Chapter 16: The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style

At this moment, Xiao Yang entered the audience area prepared for “Celebrity Week.” No tickets were sold for the event, and the seats had originally been arranged for one hundred voting audience members, allowing them to comfortably watch the entire performance. However, due to Director Chen’s decision to condense the show’s schedule, the seats were now open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

Having arrived early, Xiao Yang secured a seat. She wouldn’t have to stand on the plaza, straining to see like the later arrivals.

Suddenly, all the stage lights flared to life. Guests began to emerge, one after another, from backstage. The collective murmur of the crowd immediately subsided, their appearance signaling the imminent start of the show.

Leading the male guests were Yang Tian and Tang Wenjie, still clad in the casual sportswear they had worn that afternoon. Close behind, Xu Li strode out with a confident air, having changed into a brown-red Tang suit and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.

Among the female guests, Feng Qiqi took the lead. She was adorned in a dark red evening gown, an outfit she had specifically requested the production team prepare for her piano performance.

At this moment, guests in a diverse array of attire gathered on the stage. Their collective presence stirred a ripple of excitement through the audience.

“Tell me, can Lin Ziyao really pull this off?” Yang Tian muttered, his heart still aflutter as he gazed at the sea of people below the stage, dressed in his casual clothes.

“We just heard the song backstage, and the dance moves Lin Ziyao taught are so simple. You couldn’t possibly forget them, could you?” Dai Wen remarked, appearing behind Feng Qiqi. She had changed into a classical dance dress, holding two large fans, and gracefully stopped at her designated spot.

“It’s about to begin.”

At that moment, the song’s prelude began to fill the stage, and Xu Li softly interrupted their conversation.

Sitting in the audience, Xiao Yang’s first reaction to the melody was one of pure joy. Her second reaction was that she had never heard it before.

Only five guests stood on stage: Qin Yu and ‘that girl,’ among others. This was clearly Qin Yu’s new song.

As a devoted fan, privileged to hear her idol’s latest track, Xiao Yang immediately pulled out her phone and began recording. Once the performance concluded, she vowed to brag endlessly to her online friends.

Despite a slight regret that she couldn’t set up her recording quickly enough to capture the entire song, Xiao Yang knew that as long as the singing hadn’t started, she was still in time.

The stage lights shifted, illuminating the left-hand aisle. Qin Yu emerged, elegant in a long gown, and began to sing in unison with the melody.

“The vast horizon is my love

Miles of green mountains, flowers are in bloom

What kind of rhythm is the most, oh, the most swaying?

What kind of song brings the most joy?”

Upon hearing it, Xiao Yang couldn’t help but murmur to herself. ‘This is Qin Yu’s new song,’ she thought. ‘Is she exploring a new style?’

As Qin Yu sang, the other guests on stage began to dance. The moves Lin Ziyao had taught them were far from difficult; anyone with a basic dance background could master them after just two rehearsals. The song’s distinct rhythm made it easy to hit the beats, and Lin Ziyao had even stressed that perfect synchronization wasn’t necessary. Consequently, the five guests on stage were now each showcasing their unique flair.

The live audience listened to Qin Yu’s singing and watched the guests’ performance, erupting into hearty laughter. Yang Tian and Tang Wenjie, in particular, who typically followed an idol-style path, saw their fans grow excited by this unexpected side of their idols.

A joyous atmosphere permeated the entire venue. A keen observer would have noticed that the audience members were already beginning to sway their bodies to the rhythm of the music.

“The winding river flows from the heavens,

To that sea of vibrant colors.

Fiery hot ballads are our anticipation,

To sing along the way is the most carefree.

If we’re to sing, we’ll sing with the greatest delight!”

Before they could even catch their breath, the second wave of impact arrived, initiated by Lin Ziyao. Clad in a light purple long dress, she emerged from the right side of the stage.

As they awaited the chorus, the two women faced each other from opposite sides of the stage, while the other guests continued their square dance in the center. This arrangement of seven performers somehow managed to create an incredibly lively atmosphere.

Her phone swayed incessantly in her hand. Suddenly, Xiao Yang realized she was unconsciously swaying along with the song’s melody.

She had completely abandoned her initial thought that the song didn’t suit Qin Yu. Only one idea remained: ‘This song is utterly infectious!’

“You are the most beautiful cloud in my sky,

Let me keep you with all my heart (keep you here).”

Had she not been wearing high heels, Lin Ziyao might have leaped with joy when she sang those three words: “keep you here.”

‘This is the very essence of the entire song!’ she thought.

“Singing softly of the most dazzling ethnic style,

Let love sweep away all the dust (I know).”

As the guests’ dance moves began to repeat on stage, Xiao Yang, seated in the audience, couldn’t help but stand up. She glanced behind her, suddenly startled to see significantly more spectators standing than before the show began.

Lights flickered on in the balconies of nearby residential buildings. Faint silhouettes could be seen, their gazes directed towards the stage. It seemed they had all been drawn in by the cheerful melody.

Qin Yu tightened her grip on the microphone. This was the crucial moment. Lin Ziyao had demonstrated this folk singing technique to her when they were backstage.

Though it was their first time performing together, the two women shared an unspoken understanding, requiring no cues whatsoever. Even Lin Ziyao, who had initially planned to assist Qin Yu during the duet, relaxed and continued singing at the original tempo.

On stage, Qin Yu flawlessly reproduced the unique folk singing style.

“I hear the moving celestial music in your heart,

Ascending to a stage beyond the clouds.”

An instrumental interlude began, almost identical to the opening melody.

However, if the entire song were performed solely by Qin Yu and Lin Ziyao, it would undoubtedly fail to fully ignite the emotions of every audience member present, even though the song was already incredibly lively.

Therefore, Lin Ziyao introduced a variable here. The guests who had been dancing in the center did not stop; instead, Lin Ziyao and Qin Yu joined them, dancing in unison.

The beginning of the B section featured the voices of all the female guests. This was Lin Ziyao’s design: to bring all the guests into a call-and-response rhythm, thereby further enhancing the atmosphere of the entire venue.

Immediately after, the male guests took over the lyrics.

On stage, the seven guests simultaneously danced and sang. Despite the sweat glistening on their faces under the bright lights, they professionally completed their work.

The entire venue’s atmosphere was successfully swept up by the cheerful melody.

Now, it was time to witness the culmination of their efforts.

“You are the most beautiful cloud in my sky,

Let me keep you with all my heart.”

For the remaining part, the guests on stage remained silent. Instead, Lin Ziyao extended the microphone in her hand towards the audience.

“Keep you here!”

The resounding chorus from the live audience echoed to the heavens, with some voices even joining from the residential buildings behind the stage. One song had successfully propelled the opening atmosphere to its peak.

It was difficult to make an audience remember an entire song, but making them remember three simple words was effortless.

Hearing their enthusiastic response, Lin Ziyao broke into a satisfied smile.

‘It’s a success!’ she thought.

[Task complete]