Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 123 New Single Explosion
"Yahoo! Milk Foam Forest's first concert has successfully concluded!"

As soon as Gu Jingyi returned backstage, the members of Milkball celebrated with firework showers. Golden confetti fell into his hair, while Justin and Fan Chengcheng howled with glee.

Even though they had just finished a full concert, neither of them seemed to have tired voices. They kept shouting non-stop, full of energy.

"Congratulations to Nine Percent on the successful conclusion of their first concert."

The director in charge of this concert was stationed in the backstage, watching and coordinating the stage details of the entire show.

After he noticed Nine Percent leaving the stage, he led a large group of staff who had been waiting for a long time out, pushing a cake cart.

The huge birthday cake didn't have birthday candles on it; instead, it had jam with the message, "Wishing Nine Percent a successful first concert and a smooth Asia tour."

Idol World's manager and assistant team also came out, all smiling and clapping to celebrate the successful conclusion of the first concert.

"Thank you, director."

“You’re thoughtful.”

The members of Milkball also thanked the director and gathered around the car, waiting to share the cake.

Gu Jingyi noticed that the staff around him were being ignored by his teammates, and he stood there awkwardly, at a loss for what to do.

After greeting the director with a smile, he also expressed his gratitude to the staff.

"Thank you for your hard work, director, and everyone else too. The cake is so big, everyone will get a share when it's divided up later."

Gu Jingyi gave the staff a thumbs up and then pointed to the three-tiered cake to express his opinion.

The success of a concert is not solely due to the artists or the hardworking director.

The director is just directing from backstage, making macro-level adjustments.

In crucial areas like stage management, lighting, and stage effects design, each section is divided into several groups, with each group responsible for executing every detail.

This time, the team for Milk Foam's Asia tour consisted of dozens of people, just for the lighting alone.

They divided into different groups and ran the concert smoothly.

If any part of the process had gone wrong, the concert wouldn't have gone so smoothly.

Gu Jingyi's warm smile and appropriate language made the previously overlooked staff feel very comfortable.

It felt like I was being completely valued, and I felt very comfortable.

"Teacher Gu, you're too kind."

"hahaha, then I want to eat the biggest piece of cake."

The first to respond to Gu Jingyi was the person in charge of stage design, and the second, quite naturally, was the lighting technician.

The position of lighting technician is very important. Offending the lighting technician during filming or concerts can greatly affect the on-screen effect.

Gu Jingyi is certainly adept at interpersonal relationships; the Milk Foam Forest concert tour always has the same team in charge. To ensure his work is of higher quality, he had Lin Ze send a cell phone to everyone in the lighting crew in advance.

This refers to the upcoming OPPO R15 Dream Edition top-of-the-line model, whose appearance is extremely similar to Apple's, earning it the nickname "Ophie." In 2018, the designs of OPPO and Vivo were very close to Apple's, boasting high aesthetic appeal.

Gu Jingyi, as the spokesperson, had already received the new phone, which he used to cultivate relationships. This is a common practice among celebrities in later generations to minimize negative press. They would host a year-end banquet for the media, giving them generous red envelopes and gift packages containing the products they endorse.

Gu Jingyi only brought this operation forward by two years, and yet he reaped an exceptionally rich reward.

Throughout the concert, the lighting on Gu Jingyi was of a different quality than that of her teammates.

Especially his solo performances, thanks to the meticulous lighting technicians. Every frame of Gu Jingyi is so exquisite that it can be freely screenshotted and used as wallpaper.

"Sure, I'll cut the biggest piece of cake for Sister Chen in a bit."

Gu Jingyi smiled and prepared to cut the cake.

The female lighting technician he mentioned was the lighting team leader. She winked at Gu Jingyi, smiled nonchalantly, and was quite satisfied with his friendly attitude.

"Wait a minute, Jingyi, don't rush to cut!"

The executive manager of Idol Century, who is in charge of managing Milkball, also rushed over. He had all the members stand in a line near the cake. He held a camera, ready to take a photo for verification and upload it to Weibo.

Just before pressing the shutter, he glanced at the members and noticed that a few were missing: "Where's Cai Xukun? Where did he go?"

"The restroom, I think?"

Gu Jingyi thought for a moment, then spoke with some uncertainty.

Just then, Cai Xukun pushed the door open and walked in. He was momentarily stunned when he noticed that everyone was watching him.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Kun Kun, where did you go just now?"

The agent asked him with some dissatisfaction, his face darkening.

Cai Xukun also looked somewhat flustered, his eyes darting away.

"I just... went to the break room."

"Is that so?" The agent gave Gu Jingyi a meaningful look.

"Kun Kun, please be more mindful next time. After all, you're a group. Just because the concert is over doesn't mean you can rush off. There are still some behind-the-scenes clips and selfies to share with fans. You also need to pay attention to after-sales service and provide emotional support to your fans."

"it is good…"

Cai Xukun nodded, thinking he had hidden it well. Little did he know that his agent had already seen through his obvious lewdness; with that reaction, it was no surprise that a deal was being struck.

Who would spend more than ten minutes in the break room? A water buffalo, perhaps?
Anyway, Cai Xukun isn't an artist from Idol World, and the fate of the last top idol who had a relationship is still there.

After the huge success of "Idol Producer," most of the fans left. From being a top-tier idol to becoming a near-top idol and then flopping, this is how it all happened to the former top-tier idol with a lot of experience.

Moreover, there's Cai Xukun, who is even more suppressed than Gu Jingyi and can't even lift his head.

After joining "Idol Producer", Gu Jingyi quickly gained popularity and developed rapidly on her own.

And Kun Kun? With first place secured, who cares about second?
The members all arrived and celebrated happily with the staff. Then, at the manager's suggestion, the nine boys took a photo together.

In the photo, Gu Jingyi is squatting in the center holding a piece of cream cake, while the other members automatically stand in two rows around him.

Gu Jingyi stood on the left side of the back row, with Justin and Fan Chengcheng on his shoulders, their faces beaming with happiness, making countless girls dream of returning to the factory.

The photo was uploaded to Weibo just like that, and within 10 minutes it topped the trending searches. Comments also surged rapidly, with countless fans leaving messages under the photo:

"I was there and watched the whole concert. When Gu Jingyi took off his teddy bear costume and headgear, I burst into tears instantly."

"Oh really, who would have thought Gu Jingyi would be hiding inside a doll? Money can be earned back, but I'd never meet an idol who's so devoted to his fans when I'm 20. When he revealed his mask, handed out lollipops, and went back, I felt like crying and laughing at the same time..."

"After 32 days and a month-long hiatus since their debut, Milk Pop's first concert went smoothly! Wuhu. Milk Pop has had such a tough journey so far, may they always walk on a flowery path!"

"This is Milkball Sen's first concert, but it's definitely not the last. Sisters, Milkball Sen has more than a dozen concerts to go. Don't forget to grab tickets every day, let's go together!"

Soon, the hashtag about Nai Pao Sen's first concert also became a trending topic.

Among them, the hashtags "Gu Jingyi's bear costume" and "Gu Jingyi's new song premiere" were hyped up again by fans who had been watching closely.

Shortly after the verification photos were taken, the members' families were brought in from outside by the production crew.

They showered their child with praise upon seeing him perform at his first concert. Every elder was overjoyed, knowing it would pave a smoother path for him in the entertainment industry.

Gu Jingyi listened calmly to the sounds of reunions all around him as he scrolled through his phone.

Soon, the agent stepped forward and interrupted this heartwarming scene with a smile.

"Thank you so much for coming today, everyone. It's really kind of you to have traveled all this way..."

"However, there are still two concerts in the next two days, so please calm down. The members can't relax yet. We'll celebrate after the Kyoto show ends the day after tomorrow."

Since the manager had said so, the members' parents nodded in agreement and left under the guidance of the staff.

"Everyone, let's get ready and go grab a bite to eat. Then we'll go back to the company to review the experience from this concert, and then continue preparing for tomorrow's concert."

The agent gave Cai Xukun a meaningful look. "No one is allowed to take leave. The meeting is important and everyone must attend."

Cai Xukun's face stiffened. Someone was waiting for him tonight. It seemed his plan had failed. Goodbye to his five-star presidential suite. Goodbye to his young lady.

"I know, brother."

Everyone responded, but Cai Xukun was clearly not in a good mood.

Today is just the beginning; Milkball's Asian tour still has two more shows to go, one in Zhejiang Province and the other in Kyoto.

It's foreseeable that Gu Jingyi will be very tired these next few days.

……

[The stage was absolutely amazing, and Jingyi was so handsome... ah... really...]
[Gu Jingyi's stage presence is absolutely dominant; his performance of "Lover" was truly amazing. Sweetie has already released a 4K 60fps direct shot; it's incredible.]
[As a rational fan, Gu Jingyi is truly the most career-driven and talented top star I've ever seen. He's not just a pretty face; he has real skills in both acting and singing. Being a fan of Gu Jingyi is such a blessing.]
"Jingyi, what are you laughing at?"

Inside the private room, the aroma of grilled pork belly, with its perfect balance of fat and lean meat, filled the air. The sizzling sound of oil was clearly audible, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The meat had already been grilled for the second time, and Zhu Zhengting watched as Gu Jingyi barely touched the mountain of meat piled up in his bowl.

He seemed distracted from the moment he came in.

Could it be that they're in love?

"Ah, I'm looking at what the fans are talking about in the Weibo group."

Gu Jingyi smiled and showed his phone to Zhu Zhengting.

During that brief lull, messages started rolling in the Weibo group again.

"Jingyi's fans who went to the first concert were in for a treat, as Jingyi's new single was released. I was fortunate enough to hear it on stage."

"Sister, a friend of a friend of a friend is a staff member of Nai Pao Sen's concert. It is said that 'Lover' was not on the original program list. It was Gu Jingyi who added it to thank the fans."

"Sister, I suspect you and I have the same source of information. Idol Chronicles is so lame, they used a bunch of songs to fill out the list. Jingyi couldn't bear to see the fans being exploited, so she released 'Lover' for the first time."

“Even a passerby would be moved by Jingyi, let alone me, a fan. I have become a completely loyal fan of Gu Jingyi. He is truly the most talented and fan-loving artist I have ever met.”

"When will the audio of 'Lover' be released? I can't wait!"

Zhu Zhengting glanced at the rapidly scrolling messages, which, like bullet comments, made his eyes sting.

"Alright, Jingyi, hurry up and eat the meat. If you don't eat it now, Fan Chengcheng will eat it all."

"I didn't..." Fan Chengcheng's cheeks were full of flesh as he chewed and retorted.

"it is good."

Gu Jingyi nodded and started eating as well.

However, fans' attention to his new song did not diminish after the concert. Many people who had attended the concert praised Gu Jingyi from beginning to end, extolling everything about the stage quality, lighting, and original songs.

Especially during the interactive segment before the event started, Gu Jingyi, dressed in a mascot costume, was praised to the skies for handing out candy.

Although there was interaction during the concert encore, many fans even gave high-fives to the members of Milkball.

However, none of these moments were as impactful as Gu Jingyi distributing candy to his fans and then removing his wig, his hair soaked with sweat. This feeling of being so close to one's idol will be firmly imprinted in the hearts of every fan.

With the added benefit of emotional connection, even when some casual observers criticized Linda Chung's concert for being a money-making scheme, they consciously skipped over Gu Jingyi, demonstrating his popularity with the general public.

Just when fans were all anxiously searching for resources for Gu Jingyi's self-composed song "Lover",

HuaCe announced that Gu Jingyi's new single will be released tomorrow night at midnight, and asked everyone to pay attention. This has sparked widespread discussion and numerous comments from the public.

"That's great. Although the live version of this song is good, the studio version will definitely be even better."

"I'm waiting too. The lyrics of this song really resonate with me. It's so sweet. Listening to it feels like Gu Jingyi is standing in front of me, smiling and flirting with me."

"I can't wait for tomorrow, I'm already looking forward to it."

Time passed by quickly, and soon it was the day Gu Jingyi's single was released.

When NetEase Cloud Music and Tencent Music both lit up, Gu Jingyi's song also suddenly appeared on the platform's trending searches.

On QQ Music, "Lover" garnered over 1 comments within an hour of its release and surpassed 1500 million plays on its first day, topping the charts such as the Peak Chart New Song Chart and the Popularity Index Chart.

On NetEase Cloud Music, the song received over 10 comments within 24 hours and topped both the trending chart and the new song chart. The single album "Lover" contains only one song and is priced at just 3 yuan.

What Gu Jingyi is going to do this time is to take money from the pockets of passersby.

The film "The Lover" sold over 100 million yuan in less than a day after its release.

Gu Jingyi's hit song gets another 1!
(End of this chapter)