HTi: Chapter 25

During the styling, Xie Yang found that Hu Biao’s mood was a bit wrong. He avoided Xu Chenhao and the others, found Hu Biao and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Hu Biao had endured it but he couldn’t hold back anymore. “There are really more moths as the show begins. Some fans have been brainwashed by the marketing accounts and some Mo Bin fans lucky enough to get tickets are organization people to do a black out when you’re on the stage.

A black out referred to turning off the lights of all the support items when someone was performing. Support lights represented support while a black out naturally represented resistance and disapproval. A black out was a cruel thing for any artist.”

“Why don’t we try to avoid having you come on the stage alone? During your solo in the evening, I will let Tong Jian go and act as a microphone stand for you. He is very popular in the group!”

Xie Yang didn’t care. “It’s fine. I just want to sing. It doesn’t matter if there is any lighting under the stage or if the audience welcomes me or not. Don’t trouble Tong Jian.”

Hu Biao tried to be persuaded with a few words but Xie Yang couldn’t be persuaded. This caused him to scold the marketing accounts and Mo Bin for a while before he stopped mentioning it.

At 7 p.m., the backstage area of Dazhou Stadium.

Xie Yang leaned against the single person sofa with his eyes closed while Tong Jian was talking nervously next to him.

“Weibo actually gave us a live broadcast feature and the popularity of the live broadcast room has already exceeded 9 million… is our popularity so high? Are the outside seats full? Are there any large sections of empty seats?”

Hu Biao couldn’t bear it. He reached out to snatch the mobile phone from Tong Jian’s hand and said, “No more looking at your phone. The audience is full and you’re too nervous. Learn from Ke Lan and Xie Yang and adjust your state. The opening is a new song and you can’t drop the ball.”

Tong Jian took a deep breath to try and suppress his tension. However, it didn’t work and he couldn’t help running to see the situation of the front audience.

There was a crowd of people outside and a sea of rainbow lights shone.

“Sing the new song well.”

Tong Jian was startled and looked back.

Ke Lan moved his eyes away from the audience, placed a hand on Tong Jian’s shoulder and patted him gently. “We have so many audience members for our performance because of all the heat that Xie Yang earned us during this time. People outside are waiting to see us as a joke. The sunspots, marketing accounts and even fans. They scolded Xie Yang for two months. He has clearly done nothing wrong but he was scolded.”

Tong Jian calmed down in an instant.

“Sing well.”

“Yes!”

It was 7:20.

Qiu Xing, dressed in black as usual, entered the VIP area under the escort of Liu Sha, Wu Shui, He Jun and Zhou Miao. He took a seat in the center of the first row.

Qiu Xing stared at his position and then the unknown person sitting in the center with a hat and mask. His face darkened and he sneered, “The best position?” That liar Xie Yang.

7:25.

Mo Bin entered in a low-key manner, escorted by his assistants and staff. He found that Huang Mo, the representative sent by Wenyi, was sitting to his left.

Huang Mo spoke sarcastically. “Oh, the busy person has come. Why not go backstage? It is IUD’s commemorative performance. Why is the captain just sitting here?”

Mo Bin endured it and didn’t speak. After sitting down, he immediately looked at the stage. He didn’t glance at the man with a hat and mask sitting on his right side. It was the man next to him who glanced at him before retracting his gaze.

7:29.

The main stage was dark and only a few lights resembling stars flashed from the corner of the stage. The fans subconsciously quieted down and stared at the big screen on the stage.

On the Internet, the Zexing’s IUD Anniversary Performance live broadcast room. As the performance was about to start, the popularity of the live room rose and it soon exceeded 20 million. On Weibo, the rhythm of the IUD performance special topic rose quicker.

The air seemed to be strained and everyone subconsciously slowed down their breathing.

Finally, the screen on the main stage lit up and a 10 seconds countdown appeared.

Cheers erupted from the audience. The fans excitedly followed the countdown and their voices became louder and more orderly.

In the darkness of the stage, Tong Jian standing on the lift heard the countdown and took a deep breath. Then he lowered his voice and muttered, “No, I’m nervous. It has been a long time since I’ve seen the scene of 50,000 people.”

The guide from the headset reminded them to prepare.

Ke Lan told him, “There is a live broadcast today. Keep your focus.”

Tong Jian’s voice shook. “I’m even more nervous.”

Ke Lan, “……”

Xie Yang stated, “This is IUD’s last show.”

Everyone, “……”

Tong Jian calmed down for a second. “Come on, let’s finish this well!”

The countdown continued.

“Five!”

The starlight on the stage spread toward the center and became brighter.

“Four!”

Xie Yang remembered his previous life where he could only watch others perform on the stage and smiled.

“Three!”

In the VIP seat, Qiu Xing raised his hands to cover his ears. He closed his eyes and endured the discomfort caused by the high pitches.

“Two!”

Xu Chenhao’s voice was low. “Come on.”

“One—!!!”

The stage brightened and the entire group cheered.

There was a loud beast roar from the sound equipment spread through the venue. Fireworks exploded and music with a strong rhythm was heard.

At the brightest point, the four people of the new IUD appeared on stage using the lift. Tong Jian stood in the C position and faced the audience in front of him. He raised the microphone to his mouth and opened his mouth.

The powerful and high-pitched voice cut through the night sky, officially opening the curtain to the commemoration performance.

The stage heat directly burst and the fans shouted excitedly.

Qiu Xing put down the hands covering his ears and looked toward the stage. His eyes were locked on the figure behind Tong Jian.

The fireworks gradually stopped, the trembling lowered, the stage lights gradually dimmed and the music rhythm gradually slowed.

Tong Jian smiled at the camera and turned sideways.

It showed Xie Yang in the back. He was dressed in a unique black suit. His hair was neatly styled, his eyebrows were trimmed, his body was slender and tall, his temperament was cold and his expressionless face was like an unopened sharp blade.

The music became lower like a caged beast.

Xie Yang raised a hand to bring the microphone to his lips and closed his eyes.

The whispering sound was different from the overbearing and wanton sound sung by Tong Jian just now. It was like a chain winding up, trapping the domineering beast and dragging it into the darkness.

The audience instantly became quiet. The barrage of the live streaming stopped. Mo Bin’s eyes widened slightly. Qiu Xing was stunned for a moment before letting out a snort of laughter.

“My god!” Huang Mo was startled. “This tone and expressiveness… it isn’t fake?”

After a brief period of silence, the barrage area of the live broadcast room was filled with question marks and exclamation marks, just like Huang Mo’s heart. The taunting rhythm on the IUD topic on Weibo stopped and there was a funny blank space.

On the stage, Xie Yang only sang a sentence before turning away, leaving the center position to the next singer Xu Chenhao.

The song gradually entered the rhythm. After the opening of Tong Jian’s cheerful and domineering voice, it gradually became depressed and subdued from Xie Yang. The lyrics fit perfectly into the tune and spread out the emotions. Contradictions, arguments, destruction, collapse, gloom, despair and disbandment…

The fans didn’t have time to recover from Xie Yang’s amazing voice when they were strongly drawn into the emotions created by the song. They all heard it. This was IUD!

IUD’s amazing success, IUD’s brief scenery, the depression after IUD… their eyes turned red as they stared at the four people on the stage. It was like a stone was pressing on their chest and they were choking on pain.

After a round of singing, the music reached the lowest point. The lights on the stage all dimmed and sobbing could already be heard from the audience.

The moment when the music was completely quiet, a low voice was heard again. The sound was like a clear spring stirring the darkness, like the first wind blowing in the early morning and bringing the breath of spring. Starlight flashed on the stage and hope grew in the depths of despair.

The singing gradually rose, the music restarted and Tong Jian’s voice was inserted in time as the first chorus came.

The lyrics spread out again and Tong Jian’s voice floated up high. Emotions built up, the darkness faded, hope spread out and the stage became brighter. Rebirth, recovery of everything, the original intention, hard work, perseverance, expectations for the future!

All emotions burst out and Tong Jian roared freely. The road of the beast was loud and the extremely rhythmical drums pushed the music completely to the climax.

The mood of the audience was driven. They wiped away tears, squeezed out smiles and shouted to cheer them on! From here on, the song never fell from the climax. They sang about new life, hope and the future. Finally, after the hearty chorus, the sound suddenly stopped and the entire audience was quiet. There seemed to be something expanding and agitating in the air.

Tong Jian gasped and raised the microphone to his lips. He raised his arms and shouted to the audience, “This is IUD’s new song. Do you like it?!”

The audience was briefly quiet before cheering and screaming loudly. The word ‘like!’ rang all over the audience.

Xie Yang smiled as he touched his palm to the microphone and glanced toward the VIP seats. The lights of the stage were too bright and Xie Yang couldn’t really see the people at the VIP seats, but he was sure that Qiu Xing was in his line of sight.

He waved to that side. Qiu Xing smiled. His fingers on the armrest moved before he snorted coldly.

Not far from Qiu Xing, Mo Bin looked at the stage with a blank expression, covered with sweat. His mood was so chaotic that he couldn’t manage his expression. In fact, he hadn’t been able to manage his expression since Tong Jian sang the first treble.

He had no idea that IUD’s new song would be at this level and that Xie Yang actually had such a unique tone. He couldn’t help thinking that if he hadn’t left, if Xu Chenhao hadn’t come back, if it was him standing on the stage…

“Do you regret it?”

Mo Bin’s mind suddenly returned and he looked to the right where the sound came from.

The eyes of the man wearing the hat and mask were filled with the excitement of finding a treasure. He leaned close to Mo Bin and whispered, “If I was you, I would definitely regret it. Mo Bin, thank you for letting me discover such a treasure.”

Mo Bin stared at the eyes of the man exposed under the brim of the hate. After a moment, he suddenly shivered and his mind became blank.

This voice, these eyes… Long Shuyou?!