HTI: Chapter 134

The cooperative catwalk show was a series of eight shows with each show separated by a short brand introduction. The total time was close to an hour. It wasn’t long but it also wasn’t short.

During this hour, Xie Yang needed to repeatedly perform the actions of performing-changing clothes-performing-changing clothes. This tested his physical strength.

Verden had prepared a total of ten sorts of clothing for Xie Yang’s opening and closing performances and his eight performances on the catwalk. The styles were very rich and included minimalist, gorgeous, punk, dark, divine… in short, the mainstream styles that most designers liked. Verden prepared them all for Xie Yang.

There were three rehearsals. The first two rehearsals were to get familiar with the process. The last one would be the official catwalk show apart from the fact that they weren’t in makeup. In other words, Xie Yang needed to sing for three hours.

Verden was worried about Xie Yang’s voice and suggested that he shouldn’t sing during the first two rehearsals. Xie Yang declined Verden’s suggestion with a smile and promised that nothing would happen to his voice.

Soon, the first rehearsal began.

The moment the prelude to ‘Golden Age’ played in the venue, everyone couldn’t help stopping their work to look toward the stage.

Dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, Xie Yang walked onto the stage with the microphone. He stood at the position designated by the lighting engineer, bowed his head to listen intently and raised the microphone once the prelude reached the most gorgeous part.

The mellow male voice was like the first ray of sunlight piercing the early morning fog. It gently and powerfully cut through the atmosphere created by the music, opening a dazzling scene of prosperity for all listeners.

“Wow.”

The designer who appeared first was sorting out the clothes for the models backstage but couldn’t help looking at the front with surprise. She was upset about the loss of an accessory but at this moment, she couldn’t help relaxing along with the singing.

“Fantastic music and sound.” She was surprised and looked at another designer who had a good relationship with her. “I don’t think my designs are suitable for appearing with his singing.”

It was also the first time the other designer had heard Xie Yang’s voice and he replied, “Of course not. Later, your designs can be seen in his music.”

The first designer was stunned. Then she laughed and shook her head along with Xie Yang’s singing. “You are right. I am suddenly looking forward to his adaptation that will show off designs.”

Tao Yang was standing not far from the two of them and heard their conversation. He glanced sideways at the front stage, stood there for a few seconds and turned to leave.

The first rehearsal went smoothly. There was the first show, the second show… then the fifth show came. This show belonged to Tao Yang. Xie Yang and Tao Yang met backstage. Xie Yang held his violin and prepared to play. Tao Yang spoke as he was passing by. “Your music is very good.”

Xie Yang stopped and looked at Tao Yang. “I hope your designs can match my music.”

***

Xie Yang took to the stage and stood at the designated location. The moment the countdown in his ear piece finished, he lightly stroked the bow of the violin and started playing.

The original version of ‘Rainy Night Delusions’ had a very fast rhythm, strong jumps and a warm and intense style. It gave a sense of smoothness and no restraint. It didn’t match Tao Yang’s elegant design style.

In the adaptation, Xie Yang used the rhythm dislocation method. He retained the enthusiasm and tension of ‘Rainy Night Delusions’ while slowing down the rhythm. He lifted the notes that seemed to be smashed in the original so they were high and light. Then he weaved them in with the rhythm to become light and smooth.

If the original version of ‘Rainy Night Delusions’ was a roar and catharsis of a person’s mood in a heavy, rainy night with thunder, this adapted version was the happy dance of a cloud in the process of transforming in the rain.

The first moment the violin sound was heard, the atmosphere in the venue was firmly controlled. Tao Yang listened to the violin backstage and clenched his fingers. Then he gestured to the first model. “Go out.”

The sound of the violin was like the clouds before they went away. The first drop of rain fell smoothly from the violin and the model wearing a white-grey gradient dress walked out from backstage like a raindrop falling to the earth.

Verden saw this scene and shook his head with amazement. “It can be controlled like this… perfect, Xie is more professional than I thought.”

Xie Yang had always been serious and professional in his work. He didn’t work slowly or deliberately behave badly because he was working with Tao Yang. In fact, the music he adapted perfectly blended with Tao Yang’s design style. It turned Tao Yang’s design into raindrops from the clouds. It was a gorgeous dance on a rainy night of delusions.

At the end of the song, the rain broke and the clouds disappeared. The last model returned backstage. Xie Yang put down his violin, smiled at Verden and the others in the audience and turned around to prepare for the next show.

Backstage, Tao Yang was helping a model adjust the loose belt. He saw Xie Yang returning and took the initiative to say, “Very good.”

Xie Yang glanced over and replied, “You are also very good.”

***

On the way home from rehearsals, Xie Yang opened Weibo. Not surprisingly, he saw that today’s rehearsals were on the hot list. In the photo, he and Tao Yang had a ‘very good chat’. They ‘cooperated’ with each other and ‘appreciated’ each other. They seemed to have a very good relationship.

The person who posted the set of photos also mentioned the blogger who had revealed that Tao Yang was interested in Qiu Xing and mocked: Yes? Aren’t you going to come out and explain the so-called Tao Yang has ideas about Xie Yang’s boyfriend? If Tao Yang was really interested in Qiu Xing, could Xie Yang still chat and smile with Tao Yang like this? It is really just a rumor. Be careful not to be struck by lightning when speaking nonsense.

Here it came. Creating the illusion of a good relationship for the sake of white washing.

Xie Yang switched to WeChat and sent a message to Qin Cheng.

Xie Yang: Go and release the news that Xu Chen was trying to buy Bei Cheng and my father.

Qin Cheng: Okay.

30 minutes later, Qin Cheng called him. “I didn’t release it. Xu Chen came out on his own.”

Xie Yang asked, “What do you mean?”

“My side had just made an account to release the news when Chenyao Media, the place Xu Chen holds shares in, issued an announcement. In the announcement, Chenyao Media said they recognized Xu Chen’s voice as the one making the harassing phone call to Xie Xiu and asked Xu Chen for an explanation. They finally got a confirmation and are very sad about this. After the board of directors discussed it, they decided to remove Xu Chen from his position in Chenyao Media. This announcement has become popular due to the mention of your name and the topic #Xu Chen harming Xie Yang# is rising on the hot search.”

He took the initiative to confess and was removed from his position. Was this because he was afraid he would be checked sooner or later and wanted to start first, getting rid of his relationship with the company? It was pretty fast.

Xie Yang asked again, “Did Xu Chen say anything?”

“Not before I called you.”

“Watch Xu Chen.”

Not long after, Xu Chen finally spoke out. He issued a statement through his lawyer saying that he had been paid to do this. The person who really wanted to harm Xie Yang was Feng Dian. The reason why Feng Dian was targeting Xie Yang was because they had old grievances.

This matter suddenly involved the grievances of the rich. The netizens who had been passionately insulting Xu Chen and wondering why he wanted to harm Xie Yang were shocked by this information.

Xie Yang closed Weibo and called Feng Qinglin. “Does Feng Dian know about the news on the Internet?”

“He knows but Tao Yi misled him into thinking Xu Chen’s actions were done by others in the Feng family fighting for power. Now the Feng family is about to go through a battle to seize power and Feng Dian doesn’t want to care about this at the critical moment when the Feng family needs to stay low-key and hide from Qiu Xing. Feng Dian is about to go to the hospital to find Elder Feng.”

“Isn’t Elder Feng going to die. How can he see Elder Feng?”

Feng Qinglin’s voice was cold. “It is for the rest of the Feng family and the shareholders of Fenghua. Tao Yi is currently hoping that Feng Dian will make trouble, fight and pull everyone into the water. Feng Dian is obediently doing so.”

Xie Yang was very satisfied with the development of the matter. “Wait for Feng Dian to go over. Then arrange for Bei Cheng to appear on the Internet and have him confess to his original deal with Tao Yi.”

“Okay.”

***

It was 9 o’clock in the evening. Just as most netizens accepted that Xu Chen and Feng Dian were the ones who wanted to harm Xie Yang, the disappeared Bei Cheng suddenly applied for a new account and posted a video.

In the video, Bei Cheng spoke angrily. “It isn’t Feng Dian at all. The person who wants to harm Xie Yang isn’t Feng Dian! So far, I had nothing to say. Xu Chen and the real boss behind him took the initiative to contact me. They said that as long as I made things difficult for Xie Yang on the show, they would help pay off my gambling debts and send me abroad. They also had me slander Xie Yang and Shen Yan afterwards in order to disturb the relationship between Xie Yang and Qiu Xing. I just didn’t expect Xu Chen to go back on his word. The money was given but they didn’t send me abroad at all! After the recording of the transaction was leaked, they pretended not to know me!”

The more Bei Cheng spoke, the more hateful his tone became. “They were afraid of being recorded when they talked about the deal and insisted on a face-to-face meeting. Yet the recording still came out! They treated me as a fool! I have been looking for that recording during this period and I didn’t expect to find it. Let me tell you who really wants to harm Xie Yang.”

He picked up a mobile phone, turned to a recording file inside and pressed play.

Xu Chen’s voice came from the phone. “In case you are discovered by Xie Yang, tell him that Feng Dian paid you.”

Then Bei Cheng’s voice was heard. “Feng Dian? It is the Feng family… no, no, I don’t dare. I won’t do this business. I can’t afford to go against the Feng family.”

Xu Chen tried to persuade Bei Cheng who adamantly refused to cooperate. Xu Chen probably felt helpless and finally told Bei Cheng, “Don’t be afraid… forget it, I will introduce someone to you.”

There was a long murmur and then a female voice was heard. “Hello, I am Feng Dian’s wife Tao Yi.”

At the end of the recording, Bei Cheng put down his mobile phone and sneered. “It is true that there really are a lot of quarrels between the rich. Isn’t it a good show for a wife to do bad things and then push the blame onto her husband? In the beginning, Tao Yi repeatedly told me that if I was discovered by Xie Yang, I shouldn’t mention her name or the Tao family. I should say Feng Dian did it! By the way, there is something else you should all be interested in. When Xu Cheng and I finished discussing business and were about to leave, I saw Tao Yi entering the car driven by Tao Yang. Yes, you heard me correctly. It is that designer Tao Yang who said he had no ideas regarding the Chairman of Rongding and only considered him an elder. He and Tao Yi are aunt and nephew!”

Proofreader: Paranoid Kitten