A Gong-Perspective Collection of Short Stories - Chapter 1

The night swayed as chaotic and flamboyant lights spilled out from Huracán Bar, illuminating the surrounding alleys.

Located at the end of Nanping Alley in Qicheng for twelve years, the bar tonight welcomed its young and energetic band. Since it was the weekend, the place was packed to the rafters. Most people were craned their necks in anticipation; the cold fog spraying from the edge of the stage, mixed with intense dancing, couldn’t stop the crowd from pushing forward like crazy.

The reason was simple: the lead singer of the band set to appear tonight was incredibly handsome.

A roaring explosion of sound erupted from the speakers. The chaotic lights dimmed, becoming even more blurred and ambiguous. Spotlights swept over the restless crowd, amid the layered crushing of bodies came numerous screams and conversations, but the protagonist of the night had yet to appear in the flickering shadows.

Beside the dim bar counter, a bartender wearing a bowtie wiped the surface. Even amidst the vibrating crowd, he couldn’t help but frequently look toward the stage.

He checked the time, knowing the band would be out shortly.

“They really are popular,” he muttered to himself.

Just as he was distracted, a beautiful, slender hand tapped on the counter.

The bartender looked up and saw it was the curly-haired customer who had just ordered a glass of whisky.

At first glance, this guest had a bit of a baby face and a pair of beautiful, sharp deep-chestnut eyes. When he smiled, he carried a sunny and clean aura that felt out of place with the bar’s chaotic, ambiguous atmosphere—he looked more like a student still in school. “Is there some special event today?“

A newcomer.

The bartender paused for a second on the young man’s light-white T-shirt and clean face, wondering where this high schooler had come from, not even knowing Huracán’s famous band, ONE.

His hands didn’t stop moving, but he acted mysterious. “There’s a surprise. Just keep watching and you’ll find out.“

Hearing this, the young man with the very youthful face crinkled his eyes. He simply toyed with the glass in his hand, leaning against the bar as his gaze drifted toward the stage. He had a head of soft, curved curls, with them hanging down, it was hard to see the color of his eyes clearly.

He took a sip of the pungent liquor, his expression unchanged.

In fact, the youth named You Xingge was thinking to himself that he probably hadn’t found the wrong place. From the moment he started searching Qicheng’s alleys with a map, to the recruitment notice posted on this bar’s door and the slightly faded band posters, everything indicated he was in the right spot.

In a little while, he would see that “Qidian-style” male lead who was surrounded by people like stars around the moon.

Beneath his soft, thick hair, he revealed a smile with curved eyes—a brilliant, likable grin.

Well, after all, playing the male lead’s good brother was his transmigration mission; naturally, he had to take it seriously.

The psychedelic lights were suddenly dimmed. Excited screams from the crowd hit You Xingge’s eardrums. Below the stage, people were clapping and whistling, while others shouted enthusiastically: “Mike! Mike! Mike!“

The originally deafening sound effects were lowered, replaced by wave after wave of drumbeats. The drumming vibrated right in people’s hearts, making them tremble as the music shrouded the room like a fog.

Only a single bright beam of light hit the stage. Just as a figure in a black leather jacket emerged from the darkness, the area around You Xingge filled with ecstatic screams that echoed through the entire bar like a contagion. A girl very close to You Xingge looked like she was going to scream her throat raw: “Mike!“

As the sound peaked, even the bartender couldn’t help but look toward the stage, his hands stopping their task of wiping glasses.

Some people are born with their own spotlight; this phrase couldn’t be more accurate for ONE’s lead singer, Cheng Jiye. As long as he appeared, he commanded everyone’s attention.

The weather tonight was very hot, and the air in the bar was even more restless. When Cheng Jiye came out, the shirt under his black leather vest was rolled up to his elbows, revealing muscular forearms. A pair of extremely deep eyes scanned the room with a faint smile, appearing habituated to the gazes of adoration and excitement. He tilted his head, then snapped his fingers.

Crisp and chaotic, the atmosphere below the stage instantly exploded.

Amidst countless rounds of applause and screams, a few roars could be heard:

“ONE!! You guys are too cool!!“

“Mike, sing more!! Don’t leave tonight!“

“Mike!! Look at me!! F*ck me!!!“

Only the stage and the bar counter were lit; the bartender was nearly drowned in these screams.

In the bartender’s peripheral vision, the curly-haired youth who had been leaning against the bar suddenly sat up straight and focused, his eyes locked onto the stage.

The bartender smiled, thinking that indeed, no one could escape Mike’s charm.

You Xingge’s gaze was firmly fixed on the stage, looking at the man gathered under the lights.

Cheng Jiye.

The male lead of “Lecheng,” the protagonist of this world—a proud, frivolous, and sharp-edged man. He possessed the typical traits currently popular in Qidian novels. No matter where he went, he was peerless with countless fangirls.

His mission was to become this male lead’s good brother and subordinate.

This was the duty of a transmigrator, regardless of anything, he had to maintain the original book’s main plot as much as possible.

Only—

He looked at the other’s appearance from afar. With every movement, from leaning over to picking up the microphone, the man was full of tension. Even the way he raised an eyebrow carried arrogance and provocation.

Tsk, this man.

His hand touched the instrument bag behind him.

An intense intro laid the groundwork for the music. The keyboardist kept his head down, incredibly quiet, while the drummer with small golden braids hit the drums, appearing at ease within the dynamic music.

The attention of the whole room was on them, or more accurately, mostly on the man with the deep features.

Mike, Cheng Jiye.

When he opened his mouth, his voice was husky and full of charm. On a stage filled with mist effects, he teased people’s eardrums along with the restless drumbeats. This seemingly indifferent man plucked the guitar strings to the rhythm of the music, his Martin boots tapping the ground. The rhythm from the speakers was incredibly strong, driving the entire bar.

High-pitched screams came one after another. Amidst the cheers, You Xingge’s gaze fell on him like something physical—not sharp, but impossible to ignore.

The music vibrated loudly, surging into his heart with a slight tremor.

You Xingge’s fingertips tapped against the glass wall as he sized up the male lead.

Cheng Jiye had a face that felt highly aggressive—a high nose bridge and eyes that were sharp and distinct as they scanned the room. Besides being handsome, he left a deep impression. Especially when he held his earpiece and looked over, his proud eyes and his music were fully on display.

Under the dazzling lights, he sang and played for another half hour. It was incredibly hot, so he took off his black leather vest, prompting another round of screams from below.

Sweat poured freely from his hair, soaking through his white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and wetting the hem, even outlining a tight waistline. He looked up, and as the shirt tucked into his black belt pulled upward, he flung the vest to the side.

The drumming was deafening, the cold fog on stage was disorienting, and cheers and screams rose and fell. Cheng Jiye blew a kiss toward the crowd.

The audience went even wilder. People kept calling out “Mike,” and some even started crying with excitement.

Perhaps You Xingge’s gaze was too focused, or perhaps the bar area was the only part of the floor with lighting, but as the black-haired man let go of the mic stand, he looked over as if sensing something. In the moment their eyes met, Cheng Jiye raised an eyebrow and accurately conveyed a smile.

The drumbeat made You Xingge’s heart skip.

His hand paused, and he turned the wine glass. A few drops of liquor accidentally spilled out, landing on the webbing of his thumb.

He returned a smile to Cheng Jiye and downed the drink in his glass. The spicy taste exploded in his throat, but he put the glass down without changing his expression.

The man immersed in the music quickly forgot the curly-haired youth from that brief eye contact. Only You Xingge unconsciously toyed with the glass, feeling a bit distracted.

If his identity in the script weren’t Cheng Jiye’s brother, and if Cheng Jiye weren’t a stone-cold straight guy, he really would want to get this man for himself.

During the intermission, the lights dimmed slightly and the music calmed. The bartender finally reluctantly withdrew his gaze from the stage, only to find that the curly-haired guest was still staring at the figure walking off the stage. He was experienced and could more or less guess what this guest was thinking.

The bartender shrugged. “These days, there are quite a lot of people who want to sleep with Mike.“

This sentence woke You Xingge from his thoughts. The curly-haired young man with eyes that curved when he smiled looked very good-tempered. He put down the glass and simply replied: “Is that so?“

The voice flowing from his lips sounded very ambiguous in the bar setting.

The bartender couldn’t help but say more, leaning forward as if sharing a secret. “But he’s stone-cold straight. There was a male fan once, a naked guy, who blocked the door to kneel and give him flowers. It made Mike so disgusted he almost threw up.“

You Xingge’s mouth twitched, thinking that if it were him, he’d be too disgusted to eat, too.

Seeing his expression, the bartender seemed to understand something. “You wouldn’t happen to be here for him, would you?“

Before he could finish the sentence, the youth with the clean, handsome, student-like face tightened his grip on his instrument bag and stood up from the booth, appearing a bit embarrassed. “Not really.“

You Xingge gave him a smile—a smile full of vibrant, sunny energy, like a tall, sturdy poplar tree.

The bartender was dazed by the smile.

“I’m here to apply for the guitarist position,” You Xingge said.

He shook the instrument bag.