Superstars of Tomorrow

Students were particularly excited today. Even those who were normally serious were also smiling.

A reporter took a few photographs inside the venue and then complained to his colleague. "There isn’t any program schedule."

"Can’t be helped. Those students suggested it themselves."

In the first few years of the Star Cup, the victory ceremony actually had had a program schedule, However, in later years, participating students had felt that there weren’t any surprises with a program schedule. After they had suggested the change to the organizers, this had been the format ever since.

Of course, the invited guests had all prepared their own items and just had to follow according to the organizers’ arrangements.

Fang Zhao and Chu Bo’s item was scheduled as the fifth item, which was somewhere in the middle. Before it was their turn, Chu Bo practised with Fang Zhao for a bit.

Chu Bo always brought his own band when performing, and most bands couldn’t keep up with his tempo. Concerts would always have live accompaniment instead of recorded accompaniment. Chu Bo wasn’t used to recorded accompaniment as live ones provided more feeling. Most importantly, in his own words, pre-recorded accompaniment was too restricting and it affected his creativity and emotions while singing.

As for lip-syncing? There was no lip-syncing with Chu Bo. On the contrary, many people hoped that he would because when Chu Bo took stage, nobody could control him. Every single one of his performances couldn’t be replicated, just like how the target of his tirades changed each time. Many famous people in Jinzhou from celebrities to politicians were all called out by him. He criticized those that others called out and also those who others didn’t dare condemn. And he would always be spot-on.

With an eye on the time, manager Chu Yang exhorted once before Chu Bo took the stage, "Watch your mouth when on stage!"

"Got it, got it!" Chu Bo heard a stage technician telling him get ready so he nodded his head hurriedly and checked himself in the mirror. After carefully inspecting everything from his hair to his shoes and feeling that he was especially handsome, Chu Bo took a photograph of himself to flaunt on social media platforms.

Compared to Chu Bo’s typical ostentatious style, Fang Zhao was much more reserved.

Chu Bo fussily scanned Fang Zhao and said, "Your outfit will be overshadowed by my dazzling appearance. Do you want to change? I brought quite a few sets of clothes over."

Nanfeng nodded his head silently at the side. Previously, he had suggested to Fang Zhao to dress a little brighter. His attire appeared suitable now, but it was still much less eye-catching next to Chu Bo’s.

"No need, this will do just fine," Fang Zhao replied.

...

At the venue, the world-renowned football star sang a tune and interacted with the audience before his stage time was up.

Two lucky students who were selected to go on stage for an activity received signed jerseys. They carefully folded the jerseys when they got back to their seats and intended to purchase exquisite cases for the jerseys once they got back to the hotel.

"I wonder who is going next on stage?"

"There are only five performers left."

Reporters were also discussing in muted voices.

"When will Chu Bo be going? Do we have insider info?"

"My camera is ready. I’m just waiting now," a young reporter who had come all the way from Jinzhou said.

"I’m not like you all. My main objective is to photograph Fang Zhao. Chief’s orders."

As they were speaking, the lights dimmed and the stage curtains were drawn.

Blueish-gray lights lit up a circle on the stage. Inside this circle, a man sat before a piano.

The drawn out and fluttering piano notes sounded like leaves fluttering under the desolate night sky.

Upon seeing the person before the piano, all the students applauded enthusiastically. They still had considerable interest towards Fang Zhao.

The reporters also got busy.

"Fang Zhao?"

"Not bad, a piano solo?"

"But why does this melody sound a little familiar..."

The reporter hadn’t finished his sentence when sonorous tones blasted out.

The students and reporters in the audience all froze uniformly for a bit before raucous shouts and applause filled the air.

This unique vocals—who else could it be but Chu Bo?!

"Chu Bo?"

"A joint performance! Fang Zhao and Chu Bo are actually having a collaboration!!"

"I really can’t imagine it. Why are these two collaborating?"

Jinzhou reporters were especially shocked. They thought that their ears were playing tricks on them when the vocals started. Otherwise, why would they hear Chu Bo’s voice during Fang Zhao’s performance?

They couldn’t be blamed for being so astonished. Chu Bo had always performed solo. He was rarely seen performing on the same stage as others. For the few times he did, there was always some complicated arrangement for Chu Bo to cooperate and go through the motions. However, a stage like Star Cup was much more formal. Generally, during more formal appearances, Chu Bo didn’t perform with others... No, it should be said that very few people were willing to collaborate with Chu Bo and perform together with him on a formal stage.

Then why had Fang Zhao agreed to have a joint performance with Chu Bo?

This was a topic that they could only speculate about!

When they returned to their senses, these entertainment reporters that had gone to great lengths to obtain these entrance passes became even busier.

Under the dusky lights, a figure slowly walked out from the back of the stage, leading to even more intense screams and shrieks from the students.

The situation at the venue depicted Chu Bo’s status in the eyes of these students. If Fang Zhao hadn’t been promoted by the military through the media to arouse students’ curiosities, his votes might not have surpassed Chu Bo’s.

The three songs Fang Zhao had selected were all written by Chu Bo for secondary students. And combining the three into a medley was like a thematic sample of Chu Bo’s composed "Student Series".

Fang Zhao had also taken the time to understand the background behind the composition.

A young fan had written a letter to Chu Bo, expressing his adoration and his own predicament. It was a denouncement of the rottenness of youth.

When the fan reached secondary school, he felt a step closer towards adulthood, like he had taken a great leap. Although he hadn’t officially stepped into society, he had already come into contact with and understood all kinds of people in society.

That student told Chu Bo that he had been looking forward to progressing through his youth. He carried a passionate desire to walk forward with the seasons. However, he discovered that the world was never perfect and was filled with flaws. He saw the world’s pain, suffering, misery and corruption. This so-called youthfulness was just interwoven falsehoods—nothing more than an embellished farce created by the literate.

There were all sorts of perplexities of adolescence and pressure from all directions to endure. There were too many tears, and too much crying and drowning in an inexhaustible darkness. He felt really tired and pained. He didn’t know whether this period was a springboard or a graveyard for his dreams and aspirations. He was confused and wondered how he would find himself a place to belong in this world. He also wondered whether he could persevere and walk down the path that was originally planned out. He talked to his parents, but they couldn’t understand. He disliked—no, loathed—everything about the world, including himself.

After that, Chu Bo composed the few songs that had come to be jokingly called the "Secondary School Student Series".

The three songs Fang Zhao had selected had been rearranged together as a medley. The first segment was like a train making its way through a faint, misty fog on a railway track stretching for miles. It passed through desolate wastelands and sleeping cities. The many people in the carriage watched the world outside the windows and were filled with a sense of independence and glee. The second segment resembled a starry sky at the beginning. Luminous glowing yellows in a a dark sky creating a psychedelic spectacle that magnified all sorts of desire and longing in all who saw it. The third segment was like an abruptly lit flame that sprang to the high heavens. Not a flame that destroyed everything but one that lit up the darkness.

To many people who were similar to the fan who had written in, Chu Bo was like a confidant. He was the flame guiding them to persist in achieving their aspirations. When people were surrounded by mist, he allowed them to find the strength to persevere and move forward.

Fang Zhao also felt that this child Chu Bo was very good. Most of his songs had a energetic dynamism... just that he had a misbehaving mouth.

Elegant notes became more fervent and the lights alternated with the rhythm. Murky gray lights turned into agitated light beams before before becoming blazing flames on the large electronic screen in the backdrop.

When the medley entered the third segment, Fang Zhao stood up from the piano and picked up the electric guitar that was placed behind. The guitar belonged to Chu Bo. Originally, Fang Zhao had intended to borrow one from the organizers. After the joint performance was decided on, Chu Bo had lent his guitar to Fang Zhao. The instrument had been custom-made according to Chu Bo’s requests. It was brightly colored and its style was just as ostentatious as Chu Bo. It made Fang Zhao stand out more.

The background rhythm got even more powerful and the atmosphere at the venue was intensifying.

The students were roused even more, and it seemed as though they were using all their effort to scream and shout at the top of their lungs. Zaro also followed with weird shrieks as well.

Fans loved Chu Bo’s powerful aura on stage, his resolute gaze, his individuality that couldn’t be constrained and his indomitable energy.

Unlike a recorded version, the energy let out by his body language at the live performance overflowed and swelled, filling every nook and cranny of the venue.

Some self-restraining students were still able to keep their cool at the beginning but were very quickly infected with this energy.

The venue’s atmosphere was too good. Chu Bo was in a splendid mood. Chu Bo got too absorbed, and when he got excited, he got high from singing.

And when Chu Bo got a singing high, everyone knew what would happen: temporary changing of song lyrics!

Once Chu Bo started to improvise and change lyrics, there was an extremely high possibility that he would start a lambasting session!

The instant that Chu Bo’s lyrics changed, the key and tempo became more intense. The accompanying live band understood that a situation had occurred!

Following that, the accompanying band still quickly matched Chu Bo. After all, these circumstances were common and they were well-practised.

Fang Zhao had a premonition even before the lyrics and song key had changed. When the situation arose, Fang Zhao had a very tiny pause. He was considering whether to forcibly lead Chu Bo back to the original plan or whether to be like the accompanying band and match up to Chu Bo.

Ultimately, Fang Zhao still chose to do the same as the band. He matched up to Chu Bo’s key and took a step forward.

In the audience.

Before Chu Bo changed key, reporters were slightly regretful despite saying that they already found enough scoops today. When Chu Bo got high, he couldn’t control his mouth and would let fly all sorts of incisive words to ignite the venue. Reporters especially loved this, but unfortunately they still hadn’t witnessed it today.

"Seems like Chu Bo came prepared today. He still hasn’t gone off the rails yet."

"I heard that his manager, Chu Yang, who is rather renowned in the industry, ran around various continents negotiating collaborations about holding live concerts for Chu Bo. My guess is that if Chu Bo can control himself well, he’ll be permitted to hold those concerts later on."

"No wonder Chu Bo seems so restrained today."

"No, why do I feel that there are indicators that he is about to go off the rails?"

"Really?!"

The reporters’ spirits were roused once again.

Backstage, Chu Yang was all tensed up and couldn’t bring himself to relax.

When Chu Bo had started signing, Chu Yang was silently chanting, Restraint... restraint... restraint...

As Chu Bo’s manager and a family clan member, Chu Yang knew Chu Bo too well. When Chu Bo’s emotions started to overflow, he had a very bad premonition.

"Nonono... f*ck!"

At the instant Chu Bo changed keys, Chu Yang couldn’t control himself and cussed. He exerted all his effort to wipe his face, but his expression turned desolate.

It’s over, everything is over.

What concert? We are done for!

Compared to Chu Yang’s crumbling emotions, reporters were ecstatic.

"Chu Bo is going to lapse and let it rip!!"

"I wonder who he will lambaste today!"

"As expected of our Jinzhou’s number one bomber! He is even going to let it rip on Star Cup’s stage!"

"Yes! That’s the way! Show them how a wild bull off its reins will fly! Let the hairs on everyone’s arm stand!!"

Chu Bo was totally oblivious to everybody else and was really high from singing. He was excessively high, and once he entered this state, he completely forgot everything else. He had already tossed his manager’s words to some far off corner of his mind. He had even forgotten that he was on the stage of Star Cup’s victory ceremony.

But, just as he sidestepped and did a vigorous arm swing, Chu Bo caught sight of Fang Zhao standing a short distance away from himself. When he met Fang Zhao’s gaze, he felt that his tongue was tied. The obscenities he had been about to spout were silenced by this momentary pause.

The reporters who had been rubbing their hands in glee: "???"

Chu Yang stared in shock at the stage as though he had just witnessed a miracle.

Chu Yang’s eyes were brimming with warm tears of joy——

He did it!

He actually f*cking did it!

Seems like Chu Bo still remembers what I said!