The rehearsal on the 16th was reserved for busy top-tier singers, so FTM didn’t need to attend. The five members diligently practiced the entire day at their hotel.
At 7 PM on the 17th, a full dress rehearsal was scheduled with all participants, including the host running through the entire program from beginning to end. This rehearsal was necessary to confirm how props, lighting, and sound would transition between consecutive performances.
The concert would conclude with Shengyao Media’s theme song “Shining Voices.” Although everyone was a professional singer with assigned parts, a mass performance with so many people could become awkward if anything went wrong.
The grand chorus would be conducted and coordinated personally by vocal teacher Qiao Anhua. FTM only had one independent line to sing, plus two lines in the final all-cast performance. Fang Yinnian and his teammates had already practiced these parts thoroughly.
The rehearsal on the 17th was scheduled for 7 PM, but FTM completed their styling and departed by 5:30 PM.
It was industry practice to have a full dress rehearsal the day before a major event, and fans were well aware of this custom. Consequently, on the way to the stadium, numerous fans were already lining the streets to show their support.
Fang Yinnian peeked through a corner of the window shade and saw girls holding bright red banners and standing by the roadside with light boards that displayed the shining character “Yan” (flame).
Around the corner stood a row of light purple banners—Xie Shiqi’s support color. Further ahead were dark green flags with a massive light board stretching over ten meters that read “Tao Yizhou Global Fan Support Association”—an impressive display.
Fang Yinnian asked curiously, “Do fans divide into territories for support? They’re separated into three distinct areas, standing very neatly.”
Mo Xun explained, “With so many stars participating in this mixed concert, fans naturally want to make an impressive showing for their favorite singers. These are probably organized by fan clubs. Each group takes a separate area to avoid conflicts.”
Hearing this, Fu Fei lowered his voice to share some gossip: “Don’t you know that He Yan and Tao Yizhou’s fans are enemies?”
Everyone immediately perked up their ears and looked at Fu Fei.
Fu Fei’s eyes brightened as he shared the gossip: “At Shengyao, Xie Shiqi is undoubtedly the top female artist. As for the top male position, it’s still undecided. He Yan and Tao Yizhou’s fans refuse to acknowledge each other’s idol and fight daily. A few days ago, they even trended on hot search because of support issues, massacring each other’s hashtag pages on Weibo. Fortunately, Xie Shiqi’s fans are positioned between them this time, otherwise those two fandoms might actually get into physical fights!”
Fang Yinnian: “…”
There are even physical fights? It sounds so complicated. FTM doesn’t even have a single fan yet—if they get fans in the future, will their fans also fight with other artists’ fans?
Xu Baichuan turned back and said, “Xiao Fei, consume less gossip. You even know about fan rivalries?”
Fu Fei quickly made a zipping motion across his lips. “I’ll stop talking.”
Tan Junwen asked curiously, “Brother Xu, are these two company stars really that incompatible?”
Xu Baichuan explained, “Tao Yizhou is a ballad singer, while He Yan is a dance performer. Their career paths don’t actually conflict. The fan rivalries might be guided by their teams behind the scenes. First, these conflicts help retain passionate fans; second, as the saying goes, ‘two tigers cannot share one mountain’—Shengyao’s resources are limited, and everyone wants to be number one, understand?”
The five exchanged glances and nodded in understanding.
Like martial arts masters at a tournament, both had the capability to be number one, so naturally neither would concede to the other.
Xu Baichuan instructed, “Today is the full dress rehearsal, and all performers will be present. Be polite when you see them—bow and greet the senior artists from our company proactively, understood?”
The five answered in unison: “Understood.”
FTM arrived exactly at 7 PM, and Xu Baichuan led them to the waiting room.
The hosts began their introductions—this concert had invited two hosts from TaoHe APP, who were quite articulate. Since each performance had been rehearsed separately, this full run-through was mainly to connect all the segments, and everything proceeded relatively smoothly.
As Fang Yinnian was listening attentively to the performances on stage, suddenly the door to the waiting room opened. A tall young man with cool hair, handsome features, and a sparkly black performance outfit walked in, followed by a red-haired youth wearing earrings.
Everyone recognized the red-haired youth—it was their dance teacher, Yan Chi.
Fang Yinnian stood up to greet the teacher, but the handsome man who entered first suddenly stepped forward and patted Mo Xun’s shoulder, saying cheerfully: “Xiao Mo, debuting so soon? Congratulations!”
Mo Xun smiled and said: “Thank you, Brother Yan.” He turned to introduce him to his teammates: “This is Brother He Yan, and these are my teammates.”
Mo Xun and He Yan knew each other?
The four immediately greeted him politely: “Hello, Brother Yan.”
“Hello everyone.” He Yan’s gaze swept across their faces, pausing specifically to look at Fang Yinnian’s outfit: “Are these your performance costumes? Why are you all dancing in suits?”
Mo Xun replied: “We’re not dancing—we’re doing a piano performance.”
He Yan looked shocked: “What the hell? What’s going on? Aren’t you a boy band? Debuting with piano? So that piano set up by the elevator platform is for you guys? I was wondering why there was a piano there surrounded by multiple barriers.”
Yan Chi laughed: “No wonder your dance classes were suspended for so long—you’ve all been practicing singing, right?”
Mo Xun said: “Yes, we’ve been focusing on vocal training recently. We’ll catch up on dance later.”
“…” He Yan looked completely bewildered. After a moment of silence, he patted Mo Xun’s shoulder: “Alright then, good luck with your debut. A-Chi and I will go check out the stage first—you guys carry on.”
With that, he efficiently exited the room.
Yan Chi waved: “After the concert, when I’m back in Jiangzhou, I’ll resume your lessons. Bye!”
The five responded in unison: “Bye, Brother Chi.”
After they left, Fu Fei asked curiously: “Mo-ge, how do you know He Yan?”
Mo Xun explained: “Last year when He Yan had his national tour, he invited the Angle dance troupe to perform with him. We met when he was rehearsing with Yan Chi in the company practice room, and we added each other as friends.”
His teammates suddenly understood—these two had come specifically to see Mo Xun.
Yan Chi was the founder of the Angle dance troupe and Mo Xun’s dance mentor. It seemed that He Yan admired Mo Xun as a talented junior dancer. The two had come together to check on Mo Xun and encourage him before his debut.
But when Mo Xun told them they weren’t dancing but performing with piano instead, both were shocked.
Fang Yinnian thought to himself that their debut approach was indeed unusual, and Mo Xun’s exceptional dance skills would have to be showcased later.
—
A moment later, Xu Baichuan came to summon them for standby, and the five quickly positioned themselves at the elevator platform.
The full rehearsal followed the exact timing of the actual performance, with FTM scheduled to appear at 10 PM.
Xie Shiqi was performing right before them, and Fang Yinnian could clearly hear her singing.
Being so close to his idol for the first time made him nervous. Fortunately, having the piano there helped—focusing on playing would quickly calm his nerves.
After Xie Shiqi finished, FTM’s elevator platform was activated.
Fang Yinnian and his teammates successfully completed their entire song.
When the elevator platform returned underground, Fang Yinnian wiped the sweat from his palms. Looking up, he suddenly froze—
Xie Shiqi, wearing a purple formal dress, was standing there talking to Xu Baichuan, with industry veteran Luo Hua in a suit beside her.
Fang Yinnian’s body tensed as he made eye contact with his idol.
What should I say as the first words to my idol? “Sister Qi, I love your songs”? “I didn’t sing that well just now, please guide me”?
Before his mind could process what to say, Xie Shiqi suddenly smiled and said, “You all sang beautifully!”
Fang Yinnian: “…………”
Realizing Xie Shiqi was complimenting them, Fang Yinnian immediately stood up and bowed deeply. “Thank you, Sister Qi!”
The other four followed suit, bowing in unison. “Thank you, Sister Qi!”
Their synchronized postures resembled robots activated by remote control.
Xie Shiqi was amused by their reaction, and Luo Hua beside her also laughed, saying, “Baichuan, these youngsters you’ve found are quite impressive. A harmony group, unique in the industry—very innovative.”
Xu Baichuan respectfully replied, “You’re too kind, sir. The kids still need a lot more polish.”
Luo Hua turned to the five and said kindly, “Your harmonies are very well-practiced. However, your voices weren’t fully relaxed just now—I could hear some tension. When you’re too nervous, the harmonies sound dry rather than fluid and natural. But your vocal tones blend exceptionally well together. For the official performance, don’t be intimidated—perform your best, and you’ll reach another level.”
The five were overwhelmed by this attention.
Is this veteran star actually giving us guidance?
They bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle again. “Thank you, sir!”
Luo Hua smiled and said, “Baichuan, you’ve trained them to be very polite.”
Xu Baichuan replied, “They’re newcomers—it’s expected.”
Luo Hua continued, “There aren’t any harmony groups in the domestic industry yet, right? This group is forging a new path. If they succeed, their future is truly limitless.”
Xie Shiqi smiled and added, “Indeed. Hearing them sing ‘Never Forget’ just now, I discovered my song could be arranged this way—the harmonies create a completely different flavor. It’s really excellent. They might even qualify for Best Adaptation Award.”
The five: “…”
What should they do about wanting to cry?
This was recognition from the original singer and a respected veteran artist!
Xie Shiqi encouraged them, “Tomorrow the stadium will be filled with 40,000 spectators. Before you perform this song, I’ll ask everyone to quiet down and listen attentively. Adjust your mindset, support each other, and your performance will be even better than today’s.”
Fang Yinnian’s eyes grew moist as he earnestly replied, “Thank you, Sister Qi. We’ll definitely sing our best!”
Xu Baichuan said, “Go now and prepare for the final group number rehearsal.”
The five returned to the waiting room in high spirits, feeling as if they could float away with happiness.
Fu Fei exclaimed excitedly, “Wow! Luo Hua is my grandmother’s favorite singer! He’s prestigious enough to be a mentor on music competition shows!”
Tang Che remarked, “Doesn’t he rarely attend events? He’s really giving face to Shengyao by coming.”
Mo Xun explained, “He’s not signed to Shengyao, but he collaborated on an album a few years ago, so he probably knows the company executives. Bringing in a veteran with over twenty years in the industry is about adding prestige to the concert and having a strong closing act.”
Tan Junwen said proudly, “The respected senior Luo said our harmonies sound good, and the original singer Xie Shiqi also praised our performance!”
Mo Xun turned to Fang Yinnian and asked quietly, “Yinnian, how does it feel to successfully meet your idol?”
Fang Yinnian’s eyes curved into crescents as he smiled. “Absolutely wonderful.”
Only Mo Xun knew he was a fan of Xie Shiqi and had been listening to “Never Forget” for a long time.
Today had been incredible. Receiving validation from these senior artists filled his heart with limitless motivation.
He would definitely work twice as hard for the official performance!
—
Half an hour later, the concert reached its final number—the all-cast performance.
Today’s rehearsal was primarily focused on this group number, ensuring everyone knew their positions and lyrics.
Teacher Qiao conducted personally. With so many performers, each was assigned just one line.
Shengyao’s artists had solid foundations. The veteran artist Luo Hua set the tone with the opening line; Xie Shiqi took the first line of the chorus. Almost every section began with an accomplished vocalist establishing the pattern before others followed.
If anyone sang incorrectly while following such clear leads, they might as well jump off the stage in shame.
Surrounded by the voices of different singers, Fang Yinnian felt everyone was incredibly talented. Shengyao, having built its reputation on music, had cultivated a group of vocal powerhouses. Each line featured a different vocal tone, creating a true audiovisual feast.
How could the senior artists sing so steadily? They effortlessly delivered their lines while making various gestures and expressions toward the cameras.
When singing, Fang Yinnian never knew what expressions to make—he still lacked stage experience.
The first run-through of the stationary group performance went smoothly, with lighting and positioning being the key focus.
With 20 people on stage, Director Liu personally arranged positions, creating an interesting “Castle Illumination” entrance sequence:
Beginning with the left castle, spotlights would illuminate it as one singer emerged to sing a line. After four lines, the entire left castle would be fully lit.
The right castle followed next. Finally, the central castle would light up, perfectly timed with all singers having made their appearances. Everyone would descend from the castles to gather in the central plaza for the climactic section of the group number.
All 20 people gathered in the plaza as brilliant colored lights illuminated the fantasy castle, making it as bright as daylight.
It was said that fireworks would be set off at the end of the official performance.
For the all-cast performance, Luo Hua, Xie Shiqi, He Yan, and Tao Yizhou—the four biggest stars—stood in the center, with respected veteran Luo Hua in the C-position. The remaining singers were positioned on either side, with FTM at the very edge, marking them as the most obscure performers present.
Being relegated to the periphery meant they received few camera shots, but the five still sang enthusiastically.
After running through the group number three times, Teacher Qiao gave an OK sign and remarked with satisfaction, “It seems your vocal lessons haven’t been wasted.”
He Yan raised his hand jokingly, “Teacher Qiao, if I sing off-key, will you drag me back for remedial lessons on the spot?”
Teacher Qiao replied, “If you can sing off-key on such a simple song, you might as well retire from the industry tomorrow.”
The venue erupted with laughter, creating a lively atmosphere.
All of Shengyao’s singers had taken Teacher Qiao’s classes and respected the professional vocal instructor. Being from the same company and participating in these “mixed concert” events annually, they were quite familiar with each other. These company concerts functioned almost like “internal team-building” events without outside performers, creating a more relaxed environment.
Director Liu clapped his hands. “Thank you everyone for your hard work! The full rehearsal went very smoothly. Get some rest, and I look forward to tomorrow’s official performance.”
Teacher Qiao added, “Wishing everyone a successful performance tomorrow.”
Cheers echoed through the venue: “It will definitely go well!” “Thanks for your hard work, Director Liu!” “Thank you, Teacher Qiao!”
—
On the way back, the five had complex feelings as they watched fans who had waited until midnight.
Tao Yizhou, He Yan, and Xie Shiqi all stopped their cars to greet their fans. FTM had no fans, so they didn’t need to stop.
Their car quickly passed through the fan support areas.
Fang Yinnian lowered the window shade and asked, “Brother Xu, everything’s finalized now, right? Nothing else to worry about?”
Xu Baichuan nodded. “Yes, the full rehearsal represents the final version—stage effects won’t change anymore. Your families are already at the hotel. I’ve been too busy to attend to them, so I had Assistant Chen arrange for them to rest. Should we have lunch together tomorrow?”
Mo Xun replied, “Better not. I’m afraid having so many parents together might make everyone nervous, like a parent-teacher conference.”
His teammates all agreed.
Fu Fei scratched his head. “I dread parent-teacher meetings. I’ve graduated high school—please spare me!”
Tan Junwen smiled. “Meeting my parents privately is fine, but with all your parents there too, I’d want to escape immediately.”
Tang Che remained silent while Fang Yinnian suggested, “Why not gather the day after tomorrow instead?”
Xu Baichuan replied, “That works too. Then you can focus entirely on your performance. We’ll take them to lunch on Sunday after the show.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Xu Baichuan looked back at the five newcomers and said earnestly, “For you, tomorrow’s debut is just the beginning. While beginnings are important, they’re not life-or-death matters.”
“Have you heard this saying? ‘Flowing water doesn’t compete to be first; it competes to flow endlessly.'”
“We’re not aiming for overnight success, but rather to progress steadily, step by step. Alright?”
The five exchanged glances and nodded firmly: “Alright!”
—Yes, FTM was just beginning, and tomorrow would only be their first official step into the entertainment industry.
Other companies’ boy bands had been popular for several years. Star Entertainment’s Bluewind boy band had over 20 million Weibo followers, Huayue Century’s Sonic boy band had high popularity for each member, and this year’s debuting 12-Star band also had numerous supporters.
They were debuting hastily with zero fan base.
How could they possibly become an overnight sensation?
Flowing water doesn’t compete to be first; it competes to flow endlessly.
In the entertainment industry, what matters isn’t who becomes famous fastest, but who goes furthest and stays famous longest.
![After losing all his wealth, the ancestor rose from his coffin [BL]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Your-paragraph-text-1.png "After losing all his wealth, the ancestor rose from his coffin [BL]")
