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"...
When I walked in the opposite direction,
Found courage in the corner of the stairs,
Shivering shoulders, crying,
Asking myself where I was,
The companions who once walked side by side,
Silently understood my grievances.
Time always lies,
I never truly lost those shoulders.
..."
Chen Fei'er held the microphone, standing on the star-studded T-shaped stage. A soft blue spotlight fell on her, scattering light like a thin veil of mist around her, making her look like a fairy descended to the mortal world.
Below the stage, hundreds of fans listened entranced.
'Hello Tomorrow' had a beautiful melody, gentle, slightly wistful, carrying the uncertainties and confusions of growing up, yet imbued with courage.
In Chen Fei'er's new album, 'Hello Tomorrow' was the only non-romantic song, a work of inspiration and life reflection, encouraging listeners, especially young people, to approach life with hope and longing.
Besides Flower Woman, 'Hello Tomorrow' was Chen Fei'er's favorite song. It reflected her own life experiences, and every time she performed it, it touched her deeply.
From an ordinary, wandering little singer to the star she was now, only she truly understood how much effort and hardship she had endured, how many times she had cried alone, how many times she had worked herself to the bone, how many times she had almost given up, yet persisted in the end.
Many people say there's no purity in show business; unless you have an extraordinary background, it's impossible not to get stained by the dirt of the industry. But Chen Fei'er could proudly say: what others couldn't do, she could. Because she was brave enough, strong enough, and lucky enough.
"Growing up, I can only run, I fear falling in the dark, 'Hello Tomorrow', smile through the tears!"
As she sang this line again, glistening tears shimmered in her eyes.
No matter how many setbacks and hardships she faced, she always stood on this brilliantly lit stage, her voice captivating countless hearts.
Being able to encounter this song, to sing it, was her immense fortune.
"Every time I cry, I run again with a smile, losing while searching, 'Hello Tomorrow', your voice may be so small…"
Inside the Meikadi Center, which could hold 1,500 spectators, silence fell. Fans held their breath, eyes wide, listening intently to Chen Fei'er's singing.
Her voice was like a heavenly sound, flowing like a clear mountain stream, slipping into the ears and hearts of the listeners, intoxicating them without their realizing it.
Chen Fei'er's vocal ability was unmatched, honed over more than a decade of performance experience. Hearing her live was an indescribable experience, and combined with such a beautiful song, it was pure bliss.
"…Yet it reminds me what courage truly is!"
The song ended, lingering in the air. The hall remained silent, except for the rhythmic waving of rose-red light sticks.
Chen Fei'er lifted her head, blinking as a tear brushed her lashes.
A charming smile spread across her face as she softly said, "'Hello Tomorrow', for all my friends!"
At that moment, the fans seemed to awaken from a dream, erupting into overwhelming applause.
They truly loved her! "Chen Fei'er!"
A thunderous wave of cheering resounded through the venue, fully proving the immense popularity Chen Fei'er now enjoyed, there wasn't a single paid fan among them.
Chen Fei'er reached up to wipe the corner of her eye, her smile growing even more radiant and captivating.
She couldn't help but think how wonderful it would be if Lu Chen were here with her, sharing this joy, sharing the fans' passionate cheers.
Especially on such a special day.
"Chen Fei'er!"
A few fans sitting close to the stage rushed forward, hoping for a more intimate encounter with their idol, but the security team was quick to intervene, and their attempt was unsuccessful.
"Thank you, thank you everyone!"
Chen Fei'er waved to the fans, soothing their excitement.
At the perfect moment, host Tian Tian appeared, posing as a reporter and interviewing Chen Fei'er. The questions focused on what fans cared about most: her new album, upcoming dramas, and her boyfriend.
Some of the questions were tricky, even improvised, almost catching Chen Fei'er off guard, but the effect was excellent, and the fans loved it.
Chen Fei'er then sang two more songs, continuously raising the energy in the venue.
So far, her new album Flower Woman had sold well on WeChat Music and through online crowdfunding. Although the crowdfunding had ended, the pre-sale at Xinhua Bookstore continued, and total album sales had already surpassed 1.3 million, expected to reach 2 million.
Two million sales would mean a double "Diamond Record" achievement, an incredible accomplishment in today's pop music scene, one that 99.99% of wandering singers could only admire.
Yet Chen Fei'er's ambitions didn't stop at double diamond, she wanted to aim for triple, quadruple, even the crown!
So, for this final fan meeting and album promotion event, she was determined to make it perfect.
Fans can sometimes be silly, and sometimes extremely sensitive. Only genuine sincerity can earn their fullest recognition. Since her debut, Chen Fei'er had never claimed to be perfect in handling her fans, yet she was widely acknowledged in the show business community as outstanding.
After some chatting and singing, the fan meeting quickly passed its halfway point and reached the interactive segment.
Host Tian Tian appeared again.
She had changed into a beautiful red evening gown, the hem flowing gracefully, catching everyone's attention.
This former heroine of Zhedong TV stepped into the spotlight with a mysterious smile, speaking into the microphone: "Today is April 29th, a very special day. Do you all know what day it is?"
Before she could finish, many fans in the audience shouted out: "Chen Fei'er's birthday!"
Fans might forget their boyfriend's or girlfriend's birthday, but they would never forget their idol's.
How could anyone forget such an important day?
Immediately, a row of large neon signs was raised, Happy Birthday, Faye!
"Faye" was Chen Fei'er's English name, symbolizing an Elf.
In the hearts of her fans, she was the last Elf to fall into the mortal world, incomparable to anyone else.
Chen Fei'er was surprised, holding the microphone and thanking them: "Thank you, thank you everyone!"
"That's right, today is Faye's birthday."
Tian Tian raised her hand, signaling for everyone to quiet down, and continued: "I know many fans prepared birthday gifts for her. Among them, one very special fan insisted on personally delivering a gift to Faye. His background is so big that I really had no choice but to agree."
She made a slightly aggrieved expression, as if bearing tremendous pressure.
Some less perceptive fans immediately grew angry, "Who's so arrogant? A government kid? Rich second-generation?"
A stir went through the venue, accompanied by intermittent boos.
But most fans were just waiting to see the show, this was clearly meant to be a fun interaction, a hidden surprise of the fan meeting.
Chen Fei'er glanced at her best friend, astonished.
She had no idea this was planned for tonight. What exactly was Tian Tian up to?
Of course, she wasn't about to betray her.
Tian Tian, having teased the moment for maximum effect, smiled charmingly and made a hand gesture inviting the guest: "Please welcome this fan!"
A spotlight swiftly shifted from the stage to the audience, the live camera following closely, projecting the image onto the background screen.
Everyone's eyes, including Chen Fei'er's, followed the light.
The next moment, the beam stopped, landing on the corner seat at the far left of the T-shaped stage.
A young man was seated there.
Bathed in the spotlight, he stood up calmly, a faint smile on his face.
Another camera quickly cut in for a close-up.
The audience erupted!
"Lu Chen!"
No one could fail to recognize the man on screen, especially Chen Fei'er's fans.
Lu Chen, it was him. He had come to Huhai, showing up at Chen Fei'er's fan meeting!
What left the fans speechless was that nobody had noticed him before.
Perhaps everyone's attention had been completely on Chen Fei'er, completely ignoring the person in the corner.
But thinking about it, it made perfect sense. As a good boyfriend, how could he not appear on Chen Fei'er's birthday?
This "fan" indeed had a formidable background, no wonder Tian Tian looked the way she did.
Chen Fei'er couldn't believe it, her eyes widening in shock.
Surprise, sweetness, Lu Chen was really here. He hadn't forgotten her birthday!
She realized she probably could have guessed it earlier, but Tian Tian had built up the suspense so well, misleading her.
Chen Fei'er couldn't help shooting Tian Tian a glare.
Tian Tian pressed her lips together in a smile, giving her a knowing look: "You understand."
Lu Chen had contacted Tian Tian yesterday, knowing she would be hosting Chen Fei'er's fan meeting in Huhai, and asked her to help arrange this big surprise.
Honestly, Tian Tian was envious of her best friend, how lucky she was to have such a man.
Tian Tian couldn't help recalling the time in Hangzhou when Lu Chen had risked everything to save her.
But she stopped herself, tonight's protagonists were only Lu Chen and Chen Fei'er.
She could just watch and bless them from the sidelines.
Under the spotlight, with the cheers of countless fans surrounding him, Lu Chen first waved to the audience, then quickly walked up the stairs to the stage.
At that moment, all the lights went out, even the stars on the T-stage dimmed dramatically.
As if following a signal, fans simultaneously switched off their light sticks and neon signs, plunging the entire Meikadi Center into darkness. The roaring cheers immediately calmed down.
(End of chapter)