Chapter 127: Taking the Stage

Night fell quietly, and the gala began.

The performance venue was decorated with extraordinary extravagance. The area surrounding the stage was packed with spectators, primarily employees from various companies, along with partners from the past year.

The first to appear were the two hosts, a man and a woman. The man looked to be in his forties, though his youthful appearance made it hard to tell. He wore a crisp, tailored suit, and his short hair gave him a spirited look. Having been a host for nearly twenty years, he possessed a wealth of experience, and his programs were beloved by both the young and the old.

The female host was much younger, barely in her early twenties. She was beautiful and possessed a graceful figure, representing the new wave of rising talent over the past two years. Facing the vast audience, the two hosts greeted the crowd with bright smiles.

As the first singer stepped onto the stage, the gala finally kicked off.

Performance after performance ignited the atmosphere. Among the singers were second and third-tier stars, top-tier celebrities, and newcomers who had just debuted but already commanded significant popularity. No matter who they were, every appearance triggered waves of screams.

Time passed quickly. Before anyone realized it, more than half the show had elapsed, with less than an hour left until the end.

Backstage, Lin Chuan repeatedly cautioned Chu Fei; he was truly worried. The guy was just too emotional. If he cried while singing, that would be one thing, but if he were to break down sobbing, drop the microphone, and sit on the stage refusing to continue, it would be a major disaster. After all, this was a live broadcast, watched by so many people.

"Promise me you won't cry, okay?" Lin Chuan said for the umpteenth time.

"Brother Chuan, you've said that so many times already. I’ve got it—I absolutely won’t cry. Don’t worry," Chu Fei said, acting carefree.

"Sigh, I really regret telling you that story in the first place..." Lin Chuan shook his head in frustration.

Just then, there was a knock at the door, and a staff member entered, saying politely, "Brother Chuan, it will be your turn to go on stage soon."

"Understood, thank you," Lin Chuan nodded politely.

The three of them stopped talking. After taking a few deep breaths to compose themselves, they left the room and walked toward the stage.

Meanwhile, in the audience, Gao Mingyuan sat near the stage. To his left was Gao Meng, and to his right was Zhang Xiaoqiao. The three of them wore expressions that couldn't have been more different.

Uncle Gao was very worried. After all, the rehearsal time had been too short. Even with Lin Chuan’s talent, it was difficult to achieve perfect chemistry in such a brief period. If any mistake were to occur... this was a live broadcast, after all.

In contrast, Gao Meng was completely different. From the moment she sat down, she had been eagerly anticipating the appearance of "Power Boys"—or more accurately, she was waiting for Xia Tian. Her commitment to celebrity crushes was anything but firm; she had initially been obsessed with Fang Hao, but ever since Xia Tian appeared, her attitude had done a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. If you asked her now if she still liked Fang Hao, she would surely ask with a blank expression, "Who is Fang Hao?" They say women are fickle, and Gao Meng was the living embodiment of that saying.

Zhang Xiaoqiao was feeling quite gloomy, especially regarding the fact that Power Boys were performing with Lin Chuan. She was envious, jealous, and even felt a hint of resentment.

At that moment, the two hosts returned to the stage to provide some narration based on the first snow that had fallen a few days prior.

Immediately following, the music began. A white mist rose on the stage, and then, pieces resembling snowflakes drifted down softly.

"Ice and snow glide through the silent night, freezing the smiling angel. I long for love, yet you closed your eyes. Slowly holding on tight, warming the cold palms, the past of the frozen first snow..."

As the singing began, the figure of a boy emerged slowly from the mist. He was tall, handsome, and his voice was filled with a sunny warmth that made everyone feel at ease. Most of the audience didn't recognize him—some hadn't even seen him before—but the singing was quite good, so everyone sat quietly in their seats, listening intently.

Gao Mingyuan, however, was different. He recognized him as Xia Tian, from the Power Boys group—an artist the company had recently signed who had never even performed on stage before. His heart instantly leapt into his throat.

Beside him, Gao Meng was in a state of fanatical excitement. She had produced a glow stick from somewhere and was waving it back and forth above her head incessantly.

The next moment, another voice joined in, and another man appeared on stage. He was also handsome, but his looks were different from Xia Tian’s; he appeared more mature. He sported a light stubble that didn't look unkempt, but rather very natural. As he stood in the center of the stage, a powerful aura radiated from him, causing the entire audience to shout a single name in unison: "Lin Chuan!"

The two appeared on stage one after the other, yet the impact they brought was vastly different. This was hardly surprising, as Lin Chuan had debuted earlier than the Power Boys, and his voice and talent had already conquered many on the stage of *Becoming Famous in One Song*. It was no wonder the reaction was so intense.

Before the cheering had even died down, the third boy appeared. He walked and sang, his whole body seemingly in motion—or rather, shaking.

"When snowflakes fall one by one on the you who disappeared into memory, closing my eyes, I can still see the beauty of your smile. I picked fresh flowers for you, letting their juice stain my nails; I wanted to taste the food you cooked for me, I wanted to paint for you... The scattered dandelions, I made a wish for time to stop, not letting it heartlessly and cruelly wither the flower of life, telling me not to be afraid, but God ultimately couldn't let you stay, too late for me to fulfill the promises I made to you..."

Fortunately, Chu Fei handled the rap section naturally, and the incident Lin Chuan feared did not occur. However, it was too early to relax, as a large portion of this song, *First Snow*, was composed of rap.

Time ticked away, and the stage lights gradually dimmed. The moment the final note faded, the entire stage was enveloped in darkness.

*Clap!*

Thunderous applause erupted. Everyone stood up excitedly to applaud Lin Chuan and the Power Boys. The song was fantastic, the lyrics were heartbreakingly beautiful, and combined with the artificial snowflakes, it felt like a real scene. When the song ended, some people found themselves inexplicably crying; they didn't know why, but they were in tears.

The darkness on stage lasted for a dozen seconds. Suddenly, music blared, startling most of the people present.

Shouldn't the hosts come back on stage to chatter for a bit before the next singer appears? What was going on?

Just as everyone was bewildered yet intrigued, the melody of a very familiar song rang out, causing them all to perk up.

"If those two words hadn't trembled, I wouldn't have realized I was in pain. How can I say it? It’s nothing more than a breakup. If there are no demands for tomorrow, holding hands is just like traveling. Among thousands of doorways, someone has to be the first to walk away..."