All the contestants had to stand up and bow to thank the audience as they closed the stage. But Jian Xingsui, who was sitting by the piano, didn't get up. His head was so dizzy, even he got double images just by looking at the piano keys. He knew the condition of his own body, so he didn't dare to stand up, in case he would fall immediately.
Instructor Li also noticed something was wrong, and muttered softly to him: "What's going on?"
The lighting director on the stage also noticed the problem and dared not turn on all the lights.
The audience also gradually felt that something was wrong:
"What's going on?"
"What's wrong with Jian Xingsui?"
"Hey, what's happening?"
The instructors on the special platform were also worried. Fu Jinxiao looked at the youth sitting by the piano, his eyes narrowed slightly. He slowly picked up the microphone, and whispered, "Jian Xingsui."
The elegant and mellow voice sounded low through the speakers on the stage.
When it reached Jian Xingsui's ears, it lifted his spirit up. His chaotic brain finally cleared up a lot, despite his limbs still being weak. This performance exhausted all his remaining physical strength. Fu Jinxiao's voice made him sober and realized that he's still on the stage.
Couldn't fall. He couldn't fall in front of so many people.
This was a stage that's built by everyone. If something goes wrong because of him, everyone's hard work will be ruined.
Jian Xingsui secretly twisted himself. The sharp tang of pain revitalized his brain a lot. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he stood up slowly. His surrounding teammates seemed to realize something. For a moment, no matter what grievances and hatreds there were in the past, they all solidified their image as a tight-knit team.
Zhou Xun walked over first, followed by Zhang Jiajia, Li Xu'an, Zou An, Anran…
Everyone leaned against each other and stood together, and officially walked to the center of the stage. The group that just finished their performance could also appear on the stage again at this moment. When Jian Xingsui's body swayed, someone supported him from behind; and when he looked back, he saw Shen Xingchen's face.
Shen Xingchen silently mouthed to him: "Lean on me."
The creative team was the last team to perform, and Jian Xingsui relied entirely on his last bit of strength to support himself. During this time, there should be a performance review or solo interview by the instructors. However, Fu Jinxiao instead asked, "You guys created this song together, right?"
The other teammates nodded.
Only Zhou Xun said: "The composer of this song is our vice-captain, Jian Xingsui."
Fu Jinxiao set his sights on Jian Xingsui, but he didn't ask Jian Xingsui any extra questions, just curled his lips and smiled slightly. Just like he once praised him on the first stage, he said in a low voice: "You did a good job."
Jian Xingsui had been supporting himself all the time, and his whole body was very tired. This kind of tiredness came deep from the marrow, but when he heard Fu Jinxiao's affirmation, his heart was hot again. It was enough to re-invigorated his soul, making him gain another bit of strength to continue onwards. Just like in the past, in those dark and difficult years, his idol gave him spiritual persistence. His idol was a gleam of light that kept the fire of his spirit going.
Jian Xingsui's voice was a little hoarse and his eyes were a little red because of a low-grade fever, but he still insisted on speaking: "Thank you, Instructor Fu."
On the stage, the young man solemnly bowed to the instructor's seat. He gave gratitude and respect to his mentor who appreciated him and gave him a chance.
Instructor Tuya said with a slight smile, "Okay, now that the last group has finished its performance, let's vote for the 'Popular King'! Live audience and viewers who watched for 60 minutes or more in the live broadcast will be eligible to vote!"
The big screen at the back of the stage flickered on, and the data of each team was clearly displayed.
Jian Xingsui turned around and saw the list of the creative team. As the number of votes on the screen increased little by little, there were three people in the creative group with the highest number of votes: Li Xu'an, Anran, and Jian Xingsui.
At the beginning, Li Xu'an and Anran had a high number of votes, while Jian Xingsui was lagging behind. However, slowly but surely, his votes gradually catch up to others. The amazing performance of "Shimmer" made him more well-known to all the viewers.
And finally, after the viewer voted. Jian Xingsui's total vote count was far ahead of everyone.
This was a stage where public opinion won over money.
Tuya announced with a smile, "In this second stage performance, the 'Popularity King' is— Jian Xingsui! Congratulations!!"
Thunderous applause erupted in the arena, and the spotlights fell on the young man, who was currently dazed and confused. As he stood, he gave a shallow, tired smile when he saw his name and face appear on the big screen.
Normally, he would've needed to give a speech.
Fu Jinxiao's gaze was always fixed on Jian Xingsui. He knew of the youth's current condition, so he instead said. "Please stand in the middle of the stage and take a group photo."
Shen Xingchen was the first one to walk to the center. His hand was still supporting Jian Xingsui, who still leaned on him.
Ning Ze, who was from another team, also came over and supported Jian Xingsui from the other side. the two of them seemed to be Jian Xingsui's close friends, supporting like good brothers should.
Shen Xingchen said in a strange tone: "Why are you so heavy, brother1it's 兄弟 "xiongdi" which does not denotes seniority.?"
Jian Xingsui said helplessly, "Who is heavy?"
"You are, duh…"
The photographer in front shouted: "Please look at the camera! "
Just as they were bickering, everyone turned their heads to look at the photographer, leaving behind a somewhat funny picture. Jian Xingsui was sandwiched between his two friends. This funny photo was taken, and even the director of the program group didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he saw it.
However…
Nobody expected that many years in the future, when the three young men in the picture had made many achievements in their respective fields, when they gained prestige and influence in the entertainment circle; this photo became a popular topic to discuss by everyone.
And every time someone mentioned this, the three young men would take another group photo with relish in their heart.
At eleven o'clock in the morning, the recording of the second stage of "Starlight" ended.
In the hospital nearest to the shooting location, a doctor was in a hurry in the middle of the night. The young man lying on the hospital bed was unconscious, and an IV drip had to be prescribed. After carefully measuring his temperature, the doctor said, "The fever should subside in two hours."
The man sitting opposite the sleeping youth nodded, "Thank you."
"It's nothing." The doctor inwardly blushed when she saw the man's face, but she was a professional who knew how to abide by medical ethics, so she kept a straight face and continued, "After we conducted a physical examination, we found that he is actually a little anemic and physically weak. It should be due to excessive fatigue. His food intake also should be monitored further, as it may be the root cause of his ailments. As for his low-grade fever, it should be a combination of the aforementioned fatigue and mental stress. Let him rest and make sure he is far away from a high-pressure environment until he is completely recovered. Otherwise, I'm afraid it will worsen his situation."
Fu Jinxiao sat on the hospital chair, sneaked a glance at the boy on the bed, and narrowed his eyes slightly.
This youth usually looks indifferent, but there are actually so many worries in his heart? Looking away, Fu Jinxiao nodded to the doctor: "Understood, thank you, doctor."
The doctor's face flushed red.
She finally knows why the outside world had such a high opinion of Fu Jinxiao. Unlike those famous "celebrities", Actor Fu was really polite and personable, and he looked very handsome!
The doctor hesitated for a bit, but she succumbed to her desires, "Well, uhm… can I ask you for an autograph? It's for my colleague, she likes you very much."
Fu Jinxiao looked up at her with a distant and polite smile, "Yes, but you please wait a minute, I'm taking this child to see a doctor, so he needs to rest."
Only then did the doctor come to her senses, bowed apologetically, and left quickly.
The room fell into silence, and the smell of medicine permeated the room. Jian Xingsui's sleep didn't take long. As soon as the sleeping drug started to lose its effect, he slowly woke up. His head still felt like it's stuffed with cotton, foggy and heavy. He turned his aching head, and saw Fu Jinxiao who sat on a chair by the bedside. He hesitantly asked in a hoarse voice, "Instructor Fu?"
He couldn't be dreaming, could he?
Fu Jinxiao raised his head when he heard a movement, then answered the youth, "Are you awake?"
"Hmm…" Jian Xingsui noticed the needle in his hand: "What's wrong with me…?"
Fu Jinxiao succinctly summarized his condition, "You passed out as soon as you got off the stage and successfully scared the other trainees half to death. As your mentor, it's my responsibility to take you to the hospital."
Jian Xingsui digested the explanation slowly. He then nodded, and said in a serious tone, "Thank you, Instructor Fu."
His fever has subsided a little, making his face not so red, although he was still sickly pale. Sick people were more fragile, after all. Remembering the doctor's reminder, Fu Jinxiao then finally noticed that this youth seemed too thin for his stature. Didn't the doctor said that mental stress might be the leading cause of the youth's ailments?
Looking at the well-behaved boy on the bed, Fu Jinxiao suddenly remembered what he overheard in the stairwell that day.
It might be because there's only the two of them, or because the sick youth looked very pitiful, or because the hard-working youth really touched Actor Fu's heart… or any combination of those reasons, that led him to ask, "Why didn't you agree to that one million yuan offer?"
Jian Xingsui froze.
Fu Jinxiao opened his lips: "That day, I was in the smoking room next to the stairwell, and I overheard it."
Jian Xingsui just woke up, his head was still a mess due to his low-grade fever. In this muddled state, he could only say, "You knew."
"Yes." Fu Jinxiao said, "You said you were short of money during the first stage, and you said that your reason for participating was for that 20,000 yuan compensation, right?"
Actually, the answer to this matter was not that important to Actor Fu.
He has always been cold-hearted and indifferent. He has seen everything on this muddy entertainment circle – many back-door, unfair deals. Normally, he was too lazy to care about it, and besides, he didn't want to meddle in others' affairs.
This industry was like that – if you are too good on others, they will chew you until your bones are left. Soft people had no place in this place. But… somehow, he didn't know why, he paid an unusual amount of attention to this young man. He still didn't understand his own reason why, so he asked Jian Xingsui this question.
Jian Xingsui sat on the bed, clutching the quilt tightly. He felt that his answer to this particular question was very important. If he didn't tell the truth, he might never have a chance to say it again, and he would regret it. "Because… during the first stage's ranking announcement, I promised you that I would no longer continue on this show because of the consolation money, as it would be disrespectful of me to think that way."
Hearing the answer, Actor Fu was left speechless.
Sitting still on the chair, he glanced at the dark sky from the window, his pitch-black eyes reflected the starry night sky. It was rare for him to be completely honest in his expression, no longer using a polite facade when facing others.
Fu Jinxiao closed his eyes, then asked the youth another question, "Is my words… that important to you?"
'More than that one million yuan? When you're in desperate need of money?'
—was left unsaid.
Despite will not, will never be able to debut on the show? Despite saying "no" meant offending the higher-ups?
The solemn youth closed his moist eyes, trying to calm his unsteady breaths. The pale fingers shook as it curled on the quilt.
He was nervous. Always have since birth, probably. His nature was timid, and before his rebirth, his temper only ever flared when he craved for his "family's" attention. This nature of his was only compounded further when he knew what an insignificant being he was in face of the protagonist. He knew his fate. He knew how he would die because of that fate.
But at this moment – maybe because of the uncontrollable longing and insatiable desire in his heart, or maybe it was because of his actual fever – he just blurted out what he had inside his mind.
In front of Fu Jinxiao, Jian Xingsui nodded gently in answer to the actor's question.
'Yes.'
'It is more important.'