Chapter 86 – Concert – October 1st

Heng proposed to me.

We did—

Shen Fubai’s concert was scheduled for October 30th at the Bird’s Nest Stadium.

It actually takes a lot of courage for a celebrity to hold a concert at the Bird’s Nest. The stadium can accommodate eighty thousand people, and with temporary seating, that number swells to ninety-one thousand. If one doesn’t have an accurate assessment of their popularity and recklessly holds a concert there, the embarrassment would be palpable when the crowd isn’t large enough, leaving vast expanses of empty seats.

There’s no shortage of self-proclaimed pop idols who’ve tried their luck here, only to sell few tickets and become a laughingstock.

Shen Fubai didn’t have such concerns. His concerts were always sold out, even at the Bird’s Nest. All ninety-one thousand tickets were snatched up within ten seconds of going on sale, and scalpers could resell them at ten times the price. A 100% attendance rate was proof of his popularity.

On the day of the concert, Shen Fubai was getting his makeup done backstage, while Jiang Heng arrived personally to support him.

“Nervous?” Jiang Heng asked Shen Fubai, seated before the makeup mirror.

Shen Fubai looked up, his face garishly painted for the stage, yet his good looks couldn’t be obscured. “Not nervous. It’s not my first concert.”

“This time is different,” Jiang Heng said. “It’s the last one.”

The significance was different.

“Don’t worry. My teacher praised me, saying I’ve improved rapidly and sing well,” Shen Fubai was confident.

Jiang Heng couldn’t help but be curious. Shen Fubai’s singing had initially been unbearable, and he spent a long time practicing scales alone, tormenting everyone with his discordant sounds. Jiang Heng had several sleepless nights, hearing Shen Fubai’s voice as if it was singing, suspecting he might be hallucinating.

As a result, Shen Fubai stopped practicing when Jiang Heng was around.

So Jiang Heng wasn’t aware of how far Shen Fubai had progressed, or what lyrics he had written.

But Shen Fubai had indeed been working hard. With any skill, no matter how little talent one has, diligent practice should yield results.

One may not reach the top, but at least they should meet the minimum standard.

The concert was scheduled to start at 7 PM and end at 9 PM, lasting two hours. It was now half past six, leaving half an hour for preparations.

The makeup artist finished Shen Fubai’s makeup, and a man in a flamboyant purple suit walked in, his eyes widening upon seeing Shen Fubai. “Wow, your outfit—gorgeous.”

The appearance-focused Ye Lin showered compliments.

Ye Ziran and Xiao Ye peeked from behind Ye Lin, both exclaiming in unison, “So beautiful!”

Ye Lin was Jiang Heng’s good buddy, and Shen Fubai was Jiang Heng’s lover. Since Jiang Heng was supporting his partner, Ye Lin insisted on tagging along to join the fun, dragging his younger brother with him. Ye Ziran recently got along well with Xiao Ye, so he invited him too.

Of course, these few contributed the ticket prices. Jiang Heng got in for free. Shen Fubai was unaware of Ye Lin’s presence, and Jiang Heng maintained that even brothers must settle accounts clearly.

Everyone who came had obediently bought their tickets.

Xiao Ye, who was somewhat shy, forgot his unease upon seeing Shen Fubai, his expression one of awe. Ye Ziran was much more lively, asking bluntly, “Brother Shen, are you holding a concert or filming a period drama? Why are you wearing period clothes?”

Shen Fubai corrected him, “This is Han clothing. I’m going to dance tonight. How did you guys come here?”

Ye Lin explained, “We heard this is your last concert, so the boys came to support you.”

After this concert, “Pear Blossoms” would air. Once the show was released, people’s perception of Shen Fubai as a mere pretty face would significantly change. That would be the time for Shen Fubai to announce his transformation, leaving Sheng Entertainment to join Jiang Heng’s studio.

So this was indeed the last concert.

However, this news was still a secret, and the fans didn’t know that this concert was actually a farewell performance.

Jiang Heng directly ushered them out. “Now that you’re here, go sit in your seats. Unrelated personnel shouldn’t be backstage.”

Ye Lin protested, “Aren’t you also unrelated personnel?”

Jiang Heng flashed his engagement ring, leaning close to whisper to Ye Lin, “Sorry, I’m his fiancé.”

Ye Lin, fed another mouthful of dog food, responded with a speechless “…”

He grabbed Ye Ziran and Xiao Ye by the arm, “Let’s go!” He didn’t want to stay here to eat dog food.

Shen Fubai watched their retreating figures, smiling as he refocused his gaze. “Is Ranran here?”

“She’s here. I saw her in the seats just now,” Jiang Heng said. “She’s with her parents and Li Ruowei.”

Wang Xiaoran’s lifelong dream was to attend one of Shen Fubai’s concerts. Shen Fubai fulfilled her dream, even giving her several tickets.

The tickets personally handed out by Shen Fubai naturally had prime seats. They arrived early, which is why Jiang Heng could see them.

“Hmm.” There were only ten minutes left before the concert began.

Shen Fubai felt a belated sense of nervousness.

He had held too many concerts, but this one was different from all the others. He took it seriously.

He used to adopt a careless attitude, treating everything as a formality. Reflecting on it now, he realized it was inappropriate, almost disrespectful to his fans’ ticket prices. Even though Li Man often said they would buy tickets just for his face.

Then tonight, let there be a splendid finale.

Fight a brilliant battle—

October 30th, 6:59 PM.

The Bird’s Nest had turned into a sea of white. Fans wildly waved their white glow sticks, their mouths chanting Shen Fubai’s name. Some held signs with Shen Fubai’s name, while others unfurled large banners reading, “Nine Nines Last Long, Fubai Cheers.”

Shen Fubai hadn’t appeared yet, but the atmosphere was already electric.

White was Shen Fubai’s support color, and cheers were his support phrase.

Wang Xiaoran sat in the front row, eagerly awaiting Shen Fubai’s appearance. The venue was incredibly noisy; even speaking to someone next to her required shouting. Mother Wang leaned down to speak loudly into Wang Xiaoran’s ear, “Are you feeling uncomfortable?”

It was too loud here. Wang Xiaoran needed peace and quiet for her health, and Mother Wang worried she wouldn’t be able to withstand the noise.

Wang Xiaoran immediately shook her head. She had been quiet for too long, and this clamor filled her with anticipation and excitement.

Li Ruowei was similarly excited, waving her white glow stick incessantly. Her screams were weak, and she was too overwhelmed to speak.

7 PM.

The lights in the Bird’s Nest suddenly dimmed, with only a single beam shining on the stage.

Music started.

A deep, melodious sound of a guqin reverberated throughout the venue, momentarily hushing the crowd, who held their breath, fixated on the stage.

Unlike previous appearances where he slowly ascended from a lift, Shen Fubai’s entrance this time was uniquely special.

He emerged with a front flip.

In classical dance terminology, this move was called the “Cloud Front Bridge,” where the performer does a somersault without touching the ground with their hands, requiring high technical skill. Ordinary dancers might manage a handstand flip, but not everyone could perform a front flip.

Most importantly—the ethereal and graceful figure suspended mid-air, displaying excellent expressiveness.

Almost instantly, it evoked memories of the youth who once stunned the world with his dance.

This stunning entrance left the audience momentarily stunned, a strange silence falling over the crowd.

Shen Fubai hadn’t performed a classical dance in front of people for five years.

During those five years, he hadn’t executed a single technically demanding dance move. Most of the time, he simply posed, completely disengaged. He didn’t even do the pelvic thrusts, flying kisses, or winks that other idols did.

Rumors had long circulated that Shen Fubai could no longer dance due to injury, causing his fans considerable concern. Later, they resigned themselves to admiring his looks.

But the scene before their eyes shattered those rumors!

Following the brief silence, the atmosphere ignited.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

“Fubai! Fubai! Fubai! Fubai! Fubai look at me!!!”

“Fubai cheers!!!!!!!”

“…”

The screams of the audience drowned out the music, but the guqin notes continued to resonate, interspersed with bamboo flute and drum beats.

The handsome young man stood tall on the stage, dressed in a crossed-collar light white shirt, paired with trousers in an ink gradient. He wore a wide-sleeved robe over it, adorned with a painting of a mountain river, with embroidered cranes scattered among the scenery, flying through the mountains and rivers.

Ethereal like a fallen immortal, beautiful like a flower demon.

As the music changed, the dancer’s body moved freely, executing various actions.

Serial flips followed by a split leg bounce, continuous side hand front flips, sea exploration flips, double flying swallow splits, backward kicks to the crown of the purple jujube…

The two-minute opening dance was more like a dazzling display of skills, combining various challenging moves seamlessly through perfect choreography, showcasing the body’s explosive power and flexibility. It was truly a visual feast.

It perfectly overlapped with the glimpse of the youth who captivated everyone on “Rising Star” six years ago.

Many fans who had followed him for six years, watching this scene, couldn’t help but tear up.

They had waited too long for this moment!

Their idol wasn’t just a pretty face; he was so outstanding!!!

As the final note of the guqin fell, the young man spun, his sleeves sweeping through the air in a beautiful arc, ending in a fisherman’s pose on the ground.

Then he rose, the large screen showing his face, neither flushed nor panting, his eyes charming and confident.

He said, “Cups, cheers.”

Onstage, he was the center of attention. He was naturally dazzling.

The screams below were continuous, almost reaching a pitch of hysteria.

“Fubai cheers!!!”

Wang Xiaoran and Li Ruowei, sitting amidst the crowd, cupped their mouths to amplify their voices, “Fubai cheers!!!”

Unfortunately, their voices were too small and were drowned out by the crowd.

Suddenly, a girl nearby screamed at the top of her lungs, “Fubai cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers, cheers!!! Fubai, you’re the best!!!!!!”

Her scream was heart-wrenching, piercing through the chaotic noise, drawing the attention of the surrounding people.

Wang Xiaoran and Li Ruowei curiously looked over. It was a girl with a beautiful profile, who looked almost like a star herself.

She held a massive bouquet, seemingly intending to give it to Shen Fubai later. Notably… the bouquet didn’t contain flowers, but small white bears.

Shen Fubai loved sleeping with a white bear in his arms, which wasn’t a secret. The bear, named Heng Heng, had appeared in photos he posted. Although no one knew the bear’s name, that didn’t stop them from adopting the white bear as Shen Fubai’s mascot.

Sending white bear plushies wasn’t uncommon… What was surprising was that the bear’s eyes were embedded with gemstones, and its neck was adorned with diamonds that glittered in the darkness. They looked real!

Was this how rich girls chased stars? Too extravagant.

Xie Weiluo held the bouquet of white bears, screaming until she lost her voice.

Xie Chian furrowed his brows fiercely. Being closest to her, he received the strongest noise, his eardrums nearly pierced.

“Be careful with your voice,” Xie Chian warned.

This seemingly caring remark carried the underlying message, “Just shut up.”

If not for worrying about Xie Weiluo being unfamiliar with her surroundings when traveling alone, and considering his past interactions with Shen Fubai, Xie Chian would never have flown from Shanghai to Beijing to attend a celebrity’s concert.

“Brother, don’t bother me right now. Just shout ‘Fubai cheers,’ that’s all. It’s the support phrase!” Xie Weiluo exclaimed excitedly. “Come on, shout with me!!!”

Xie Chian stated emotionlessly, “…Cheers.”

Ye Lin, taking advantage of the noise that masked his voice, shouted, “Brother, you’re awesome!!!”

Ye Ziran and Xiao Ye also waved their white glow sticks, “Brother Shen, cheers!!!”

Jiang Heng hid in the corner, watching the fans cheering for Shen Fubai, a proud gleam in his eyes.

Fubai should be like this.

Standing under the spotlight.

Receiving everyone’s attention.

Jiang Heng didn’t shout, silently saying “cheers” in his heart.

The aftertaste of this cup of wine was strong, intoxicating upon contact, never waking up for life.

He savored it, drinking it to the dregs.