Running Over The Head Of My Ex [Rebirth]

Chapter 8

The performance venue had been prepared well in advance, with the stage designed to be even more spectacular than the last boy group performance, capable of accommodating over a thousand spectators.

Since the show began airing, its popularity has remained high. Just looking at the vote counts for the top three in the previous episode, it’s clear that this venue is still insufficient.

The fans this season are particularly enthusiastic about spending money, making tickets extremely hard to come by.

However, for He Dongche’s family and one of the investors, getting a few tickets was not a problem. The production team eagerly gave them a stack of tickets; He Dongche kept four and distributed the rest to friends.

The production team was very considerate, providing front-row seats, offering the closest proximity to their favorite contestants, and possibly even a handshake.

The sight was filled with various colorful light boards on the day of the performance, the most prominent and dazzling being three colors: blue, purple, and gold, bearing the names Tao Jinghan, Zhuo Zhiwei, and He Qingqi, respectively.

The three colors’ numbers matched perfectly, creating a raging torrent that encircled the stadium.

Fans from each faction took their seats as the crowd moved in. The arena was filled with continuous screams and chants, the sound waves pounding the eardrums, and the air was thick with excitement, seeping into their veins and making their blood boil.

Thump, thump, thump…

The intense heartbeat resonated with the exhilarating sounds, and every cell in the body seemed to roar in response.

He Dongche’s family of four, dressed impeccably in suits, sat among the fans, appearing somewhat out of place.

The contestants hadn’t appeared yet, but just watching the behind-the-scenes clips prepared by the production team excited the fans. When combined with the surrounding waves of support, the cheering intensified, driven by a fear of outshining them.

A video of Tao Jinghan and Zhuo Zhiwei assisting He Qingqi was playing at that moment. When Zhuo Zhiwei’s hand touched He Qingqi’s hair, they exchanged smiles, and a wave of purple and yellow screams erupted, coming from the recently formed “CP” fans.

“Qingwei is real!! So sweet!! Please get married right here!!”

“Ah!!! Sister can handle this!” The large performance venue instantly turned into a giant chicken coop.

He Qingzhou, somewhat worried, leaned over to Grandpa He shouted, “Grandpa, maybe you and Grandma shouldn’t watch this! I’ll get the video from the production team later.”

Before Grandpa He could respond, Grandma He firmly refused, “No way! I have to vote for Xiao Xi~!”

Grandma He was infected by the fans, waving her hand and shouting, “Qizai’er, mama loves you!”

“Grandma! Wrong generation!”

“Qizai’er! Grandma loves you!”

“Pfft.” A young girl behind them couldn’t help but laugh, “Grandma, grandma!”

Seeing Grandma He was so engrossed in fangirling that the girl couldn’t help but poke her, “Grandma!”

Grandma He turned around, seeing the girl’s headband that read “Crown Prince” shining brightly. Her wrinkled face instantly blossomed into a smile, looking kindly. “What’s up, girl?”

Grandma He was a trendy old lady who liked surfing Weibo daily, especially after her precious granddaughter participated in “Idol Era,” spending all day on the super topic. Naturally, she knew that due to rumors of He Qingqi being a rich second-generation with a domineering personality (middle school syndrome), fans called her the Crown Prince.

“Grandma! Are you here to support a star too?” Although the girl had heard the familiar name earlier, she still wanted to confirm.

“Yes! I’m a milkshake!” Milkshake was He Qingqi’s fan name. Fans wanted to use “milk” but thought it was too middle school, so the proposal was vetoed.

The girl’s eyes lit up, pointing in the direction of the three formally dressed He family men, and she cautiously asked, “Are they too?”

“Of course! They dare not be!” Grandma He raised her head proudly.

“Great!” The girl, as if meeting long-lost family, pulled out a giant, shining light board from beside her with the words “Clouds and White Crane, Clear and Bright as Xi” written on it, speaking rapidly, “We came to show our support; of course, we must let Qizai’er see us.” “Without a light board, it’s like having no fan identity; Qizai’er won’t see us!”

“This is just right for you; let Qizai’er know we gave her a sea of gold!” Naturally, the Crown Prince’s support color is gold.

“Giving it to us, what about you?”

“No worries, I have another one.” Our support group bought this, just in case any milkshake didn’t bring support items.”

Grandma He, feeling touched, took out her phone and said, “Girl, let’s follow each other on Weibo. Please notify me of any future fundraising activities! Our family lacks everything but money.”

The three He family men obediently held the light boards, watching their wives (mothers and grandmothers) successfully blend into Xiao Xi’s fan group.

They were perplexed by how someone managed to smuggle in something so large!

After some chaotic time, the lights suddenly changed, the big screen stopped playing the clips, and the venue quieted down.

“Welcome to the first live performance of ‘Idol Era.’ I’m Yan Huan.”

“I’m Chen Xiangyun.”

The stage slowly rose, and the five mentors appeared before the audience, greeted by another wave of cheers. After greeting the audience, only Yan Huan remained on stage.

Yan Huan announced the competition rules in an orderly manner, followed by the contestants’ entrance.

In the preparation room, 98 girls watched the big screen intently, focusing on the faces in the audience, each person screaming their favorite contestant’s name with all their might, creating waves of sound.

This was their first performance, as well as their first time seeing their supporting fans. Some girls, unable to contain their emotions, covered their mouths, eyes wide with surprise, feeling touched or excited.

“Wow! Are those Xiao Ming’s fans? I see the light board!” Gu Mingying and Qiu Ming held each other’s hands tightly, jumping with excitement.

“That’s Ming Ying’s!”

“And over there, those are Xiao Yu’s!”

“Qingqi has the most; it’s everywhere!”

“Feeling so blessed, my gosh!”

This wasn’t He Qingqi’s first time seeing such a scene, but inexplicably, her focus was exceptionally sharp. Amidst the overwhelming noise, she could hear her pounding heartbeat, as well as a surge of indescribable excitement and emotion swelling in her chest.

She unconsciously bit her lip, her eyes slightly moist. Over the past two weeks, she had indeed been working hard for her future and her fans, but it all felt like a dream as if she were walking on clouds, lacking a sense of reality.

Every moment, she doubted whether everything in front of her was just a dream, a beautiful illusion she created out of regret.

But now, hearing thousands of fans calling her name simultaneously, she finally found a sense of grounding amidst the infinite heat.

She wanted to dance! She was back!

These eight words filled He Qingqi’s mind, and she entered a state of excitement, eager to show the results of her week’s hard work to her fans. She wanted to tell everyone she wasn’t just a pretty face, nor did she rely solely on her family background to get here. She wanted… to tell her fans she was worth their love!

Just as He Qingqi was intensifying her emotions, she heard a voice out of sync with her surroundings, filled with a hint of worry and anxiety: “No way.” Wang Qiyu was there.

Zhang Xiaoyu glanced over, initially assuming Wang Qiyu was upset about the small number of fans present. He was prepared to comfort her, but he heard her continue, “So many people for the first performance; what if no one comes to support us in the future? We need to maintain sustainable development.”

Zhang Xiaoyu: “…”

He Qingqi’s painstakingly accumulated emotions were completely disorganized.

Zhuo Zhiwei patted her hair and whispered, “According to Qiyu, by the finals, we might not have many fans left.”

Since He Qingqi voluntarily nestled into Zhuo Zhiwei’s palm last time, she loved this gesture. Fortunately, He Qingqi’s thick hair protected her from rubbing off.

“Don’t worry.” He Qingqi stared expressionlessly at the big screen. “My dad is rich; I’ll have him buy a few hundred tickets and give them to my fans.”

He Qingqi turned to look at Zhuo Zhiwei, patted her hand, and added, “And your fans too.”

Hearing this, Zhuo Zhiwei lowered her eyes and smiled. He Qingqi hit Tang Yiming without causing a stir, so she knew he was either rich or powerful.

Now, hearing her joke about it, Zhuo Zhiwei’s usually cold and indifferent face showed a slight smile, like the first melt of ice and snow, the sun shining on the snow.

He Qingqi was momentarily stunned. Zhuo Zhiwei had smiled more in the past half-month than in the previous ten years of her life. Zhuo Zhiwei, who used to be aloof and proud, never showed any kindness towards her, making her think Zhuo Zhiwei was like the eternal ice and snow on a high mountain, cold and solemn, untouchable.

But she never imagined that Zhuo Zhiwei’s smile could be so pure and sincere, so heartwarming. He Qingqi’s heart skipped a beat, thinking beauty was deceptive. She then lowered her head and smiled, her beautiful peach blossom eyes curving into crescents.

Her lips were red and her teeth were white, resembling a young boy who still carried a hint of childish arrogance.

If Chai Xu from ten years later were here, he would mock her for pretending to be young at her age.

Someone beside them whispered, “Damn, now they’re even showing off their romance.”

On stage, Yan Huan selected the “Wake” team to perform first today, a Korean song, with Tao Jinghan serving as group A’s leader.

He Qingqi, feeling a bit disappointed but inexplicably relieved, adjusted her mindset to enjoy her friend’s performance.

Tao Jinghan’s performance was undoubtedly dominant. When she stepped on the stage, she seemed to be the only one in sight. Her working experience in Korea gave her a near-perfect camera performance, and her self-written rap part ignited the audience, living up to her title as the strongest rapper of the future tenth-generation girl group.

The constant practice paid off; even the team’s lowest-placed contestant demonstrated exceptional flair and seamless teamwork, with Tao Jinghan’s brilliance not overshadowing anyone.

During Tao Jinghan’s part, her cold gaze acted as a catalyst, half-squatting to interact with the camera and audience. The stacked screams on stage boosted adrenaline. Tao Jinghan’s voice grew louder, pointing at the audience with a jump turn. The team then positioned themselves, and Sun Jin continued to sing.

Very stable.

He Qingqi quietly evaluated that the defeat of Team B was inevitable.

Indeed, the competition ended without suspense, with Tao Jinghan winning 723 to 277.

Yan Huan, with a smile, said, “Next! Let’s welcome the two teams competing with ‘Immigrant Song’ to the stage.”