“Who gave him the courage?”
“Challenging Mei Kaolife? Don’t you know this sister won awards in her teens and has performed countless concerts. Her album sales rank in the global top ten.”
“Oh my god, this isn’t just admirable courage anymore. It’s like an ant trying to eat an elephant.”
“If this gets posted on INS later, who knows how much mockery he’ll face.”
“This makes my liver ache with anger. If we’re not capable, why can’t we just admit defeat honestly? Why insist on making a fool of ourselves?”
“Ahhhhh! I’m pounding my keyboard at the screen.”
“Isn’t anyone going to do something? These people take advantage of their obscurity to cause trouble, creating chaos on the big stage just to gain attention. This is embarrassing our country.”
“Wait, who is this guy anyway? How did he get here? I quickly searched and found nothing but messages telling him to leave the industry. Any tea?”
“Get off the stage! Seeing him makes me sick.”
“If he dares to sing and dance in a way that embarrasses me later, I’ll definitely curse him out at the airport.”
“I’m numb. Who would have thought that at this level of singing artistry, an idol would dare to break through!”
“Seriously, am I some kind of cheap person? Why torture me like this.”
“Get off the stage, don’t make me beg you.”
Gu Yanqiu stepped onto the stage.
Host Daye and Mei Kaolife were still bantering.
“He’s really brave. I’m looking forward to his performance.” Mei Kaolife made a cheering gesture after speaking.
Foreigners tend to have more lively personalities.
Daye accompanied her to the waiting area below the stage.
Gu Yanqiu felt completely numb, devoid of any emotion. A mechanical thought crossed his mind: once this song is over, it’s all over.
The pain would end, and his dream… would end too.
Below the stage, Chen Duo’s spirits lifted. This was the idol she had loved for over a decade, even across different timelines. Her affection for him hadn’t changed.
When he was successful, he and his fans supported each other mutually.
During hard times, he paid out of his own pocket to hold café concerts. His dance skills were even more refined than the Gu Yanqiu from another timeline.
Now, he was walking onto the stage.
Apple TV’s lighting was truly impressive. A single spotlight made his already handsome face appear even more striking.
But Chen Duo noticed something was off about Gu Yanqiu.
The Gu Yanqiu from another timeline was a bright, cheerful little sun on stage.
The Gu Yanqiu at this moment seemed to have had all his vitality drained away.
Apple TV’s programs had over two thousand staff members, and their stage coordination was excellent.
But now, the artist was on stage, yet the music hadn’t started.
The audience below was deathly silent.
This was…
Black Tide.
That silence felt like a ruthless form of cold violence. It scrutinized the person on stage, imposing immense pressure.
Chen Duo’s expression darkened.
If she could feel it from below the stage, the person on stage must be experiencing it even more intensely.
How could this be happening?
Someone in the crowd muttered, “Get off the stage…”
Followed by a burst of mocking laughter.
That one remark sounded particularly loud.
This was the stage he had worked so hard to reach.
Chen Duo was usually a well-mannered audience member who never shouted during her idol’s preparation time.
But now, she couldn’t bear this wave of malice washing over her like tidal waters. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she shouted loudly, “Gu Yanqiu, sing well!”
Sing well—it’s not like you lack talent.
You’re the top-tier among top-tier idols.
You’re just obscure, not untalented.
Since that earlier voice could carry through, Chen Duo’s loud shout naturally reached the stage.
On the platform, Gu Yanqiu seemed like a humiliated puppy.
But suddenly hearing a girl’s voice telling him to sing well—
It felt like it came from outer space, firmly standing by his side, giving him confidence.
Yes.
He had to sing well.
He couldn’t let his fans down.
That voice felt so familiar.
The audience was pitch black; he couldn’t see anything.
But in just two short days, the program team had already distributed all the tickets. He had no idea how this person managed to get a ticket and come to the venue to support him.
In that instant, he knew—he wasn’t alone.
His supporters had come too.
His mental state instantly lifted.
Soon, the music started.
Chen Duo recognized the song almost immediately—”Blue Butterfly.” It was a magnificent pursuit, like the light of the world, a collection of all the most beautiful things.
Paired with his splendid vocal style, it had already become a classic in another timeline.
In this timeline, Chen Duo had heard it too. The song was exactly the same, but the production was rough, leaving no memorable melody on the internet.
He could have chosen to cover a classic old song for the show—it would have garnered more attention.
But he deliberately chose one of his own songs.
The prelude quickly began.
With Apple TV’s high-end equipment and the advanced arrangements by the music director, the song became incredibly magnificent, even more polished than the version from the alternate timeline.
However, both Gu Yanqiu on stage and Chen Duo in the audience changed their expressions.
The key had been raised.
His usual vocal range wasn’t that high. Chen Duo had listened to this song thousands of times in the previous timeline.
This key was almost suited for a female singer—had Apple TV gone mad?
He simply couldn’t hit such high notes.
A terrifying silence fell over the audience.
As the song on stage soared into a crazy key change, Chen Duo’s back was drenched in sweat.
She had never felt so nervous in her life.
Gu Yanqiu was a singer-dancer. This kind of hall-level singing stage wasn’t meant for him in the first place.
Just because he was a nobody, he was used as filler material in a live broadcast where no one dared to take on the challenge—a show with no post-production vocal tuning.
Even if he sang normally, he couldn’t compare to the big names who performed earlier.
Why use this method to make him even more humiliated?
Was this the dual nature of fate? In another world, there was already a shining superstar. So in this world, he was destined to be scorned and trampled by thousands.
But why?
He still appeared in unnoticed corners, dancing and improving his stage skills.
Even in places like coffee shops, he performed with full live vocals and dance. He valued his stage that much.
Even though he knew this place wasn’t suited for him, he still came.
In that moment, Chen Duo’s Heart was filled with rage.
With a heavy beat, the first line shot up an octave: “Against the wind, charging forward…” Gu Yanqiu fiercely ripped off his in-ear monitor, almost shouting the words.
It was like the roar of dark clouds and fierce winds—earth-shattering from the very first note.
Apple TV’s stage equipment was impressive. The arrangement was industry-leading, and hearing it live was truly shocking.
Even those who had been insulting him earlier now wore expressions of astonishment.
This…
Was this Gu Yanqiu’s voice? Compared to the previous performers, his singing wasn’t bad at all.
A small commotion unexpectedly broke out on the scene. The camera swept across everyone—they all wore expressions of disbelief.
Only Chen Duo in the front row was weeping uncontrollably.
As Gu Yanqiu’s ten-year devoted fan, she understood almost the moment that voice emerged: he was pushing that high note with his very life.
The instant he removed his in-ear monitors, he resembled a lone warrior besieged by enemies.
Perhaps the enemy outnumbered him; perhaps no one would survive. But he was determined to burn through his last ounce of vitality.
He wasn’t naturally skilled at high notes. His high notes were flawed, rough-edged. Yet under the force of those sustained high passages, even the live stream’s bullet comments froze for several seconds.