Chapter 163: Did I Just Watch a Music Video on Stage?

"That year, the long street was heavy with the breath of spring."
"Riding horses together, the misty rain felt like a dream."
"Taking shelter from the rain under the eaves, I looked into a pair of deep eyes."
"Like a breeze carrying fine snow through Mount Hua."

On the stage, the woman stood up, walked to the edge of the pavilion, and reached out as if to catch the raindrops dripping from the eaves.
On the giant screen behind her, the camera focused on the pair of eyes visible above the veil.
At that moment, all the die-hard fans recognized them instantly—these were Lin Ze's eyes!

[Holy crap! It's Lin Ze! This is Lin Ze!]
[A cross-dressing master! But she's so gorgeous. Why didn't I notice before that Brother Lin looked so slender?]
[Slender my foot! You guys weren't at the venue. Up close, those shoulder muscles were super obvious!]

"The rain is slightly cool, the wind blows with a hazy, hidden fragrance."
"A sudden flutter in the heart, like your gentle sword blade."
"Passing by like a startled swan..."

Lin Ze switched to his natural male voice, and at that instant, the barrage comments erupted instantly.

"Are all words written about love so hollow, deliberated stroke by stroke before they are offered?"
"Willing to be humble just for a smile, or reduced to mediocrity."

The female vocals returned. Between switching genders, Lin Ze's voice did not show a single flaw.
The co-singing artist looked at Lin Ze, once again experiencing the audience's astonishment.

"And you held an umbrella, pulling me into your embrace."
"Every word and syllable of the oath, how cautious and earnest."
"There are a thousand kinds of tenderness in your eyes."
"Like a gentle spring breeze, melting even ice and snow."

A soaring high note pulled the thrilled audience right back into the song.

Lin Ze stepped out of the pavilion at that moment, walking slowly across the stage. On the background screen, the four seasons shifted, and looking at the stage, everyone realized that time had passed.

"Later, a reunion at someone's wedding banquet, the beauty by one's side, candle shadows swaying red."
"Lamplights intertwined, reflecting a pair of picturesque faces."
"Like a tender old dream on the tip of a pomegranate branch."

Lin Ze sat once again within the pavilion, gazing longingly at the projection of the wedding banquet on the screen. To the onlookers, it seemed as though Lin Ze could truly see the couple sitting there.

Behind him, the background audio began.
First, a woman's voice asked, "Who is she?"
Then, a man's voice paused before replying, "Her? She is merely a Daoist nun friend of mine."

Everyone recognized this as Lin Ze's voice.
Their hearts twitched in sympathy with the Daoist nun portrayed by Lin Ze.

Staggering to his feet, Lin Ze stepped out of the pavilion once more.
The scene on the screen shifted slowly, transporting them now to the distant mountains.

"Outside the mountain gate, snow brushes against white clothes, melting once more at the fingertips."
"Carrying a long sword, I ask the vast pugilistic world: where should I go?"
"This life has come to this, like a joke, mocking myself."
"Unrequited devotion, starting without an ending..."

Lin Ze drew his sword, holding the hilt and pointing forward. As the sword in his hand swayed left and right, he began to sing while performing a sword dance across the stage.
Though it was merely the flashy choreography learned from past acting days, executed now, it looked remarkably impressive.

"Better to bury the past in the wind."
"Using the long sword as a gravestone, frost and snow as a mound..."

Lin Ze finished this section of the sword dance, then slowly came to a halt.

"Falling after waking from the dream, shattered to pieces, leaving neither shadow nor trace..."

With the final note sung, Lin Ze used his sword to flick off his veil, tossing it into the air and letting it drift down into the audience seats. Accompanied by the outro, Lin Ze walked off the stage.

The crowd beneath the stage stood stunned for a moment before instantly erupting into thunderous applause.

"Lin Ze! Lin Ze! Lin Ze!"

[I'm crying tears, seriously. I actually got to witness an MV live on stage...]
[I hope all our other singers take notes. Don't think that just having backup dancers makes for an explosive stage effect—we want to see MVs on stage!]
[The competition is getting fierce! Everyone is raising their game!]

Listening to the cheers of the audience, the director waited a moment before having the host return to the stage.

"Everyone, only one song remains for Lin Ze. Do you all want to know what kind of song his final piece, *The Bridal Chamber*, will be?"
"Yes!"

The audience below shouted in unison, their voices almost lifting the roof.

"Well then, how about this? Now that the finals have concluded, everyone can cast their votes for the singer you love most. Once the voting is complete, we'll invite Lin Ze back on stage to sing his final song."

Guided by the director, the audience cooperated enthusiastically.
All the singers stepped back onto the stage, and Lin Ze had changed into his regular clothes.

...

"Xiaoliu, I have to admit, this Lin Ze really has some genuine talent..."
Wu Qian nodded. Even he had found himself somewhat mesmerized just moments ago.

Xiaoliu wisely kept quiet next to him, quietly pulling out his phone to cast his vote.

"Still, I don't think their show can ever be as good-looking as our rap show."
Wu Qian shook his head. "Where do you think the real strength of their program lies anyway?"

Xiaoliu hesitated for a moment, pointing at Lin Ze's runaway lead in the vote counts on the screen.
"Could it be because... Lin Ze is on their show?"
"Huh?"
" Boss, haven't you noticed? When this show first started, apart from Lin Ze being insignificant, everyone else later had their fighting spirit ignited by him."
"Isn't there a concept called the catfish effect? This..."

A little scheme suddenly formed in Xiaoliu's mind.

"Wait, what kind of effect? I only know about Dongshi imitating Xi Shi..."
Xiaoliu fell silent for a moment.
*Fine, at least you know one classical allusion.*

"How about we do this? Let's invite Lin Ze to our show as a guest performer for an episode..."
"That way, we can channel the traffic of Lin Ze's fans and all that trending heat right into our own show."

Wu Qian nodded, mulling over Xiaoliu's words.
That actually made a fair amount of sense.

Xiaoliu continued to tempt him.
"Besides, ours is a rap show, and rap isn't Lin Ze's strong suit. Didn't you say yourself, Boss, that Lin Ze's rap skills are subpar? Then you'll all be able to humiliate him to your heart's content..."

"Right! What a brilliant strategy that achieves three goals at once!" Hearing this, Wu Qian finally slapped his thigh.
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Who would have thought his manager was so resourceful and full of tactical genius?

"Then that's settled. Go contact him."
Xiaoliu felt a surge of joy, though he kept a straight face. "But Boss, Lin Ze currently has super-tier popularity. This appearance fee..."
"Pay it! Give it to him!" Wu Qian waved his hand grandly. "Consider it money spent buying traffic!"
"You got it!"

Xiaoliu scampered off cheerfully.
Wu Qian nodded with satisfaction. *Now, with capable generals assisting me on either side and a brilliant strategist plotting for me, I am destined to become the underground rap emperor!*
*Hahahaha!*
*This time, I'll let Lin Ze know that there is a forbidden territory in the entertainment circle he can never hope to tread upon!*