novelraw Chapter 113 The Final Battle at the Forbidden City
Chapter 113 The Final Battle at the Forbidden City
June 12, 2003, BJ.
This is a very special day.
At 6:30 p.m., just as the sun was setting behind the western mountains, both sides of the East Third Ring Road were already completely congested.
The traffic moved slowly, horns blared incessantly, but everyone was heading in the same direction.
Workers' Stadium.
Because Jay Chou is performing here tonight.
What many people don't know is that, just a wall away in the Workers' Stadium, another grand event was taking place at the same time.
The 5th CCTV-MTV Music Awards will be held here tonight.
Wang Fei, Jacky Cheung, Stefanie Sun, Na Ying, Sun Nan, Yu Quan... Nearly a hundred top stars from the Chinese music scene walked down the red carpet, with flashbulbs going off everywhere.
Some people were wearing floor-length dresses, some were wearing sunglasses and waving, and the host's voice came from the speakers, which could be faintly heard even through the walls.
One wall, two worlds.
On one side is a star-studded awards ceremony, and on the other side is a concert with 45,000 people.
On one side is a feast for industry insiders, and on the other side is a carnival for young people.
Liu Yifei stood backstage at the Workers' Stadium and peeked out through the gap.
Everywhere you look, there are glow sticks.
It was densely packed, like an inverted starry sky.
Half an hour before the performance was scheduled to begin, the venue was already packed.
Some people had Jay Chou poster stickers on their faces, while others held up homemade light sticks that read "Jay Chou, I love you."
In the area with the venue tickets, young fans crowded together, waving their hands and chanting slogans in unison.
"Jay Chou! Jay Chou! Jay Chou!"
The noise grew louder and louder, almost lifting the roof off.
People were still pouring in at the entrance.
The scalper held up the tickets and shouted at the top of his lungs, "The last two, the last two!"
At 7:15, the lights in the stadium suddenly dimmed.
Screams erupted instantly.
"It's starting! It's about to start!"
At 7:30, all the lights in the venue were turned off.
A digital countdown began to appear on the big screen.
"Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven!..."
Forty-five thousand people counted down in unison, their voices deafening.
The moment the numbers reached zero, a burst of fireworks suddenly exploded in the center of the stage.
Jay Chou descended from the sky.
Backstage.
Qian Lang stood in the corner, hands in his pockets, looking at the stage in the distance.
His position was excellent; he could see Zhou Jielun's every move, as well as Liu Yifei in the waiting area at the edge of the stage.
Liu Yifei was wearing a blue and white porcelain cheongsam, her hair was piled up high, and she was holding an oil-paper umbrella tightly in her hand.
She stood there, motionless.
Qian Lang took a step forward.
A cough immediately came from the side.
Liu Xiaoli stood three meters away, looking at him expressionlessly.
Qian Lang rolled his eyes and retreated.
Three meters apart.
This was a direct order given by Liu Xiaoli yesterday.
From today onwards, Liu Yifei and Qian Lang must maintain a distance of more than three meters, no matter where they are.
Otherwise, the two sides will never speak to each other again.
Of course, Qian Lang didn't care. Three meters was fine. What he wanted was the Fate Value.
On stage, the prelude to "Dong Feng Po" begins.
Jay Chou sat in front of the piano, a spotlight shining on him.
"A lamp of sorrow, standing alone by the window..."
He sang very earnestly.
More serious than any rehearsal.
Qian Lang listened from below the stage, and the corners of his mouth slowly turned up.
Every vowel sound, every word, every emotional fluctuation was perfectly executed.
It doesn't sound like singing; it sounds like telling a story.
The stage effects were also top-notch.
The lights changed with the melody, sometimes a deep blue, sometimes a warm yellow.
The music video was playing on the big screen, showing ancient streets, mottled walls, and a lone lamp swaying in the wind.
He knew that this was Zhou Jielun declaring war on Liu Yifei.
Qian Lang looked at Liu Yifei.
Now, all he can do is pray to the gods and Buddhas for protection.
Liu Yifei turned her head and looked at him.
A slight smile!
It's as if she's saying—Don't worry, I'm reliable!
Qian Lang rolled his eyes.
Outside, the fans in the audience had gone crazy.
As soon as the first chorus ended, the whole audience started singing along.
"Who is playing 'East Wind Breaks' on the pipa? Time peels away on the wall, revealing childhood memories..."
The voices of 45,000 people flowed together like a river, intertwining with Jay Chou's voice.
The sound resounded through the sky!
The song ended.
The applause and screams lasted for a full minute.
Jay Chou stood in the center of the stage and waited until the noise subsided a little before picking up the microphone.
"Thanks."
He took a breath and looked at the sea of glow sticks below the stage.
"Today, I'm very serious."
The audience erupted again.
Zhou Jielun smiled, waited for them to finish shouting, and continued speaking.
"Because today, I have a surprise for everyone."
He paused, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense.
"A surprise that will blow your mind!"
The audience began to whisper among themselves.
A surprise? What surprise?
Jay Chou glanced to the side of the stage.
"Next, let us welcome a special guest with the warmest gaze."
His voice rose an octave.
"A fairy from heaven!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the stage lights suddenly went out.
Backstage.
Liu Yifei took a deep breath.
She heard Zhou Jielun shout those words, heard the gasps of the 45,000 people in the audience, and heard her own heart pounding—thump, thump, thump, so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest.
But she didn't panic.
The warmth of yesterday's hug still lingers on her body.
She turned her head and took one last look at Qian Lang.
Qian Lang gave her a thumbs up.
Their eyes met.
Then Liu Yifei's gaze hardened.
She's going to make it!
Liu Xiaoli looked at it with complicated emotions.
She knows!
After this night, her daughter is going to be in trouble.
Liu Yifei turned around!
Step onto the stage.
The lights came back on.
A beam of spotlight poured down from above and landed on her.
In the center of the stage stood a young girl.
The entire room fell silent for a second.
Then they started whispering among themselves, as if discussing who this person was.
"Who is this?"
"Wow, it's so beautiful!"
"This is Liu Yifei."
On the stage.
Liu Yifei wore a blue and white porcelain cheongsam, with hand-embroidered lotus patterns flowing from her shoulders to the hem.
The waistline was perfectly cinched, outlining the young girl's just-exposed curves.
Her hair was piled high, revealing her slender neck, with a few stray strands falling beside her ears.
She was holding an oil-paper umbrella.
The umbrella is light blue, painted with a few orchids.
The light shone through the umbrella, casting a soft shadow on her face, like the misty rain of Jiangnan, or the clear moonlight of the moon palace.
She just stood there.
They remained silent and still.
She waited.
Waiting for the band to get ready, waiting for my heart to calm down, waiting for that moment to arrive.
Then, she heard the first sound.
The tremolo technique on the guzheng.
Like raindrops falling on a bluestone slab, one drop after another.
She slowly lowered the oil-paper umbrella and raised her head.
The spotlight shone on her face, illuminating her clear eyes.
"The sky is the color of rain after a storm, and I am waiting for you..."
The sound flowed from her body.
Clear, ethereal, with a slight echo, as if it drifted from a very, very far place.
She took a step forward.
The hem of the cheongsam swayed gently, like ripples on the surface of water.
She continued singing.
At this moment, the entire stadium, filled with 45,000 people, was completely silent...
Only her singing voice.
Everyone was immersed in the song and in this beautiful scene.
"Damn it!"
Backstage, Jay Chou watched the monitor and cursed.
Qian Lang stood to the side, smiling.
"Mr. Qian Lang, are you here to sabotage me?"
Zhou Jielun said with a smile.
Qian Lang smiled.
"Hahaha!"
"This is called—The Final Battle at the Forbidden City!"