Behind the scenes, a flurry of activity filled the air as the staff prepared for Luo Ding’s first-ever EP signing event.
The venue was set in a large mall atrium, an open space with high ceilings. Looking up, the railings on every floor were packed with people.
Yaxing Studio’s staff was stretched thin. Gu Yaxing had even hired a professional team that specialized in organizing signing events for singers to assist. Yet despite the reinforcements, everyone still felt overwhelmed.
There was no particular reason for their anxiety, except for one glaring factor: the sheer number of people.
All around the stage, people were either squatting, standing, or even sitting on the floor. Beyond the barriers, the crowd was packed so tightly that Chen Xiaowu, glancing up, could see that every single level of the mall was filled with people. Though they weren’t shouting, the quiet hum of countless whispered conversations created a constant buzzing noise.
Feeling a bit unnerved, Chen Xiaowu leaned over to ask his mentor, Zhang Chao, “Uncle, can we really pull this off? If Luo Ding comes out, won’t the crowd go wild? How are we going to maintain order?”
Zhang Chao was busy setting up the barriers and felt just as concerned. He had heard how passionate Luo Ding’s fans could be. Sure, many of them were known for being rational, but when it came to fans and their idols, how rational could they really stay? In all his years organizing signing events, Zhang Chao had seen it all—fans rushing the stage, people throwing eggs, or even bottles of water and glass. It was a well-paying job, but certainly not an easy one.
In the front row, a group of die-hard fans was sitting cross-legged, quietly discussing how to maintain order during the event.
The core group of Luo Ding’s most loyal fans had arrived in force, and they were confident in their authority. From the moment the signing event had been announced, they had organized fan gifts, snacks for the crowd, banners, and hand-held signs—all paid for and arranged by themselves. Having earned the respect of the other fans by distributing these tokens, they could easily direct the crowd.
“This is a mall. No matter how excited we get when Luo Ding comes out, we can’t scream. Even if just one or two of us yell, it’ll be loud enough, and if we all scream, the mall might shut down the event. They have the right to pull the plug, and no one wants to be the reason Luo Ding’s signing event gets ruined.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, passing on the message. Upon hearing that the event could be ruined, even the younger, more excitable fans quieted down, covering their mouths and showing their determination to behave.
“When he arrives, the front rows will need to crouch down so the fans with cameras behind can get good shots. The second row shouldn’t push. If there’s a stampede, it’ll be Luo Ding’s reputation on the line.”
More nods followed. A few fans pulled out notebooks to jot down important reminders, then quickly ran to the upper floors to pass the word along. The girl in charge clapped her hands, “Alright, let’s start handing out the fan gifts to the staff and media. Don’t overdo it, and remember to be polite. Ask them to take care of Luo Ding during the interviews and backstage. This is his first signing event—he’s bound to be nervous.”
With that, the crowd dispersed.
Zhang Chao was still fretting about safety. He hadn’t expected such a massive turnout, and with the limited number of personnel, there was no way they could maintain order effectively. He turned to tell his apprentice to go and call for more security when a timid voice interrupted.
“Uncle.”
Startled, Zhang Chao turned his head to see a young woman, barely twenty years old, with a ponytail and a shy expression.
The girl was beautiful, and Zhang Chao, like many others, had a soft spot for beauty. His tone softened as he asked, “What’s the matter?”
Blushing slightly, she reached behind her back and pulled out a gray cloth bag with a cartoon image of Luo Ding printed on it.
“This is Luo Ding’s first signing event,” she said in a soft, almost delicate voice. “He’s probably really nervous since he doesn’t know what to expect. We’ll make sure to maintain order, but please take good care of him. This is just a small token of appreciation. Thank you for your hard work.”
Zhang Chao, caught off guard, accepted the bag. She smiled at him, handed a similar bag to Chen Xiaowu, and after offering a polite bow, she hurried off.
Chen Xiaowu opened his bag to find a box of chocolates, a tin of butter cookies, and a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes. The cookies and chocolates were imported, and along with the cigarettes, the bag was easily worth two or three hundred yuan—not cheap by any means.
Master and apprentice exchanged glances, both seeing the same look of envy in each other’s eyes.
Luo Ding was certainly blessed. These young girls treated him like a beloved child.
The media also received their share of fan gifts. As the handpicked “public relations” fans scurried away, many reporters found themselves momentarily stunned.
When they opened the bags, expecting maybe a few simple snacks, they were shocked by the thoughtful gifts inside.
Accepting gifts inevitably made people feel indebted. As the reporters nibbled on cookies, they started whispering amongst themselves, “Something’s off about this atmosphere.” Shouldn’t this kind of thing be organized by the company? These fans were way too well-prepared. The sheer number of people present was impressive, but not entirely surprising. However, the fan outreach, especially the gift-giving, was unprecedented. Even at the most popular K-pop events, fans screamed, fainted, and sometimes threw tantrums. Who had the time to think about public relations?
“These fans are pros.” After much discussion, that was the consensus the media arrived at. Even the act of handing out gifts had been carefully planned, with beautiful fans strategically chosen for the job. Some of the female reporters, overwhelmed by the parade of good-looking people, felt a sudden sense of insecurity. They knew they had to be extra careful with both interviews and the articles they’d write later. Rational fans were much harder to placate than impulsive ones.
*****
Luo Ding descended from the elevator, surrounded by bodyguards, making his way toward the stage. Around him, fans holding cameras started sprinting and calling out his name. He paused for a moment, then, against the disapproving looks of his security team, smiled and waved at the cameras.
“Ahhhhh, Luo Ding, I love you!!!!!”
“Luo Ding smiled at me! Ahhhhhh!!!”
He was ushered onto the stage.
As he took in the scene, he saw that the entire mall, from the floors above to the space in front of him, was a sea of heads.
For even the most rational of fans, there was a limit. The moment Luo Ding appeared, everyone—whether they were calm, logical, or excitable—lost control of their voices. The screams of fans waving banners and chanting his name drowned out everything else.
At first, Luo Ding maintained his smile, but then his sharp eyes caught sight of a few particularly enthusiastic banners waving in the crowd. On them, alongside his own face, was a side profile of Duan Xiubo, with the cartoonish phrase “Together for Life” emblazoned across it.
“…”
Luo Ding thought to himself that if Duan Xiubo were here, he’d probably be over the moon. But seeing it in such a public setting made Luo Ding feel a little guilty, and with that guilt came a hint of embarrassment.
Fortunately, no one seemed to notice.
The screams lasted only a few minutes before the fans in the front row began reminding the others to calm down. The crowd quickly quieted.
Luo Ding bowed deeply to the audience. “Thank you all for waiting.”
“Not—at—all—” came a loud and unified response from the crowd. Some fans, touched by his first words, were already on the verge of tears.
He remained bowed for a moment before straightening up, and as his gaze fell on the fans in the front row—many of them already tearing up—he froze. The host had to call his name twice before he snapped out of it.
Luo Ding had never encountered fans this intense before, and he felt a bit nervous. “Please don’t cry,” he said softly. Glancing toward the stage edge, he gestured to Wu Fangyuan, who quickly rushed over with a few packs of tissues, handing them out along the front row.
The fans clutched the tissues like precious treasures, many stuffing them into their bags without even using them. Luo Ding’s gesture only made those already crying sob harder.
The host skillfully lightened the mood with a few jokes, warming up the atmosphere. Because the event also served as a way to announce a few upcoming projects, many media outlets were present. Given Luo Ding’s busy schedule, this was the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone and share the news.
The first announcement was that Luo Ding’s new album was officially in the works. This would be his first full-length album, marking a significant milestone in his music career. The moment Luo Ding revealed this, the crowd erupted in cheers.
The excitement was overwhelming—new music, a whole album!
For Luo Ding’s fans, who had been waiting for new material, this was a dream come true. The EP only had four songs, and with no new content for ages, fans had been growing desperate. Many had feared that with his growing acting career, Luo Ding might abandon his music altogether.
The second announcement pertained to his recent Milan fashion show, and after some light banter with the host, Luo Ding revealed that he would be starring in a film centered around the fashion industry, set to begin shooting after April. He also hinted at a collaboration with Duan Xiubo.
Those last ten words sent the crowd into a frenzy.
This news had been pre-approved by the director, so Luo Ding delivered it with confidence. However, he hadn’t anticipated the deafening roar of cheers that followed. The fans’ reaction to the mention of his collaboration with Duan Xiubo was even more intense than when he first stepped on stage. Some banners waved so vigorously that Luo Ding almost felt embarrassed.
Luo Ding was at a loss.
Due to the massive number of fans present, the planned stage performance had to be canceled. Gu Yaxing didn’t dare let Luo Ding perform, fearing that the excitement might cause the stage to collapse.
After the announcements, they immediately transitioned into the signing portion of the event. The fans, though disappointed about the canceled performance, were more concerned about Luo Ding’s safety and well-being. They quickly lined up to get their albums signed.
The queue stretched on for what seemed like miles. All 1,500 albums sold out instantly. Knowing that Luo Ding’s stamina might not hold out, Gu Yaxing had intentionally limited the number of albums, but even then, it was going to be a long and grueling session for Luo Ding.
With fans bringing gifts and the company’s policy of not accepting them, it became a challenge to manage. Despite the restrictions, fans would drop off their gifts after getting their albums signed, disappearing before anyone could stop them. Left with no choice, the staff collected the gifts for later sorting.
As Luo Ding prepared to sign the next album, he heard a confident voice from above, “Luo Ding, can you sign this with my ID? I’m from the Luo Ding Fan Club.”
Startled, Luo Ding looked up to see a tall, composed girl with brown curls and a mask. Her eyes, however, were filled with warmth as she gazed at him.
Luo Ding smiled, “I know you. Thank you for your support and for taking care of everything.”
The girl stood frozen for a moment, clutching the signed EP. Even after being gently urged forward by security, she remained in place, seemingly too overwhelmed to move. Luo Ding, after signing the next album, glanced up again to see her rushing off, hand over her mouth, as if she couldn’t believe what had just happened.
“…”
Throughout the event, fans continued to leave gifts at the table. Some handed over small boxes, insisting, “I made this myself!”
There were simply too many fans, and Luo Ding couldn’t refuse them all. After nearly four hours, the event finally came to an end. Luo Ding, exhausted, was taken back to the company’s office to rest, only to find that the gifts had already been delivered there ahead of him.
The room was piled with them.
“All of these have been through security,” Wu Fangyuan said, squatting on the floor, already halfway through unwrapping everything. Most of the gifts weren’t particularly expensive. Likely due to Luo Ding’s past preference for simple, handmade gifts, many of his fans had followed suit, bringing handmade scarves, hats, drawings, and a surprising number of embroidered handkerchiefs. Near the end, Wu Fangyuan let out a yelp. Luo Ding rushed over to see what it was, only to find a massive silk tapestry, at least two meters by two meters.
The tapestry featured a huge embroidered portrait of Luo Ding, and though he wasn’t sure whether it was Su embroidery or Shu embroidery, he could tell it had taken a great deal of effort and skill to create.
Luo Ding was stunned.
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