“Hello, we’re the group Acemon. There’s a free concert tonight at seven at Ronggang Arena. You’re all welcome to come.” Tan Qing was the first to step forward, handing out flyers to nearby students.
“Are you really them?” As soon as they heard Acemon’s name, many students stopped and gathered around. Some said their girlfriends were fans, while others mentioned they enjoyed listening to their music.
“Make sure to bring your girlfriend to the concert tonight,” Zhu Lianzhen instructed. “Post about it in your class group chat at least ten times! And don’t forget to share it on your Moments too!”
The crowd kept growing, which boosted everyone’s confidence. They raised their voices, becoming more energetic as they promoted the concert. Koty even picked a few guys at random to say some keywords and did a freestyle rap on the spot, which drew a great reaction.
Promoting to students wasn’t enough, so they also approached a few teachers and invited them enthusiastically. “Seven o’clock tonight, Ronggang Arena. Bring all your students! Don’t miss it! Please add it to the class homework. We’re begging you. You’re the best, teacher!”
Since the break between classes was short and they didn’t want to hold anyone up, they quickly handed out the remaining flyers and left the campus. Back in the car, they all let out a collective breath. It seemed they were more popular among young men than they had expected.
By then, forty minutes had already passed. They quickly decided their next stop would be Besta Plaza. Even on weekdays, the commercial district saw heavy foot traffic. When they arrived, they didn’t get out right away since traffic was heavy, and they didn’t want to cause a scene on the road.
They chose to head to the pedestrian street. At the entrance was a raised platform, where a shop employee was currently shouting promotions through a megaphone. The group decisively walked up.
They had barely said, “Hello,” when the shop employee froze, then screamed a second later.
All the nearby passersby turned to look. As more people recognized who was on the platform, the entire street burst into excited commotion.
“Are you a fan?” they asked.
The shop employee, caught between shock and joy, nodded repeatedly.
That gave them some reassurance. After calming her down a bit, they borrowed her megaphone and greeted the crowd below. “Hello, everyone, we’re Acemon!”
Their sudden appearance caught everyone off guard. A large crowd quickly gathered, snapping photos and posting them online.
Acemon stayed in the commercial district longer than they had at the school. During that time, they moved between two or three different sections, trying to spread the word about the concert as widely as possible, urging everyone to tell their friends and family.
Weibo, Moments, chat groups… Within just half an hour, after waves of reposts and buzz, practically anyone in Ronggang who opened their phone saw someone sharing their unexpected encounter with Acemon.
The fans who got the news first spread it everywhere: “Acemon’s free concert in Ronggang tonight at seven. Locals, you’ve already won!”
[??? What’s going on? Why are all my friends in Ronggang talking about an A-Group concert tonight]
[Seems like they’re filming a show, but the concert’s real. I already bought a plane ticket, hope I make it in time.]
[I’m so jealous ahhh I’m still stuck in class!]
[WTF my whole feed is blowing up. They came to our school, but not our campus. Ugh!!!]
[What do I do? The forecast says it’ll rain in Ronggang today, and my flight’s delayed.]
[Thankfully, I live near the high-speed rail station. I already got a ticket to Ronggang. It’ll be a four-hour ride]
[It’s way too far for me QAQ. I’ve already shared it with all the fan groups in Ronggang. Everyone, please show lots of support tonight!]
…
After leaving Besta Plaza, the members were all feeling parched, but there was no time to rest. They had to rush to another crowded location to continue promoting.
Even if every person they’d just met showed up, the crowd would only number in the thousands, maybe ten thousand at most, which was still far short of their goal of fifty thousand.
With just two hours left, they were trying to decide on the next mall when thunder suddenly rumbled across the sky.
This was a major setback: it meant they could no longer promote outdoors.
“We could go to Water World. It’s summer, so there should be a lot of people,” Zhu Lianzhen suggested. “If it rains, everyone will head inside. You know there’s a theater there, right?”
The water park was a bit of a distance from where they were, but a road from the park led directly to Ronggang Arena, making transportation convenient. After a quick discussion, they decided to try their luck there.
“Are you sure? Including the time it takes to get there and back, you won’t have time to go anywhere else,” Qiu Hao reminded them.
“Of course we’re going. That’s where the biggest crowds are in summer.”
The car sped off past the second ring road. Everyone was practically glued to their phones, counting down the time they had left.
By the time they arrived at Water World, it had already started to drizzle. But the outdoor area was still packed, with people listening to evacuation announcements and making their way inside.
Taking advantage of the situation, the production crew quickly coordinated with the staff to borrow the broadcast system and the theater.
The bad weather had forced one outdoor attraction after another to close, and the indoor areas were packed with long lines. Disappointed visitors sat idly in the grand theater, waiting for a show to start.
The lights dimmed, leaving only the stage illuminated. Everyone assumed the performance was about to begin, until a voice came from backstage, testing the mic, “Hello? Hello?”
Ji Yunting’s voice was youthful and magnetic, immediately capturing the crowd’s attention. Then, five tall young men walked onto the stage, each holding a microphone.
“Hello everyone, we are Acemon.”
The theater turned out to be an ideal setting for promotion, offering a more focused audience than the mall. However, most of the weekday visitors to a water park were from an older age group and might not be especially interested in an idol group.
Nevertheless, the on-site response was still very enthusiastic. It was unclear whether this was simply due to the excitement of seeing celebrities in person, or if Acemon’s name was well-known enough to generate such a reaction.
After they introduced the details of the evening concert, they performed two songs, instantly bringing the theater’s atmosphere to a peak. Even when the crew announced it was time to leave, the audience was still left wanting more.
“One hour left. Where to now?” the director asked.
Since it was still raining outside, their options were limited. The nearest commercial area was a food court.
The shops there were spread out, so gathering people in one spot risked disturbing their meals. Luckily, the person in charge was accommodating and allowed them to use the broadcasting system.
Ji Yunting: “Hello to everyone at the food court. We’re the group Acemon. Tonight at 7 PM, we’re holding a free concert at the Arena. You’re all welcome to come and bring your friends.”
“That was way too stiff,” Zhu Lianzhen said. “Watch this!”
He grabbed the microphone and addressed the crowd, “Everyone dining here today—your bill is covered by our leader, Ji Yunting! Eat up, drink up, and don’t forget to join us tonight at the Arena!”
Ji Yunting was caught completely off guard. “Are you out of your mind?”
“What’s that? Folks, our leader has spoken again! No spending limit! Anything you can’t finish, just pack it up and take it home. Don’t be shy!”
“No, you—” Ji Yunting didn’t even get the chance to argue before Koty clamped a hand over his mouth. Zhu Lianzhen continued through the mic, “Since the leader’s treating, make sure to be at the Arena by seven tonight!”
As soon as the announcement ended, the food court erupted in cheers. Long lines quickly formed outside many of the restaurants. Watching it all on the security cameras, the manager grinned from ear to ear and thanked Acemon, promising to bring all his friends and family to support their show.
“No need to thank us,” Zhu Lianzhen replied. “Our leader is just that generous!”
Since Ji Yunting had been forced to foot the bill anyway, they all stayed for dinner once their allotted promotion time was over. Afterward, they returned to the Arena to do makeup and change into their performance outfits.
They had originally planned to use the break to check online for updates on the promotion’s reach, but the production team didn’t allow them to use their phones. Whether the popularity challenge had succeeded would only become clear after 7 PM.
“I wonder if the rain’s let up,” Zhu Lianzhen said. “What if there’s traffic and people can’t make it in time?”
“Don’t worry. To film this episode, your company completed the event permit process last month. There’s a contingency plan in place for traffic issues,” the director replied. “Are you worried there won’t be enough people in the audience?”
No one answered. None of them could honestly say they felt confident. For a group that had been out of the spotlight for two years, even being accepted by fans again was a challenge. Expecting to draw 50,000 spectators with just a few hours of promotion was pure wishful thinking.
It was easy to imagine that once the episode aired, the label “fallen idol group” would stick for good.
Zhu Lianzhen sighed. “If I’d known it’d be like this, we should’ve just said our leader was buying milk tea for everyone. Anyone who shows up tonight gets one for free.”
Ji Yunting: “With how much milk tea costs these days, if every person in the crowd got one, I’d be spending over a million.”
A staff member knocked on the door to inform them that most of the audience had already entered the venue. In just half an hour, they’d be going on stage.
There was no rehearsal scheduled this time, but Acemon didn’t need one. Years of training and countless performances had forged a strong sense of coordination among them. Each member had developed the ability to adapt on the fly.
“Before you go on, we have a short interview,” the director said, leading them to stand in front of the backdrop. He asked a few questions about the group and their popularity.
“Since your debut, what do you think has been the group’s biggest challenge?”
Zhu Lianzhen answered without hesitation, “Koty?”
Koty: “That’s not what she meant.”
The director clarified, “One member left, the group was inactive for two years, and you were on the verge of disbanding. What was that period like emotionally?”
That all-too-familiar topic again. Ever since they resumed activities, every reporter and editor had asked them the same thing.
Ji Yunting guessed, “Are you planning to insert a sentimental background track during editing?”
Zhu Lianzhen hummed a dramatic melody. Koty adjusted his expression, then spoke in a deliberately shaky voice, lips trembling. “I once truly believed that Acemon had reached the end, fading out of the spotlight…”
“Alright, that’s enough,” the director cut in quickly. “Can’t you say something that would actually move the fans?”
“But the company never taught us how to play the pity card,” Ji Yunting said.
Zhu Lianzhen nudged Tan Qing with his elbow. “You give it a try.”
Tan Qing turned to look at him, his calm expression seemingly saying: You think I know how to do that?
Zhu Lianzhen looked back and thought: Weren’t you pretty good at it when you did it to me?
Tan Qing said, “What worried me most after that was whether I’d lose contact with everyone.”
Coming from him, those words were especially convincing. Everyone knew Tan Qing was the glue of the group, always the one considering everyone’s feelings. Thanks to him, the tension within the group had eased significantly over time.
Zhu Lianzhen suddenly couldn’t help but ask, “Did you keep in touch with them?”
“We talk on the phone a lot, sometimes meet up for meals,” Koty interjected. “Honestly, I was really touched. On my birthday, Kissy was the first to message me, right after midnight.”
Tan Qing had made an effort to stay connected with the others. For instance, when Ji Yunting released a new song, Tan Qing would privately message him to talk about the creative process. He even reached out to Fu Rong a few times, but Fu Rong remained distant, often reading his messages without replying.
Zhu Lianzhen understood. From the looks of it, the only one who had become a stranger to Tan Qing over the past two years was him.
What had Tan Qing been so worried about all that time? Was it really, as he once said, because he was afraid of being disliked? Even if Zhu Lianzhen asked, he knew he wouldn’t get a straight answer. Tan Qing always avoided the key questions, never telling him anything.
“It’s time to go on stage,” Qiu Hao announced.
The five of them had blindfolds placed on by the staff and were slowly lifted on a rising platform to the center of the dome stage. When the platform finally stopped moving, none of them reacted at first, each of them still thinking they had a little farther to go.
It was too quiet.
This was the city’s largest performance venue. Standing on stage, it was easy to feel the vastness of the space, and now, blindfolded, the silence surrounding them felt even more uncanny.
“Are you ready?” Qiu Hao asked, holding a microphone.
Zhu Lianzhen’s palms turned cold. Unconsciously, he squeezed the hand of the person next to him.
Unlike the relaxed atmosphere backstage, the reality of being on stage hit them all at once, and they quickly slipped into performer mode.
“Welcome back to this familiar stage. It’s been a while,” Qiu Hao said. “First, thank you for all your hard work today. I suppose you haven’t had much experience promoting on the streets before, right?
“Fifty thousand—that’s a highly ambitious number. Entry to the venue has now been closed, and the exact attendance will be shown on the big screen behind you.
“After the countdown, you may remove your blindfolds.”
“Five—four—”
Zhu Lianzhen became hyperaware of his own heartbeat. His hearing sharpened. He could sense the breathing of the crowd and even faint whispers drifting through the air.
He recalled what the director had said that morning: “Even if the challenge fails, the episode will still be aired.” The thought made him uneasy. Just imagining the feeling of failure made his head spin.
“Three—two—”
“One. Please remove your blindfolds.”
The members immediately let go of each other’s hands and followed the instruction without hesitation.
The venue was dim, with the lights focused solely on the stage. Although they weren’t looking directly into the lights, they still had to squint to adjust, unable to immediately make out the scene in front of them.
Then, Qiu Hao snapped his fingers.
The overhead stage lights flared on, followed by the moving spotlights from both sides, illuminating the space ahead.
Before the members could even react, the audience erupted in deafening, synchronized cheers.
Zhu Lianzhen let out a soft “ah” without realizing it. He didn’t even know whether it was out of shock or confusion. He had stood on countless stages and had developed a good instinct for estimating audience size, but now, as he looked out over the crowd, his mind went completely blank.
“Looks like it’s going to be lively today,” Tan Qing said, leaning slightly toward him, his gaze fixed on Zhu Lianzhen.
Zhu Lianzhen nodded. This was the feeling—his blood felt like it was boiling. The atmosphere in the venue far exceeded anything he’d imagined. He couldn’t fathom how the production team had managed to coordinate such a massive audience and keep them perfectly silent until the blindfolds were removed.
“Alright, I’ll ask the five of you to turn around and face the screen to receive the results of this challenge,” Qiu Hao said
The large screen behind them had already lit up, displaying five sets of rapidly spinning numbers, enhanced with special effects.
From a variety show production perspective, this was the moment the artists were supposed to show visible signs of nervousness. Yet as the camera swept across the members, each of them appeared calm and composed—except for Zhu Lianzhen, who frowned slightly.
In truth, he was the only one who genuinely cared about the final number.
After a dozen seconds or so, the spinning digits on the screen began to stop, starting from the rightmost digit.
【】【】【】【】【1】
【】【】【2】【2】【1】
When the count paused at “__1221,” even the audience held their breath. Only the first, and most crucial, digit remained. Based on the apparent size of the crowd, reaching forty thousand didn’t seem impossible. But the venue had been expanded earlier this year, and the new seat distribution meant that what looked like a full house could still be an illusion.
Zhu Lianzhen exhaled quietly, then felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned slightly to look. Under the bright lights, Tan Qing stood beside him, silent, simply watching.
Years of tacit understanding allowed Zhu Lianzhen to instantly grasp what Tan Qing meant: Relax.
A long time ago, whenever Zhu Lianzhen was troubled, his expression would give him away immediately. Tan Qing would always notice, then patiently ask questions and try to comfort him. Eventually, he didn’t even need to say anything—just a look like this, and Zhu Lianzhen would understand it was time to open up to him.
It felt like Tan Qing understood his emotions better than he did himself.
“The audience is waiting with us for the final result. Whether the challenge succeeds or not, we hope everyone here today enjoys the show,” Qiu Hao said. “Now then, let’s stop the final digit!”
The last digit finally began to slow. The spinning blurred, gradually shifting from high to low, edging toward the number everyone had been waiting for—
【5】【1】【2】【2】【1】
Five!
At the exact moment the full number was revealed, a burst of confetti exploded above the stage with a loud bang, and perfectly timed background music began to play.
Zhu Lianzhen felt his breath catch for a split second. Then came a wave of relief that loosened both his body and mind. Only then did he realize how tightly his shoulders had been drawn.
“51,221!” Qiu Hao announced with excitement. “Congratulations, Acemon! You’ve set a new record—”
The audience burst into thunderous cheers, louder and more heartfelt than before. Ji Yunting led the others in turning to bow, thanking the crowd.
“Wait, hold on a second!” Before Qiu Hao could continue, Koty suddenly grabbed the mic. “Those last four digits… isn’t that our debut date?”
“Whoa, now that you mention it, they really are.” Qiu Hao glanced back at the screen, then showed a thoughtful expression. “Uh-oh. When this episode airs, everyone’s going to think we rigged the numbers…”
“That’s not what I meant!” Koty objected. “It’s clearly a romantic coincidence. Like fate.”
Qiu Hao dropped the joking tone and added more seriously, “Actually, people were still entering even after the official cut-off time. That part of the crowd wasn’t included in the count, so the real attendance is even higher than what you see on the screen.”
“In any case, thank you again to everyone who came out today.”
After the director gave his thanks, it was time for the leader to speak. Ji Yunting ran through a few standard lines, then gave a self-aware smile, realizing just how flat those words sounded. He swallowed the rest of his prepared remarks and said, “Our promotion earlier today was rushed, so we couldn’t show you the full performance. But now, I promise you won’t regret coming all this way.”
The cheers and applause from tens of thousands made the members feel like they were already performing. Until this moment, no one had been entirely confident they would complete the production team’s challenge. But now, with such overwhelming support, it was undeniable—Acemon’s influence was real.
The music began. The members moved into position.
As expected, the biggest stage is where we truly belong, Zhu Lianzhen couldn’t help but think.
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