In the past week, the top trending topics across major Asian entertainment communities had undoubtedly been related to Acemon’s concert and new album. The title track “Phoenix” differed from their usual trap or electronic dance music style. It leaned more toward metal rock this time, with a rhythm and melody that were incredibly catchy, as if a powerful vitality was sweeping through.
The song served as a crucial breakthrough; within just half a day of the audio release, it soared to the top spot on mainstream music platforms, with the rest of the album’s tracks closely following.
That evening, the buzz around the concert broke through social circles entirely. Even netizens uninterested in celebrities became curious about Acemon’s activities due to the group’s national recognition.
Title: [Feels like there are only two kinds of people in my friend circle right now: those who went to the A-Group concert, and those who didn’t get tickets.]
[All I can do is wait for my friends at the venue to send me videos. I’m going crazy here! Pei Qiao, come out! Tell me why your damn company isn’t doing a paid livestream!! Millions of people are scrambling for tickets, and you guys actually resist cashing in??]
[Comment 2: I gave up. Getting tickets that day was more intense than my college entrance exam…]
[Comment 5: They’ll release a DVD later anyway, and honestly, a livestream can’t compare to a properly recorded and edited version. I’d rather wait longer and buy the disc than put up with some terrible live director’s work.]
[Comment 11: I heard Fu Rong did a side dreadlock style today. Is that true? Holy crap! I had just typed that out when I saw someone’s screen capture from the big screen. Gorgeous, wild, stunning.]
[Comment 15: No wonder Weibo felt so laggy when I opened it today. It wouldn’t refresh, and then I saw the A-Group blew up the trending list.]
[Comment 18: Suddenly curious—are the boy groups and girl groups that debuted around the same time as A-Group still around? I barely see any of them on variety shows anymore, even though they came from a big company too.]
[Comment 19: It’s already impressive if a group can stay active for a few years. The couple I shipped back in school divorced ages ago. I was heartbroken… We said we’d grow up together, so why did we drift apart after growing up…]
[Comment 23: Goes to show that no matter how sincere the feelings, they don’t always last. No matter how long flowers bloom, they still can’t beat the plastic longevity of A-Group.]
[Comment 24: True, who says A-Group doesn’t count as some form of eternal flower?]
[Comment 25: Just passing through. I’m not interested in the A-Group concert, but is there any couple content to enjoy?]
[Comment 26: Depends on who you ship. If it’s QingZhen, then no, been broken up for a long time.]
[Comment 27: ? What fantasy world are you living in? Those two went out together for late-night snacks right after rehearsals at the beginning of the month.]
[Comment 28: Forget it, the toxic solo stans for those two were pretty pitiful too. Every day they were this frustrated but still insisted on following them, what’s the point, isn’t liking a celebrity supposed to make you happy in the first place.]
[Comment 32: Ah, I don’t ship QingZhen anymore. I used to be really into it, but now I feel like those two were acting most of the time, like they both knew they were selling it, and it felt too forced, so the charm was gone.]
[Comment 33: Faker. Your whole page is full of Fu Rong content—you’re clearly a fan.]
[Comment 38: Breaking news! Five new songs just dropped!!! They’re solo tracks from each of the five members!!]
[Comment 40: Mine’s lagging, and the page won’t load. I only saw that Ji Yunting’s track is four minutes long. Are the others the same length?]
[Comment 44: They have to be. If the distribution isn’t fair, the fans would tear the company apart.]
[Comment 48: What the hell, Tan Qing’s solo is 3 minutes 21 seconds, Zhu Lianzhen’s is 2 minutes 14 seconds.]
[Comment 50: Huh??????]
[Comment 52: Is that for real?]
[Comment 55: If you don’t believe it, just open the app and see for yourself, all five songs were written by the members themselves.]
[Comment 58: I saw it… are those two out of their minds selling it this hard? This isn’t just feeding me sugar, it’s throwing the whole bag in my face.]
[Comment 60: No need to phrase it so crudely lololol congrats to QingZhen CP fans, in just a few minutes they slapped the face of the toxic solos and the ship-breakers. Let me get a bit of that luck too.]
[Comment 62: That said, don’t ZLZ fans have any opinions? Whether or not they’re pushing the CP is secondary; the solo track is literally half the length of the others.]
[Comment 64: He said before that performance quality always comes first, and his habit is to choreograph a framework before writing a song to match it, so the duration was probably well thought out, and when it goes on stage, he can always rearrange and extend it anyway.]
[Comment 69: Uh, the two of them using each other’s birthday numbers as track lengths doesn’t feel that well thought out, more like a deliberate show of affection, which is really annoying.]
[Comment 70: So annoying! No one is allowed to ignore this couple who act like no one else matters!]
[Comment 72: Oh my god, it’s not just the swapped birthday numbers. Just think about it, maybe one of them got the idea and went to talk to the other, or maybe it was a company suggestion and they both agreed, and they must’ve kept in touch throughout the songwriting process, maybe Zhu Lianzhen even joked that this way of expressing love was too obvious, and Tan Qing just laughed and didn’t deny it… What to do? Pei Qiao, I’ll give you a chance to put this part in the behind-the-scenes documentary!]
[Comment 75: There must be footage of them writing and practicing the songs! I bought the DVDs from before, and they had it all! This time definitely will too!]
[Comment 76: A work is the creator’s child—awaiting the QingZhen production process in silence.]
[Comment 78: Let me deliver the baby!]
[Comment 80: I’m refreshing all the frontline reports like crazy; there are too many to keep up with. Does anyone know how far the concert has gotten? Has the solo section started yet?]
[Comment 83: I’m losing it. Everyone, go check the trending list now and see Zhu Lianzhen’s new look.]
…
The concert venue was also in an uproar.
About ten minutes earlier, Tan Qing had just finished performing his new solo track; the Bossa Nova style blended perfectly with his pure, mellow baritone, and the stage design resembled a brilliant jazz-inspired retro musical.
In the final ten seconds of the song, he took a loosely arranged bouquet of flowers from one of the backup dancers and lowered his head into the ending pose. His silhouette was projected onto the massive screen behind him, and the outline of the bouquet, combined with nearby props, made the shadow look like the performer was kissing a loved one.
However, the moment the lights came on, although Tan Qing’s smile lingered on his face, it was clear from his eyes that he no longer had any attachment to the bouquet; his arm dropped limply as he bowed to thank the audience.
Up next was Zhu Lianzhen’s performance. Since his entrance was designed to come from the side of the stage, he was already waiting just offstage, where fans nearby could see and film his every move. The dance crew was performing a transition act while backstage staff scrambled to change props and set up the new scene.
Two makeup artists were working around Zhu Lianzhen at the same time, constantly adjusting his hair and checking his makeup. Tan Qing stepped off the stage and paused when passing by Zhu Lianzhen, looking him over for a few seconds before saying, “Fix the bangs on the left a little more.”
“Get him a bottle of water,” Zhu Lianzhen reminded Ah-Xu.
The two of them briefly discussed the upcoming routine. As Tan Qing spoke, he fidgeted with the bouquet in his hand and casually plucked a small pale blue flower, pressing it to the upper side of Zhu Lianzhen’s cheek. The makeup artist paused their work to take a closer look and was pleasantly surprised by the effect of the small prop, quickly raising a mirror for Zhu Lianzhen to see.
With his stage time fast approaching, Zhu Lianzhen had no time to hesitate and simply left the decision to the makeup artists. “You’re the pros, you decide.”
“Bag, brush,” said the makeup artist concisely. The assistant immediately pulled out the commonly used tools and then borrowed Tan Qing’s bouquet to quickly select and pluck petals that were more suitable.
Two minutes later, the stage lights came on in the center. Zhu Lianzhen wore a specially tailored performance outfit, the embroidery understated yet luxurious under the light. The new song not only carried forward the group album’s metal rock style but also boldly integrated traditional Chinese elements. As a result, the stylist had designed eye makeup with a Chinese flair for him. Simply standing there, he exuded a strikingly elegant and heroic youthfulness.
The moment he appeared, the audience saw on the big screen that a light purple butterfly rested on his right cheekbone, swaying slightly as Zhu Lianzhen lifted his head, as if it were about to take flight. But a closer look revealed it was a collage of flower petals, with delicate golden powder following the vein-like lines of the petals, mimicking the shimmer of butterfly scales.
Zhu Lianzhen had rarely been willing to go for overly elaborate makeup looks in the past, and fans also liked admiring his clean, natural face, so trying a new style like this once in a while was all the more surprising. Very soon, fans on-site uploaded pictures and videos online, including a clip from the waiting area stage. The side of the stage was very dark, but as the camera zoomed in, it clearly showed Tan Qing raising his hand to touch Zhu Lianzhen’s cheek.
No one knew what they were saying, but based on where the physical contact occurred, many CP fans speculated that it was Tan Qing who suggested the makeup artist use flower petals as a prop.
[Comment 328: Someone had just finished performing and came off stage, water still in hand and hadn’t even taken a sip, tsk tsk]
[Comment 330: Why are you watching so closely? What do you want to do?]
[Comment 334: Judging by how urgently the makeup artist moved, it must’ve been a last-minute idea. No need to guess whose idea it was.]
[Comment 341: You guys are reading too much into it… I thought he just wanted to pinch his cheek…]
[Comment 344: Look again, it wasn’t cheek-pinching! It looked like he stuck a tiny little flower on his face!]
[Comment 350: I don’t know how to describe it. Normally, if my bestie had something smudged on her face, I’d just reach out and clean it off. But if you’re putting something on someone, you should probably ask first… Sigh, does anyone get what I’m trying to say?]
[Comment 351: Hmm, this kind of gesture isn’t overly intimate between two guys, but if you think about it, it does cross a subtle boundary… Not normal! The two of them are definitely not normal!]
[Comment 355: Makeup artists spend hours with the artists every time; they must be used to each other.]
[Comment 359: I think it’s Zhu Lianzhen who’s used to Tan Qing.]
….
Zuige Entertainment, well known for its expertise in scarcity marketing, made Acemon’s comeback concert an unprecedented success; whether in album quality or live performance, it lived up to the audience’s long wait. The group’s performance was passionate and energizing, and each member’s solo had its own flair. When it came to the fan interaction segment, they responded sincerely to the emotions of their fans——
Countless transparent balloons with the Acemon logo rained down from above. Many who caught one would find a rolled-up note inside. The balloons also had tags near the seal with instructions on how to safely release the helium inside.
This was during the talking segment. Ji Yunting only began to explain slowly once he saw most of the balloons had landed in the audience. “Many of you probably noticed that there’s something inside each balloon. You can open them here, or wait until after the concert to check them out… Of course, it’s better to open them in the venue, that way it’s easier for us to clean up.”
“Wait a second, I see someone already popped theirs?” As Zhu Lianzhen looked off in a certain direction, he heard the faint popping sounds coming from the crowd.
Ji Yunting continued, “You might feel the paper looks familiar when you see it, but I think the chance of each person drawing their own is still pretty small.”
He had not yet finished speaking when a wave of coordinated screams erupted from the audience; quick-reacting fans had already guessed what was written on the slips of paper.
“That’s right! You remembered!” Koty enthusiastically raised his arms. “And let me tell you one more secret. Each sentence on those slips actually…”
Before he could finish, the fans’ cheers grew even louder, the sound sweeping across the entire venue. After so many years, a tacit understanding had developed between the people on and off stage—just from Koty’s expression and tone, fans could instantly guess what he was about to say.
A few months ago, the company had added a new section to Acemon’s official Fan Club website, called “Aviator.”
Its primary function was to leave messages, like a confession wall. Each user could send up to ten messages per week, each limited to 150 characters, with the option to attach one photo or live image. “Aviator” charged no fees, accepting confessions, worries, daily thoughts, secrets… and all emotions in need of release, from every fan equally.
Almost everyone in the audience had seen the black-and-white line-drawn animation: after typing a message and clicking “send,” the black outline of the text box would fold like origami over the words, then transform into the shape of a balloon, rising slowly against a white background until it disappeared into the clouds.
And now, at this very moment, these balloons had returned in tangible form to everyone’s hands, as if they were echoes sent back from the sky by “Aviator.”
Ji Yunting explained, “Lately, whenever we finish work, we go back to the dorm and read through the messages on the backend. Thank you all so much for participating. The number is really overwhelming, but to protect everyone’s privacy, we could only select a portion to share.”
Tan Qing continued after him, “We probably won’t be able to reply to every single message, but no matter if your mood is good or bad, we’re willing to receive it.”
Zhu Lianzhen slowly recalled from memory, “A lot of people shared their admission letters, marriage certificates, resignation letters; and there were those going through difficult times—exam pressure, feeling sick and unwell, being far from home and lonely… Being a place where people can release their emotions in moments like these is also something very meaningful to us. Thank you all for letting us ‘take part’ in your lives.”
Fu Rong: “Mm.”
“I actually never felt like we’ve been in the industry that long,” Koty looked toward his teammates beside him, “but the other day I saw a message saying she was already my fan back when she was still in elementary school!”
Ji Yunting couldn’t help asking, “Huh? Liking you at such a young age—is that even healthy for mental development?”
Koty responded firmly, “Of course. She got into a really great university this year.”
“You think you were her motivation to work hard?” Zhu Lianzhen looked at him.
“Maybe?” Koty recalled the content of the message. “I hope so.”
Tan Qing once again raised the microphone in his hand and looked around at the audience surrounding the stage, saying in a low voice, “There were many moments in the past when we really failed to be good role models for everyone. Even now, Acemon is still constantly surrounded by controversy, causing many fans to worry about us. Apologies and gratitude are things that can never be said enough. The only thing we can do is to keep moving forward without looking back, so that this moment can become a shining point you’ll remember when you look back someday.”
The talking segment ended with him. The five of them bowed together to the audience amid the fans’ cheers, and when they stood up again, it was time for a new round of visual and auditory enjoyment.
They all knew in their hearts that after this grand banquet ended, it would either be remembered or forgotten, just like this journey was always full of people coming and going, with gatherings and partings being uncertain.
But who said that just because there was distance between people, they couldn’t walk this many years together?
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