Chapter 6

“Water meanders with drifting clouds, mist calls from the mountain peaks, shadows linger lightly, traces fade away, dawn arrives in the sky, night departs from the world;

A sigh on fingertips, lips slightly parted, on the lips, tears already stained;

Gently holding hands, which month or year? I’m still here, as the sounds of insects and the changing world mark the passing of childhood…”

Ye Chen, groggy from sleep, instinctively reached for his phone and habitually pressed the top left button, stopping the alarm, though he fell back asleep immediately.

Zhou Migeng’s song “Insect Chirping and Changing” was the title track of his 2010 new album, winning over countless teenagers with its subtle melancholy and deep longing. In this world, sadness has become mainstream, seemingly a “phenomenon of emotion.” It’s like a curse that no one can escape…

“Brother, should we keep sleeping? Haha!” Cai Erman said with his eyes closed, letting out a deep yawn. It seemed he hadn’t slept enough and needed more rest.

Hearing this, Ye Chen and Mingzi still had their eyes closed. Suddenly, Ye Chen shouted, “Today’s the day to settle accounts, we can’t mess up at this critical moment!” This was like a shot of adrenaline. Mingzi and Cai Erman had their clothes on in less than twenty seconds. Then, the three of them hurriedly brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and shaved. After all, it was their hard-earned money, gained through their own labor- something they valued and cared deeply about, and they were no exception.

At seven o’clock, the chime rang, and the three of them entered the elevator, descending with a crowd.

Exiting the dormitory building, they walked along a bluestone-paved road towards the north gate of “Shengze Mainstream Language and Literature College.” Along the roadside, every five meters, a weeping willow was planted. The branches had already grown leaves, gently swaying with the breeze, providing a comforting and soft sight to behold. However, the pedestrians on the bluestone pathway were not focused on admiring the scenery. Instead, they were staring at Ye Chen, Cai Erman, and Mingzi. Whenever they made eye contact with a male passerby, the three would smile slightly and nod lightly. Those treated with this gesture often felt embarrassed, blushing slightly, while others pretended they hadn’t seen them until they walked past, then turned their heads to look. Is it possible men are this interested in other men? Unless, of course, you’re a celebrity!

Between every two willows, sunflowers were planted. In the morning, with insufficient sunlight, each sunflower seemed as though it hadn’t fully awakened, petals not fully open, resembling a bud bowing its head, or a flower turning its head to wash and freshen up.

After passing through the north gate of “Shengze Mainstream Language and Literature College,” they walked about 100 meters to the left, then took another slight left, reaching Puhua Street. At the entrance of Puhua Street stood three large gates, more accurately described as “gate frames,” with the middle frame slightly taller, about two stories high. Atop the gates was a heavy palace-like structure, with the only discernible detail being a half-moon-shaped carving in the center. On each side of the main gate, two giant dragons coiled with their tails towards the gate and their heads roaring to the sky. Bold golden letters on the gate’s beam spelled out “Puhua Street.”

Outside the entrance of Puhua Street is Municipal Road 670, the busiest road for vehicles in Hailing City. Five meters to the left of the street entrance, there is an underground parking lot that can accommodate ten thousand cars, with a fee of 50 yuan per hour!

Ye Chen, Mingzi, and Cai Erman were workers requested by Qingong Industrial for Yutian Business KTV, mainly responsible for cleaning stage debris, streamers, carpet replacements, and the like. They had been working at Yutian Business KTV for nine days, and today marked their last day, coinciding with the final contest of the “Supergirl” competition to determine the top three winners.

The three of them casually found a restaurant for breakfast before heading to Yutian Business KTV.

The Yutian Business KTV building resembles a “flying saucer” with a cylindrical shape and consists of ten floors, occupying a total area of fifty thousand square meters.

At 8 o’clock, Ye Chen, Cai Erman, and Mingzi arrived on the fifth floor of Yutian Business KTV, which was now decorated like a theater. The venue was filled with an audience of five thousand people, and various TV stations had their cameras ready. The “Supergirl” contest would be broadcast live by major television networks, showcasing the immense attention this entertainment event was receiving.

The row closest to the stage was known as the “VIP Section,” with each seat ticket priced at 12,000 yuan, setting a new record for the highest ticket price in the entertainment industry!

Online debates have already erupted, with some netizens saying that the front row is full of wealthy real estate moguls, mostly there to look for romantic interests, questioning whether they could even understand music with their intelligence. Others argued that the “Supergirl” competition mostly featured original songs, which helps cultivate a new generation of creative singers. Some criticized the direction of the “Supergirl” talent show, pointing out the narrow requirements for contestants’ measurements, with strict rules for bust sizes between 85-90, waist sizes between 60-65, and hip sizes between 86-90. If a height requirement of over 174 cm were added, this would completely turn it into a model contest. Another remarked that “Supergirl” gives a new definition to beauty in this era-“exposure.” Some even went as far as to claim that the competition’s purpose was to lure men in, questioning whether any contestants could truly sing well, suggesting they relied more on looks than talent, with voices less appealing than street vendors. The opinions are highly polarized, with most people criticizing “Supergirl,” yet each show’s viewership often ranks first in the country, showing a discrepancy between what people say and do.

Regardless of public opinion or controversies, “Supergirl” continues to proceed and garner attention, standing by the principle, “What exists is reasonable,” though no one associated with “Supergirl” originally stated this; the saying merely reflects the truth.

Ye Chen and the others took the elevator to the fifth floor, checked in, and then hid behind a red curtain. If they got bored, they could peek through the curtain to see the audience outside. The three of them weren’t particularly interested in the stage itself; they were more curious to see if any celebrities were seated in the front row.

“Wow, if an earthquake were to hit right now, we’d probably all die together with these people!” Mingzi remarked with a mix of excitement and morbid humor as he looked at the noisy crowd in front of the curtain.

“Can’t you say something more positive?” Cai Erman responded, giving Mingzi a playful smack on the head.

“Am I wrong, though? There are fewer of us and more of them. If we all were to die, it certainly wouldn’t be just us few going down with them,” Mingzi said, glancing back, only to find that Cai Erman had already walked away. No one wanted to listen to such ominous talk in broad daylight!

Ye Chen and Cai Erman sat down on a sofa in the corner. Cai Erman closed his eyes, while Ye Chen stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought, possibly contemplating something or someone, or perhaps nothing at all.

“Where’s my sister? Huh? She’s not here?” Zina sat up in bed, ready to call Yixuan to get up, only to find her bed already empty.

“Zina, I’m here. You should get up too; it’s already past eight,” Yixuan said as she walked over from the direction of the bathroom.

Yixuan was already washed and dressed. Today, she left her hair down, looking natural. Such a beautiful girl wouldn’t lose a bit of her charm, no matter what hairstyle she wore.