one body. Their feet move in an orderly manner and their arms swing in exactly the same amplitude, like waves of wheat in the wind, harmonious and graceful.
Combined with the rhythm of the lyrics, it instantly ignited the atmosphere of the scene.
"Wow, that's so loud! I feel like the floor is going to crack under their feet!"
"That's really cool, so cool!!!"
"So neat, it feels like a mirror image of the same person."
In the center of the stage, Xie Qingyu felt the heat of the spotlight and cooperated with her companions tacitly. Every movement was precise and in place, and her breathing was synchronized with the rhythm. She was immersed in this neat and powerful dance.
At this moment, he didn't think about anything, emotions were intertwined in every note, and he was completely and absolutely enjoying this exhilarating performance moment.
The cheers from the audience are the best affirmation for him and them.
After the performance, without even catching their breath, everyone stood in a row, hugged each other's waists and bowed to express their gratitude to the mentors in the audience and the other groups who watched their stage performance.
"Pah-pah-"
Li Zhiqiu was the first to applaud, and then the mentors and opponents all gave affirmative applause to their performance. The applause and cheers in this space continued.
Looking at the members of the "Banana" group on the stage, they were sweating profusely. It was obvious that the performance just now had consumed a lot of their physical energy.
She signaled to the staff next to her to bring them mineral water and handkerchiefs.
Xie Qingyu thanked the staff, took the handkerchief and mineral water, gently wiped the sweat running down his cheek with the handkerchief, and then handed the mineral water to Zhu Xiaojun beside him, motioning him to drink it first.
Zhu Xiaojun handed the water to Sun Lele next to him, and passed it back one by one. Then he took another bottle handed over by the team member in front, showing perfect tacit understanding.
Seeing that they had recovered, Li Zhiqiu smiled and said, "Excellent! This is the most enjoyable group performance I've seen since I became a mentor on this show."
Xie Qingyu and his team members quickly bowed in thanks, while the other contestants in the audience were shocked.
Li Zhiqiu is the strictest of the instructors and rarely gives such high praise. Her words are undoubtedly a great affirmation of the Banana team.
But in the end, Li Zhiqiu said, "Keep up this momentum and don't let me down on the official stage." Although her tone was gentle, her eyes revealed a hint of expectation and pressure.
The "Banana" group on the stage seemed a little nervous because of Li Zhiqiu's words. Xie Qingyu pursed her lips slightly and was about to respond.
Looking at their 'stressed' performances, Wei Qianze smiled and took over the conversation, asking the contestants on stage, "I see you've adapted the original song, right? How about our teacher Lu give some comments?"
Lu Chuan lazily leaned against the wall next to him, his eyes swept over Xie Qingyu on the stage, a smile on his lips: "I still have confidence in Xie Qingyu's creative talent. Right, the number one creative talent of "Road to Star Dreams"?"
Well, although I know that his fans gave him this nickname, it was still a little embarrassing to have it read out in front of so many people.
Thinking of this, Xie Qingyu quickly bowed and thanked him. After standing up, he said solemnly, "This is the joint achievement of our 'Banana Over the Atlantic Coast' team, not just mine."
Instead of discussing this topic with him, Lu Chuan just smiled, gave a thumbs-up, and said with a hint of sarcasm: "Yes, team spirit is also important."
MCray took over and said with a smile, "Your arrangement is very creative, especially the dance choreography, which is very layered. But—" He paused and shook his head with feigned regret, "I thought you would add more rap, but you didn't. I'm really disappointed."
Su Jin beside him nodded and added, "Indeed, if you can add some rap elements to the adaptation, it might make the whole performance richer. However, your current version is already very good, keep it up."
After listening to the instructors' comments, the members of the "Banana" group nodded seriously. Xie Qingyu spoke as a representative: "Thank you for the instructors' suggestions. We will practice seriously and strive to present better results on the formal stage." After that, everyone bowed and walked off the stage.
The other contestants in the audience heard the mentors' comments on the "Banana" group and began to discuss in low voices.
Producer Liu Yue, who was sitting behind the monitor, said to the person in charge of the stage rehearsal nearby: "The Banana group's official stage performance order will be moved to the back!"
Unexpectedly, just as the rehearsal began, a talented person with the potential to perform on stage appeared. She was right about the person. Xie Qingyu really gave her a big surprise.
What will the official stage show be like? I’m really looking forward to it!
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