Gu Yanqiu’s schedule was extremely tight over these two days, encompassing both rehearsals and the actual performance.
Moreover, the stage was constantly occupied by rehearsals. Every time he passed by, he could hear the overwhelmingly powerful sound system.
Those who could appear on the “Singing Star” program were all big names in the singing industry. Their pursuit of artistic perfection meant their rehearsals were exceptionally rigorous.
Gu Yanqiu had been waiting all along. By the time the last person finished rehearsing, it was already 3 a.m. When the intern notified him that it was his turn to rehearse, he still felt a surge of excitement. However, when he went up, he found the band members already unplugging cables and packing up.
“Everyone, the music director just informed me to come for rehearsal,” Gu Yanqiu said politely and respectfully.
Upon hearing this, the band members grumbled, “They really won’t let us sleep,” before calling back those who were about to leave to continue with the rehearsal.
Gu Yanqiu tested the microphone and adjusted it. After a couple of attempts, he finally got the microphone under control and asked the band, “Is this okay, everyone?”
“Sure, sure,” some of them replied, already standing up to pack drumsticks and audio cables.
Gu Yanqiu bowed to them. “Thank you for your hard work, everyone.”
Soundcheck rehearsals are different from live performances—there’s no need to sing the entire song.
His manager, Chen Abiao, who had been waiting below with him, listening to others rehearse all night, was genuinely anxious.
The gap was really quite significant.
Others rehearsed for at least two hours. They had waited the entire night but only managed to secure two rehearsal slots. Forget Gu Yanqiu—even his manager was panicking. The live broadcast was tomorrow.
He didn’t expect Gu Yanqiu to amaze everyone with one performance, but he hoped he wouldn’t embarrass himself too badly. His expectations kept dropping lower and lower.
But given their status, even the interns at Apple TV were more respectable. No matter how dissatisfied they were, they couldn’t show it.
The two of them bowed and expressed their gratitude all the way out of Apple TV’s performance hall, got into their van, and were driven back to the hotel.
The manager sighed repeatedly. If he had known it would be like this, he would rather not have come.
He had thought this would be a perfect opportunity for a comeback.
Who would have thought that avoiding public ridicule would already be a good outcome?
The stage was excellent, but it wasn’t suited for him. His real strength lay in fully live singing and dancing—stable vocals and powerful moves. It could be said that no other idol in the same field could compete with him.
Yet, this was purely a singing stage.
It was like walking with one leg missing. Not falling was already an effort; standing out was practically impossible.
The male manager cycled between exhaustion and worry. He didn’t even realize he had sighed again.
In the cramped van, even the driver found the atmosphere suffocating and couldn’t resist rolling down the window halfway to let in the outside breeze.
Gu Yanqiu kept staring out the window, watching the bustling traffic outside. The neon lights flickered, their glow sweeping across his face, making his handsome features even more striking.
But it was fleeting.
When they arrived at the hotel, the company’s budget was sufficient this time, so they booked two rooms.
Gu Yanqiu returned to his room and said to his manager, “Brother Chen, you’ve worked hard all day. Get some good rest.”
Brother Chen wanted to say something, but at this point, words were useless. He swallowed what was on the tip of his tongue, then patted Gu Yanqiu’s shoulder. “Get some good rest.”
Gu Yanqiu wasn’t in a hurry to remove his makeup or take a shower. Instead, he sat by the window lost in thought. After a while, he opened WeChat and unconsciously clicked on Chen Duo’s profile.
He was suddenly surprised to discover that Chen Duo had also come to this area and had visited many popular spots to check in.
The bubble tea she posted was for two, and the food she shared was also for two.
There were also various desserts checked in as pairs. Gu Yanqiu knew she had a boyfriend—the guy who had topped up their membership that day. Unable to resist, Gu Yanqiu gave her post a like.
Soon, he received a message from Chen Duo: “I’ll be cheering for you during tomorrow’s livestream.”
“Thank you.” He felt unexpectedly honored. No matter how cold he appeared on the outside, having someone’s support warmed his Heart.
Since he was here, leaving a mark on the stage would be good too.
His tense mood miraculously eased with Chen Duo’s encouragement.
No matter what challenges he faced, he wasn’t completely alone—he had someone supporting him.
…
Meanwhile, Chen Duo had just put down her phone when she heard Xu Kaiming’s voice drifting over: “Still awake so late at night?”
Chen Duo set her phone aside and looked at Xu Kaiming lying on the other bed in their twin room. “Who told you to book just one room?”
Xu Kaiming’s eyes shifted slightly to the left. “This was the only room available at the hotel. We can’t make things difficult for the front desk staff.”
“Couldn’t we have switched to another hotel?” Chen Duo asked.
Xu Kaiming replied, “This is the largest five-star hotel near Apple TV Station. I was afraid you wouldn’t be comfortable in a lower-tier place.” This area often hosted performances and shows, with many artists and their teams staying here. They had only managed to get this room by using a premium membership card.
A displeased expression crossed Xu Kaiming’s handsome face. “You’re not rejecting me, are you?” We used to sleep in the same bed all the time when we were kids.”
“You’re still bringing up things from when we were three?” Chen Duo hadn’t realized he loved holding onto old memories so much.
Xu Kaiming rolled over and sat up on his bed. “Yes, I am! You even said you’d marry me when we were little. Seems like I was the only one who took it seriously! You’re not falling for Gu Yanqiu, are you? He’s a celebrity—completely out of reach. You’d be better off with me—much more down-to-earth.”
Chen Duo said, “You promised you wouldn’t get jealous.”
Xu Kaiming fell silent.
Seeing his expression darken, Chen Duo decided not to provoke him further and softened her tone. “Besides, didn’t I go with you to check in at all those landmarks today? I even posted couple photos everywhere.”
Xu Kaiming let out a noncommittal “hmm” from his throat, like a big cat.
Chen Duo knew he was almost appeased and added, “You’re my boyfriend—be more magnanimous.”
The corner of Xu Kaiming’s mouth twitched downward. “As long as you remember that.” After speaking, he readjusted his blankets and burrowed under them.
After getting into bed, Chen Duo plugged in her phone to charge, turned off the bedside lamp, and lay down.
Back when she used to chase celebrities, she had traveled all over the country. Sometimes, under special circumstances, she had even shared rooms with fellow fans from online groups.
But sharing a room with Xu Kaiming—even though they were in separate beds—felt strangely different.
It seemed she was stuck with him. Before Chen Duo could ponder further, a soft reminder came from the other bed: “Go to sleep.”
Chen Duo closed her eyes. If she couldn’t figure it out, she might as well not think about it.
Perhaps she was genuinely exhausted today. As soon as she closed her eyes, drowsiness washed over her, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.