Chapter 183: The Stage
Regarding Yan Haixuan’s predicament, Lu Xu could have spoken up for him. After all, what happened at the company entrance was just a minor issue, and Lu Xu didn’t care about it at all.
However, his manager advised him not to do so.
Since he was the top star, he needed to carry himself as one. If he let this slide with Yan Haixuan today, then tomorrow, any random nobody could walk all over him and treat him as if he were insignificant.
Besides, this happened right at the company’s entrance. Even if Lu Xu were just an ordinary employee, would Yan Haixuan’s attitude have been acceptable?
Xu Wen had always disliked celebrities who bowed and scraped in front of A-listers but acted high and mighty toward those with lower status. Did Yan Haixuan think he would stay popular forever and never experience a downfall?
That said, Xu Wen didn’t like bullying newcomers either. If he went too far, it would make Lu Xu seem overly arrogant.
This time, it wasn’t Xu Wen’s turn to take action, so he simply pretended not to see anything.
The entertainment industry was a dark forest—Yan Haixuan was probably realizing this deeply at that moment.
…
Meanwhile, Lu Xu was practicing his singing diligently with Zheng Xiao and Shao Yao for an upcoming gala.
The three of them arrived at the KTV almost at the same time that day. They still hadn’t decided on specific songs to sing, but since their singing skills were mediocre at best, they figured they should practice first no matter what.
Neither Zheng Xiao nor Shao Yao had been filming recently. Zheng Xiao’s last drama had received a great response—it was the same one where Lu Xu had made a cameo as the director of a bicycle factory. That drama had brought Lu Xu into the trending topics twice.
As for Shao Yao, he was preparing to join a film crew soon to play the second male lead in a movie.
Both Shao Yao and Zheng Xiao were gradually transitioning toward serious dramas.
It wasn’t that they desperately needed to ride the wave of prestige dramas, but the industry was leaning in that direction. Talent agencies were keen to push idol-type actors into serious productions, using veteran actors to elevate younger stars. Of course, only well-established actors could land roles in such dramas—ordinary actors couldn’t even squeeze in if they tried.
The two had unknowingly completed their transition.
They never deliberately presented themselves as actors undergoing a transformation. They simply focused on filming, carefully studying their roles, and adopting different acting approaches for different characters. Before they even realized it, their transition had naturally taken place.
Zheng Xiao’s drama was set to air relatively late. As long as it didn’t coincide with a major year for the Stellar Awards, he was sure to be nominated for Best Actor again next year.
Both Zheng Xiao and Shao Yao were steadily rising in status. Their respective agencies were handling things wisely, being cautious with the roles they accepted and the commercial endorsements they took on. They hadn’t flooded social media with paid trending topics claiming the two were “acting powerhouses,” yet ironically, this restraint had earned them genuine recognition from audiences. Their acting skills were acknowledged not because their teams bought hundreds of trending topics each year but because they had truly proven themselves.
After only two song selections, Lu Xu was already regretting coming to KTV with these two.
The moment they picked up the microphones, they transformed into complete wild men, abandoning all inhibitions. Zheng Xiao’s first song choice was called Big Rabbit. Lu Xu had no idea where he had learned such a song, nor did he have any intention of finding out.
But… why was the first line “Your meat tastes so good”?
Couldn’t there be some romantic lyrics about rabbits instead?!
Even with his limited musical knowledge and experience, Lu Xu could confidently say that Zheng Xiao’s singing had very little to do with sounding pleasant.
And then there was Zheng Xiao’s song list—it carried a distinct whiff of madness. Just looking at the titles alone, Lu Xu was convinced that no normal human being could have written those songs.
As for Shao Yao… Lu Xu simply couldn’t understand.
Why was he only singing children’s songs?
To be precise, the moment his deep, resonant voice began belting out those innocent, childish lyrics, Lu Xu felt an overwhelming urge to leave the room immediately.
Something was seriously wrong. They were both completely abnormal.
Lu Xu couldn’t help but recall his first meetings with Zheng Xiao and Shao Yao. Back then, both of them had seemed so proper and serious. But as time went on, they had gradually revealed their increasingly bizarre sides.
Was the problem… him?
Lu Xu immediately shut down that thought—absolutely impossible.
He was convinced that Zheng Xiao and Shao Yao had already been advanced-level weirdos from the very beginning. It was only under his influence, as a respectable and normal person, that they had managed to maintain a façade of normalcy.
Yes, that had to be it.
Even though Lu Xu had an overwhelming urge to roast his friends’ song choices, and even though every song Zheng Xiao picked was utterly shocking, he still persisted and kept singing.
Back in their Verse days, none of them had particularly strong vocal skills. The original Lu Xu had never sung many lines, and his vocal ability had always been average at best. His own assessment of his singing? Acceptable to listen to.
Regardless, he had no desire to lip-sync in a live setting.
Once their performance songs were finalized, the three of them rehearsed together privately a few times before running several full-dress rehearsals at the TV station’s studio. As the Lunar New Year approached, the official program lineup for Huayu TV’s Spring Festival Gala was finally released.
For veteran viewers who had seen countless Spring Festival Galas, no celebrity guest appearance could truly surprise them anymore. However, this year’s list had an unexpected addition—one that immediately sent shockwaves through the audience.
It was a trio that everyone had been hoping to see perform together. Yet, these three had always maintained a certain public distance from one another.
Everyone knew that Lu Xu, Zheng Xiao, and Shao Yao were good friends. But strangely, they rarely talked about each other in public. The more the industry tried to hype up their relationship, the less they engaged in discussions about one another.
Their fans had already rewatched the variety show they appeared on together so many times that they could practically recite it by heart.
At the time, all three were already famous, but the show had captured a fresh, carefree energy and a rare sense of relaxation that only surfaced when they were among close friends. That genuine atmosphere was something worth revisiting, again and again.
Since then, the three of them had rarely appeared together in public. What fans saw of them was mostly their polished, celebrity personas.
[I just really, really want to see what they’re like in their daily lives! Aaaaah!]
[I’m suddenly so excited for this year’s Spring Festival Gala! Whether they goof around or play the role of dashing princes, I’ll support them no matter what!]
[Ah… The last time Lu Puppy was on a variety show feels like ages ago. Seriously, why do movie crews hate sending their actors to variety shows?! Fearless Life would’ve been such a great inspirational promo!]
[I’m more curious about what kind of price Huayu TV had to pay to get Lu Puppy to agree.]
[LMAO, I think Lu Xu has successfully br*inwashed’d his own fans. Other celebrities have so many schedules and promotional materials that you can barely keep track, but as a Lu Xu fan, I don’t even dare to complain. If you look at his entire schedule for the year, it’s just two lines—first line: Fearless Life promotions. Second line: Observing the Stars filming. HAHAHA, my laughter is nothing but bitter.]
Though exasperated, the fans were still filled with anticipation for this year’s Spring Festival Gala.
Of course, they weren’t blaming Lu Xu. It was a fact that he had far fewer public appearances, but for fans who prioritized his career, that wasn’t a bad thing. Whether it was Fearless Life breaking nearly 4 billion at the box office or Observing the Stars at Night dominating his schedule for most of the year, both proved that he was wholly committed to his craft as an actor.
His focus was unwavering, and naturally, his fans would give him their full support.
Besides… watching box office numbers soar was a hundred times more satisfying than sitting in the front row at fashion shows, live streaming, or endlessly appearing on variety shows, right?
Looking at the year’s box office rankings, Fearless Life was still sitting at number one.
And what did that mean?
No one understood better than his fans.
Without a doubt, Fearless Life was destined to be the annual box office champion.
The Lunar New Year film season was approaching, with only a few days left until the Spring Festival. During this time, no movie would surpass Fearless Life at the box office.
From last year to this year, from winning the Contention Award for Best Actor to securing the title of annual box office champion, Lu Xu had given his fans countless surprises.
No one would remember how many magazine covers Lu Xu had been featured on in a year or how many fashion events he had attended. But the database would record, in clear detail, who won the Contention Award for Best Actor that year and which film topped the annual box office.
There was nothing more fulfilling than being a Lu Xu fan.
Though he occasionally disappeared from the public eye, and though he sometimes turned as dark as charcoal while filming, when it came to actual achievements, Lu Xu never lost to anyone. This gave his fans an undeniable sense of pride—so much so that whenever they got into arguments with other fandoms, simply listing his accomplishments would usually leave the other party speechless.
Lu Xu’s bio simply stated: Actor Lu Xu. And in this field, he remained unwavering, delivering his best work to his fans. His steady dedication gave them a deep sense of reassurance.
—
On the night of the Spring Festival Gala, Lu Xu and his two friends put on their performance outfits and waited quietly backstage.
Huayu TV had clearly been preparing for this event for a long time, inviting countless A-list celebrities. Backstage, Lu Xu spotted Li Yan and Qiao Mengyao. The former looked especially delighted to see him, as if he had just encountered a familiar face in a foreign land.
Lu Xu suddenly recalled—Li Yan was also an introvert. He probably wasn’t very comfortable in such a lively setting.
Li Yan explained why he had agreed to participate in the program—Huayu TV had promised to give ample advertising time to his upcoming film, using the platform to promote its release.
In the end, Li Yan had caved.
Lu Xu nodded knowingly. “If it were me, I’d cave too.”
“Of course! Do you know how expensive advertising is?” Li Yan whispered to Lu Xu. “Right now, all I want is to find a quiet place to be alone.”
“Your performance is still a long way off, right?”
Lu Xu glanced at the program schedule. His performance with Zheng Xiao and Shao Yao was scheduled for later in the night, and Li Yan’s performance was even further back. His act was a song-and-dance routine—Li Yan would be singing while a group of young martial arts students performed the choreography.
Lu Xu couldn’t help but look at him with sympathy. At least their act would be before midnight, but Li Yan’s? It was clear that he wouldn’t be going on until after 12.
After chatting with Li Yan for a bit, Lu Xu’s waiting room received a few more visitors. Whether they were acquaintances or not, everyone took advantage of the event to socialize and make connections.
After a long wait, a staff member knocked on the door. “Teachers, please get ready for your performance.”
Behind Lu Xu, Zheng Xiao muttered nervously, “I’m starting to feel anxious.”
“Don’t be nervous,” Lu Xu reassured him, giving him a firm pat on the back. “Just bring out the same energy you had at KTV.”
“There was no audience at KTV,” Zheng Xiao sighed. “What was I even thinking when I agreed to this?”
He glanced at Lu Xu and Shao Yao. Lu Xu still seemed the most reliable, looking completely calm. As for Shao Yao… on the surface, he appeared cold and composed, but in reality… if nothing unexpected happened, he was probably mentally checked out.
The curtains lifted, and in the next moment, the three of them stepped onto the stage.
To be honest, Lu Xu had felt a bit nervous before going on. It had been a long time since he last performed on stage—award ceremonies didn’t count, since those were just mandatory events for actors.
But the moment he stood under the stage lights and saw the bright, smiling faces of the audience, his nervousness vanished completely.
Just as he always aimed to deliver his best performance as an actor, now that he was on stage—even if it was just to sing a song—he had no intention of holding back.
Because the audience’s enthusiasm was genuine.
[!!! The all-red trio—they actually look pretty cool!]
[They can even pull off red suits? No wonder they’re the ‘Mountain Bike Team’!]
Both the live audience and those watching the broadcast knew that actors typically weren’t the best singers, so they didn’t have high expectations. Just seeing the three of them perform together was already satisfying enough.
However, when the music started and Shao Yao opened the performance, the audience was immediately taken aback.
It was far better than they had expected.
Shao Yao’s voice was rich and full, like a fine aged wine—its deep undertones carried a complexity worth savoring. More importantly, this was a song about young men and women marching to the battlefield, and Shao Yao infused it with raw emotion. Perhaps it was his instinct as an actor, but he managed to move the audience effortlessly.
When Zheng Xiao followed, his voice blended in so seamlessly that the transition felt completely natural. Even though their vocal tones were different, they complemented each other beautifully in this song.
Like Shao Yao, Zheng Xiao poured his emotions into the performance, painting a vivid picture in the listeners’ minds.
Then came Lu Xu’s part.
The three of them stepped forward, standing side by side at the front of the stage. Their eyes shone brightly, reflecting the stage lights with a glimmer of moisture, yet filled with profound, unwavering emotion.
**TN
By the way, if you’re confused about why the staff called them Teachers, it’s like Sensei in Japanese. Authors, mangaka, actors, etc., are called Sensei, which translates to Teacher. In CN, they’re called Laoshi.
