The Fake Daughter is a Max-Level Green Tea [Transmigrated into a Book] - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Awards Ceremony

Lin Chumu expressionlessly raised her wrist and looked at the sleeve.

It was a custom-made suit. Dark coffee was spilled on the black cuff, and some had even flowed onto the white shirt underneath, dampening the originally clean buttons. The woman standing in front looked overwhelmed, her gaze moving back and forth between Lu Chaoqing and Lin Chumu.

From her appearance, it looked as if Lu Chaoqing was the cause of the sudden mistake, but Pu Shushu quickly apologized. After putting down the coffee cup and saucer, she fumbled to pull out a tissue to wipe the stains from Lin Chumu’s clothes.

“Jiejie?” Lu Chaoqing glanced at her, then stepped forward, gently pushing Pu Shushu aside, and stood next to Lin Chumu under the woman’s slightly astonished gaze. “How about you change your clothes first? You can’t work with a wet arm.”

“But Jiejie is really kind; you’re not even angry when someone does something like that. I remember Jiejie has a phobia of germs.” Seeing Pu Shushu’s face gradually sour, Lu Chaoqing said pointedly, “This Jiejie must have been distracted just now. She certainly didn’t intentionally bump into me first and then spill coffee onto someone, did she?”

“Aiya, before starting work, employees should carefully review the employee handbook. You can’t cross the boundary between superior and subordinate just because the boss has a good temper.” After a string of subtle insults that made the other party’s face gradually turn red, Lu Chaoqing finally stopped, while simultaneously instructing the two teammates who had entered with her.

Lin Chumu didn’t look at her much. Instead, she got up to change her clothes, and after changing, immediately returned to business, officially briefing everyone on the itinerary.

They would have a busy schedule during their time at EM, but mostly activities within the city, so eliminating the time spent traveling by plane meant they wouldn’t be overly busy. The first activity they would start tomorrow was for a cosmetics brand. The deal had been finalized, so after a brief rest today, they would participate in a live stream pre-heat event tomorrow.

EM’s workload had always been notorious for being heavy. A pile of thick documents was stacked on the desk, densely covered with tiny print, making one’s head ache just looking at them. After the few people left and she had buried herself in work until the afternoon, Lin Chumu suddenly realized she hadn’t had time to enjoy the lunch sent in by another assistant.

The scallion chicken porridge and the meticulously balanced boxed meal of meat and vegetables were completely cold, their chilly, lingering fragrance permeating the air. Lin Chumu rubbed her forehead and let out a long sigh. Just as she opened an app to order takeout, she suddenly remembered something else.

Her chat box with Lu Chaoqing on WeChat was still on the day they went out to play. Lin Chumu typed a few words into the dialogue box and quickly deleted them, but the person on the other side must have been staring at her phone or happened to open their conversation, as a message was immediately sent: Little Green Tea: What’s wrong?

Lin Chumu’s fingers paused.

Half an hour later, the two sat in a nearby coffee shop.

Autumn weather always changes quickly. The slight chill of early autumn a few days ago had deepened, and now people wore sweater vests underneath their light trench coats. Lin Chumu ordered the cappuccino she hadn’t been able to drink this morning. Lu Chaoqing was never quite used to coffee and was now concentrating on stirring her milk green latte with a small spoon. The cute smiley face design melted away under the spoon’s agitation, and the aroma drifted in the warm autumn sunlight, spreading throughout the small private room.

This area was on the outskirts of the city center and wasn’t too crowded on a weekday. Outside, a few small cats were lazily napping or grooming themselves in the shade of the trees. For the dessert, Lu Chaoqing chose red velvet forest cake and was cutting it into small pieces with a knife.

The atmosphere remained quiet the whole time, that is, until Lu Chaoqing accidentally poked her hand with the fork.

Accompanying Lu Chaoqing’s soft yelp of pain, Lin Chumu looked over. A tiny spot of red was particularly noticeable on the fair fingertip and was slowly spreading outwards. The latter immediately pulled out a napkin and handed it over: “Does it hurt?”

Lu Chaoqing almost blurted out instinctively: “It won’t hurt if Jiejie blows on it for me.”

She immediately looked up, even freezing the motion of taking the tissue from the other’s hand.

Unknowingly, she had already made “acting spoiled towards Lin Chumu” a habit.

She remembered the first time she spoke to Lin Chumu in a similar tone was when they first met; back then, she was slightly uncomfortable, but now she was completely used to it. Yet, Lin Chumu had clearly emphasized certain things to her just before. This sudden, instinctive reaction made Lu Chaoqing’s heart tighten instantly. An apology was on the tip of her tongue but was stopped by the woman’s actions.

Lin Chumu only frowned slightly for a moment. After seeing the bloodstain grow larger, she seemed to shake some emotion out of her mind. She wrapped the napkin around the injured fingertip first, handling it carefully. Then, she wiped away the blood bead, hesitated for half a second, and brought her mouth close.

A warm current of air melted onto the injured area, tickling slightly.

The wound itself was not big at all, and Lu Chaoqing was not the kind of delicate rich lady who would worry over a tiny scratch. The spoiled act just now was merely a normal, unthinking reaction, as if the necessity of acting, which began when she arrived in this unfamiliar world, had integrated into her daily life.

But Lin Chumu earnestly blew on the wound several times, carefully controlling her force, afraid that even a slightly strong movement would increase her pain again.

“Better?” Lin Chumu raised her delicately drawn slender eyebrows. Her voice was gentler than usual, her tone seemingly deliberately lowered, relaxed with a hint of lazy trailing sound: “If it’s better, go wash it.”

The private room in this coffee shop was well-equipped with various things, including unopened bottled water and band-aids. Lin Chumu got up to fetch them. When she tried to hand over the bottled water, she suddenly remembered the injury on Lu Chaoqing’s hand, so she paused, took it back, and unscrewed the cap herself.

Even the subsequent actions of pouring the water to rinse the wound were like handling a small kitten, without any slightly increased force.

Lu Chaoqing was experiencing this kind of treatment for the first time and couldn’t help but feel a little restless.

She secretly peeked at Lin Chumu’s expression but saw no discernible flaw or hint of anything to investigate on the woman’s face. Although there were slight touches during the process, it couldn’t be called ambiguous at all; it was just normal social interaction between two people. However, her actions just now were exceptionally delicate and gentle, and such warmth remained even after their awkward confrontation.

Even many years later, Lu Chaoqing could recall this afternoon, where the sunshine and the person were equally languid, recall Lin Chumu’s gentle gaze when looking at her, and recall her explanation for this matter.

The girl, acting spoiled at that time, blinked her clear, bright eyes. Her instinctive cuteness truly looked like a small cat.

“You know, I once raised a cat at the orphanage,” Lin Chumu suddenly said after a moment of silence. “It was very small when I found it, only about half the size of my arm. It had likely just been born, its eyes barely open.”

“It was a gray cat with some markings. Not a valuable breed, just the most common, ordinary domestic cat. It wasn’t delicate; it could survive on just a bit of my leftovers. Very easy to keep.”

Infant mammals are generally reliant on their caregivers, and the brain’s memory forms a strong sense of dependence and trust towards the person or animal that cared for them in childhood, establishing a fixed mindset. Lin Chumu consistently fed it, so the kitten naturally developed a fondness for humans, including the other children in the dorm and the staff who later discovered and silently allowed them to keep it.

The place Lin Chumu lived was not a dilapidated orphanage like many others. While the living standard wasn’t exceptionally good, it was definitely no worse than an average family, so it was easy to afford a small pet. The staff, especially the childcare workers, were mostly lenient. The auntie in charge of Lin Chumu’s dorm was also kind. Although she knew secretly keeping a kitten was against the rules, she helped cover it up.

In the long years of loneliness, besides the children she lived with, the only companion who quietly kept her company in her free time was this little cat named “Mengmeng.” Mengmeng accompanied her for two years, but that was merely a short time in a cat’s lifespan.

Mengmeng died while Lin Chumu was out taking an exam.

When Lin Chumu stepped through the dorm building door, she could tell something was wrong from the eyes of some people. The usual jealousy and indifference of those who didn’t get along with her turned into schadenfreude, while those who were close to her gave her sympathetic glances, hesitating to speak.

The moment she realized what had happened and rushed into the dorm room but couldn’t find Mengmeng, the sharp pain in her heart was something she could remember long after. Finally, the kitten’s body was found next to the trash can, its appearance gruesome. Its two brown-black, glassy eyes had turned into empty sockets, still slowly oozing blood.

The bloodstains dampening the fur on its face looked like blood-tears, crushing Lin Chumu’s final psychological defense.

That was the first time in her life she had argued and shoved someone like a madwoman, literally like a lunatic throwing a tantrum in a market, fiercely fighting with the culprit who had tattled. But the boy, pushed to the brink, said with red eyes that he hadn’t done it, that it was the supervisor who had been bitten by the cat earlier who had killed it. Only then did the girl deflate like a leaky balloon, losing the motivation to continue arguing with them.

What she didn’t tell Lu Chaoqing was that she started to speak very little from that time on, and people privately called her naturally unsociable. If anyone knew the follow-up, they might mutter that she truly had a rich-girl temper.

Lin Chumu initially did not like Lu Chaoqing. She disliked her occasional pretense, the hurtful things she did in the original plot, and that she didn’t keep her distance despite not clearly understanding her own sexuality.

But sometimes, just a sweet smile or a few gentle words from the girl seemed to possess the power to traverse time, bringing her thoughts back to the little cat’s eyes, which were as clear and beautiful as hers.

“So, after that… you didn’t keep in touch with them after you left there?”

Lu Chaoqing originally wanted to say “orphanage,” but after careful consideration, she removed the word that could easily hurt feelings. However, Lin Chumu clearly didn’t mind that point. She nodded and said, “Not exactly. Some people I still contact occasionally. A lot of things happened back then, very trivial.” You probably wouldn’t want to hear it anyway, Lin Chumu thought to herself. After all, Lu Chaoqing grew up in a different environment than her. Even if she talked until her throat was dry, a girl raised in that kind of environment might not truly empathize.

But Lu Chaoqing interpreted her words differently.

She was pondering Lin Chumu’s true intention in suddenly telling her about the orphanage.

Lu Chaoqing was not the original host. She wasn’t a spoiled rich girl raised in a wealthy family who knew nothing of the world’s suffering, nor was she incapable of empathy. Even growing up in a decent orphanage, she would inherently lack something irreplaceable compared to someone with parents and family.

Regardless of what happened back then, the original host, who grew up living in luxury, gained a huge advantage, including her, who now inherited the original host’s identity and enjoyed the parents’ more deliberate or unwitting favoritism. Although the person in front of her seemed psychologically much more mature than her, they were actually the same age.

Even if she wasn’t the original host, she wouldn’t bear those accusations, but the apology she owed Lin Chumu wasn’t so difficult to repay.

“I’m sorry.”

After a moment of silence, the girl looked up, her gaze full of sincerity, her eyes still clear and flawless. It was more serious than her previous intentional or unintentional flirting.

This time, Lu Chaoqing had no intention of joking or subtly flirting. She gently took Lin Chumu’s hand with her uninjured one and placed it over her heart. Since she was indoors, the clothes she wore today weren’t thick, and perhaps the rhythm of her heartbeat could be heard through the fabric.

“Ever since I learned about my background, I have never wanted to inherit the family business. Just give me some time, and I will return everything that should be yours, completely.”

She still had to establish herself in this world. After months of high-intensity training that led to the dawn of her debut, she absolutely would not give up on her dream. The former Lu Chaoqing had a foundation in dance and some music but never thought of becoming an idol. But since she accidentally stepped into this industry this time, the original host’s dream had gradually become hers.

She wanted to continue in this industry, so she needed some time to fully establish herself in the circle. Moreover, the matter of the real and fake heiress was confusing and involved many factors. Even if she demanded public disclosure now, her parents might not immediately agree. Lu Chaoqing could only say she would do her best to let her own conditions speed up the process of this matter.

Lin Chumu shook her head: “How the inheritance is distributed is their business and has nothing to do with me.” Her own circumstances were not the kind that required parental support to sustain her, so she was naturally not here for the inheritance.

“Then if you need… out of sight, out of mind, I can move out of the house after this matter is resolved.”

Lu Chaoqing was telling the truth.

In fact, she had wanted to move out of the house quickly from the very beginning, especially to stay far away from the female lead, ensuring there would be no intersection of their storylines later. But many things were complicated right now, and she couldn’t leave the house directly yet. If Lin Chumu needed it, she was certainly willing to give her real peace after the matter was over.

Lin Chumu pondered for a long time.

Lu Chaoqing just stood there, observing her expression. Seeing the woman’s face become calmer and calmer, she fully expected the other party wouldn’t answer, but then she suddenly heard a soft “Alright.”

It was the expected answer, yet her heart still felt a sharp pang of pain because of this sentence.

It started raining.

Autumn rain comes quickly. The world suddenly changed color, and the rain poured down in sheets, small at first, then heavy as a deluge, sweeping up the remaining green leaves on the branches that trembled in the wind. The girl in the dorm played the band’s newly released CD on a CD player, holding a cup of red bean and barley tea, staring blankly at the rain curtain outside.

Figures came and went downstairs. EM’s dorms were even more comfortable than MT’s, especially since they were separated, and everyone had their own room. There was no one around to disturb her at this time. Jiang Qishuang squinted for a while. Not finding a familiar figure downstairs, she went back to scrolling through her phone.

This was a rare day of leisure. She also found the rare enthusiasm to check Weibo. After replying to comments from front-row fans, Jiang Qishuang ignored the rapid “99+” notifications, typed a term into the search box, and slowly started scrolling.

Because they had recently won first place on a music show and the concert had been very successful, Lilium’s popularity remained high. Their encouraging sales could certainly challenge this year’s Rookie of the Year award. In a few days, they would attend a small to medium-sized awards ceremony. Marketing accounts were currently flooding reports on the girl group’s momentum, especially some gossip groups, which were eagerly digging up fresh content.

Lu Chaoqing was always the topic with the highest discussion rate and popularity.

Lu Chaoqing was their official center and ACE.

The issue of her “privileged debut” had been exposed as early as her debut, or perhaps even when she was a public trainee, but this point hadn’t caused widespread opposition, and those who intensely disliked Lu Chaoqing were few and far between. Of course, Lu Chaoqing was truly flawless in terms of singing, dancing, and rapping, but many people still compared her with Chen Li and Jiang Qishuang.

The most compared person was naturally Jiang Qishuang, who was crowned as the visual center.

Jiang Qishuang could actually still remember the man’s eager, covetous gaze toward her at a previous banquet. But no matter what, no one dared to look at Lu Chaoqing that way, because she was a rich girl born with a silver spoon. No matter how well others developed later, they were destined to be overshadowed by her.

Even though Lu Chaoqing had never suppressed or bullied them.

But what about later?

No one could say for sure what would happen next. She had experienced similar things before. When she was in school, someone in the class bribed the teacher with expensive gifts, so no matter how hard others worked, the teacher’s favoritism towards that student remained constant, bowing directly to the generous gifts. Even in college, getting a scholarship depended on the teacher’s approval. Sometimes, certain things couldn’t be changed through effort alone.

Of course, the negative rumors about Lu Chaoqing had also intensified recently in certain discussion groups. Especially after her privileged status was known, her “improper” private life, when brought up, was easily labeled with the stereotype of “deep waters in wealthy families,” giving a very poor impression to some uninformed passersby.

Jiang Qishuang felt tired after reading through a mix of true and fabricated gossip. Using her side account with “Shuang” in the name, she briefly rebutted the too-outlandish and fabricated rumors and then went offline. Just as she pushed the door open, the main door was also pushed open, and the girl walked in from outside, yawning and looking listless.

“Xiao Qing?” Jiang Qishuang tentatively called out, “Are you feeling unwell? If you’re really uncomfortable, rest for a while. Tomorrow’s activity still needs to continue.”

She always presented such a gentle image in front of people, sometimes even acting more like an older sister than the occasionally jumpy leader Chen Li. Lu Chaoqing had always had a good relationship with her. Seeing Lu Chaoqing still a bit down, Jiang Qishuang reached out and gently rubbed her head, then put an arm around her shoulder, saying softly, “Be good.”

Unexpectedly, Lu Chaoqing subconsciously moved away slightly, avoiding Jiang Qishuang’s overly intimate touch.

Jiang Qishuang’s movement paused slightly, and the curve of her lips dropped a little, but it quickly returned to normal. She went to pour a cup of hot water first and put away Lu Chaoqing’s umbrella. Only after hearing a soft “Thank you” from the other person did she continue to smile: “Why are you being polite with me? Aren’t we good friends?”

Lu Chaoqing didn’t seem to be in a very good mood. She would usually exchange a few words with her, but this time, she just weakly pulled up the corner of her mouth. So, the understanding Jiang Qishuang didn’t say anything more.

A moment later, Lu Chaoqing finished her water and went back to her room to sleep. Jiang Qishuang was then joined by Chen Li, who had been called to the office. After the latter complained about the sudden thunderstorm, Jiang Qishuang spoke casually: “Leader, what do you think a person looks like when they fall in love?”

“What?” Chen Li didn’t hear clearly for a moment. Just as she picked up a tissue to wipe her damp hair, she turned around to face Jiang Qishuang as if facing a formidable enemy: “You want to date? Are you crazy?”

An unwritten rule in the idol industry is to prohibit dating, as their income comes from fans, and most fans do not want their idols to find partners during the peak of their careers. It would be slightly better if it was an internal group pairing, but their team was all girls. Chen Li instantly recalled several boy groups they had met recently, and the alarm bells in her head rang non-stop. However, the other party just chuckled: “How could that be? Do I want to retire right after debut? I was just watching a drama and suddenly got curious and asked you.”

Chen Li was puzzled: “Why ask me? I haven’t dated, and I don’t know anyone who has…”

Her voice suddenly trailed off here. Chen Li looked at Jiang Qishuang with a bit of disbelief, then stammered uncertainly, “Are you saying someone in our group is dating?”

“I just said it casually. Look at you overthinking it, Leader.” Jiang Qishuang smiled, her beautiful eyes curving into two small crescent moons. “You can’t just say things like that in front of others, or it would be bad if people heard and spread rumors.”

Chen Li didn’t say anything.

The next day, the trio rushed to the event venue early in the morning. After completing the interview, they went to debug the pre-heat live stream, staying busy all day and returning exhausted. They continued with activities the next day, and the following days of non-stop work left Lu Chaoqing no time to feel sentimental or reminisce. She just wanted to collapse and sleep the moment she got back to the dorm.

This busy life continued until the end of the fifth day’s schedule. In a few days, there would be an awards ceremony. Each group had to perform once or twice, and Lilium’s chosen track was their title song, “Against the Wind.” Although the upcoming awards ceremony was not a large-scale year-end show, it was considered a relatively authoritative industry award, so the production side also provided a grand stage.

The five members gathered again that day. Lu Chaoqing noticed that Ji You looked well, but Yao Xichen, who usually liked to bully and suppress Ji You, was in poor condition, lazily ignoring people and sulking to herself.

After getting in the car, Ji You smiled shyly at her, her pair of clear apricot eyes still gentle and bright.

Since her debut, Lu Chaoqing had been on music shows, various interviews, and concerts, but this was her first time attending an awards ceremony. Even though she knew it wasn’t a particularly big award, she still couldn’t control the restlessness in her heart.

She barely heard the host’s endless speech and elaborate introductions. The venue was packed, and applause interspersed between the MVs and performances shown on the screen. The last one played was “Against the Wind.” The organizer selected a part that featured her interaction with Lin Chumu and the final pose of the five members together. The concept film, with its distinct layers, was fresh and eye-catching among the diverse girl groups.

The female host with long, wine-red hair showed the classic professional smile, her eyes sweeping over the expectant faces in the audience, but she continued to build suspense in this tense atmosphere. The first few awards presented were for veterans and had nothing to do with Lilium. Regardless of what the five had been thinking before, they were now holding their breath, wishing the host would just announce their name.

Every action of the host felt like an eternity.

“This year’s Most Potential New Artist Group award goes to—” The host paused slightly, “Valeria Majalis! Congratulations to Lilium!”

They made it!

After the leader, Chen Li, stood up first, Lu Chaoqing couldn’t hold back and stood up too, her hands clapping until they were almost red.

The album sales were indeed among the best for girl groups, but the evaluation wasn’t always strictly based on sales; it also included subjective factors or other influences. There were strong competitors who debuted within the award eligibility period, and they hadn’t been completely sure about winning this award.

The surprise of the award going to them felt like instantly shooting from the ground into the sky. Even Yao Xichen, who had been in a bad mood, was desperately applauding until the host invited them to the stage to receive their honor.

The moment she held the trophy in her hands, Lu Chaoqing almost had tears in her eyes.

Anyone who loves music and dance would dream of one day shining brightly on stage. The light sticks held by fans below converged into a sea of light, soothing the exhaustion from endless days and nights of practice, illuminating the hope that sprouted from the bottom of their hearts.

She had never dared to think about this before. Even with her foundation in dance and vocals since childhood, she never imagined she would take the path of an idol. If Lu Chaoqing were the old Lu Chaoqing, she would only pursue an ordinary but beloved job after graduating from university, living a lifetime of obscurity, and would never appear on a stage like this.

The original host’s soul had long since vanished, replaced by her complete self. But the moment her fingertips touched the cold trophy, Lu Chaoqing felt a momentary resonance with a certain ethereal emotion deep in her consciousness. Although it was only for an instant, it was enough for complete empathy.

It was a sigh and gratitude from another soul, thanking her for not pursuing that dark path and not completely abandoning her principles and bottom line while choosing to pursue her own dream.

In reality, the original host’s talent in this area was also very high. If she hadn’t done those things later, this group might not have been without hope of reaching the top. Perhaps in the original plot’s development, the original host, having reached that point, would occasionally regret in prison that she had squandered a good hand, not seriously utilizing her own advantages to fight in the entertainment industry, but instead ending up with such a result.

The trophy Lu Chaoqing held now was also the final comfort for that soul. After that, she no longer felt any trace of emotion from the original host. Where that soul ultimately went remained unknown.

Not long after receiving the award, it was time for the intermission. The first performance was by a boy group that debuted a year ago. The stage setup for this performance was well-executed. Their average height of 1.8 meters made the group’s proportions look very uniform. The choreography incorporated the currently popular cyberpunk style, making the whole stage dark and bright, flowing with color, with perfectly controlled strength and release.

Lu Chaoqing clapped along enthusiastically, her eyes glued to the stage. But as the saying goes, “amateurs watch the excitement, experts watch the technique.” Many professionals do not limit themselves to the dancers’ appearance when appreciating a performance, but analyze and appreciate the overall layout and positioning.

Chen Li, seeing her absorbed, whispered beside her: “WTB has won awards twice since their debut six months ago. Their song ‘Siren’s Secret Realm’ was very popular, and their main vocalist even battled against a national team reserve member on a music show. Their slight shortcoming used to be dancing, but this time, their energy is completely there, and the positions are well-coordinated. I feel like they can aim for the Daesang Grand Prize at the end of the year.”

The next girl group was a familiar face, coincidentally the one that had secretly disparaged Lin Chumu and their team’s achievements on a music show before. Lu Chaoqing found it ridiculous even thinking about it now.

Previously, she was even a little bothered by whether the matter of Lin Chumu “having a sugar baby” was true or just a baseless rumor. Now, it seems, what kind of relationship could such a fiercely straight woman have with another woman? It was likely just malicious rumors spread by some envious people after seeing her talk to a close friend.

But thinking of Lin Chumu, Lu Chaoqing couldn’t help but recall their conversation that day, recalling Lin Chumu’s long silence before giving an affirmative answer after she suggested moving out of the house.

Even though she knew this was logical, her heart still ached vaguely whenever she thought about it. Lu Chaoqing couldn’t forget it or convince herself not to have such strange emotions, she could only try her best to stop thinking about it.

After staying for a full hour, the staff backstage began notifying the members to change their outfits.

Lin Chumu had declined the invitation to attend today’s awards ceremony.

She rarely had the habit of canceling appointments, especially ones that weren’t too demanding and only required her presence as filler. This was actually a bit of leisure time amidst her busy work schedule, requiring no speeches or excessive socializing—something others would crave.

She hadn’t originally planned to decline this event, but her conversation with the little “green tea” ended on a sour note, leaving both sides silently unhappy. Lin Chumu didn’t consider herself the type to avoid things, but two days prior, when discussing the matter, her subconscious mind unknowingly prompted her to speak first, pushing this “errand” onto another colleague.

The colleague was naturally delighted and readily agreed to go in her place, completely putting an end to Lin Chumu’s plan.

However, a meeting scheduled for tonight was unexpectedly postponed due to some unforeseen circumstances, and suddenly, her hands were free, with nothing much to do. Moving through the building, listening to the few people discussing things animatedly, she returned to her room and couldn’t help but open a favorite she had previously set up on her computer. The website showed it was live streaming.

The awards ceremony venue was packed with people she had seen before. Light shone from the dark onto the stage. As the familiar prelude to “Against the Wind” began, the light gathered on the girl who appeared first, instantly astonishing.

Lu Chaoqing’s entrance was completely different from before, perhaps because the stage design was fully open this time, adding many elements that couldn’t be fully expressed before. The girl, sitting on a swing, dangled her long legs and gently swayed. The camera focused on her two fair, flawless feet. A deep purple Lilium flower, half-bloomed, was painted in rich, saturated colors on her ankle.

The masked fallen angel placed an index finger on the center of her cupid’s bow, and the atmosphere was instantly heightened by the immersive low bass of the opening. The combination of the violin and the beating drums created a change in rhythm. Chen Li started singing first, immediately drawing many eyes.

“When a ray of light still remains in the abyss, hope will not be hidden by the severe winter; the direction against the wind, the moon god of the Sahara spreads her arms after a long time…”

After Ji You’s highly rhythmic rap, Lu Chaoqing’s high note was supposed to follow, but before the part could finish, the venue suddenly plunged into complete darkness.

Power outage?!