Chapter 19: Making New Friends So Soon

Chapter 19: Making New Friends So Soon

Zhou Ziyang was familiar with Number, the most popular boy band of the year, legends within the industry from the moment they debuted.

Zhou Ziyang introduced himself, "I work as an assistant to Gu Miao. My name is Zhou Ziyang, but they all call me San Huo. I'm also from Nan University, just graduated last year. Didn't expect to run into a fellow alumnus here."

Gu Miao is a singer who made his solo debut last year. His two albums have been well-received.

"Then I should probably address you as my senior," Ying Li extended his hand, "I'm Ying Li. Pleasure to meet you."

A smile crept to Zhou Ziyang's eyes as they exchanged a brief handshake.

A graduate from the Communication Department at Nan University, Zhou Ziyang moved to Shanghai after graduation. He originally aimed to be a journalist but, through a twist of fate, became a celebrity assistant.

Meeting a fellow alumnus in such a place was a pleasant surprise. With common ground established, their conversation flourished as they headed back, sharing laughter and stories.

Zhou Ziyang reminisced, "The beef noodle shop near the university's back gate was delightful. I wonder if it's still there."

Ying Li replied, "That place turned into a bubble tea shop. The beef noodle joint moved to the west entrance."

Zhou Ziyang chuckled, "Good thing I asked you, or I might have taken a fruitless trip back next time."

The floodgates of conversation opened. They discussed which places served generous, cost-effective meals and where to find fresh, affordable fruits.

Amidst their jovial exchange, Zhou Ziyang's phone suddenly rang. He answered, "Right now? Got it."

After ending the call, Zhou Ziyang looked apologetic, "Sorry, I need to grab a coffee. Will you be okay heading back alone?"

Ying Li shook his head, "No worries, go ahead."

The warehouse was not far from the venue. Through an underground passage and a short walk, one could easily spot the towering structure.

Ying Li retraced his steps, and it was only when he was nearing the venue entrance that he noticed a caution tape stretched across.

A security personnel, seeing him approach, raised a megaphone and said, “You can’t go this way. Go around.”

Ying Li circumvented the venue, making a wide loop, before finally locating an accessible entrance. There was already a lengthy line of people waiting.

Ying Li headed over.

Ahead of him in the queue was a group of young girls, wearing headbands and waving several glow sticks in their hands.

The line began to inch forward. Glancing at the time, Ying Li realized he only had ten minutes before the event began.

A girl in front of him stumbled, almost falling. Reacting swiftly, Ying Li reached out and steadied her.

The girl turned to thank him, her eyes brightening upon noticing his jacket, “Hey, are you also a fan of Qi Xie?”

Ying Li responded, “Pardon?”

Almost bouncing with excitement, the girl exclaimed, “You’re wearing the same jacket as Qi Xie! How did you manage to get it?”

That jacket was a design from a niche brand, costing over two thousand dollars. Ever since Qi Xie wore it, the brand skyrocketed in popularity, causing everything in the store to sell out. Pre-orders now extended into the next year, and the sewing machines must be working overtime.

“Actually…”

It was indeed Qi Xie’s jacket.

But he couldn't admit that.

Tilting his head slightly, choosing his words carefully, he replied, “A friend lent it to me.”

He and Qi Xie could probably be considered friends.

“Your friend has great taste!” The girl gave a thumbs-up, then asked, “Whose fan are you?”

Pausing briefly, Ying Li replied, “I'm not a fan, I'm part of the staff here.”

“Not a fan, huh…” The girl sounded a tad disappointed, but then her eyes lit up, “Could you do me a favor? It’s nothing too complicated.”

Raising an eyebrow, Ying Li asked, “What favor?”

The young girl's innocent face was aglow with sincerity: “Could you vote for Number on this website later?”

The voting system for the Music Awards required real-name registration, and each person had only one chance to vote. Fans rallying support for their favorite idols was customary, and even non-fans could cast a vote.

Ying Li searched for the website and found the official page of the Music Awards. Being a new user, he had to register first.

Voting was just a matter of a few clicks, nothing too demanding.

After a moment's thought, Ying Li agreed, “Sure.”

“Don't forget to vote for them then, thank you so much.” Having expressed her gratitude, the girl turned back to chat with her friends.

Ying Li had just pocketed his phone when he felt a vibration. Checking, he found a message from Song Ji Mo: “Where are you?”

Looking down at the signage on the floor, Ying Li replied, “East entrance, Gate D.”

The east entrance was where the audience entered. Song Ji Mo queried, “Why are you there? Lost again?”

Ying Li explained, “I wasn't lost. I went to help with some tasks, and when I returned, I found the other entrances sealed. Can't get in.”

As all the artists had already arrived and the artist passage was closed, Song Ji Mo instructed, “Find a less crowded spot, I’ll send Lao Zhang to fetch you.”

By the time Zhang Shao Ling reached Ying Li, the Music Awards had already commenced. With the host speaking onstage, the duo stealthily entered from a side door, hunching over to reach their reserved seats among the crew.

After the classic opening speech, there was a musical performance. Flashing lights and rousing melodies electrified everyone present, instantly heating up the atmosphere.

Number, the highly anticipated group of the night, had dominated music charts since their debut. Their popularity was undeniable, and they delivered a powerful performance of their debut song that evening.

On stage, the quintet moved in perfect harmony. Even with their microphones turned up, their vocals remained steady. The entire performance was flawless and awe-inspiring.

As they exited, fans kept chanting for an encore, clearly unsatiated.

Following the musical segment came the thrilling voting session.

This year's Music Awards voting method differed from previous years. In the past, votes were counted in advance and announced during the ceremony. However, this year introduced real-time online voting, displaying live data on a massive screen—a daring move for those without a solid fan base.

As the voting portal opened, Number skyrocketed to the top at an astonishing speed, maintaining a lead of nearly ten million votes. Their fans' fervor was something other groups could only envy.

Staying true to his word, Ying Li registered on the Music Awards website and discreetly cast his vote.

In the end, Number clinched both the Best New Artist and Most Popular awards due to their immense popularity.

The five members took to the stage to accept their awards. They had traded their performance outfits for suits, standing tall and dashing. Broad-shouldered and long-legged, their good looks were enough to incite collective envy. The fan chants were almost deafening, drowning out the emcee's voice.

Zhang Shao Ling beamed with pride, reminiscent of a parent whose child just scored a perfect 100. He couldn't resist capturing the moment with a photo to show off.

Continuously snapping pictures with his phone, Ying Li checked his social feed, unsurprisingly finding a recent post from Zhang Shao Ling.

He gave it a thumbs up.

The Music Awards were also live-streamed across the Xing Yue platform. As the members were removing their makeup backstage, their behind-the-scenes broadcast began.

Fans flooded into the chatroom en masse.

[Ahhhh! I'm going crazy! I'll reward myself by watching this performance another 100 times when I get home.]

[My God, the way Bian Qiao levitated during that move was surreal, like he flew. He must've been a deity in his past life!]

[Now I see why Song Ji Mo is called the "Siren." Truly the Prince of High Notes.]

[LOL, someone was too busy ogling Shen Yao's abs. Tonight's dream material is set!]

[The leader is still our leader. An all-rounded ACE, impeccable stage control!]

[Why isn't anyone praising our Wen Shi? He was solid today!]

[I must be stanning a group of deities!]

If the barrage of comments could emit sound, the room would be filled with screams.

While removing his makeup, Xie Wen Shi noticed a pimple on his face and lamented, “Why am I breaking out again?”

[What breakout? That’s just your cuteness bubbling up.]

[It's normal to get acne during adolescence.]

Looking at the comments, Xie Wen Shi pouted, “Adolescence? Then why doesn't Brother Li get any?”

Xie Wen Shi is only two years younger than Ying Li. However, because of his foreign facial features being more defined and mature-looking, he appeared to be the same age as Qi Xie and the others when wearing makeup. Without it, he reverted to looking like a young lad.

Zhang Shao Ling had already spoken to the production crew, asking them to avoid filming Ying Li as much as possible.

Ying Li remained silent, offering a small smile from the corner.

Shen Yao glanced at Ying Li. Among the crew, his tall figure stood out, drawing attention even with a mask on.

Ying Li truly has remarkable skin. He loves spicy food and yet doesn’t break out. Truly enviable.

Shen Yao remarked, “Comparing yourself to him? Haven't you heard that comparisons can be lethal?”

Xie Wen Shi retorted back.

Song Ji Mo interjected, “Weren’t we going to see the Twin Towers' light show? If we dawdle any longer, we'll only see stars.”

Bian Qiao checked the time, saying, “We have twenty minutes left.”

Xie Wen Shi hastened his makeup removal, exclaiming, “gogogo!”

Ying Li tidied up for them, packing various odds and ends into his backpack, and then sat at the back, waiting.

Everyone was in high spirits tonight. Especially Xie Wen Shi, whose Chinese was a bit shaky. He kept speaking, making humorous mistakes, and the others loved teasing him, leading to continuous laughter.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

As Ying Li was immersed in the cheerful atmosphere, someone tapped his shoulder.

A crew member whispered in his ear, “Someone outside is looking for you.”

Turning around, Ying Li saw Zhou Zi Yan, who wore a subtle smile, “Ying Li, can we talk outside for a moment?”

Ying Li stood up and walked out, asking, “What's up?”

Zhou Zi Yan had contemplated for a while before mustering the courage to approach. He said, “Can we exchange WeChat contacts?”

Hope gleamed in his eyes.

Ying Li nodded, “Sure.”

After successfully adding each other on WeChat, the smile at the corner of Zhou Zi Yan's eyes deepened.

Shen Yao was the first to finish packing and leave. As he stepped out of the door, he spotted Ying Li engaged in a jovial conversation with an unfamiliar man.

Once the man left, Shen Yao inquired, "Who was he?"

"He's Gu Miao's assistant," replied Ying Li as he updated a note on WeChat.

Shen Yao raised an eyebrow, "How did you two meet?"

Ying Li explained, "We just helped move some stuff together."

Shen Yao's mouth turned down slightly, "You make friends so quickly. You're quite the social butterfly, aren't you?"

Author's Note:

(Striding toward you with long steps) (Raising a hand) (Pinning you against the wall) (Whispering in your ear) (In a deep voice) "Darling, give me a like!"