Chapter 40: Can I Reach the Other Shore?

Meng Ziyi gazed at Xu Xiu, completely forgetting that they were still holding hands and forming a heart shape with their arms.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!"
"That was explosive! That is definitely the most incredible performance I've seen tonight!"
"Xu Xiu! Xu Xiu! Xu Xiu!"
"Sister Meng! Sister Meng! Sister Meng!"

"Ahhhhh! Xu Xiu, can I have your autograph?" Wang Chuanjun ran over, acting like a little fanboy.

With no other choice, Meng Ziyi reluctantly let go of Xu Xiu’s hand. The moment she released him, Wang Chuanjun darted forward and gave Xu Xiu a massive bear hug. He had completely let his guard down, almost as if he were having too much fun.

"Xu Xiu! You are my god! How are you so awesome?" Wang Chuanjun looked genuinely thrilled; anyone unaware would have thought a real fan had stormed the stage.

Although Wang Chuanjun was being a bit dramatic, the duet between Xu Xiu and Meng Ziyi had indeed been electric. While Xu Xiu's singing voice could only be considered passable, he had shifted the focus of the song to rap, and his vocal timbre was absolutely lethal when it came to rapping. The little interactions woven throughout the performance had added a sweet, endearing quality. It wasn't just the audience who felt the chemistry; the guests were smitten too—it was so sweet! There was a distinct, pungent scent of romance in the air.

Chen Yu and Song Yanfei covered their faces, their eyes sparkling with the joy of seeing their favorite couple in action. It was just so satisfying to watch.

Truth be told, the stage performance by Xu Xiu and Meng Ziyi was so well-executed that everyone had forgotten the other acts, their minds filled only with the image of Meng Ziyi making a heart gesture toward Xu Xiu. Then there was Xu Xiu’s rap! It made the audience realize that Xu Xiu didn't just have those confusing rap moments; when he was serious, he was incredibly cool. It turned out that rap didn't have to be vulgar; there was also the articulate, storytelling-rich, serious rap that Xu Xiu provided.

Xu Xiu and Meng Ziyi were the final act of the night. The four members of the "650" group had already taken the stage to host the closing ceremony, and everyone’s face was wreathed in smiles. Well, everyone except Pai Pai. He wore an expression he barely managed to squeeze into something that didn't look too upset. In truth, he actually admired the song by Xu Xiu and Meng Ziyi, but unfortunately, his own new song had been completely overshadowed by the duo. His appearance on the show had been essentially wasted; not only did he fail to deliver a standout performance, but his new song was being crushed by Xu Xiu's track. Although the official streaming data wasn't in yet, he already had a bad feeling.

The melody kept echoing in his ears:
"Flowers bloom and wither, flowers fill the sky—you flicker in and out of sight."
"Day by day, dusk by dusk, I cannot see you—yet it is hard to sketch your face."

Though he wasn't quite sure what song it was, he felt things were looking grim.

Backstage, Gao Liang stared at the rapidly rising data, not even noticing that the cigarette in his hand had burned down to his fingers.

"Sss—" Gao Liang tossed the cigarette aside and hurriedly took a sip of water to hide his inner excitement.
"Director, this kid is too intense, isn't he? The number of concurrent viewers has already surpassed 1.5 million!"
"Yes, very good. Get in touch with Xu Xiu soon and have him prepare to record the song."

Gao Liang didn't waste any more words and told Qi Wei his plans directly. His fingers were still trembling slightly, though he couldn't tell if it was from excitement or the burn. There were no fools in the entertainment industry; Gao Liang knew exactly who had attracted these viewers. Pai Pai was a guest forced in by the investors, and he wasn't easy to offend. But right now, nothing mattered! Even if the investors—or his own father—showed up, it wouldn't change anything. He was going to give Xu Xiu maximum exposure; everyone else could just step aside. If this variety show became a massive hit, his own status in the industry would be solidified, and he would gain more resources. It was a win-win!

Xu Xiu was still unaware that he had caught Gao Liang’s attention. He was being ushered back to his seat by the crowd.

"What are you doing? What is all this?" Xu Xiu struggled a little.

The people around him ignored his protests. Four or five of them pressed him into a chair, and Wang Chuanjun appeared out of nowhere with a wooden stick, placing it into Xu Xiu's hand. Then, with exaggerated flair, he bowed before him—though it was symbolic rather than a true kowtow. The others followed suit.

Wang Su-long joked, "Chief! Won't you lead us to reclaim our former glory?"
"What kind of talk is that? Is this appropriate? Can't Mother Dan lead you anymore? Are you planning to betray Mother Dan?" Guo Qilin stoked the fire.
"No, Mother Dan will always be the best in my heart, but right now, I want to support our Chief." Wang Su-long was slick and didn't fall into Guo Qilin's trap.

Before Guo Qilin and Song Dan could react, Xu Xiu stood up. Leaning on his stick, he spoke with passion: "Can a person like me truly accomplish such a great cause? Can I truly reach the other shore?"

"Pfft—hahahaha!" The audience was amused by the group's antics.
"I was immersed in sadness a second ago, and the next, I almost sprayed my nose bubbles out."
"The tone shifted so fast! What about the sweet romance? Are you guys playing 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' here?"
"Superficial! Never mind that broken stick; I wouldn't even care about the Imperial Seal unless I picked it up myself. If I found it, I would truly be commanded by Heaven, eternal and prosperous—I am the Son of Heaven!"

"Sigh, Xu Xiu is truly talented. The lyrics for that rap were so good; at first listen, you don't understand the meaning of the song, but by the next listen, you are already the one within the song."
"Why does Sister Meng seem a bit lost? Is she still immersed in the feeling from just now? Is she going to turn this fake act into reality?"

***

The moonlight spilled onto the shimmering sea, looking like fallen stars dancing and flickering. A group of people by the beach were playing around, bursts of hearty laughter ringing out from time to time. Guests who had originally been strangers were now close companions who could talk about anything. They were no longer restrained or self-conscious, each of them beginning to let go of their inhibitions.

Most importantly, the table was filled with bottle after bottle of "wheat juice" (beer). There is a saying that if you want to quickly deepen the bond between men, you either have a drink together or get into a fight. They were the former, and as the "wheat juice" entered his system, Xu Xiu felt himself drifting away. Before the drink, Xu Xiu was just a member of Peach Blossom Dock; after the drink, the entire entertainment industry was his!

Just as everyone was getting happier and happier, almost ready to swear an oath of brotherhood on the spot, the production team sent out an assistant director to cue the next segment. This was the "exile" rule from when they first arrived; now, they had to vote for one person to be exiled to a deserted island. Each person had one vote, and the one with the most votes would be sent to live alone on the island for the night.

Once the news was out, no one was calm anymore. They had finally managed to bridge the gap between each other, and now they were being asked to vote someone off to an island? Wasn't this deliberately making them offend people?

"Let's go, let's go, forget about it. Let's eat our fill and go back to rest. The mosquitoes at home have been hungry for a whole day!" Xu Xiu, having had too much to drink, started rambling.

The assistant director, dutiful as ever, blocked Xu Xiu's path. "You can't leave."

Xu Xiu swayed, pointing a finger at the assistant director. "What? Wait a minute! Let me think of a word more offensive than 'beast'!"