Chapter 85: Become the Light of the Sun, Become Your Own King

Qiu Qiwen was very happy to see Jin Li.

"You've hidden it so well. Actually, I wanted to ask you while we were filming on set, but I thought it wouldn't be such a coincidence, and you didn't let slip a single word."

Jin Li smiled, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons, looking innocent and sweet.

"Sister Qiu, it's not my fault; the production team required confidentiality~"

Meanwhile, Lian Baozhi's expression grew somewhat heavy the moment she saw Jin Li.

As soon as Jin Li looked over, she quickly switched to a smiling face.

"Long time no see, Jin Li."

Jin Li nodded at her. "Long time no see."

Their acquaintance was limited to a brief greeting; achieving the kind of warm chatter shared with Qiu Qiwen was utterly impossible.

Given Lian Baozhi's past style, Jin Li had expected her to make a few sarcastic, barbed remarks.

Unexpectedly, she merely offered a greeting before turning and leaving.

Not only Jin Li, but even Qiu Qiwen hadn't anticipated this scene.

Qiu Qiwen stared at Lian Baozhi's retreating back, a flicker of confusion crossing her eyes as she asked in return, "Has she changed her nature?"

Jin Li silently looked at her. "You recorded so many episodes with her, while I left halfway through; surely I should be the one asking you this question."

Qiu Qiwen recalled carefully, then shook her head. "I'm truly not very clear. She seems to have been quite well-behaved and honest in the recent episodes."

"The impression of her that stands out most to me is still from those earlier episodes when she clashed with you."

Jin Li: ...

So it turned out that everyone knew about her conflict with Qiu Qiwen; she was the only one who thought she had concealed it well.

The exchanges with everyone lasted only a short while.

Soon, the area was cleared, and Jin Li and Xi Mengze began their intensive rehearsals with gongs and drums.

It had to be said, the production team of "PICK~Next Diva" was truly adept at keeping secrets; neither Jin Li nor Qiu Qiwen had expected their identities to remain hidden for so long—

They were kept hidden until the very day of the live broadcast, only stepping onto the stage for rehearsal then.

It seemed that after several previous leaks, the confidentiality measures for "PICK~Next Diva" had been upgraded by several levels.

Although they had never rehearsed on this stage before, the production team's contact with the two of them had not been loose.

In recent days, while practicing in the Chenxi Entertainment dance studio, they had video-called the on-site director from the production team, communicating with the lighting technicians and stage design instructors to remotely refine the performance stage.

So although they hadn't arrived physically, their communication with the production team had never been interrupted.

Although they hadn't formally stood on the stage for rehearsal, they had already pre-run the performance several times in the dance studio.

Moreover, "PICK~Next Diva" had employed some technology to composite their dance videos with the live stage lighting and scenery, sending the results for the two of them to view.

Therefore, Jin Li and Xi Mengze already had a clear plan in mind; this rehearsal was merely a pre-run of the stage effects they had previously agreed upon.

After only two rehearsals, both felt their condition had fully peaked.

They went to check the footage in the director's lens; it was exactly identical to the computer-composited effects they had seen earlier.

Xi Mengze turned to look at Jin Li, her eyes asking a question: "One more rehearsal, is that okay?"

Jin Li gave her an OK sign. "Let's go!"

Thus, the two proceeded with their final, third rehearsal.

Her and Mengmeng's stage appearance was second to last; after the rehearsal concluded, there would still be a long break, giving her ample time to recover her energy during that period.

So even though this duo dance was highly difficult and consumed great physical strength, Jin Li could still handle it.

She thought to herself: At worst, as soon as I return to the backstage resting area, I'll immediately start solving problems.

On the other side, back in the resting room, Lian Baozhi fell into deep contemplation.

She had never guessed that Jin Li and Xi Mengze would be the final mystery guests for the formation night.

But upon careful reflection, she found it reasonable.

After all, the relationship within the Pink Girl Group was evident; during the early recording of the program, Ji Qinglian had taken extra care of Jin Li, showing none of the "discord among members and cold relations" claimed by the media.

Lian Baozhi frowned; she had experienced the power of Jin Li stealing spotlight and attention.

If Jin Li weren't present, she was confident she could gain sufficient attention, but now, she needed to devise a new plan.

What exactly should she do?

"Sister Baozhi, the dance costume provided by the production team has been brought for you," the assistant said, holding a garment inside a plastic bag.

Lian Baozhi looked over; the clothes inside were bright as new, without a speck of dust.

This outfit was designed rather loosely; with slightly larger movements, the underwear beneath would become visible, so the production team had prepared the underwear for her as well.

The underwear was in the style of a sports crop top, a very normal design that would absolutely not slip off even while jumping around.

Lian Baozhi stared at the underwear for a long moment, then suddenly told her assistant, "Go out now and buy me a camisole inner layer."

The assistant paused, stunned. "A camisole?"

Lian Baozhi reported her size and spoke quickly, "Hurry and buy it for me; I need it urgently."

Seeing the assistant still standing there dumbfounded, she abruptly raised her eyebrows, her voice growing louder, "Why aren't you going yet!"

The assistant's body trembled, and she immediately left.

After she departed, Lian Baozhi looked at the dance costume again.

She spread the costume out flat, picked up a pair of scissors, and hovered them over the upper shoulder area of the garment, somewhat unsure where to begin.

She was not a professional fashion designer; altering clothes was not as simple as imagined.

Just then, her phone screen lit up as a message from her manager, Liu Xuan, popped up.

Liu Xuan: [Is everything going smoothly?]

Liu Xuan: [Wish you success. After the recording ends, I'll take you out for a late-night snack.]

Lian Baozhi clenched her teeth, turned her head away, and ignored the text messages Liu Xuan continued to send.

She had to build up popularity during this stage performance to facilitate the things she planned to do next.

A fierce determination rose in Lian Baozhi's heart, and she snipped with the scissors!

……

Inside the dressing room shared by Jin Li and Xi Mengze.

Unlike the liveliness in the other dressing rooms, this one was exceptionally quiet.

Xi Mengze, the little master of livening up the atmosphere, glanced at Jin Li, who was focused on solving practice problems, and dared not even breathe loudly; she could only silently take out her phone to seek help from her teammates.

She quietly snapped a profile photo of Jin Li seriously working on problems and sent it to the "Pink Girl Group" chat.

Mengmeng: What should I do? My Jin Li is working too hard!

Zhenzhu: [Onlooker mode activated! I just checked the date; wait, isn't today the day you and Carp are recording? Why is she still doing practice problems?]

Mengmeng: [How am I supposed to explain my teammate's current mental state? I don't know what's wrong with her either. Ever since morning rehearsal ended, she has remained in this state. I dare not disturb her!!]

Especially the book she was holding, "Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Simulation," looked so sacred that no one dared to profane it.

Tongtong: [Image: Looking on with respect.jpg. You did the right thing; disturbing someone's self-improvement will get you struck by lightning!]

Mengmeng: [The problem now is, I'm bursting to talk ahhh!]

NANA: [Just finished a drama, sneaking a look during a break. [Snicker.jpg]. Even if you're bursting, you must hold it in. Carp still has to take the college entrance exam; do you know how precious a high school student's time is?]

Xi Mengze recalled her own school days.

Youth in others' eyes: Freedom, recklessness, fun!

Youth in her eyes: Class, test papers, class, and more test papers...

Those miserable days were so terrifying that even recalling them once felt horrifying.

She once again felt immense admiration for Jin Li.

Mengmeng: She keeps doing practice problems; what can I possibly do?

Zhenzhu: [Just chat with us. Don't disturb her. Since I've finished browsing the gossip, how about I share some with you...]

Xi Mengze did not want to disturb Jin Li, but she could not stop others from coming to find Jin Li.

"Knock, knock!" The dressing room door was rapped.

Xi Mengze immediately panted as she rushed to open the door. "Coming!"

As soon as the door opened,

Qiu Qiwen came into view.

Qiu Qiwen smiled at her and walked toward Jin Li, who was seated further inside.

Jin Li put down the "Five-Year Three-Simulation" book in her hand and removed the earphones from her ears, her eyebrows lifting slightly. "Sister Qiu, you're dropping by?"

Qiu Qiwen caught sight of the practice booklet in Jin Li's hand and inexplicably recalled the terror dominated by "Five-Year Three-Simulation" while filming on set before; a chill instinctively ran through her body.

She quickly shook her head to dispel that fear. Keep it brief, keep it brief.

"Here's the situation: I came to discuss something with you. My uncle wrote a script for an art film, and he asked me to inquire if you are interested in acting in an art film?"

Jin Li asked curiously, "Your uncle?"

Qiu Qiwen: "Yes, his name is Zhong Wentai."

Before Jin Li could recall who this person was, Xi Mengze let out a gasp first. "Zhong Wentai? Mr. Zhong? Your uncle is Mr. Zhong?"

Jin Li asked, "Who is this person?"

Xi Mengze said excitedly, "Zhong Wentai! The director who rose to fame the year before last with 'City Drifting Diary.' He both directed and wrote that film himself.

It won awards abroad first, and after its domestic release, it topped the box office for ten consecutive days in the art film category!"

Naturally, the market for art films was not as large as that for commercial films.

There were two ways to release art films domestically: one was to squeeze into major cinema circuits alongside commercial films to compete for higher box office returns.

The other was to launch in cinemas specializing in art films, battling against other art films.

The former made it difficult to secure prime screening slots, but the latter, especially for films that had already won awards abroad, guaranteed high-spec treatment upon release.

Furthermore, 'City Drifting Diary' was quite special; although an art film, its content was not aloof but rather very grounded.

Director Zhong filmed two characters: one was an ordinary person living in a small city, and the other was an ordinary person living in a big city.

Although both characters had ordinary backgrounds, he managed to 'see the big through the small,' portraying ordinary people with extraordinary lives!

After 'City Drifting Diary' was released, the People's Daily even wrote a special article praising the spirit celebrated in the film: 'Born ordinary, yet extraordinary.'

— Everyone is the protagonist of their own world!

The reason Xi Mengze remembered this so clearly was that she had watched the film and was deeply moved by the spirit it conveyed.

After rattling off all this, she immediately grabbed Jin Li's hand and said, word by word with forceful conviction, "You must accept this role!"

Jin Li: "...Could you please remove your claws first and let me speak properly?"

Xi Mengze blinked and sheepishly let go of her hand.

Jin Li looked at Qiu Qiwen, whose lips had been curling upward, and pondered, "I want to know: since Director Zhong is already so famous, why would he choose me?"

She analyzed herself carefully: "In terms of acting skills, I have only acted in one production and lack much experience. Moreover, I come from a girl group background.

Even though I have shed that label now, netizens will still habitually associate me with my former career as a girl group member. This previous profession probably does not fit the content Director Zhong intends to film."

If the goal was to shoot a grounded art film,

how could someone like her, a former girl group member with no acting skills, capture the flavor the director desired?

Even if Director Zhong dared to film it, the audience might not buy it.

Qiu Qiwen recalled her uncle's repeated instructions and said, "Jin Li, your acting skills are not as poor as you imagine.

Your image is not as fixed as you think either. So many people say you are suited for art films; do you know why?"

She continued, "Your temperament is actually very ethereal." She smiled. "Anyone who has seen the photos of you cultivating your life in the Daoist temple would never think you are unsuitable to be the heroine of an art film."

"My uncle asked me to tell you that he specifically values this quality in you and finds it very suitable. How about this: I'll send you the script first; after you've read it, you can make your decision."

Qiu Qiwen thought for a moment, then added, "My uncle is the type who strives for perfection in everything he does. Even if the script is already written, when actual filming begins, it might still be delayed by half a year or so. You can take your time to consider it; there's no need to reply to him so hastily."

With things said to this extent, what could Jin Li possibly say?

Naturally, she agreed.

After Qiu Qiwen left, Xi Mengze could no longer contain herself and began screaming, "Ahhh!"

She jumped up and down with joy.

"Zhong Wentai! Oh my god, that's Zhong Wentai! You actually received a filming invitation from him?"

"Jin Li, you must participate; you absolutely must go!!"

"The scripts he writes and the films he directs are truly excellent; they aren't fast-food entertainment that makes you forget them instantly, but rather something that stays in your heart for a very, very long time!"

Seeing her so happy, Jin Li couldn't help but laugh and said, "How about I give this opportunity to you instead?"

Xi Mengze let out a soft "Heh," not taking the bait at all.

"I would love to have this role, but do I deserve it? Besides, I can't possibly be like you, running to a Daoist temple every day to sit in meditation and cultivate."

"Didn't you hear Qiu Qiwen say that Director Zhong was drawn to your otherworldly aura? Where would I find any such detachment from worldly concerns?"

If Xi Mengze really had to choose an aura that suited her, it would have to be that of a silly, sweet innocent girl; after all, her appearance was perfectly suited for that.

Jin Li looked her up and down, then said thoughtfully, "Aura isn't something that can't be changed. If you're truly determined, I could even guide you in meditation."

Xi Mengze replied, "...Thanks, but no thanks."

She picked up the practice exercises, stuffed them back into Jin Li's hands, and said with a smile, "You'd better focus on grinding through these problems."

She simply couldn't imagine living an ascetic life like a bitter monk; it would be far too painful.

Jin Li lowered her head to glance at the "Five Years of Gaokao, Three Years of Simulation" book and said thoughtfully, "Still, it's a bit unexpected that Qiu Qiwen has an uncle who's a director."

Xi Mengze shrugged. "These days, resources in every entertainment company are solidified; it's not like before when it was easy for us to get by and opportunities were everywhere. You don't have the connections—"

Sister Fang had told her that New Sharp Entertainment specialized in the film and television industry, yet the star they promoted, Qiu Qiwen, wasn't originally an actress.

Now it made sense.

Although Qiu Qiwen wasn't originally an actress, she inherited resources from her family side and was now gradually making up for her shortcomings as she ventured into the performing arts industry.

No wonder she was the first to break out from New Sharp Entertainment.

"Chengzi, Chengzi, want to play a game?" Chen Lin nudged Gu Cheng; they were both on their phones.

Meanwhile, Yan Xingdong and Luo Yi...

The two of them didn't touch their phones before going on stage to perform, feeling it would distract them, so they were both playing their instruments instead.

In the backstage lounge of March Sky, a melodious and pleasant sound of music filled the air.

Gu Cheng was just about to say yes when he suddenly received a call invitation from Jin Li; he smiled gently and said, "No thanks, something just came up."

Chen Lin asked, "What are you going to do?"

Gu Cheng thought for a moment. "Hmm... maybe give a fish a brain transplant?"

Chen Lin stared. "Huh???"

Everything seemed fine; he didn't look like he had a fever, so why did this suddenly involve biological experiments?

Time ticked by, second after second.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the audience waiting outside finally began to enter the venue.

Everyone's hearts were filled with excitement; even if they looked calm on the surface, it was merely a facade, while underneath their fists were clenched tight.

Who wouldn't be nervous when about to see their favorite star or the girl group they'd supported for so long!

Sui Lingfang and He Yixuan didn't seek any special treatment; wearing hats and masks, they blended into the crowd to queue up.

There were a hundred thousand people attending the concert, among whom were many passersby with stunningly good looks.

Blending in among them, they couldn't make even the slightest splash.

"Hey, which girl group are you here for?"

The waiting time in line was a bit long, so some people started chatting.

These youthful and radiant young folks, fueled by their excited emotions, were full of desire to talk, chattering away incessantly.

"I'm here for the girl groups!" "I'm here for the boy groups!"

"What a coincidence, I'm also here for the boy groups, but there's one girl group I quite like, so I came along to support them as well."

"You guys are all here for the boy groups or girl groups, but I'm different; I'm here for the mystery guest," a young girl said.

"Mystery guest? Have you guessed who it is?" others asked.

The young girl shook her head and said with a mysterious expression, "No, I haven't guessed, but I have a kind of intuition and premonition."

"What is it?"

"That mystery guest should be a member of the Pink Girl Group!"

"No way?" The others expressed surprise.

Someone even said, "If it really is them, that would be such a pity. I have a younger cousin who is a die-hard fan of the Pink Girl Group; she's always hoped they would reunite as a full group."

"If she knew the mystery guest this time was from the Pink Girl Group, she would definitely try to rush over."

The young girl said, "I'm not sure if it's them or not; I just have a premonition. Don't ask me how I guessed; if you must ask, I'd say it's metaphysics."

The others nodded one after another.

That reason was incredibly powerful; metaphysics was absolutely awesome!!

Meanwhile, Sui Lingfang and He Yixuan, who were quietly queuing behind them, kept their heads lowered, trying hard to minimize their presence.

Sui Lingfang thought to herself: How should I put this? Could this be considered a unique telepathic connection between fans and their idol?

Fans always seem to sense their idol's presence with uncanny precision, no matter if that idol has gone to the ends of the earth or the farthest corners of the sea.

She shook her head gently; it was truly miraculous.

After waiting for two hours, Sui Lingfang and He Yixuan finally entered the venue.

Their tickets were complimentary passes provided by the production team, granting them front-row VIP seats.

Only a small number of these premium VIP seats were released to the public, with prices reaching as high as twelve thousand!

Moreover, one had to be extremely lucky to secure one, because even tickets priced at twelve thousand would sell out instantly the moment they went on sale.

After finding their seats and sitting down, Sui Lingfang discovered that their spot offered an excellent view, representing the optimal position for watching the stage.

She pondered thoughtfully; it seemed that "PICK~Next Stop Diva" still placed significant importance on the duo of Jin Li and Xi Mengze. The location of these complimentary passes indirectly reflected the production team's attitude.

People around them began to take their seats one after another.

Someone also sat down beside Sui Lingfang; she turned to look and saw an older man accompanying a shy young man as they settled in.

The young man possessed a shy appearance and a very clean aura, resembling the type of innocent little white rabbit boy next door that made one want to pinch his cheeks relentlessly.

It was rare to find such looks among ordinary people, so Sui Lingfang couldn't help but steal a few extra glances.

She calculated in her mind whether she should strike up a conversation and hand over a business card for Chenxi Entertainment.

Perhaps her gaze was too direct, for the older man noticed it, looked over, and took the initiative to say, "Hello."

Sui Lingfang nodded and replied, "Hello."

The man then asked, "You're an agent, aren't you?"

Sui Lingfang was slightly startled. "You are too?"

"Haha, what a coincidence, I am as well! I was wondering why you kept staring at my artist; turns out we're in the same profession!"

"Indeed, the eyes of fellow professionals are sharp; one can spot an artist's handsomeness at a single glance!"

Pop.

The bubble of beautiful fantasies wrapping around Sui Lingfang's mind shattered.

She shook her head helplessly: "I should have guessed; how could someone with such looks not have been scouted!"

"It's fine, it's fine; I actually have to thank you for your good taste, which gives me a great sense of accomplishment for having scouted him first, haha!"

He extended his hand. "Hello, my name is Zhang Guang. The Zhang from 'mixing up Zhang and Li,' the Guang from 'bald head.' My nickname is 'Zhan Guang' [to benefit from association], and many people call me Brother Guang."

A flash of lightning and spark of fire raced through Sui Lingfang's mind!

Zhang Guang, the agent for the boy group March Sky, and the ace agent of Tianding Entertainment!

She immediately extended her hand and introduced herself seriously: "My name is Sui Lingfang, an agent at Chenxi Entertainment; Jin Li is the artist I manage."

If one merely mentioned the name "Sui Lingfang," Zhang Guang might not necessarily have any impression.

Although Jin Li was popular and Chenxi Entertainment behind the scenes had appeared before the public many times, their agents had yet to make many remarkable showings.

Zhang Guang immediately became serious: "An honor, an honor! For Chenxi Entertainment to discover Jin Li's potential shows tremendous insight!"

Sui Lingfang said, "You're too kind, you're too kind; under the cultivation of Tianding Entertainment, the March Sky boy group has already become the number one boy group in Asia."

Zhang Guang replied, "I don't deserve such praise, I don't deserve such praise; you flatter me too much!"

Sui Lingfang said, "Not at all, not at all; I'm just stating the facts."

This is how successful people interact: with such polite, mutual commercial flattery.

"Hello, my name is Cheng Zhizhi."

While the two agents were conversing, the young man accompanied by Zhang Guang also greeted He Yixuan.

He Yixuan nodded to him reservedly. "Hello, my name is He Yixuan."

Cheng Zhizhi's eyes lit up. "Sister Yixuan, I watched your participation in 'The Daily Life of an Actor'; I greatly admired your performance in it. The production team shouldn't have eliminated you!"

He Yixuan was slightly stunned. "You watched that? That program was very niche; not many people viewed it."

Cheng Zhizhi shook his head. "It wasn't niche; I thought it was quite good. Your acting in it was excellent!"

The agents chatted, and the artists they managed chatted as well.

But as time passed, more and more audience members took their seats, causing everyone to gradually cease their conversations and blend into the crowd.

At six o'clock in the evening, the formation night of "PICK~Next Stop Diva" officially began!

This formation night opted for a live broadcast format with no pre-recording, restoring the most authentic chart-topping scene.

When the large lights throughout the venue extinguished, plunging the hall into darkness, the audience screamed.

Simultaneously, the program's live stream went live.

At the moment the lights went out, a conspicuous corner flashed with red light, displaying a string of bright red numbers.

These numbers recorded the vote count for each team in real-time.

As the lights dimmed, the voting channel opened simultaneously; the bright red numbers leaped upward instantly, jumping continuously, while the red bars representing the vote counts soared.

This further heightened the stimulation for the audience!

[Here we go! Which mentor is doing the opening act? So excited; could it be a mystery guest?]

[The voting channel has opened; the first and second places are overtaking each other! They're biting so tightly!!]

[There she is; the first stage is Qiu Qiwen's stage!]

Tonight, Qiu Qiwen adopted a youthful style.

She wore a white gown, and her overall styling resembled a bride in the midst of a wedding ceremony.

The song she performed was the classic love ballad "Together."

The stage scenery was aesthetically pleasing, and her voice was equally beautiful; it sounded especially wonderful even when heard live.

"Walking with you through cold autumn, spring, and summer, passing through sunsets and starry rivers,"

"Today we are together, welcoming the little luck of the future~"

The live audience approved, as both the scenery and the lighting were excellent.

But in the live stream, the netizens were not buying it.

[Just singing, no dancing?]

[How can you dance while wearing a wedding dress?]

[Qiu Qiwen's stage performances are becoming increasingly perfunctory.]

[She was never a professional singing-and-dancing idol to begin with. She originally rose to fame by rushing to save the day on variety shows, where netizens discovered she possessed many skills. Qiu Qiwen became popular due to her personal charisma.]

[Our Sister Qiu is tough and speaks little; if you want to talk to me, bring a hammer first.]

[Laughing. Haven't you noticed Qiu Qiwen sang this song very well? Key point: look at the exclusive custom microphone in her hand.]

[Holy crap, is that the legendary million-yuan microphone?]

[Built-in pitch correction that restores your perfect natural tone. The million-yuan microphone—you deserve to own it!]

[Qiu Qiwen's fans, stop praising her singing; just ask your idol to switch to a normal microphone first.]

Qiu Qiwen's stage performance ended, and the lights on stage went dark again.

It seemed that for the opening show, "PICK~Next Stop Diva" was focusing on speed, precision, and ruthlessness.

Decisive and clean, with no nonsense, one act following another.

The second stage performance belonged to Lian Baozhi.

Upbeat and dynamic music played as Lian Baozhi began to dance.

The live audience approved once again; the dance was beautiful, the lighting and sound effects were excellent, and the set design was aesthetic and lovely.

Worth the ticket price!

But the online audience did not think so.

[Just dancing???]

[Was there any singing?!]

[Humming and hah-ing a few lines; you call that singing?]

[To be fair, this dance must have required great effort to learn. The rhythm and timing are spot-on, and the difficulty looks significant; an ordinary person would need at least seven days of practice.]

[But since she isn't singing, I choose to deduct points.]

Even in the live venue, there were some complaints from the audience.

For instance, the person sitting next to He Yixuan was a young girl who was both lucky and a genuine wealthy superfan.

She couldn't help turning her head and saying, "Actually, I think these two mentors' stages should be combined. One purely sings, the other purely dances. They should choreograph a piece together. What do you think?"

He Yixuan was startled by the girl's familiarity and fell silent, unsure how to respond.

However, the young girl seemed not to expect an answer from He Yixuan and turned her head back to continue watching the stage.

He Yixuan even heard her muttering.

Because the live sound effects were turned up so loud, such muttering would normally be completely inaudible.

"Forget it. If those two were combined, they would definitely tear each other apart; they are like water and fire, utterly incompatible!"

He Yixuan: ...

You really understand them well.

"Boom!" On stage, the final drumbeat dropped, and Lian Baozhi struck her final pose—

She knelt on both knees on the ground, her spine straight and open, tilting her head back and extending one hand as if chasing the bright moon in the sky, exhausted from the pursuit.

Yet in the end, she still wanted to reach out and touch that moon.

The intended scene was very moving.

But due to the angle of the movement, when Lian Baozhi tilted her head back and extended her hand, part of her loose dance costume slipped down, revealing the inner shoulder strap.

And since the strap might have been tied somewhat insecurely, it actually snapped apart in that instant.

In an instant, Lian Baozhi exposed a patch of pinkish-white skin.

She immediately stood up, her loose clothing sagging loosely to cover the exposed area.

The stage lights dimmed once more.

However, this caused an uproar not only in the live venue but also online.

[A stage accident; an accidental exposure!]

[The clothes were too loose!!!]

[Lian Baozhi is truly unlucky!]

The venue was also filled with continuous screams.

Because of this minor accident, everyone had completely forgotten about the quality of Lian Baozhi's previous stage performance; their attention had been captured by the incident.

Naturally, consequently, there were far fewer complaints about her stage performance.

And Lian Baozhi, as she had hoped, made it onto two of the top five trending searches.

#LianBaozhiStageAccident# and #LianBaozhiClothesTooLoose#.

These two trending topics were at least not mocking.

Unlike Qiu Qiwen's single entry that also made the top five, which was—

#QiuQiwenMillionYuanMicrophone#

Back at the live venue.

After the lights went dark, the audience did not wait long; one minute later, the lights came back on.

But seeing the two individuals who appeared on stage caused both the live and online audiences to scream simultaneously.

On the large screen behind the two performers, the names of the performers also appeared.

Xi Mengze (Former member of the Pink Girl Group)

Jin Li (Former member of the Pink Girl Group)

"Aaaah!"

"Amazing!! They've merged!!"

[Oh my god, Penguin, you really know how to market! Tears streaming down face.jpg]

[Ever since Xi Mengze joined Chenxi Entertainment, I've been eagerly anticipating news about the two of them, but never heard anything. I never expected to see them together on 'PICK~Next Diva'!]

[My son is awesome; you really know how to please your daddy!]

After the screams, music erupted on stage.

Hearing that musical introduction, many people couldn't help but redden their eyes.

—"The Tree Closest to the Sun"

Adapted from a prose piece of the same name, this song by the Pink Girl Group was hailed as one of the top ten inspirational anthems upon its release.

Just listening to the intro is enough to move one to tears.

"At an altitude of five thousand meters, ice peaks stand in rows, and the snowfields are desolate.

Fearing neither wind, sun, nor rain, enduring bitter cold and oxygen deprivation, we transform into the trees closest to the sun!"

The opening solo was sung by Xi Mengze.

Judging solely by her sweet appearance, many might assume her voice, like Jin Li's, is equally sweet.

But quite the opposite; unlike her silly-sweet exterior, Xi Mengze possesses a contrasting mid-to-low vocal range.

Therefore, back in the Pink Girl Group, she was basically always the one to start the songs.

Fans have said more than once that her voice sounds deeply storied.

When her emotions surge, her slightly low-pitched voice, carrying a faint, choked sob, exudes an intense sense of fragility.

With just that single line, she seemed to transport the audience to a plateau five thousand meters high; listening closely, one could hear the tenacious vitality of the red willow blooming.

Jin Li's voice followed immediately after.

"Sandstorms cannot bury my trunk; my tenacious root system is the power I unleash~"

Duet:

"Drawing brilliance from the sun, growing tenaciously, a power no one can sever~

Transforming into light, holding back the sandstorms, raging toward the vast sky~

With a backbone of pride, gathering millions of grains of sand, struggling against fate, I am my own light~"

During the rhythmic pauses, the two performed a duet dance.

As if they shared a single body, their movements—raising arms, lowering them, kicking legs—were replicated one-to-one.

Fans widened their eyes and screamed desperately.

Excelling in both singing and dancing; this is the strength of a top-tier girl group!

This is the breathtaking stage they wanted to see!

[666, gotta admit, the Pink Girl Group is the real deal; I'm switching from passerby to fan.]

[Once the number one top-tier girl group in the country; it's been so long since we've seen a stage like this. I don't even want to mention what songs current girl groups are singing.]

[The talented members of girl groups all go solo these days; everyone would rather form a band than stay in a girl group. All the good teams have scattered.]

[I have to ask, why isn't there a segment to cheer for the mentors? I want to light up all the bulbs for the Pink Girl Group!!!]

The lights descended, making the two appear as if standing within a boundless galaxy.

And right in the center of that galaxy stood a tree, shimmering with starlight for a brief moment.

From a tiny sprout breaking through the soil, growing tenaciously, enduring countless hardships, it gradually became a towering tree reaching the heavens.

"Explosives cannot destroy my root system; the sun itself has become my radiance.

Standing tall against the wind, I grow proudly; the wild dancing sandstorms submit to me.

I will transform into the tree closest to the sun, becoming my own light~"

As the song ended, the brilliant galaxy slowly faded, leaving only the fans' excited shouts:

"Encore! Encore! Encore!"

Yet the lights dimmed mercilessly, leaving the audience with nothing but a bewildered farewell.

Backstage.

The March Sky Boy Group was waiting to go on stage when they heard the audience's excited cheers.

They had also heard the song Jin Li and Xi Mengze performed—"The Tree Closest to the Sun"—and felt a surge of emotion.

Chen Lin said, "I feel as if I'm back at our debut night; the pressure they're giving me is making me a bit nervous."

Yan Xingdong nodded as well; his blood was boiling, and he couldn't help but want to burst into song himself.

The Pink Girl Group truly lives up to its reputation!

The pressure now shifted to the March Sky Boy Group.

Amidst the tense atmosphere of waiting, Gu Cheng asked, "Do you think there's any possibility of collaborating on a song with the Pink Girl Group?"

Luo Yi was slightly stunned, then his eyes lit up: "If you can't beat them, join them?"

Chen Lin: "Eh? Eh?! Eh!! That's a great idea; hurry up and make it happen!"

Yan Xingdong found himself torn between laughter and tears: "I can't decide on this matter; you'll have to ask Brother Guang. Besides, it's not that we can't beat them; we just didn't want to create such a powerful competitor."

He was just trying to save face.

Everyone exchanged knowing smiles.

The stage lights brightened again; for the final act of the opening dance, the March Sky Boy Group presented their debut work—

"Champion"!

First, a strong drumbeat rhythm erupted; the four group members were stationed in different locations, and as each beam of light descended, a stage for one member appeared.

This song features mostly dance elements, with strong vocal drumbeats and rhythm, making it a very typical boy group style track.

When it comes to dancing, every member of March Sky possesses formidable dance skills.

Unlike the softness of girl groups.

Their dancing carries a more explosive sense of power, and combined with their deliberately trained body lines, every movement exudes an aesthetic of strength.

Simply put, men will exclaim how cool it looks, while women will feel their hormones surge.

But if "Champion" were merely a dance track, it could never have achieved such a towering status in the market, nor could it have allowed March Sky to achieve godlike status with a single song.

Besides the intense rhythmic drumbeats, what surprises people even more are the lyrics of this song.

From arrangement to lyric writing and mixing, this song was handled entirely by the March Sky boy group themselves.

One could say this song was custom-made by the March Sky boy group for themselves.

The song's copyright does not belong to the company; it belongs completely to them, a song singing their own story.

"On the night the story began, I gazed through the glass from afar,

The sparkling light on the stage seemed to transform into brilliant stars.

I want to become my own star~"

The moment the voices rang out, the entire venue erupted in screams once again.

To be fair, while the March Sky boy group dances beautifully, their singing is equally impressive.

The four members each possess distinct vocal timbres, complementing one another with harmonies.

A simple song was innovatively rearranged into an a cappella chorus.

But one must remember that under these conditions, the boy group was still jumping and dancing, which speaks volumes about their solid foundation.

Maintaining steady breath control amidst vigorous movement is extremely difficult.

"Violent winds and waves suppress me, towering billows engulf me,

Nowhere to hide, nowhere to flee.

I am forced forward, must move forward, toward that shining lighthouse~

They say I am not qualified, that any mere wind and wave could extinguish the tiny me.

Then I shall become the champion, leaving others speechless.

Become your own champion!"

While the March Sky boy group performed, the live audience screamed, and the online bullet comments were equally fervent.

[It's over, this is a dimensional strike; how can we possibly watch the new generation girl group performances after this?]

[Asking again, why can't we vote for the mentors? I only want to cast my votes for the mentors.]

[The best performance of this show: The Opening Show.

The biggest flaw of this show: The Opening Show.]

At the song's conclusion, countless fireworks showered the stage, like brilliant, sparkling stars, as everyone became immersed in this carnival.

—Be the tree closest to the sun, transforming into the sun's light. Be your own champion, become your own king.