Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 221 Asian Tour

July 15, Bird's Nest
The venue had already been set up, but the staff were still working busily, meticulously checking the details of the lighting, sound system, elevators, platform, and other equipment to prevent any unexpected situations from occurring during Gu Jingyi's first solo concert.

In the waiting room, Gu Jingyi, dressed smartly, was adjusting his in-ear monitor.

Although the concert program was mostly the same and he knew every part by heart, his emotions still surged as the concert was about to begin.

He had performed many concerts in his previous life when he was in a Korean group, but he had never held a solo concert.

Holding a solo concert signifies that his life has embarked on a different trajectory from his past life; he is no longer the idol controlled by capital. Nor does he need to abandon his singing career to switch to acting just to survive.

"Jingyi, you're going to ride a sightseeing float in the parade this time. It'll be quite high up. Are you afraid of heights?"

During one segment of the concert, Gu Jingyi would stand on a float and circle the venue during one of the intermission songs to interact with the fans.

For better viewing, the floats are usually taller than double-decker buses, about 5 to 6 meters above the ground. Singers stand on them to sing, move around, and interact with fans.

Tickets for positions that are within close range of the floats will be more expensive.

"What's there to be afraid of? Don't tell me I'm not afraid of heights. Even if I am afraid of heights, I can't just not sit down because I feel dizzy."

Gu Jingyi smiled, then glanced at Lin Ze and said meaningfully, "Brother Ze, I'm a singer. Even if I'm scared, I have to overcome it to give my fans a good experience. Besides, the float has railings. It's almost up to my chest, so there's no safety hazard."

While Lin Ze was speaking, the staff were also making final confirmations. Several girls who happened to be passing by overheard the conversation had gleaming eyes.

Almost the moment she turned her back to Gu Jingyi, she covered her mouth and posted on Douban and Weibo.

Before long, more and more replies appeared under the post.

"He really... I'm going to cry my eyes out."

"Gu Jingyi is truly worthy of being a fan."

"Stop talking, I envy those of you who managed to snag tickets."

Seemingly finding an outlet, fans flooded the concert with comments, constantly sharing their feelings and their love for Gu Jingyi.

Gu Jingyi, however, knew nothing about any of this. The director in charge of the concert at the Bird's Nest called him over to make final confirmations.

Not only was the director there, but also the staff members who were handling the matter.

Gu Jingyi's team members were also present, and Lin Ze's lips were moving as if he was communicating with someone.

Gu Jingyi walked over at just the right time; the basic procedures had been confirmed.

He glanced at a few details briefly and then nodded in confirmation.

"That's about it then. I'll treat you to dinner after the concert today."

Gu Jingyi mentioned the victory celebration banquet with a smile, and morale instantly soared.

After the director and staff left, Lin Ze whispered in his ear, "Jingyi, your family is here. They're waiting for you backstage. Do you want to talk to them before you go on stage? Once the audience comes in, there won't be any time."

Gu Jingyi nodded and followed his assistant, Xiao Pang, backstage. He hadn't gone far when he saw his family gathered at the entrance to the lounge; his parents were there.

Because this concert was of great significance to Gu Jingyi, Huace had invited his parents to come and watch it long ago.

Gu's father stood backstage, looking at his son with a face full of satisfaction.

"Not bad, my son has made something of himself. To be able to hold a concert in the Bird's Nest stadium with a capacity of 100,000, I really believe you've made it big now."

Gu's father has the typical mindset of a middle-aged elite; his environment is almost entirely devoid of young people. Although he sometimes sees news about his son online and knows that Gu Jingyi is quite famous.

However, they had no real sense of just how popular Gu Jingyi was.

Things are different now; actors' works are mainly broadcast online.

They are not as popular with the audience as they used to be, and their brand recognition is not as high as it used to be.

Therefore, Mr. Gu often doesn't really feel the impact of his son's popularity.

However, after seeing Gu Jingyi today, and looking down at the venue from backstage at the endless crowd, he gained a real understanding of his son's popularity.

"I told you long ago that I'm very famous," Gu Jingyi laughed.

"How are you, son? Are you nervous?"

Gu's mother took out a thermos and handed it to Gu Jingyi, wiping away his sweat, and asked with some concern.

"I'm not nervous, I'm actually quite excited."

Gu Jingyi licked his lips and looked at the audience with great excitement.

Not long after they started chatting, a loud shout came from the other end of the line from agent Lin Ze:
"Jingyi, come touch up your makeup, get ready to go on stage in a bit."

Gu Jingyi responded, greeted his family, and walked over.

.........

"Wow, why are there still so many people sitting outside?"

Ren Min and Liu Haoli were queuing to enter. Outside the cordon, she looked at the densely packed crowd sitting around her and asked a question with great confusion.

Outside the cordon, a large crowd of people dressed in Gu Jingyi's support clothing sat neatly in formation. They were arranged in several orderly rows, a truly impressive sight. Near the cordon, numerous security personnel in uniforms were maintaining order.

"Those are fans who didn't manage to get tickets to Gu Jingyi's concert but really wanted to see his first performance."

Liu Haolin chuckled softly, "Don't you know? On Xianyu (a second-hand marketplace), tickets for Gu Jingyi's first concert have already gone up to over 20,000 yuan each. Many limited-time group tickets are around that price."

"So expensive? My God, are you crazy? These fans are really rich."

Ren Min pursed his lips, somewhat surprised.

"So, there will definitely be some fans who couldn't get tickets but still want to be with their idols and will use this method to support them. Besides, the Bird's Nest is a top-tier venue, and even the outer perimeter has a large outdoor screen. This experience is almost the same as having a grandstand ticket, but you don't have to sit so high up. There are always some students who, without paying high prices for tickets, can only experience the concert atmosphere and support Gu Jingyi in this way."

"But there are so many people outside... It looks like there are even more people than when Gu Jingyi held a concert at Milk Foam Forest."

"Of course, this is Gu Jingyi's first solo concert. True toxic fans wouldn't go to Milkball Sen's concert; they'd just criticize those eight useless guys for dragging their idols down. Even at the concert, they'd try to get involved and split the profits with their idols. The most toxic fans among the Jingyi's fans wouldn't support a limited-time group's concert; they'd rather boost Gu Jingyi's magazine sales and buy him more endorsements than let his teammates get any benefits. They never doubt that Gu Jingyi can hold a solo concert... Do you think he's just some ordinary top star? I don't need to explain what that name represents. If it weren't for you, Ziyu, we'd still be sitting there with them... Hurry up and go in, there are more and more people."

Two girls, holding banners and support items, slowly moved forward in the procession, waiting for quite a while before arriving at the venue.

After entering the venue, they slowly walked forward following the signs. They didn't see their spot until they reached an area very close to the central stage.

"Wow, is this the family section? From here, you can see everyone on stage clearly, and the sound is 360-degree surround sound. This is amazing! No wonder it's an insider ticket. What's the difference between this and sitting on Gu Jingyi's lap listening to him sing for us?"

Ren Min looked at the stage that he could reach up to and climb onto, and the huge screen that was clearly visible, and he felt excited.

Anyone who has ever been to a concert knows that these seats are impossible to buy even with money.

I never expected my own sister to be so capable! Is this what it feels like to be carried by your real sister-in-law? This is so awesome!

Liu Haoli's reserved smile blossomed into a wide grin under Ren Min's encouragement.

"It's not as good as you say. He doesn't have many of these tickets. Just a few, and he gave them all to me after giving some to his relatives."

Liu Haoli softened his tone with a hint of shyness, but also raised his chin with a touch of pride.

"Family Tickets"

Ren Min grinned mischievously, drawing out his words.

"Hey, Minmin, if you keep acting up, I'm not playing with you anymore!"

Liu Haoli spoke with a slightly reproachful tone, his smile never fading.

Whether it's showing off or being shy, Ren Min can make his own judgment.

After a while of joking around, as the start time of the concert drew closer, Liu Haolin pursed his lips, sitting upright in his seat with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation, waiting for the concert to begin.

Such a great spot would be perfect for a super smooth experience with a large telephoto lens, but Liu Haoli's photography equipment immediately drew a yellow card warning from Gu Jingyi:
"Rather than creating images for fans, I want you to have a perfect experience. Today, put aside all your worries. Just immerse yourself in this concert from the perspective of an ordinary audience member."

"Miss Buffett" has always been obedient and compliant to Gu Jingyi, and her thorns have long been softened by love.

Therefore, she traveled light today. She carried only a YSL chain bag, which could only hold her phone and lipstick.

It was Liu Haolin's first time experiencing the emotions of the audience, and he found it quite enjoyable.

About three or four rows behind her, Sun Zhenni and Zhao Yue, along with other SNH48 idols, were standing behind her.

"I didn't expect Da Ni to be so fast; she managed to grab such a good spot."

Zhao Yue sat down, enjoying the view of the large screen up close, and exclaimed in admiration.

"I'm still too far away from him... not close enough."

Sun Zhenni gestured with her hand to indicate the distance between herself and the stage and the big screen, and said with some dissatisfaction.

Although the spot she managed to get was a very good one inside the field, a front row with a great view.

But there were still several meters between us and the stage. We couldn't just look up and see the person on stage, we couldn't reach out and touch them, we couldn't get infinitely close to them. "It's amazing that we even managed to get this ticket. This is Gu Jingyi's first solo concert. No matter how many more shows he holds in the future, this one will always be number one. The kind that makes it into Gu Jingyi's Baidu Encyclopedia entry. Da Ni, you're so smart. You went directly to Huawei and used a demo machine to grab tickets. How can anyone be that smart? Yueyue and I couldn't get tickets, but you did, and such a good seat at that."

Fei Qinyuan rested his chin on his hand and sighed, looking very impressed.

“That’s right, Da Ni, you’ve already worked really hard,” Zhao Yue said calmly, taking a sip of milk tea. “Those VIP seats aren’t something you can just buy with money. The front row seats are only available to the organizers and the artists. They’re either used to give favors or are reserved for family members. Unless you’re the sister-in-law, you simply can’t get them.”

"That's me!" Sun Zhenni tilted her head and winked playfully. She declared confidently, "Don't I look like you?"

"Come on, it's one thing to fool your girlfriends. But don't actually fool yourself, Da Ni, wake up!"

Fei Qinyuan said frankly, he didn't believe it at all.

“Exactly, although you are indeed a little closer to Gu Jingyi than we are,” Zhao Yue gestured “a little.” He continued, “but that little bit isn’t enough for you to get close to Gu Jingyi. Fans can be dream girls, but people in the industry can’t. Have you forgotten the last person who was accused of trying to ride on Gu Jingyi’s coattails and was bombarded with dirt by Gu Jingyi’s fans?”

"..."

Although what my sisters said makes a lot of sense, she really is that kind of sister-in-law...

Forget it, there's no point in trying to reason with them.

Sun Zhenni lowered her head to compose herself, then quickly looked up, reached out and brushed her hair back to cheer herself up.

She's a real sister-in-law; she won't be hurt by such petty attacks.

With 19 PM approaching the start time of the concert, and just one minute remaining, the long-silent giant screen suddenly lit up, displaying a continuous countdown with the entire audience.

As the hour approached 7 p.m., all 100,000 spectators in the stadium turned on their fluorescent lights.

At the same time, the bright overhead lights in the venue gradually dimmed.

The venue was pitch black, with only countless glow sticks swaying like ocean waves visible. One glow stick after another stretched out, their lights undulating with the movements, eventually converging into a vast and breathtaking sea of ​​black and gold.

The stage lights lit up one by one, and the sound inside the venue reached a fever pitch.

When the countdown on the big screen reached "5", all the fans shouted and counted down together.

When the count reaches "1", the large screen lights up.

Gu Jingyi found himself standing in the center of the stage, though he didn't know when it started.

He was dressed in Dior haute couture, in a gorgeous, embossed suit. It was studded with gemstones and looked a bit like a Christmas tree.

This outfit had just been showcased at the Haute Couture Association, and Gu Jingyi was the first person to wear it.

Let alone domestic male stars, only Gu Jingyi in the whole of Asia has a figure that can support this material.

Moreover, Gu Jingyi also has a face that perfectly complements his gorgeous attire.

As soon as he appeared, many fans in the audience gasped.

It's absolutely stunning, maximizing the visual impact.

The most exciting part was yet to come. After the backup dancers and Gu Jingyi finished the opening two verses to the beat of the drums, the performance was even more exciting.

Suddenly, Gu Jingyi's studio and personal logo appeared on the big screen. As the drumbeats became more and more rapid and reached their climax, the logo was presented with a dynamic effect of soaring through the clouds, just like the dragon that always appears at the opening of major movies.

Then, all the lights in the venue suddenly went out.
Without giving the fans time to whisper, the big screen immediately began playing the opening video of the concert.

On screen, Gu Jingyi appears amidst ruins, and as the camera pans to a panoramic view, viewers realize that this is a story similar to Hamlet, where Gu Jingyi, despite his splendid attire, appears utterly disheveled upon his first appearance.

He infiltrated the ranks of refugees and led them in a rebellion. The young man advanced triumphantly, eventually appearing in the palace to kill his enemies and ascend the throne.

The final shot ends with Gu Jingyi bowing slightly to accept the crown, his previously downcast eyes suddenly meeting the camera's. His gaze is sharp and unwavering.

"Ahhh"

"Gu Jingyi is so cool!"

"Emperor Jing!"

"Before the show even started, there were rumors that Gu Jingyi designed the stage himself, but I didn't believe it at first. After seeing it, the style and special effects are clearly a testament to the sheer amount of money spent on it!"

"I'm more looking forward to Gu Jingyi! He looked so handsome in that outfit, when will he appear again?"

"Ready, 3, 2"

Amidst the cheers of everyone else, only the director remained quietly in charge of the broadcast.

All the backstage staff held their breath, waiting for the director to count down to the last digit.

When the "1" soundes, the countdown ends.

The stage officially began, and the lights came on again.

Strangely, Gu Jingyi did not appear.

Only the backup dancers remained on stage, dressed in black robes and with solemn expressions. They stood in a circle around the stage, whispering softly.

This peculiar scene immediately piqued the audience's curiosity to the highest level.

What are these backup dancers doing, and why are they doing it?

Everything about it will leave the audience wanting more.

They stared wide-eyed, their eyes glued to the stage, afraid of missing anything.

A percussion band appeared out of nowhere in the corner of the stage, pounding out dense drumbeats.

Suddenly, a light and electricity effect appeared on the stage, making the dark stage look quite eerie.

Accompanied by another bolt of lightning, footsteps suddenly appeared on the stage.

The spotlight followed the footsteps all the way, finally landing on a figure from behind.

An ancient and mysterious line of text appeared on the large screen:
"It is said that whenever the world falls into strife, a new chosen one will be born in response to the times."

The subtitles faded quickly, and the stage lights flickered and swayed.

The light shone dimly on the figure, and although he didn't turn around, everyone knew it was Gu Jingyi.

The prelude, incorporating a female vocal chant, began, sounding incredibly sacred and adding an unexpected touch of hope to the stage.

Those familiar with the woman quickly recognized her voice. "That's Da Ni's voice, amazing! Did you save Gu Jingyi's life? How come you've worked with him twice in one go?"

Zhao Yue was so envious he almost split his plasmosphere apart. How could this girl be so lucky?

Although the lyrics for this song haven't been released yet, the stage atmosphere and Gu Jingyi's prestigious reputation are already evident.

It's at least a huge breakout stage, with tens of millions of views guaranteed.

It seems that Sun Zhenni, this younger sister, is really going to hitch a ride on Gu Jingyi's coattails and get out of the predicament of being stuck in her self-contained world along the Senegal River.

"Actually, this feature was something he mentioned during our last meal. After I finished recording 'Boy with Luv,' I went to the recording studio right after dinner and added this chant."

Sun Zhenni smiled reservedly, but her eyes were full of laughter.

She was incredibly proud; being able to participate in this big-budget song truly gave her an opportunity to bring the Senegal River into the view of a wider audience.

Besides, this is her boyfriend.

Come on, it must be so awesome to be able to show off your love in front of the whole audience.

"Da Ni is really blessed with good fortune, she's so lucky."

Fei Qinyuan stared at Gu Jingyi with adoration in her eyes.

Sun Zhenni proudly raised the corners of her mouth, her beautiful eyes sparkling.

Perhaps the idols were too loud, because Liu Haolin, who was sitting in the front row, could hear most of it.

She turned her head and looked thoughtfully at the Seine River idols.

"What's wrong? Do you know anyone here?"

Ren Min noticed Liu Haoli staring intently in that direction and tilted his head curiously.

"No, it's not someone I know, it's Gu Jingyi's."

Liu Haoli smiled, her eyes crinkling, and spoke in a very gentle tone.

Ren Min remained silent, only those close to him knew that the more nonchalant Liu Haocun appeared, the more turbulent his emotions were.

It's estimated that Gu Jingyi will have an "unforgettable and wonderful night" after the concert.

(End of this chapter)