The music festival was different from a concert; it was freer, less constrained. Instead of focusing on the perforrs on stage, the experience of being at the festival itself was the main attraction.
When the music started playing, the speakers scattered throughout the venue ca to life. Girls in tank tops and shorts, holding drinks, swayed to the music at various stalls. The notes and rhythm controlled their bodies, and the dopamine rush brought by the music made them lose themselves in the afternoon.
Clouds in the sky even cast shadows on the ground. People outside the stage area didn't know each other, yet they gathered together, swaying to the music, chasing the shadows of the cotton clouds, and enjoying the mont of happiness.
At this mont, anyone in the park was enchanted by the musical notes.
As Ke Youming and his friends walked, they couldn't help but shake their heads and sway, like birds freed from a cage, feeling carefree.
The bass vibrations made their feet tingle, and the deafening music drowned out all worries. Even if soone shouted at this mont, it wouldn't be considered rude.
And indeed, a few people did shout.
The performances of AIcho and Titrain were scheduled for the evening. For now, they were wandering around with their assistants, enjoying the last bit of happiness the music festival had to offer.
Those wandering around the park could notice that many artists seed to be present today. Just a few steps and you might spot soone with an outstanding figure, all wearing masks.
There were even online lists summarizing how many artists had attended, and the roster made it seem like half of the entertainnt industry was there.
This music festival, besides the public ticket draw, also had internal tickets.
Ultimately, the purpose of this event was for charity. If dia personnel and artists participated in their charity activities, they could obtain entry tickets.
A few people from Yang Siyu's company had co to learn. Besides so staff mbers, there were also artists from their company.
Knowing that having the bosses around would make them feel constrained, Yang Siyu and her colleagues deliberately let everyone disperse and move freely, with just a few assistants following them.
At this mont, the artist on stage was performing. They didn't go to the front row but chose a spot close to the speakers to sit down.
"Here, your extra ice, half sugar, and your extra ice, no sugar..." Li Yao returned with a bag of cold drinks, distributing them to the other two. The rest of the staff had been sent out to enjoy themselves, which was a kind of unconventional team-building, hoping to relieve them of the constant tension.
Without the staff around, the three of them finally felt free to remove their masks and express their emotions.
After taking a sip of her cold drink, Zhao Xu let out a long sigh. "The new random i variety show is about to co out, and they're currently interviewing MCs. Many small artists are auditioning."
They had also brought their own trainees, and the results were predictable.
Since it was a new show, the production team was cautious in selecting the MC, hoping to find soone with existing popularity, or at the very least, soone most people recognized and could na.
Although Random Entertainnt, in collaboration with other platforms, had greatly promoted the idol industry, standing out among so many artists was still extrely difficult.
Big companies that focused on idols weren't limited to Random Entertainnt; there were three or four other well-known companies in the industry. However, despite their fa, the artists from those companies hadn't managed to gain much recognition among the public.
This alone was enough to show how hard it was to make a na for oneself in this circle.
Seeing their low spirits, Li Yao patted their shoulders and comforted them. "Hey, at least we're making so money now, right?"
Previously, they were operating at a loss every month, but now at least they were breaking even. Even if they only made a few hundred dollars, it was a small step toward success.
Because they were looking at things from Jiang Juyou's perspective, they could truly appreciate how remarkable she was.
Similarly, the male group from Yang Siyu's company also felt a mix of emotions.
The seven of them stood at the outer edge of the crowd, far from the stage, only able to see the large screen. Compared to the towering screen, they seed like tiny ants.
On the screen was Chen Wu, bowing his head while playing the bass. The performance had been going on for over half an hour without much pause. Combined with the afternoon heat, he was already drenched in sweat, his bangs sticking to his forehead.
Fans cheered and scread below the stage, and the audience opened their arms, jumping to the music's rhythm.
Among the seven, a few had made it to the final twenty-one but failed to debut in Titrain or Equals3. They heard that Random Entertainnt was about to launch another male group. If they had persisted until the end, would they have avoided many detours?
Unlike the surrounding revelers, they couldn't fully enjoy the mont. Every second they saw and heard reminded them of their ti as trainees at Random Entertainnt and the monts when fans surrounded and went wild for them.
Not far behind the seven of them were a few mbers of Random Entertainnt's new male group.
"Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!" The four boys jumped to the music's rhythm, shouting the cheer phrases like fans, with assistants and bodyguards around them to prevent them from bumping into others.
They didn't know how others felt about Equals3's music, but they loved it, especially Jiang Wangran's style, which hit all the right spots for these passionate boys.
Jiang Wangran, holding a guitar, ran along the extended stage, and the four boys went crazy, shouting hysterically, "Brother—over here! Look at ! Brother!"
For the boys, Jiang Wangran's personality and appearance were just too cool. The way he played the guitar on stage had the fifteen or sixteen-year-old boys below completely entranced, shouting louder than anyone in the front row.
"Quiet down!"
"Stop shouting, or I'll cover your mouths!"
"Everyone's looking over here; keep it down!"
Seeing Sang Mo coming from behind with a half-full bottle of water, the surrounding girls also went wild, shouting as if they were zombies mutating, trying to catch his attention and get him to splash water their way.
Realizing there was a trick to it, the four boys gestured to Jiang Wangran, who was looking over, and held out their water bottles, shouting at the top of their lungs, "Brother—splash here! Brother, look at us! Jiang Wangran is aweso!"
The assistants behind them were already feeling dizzy, as they noticed phones turning to film them.
"Get in there, cover their mouths," the more experienced assistant directly waved his hand to command.
On stage, Jiang Wangran might have recognized them, grinning happily and picking up a bottle of water from the side. After taking a few gulps, he shook the bottle.
The song was called "Carnival in the Storm," and the whole song felt like the irrational emotions after a breakup, both sad and liberating. The three of them seed to have tid it perfectly, setting down their guitars just as the drumbeat peaked, and at the drop of the music, they splashed the water in their hands.
Those a bit closer to the main stage area could hear the explosion of cheers, turning to see what was happening, only to find the screen showing the even more dazzling and wild trio.
That sense of happiness was transmitted through the screen, infecting everyone, making them curious and wanting to go see for themselves.
Ke Youming and his two friends were sitting a bit farther away on a higher spot, eating and watching Equals3's performance. As they watched, they spotted a few familiar figures on the screen.
Their hands paused mid-action, and the four boys on the screen, gripping the railing and shouting hysterically, were clearly visible, their faces red with excitent even through the masks.
"..."
Ke Youming and his friends exchanged glances and looked back at their manager.
Sure enough, the manager's face was already dark.
She picked up her phone and sent a voice ssage to the others, "Tell them to pull their masks up properly. If their faces are exposed, that's when they're really asking for trouble."
After saying that, she looked at Ke Youming and the others.
The three quickly raised their hands and swore, "We're being good."
Today marks the final day of the Midsumr Music Festival, and within just the opening monts, several hot searches have already trended on social dia. Artists who participated in the event have been consecutively making headlines. Among the most popular topics is the hashtag #Jiang Wangran's Fanboys#, featuring footage of several young n clinging to the barriers, going wild as Jiang Wangran approached. Videos from multiple angles captured their frenzy, with one particularly close shot showing the four of them shouting "Brother!" at Jiang Wangran.
The entire afternoon's entertainnt was provided by the Midsumr Music Festival. Whether it was the atmosphere, the fashion, or the services within the venue, those who couldn't attend were left envious.
Yang Ping spent the morning sitting in front of his computer, scrolling through the trending topics on Random Entertainnt.
Aside from the Midsumr Music Festival, there was another significant event worthy of trending, but due to the overwhelming attention on the festival, it failed to make the headlines. It's possible that Random Entertainnt intentionally avoided promoting it, hence no hashtag erged.
Yang Ping read the article just published by a dia official account, detailing a collaboration agreent signed by five major companies, including Random Entertainnt, to jointly boost the dostic idol market.
He smirked sinisterly, "How amusing."
The article's wording suggested that these five companies are the largest entertainnt agencies in the dostic market, boasting nurous artists who pursue a singing career. Subtly, they excluded Yang Ping's company from this elite group.
"Last ti you responded quickly, let's see how you handle this," he muttered, glaring at the photo of Jiang Juyou with a hostile expression.
-
During the dinner hour, the park was quiet for a while, giving both the audience and staff a few hours to rest and eat. So even went to sleep in their tents after dinner, waking up only when the outside noise resud.
Such long-duration events are exhausting. If it weren't for the promise of bigger nas later, so might have left by the afternoon.
In the evening, besides AIcho and Titrain, there were also three extrely popular groups of artists. Initially, the audience ca mainly for them.
After a three-hour break, Titrain kicked off the second part of the event.
The night's accumulated clouds had dissipated, and the large screen's lights beca the primary source of illumination. The neon signs used for photo ops within the park lit up, and the girls, now re-energized, flocked to take pictures as souvenirs.
A light show signaling Titrain's imminent performance began, with countless drones assembling to form the word [Titrain] in the sky. Even the exhausted fans who had waited all day erupted in cheers.
Many were fans who had stood in the front row since Equals3's performance, fearing they'd lose their spot if they left, so they took turns resting during these hours.
Seeing the word [Titrain] light up, the overwhelming emotions drowned them, and they started crying even before the perforrs appeared.
Jiang Juyou turned around upon hearing the sobs. She felt in her pocket for so tissues to offer them, but realizing she only had her phone with her, she could only offer verbal comfort.
"They haven't even co out yet. Don't cry, don't cry. You look so beautiful; crying will ruin it," she said, standing outside the barrier alongside the on-site staff. Fortunately, soone brought tissues, allowing her to hand them to the sobbing girls.
The girls, clearly high schoolers or recent university students, still carried the innocence of youth, their emotions raw and their crying pitiful.
They sobbed while wiping their noses, pleading with Jiang Juyou, "Please be kind to Ye Xing, Jiang Juyou!"
"Do you know Ye Xing always has the least lyrics?"
"Waaaaah, please let Ye Xing appear more on shows! Please!"
Jiang Juyou nodded and smiled in response.
Nearby, fans of other Titrain mbers asked when Jiang Juyou would return to managing the group's operations.
Recently, the internet has been abuzz with speculation that Jiang Juyou's departure from Titrain's operations team signals her giving up on them. In reality, Jiang Juyou stopped managing their operations over half a year ago, and it's unclear why this topic is resurfacing now.
Afraid that responding would lead to trending on social dia and draw more attention to the issue, Jiang Juyou pretended not to hear and turned away.
Drones in the sky assembled into the shape of a Monnle flower, reminiscent of their final selection night. Fans witnessing this scene couldn't help but shout out loud.
Under this convergence of voices, a majestic orchestral piece began, like a match being struck, igniting the atmosphere.
The screams from the audience left onlookers in awe of their popularity.
The music's intro began, and the fans' unified chants followed.
"Titrain! Titrain! Titrain――Show them!"
Such a scene is rare among the top idol groups in China. The fans, as if trained, chanted in unison, and even the onlookers, though unfamiliar, joined in, following the emphasis of each line.
Yao Shuo, the anchor of the opening, began, and the onlookers understood why Titrain's fans are so passionate.
Yao Shuo's voice quality and vocal pressure are unmatched today. Without any backing vocals, his first two lines alone captured the atmosphere.
Just two lines sent shivers down the spines of those who ca to watch Titrain's performance, leaving them with goosebumps and a tingling scalp.
The seven mbers of Fluoxetine were also present, standing in the front row on the far left of the stage, close to the speakers. As the intro began, they clutched their hearts, and when Yao Shuo started singing, they looked at each other in astonishnt.
"Wow――――"
Fans of other groups in the audience also discussed:
"Yao Shuo's voice quality is too suppressed in the studio!"
"I didn't expect... this is my first ti seeing their live performance."
"Indeed, my preference is always for big vocalists. Among the five, I like Yao Shuo the most."
Whether in terms of tone or technique, Yao Shuo is undoubtedly the best vocalist among Random Entertainnt's artists. Even before the show, he took various vocal lessons and consulted with different teachers to hone his skills.
Tonight, Yao Shuo was the biggest surprise.
The director also frequently cut to Yao Shuo's shots. As they dispersed to interact with the audience, the onlookers' eyes followed Yao Shuo. With his silver hair, he resembled an energetic little fox. Due to the intense dance movents, his forehead was covered in sweat, and a few strands of hair clung to it.
During the self-introduction segnt, while the other teammates spoke, Yao Shuo couldn't resist ssing up his styled hair, pushing the silver strands back to reveal his forehead. His fox-like eyes, paired with his tired yet nonchalant expression, captivated the female fans in front.
"Today is also the last performance――" Gao Xiayu was saying when a small chorus of screams ca from the front right. They all looked over, puzzled, not understanding what was happening.
Yao Shuo himself didn't know, moving slightly forward to peek at what was going on, only to be t with more screams.
Realizing the situation, Yao Shuo adjusted his collar to cool down, smiling at the girls below and pointing at himself.
The director tily cut to the shot, and Yao Shuo's teasing expression was broadcasted on the big screen.
"Ahhhhhhhhh――"
This ti, even more people were captivated by Yao Shuo.
The four young mbers of Fluoxetine were once again in awe of Yao Shuo's charm.
"Why don't I look like that!"
"He's so handso... I should learn from him."
"Don't even try; you might co off as greasy."
“I’m already laughing this hard, I can’t imagine what those little girls are like.”
“My sister’s obsessed with him, and now I know why—he really has the power to captivate her.”
“My sister also likes guys who look a bit mischievous on the outside.”
“Put in so effort and turn our sister into our fan.”
“That might not work. My sister said we look like the type who’s bad at sports.”
“What does that an?”
“She’s saying you’re all weak and fragile, you bunch of wimps! Stop talking about it!”
Before the Titrain performance even ended, Yao Shuo had already made it to the trending searches with his few large-screen animated images.
In the comnt section, people who had attended the event shared their firsthand experiences.
“Yao Shuo’s offline popularity is really high, and you absolutely have to listen to his live performance. It’s amazing!”
“Seriously, haven’t you all gotten on the bandwagon yet? I thought everyone was on board when Yao Shuo was the Red Fox.”
“Co check out our daily chatroom [fireworks] Titrain’s powerhouse lead singer! Dive in and enjoy! Your ears will thank you!”
“I’ve seen him live. His vocal quality completely overshadows the others. I don’t understand why the company doesn’t let him appear on music variety shows.”
“@Random Entertainnt, please listen to the public’s voice and let Yao Shuo appear on shows, okay!”
“Our Yao Shuo is a bit laid-back in personality, but he’s super doting toward his fans. He’s the kind of guy who awkwardly expresses his love for his fans—a true man! Those of you who haven’t joined the fandom will definitely regret it!”
Backstage, Jiang Juyou looked at the phone handed to her by her assistant. The screenshots were all about today’s music festival hot searches, and the assistant had noted down the reactions from passersby.
After flipping through, Jiang Juyou saw the part where everyone was praising Yao Shuo.
Just then, Lin Jie was nearby, so she told her assistant, “Go find Lin Jie and ask her to co to .”
After saying that, Jiang Juyou got into the van and waited for Lin Jie to arrive.
Lin Jie hurried over with her phone in hand and asked as soon as she knocked and ca in, “Is it about Yao Shuo appearing on a variety show?”
Jiang Juyou, who usually focused more on managing idol groups, was primarily responsible for album planning and stage design. Deciding when and what shows the mbers would appear on wasn’t her responsibility.
Having been in the industry for so long, she didn’t need to ask why the team treated the artists differently.
“You’re quick-witted,” Jiang Juyou said, pushing an iced Aricano in front of her.
Lin Jie sat down, took a big sip, and sighed in relief after the heat subsided, “That’s refreshing!”
“What’s the reason with Yao Shuo?” Jiang Juyou asked her.
From the company’s perspective, they naturally pushed whoever they could onto shows. But realistically, it was impossible to balance the resources overnight.
Ye Xing hadn’t appeared on many variety shows, but his fashion resources were the best. Pei Luming frequently appeared on shows, and his popularity on the shows led to a steady stream of comrcial deals.
Gao Xiayu, due to his preparation for exams, had been excused from most of his work recently. Chi Qiao had appeared on quite a few shows and had even gained a reputation as a serious yet funny guy, often making everyone burst into laughter with just one sentence.
Yao Shuo had also appeared on so shows earlier, but he simply wasn’t comfortable with variety shows. He couldn’t find the right balance in his speech, often either saying the wrong thing or staying silent. Over ti, fewer show producers approached him.
Lin Jie gave a straightforward answer, “He’s different from Sang Mo and Chen Wu. Those two just lack variety show skills, but Yao Shuo is too sharp-tongued. His performance in the group’s variety show was fine because they’re all familiar with each other, and what he said was taken as jokes. It doesn’t work outside, though. Yao Shuo is always afraid of saying the wrong thing, so he just doesn’t speak.”
The term “royal family” also troubled Equals3. Jiang Wangran had been a last-minute addition to the debut group and had only practiced for less than a month before debuting. After debuting, his show resources never stopped, with shows on their own platform and frequent appearances as a regular on other shows.
The official Equals3 Weibo account was often dominated by Sang Mo’s fans demanding equal treatnt for Sang Mo.
The staff mbers had their own grievances, as Sang Mo preferred quietness and enjoyed playing alone, lacking variety show appeal. The variety departnt had even specially created a late-night radio personal program for him.
But pushing him out was not easy. He could easily be rejected by other audiences for lacking variety show skills, and the team couldn’t take that risk. Being criticized by fans was one thing, but being criticized by the general public was far more frightening, as it could damage his image. Therefore, the team chose another path for Sang Mo.
He had been busy auditioning for theater and crew recently, planning to start his journey as a theater actor and work his way up.
On the other hand, Jiang Wangran was an extrovert who got along well with everyone. Because he was sweet-talking and articulate, he was popular among the company’s staff. Outside, he was well-liked by show staff, and his variety show invitations never stopped.
This couldn’t be seen as the company favoring him by pushing resources his way. It was simply because he was suited for this path.
Lin Jie reassured Jiang Juyou, "Rest assured, it’s natural to feel protective of them since you’ve raised them yourself… Don’t worry, Yao Shuo has recently landed a role in a crew and is preparing for a musical. It’s just not officially announced yet. As for music variety shows, our platform is in the process of preparing one, and a spot is reserved for him."
Her words made Jiang Juyou smile slightly and nod, “…Mmm.”
The five mbers of Titrain were with her from the very beginning, from the trainee auditions. It was truly impossible for her to be heartless and not care for them.
Jiang Juyou looked up, her eyes filled with contemplation, “Huh, it’s only been four years, but why does it feel like the first ti I saw them was decades ago?”
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