Lu Chen kicked off the fan meeting with a performance of "Ordinary Road," sending the crowd into a frenzy.
As the song ended and he set down his guitar, two young women in short skirts skipped onto the stage, presenting him with bouquets of vibrant flowers amidst thunderous applause and cheers.
"Thank you!"
Lu Chen accepted the flowers from the fan representatives with a smile.
To his surprise, the taller of the two girls suddenly threw her arms around him and, standing on tiptoe, planted a lightning-fast kiss on his cheek.
Having successfully ambushed him, the pretty fan turned to the audience, triumphantly striking a victory pose.
"Whoo~!"
The crowd's cheers erupted into good-natured boos and laughter.
Lu Chen didn't know what to say.
Though unexpected, the incident was harmless and only added to the relaxed, joyful atmosphere of the event.
Lu Chen then performed "Free Like The Wind."
This song was both a track from his new album, Ordinary Road, and the promotional theme song chosen by China Auto for their new Travel car model, so it naturally had to be performed first.
Of course, the most important part of a fan meeting isn't how many songs are performed, but the interaction and communication with the fans.
"Today, this stage is mine, and it's yours too, so next..."
Lu Chen said, "I'd like to invite a fan to come up on stage. I'll accompany her on guitar while she sings a song for everyone. What do you say?"
"Yes!"
The fans roared in agreement, their glow sticks clattering like thunder.
"So, which of you would like to come up and sing?"
Lu Chen scanned the audience with a smile. "I'll grant a small wish for anyone brave enough to come up and sing here."
Whoosh!
Arms shot up into the air, the fans practically bursting with excitement, itching to rush onto the stage.
Hundreds of fans, whether they could sing or not, raised their hands.
Lu Chen chuckled, "So many people? This is going to be tough. How about we let the computer pick? It's the fairest way!"
The moment he finished speaking, the screen behind him began cycling through images of the audience at lightning speed, dazzling the crowd.
This was a computer-controlled random selection program, perfect for live draws or choosing participants.
"So, who will it be?"
Lu Chen teased the audience for a moment before decisively shouting, "Stop!"
The screen froze instantly.
A green-dressed girl with an apple-shaped face and large, round eyes was selected by the program. The camera immediately zoomed in on her.
"Ah!"
A wave of gasps and groans swept through the crowd.
The green-dressed woman selected by the program was initially startled, then bashfully covered her face, likely feeling embarrassed.
Lu Chen chuckled, "Would our friend please come up on stage and share her singing? Let's give her a round of applause!"
Amidst a wave of applause, the green-dressed girl walked onto the stage and stood shyly beside Lu Chen.
A staff member handed her a microphone.
"Could you tell us your name?" Lu Chen asked.
The girl nodded, raised the microphone, and said, "Hello everyone, my name is Yu Xiaorui."
More applause erupted.
"So, Miss Yu Xiaorui, which song would you like to sing?" Lu Chen inquired.
Yu Xiaorui hesitated for a moment before asking, "Can I sing 'Meeting'? Is that okay?"
"'Meeting'?"
Lu Chen was slightly surprised, then smiled. "No problem at all! Let's go with 'Meeting' then!"
The song "Meeting" was written by Lu Chen, but it was originally intended for Chen Fei'er and had already been officially released on her album Flower Woman, where it ranked high on the Original Sound charts.
The song was best suited for piano accompaniment, but since there was no piano available at the venue, Lu Chen decided to use a guitar instead.
The performance itself was secondary; the main goal was to interact with the fans.
What surprised him most was that Yu Xiaorui actually sang quite well.
"Hearing winter's departure, I woke up one year, one month. I think I've been waiting, anticipating the future, but..."
Her voice wasn't as melodious as Chen Fei'er's "Heavenly Sound," but she hit every note accurately. Her aura and emotional delivery were spot-on, with a hint of sadness and melancholy that, accompanied by the guitar, actually gave it a folk-like quality, a rather unconventional interpretation.
After Yu Xiaorui finished singing, Lu Chen, still holding his guitar, was the first to clap. "Great!" he exclaimed.
The fans' applause grew even more enthusiastic.
Yu Xiaorui, both happy and shy, bowed and said, "Thank you."
Lu Chen nodded gravely. "I think you sang it even better than the original artist. But keep this between us, don't tell anyone!"
Yu Xiaorui smiled, pressing her lips together.
Through the wireless microphone, Lu Chen's voice carried clearly to everyone in the venue.
The crowd erupted in laughter. After all, the original artist of "Meeting" was none other than Chen Fei'er!
Lu Chen added, "And you can't tell anyone either!"
The hall of the flagship store echoed with laughter.
This joyous atmosphere also infected the million fans watching the livestream, and the comments section exploded.
'Hehe, he actually said she sang better than Chen Fei'er!'
'Hahaha, I wonder what My Fei will think when she hears this.'
'My Chen is probably going to be kneeling on a washboard when he gets home.'
'Pfft! Who kneels on washboards these days? If he's going to kneel, it should be on a motherboard!'
'That was brutal.'
'Brutal +1.'
After the laughter died down, Lu Chen waved his hand and said, "Joking aside, Miss Yu Xiaorui, do you have any wishes you'd like to have granted? Of course, they must be reasonable and within my power to fulfill."
Yu Xiaorui pursed her lips and replied, "My younger sister is also a fan of yours. Unfortunately, she didn't win an invitation. She really wants a signed copy of your album. Would that be possible?"
Lu Chen smiled. "Of course! How about I give you two limited edition album sets?"
He signaled to a staff member at the side of the stage, who quickly brought over two sets of the limited edition albums.
Lu Chen had, of course, prepared gifts for his fans during his promotional tour in Hangzhou. These limited edition albums were one of those gifts. Each set included a signed CD, a commemorative USB drive, a finely crafted figurine, a keychain, and more. They had already sold out completely on the crowdfunding site.
Yu Xiaorui was overjoyed.
This made her, who had just received two limited edition sets, the object of everyone's envy!
It also made the fans even more eager for the upcoming interactive sessions.
They wanted one too!
(End of Chapter)
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