Chapter 77
This increasingly widespread form of social execution truly dealt a severe blow to the psyche.
But what she cares about more is that the more attention her current identity attracts, the more difficult it becomes to extricate herself from her plan to deal with Chu Yuanqing's fabricated death and commit insurance fraud. This is tantamount to being unexpectedly imprisoned and trapped.
Furthermore, her death is inevitable. If she allows her fan base to continue growing, how much trouble will she cause everyone on the day she passes away? How many people will be saddened and heartbroken?
This is so different from the planned quiet passing, like fallen leaves returning to the forest, without causing any ripples!
Most importantly, after death, his grave will be adorned with an epitaph that reads, "A genius idol, who died young, and whose memory is cherished by countless fans." If he had even more die-hard fans, perhaps every year on Tomb Sweeping Day and the anniversary of his death, people would come to send flowers in remembrance, and some outrageous memorial service would be held regularly.
Good heavens, considering the truth, this is just so abstract! She would definitely die with her eyes wide open in disbelief!
I fear not being shattered to pieces, but only wish to leave behind a pure reputation in the world.
The line of poetry suddenly popped into Chu Yuanqing's mind, and she was immediately overcome with grief. She was no longer innocent, and even if she died at the speed of light, her fans would still post strange and bizarre things about her.
However, although she felt so depressed that she wanted to cry, out of politeness, the girl had to suppress her emotions and smile at the fans who had gone to great lengths to see her and offer their blessings, waving in all directions to show that she was listening attentively.
This action further fueled the fans' enthusiasm.
"Waaaaah, Qing Bao looked at me! She has feelings for me???"
"Qing Bao waved to me, she's so gentle, I could cry!"
"Qing Bao is so cute! She was so tired from training that she fell asleep against the car window, but the first thing she did when she woke up was to respond to her fans' expectations. We really didn't choose the wrong person to support???"
These kinds of psychological states played out one after another in the hearts of the fans, making the farewell atmosphere, which resembled a pilgrimage, even more enthusiastic.
Fortunately, the majority of the fans were "Mom Fan" and "girlfriend fans," so outrageous and crazy comments were relatively rare. In addition, there were a large number of fans on the field, and their composition was extremely complex. While not every one of the 168 contestants had a fandom, there were still dozens of fandoms, making the shouts quite chaotic.
If it weren't for the fact that Chu Yuanqing had a large number of fans and that her own senses weren't extremely sharp, she wouldn't have been able to distinguish those slogan-like blessings from the noise, let alone smile and respond to them one by one.
From this perspective, she can be said to have mastered the idol's business skills without a teacher and applied them extremely successfully. However, she herself is unaware of this, which leads to her emotions being too genuine and the effect being exceptionally outstanding.
On the other side, the pretty girls in the carriage were also blinking their eyes, searching for their fans in the crowd on both sides. Occasionally, when they saw a banner with their name on it, they would happily hug each other, looking adorably silly.
To be honest, the contestants in this car are all at the forefront of <Flash Dance>. Apart from a few, most of them had something before the competition. They weren't the kind of amateurs who never had any fans. Their reaction is very much like playing a persona in front of the public.
Yet they were so happy that their laughter was infectious, their eyes sparkling, as if they weren't acting at all, as if they had rediscovered their original aspirations hidden in their consciousness through yesterday's baptism.
Tang Liuli saw this and thought that Chu Yuanqing was indeed someone who could make her establish a cult on the spot. Even some sophisticated egoists full of the smell of money could be easily converted into dream fools full of sunshine.
The group on the main stage right now has a positive and upbeat atmosphere, and even amidst the tension, there's a burning sense of anticipation.
Tang Liuli's expression was devout; she clasped her hands together and prayed silently in her heart:
"God is never afraid of the doubts of the world. When her magnificent glory shines down, the disrespectful will naturally feel ashamed and repent painfully. Qingmen..."
Chu Wangshu turned her head slightly to observe this childhood idol whose behavior and logic were hard to understand. Then she looked out the window with great enthusiasm, blinking her eyes, trying to find her fans.
--To this day, she still hasn't realized that the other person is a despicable thief who is secretly stealing away her maternal love.
Xie Qingxuan also changed her usual "aloof" attitude and politely responded to the fans waving light sticks outside the window.
Well, that's not surprising.
Although she can be a bit extreme in some ways, she is always very polite and easy to talk to as long as it doesn't involve the stage or Xie Qingyu. In fact, because she is quite natural, she can seem a bit soft and easy to bully.
Unfortunately, apart from Chu Yuanqing, who doesn't judge people with prejudice, and Liang Xiaoxiao, who is very observant, no other contestants have yet discovered this extremely unexpected and endearing truth.
On the other side,
Ji Shuzhu closed her eyes to rest and recharge. She had never positioned herself as an idol, so she didn't care whether there were fans outside the window. She was completely immersed in a mix of anticipation and complicated emotions, unable to extricate herself.
The girl's eyelashes trembled. She opened her eyes, reached out and clutched her chest, where a slow, dull pain was emanating from her heart. She lowered her head and murmured to herself:
"Xiao Ning, this is your first time stepping onto a real stage as the Center position."
"If even in a scenario like this, I can't get you into a Flow State, then it means... our connection has truly come to an end."
Will Xiao Ning disappoint herself again?
--Or perhaps, is she hoping Xiao Ning will fail again?
The radiance emanating from Chu Yuanqing was so dazzling that the sense of happiness drawn from him almost overturned the meaning of my past life, causing my long-numbed soul to sway.
Ji Shuzhu understood that even if his childhood sweetheart surpassed him and reached the [Flow State] state, she could never compare to Chu Yuanqing's brilliance.
To put it more abstractly, this is a fundamental difference stemming from the soul, personality, and experience.
That kind of radiant yet gentle glow—even world-class idols might not possess it.
Therefore, on the one hand, she hoped that Chen Yining would fail, so that she wouldn't have to think too much and could continue to follow Chu Yuanqing, thus fulfilling the happiness she had hoped for in her past life.
On the other hand, she wanted the other person to succeed so that she could try to overcome her desires and work together to fulfill the promise they made in childhood, so as not to hurt or upset the proud and self-important Young Lady.
This is a clash between reason and emotion, a battle between desire and memory, a twisted and chaotic entanglement, a spiral of contradictions that can only be resolved by standing on the stage.
Time passed quickly, and the bus soon left the bustling and noisy streets, entering the outer area inaccessible to fans, and heading straight to the group's destination.
The contestants got off the bus one by one and walked into the venue in an orderly manner. Soon they arrived at their respective dressing rooms according to their groups.
<Flash Dance> did not hire any additional makeup artists; they used people who were already working at the underground base. They were responsible for shooting behind-the-scenes footage, conducting interviews, creating some little Easter eggs, and acting as personal assistants. When they came up here, they transformed into professional makeup artists.
Yes, Chen Xiaoxiao is the same.
This assistant, who had once interviewed Chu Yuanqing and whose DD spirit was easily converted, cunningly switched shifts with her colleagues and squatted in the area where the main stage contestants were responsible for makeup.
Chen Xiaoxiao stared intently at the doorway. Upon seeing Chu Yuanqing, she suppressed her overwhelming joy, calmly called out to her, and naturally pulled the bewildered girl to the vanity mirror, helping her sit down in a chair. With a nonchalant expression, she took out her equipment bag, adopting a businesslike demeanor.
But in reality, countless madcap literary works had already flashed through the assistant's mind.
However, she quickly calmed down and secretly encouraged herself, feeling that she must not let Qing Bao's stunning beauty go to waste and must bring out her true charm so that she could shine on the stage later.
Chen Xiaoxiao taught herself makeup in high school and took it as a side job in her freshman year of college. By the time she graduated, she had already obtained a senior makeup artist certificate. After completing her postgraduate studies, she accumulated a lot of work experience. With her postgraduate degree from a 211 university, she successfully passed all the tests and was hired by Flash Dance.
Now is the time for this skill to truly shine!
Chu Yuanqing sat in her seat, obediently looking in the mirror without moving. She did recognize the makeup artist; she was the assistant who had interviewed her before. However, the awkwardness of being made up made her unwilling to greet her.
Chen Xiaoxiao washed her hands and began applying the sunscreen.
During the conversation, she couldn't help but marvel at the other person's natural beauty.
The girl's skin was delicate, smooth, and supple, feeling like velvet to the touch, and its color was the most beautiful and best light rose. Combined with her superior bone structure and facial features, she possessed a natural and harmonious perfection.
Chen Xiaoxiao looked at her Little Idol's face and couldn't help but praise him:
"Your skin is so good, no wonder you look so good on camera even without makeup."
"... You're very beautiful too."
Chu Yuanqing's eyelashes trembled. She was a little unaccustomed to such praise and could only give such an awkward response after struggling for a while.
Looking at Qing Bao, who seemed a little "shy" in the mirror, Chen Xiaoxiao felt as if countless fireworks were exploding in her heart.
Aww, my baby is so cute!
The assistant was almost overwhelmed by her cuteness. She decided to reciprocate, immediately putting aside all distractions and focusing intently on her makeup. She seemed to have entered a highly efficient "Flow State" state, completing all the steps smoothly and effortlessly.
Chu Yuanqing let the other person apply makeup to her face, and she almost fell asleep while being made up.
When she opened her eyes again, she blinked in confusion.
Is this really me?
Chen Xiaoxiao's makeup wasn't too heavy, and the principles she followed were very simple: her hair color and eyebrow color were consistent, her main eyeshadow color and the darkest color of her lips were consistent, and her blush color and the outermost edge of her lips were consistent.
This creates a watercolor-like effect, resulting in a natural and sophisticated soft mist texture.
This set of practices was learned from Chao Nation makeup artists.
At this moment, the person in the mirror has been completely transformed. She has shed all her simplicity and is now exquisite down to the last strand of her hair. The overall atmosphere has become sophisticated and special. Her features are still distinct, but they appear so dazzling, just like... an idol who should be standing on the stage.
The assistant stared intently, extremely satisfied, feeling that her chosen child was exceptionally handsome. However, driven by perfectionism, she still nitpicked under her breath and complained:
"It's a pity. The theme of this stage requires it to be relatively simple, and the costume isn't suitable for heavy makeup. Otherwise, next time I'd give you a hair coloring and a styling session, and you'd definitely look much better."
Thinking of this, Chen Xiaoxiao casually asked:
"I think you actually look quite good with white hair, don't you think?"
Chu Yuanqing fell silent upon hearing this, deeply shocked.
Are you going to dye her hair white? And then do you want to add a pair of gold contact lenses?
Fortunately, the makeup artist was very busy, and Chen Xiaoxiao didn't have time to ask any more questions before being pulled away by a senior colleague to do makeup for the other contestants.
Time flew by, and it was 9:50 o'clock.
The circular seating area was already filled with 2,000 lucky spectators.
Holding a light stick from the CP fans, Xu Ling quietly mingled among them, watching the millions of viewers in the Live Broadcast Room with anticipation as the large stage gradually rose in the center. Her heart pounded like a drum, and she muttered to herself:
"Qing Bao, don't be nervous, please don't be nervous. Mommy is already very satisfied as long as you finish the jump normally!"
Although Chu Yuanqing had already overlooked the test of virtual reality once, who knows if he had simply forgotten everything around him after a burst of inspiration?
Therefore, many fans in the Yuan Xiao Group are still worried that she might have a mishap this time.
As the saying goes, the higher you stand, the harder you fall.
Chu Yuanqing can be crowned Qing God on stage, but she can also fall from grace on stage.
These are all things that can't be said for sure.
As a fan, Xu Ling could only offer her silent blessings and continue to support her partner regardless of victory or defeat.
The long three seconds passed,
The person in the center Center position finally came into everyone's view.
The stage lighting system, like an inverted magic tower spinning, was about to spotlight the three Center position.
At this moment,
Chu Yuanqing took a deep breath and recited the incantation in his mind.
Charlotte, help me one more time.
Thus, the pure white of the Lantern Pendant is interspersed with an eternally beautiful azure.
In a daze, my vision shifted, and my soul surged.
At the same second, the spotlight fell, as if in homage.
Chu Yuanqing underwent a self-transformation; she forgot herself, forgot the past, forgot the pressure, and transformed into the only and irreplaceable number one idol in the world at this moment.
The girl's exquisite face was clearly visible in the direct shot. She looked down in a daze, her lips slightly upturned, revealing a smile.
At this moment, time stood still.
Chu Yuanqing seemed to look down upon all living beings, as if she were showing compassion to all things. Golden arcs of light danced in the depths of her eyes, and the joy and delight on her lips were so pure, like love spreading like the tide in the sunset, reaching the hearts of everyone in her smile.
Incredible.
With just a fleeting glimpse, she displayed a captivating charm that swept the entire audience, both in candid shots and on-site performances.
Xu Ling was immersed in the boundless sea of light, her light stick waving uncontrollably. She screamed, rejoiced, and shouted, completely forgetting her earlier worries, and was submerged in the stage where the background music had just started.
In an instant, the atmosphere in the entire venue was ablaze with excitement.
This was clearly just a sweet song celebrating youth, but the audience felt as if they were listening to a high-energy, explosive song, far exceeding the expectations of the contestants on stage.
Ji Shuzhu's eyes were filled with a misty light, different from Chu Yuanqing's own, but closer to Charlotte's radiance, almost filling the emptiness in her chest. The intense feeling of happiness, so strong that it emptied her soul, brought a smile to her face, and even her dance steps became more emotional.
Xie Qingxuan entered [Flow State], as if their realms collided. She clearly did not try to spy on Chu Yuanqing, but she still saw a pure and lonely, loving and sacred image, like a sunset in the sea.
How magnificent!
So far away.
So dazzling.
Is this... really Chu Yuanqing?
Volume 1: Chapter 88. Public Performance ends, coughs up blood, daughter's phone call. (5K)
On the sub-stage,
Kiriwake Yayoi has entered [Flow State]. The black aura swirling in her eyes, refined from her burning and radiant will, has extracted a few strands of pale pink, like cherry blossoms, which, like morning mist, permeate the depths of her pupils, elevating her personal charm and stage presence to another level.
In the next instant, the Perfect Performance Method, which was originally limited to oneself, also acquired the ability to interfere with objective reality.
Her stage experience, memories, and abilities all seemed to accumulate and improve out of thin air, as if they were superimposed on her perfect future self, presenting a state of quantum superposition.