Grab The Heroine and Run Away Ch. 81
SGS’s solo concert came to an end amidst sadness and tears. Besides the fans being reluctant to leave, the eight girls themselves were feeling down. They sat in the car on the way back home with low spirits, feeling down as they washed up and removed their makeup. Sister Cui called them downstairs, only to be startled by the sight of the living room filled with cakes, flowers, and food.
After Sister Cui and the assistants counted the items sent over and thanked the staff and cooperating brands, she looked at the girls in their pajamas standing on the stairs in surprise. “These are all condolence gifts from colleagues from various departments of the company, fans, and partnering brands.”
Xu Heran: “Thank you…”
Her voice was hoarse beyond recognition. Sister Cui quickly had an assistant fetch water for them.
“On the way here, I ate a whole box of throat lozenges.” Xu Heran pushed aside the bouquet, creating space to sit down wearily.
The others followed suit.
“You don’t need to talk,” Xin Nuo patted Xu Heran’s head.
Xu Heran smiled and said, “Do you feel sorry for me?”
Xin Nuo frowned and glanced towards the kitchen.
Xu Heran immediately closed her mouth and leaned back a bit. She signaled Xin Nuo with her eyes and patted her leg.
Come, sit quickly.
Before Xin Nuo could fully grasp the urgency in her gaze, a sharp look swept over.
Xin Nuo instinctively turned around, her cold gaze meeting the one directed at her from Cui Qi, who had her arms crossed.
Xin Nuo: “…”
She slowly sat on the armrest. Only then did Cui Qi show a satisfied smile.
Xu Heran shrugged her shoulders, leaning in Xin Nuo’s direction. Just after her shower and hair drying, she, relying on her good looks, had casually tousled her hair left and right, letting it curl in all directions. From Cui Qi’s angle, she saw a furry head peeping out slightly from behind Xin Nuo and someone’s arm naturally wrapped around Xin Nuo’s waist.
Cui Qi: “…Sit properly.”
“Don’t be too strict.” Jiang Qiong smiled at Cui Qi. “Have some water.”
“You also stop talking.” Cui Qi interrupted, causing Jiang Qiong to forget what she had wanted to say immediately. She gestured for everyone to take a seat. “Next, let’s discuss our schedule after the concert.”
Everyone: “…”
Now, in the early morning of September 16th, less than three hours after their solo concert ended, everyone was in sorrow, and yet Sister Cui was about to talk about work!
Too terrifying!
Unbelievably dreadful!
Can’t let go day and night!
“The purpose is to have you come out to work while people still remember you. After two days, when the new group debuts, they’ll be even younger—”
Cui Qi’s gaze paused on Xu Heran’s face, “even more bea…”
She paused again.
“Cough.” Cui Qi cleared her throat amidst the suppressed laughter of the group. “Anyway, those companies out there are waiting for you to disband, waiting for you to fall from the pedestal! But we’ve come this far not relying on luck but on our talent!”
“Who’s disbanding?” Xu Heran touched her face. “I think I’ve managed to survive pretty well by relying on luck.”
“It’s just that with your reincarnation skills, you’re already quite fortunate, you know?” Jiang Qiong chimed in immediately.
Haya touched her face. “I’m not bad either.”She turned her head and looked at Lin Weining. “What about you?”
Lin Weining’s eyes were still a bit red. She raised her hand and pushed Haya’s face away. “Get lost.”
Haya chuckled lightly and pulled Lin Weining into a hug, rubbing her back.
Cui Qi’s gaze shifted from Xu Heran and Xin Nuo to Haya and Lin Weining, and she slowly frowned.
Huh?
“Lower your annoying voices a bit. My ears hurt from listening,” Cui Qi pushed her doubts aside for now, rubbing her ears. “Whether you want to hear it or not, I’ll start.”
“First, Yue Yin and Ran Ran, the two of you are going to the capital to participate in ‘Next Idol King’. It’s a program where seasoned singers team up with new singers for competition. This is the first season, and I’ve seen the list of veterans the show plans to invite. I think you two can participate. Plus, the quality of programs from the capital station is always good, and it has a good reputation.”
“Transitioning from idol singers to powerful vocalists, you need a stage for that transformation,” Cui Qi explained.
Laurel raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t they already skilled enough?”
Cui Qi sighed. “Your fans who chase after you know your talents well. For the passersby who’ve seen your performances, their impression might be that you look good and sing well. But in the vast world of Hua, there are countless people who haven’t heard of your names, don’t know your backgrounds, and still hold the notion that idols are people who can just jump around on stage based on their looks.”
“You still have a lot of room for improvement.”
Xu Heran raised a finger. “I have no objections.”
Xin Nuo leaned back, intentionally pressing against Xu Heran. She whispered, “Don’t try to change someone’s perception of you, don’t care about strangers’ misconceptions. Your explanations are just noise in their ears.”
Xu Heran raised her hand and made a thumbs-up gesture…
Cui Qi’s mouth twitched as she attempted to inject some motivational words but got rejected by Xin Nuo.
“Anyway, you must go!”
Xu Heran’s hand gesture turned into an “OK” sign.
“For Xin Nuo and Fenghua, the company is preparing to invest in a movie. I’ll send you the script later for you two to take a look and see if you’re interested.”
Xin Nuo tilted her head, her expression calm, but Song Fenghua’s eyes widened suddenly. “Me…?”
“Exactly,” Cui Qi said with a smile. “I remember you mentioned wanting to try acting, right? This movie is a self-produced project, with our own director and cast. You can give it a try to your heart’s content.”
Xu Heran patted Xin Nuo’s shoulder. “You have Nuo Nuo with you, don’t be afraid.”
“Quickly learn Nuo Nuo’s ancestral techniques so that Nuo Nuo has no food to eat.” Jian Yueyin joked.
Xin Nuo gestured with her finger towards Song Fenghua.
Song Fenghua licked her lips and nodded nervously.
Behind the couch, Xu Heran grasped Xin Nuo’s finger, her tone subtle.
“Does that mean Nuo Nuo and I will be separated?”
Cui Qi got annoyed whenever this topic came up. She coldly laughed, “It’s time to separate. I really don’t want to open my private messages and see fans asking me where the wedding venue for ‘Ping Ranxin’ is and whether they can sit at the ‘Dog Woof Woof’ table!”
Dog Woof Woof: “???”
“Xu Heran’s fans should sit at the elder’s table, right?” Jiang Qiong teased.
Cui Qi rubbed her forehead in frustration.
“Can you all just calm down!”
“SGS’s official solo debut marks your peak in girl groups, but the road ahead is a completely new beginning. Before establishing your careers, don’t even think about publicly coming out! Unless you truly want to give up everything in the entertainment industry,” Cui Qi said seriously.
Xu Heran squeezed Xin Nuo’s finger and paused. Xin Nuo’s expression remained cold while the others on the couch cast their eyes downward.
Only Jian Yueyin smiled calmly and said, “We understand, don’t worry, sis.”
Cui Qi looked at Jian Yueyin and displayed an expression that said, “You really get me.”
“So you’re sending just Nuo Nuo and me to do the show, creating a Yueran CP?” Jian Yueyin chuckled and glanced at Xin Nuo. “Can I come back in one piece?”
“At least… let your CP calm down,” Cui Qi sighed, “It’s not like someone wasn’t making a ruckus. Fortunately, Ranran still has classes. Juggling variety shows and recordings while studying, finding a balance.”
“Where’s the balance?” Xu Heran asked in shock.
“Probably in your dreams,” Jiang Qiong burst into laughter, then coughed and quickly grabbed a glass of water.
Cui Qi continued, “Apart from these four, Weining will mostly be working together with FYU. FYU’s manager will handle your schedule. Xiao Qiong, for now, you’ll have more freedom. You’re provisionally set to co-host 《Voice of the Stars》 with a male idol singer.”
Jiang Qiong nodded.
“Haya will be participating in a three-month street dance variety show, and Laurel had applied to me beforehand. The upcoming time will be focused on learning,” Cui Qi nodded, “It’s approved.”
Laurel’s expression relaxed, and she smiled happily.
“Can’t compete with Xu Pearl, at least go to college.”
“You can do it. Go for it.” Everyone encouraged Laurel.
Cui Qi clapped her hands and said with a smile, “After talking about work, let’s talk about vacation. I’m not that nosy, okay? Next up, a one-week vacation. You can plan it yourselves.”
Song Fenghua raised her eyes. “Starting tomorrow?”
“Director Liu won’t play annoying music to wake us up, will he?” Xu Heran pretended to be dead on the couch.
The expressions of the other girls immediately turned to Cui Qi.
“…He won’t,” Cui Qi said calmly in the midst of their skeptical gazes, “If I’m lying, none of you will need to work for the next year!”
The eight girls immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
After the meeting, they sat in the living room surrounded by bouquets, cakes, and gifts, eating. Cui Qi took a photo and sent it to the PR team.
So, during a sleepless night for the fans, as they scrolled through their social media feeds, the heartwarming image of the eight girls sitting together and eating amidst the sea of bouquets and gifts instantly washed away the sorrow in their hearts.
It’s so lovely that they’re still together.
After the exhausting training for the concert, the extremely fatigued girls could finally sleep in until late morning.
They had been busy for so long, suddenly having nothing to do, a strange emptiness… that wouldn’t happen.
When the door between the two connected bedrooms knocked, Xin Nuo, lying in bed and soaking in the sun, lazily said, “Come in.”
“Your order of little pearls has been delivered,” Xu Heran pushed the door open, smiling. She was wearing comfortable home clothes with an apron tied around her waist. In her hands, she held a wooden tray with a plate containing an extra-large “Xue Meiniang” pastry, white and fluffy.
“It’s a variety with extra filling that Her Majesty and I developed together, a well-stuffed ‘Xue Meiniang’,” Xu Heran walked over to the edge of Xin Nuo’s bed, pulled over the bedside table, placed the plate down, and poked Xin Nuo’s hand, “Look, do I resemble it? White and tender, Nuo Nuo said it’s nice, want a kiss and a hug?”
“The filling inside is even richer, like a small pearl. It’s delicious no matter how you taste it. I promise you’ll like it!”
Xin Nuo tilted her head, placed the thick script on her face, and pretended to be dead.
“Up above the willows at moonrise,” Xu Heran read the words from the script, “Is it the play you and Xiao Fenghua are joining?”
“Yeah,” Xin Nuo’s voice drifted through the thick script, reaching Xu Heran’s ears.
Xin Nuo waited for Xu Heran to ask the next question, but after waiting for a while, the surroundings fell silent, with only the vibrations coming from the mattress.
Xin Nuo waited for Xu Heran to ask the next question, but after waiting for a while, the surroundings fell silent, with only the vibrations coming from the mattress.
As if there was a big cat with light footsteps slowly approaching her.
But Xin Nuo knew that a big cat was impossible; there was only one mischievous little pearl!
She swiftly pulled the book to her chest, her pitch-black eyes caught off guard, meeting a pair of smiling blue eyes. That certain pearl was smiling too cunningly, and the faint lines of purple on her irises were quietly concealed.
“What are you…?” Xin Nuo whispered, her eyelashes trembling nervously.
Xu Heran’s arms propped up above her, looking down at her from a higher position.
“Want to taste a little pearl, or want to taste a little pearl?” Xu Heran leaned down, her lips only two fingers away from Xin Nuo’s, and she chuckled, “Sister, where’s my good morning kiss?”
Xin Nuo’s fingers tightly squeezed the script, her chin against the pages, her voice even lower, “It’s already noon.”
“Then how about a good afternoon kiss…”
The last words disappeared at the edge of her lips…
In the end, Xin Nuo personally tasted Xu Heran’s culinary skills, being fed by the little pearl’s hand and mouth.
Very sweet.
Xin Nuo blushed and thought.
At the end of September, Xu Heran and Jian Yueyin flew to the capital to participate in “The Next King of Songs.” The movie “Moonrise Over the Willows” was still being prepared. The movie director, a rising star who had previously filmed a Starshine Milk advertisement for them, projected the start date for October, filming this somewhat melancholic script in the midst of deep autumn.
After Xin Nuo assured Xu Heran that there were no kissing scenes or other “discrepancies” as seen by Little Pearl, Xu Heran left Hai City, half-doubtingly, while also bribing Dog Wang Wang to keep an eye on Xin Nuo, preferably accompanying her to the filming set for walks, as now, the most idle one at home was Dog Wang Wang.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiaoqiong became furious and volunteered to work, but ended up being sent on a fantasy trip again, this time becoming a wild person in the forest, deeply regretting her decision.
Xu Heran burst into laughter, sending Jiang Xiaoqiong a “666” red envelope as consolation.
“The Next King of Songs” invited a total of five veterans and five young singers, totaling ten individuals. The host was the renowned music show host Yi Meng. Before the variety show recording began, apart from Xu Heran and Jian Yueyin sitting together, the others were in their respective rooms.
Moreover, the guests were unaware of the final guest lineup decided by the production team.
Xu Heran lay on the couch with a glass on her stomach, turning her head towards Jian Yueyin, “Did you ask Sister Cui?”
Jian Yueyin followed suit and lay down, placing a glass on her stomach, “Sister Cui didn’t tell me.”
“Not skilled enough, you need to be like those classmates who are good at currying favor with the teacher and gathering lots of information by reporting to them during school hours.”
The director of the production team took the opportunity to ask, “Is Yue Yin that kind of person in the team?”
Jian Yueyin’s sharp gaze “swooshed” towards Xu Heran.
Xu Heran chuckled, “Guess.”
Before the director could inquire further, Jian Yueyin’s hand landed on Xu Heran’s ear, “Be careful, I’ll call Sister Cui.”
Xu Heran widened her eyes, smiling as she extended her hand, pointing at Jian Yueyin and smiling at the director.
See, isn’t it?
“Hmm?” Jian Yueyin took out her phone, opened the contacts, and Xu Heran’s gaze glanced upwards, immediately prompting a “cough.”
“I was wrong, I’m the one who likes to report!” Xu Heran clasped her hands together, shaking them towards Jian Yueyin with an expression that said, “Please spare me.”
“Do well.” Jian Yueyin’s smile was gentle.
“Captain, cheers.” Xu Heran clinked glasses with Jian Yueyin, both of them drinking water.
Recording the first episode involved forming teams, unlike other programs that often place more established and higher-ranking artists towards the end. “The Next King of Songs” had the veterans perform right from the start.
“Ou—”
In the backstage preparation room, Xu Heran watched as a female singer in a white dress with an angel mask lightly hummed amidst the swirling smoke and immediately burst into laughter.
“Sister Qian.”
“Teacher Lu.”
Xu Heran and Jian Yueyin exchanged smiles and high-fives.
As Lu Qian took her seat, she smiled and said, “Why is it that after singing for so many years, I still feel nervous?”
The host chuckled and asked, “This guest here, do you think anyone will recognize you?”
“I’ve done a bit of voice modulation.” Lu Qian said, “Listening, people might be able to tell, but it could be a bit difficult, and my singing style is different from others.”
“Is that so?” The host smiled without saying more.
Next on stage after Lu Qian was a male guest. He was tall, yet his voice was gentle. While listening to the song, Lu Qian clapped her hands and smiled at the host beside her, “Isn’t this too easy to guess?”
The host said with a smile, “Don’t you feel pressure?”
“Aren’t we supposed to put some pressure on the young singers? Let them know that we won’t just be easily beaten down on the beach!” Lu Qian tapped her eye mask, “I think we don’t need to pretend anymore, right?”
“Right?” She turned her head to the live audience and asked.
“Yes!”
Lu Qian immediately clapped her hands and gestured to the director.
“We should let everyone figure it out, or else these many years would have been wasted for nothing.”
Once these two guests took their seats, the host smiled and said, “Since that’s the case, we’ll change the rules. Among the five young singers backstage, if four of them guess the identities of the veteran singers, they can remove their disguises.”
“The first Angel Singer, please remove your disguise.”
Lu Qian smiled as she took off her mask and turned to wave at everyone.
“The second Butterfly Singer, please remove your disguise.”
The sentimental singer Gao Yunqi, who had been in the industry for more than a decade, stood up, a gentle smile on his face as he bowed to everyone.
“Surely there won’t be anyone guessing correctly, right?” Xu Heran sat huddled on the couch with her legs crossed, grinning playfully.
Jian Yueyin shrugged her shoulders.
A staff member whispered, “Among the four rooms, only you two seem the most relaxed. You don’t appear nervous at all.”
“Huh?” Xu Heran exclaimed in surprise, “Do we still need to be nervous?”
She quickly uncrossed her legs.
“Sorry, hahaha.”
Jian Yueyin shook her head and pushed the grapes on the table towards her, “They’re very sweet.”
Xu Heran hesitated and said, “They have seeds, though.”
“You won’t be able to eat them on stage.” Jian Yueyin whispered.
“Oh, right.” Xu Heran whispered back, both of them picking up their plates.
Staff member: “…”
You really are eating…
The third veteran singer, wearing a blueberry mask, was also a male artist who had dabbled in rock and tried different styles, Shimon. Everyone recognized him except for Xu Heran.
“I’m not very familiar with this senior singer,” Xu Heran whispered.
“He was already famous when my dad was young,” Jian Yueyin explained, “You might have heard some of his songs but didn’t know it was Shimon who sang them.”
“‘Heading South, Facing North,’ ‘Don’t Speak,’ ‘Love in Distant Seasons’…”
With each name Jian Yueyin mentioned, Xu Heran nodded.
“I remember!”
Jian Yueyin glanced at her.
Surely, you remember. After all, it’s a little pearl that landed here from a different place.
The fourth singer to take the stage, wearing a shark mask, had a powerful voice that ranged from high to low, with great tension. Backstage, applause followed his performance.
After the Shark Singer took his seat, he greeted the three who had removed their masks.
“All familiar faces.”
“Aren’t you too?”
“Have you heard about the young singers invited this time?” Lu Qian asked.
The Shark Singer hadn’t removed his mask yet and replied, “I heard that the program wanted to invite some idols, but I refused at the time. I said if they wanted to invite those so-called stars who only know how to use auto-tune and lip-sync, they shouldn’t invite me.”
“I really don’t like those so-called idols,” the Shark Singer shook his head, “They’re all just for show, they don’t have real talent.”
Lu Qian knew he was blunt. He once called out an idol who had lip-synced during a duet with him, demanding they redo the performance, and after they sang live, their pitch went haywire, and they sounded weak. This big shot stormed off the stage in anger, and even now, the fans of those idols are still cursing at him.
According to the fans, their idol was more of a dancer, and singing wasn’t their strong suit.
“You, you definitely need to watch your mouth,” Lu Qian advised in a hushed voice.
The Shark Singer shrugged, “If being cursed at by me could teach those artists who are all looks and no substance to learn the five tones, I’d do it.”
Backstage, Xu Heran, who was unaware of this singer’s entangled history with a certain idol, rubbed her chin, “I don’t know who he is.”
Jian Yueyin’s smile was gentle, “I’m not too sure either.”
Ah, okay.
A glint of excitement flashed in the accompanying director’s eyes – interesting! Is this the start of conflicts? Or is it the young against the veterans?
In the studio, upon hearing the host say that the Shark Singer hadn’t been recognized, he sulkily crossed his arms.
“I sold quite a few albums this year, didn’t I?” he complained under his breath, “Looks like I’ll have to release another one.”
The male singer next to the Shark Singer chuckled and patted his shoulder.
Finally, the fifth and also last veteran singer appeared.
She wore a long dress and a white cloud mask, looking slim but possessing a powerful voice. Her singing was melodious and clear.
Xu Heran and Jian Yueyin both stood up and applauded.
“Great!”
“As expected of our Feifei Sister!”
Xu Heran and Jian Yueyin exchanged another high-five.
Happy moments between two familiar faces!
When Ning Yunfei removed her mask, smiled, and took her seat, the only one who hadn’t been recognized after removing his mask, the sulking Shark Singer, slumped on the sofa.
With this, all five veteran singers took their seats. Next, the young singers would take the stage. After their performances, whoever identified the young singer first would have priority to choose. However, if multiple singers identified the same person, the young singer would have the right to choose who to pair up with.
“What number are we?” Xu Heran asked.
“You’re the fourth group,” the accompanying director said.
“Alright.” Xu Heran stood up. “Had too many grapes, need to use the restroom~.”
While Xu Heran went to the restroom after taking off her mic, the accompanying director whispered, “She’s really not nervous, huh?”
Jian Yueyin chuckled and pulled out a wet tissue, chiming in, “Working with so many outstanding veterans, she’s definitely nervous, but more than that, she’s excited. Just the thought of performing great songs on this stage, alongside veteran singers, I think all young singers like me would be thrilled.”
The accompanying director nodded.
But I’m just quietly asking, not interviewing or anything.
Truly a woman who used to be the captain of SGS, not a word leaks.
When Xu Heran came back feeling relaxed, she found Jian Yueyin was gone too. It turns out she went to relax as well. When the two met up, over half of the singers on stage had already performed.
The female singer’s voice was youthful, but her technique was skillful. It was evident that the production team had put a lot of effort into finding her.
“Sounds great!” Xu Heran applauded.
She kicked Jian Yueyin’s leg with her foot. “Captain, do you think she sings well, or do I sing well?”
Jian Yueyin didn’t fall into the trap and countered, “So, do you think I sing well, or does she sing well?”
Xu Heran immediately responded, “You!”
“I’m just a little pearl, yielding to your favor! You’re the best singer in my heart!” Xu Heran exaggeratedly exclaimed, giving a thumbs up.
Jian Yueyin: “…”
The female singer smiled faintly, turned her head, and said, “Oh, so you think I treat you well, or does Nuo Nuo treat you well?”
Xu Heran: “…”
“Hmm?”
Xu Heran: “…………”
“Come on, say it.”
“I think I need to use the restroom again.” Xu Heran got up with a “whoosh” under the gossipy gaze of the staff, nervously rubbing her hands.
At that moment, a program staff member knocked on the door.
“Both of you, it’s time to go on stage.”
“Alright.” Jian Yueyin stood up, coldly smiled at Xu Heran, and threw her mask into Xu Heran’s lap. “Let’s go, insincere pearl.”
“After you, fearsome captain.”
Xu Heran bent over obsequiously, inviting Jian Yueyin to go first. As Jian Yueyin took a step, Xu Heran turned and said to the staff, “Cut the part that just happened now out, thanks!”
The accompanying director nodded with a smile.
But what he said wouldn’t count, right?
While the staff cleaned up the previous stage scene, the performers who had already performed were chatting backstage.
“Wasn’t the first girl who performed Kong Yiyi?” Lü Qianyi asked. “She’s been in the industry for three years, only twenty-three years old, so young, yet she can sing so well.”
“I thought the third guy sounded like An Yi. Have you seen ‘Crossing the River’? The male singer who sang the insert song in there,” the shark-masked singer asked.
Others shook their heads one after another.
‘Crossing the River’? What’s that?
The five veteran singers were sorting out information while the three young singers sat reservedly beside them. At this moment, the stage darkened.
“They’re coming,” Ning Yunfei said.
All eight people in the audience immediately looked up at the stage.
“Bang!”
A beam of light illuminated, a person wearing a horse headgear and a long coat swiftly turned around, tossing the coat aside.
The mentors, audience, and hosts in the audience all widened their eyes in unison.
A real horse head, indeed.
The horse-headed figure in front wasn’t very clear, raising a hand to touch the horse’s head and moving it down, appearing as if they were a gallant, dashing, and handsome horse.
The shark-masked singer couldn’t resist touching his forehead, “What’s this all about?”
“Bang!”
Another beam of light descended, illuminating a head of bright green hair and a girl wearing a grass headgear. She was much shorter than the girl next to her. The two of them raised their hands in opposite directions, making a handsome yet comically silly gesture due to the headgear.
“Music.” The horse-headed figure snapped their fingers.
Due to the presence of voice changers, the mentors couldn’t distinguish the gender of the performer, only feeling that the person with the horse head was tall, and with the horse headgear, even taller. But when the music started, the expressions of everyone who had been initially surprised turned into horror.
In the midst of the music that often played in various plazas, the two people on stage unexpectedly started to dance, not to mention they were pretty on beat.
“Yo yo!”
“Come on, baby, go!”
“Yo yo!”
With a suave step, the horse-headed figure began to rap. The moment the voice came out, everyone suddenly realized it was a girl.
Her clean and pure voice, holding a cool demeanor, danced and sang to the beat. The furrowed brows of the mentors in the audience slightly relaxed, and they couldn’t help but shake along.
“Yo yo!”
The bright and pure voice of the grass-headed figure resonated as she swayed her body. After finishing one section of the song, she immediately took up the rap while the horse-headed figure began to sing.
“Upon your heart! Fly freely!①” The horse’s head lifted high, nearly tossing away, but a hand held it in place just in time.
Beside her, the grass-headed figure couldn’t be seen, but she sang in harmony, “Eternal wandering in the brilliant starlight!①”
“The direction all the way shines upon my heart
The distant border follows me to the horizon.①”
The resounding voices of the two people echoed in the studio. The veteran singer Shi Meng enthusiastically applauded, “Not bad, very clean, the voice, technique, and emotion are all on point, very good!”
“I think they can sing rock.” He half-jokingly and half-seriously remarked.
“The microphone distance…” The shark-masked singer sat up a bit straighter. “Their skills are good, but are they serious?”
“Singing seriously, making fun seriously,” Lü Qianyi said with a smile.
Ning Yunfei immediately asked, “Is singing this song not acceptable? Do you have any opinions about this song? What’s wrong with this song?”
She asked three questions in a row, causing the shark-masked singer to slump his shoulders immediately.
“No, it’s good.”
On stage, after their performance ended, the two instinctively raised their hands to give each other a high-five. However, due to the lack of visibility, the horse’s head smacked against the grass head, and the latter ended up clapping into thin air.
Jian Yueyin grabbed the hand that had accidentally slapped her head crooked and forcefully pushed it away.
“Thank you both for the wonderful performance,” the host hurriedly came on stage to prevent the impending “war” and asked, “Why did you choose this song?”
The horse head, Xu Heran, raised the microphone, “Because we thought this song was really good—widely known, catchy, with excellent word of mouth and praise from all corners, passed down from mouth to mouth!”
The host chuckled, “I’m really at a loss for words. You’re certainly eloquent.”
“You’re praising me so much that I’m getting dry mouth.” Xu Heran raised her hand to wipe the mouth of the horse’s head.
The audience burst into laughter.
Down below, Lü Qianyi raised the microphone to speak, “Then I’ll sing your praises nonstop!”
Xu Heran gave a thumbs-up to Lu Qianyi in gratitude.
“Oh? Qianyi seems quite excited. Did you recognize these two?” the host asked with a smile.
“That’s someone I’m incredibly familiar with.” Lu Qianyi shook her head, then turned to Ning Yunfei and asked, “Feifei, don’t you think so?”
Jian Yueyin laughed and said, “Then, please keep your lips sealed.”
“I can’t do it, I can’t keep it in! I’m blurting it out!” Ning Yunfei stood up, pointed at the horse head, and laughed, “Xu Heran, what kind of getup is this!”
In the audience, amid the “wow” sounds, the senior singers widened their eyes in confusion.
“You made Yueyin wear a green hat?”
Xu Heran took off the horse head with a “shua”, revealing a face flushed with sweat, and a pair of blue-purple eyes that shone like gemstones, instantly lighting up the entire stage.
“Wow—”
“Ah, it’s Xu Heran!”
In the audience, amidst cheers, Shi Meng turned to the shark-masked singer beside him and asked, “Is she quite famous?”
The shark-masked singer suddenly understood why he couldn’t take off his mask. He cleared his throat and said, “She’s from a girl group that debuted two years ago. She sings quite well and writes good lyrics. She recently announced her solo debut.”
Shi Meng nodded with partial understanding.
“You can’t say things like that recklessly! What do you mean by me ‘making her wear a green hat!’” Xu Heran stepped back in horror, distancing herself from Jian Yueyin.
Beside her, Jian Yueyin took off the grass headgear and smiled, saying, “Some people have even dyed their hair green, but they absolutely refuse to wear a green headgear.”
“But that’s not allowed,” Xu Heran said with a chuckle.
Yes. Can I wear it or not?
Jian Yueyin wasn’t upset. She shook her head.
“The reason we chose this song is, on one hand, because we’re relatively new in the industry. We hope to leave a deep impression in the hearts of all the teachers, senior singers, and the audience watching both live and on television,” Jian Yueyin raised the microphone and said, “But the more important reason is that the two senior teachers who performed this song are immensely talented singers. We hope to become equally outstanding artists and showcase our abilities through the high-pitched parts of this song.”
Shark-masked singer below commented, “A song isn’t considered good just because you can hit high notes.”
Jian Yueyin smiled and said, “Then in the future, I’ll strive to have Teacher Shark discover our other aspects.”
Ning Yunfei applauded with a smile.
Once the two of them sat down, Jian Yueyin breathed a sigh of relief.
“It’s all your crazy idea,” she whispered.
“How great it was, was it not?” Xu Heran said proudly.
Next up was the selection process.
The shark-masked singer, who hadn’t taken off his headgear, was the first to be eliminated. Lü Qianyi and Ning Yunfei wildly flirted with Xu Heran and Jian Yueyin, even trying to sow discord between the two.
“Oh, now that we’re split into teams, we’re no longer friends but opponents. We have to compete on the same stage.”
“A fierce competition!”
“Come with Sister Feifei. Since we’re already familiar with each other, Sister Feifei won’t make things difficult for you!”
The two of them started playing the emotional card.
The host chuckled and said, “It seems like both of you really favor the Ma-Cao Duo.”
At this moment, the eldest senior singer, Shi Meng, raised his hand and asked Xu Heran, “Do you like rock music? I have a band. Want to join in?”
Xu Heran’s eyes brightened, “We also have a band!”
“Give it a try, do something different,” Shi Meng invited Xu Heran.
Xu Heran looked hesitantly at Lü Qianyi and Ning Yunfei. Choosing either of them now wasn’t ideal, so she stood up, shook hands with Shi Meng, and said, “I really like your song ‘Going South, Going North’.”
Lü Qianyi and Ning Yunfei corrected in unison, “It’s ‘Heading South, Heading North’.”
Xu Heran wasn’t embarrassed; she flashed an innocent, bright smile and took grapes out of her pocket, offering them to Shi Meng.
The people around: “???”
The nearly sixty-year-old Shi Meng laughed heartily, “Close enough. I’ll change its name tomorrow.”
Finally, Lü Qianyi chose Kong Yiyi, Ning Yunfei chose An Yi, Gao Yunqi chose Lu Changming, who was the second to last to perform, and Jian Yueyin smiled faintly, “I’m really happy to have the chance to work with Teacher Ye.”
Yè Qianxin, the music producer who finally removed her headgear and owned her own music company, sighed in her heart.
As expected, they did it on purpose.
The first episode of “Next King of Songs” ended smoothly. Xu Heran and Jian Yueyin packed their things and prepared to return to the hotel. Just as they left, their manager and assistants surrounded them.
“Hurry, the reporters are waiting for you.”
“Huh?” Xu Heran and Jian Yueyin exchanged glances. After getting into the nanny car, before they even left the city, entertainment reporters swarmed around them.
“Teacher Xu, Teacher Jian, what do you think about Season’s Best Actress coming out and announcing her marriage to a woman?”
“SGS just went solo. Season’s Best Actress announced her same-sex marriage. How does this affect you?”
“Xu Heran, do you like Xin Nuo because of Ji Songyu’s influence? Do all the artists in your company prefer same-sex relationships?”
Xu Heran: “…”
“?”
“Did Sister Tea come out publicly?” she asked excitedly.
The nanny car pulled away with difficulty. The manager contacted Cui Qi and said, “Yes, Songyu and her girlfriend registered their marriage abroad and were photographed. After contacting the company, they directly made it public and even posted their marriage certificate online.”
“The hotel we originally booked can’t be used now. It’s all reporters. We’ll find another place to stay.”
Xu Heran nodded. At this moment, she received a text message on her phone from Ji Songyu that read, “Come here.”
Xu Heran quickly informed the manager, and everyone changed their route to arrive at a quiet and highly confidential villa complex.
Ji Songyu, the reigning queen of Universal Entertainment, who had just come out publicly and swiftly followed it up with her marriage certificate, was in pajamas and slippers. She held her phone, engaged in a call with someone.
When Xu Heran got out of the car, Ji Songyu quickly ended the call, sighed, and said, “Sorry to trouble you all.”
“It’s no big deal,” Xu Heran waved her hand, “Sister Tea, congratulations on your wedding~”
Ji Songyu’s lips involuntarily curved upwards. She intentionally put on an expression of “it’s not a big deal” and playfully started shaking her leg.
“Oh my, I originally wasn’t in such a hurry, but someone seemed impatient.”
“Yes, I was in a hurry.” Behind Ji Songyu, a woman’s languid voice laughed. She pulled Ji Songyu aside and smiled at Xu Heran and Jian Yueyin, “From now on, when you come to Beijing to record shows, stay at our place. Come in.”
“Sure.” Xu Heran quickly introduced Jian Yueyin, “This is our Sister Rong.”
“Hello, Sister Rong,” Jian Yueyin smiled.
A few people entered the house. The room was cozy and filled with a homely atmosphere. After looking around the room, Xu Heran couldn’t resist taking out her phone.
A minute ago, Xin Nuo sent a message.
“Stay safe, be cautious of reporters, watch your language!”
“Tiny Pearl heart.”
Xu Heran curled her lips.
“Nuo Nuo, Sister Tea just got married, so envious.”
“But some people still don’t want to be my girlfriend.”
“I believe that responsibility is a wonderful virtue that humans should possess! As the most kind and beautiful princess in this world, when do you plan to take responsibility for this little pearl of mine?”
Author’s Note:
① “Free Flying” by Phoenix Legend
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Sinensis
Proofreader: Ruu
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