Chapter 241: "Lies", First Clues
"Boss Aqiang's drive and business capabilities are truly impressive!"
You Jinzhao walked around the carefully decorated venue and couldn't help but admire it again and again.
It’s interesting to say that in order to make it easier to sort out the story line, Xie Qingyu casually gave the explosive protagonist in the yellow shirt the nickname "Xiao Qiang".
Later, after more communication with the owner of the popsicle shop, I found out that the old man actually had a Chinese name, A Qiang.
Emmm, I can only say that there is no coincidence in the world.
However, putting aside the coincidence of the name, Aqiang's work ability is indeed impeccable.
Although this is just a side job for him, judging from today's acceptance results, it is quite good.
The bonfire was built solidly and grandly, the sound equipment was tuned just right, and even the decorative lights were second-hand items that he personally bought and modified.
The price-performance ratio was so high that Xie Qingyu called himself an expert. He didn't know whether he was advertising himself because of the camera, or he really cared about the friendship they had when eating melon together that night.
Although Ah Qiang has always stressed that time is tight and that publicity might not attract too many people, but with the current situation...
How could it be “below expectations”? It far exceeded expectations!
In the center of the venue, a huge bonfire was burning, and it was already surrounded by spectators, and the number was still increasing.
Didn’t you see that our director’s facial muscles started twitching uncontrollably as he looked at the endless stream of people pouring in?
Ha, the production team’s wallets are probably going to bleed heavily again at the second stop!
There was still some time before the show officially started, and the speakers were playing popular local disco music. The restless rhythm drove the atmosphere and served as an early warm-up.
At this moment, the members are putting on makeup.
The one who put on makeup for them was Aqiang's wife, Amei. This capable aunt also had multiple roles and was very skilled.
Different from the exquisite style of Corea, the makeup here is more intense and the colors are bold. Against the backdrop of darkness and firelight, it has a kind of rough and wild beauty.
A Qiang also specially borrowed several sets of local performance costumes. Influenced by Buddhist culture, the costumes are mainly in gold and red, which symbolize the sacredness, and the faces are outlined with complex patterns and lines.
Xie Qingyu picked up a small mirror and looked at herself, and she found that this outfit was surprisingly in line with the style of the song, and even revealed a primitive tension.
After the other members had finished their adjustments, Amei made some minor adjustments to the details to make the makeup more suitable for each person's characteristics, so that the seven people had a unified style but also had their own characteristics.
Especially Bai Lang and Ding Zai.
Under Ami's scrutiny, the two of them went shirtless, using only a piece of cloth of the same color to wrap around their waists to their ankles, resembling a long tube skirt.
Of course, I still wore pants underneath.
Despite this, the two still looked extremely uncomfortable. Even though the show had not yet begun and they were still standing in the corner wrapped in blankets, they could not block the fiery gazes from all directions.
…Ahem, mostly men.
This made the social butterfly Ding Zai become silent, and he kept rubbing his arms and hiding behind Bai Lang.
As a bystander, Xie Qingyu found it very funny.
"Oh, I don't know where the next stop is."
Suddenly, a figure appeared beside him. It was Wei Liangchen, who was chewing a whole roasted corn.
"Where did the corn come from?" Xie Qingyu raised his eyebrows.
Wei Liangchen nodded towards a place not far away. An old lady pushing a cart was happily walking among the crowd.
Their performance was free admission, so naturally it attracted many vendors to join in the fun.
"Here, this is the last one I have. They are all sold out over there."
As he spoke, he broke off half of the untouched corn and handed it to Xie Qingyu.
Xie Qingyu took it and took two bites, then suddenly realized something: "Where did the money come from?"
Aren’t all the funds with him?
No, we occasionally cook in the hotel these days, and Leo and Wei Liangchen are usually responsible for shopping and running errands.
But the bills they pay back... never seem to have anything left over?
Since there were a lot of dishes to buy, Xie Qingyu didn't ask too many questions.
Now it seems that there is a lot of water in this!
Wei Liangchen coughed repeatedly because of the choking. Xie Qingyu narrowed his eyes and slowly approached: "You made false reports? Hid private money? And brought Leo with you?"
His voice was still gentle, even with a hint of smile, but with every question he asked, Wei Liangchen's back unconsciously lowered a little.
In the end, this guy had already shrunk his neck and started to act stupid and obedient.
Of course Xie Qingyu didn't buy it.
It’s not that he was really angry. The funds originally belonged to the team and he was just keeping it for them.
I just really can't understand Wei Liangchen's motive for doing this.
Are you usually very generous with your accounts?
I have never skimped on food and drink expenses, so I always approve whatever you want to buy.
"How much is left?" he asked curiously.
Wei Liangchen took out a handful of crumpled Thai baht from his pocket with great hesitation.
Wow, Xie Qingyu was really impressed. How could this guy make so much profit while purchasing so many supplies?
And judging from the situation, Leo, that naive little dog, was probably completely kept in the dark.
Wei Liangchen swallowed it all by himself!
The countdown to the opening game came from afar.
Xie Qingyu sighed and pushed back the hand holding the stolen money: "Keep it for yourself. Next time... next time you want to take it, let me know in advance."
Looking at Wei Liangchen's eyes that lit up instantly, Xie Qingyu secretly rejoiced: Fortunately, this guy entered the entertainment industry.
If I change my profession, it would be unimaginable. I may not understand math, but I am born with the ability to erase accounts!
——
In the center of the stage, Xie Qingyu was surrounded by his teammates and stood in the warm light.
As the center of the talent show, with his popularity advantage and the strong management of his agent Hu Xuan, it can be said that the opening shots of most of the songs in the album "Seventh Night" fell on him.
The occasional exceptions were only given to Wei Liangchen.
Although the opening shot may not take up the most time, it is the soul of the entire song.
Especially when performing on stage, the first image that catches the audience's eye often determines the tone of the entire song.
Coupled with the killing part that Hu Xuan carefully fought for him, these highly memorable designs combined to form Xie Qingyu's unique stage charm.
This astute agent knows this well. He doesn't need to be greedy for the most parts in the seven-member group, but he must keep the most essential parts firmly in his hands.
At this moment, a warm light device simulating flames danced in the center of the stage, and a real bonfire not far away cast orange and yellow light and shadows on the seven people, like flowing gold fragments.
Fluorescent lights flickered below the stage, and the audience enthusiastically waved the flashlights on their mobile phones.
Their performance costumes shone with metallic luster in the firelight. When the first heavy drum beat sounded, all the members gathered in the circle of light in the center of the stage in a half-kneeling posture, their elongated shadows twisting and extending on the ground.
Bai Lang on the left suddenly slammed his elbow on the ground, and at the same time pushed his right knee forward. His whole body trembled violently as if he was stabbed by a lie, while Xie Qingyu, Gu Yan and Ding Zai on the right leaned back synchronously, their ankles leaving spark-like tracks on the ground.
(Lies flicker like sparks in the darkness
That light seems to be a temptation but hides disaster
Every word is like a needle piercing my heart
But I can't break free from the shackles of love
…)
Xie Qingyu stretched out his hand, opened and clenched his fingers, as if trying in vain to catch something.
When he sang the line "I am shrouded in fog", his expression was blank for a moment, then he smiled wantonly, and his slender fingers gently stroked the cheeks of Gu Yan and You Jinzhao who were leaning over, and then he suddenly pushed them away the next moment!
This effortless control posture immediately caused screams from the audience.
At this moment, the movement exploded like a forked flame.
Leo and Wei Liangchen rushed past diagonally, the hems of their cloaks fluttering like dancing flames.
(The heartbeat is like a war drum
My blood is boiling but I have nowhere to release it
Reason is slowly burned by the flames
How can I escape this web of lies?
Gu Zheng turned around and returned to the center point. The other six people circled him counterclockwise, their arms crossed in front of their chests like piles of firewood, waiting for the final explosion in the crescendoing drumbeats.
Xie Qingyu and the members had already considered the design of this performance.
Without the gorgeous stage design that the program team spent huge sums of money to build during the talent show period, they decided to find another way and put a lot of effort into the details.
For example, in the chorus, the light and dark of the campfire are used to control the rhythm throughout.
In terms of dance choreography, the struggle of modern dance and the explosiveness of street dance are perfectly integrated, and the movements simulate the disordered yet tense dynamic beauty of burning flames.
(The heart that cannot be broken free is tormenting
I'm trapped in your lies
Like a moth to the fire
Lies are like poison corroding my castle
The high-pitched burst breaks this false swaddling clothes
Let the fire burn bright
Burn away the night
The movements switched as quickly as flowing water, leaving the audience dazzled and completely immersed in this highly infectious stage feast, as if their souls were being roasted by the flames of lies.
At the climax, the lights suddenly switch to a bonfire effect with alternating red and blue.
The seven people were divided into three groups. Bai Yan and Ding Zai in the front row confronted each other in a chokehold and then suddenly separated.
Leo, You Jinzhao and Wei Liangchen in the middle used their arms to build a flaming arch.
Xie Qingyu and Gu Qiong in the back row looked at each other, then jumped into the air from behind the archway. When they landed, their knees hit the ground with a dull sound.
As the lyrics of "Burn away the night" were sung, everyone kicked their legs in four directions at the same time, and the air currents created made the light and shadow of the bonfire sway violently.
(Oh look at that blazing lie
Oh, I'm so angry I can't sleep
No longer deceived by lies
I want the truth to come back
Break out of this invisible cocoon
Welcome the bright sky)
At the end, the lights dimmed until only the core light of the bonfire remained. The members crawled on the ground, their fingertips lightly touching the stage as if testing the hot charcoal.
When they sang "Break this invisible cocoon", the seven people suddenly jumped up radially, their arms pointing to the sky like burning torches, and the paths of their feet formed a brilliant star-shaped pattern in the firelight.
(Embers settle on the scabby palm lines
New growth rings grow in the scorch marks
The ashes of lies fall into the roots of silence
And I hold on to my unburned soul in the cracks—)
As the last note fell, everyone slowly retreated with their backs to the campfire, their shadows weaving on the ground into the shape of falling ashes.
Just as the music ended, A Qiang used a little trick at the right time, and the bonfire not far away suddenly burst into a dazzling light and flames shot up into the sky.
The seven people turned to face the audience at the same time, with their palms raised upwards, as if they were really grasping an unburned spark.
At this moment, lies and truth, destruction and rebirth were all perfectly interpreted in their hands.
Xie Qingyu looked at the audience below the stage who were blushing while watching the performance, smiled and held hands with his teammates, raised his arms high and bowed to take the stage.
Suddenly, a clear and melodious Mandarin voice came from the crowd: "Xie Qingyu, come on!"
He looked in the direction of the sound, raised his hand and waved in that direction, and then pointed specifically at his teammates around him.
The female audience member who was originally just a casual fan suddenly jumped up with excitement.
She originally came to Manchester on a business trip and was complaining about having to work overtime on New Year's Day, but she didn't expect to be able to see MYST7's performance for free.
I didn't expect any response when I shouted that, but I got a pleasant surprise.
She immediately understood and called out the names of the other members, without missing a single one.
"Who said Xie Qingyu wanted to go solo?"
She muttered to herself, "Isn't this protecting the team? Rumors can cause a lot of harm!"
Seeing this, other local audiences followed suit. Although their pronunciations varied, their enthusiasm remained undiminished.
That night, all members of MYST7 received countless hilarious homophonic names.
A music festival-style performance stage will naturally not only include one song.
They were well prepared. Each of them performed two or three programs, danced to "Midnight Catcher" again, and finally had an impromptu disco dance. The timing was arranged just right.
The performance started at 20:00, and during it, tourists and fans who had seen the news kept rushing over.
When they finally got back to the hotel, it was almost midnight.
Even the most energetic puppy Leo looked listless, not to mention the other members.
But everyone was quite happy leaning on the sofa after washing up, especially after seeing the thick envelope held by the director, hahaha!
"Fans who arrive later don't count~" the director emphasized.
But even so, the number of visitors before was quite impressive. Not to mention that there was no price pressure like in the Coria station this time, and the unit price of 10 yuan accumulated...
Wow, just thinking about it makes me unable to control the corners of my mouth to rise.
Although the director still had a sour face when giving the money this time, he was surprisingly generous in giving it.
The reason is simple: MYST7's overseas Instagram followers are skyrocketing, while the previous topic was still hovering around the tenth place in the world trending topic.
This stop! Tyrande! Tonight! Straight to third place in the world trend!!!
What a concept! It’s only the second leg, and the variety show hasn’t even aired yet, yet it’s already reached this level of popularity solely through spontaneous promotion by overseas viewers!
The director looked at the seven people sitting on the sofa counting their money. The strange arc at the corner of his mouth scared the cameraman next to him and he took a step aside. He thought that this stingy man had gone crazy because of the huge expenses.
Little did he know that the director had a burning fire in his heart: with the momentum of this surge in overseas popularity, the "grand ambition" that the platform has been expecting has begun to show signs of happening, and maybe it will really come true in the end!
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