The final rehearsal concluded smoothly, with only a few hours left until the official performance. Yi Xing sat in the lounge prepared by the production team for the Hua Shao Group, waiting for someone to call him for makeup.
He had only styled his hair and changed his clothes that morning, so he was still bare-faced. He sat idly on a chair, bending over with his hands on his knees, playing on his phone. He saved the group photo Ju Jingyi had sent him and then started playing a game, always mindful of his mission to raise his rank.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside the door, followed by someone pushing it open. He looked towards the entrance and saw Liu Tao. Her first words upon seeing him were:
"Xiao Xing, I'm done. It's your turn now, hurry up and go."
Due to the limited number of makeup artists arranged by the production team, everyone had to queue up and take turns entering the dressing room. Originally, Yi Xing and Zhang Han intended to wait inside, but they were jointly pushed out by the two older sisters.
No one wants to be stared at by several people while getting their makeup done. If they were all girls, it would be fine, as they could give each other advice. But with guys, it felt a bit awkward. He understood this, which led to the scene described above.
"Okay, I'll be right there." He quickly exited the game, put his phone in his pocket, and went to the adjacent dressing room, where someone was idly waiting.
Upon seeing Yi Xing enter, she patted the seat in front of her and said, "You're here, come sit down, Teacher Yi Xing. Do you have any specific requirements for your makeup?"
"Just make it match my outfit today." Yi Xing specifically took off his jacket, revealing the clothes he would wear on stage.
"Alright."
As the performance time drew nearer, every member of the Hua Shao Group sat in the lounge, confirming lyrics and their order of appearance to ensure no one would forget their lines, a minor issue. They waited, both nervous and excited, for the moment they would go on stage. Just then,
Someone slowly pushed open the door and walked in, holding a microphone. The moment Yi Xing saw her, he walked up to greet her, "Long time no see, Sister Mengchen."
The person who arrived was none other than Mango host Shen Mengchen. Although she couldn't host the New Year's Eve concert, being in charge of the second venue was quite good. She would lead the audience on the other side of the screen on a backstage tour, showing them which artists were currently there.
"Long time no see. Come say hello to the friends in the live broadcast room."
"Alright." Yi Xing returned to the group, standing alongside the others, with Zheng Peipei in the middle speaking first.
"Hello everyone, we are the Hua Shao Group. I am Zheng Peipei, the eldest sister of the Hua Shao Group."
"I am Zhang Kaili, the second sister."
..."I am Yi Xing, the youngest brother in the Hua Shao Group. We hope everyone tunes in to watch our 'Divas Hit the Road'." After Yi Xing finished speaking, he exchanged glances with the others, and they all said in unison:
"Here, we wish all the audience friends in front of the screen a Happy New Year in advance. February 23rd, every night at ten o'clock, we'll see you there!"
They had been informed before the interview that the self-introductions and promotional scripts for the show, like those mentioned above, had been prepared in advance. It took several rehearsals to achieve such a level of Tacit Understanding.
"Thank you to the Hua Shao Group for your blessings. Everyone remember to watch 'Divas Hit the Road' on time! What kind of performance will you bring to the stage?"
"The few of us will bring a brand new song to the audience, and then we'll share some interesting anecdotes we encountered abroad..." Just as Yi Xing was about to continue, Zhang Han, who was standing at the very end, interrupted him.
"Xiao Xing, you promised to keep it a secret. How could you tell everyone?"
"Oh right, then I can only reveal this much." He first covered his mouth, then smiled apologetically at the camera. This part had also been rehearsed in advance, including the host's questions.
"Thank you again to the Hua Shao Group for accepting our interview. We look forward to your upcoming performance on stage. Now, let me see whose lounge you want to visit." Shen Mengchen left the lounge with the camera.
After the impromptu interview, Yi Xing felt much less nervous. He hummed the lyrics softly, making his final preparations before going on stage.
Finally, the time displayed on his phone reached 19:30. Backstage, the lively sounds from the stage were clearly audible. Unfortunately, they couldn't see the front of the show from the lounge and would only be able to sit in the audience after their performance.
Time ticked by, minute by minute. At last, a staff member knocked on the door, entered, and said, "Teachers, you'll be on stage in fifteen minutes. Please get ready."
As soon as he finished speaking, the seven people sitting on chairs stood up simultaneously, took off their jackets, and walked towards the waiting area. Despite their glamorous appearance, several heating pads were actually stuck under their clothes.
The weather in Xing City was simply too cold, and the performance costume was just casual wear. Even though Yi Xing had several pads on, his body still shivered uncontrollably, even his teeth chattered. The more he shivered now, the less cold he would feel when he went on stage.
A group of girls came from behind him, dressed in matching short-sleeved shirts and skirts. It was clear at a glance that they had undergone systematic training; this temperature had no effect on them whatsoever. They walked energetically past him.
For some of them, perhaps they had never been on such a large stage before, at most performing in small theaters. It was a rare and excellent opportunity to showcase themselves, so a little cold was nothing.
Yi Xing saw Ju Jingyi in the very center and gave her a cheering gesture, and she returned the same action. At this moment, the performance on stage was nearing its end, and the audience's cheers rose and fell.
After SNH48 went on stage, the Hua Shao Group stepped onto the bus prepared by the production team, standing on top of it. This was their entrance. Once someone finished their part, they would immediately get off the bus.
The performance before them ended quickly, and He Jiong's voice could be heard transitioning on stage.
"There is such a group; just a few days ago, they were in a foreign land experiencing a different culture, and today they have come to Xing City to celebrate this wonderful New Year's Eve with everyone. Now, let us welcome the Hua Shao Group with enthusiastic applause as they take the stage and perform the song 'Divas Hit the Road'!"
The lights on the host's side dimmed, and the stage lights brightened. The bus slowly drove in, with the members of the Hua Shao Group standing on it, greeting the enthusiastic gazes of the audience with confident smiles.
Yi Xing, responsible for singing the first line, picked up the microphone. He had been a bit nervous before going on stage, but after entering the stage and seeing so many people, the adrenaline secreted in his body overpowered his nervousness, and he became incredibly excited.
"Our backpacks are already filled with sunshine." As rehearsed, he finished singing and walked down from the bus, step by step towards the center of the stage. The person singing after him was Zhang Han.
"Let's go to the mountaintop to bask in the moonlight."
The two who got off the bus walked towards the center, waving to the audience on the sides. There were still several lines before they would sing their next part, so there was no rush at all; friendly smiles remained on their faces.
I made a group, 1030059757. If you want to play, you can come in and play.