He Jinxia blinked, her face calm but her heart slightly shocked, as she slightly lifted her head to look at Zhang You sitting across from her.
Zhang You's expression was serene as he stood up and strode confidently towards the center of the stage.
He Jinxia lowered her eyes, recalling yesterday's rehearsal where it had been her turn to go on stage after Nan Ming's exit, but now it was Zhang You taking the stage instead...
She couldn't help but think about what Luo You had said to her backstage in the makeup room before the recording of the program began.
In the backstage makeup room, compared to her, the main guest on the program, Luo You seemed even more nervous. He took a deep breath and said, "When you're recording the program, make sure to control your facial expressions."
"Now with the rise of 3D technology, everyone can wear 3D glasses at home to watch 3D variety shows. The artist's body is magnified many times over. The clothes you're wearing are specially made for 3D, and I had a hard time finding one in the company that fits your size and looks good. It's borrowed from the company, so don't damage it..."
Luo You, when nervous, liked to ramble, but he still knew his limits. After a few more lectures, he realized that there wasn't enough time, so he shut his mouth to let her rest.
But just as she was about to head out, he couldn't help himself and added a piece of advice: "If there are any changes in the program, or if the order of appearance changes, don't be surprised, just control your facial expressions."
He Jinxia stared blankly, wanting to ask something, but Luo You pushed her out of the door.
Her thoughts slowly drifted back as the sound of Zhang You's clear voice reached her ears:
"I am a newcomer, having debuted less than a year ago. Honestly, I feel like I don't deserve to stand on stage and talk about my expectations for the future because I believe that I am the future!"
He spoke confidently, "I'm still young, and my career has been smooth so far, so I can't quite comprehend the hardships of Sister Jiawen and Brother Nan Ming. Right now, all I want to do is to sing well, write well, strive hard, and prove myself through my actions..."
"In the entertainment circle, I am like a newborn baby who just happened to be born into a wealthy family, which allowed me to grow up smoothly without facing much adversity."
"Possibly in the process of growing up, I will encounter challenges in songwriting, negative news coverage, being slandered, and might even lose myself in the dye vat of the entertainment circle, but—"
Zhang You paused, then said solemnly, "I hope the future me will never forget the original aspirations."
He extended his left hand to his heart, looked up directly ahead with a solemn expression as if making a vow:
"I love singing, I love songwriting, I deeply adore music. No matter what happens in the future, don't forget to write a few songs each year."
"Whether satisfied or not, the songs represent your soul, your thoughts, your life experiences. Those songs that are written, they record your growth."
"People grow up through constant falls, but I still hope you experience less hardship. Here's a wish for your success—from Zhang You five years ago."
After speaking, Zhang You bowed deeply towards the audience, then left the stage and returned to his seat.
On the field, after a brief, silent pause, a fierce wave of screams suddenly erupted.
Many audience members covered their eyes with their hands, crying out loud.
Some didn't cry but also fought back tears, pretending to be strong.
The audience present on the scene numbered only two to three hundred people, but because Zhang You had been very popular lately, many knew him, including his fans.
After Zhang You finished his speech, the fans immediately took out their cell phones, flashing illuminating fonts; they lifted up their phones in a row, forming a complete sentence.
He Jinxia, with her excellent vision, saw it clearly—
"Zhang You, I love you!"
"Yo-yos will always protect you from behind!"
"Zhang You, you've been a lifelong fan!"
...
He Jinxia glanced at Zhang You, whose eyes were slightly red across from her, and sighed softly in her heart.
This was the charm of a popular star. With every move, doing nothing more than a normal recitation, they could make a whole crowd cry tears of emotion.
Fans were not just chasing after celebrities; perhaps it had escalated to becoming a pillar of their spirit.
At that moment, a thought suddenly popped into He Jinxia's head—if she ever became a popular star, she would never let her fans cry for her.
The scene was too sensational; she hoped everyone would smile happily instead of crying.
Of course, the basis for that was—you first have to become famous.
The harsh reality shattered He Jinxia's unrealistic fantasies, and as she came back to her senses, just then, the host with tear-stained eyes took out the microphone and said,
"The letter Zhang You wrote to his future self is genuine and sincere, provoking deep thought. Here, we also wish him a future as bright as the silk and to never forget his original aspirations. Next, please welcome He Jinxia for our speech."
A sparse smattering of applause arose, as if a cold wind had suddenly sprung up, with a few withered leaves swirling down, two words—desolate.
The audience's emotions, stirred excessively by Zhang You, had not yet subsided, with some still bowing their heads and wiping their tears with tissues. In this show, He Jinxia became the first star to face a cold reception from the entire audience.
She didn't feel awkward, and with steady footsteps, stood up and walked onto the stage.
Once on stage, she sensitively smelled a spicy scent, and glancing sideways unintentionally, she saw the host wiping her eyes with a tissue.
As she moved, the smell slowly dissipated, becoming much fainter, but for He Jinxia, it was still somewhat irritating, affecting her nose.
He Jinxia pondered for a while and then, deciding it was all or nothing, sniffed her nose and reached up to wipe her eyes. Her nose immediately turned a bright red, and her eyes started to shimmer with tears, looking like she was about to cry.
These days, any profession is extremely difficult.
Taking the microphone, He Jinxia took a deep breath and said, "I'm not a good star, nor a good daughter, and certainly not worthy of everyone's affection."
At this remark, everyone was stunned.
In the show, stars had depreciated themselves, but it was always spoken in a self-deprecating tone, like Nan Ming, but nobody ever began by slamming themselves so ruthlessly.
"After four years in the industry, I have achieved nothing and have only become more destitute and decadent, disappointing those who liked me, ignored by those disappointed, and disliked by those who ignored me. I am not a qualified star, not even fit to be one."
The audience lifted their heads, their faces looking pained as they gazed at He Jinxia. Harsh, this star was really harsh on herself—was she on a trajectory of diminishing herself to death?
Were they not afraid of defaming themselves too harshly, being criticized by netizens later, and then disparaged out of the industry?
However, they only guessed half right.
He Jinxia did not continue to belittle herself; instead, she dropped a bombshell out of the blue!
"I've carefully considered it, if by the end of this year I still haven't succeeded in losing weight, I will just exit the entertainment circle!"
Boom!
Everyone was astounded by this thunderous declaration.