Gu Yaxing had indeed cried. Once his carefully constructed facade crumbled, he couldn’t hold back the tears. Every word Su Shengbai had thrown at him had struck a nerve, exposing all his insecurities.
Tears streamed down his face as he sniffled. “What a bastard.”
“Yes,” Luo Ding said, patting him on the back. “Su Shengbai is a complete bastard.”
“And Jiang Changfeng too,” Gu Yaxing added between sobs. “He’s the worst of them all.”
“Right,” Luo Ding agreed, meaning it this time. “He’s the worst.”
Gu Yaxing nodded, finally satisfied. “Let Fang Yuan in. I heard him knocking a while ago.”
Wu Fangyuan, who had been fetching water, returned to find the room’s strange atmosphere. “What’s going on?”
Gu Yaxing, still holding his head in his hands, waved him off. “Don’t ask. Just help Luo Ding change for the next event.”
***
The Net Media Music Awards ceremony was being broadcast live by a partner television station, and each year the guest list grew more impressive, boosting ratings.
The hosts, two veteran actors with solid reputations but not too much star power, kept the atmosphere lively, sparking waves of cheers from the audience, who waved glow sticks in support of their favorite stars. Among the guests, especially those seated in the first few rows, the star power was undeniable.
About eighty percent of the guests were singers; the remaining twenty percent had also dabbled in the music industry at some point.
The atmosphere was subtly tense.
This year’s popularity award had been unexpectedly claimed by a dark horse. Since the beginning of summer, the rankings had been constantly shifting. First, Zhang Wenwei seemed poised to win, then veteran singer Pan Yiming surged ahead with her album *Secrets*, pushing Zhang to second place. But just when everyone thought the outcome was set, Luo Ding came out of nowhere.
With a few songs, he swept through the internet, surpassing Pan Yiming. Zhang Wenwei, who had been eyeing the top spot, ended up third. And the other singers, who had worked hard all year, were left in the dust.
Tension simmered, especially with Zhang Wenwei. Losing to Pan Yiming had already stung, but being pushed to third by a relative newcomer? It was humiliating.
Still, on the surface, everyone maintained polite smiles.
Pan Yiming, seated to Zhang Wenwei’s left, wore a silk gown in soft colors, her makeup flawless, her demeanor poised.
Even a bitter man can be forgiving toward a beautiful woman, and in Zhang Wenwei’s eyes, Pan Yiming was a kindred spirit. After all, she too had been overtaken by Luo Ding. As the applause for the previous performance died down, signaling Luo Ding’s imminent appearance, Zhang Wenwei leaned over and whispered to Pan Yiming.
She smiled serenely at him.
Zhang sighed. “Where did this Luo Ding even come from? It’s just an EP, and yet he’s dominating both the domestic and international charts. It has to be hype, right?”
Pan Yiming’s smile tightened slightly. “He’s talented.”
“I remember he shot an MV for you. It went viral in Japan, and that probably boosted his sales there too,” Zhang Wenwei mused, shaking his head. “Who would’ve thought he’d turn around and outshine you just a few months later? He’s got a big appetite.”
Knowing Zhang wasn’t ready to acknowledge Luo Ding’s talent, Pan Yiming didn’t argue. The longer you’re in this industry, the more you start seeing conspiracies everywhere. She couldn’t blame Zhang for his skepticism. If Luo Ding weren’t her friend, she might’ve thought the same. But talent doesn’t stay hidden for long.
As soon as the host mentioned the word “newcomer,” the crowd erupted into deafening cheers, nearly shaking the roof.
The artists in the front rows instinctively turned to look, seeing a sea of blue glow sticks being waved energetically. The sheer enthusiasm was overwhelming.
Even Zhang Wenwei couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy. Having fans who show such support brings immense pride to any artist.
He glanced back at the sea of fans, his eyes clouded with frustration, but he said no more.
The host, momentarily startled by the crowd’s reaction, waited for the cheers to die down before joking, “Wow, that’s the loudest cheer I’ve heard all night. You’re all so sure it’s your guy, huh? Well, this year’s breakout newcomer is indeed… him!” Despite the playful tone, the respect in the host’s voice was unmistakable. Sales could be manipulated, but fan enthusiasm? That was real.
Everyone gained a newfound respect for Luo Ding’s popularity.
“Alright, I won’t keep you waiting any longer. I’m afraid if I do, you’ll throw your shoes at me,” the host laughed, gesturing toward the screen. “Let’s welcome our winner for this year’s Popularity Award—Luo Ding, performing his new song *Dreams*!”
Although his ballad “Concerns” had clinched the top spot, Luo Ding and Gu Yaxing had debated long and hard before settling on *Dreams* for the final performance.
The venue was too large and the atmosphere too charged for a slow song to hold the audience’s attention. This was Luo Ding’s debut at a major awards show. The more dynamic the music, the more engaging the choreography, and the more exciting the audience interaction, the more impressive his performance would be.
Dancing was Luo Ding’s forte, and his recent focus on filming had left him physically stronger than ever. While singing and dancing simultaneously was demanding, it wasn’t beyond him.
The crowd’s cheers were so loud they threatened to blow the roof off. Fans screamed themselves hoarse in excitement, and even those who weren’t particularly invested couldn’t help but feel the infectious energy.
The music’s beat gradually drowned out the high-pitched screams as a group of dancers spun onto the stage, lights flickering and changing in time with the rhythm. As the drumbeats hit their peak, Luo Ding sprang onto the stage from an internal lift!
His landing was flawless. He stood with his head bowed, one hand casually pressed against his earpiece. As the lights illuminated his face, he slowly lifted his head.
The giant screen projected his intense, sharp gaze onto the audience.
A single glance was enough to captivate.
The fans lost it, screaming so loudly they nearly passed out. Even those not directly involved in Luo Ding’s fanbase were swept up in the frenzy, their cheers mixing with the others.
Before he even began singing, the energy in the room was electric.
Luo Ding, a master of stage presence, combined his natural advantages with his years of experience. No one could quite understand where all that charisma came from, but once he was on stage, there was no doubt about who the star was.
The choreography wasn’t overly complicated, but the quality of a performance depends on the dancer’s skill and understanding of the moves. Luo Ding, with his slender frame, narrow waist, long legs, and pale skin, had the perfect physique for the stage. Every move was executed with precision and grace, yet his confidence and ease made his dancing stand out from the backup dancers. In fact, his live performance was even more impactful than the MV, delivering a raw, in-your-face intensity that couldn’t be replicated on screen.
His smooth vocals flowed effortlessly from the speakers. While it wasn’t as flawless as a studio recording, the live performance added a raw, passionate energy that resonated with the audience. The slight breathlessness in his voice only served to convince everyone that he was singing live. Even the artists in the audience who had been prepared to criticize him for lip-syncing were left speechless, while the fans continued to lose themselves in the frenzy.
*Dreams* had gone viral for a reason. The energetic beat, meaningful lyrics, and Luo Ding’s dynamic performance came together to create a perfect storm.
The song’s message—about a young man chasing his dreams, overcoming hardships, and eventually succeeding—resonated deeply with the fans. Watching Luo Ding, now the center of attention on stage, brought tears to their eyes.
“Luo Ding!!! Luo Ding!!!!”
“I love you!!!!!!!”
As the song neared its end, the dancers closed in, and Luo Ding leaped to the center of the stage, landing perfectly in time with the final beats. He lowered his head, then slowly lifted it again.
His sharp gaze softened into a smile.
With sweat-soaked hair clinging to his forehead and his eyeliner smudged ever so slightly from the heat, he exuded a sensual allure.
“I love you all,” he said between breaths, bowing deeply toward his fans. “Thank you.”
”Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Luo Ding! ! Luo Ding!! ”
“Luo Ding!”
The fans’ screams reached new heights. They yelled his name with such intensity that they nearly lost their voices, yet they couldn’t stop. All thoughts had left their minds; all they could do was cry and shout.
The host, trying to regain control of the stage, found himself overpowered by the fans’ deafening cheers. Only when Luo Ding smiled and gently raised a finger to his lips did the crowd begin to quiet down.
“Could you all calm down for a bit?” Luo Ding asked softly, still smiling.
“Yes!!!!!!!” The crowd yelled one last time before falling into an uneasy silence, save for the occasional muffled sobs from the front rows.
The two hosts exchanged incredulous glances. In all their years of hosting awards shows, this had to be one of the most intense, electrifying performances they had ever seen. Even they, neutral observers, felt the urge to join the crowd in their feverish adoration.
The host couldn’t help but laugh. “Wow… That was incredible… and exhausting, I’m sure.” She fanned herself dramatically before adding, “Honestly, I’m scared to stand too close. Today’s newcomers are something else—I might just throw myself at you.”
It wasn’t entirely a joke. The sweat-drenched Luo Ding, standing so close, was almost irresistible. His glowing skin glistened under the lights, his entire being exuding a magnetic charm.
Suppressing the urge to touch him, the host softened her tone even further. “Anything you’d like to say to your fans?”
Luo Ding, still catching his breath, paused. His eyes blinked slowly, and as the cameras zoomed in on his face, his long eyelashes cast a delicate shadow, adding a touch of vulnerability.
“It’s been a tough journey,” Luo Ding said quietly, his gaze sweeping over the audience. “But you all gave me everything I have. Thank you.”
The tears flowed freely from his fans, who could do nothing but wave their glow sticks in response, their sobs too loud to be concealed.
The young man on stage and the sea of fans below gazed at each other through the cameras.
And as the live broadcast’s ratings skyrocketed, Luo Ding’s first major award show performance became immortalized—a milestone in his rise to fame.
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