Chapter 175 - Yan Chi Again

Qingyi was usually lively and playful, but he always knew how to maintain composure on important occasions. Holding the incense in his hand, his steps were brisk yet not overly casual, exuding an air of ease that seemed to dissipate the oppressive atmosphere caused by the gloomy, rainy weather.

The seniors had all conducted themselves crisply and efficiently. Qingyi didn’t stand out too much but remained courteous throughout, soon stepping to the side.

After Qingyi, it was Chu Ziyu’s turn. Unlike the lighthearted aura that Qingyi conveyed, Chu Ziyu’s movements were calm and poised. From walking to bowing and offering incense, every action was as fluid as flowing water, full of elegance and grace.

This side of him, different from his usual persona, caught Chu Qianqian’s eyes. She felt both gratified and wistful-she had missed the years when Chu Ziyu changed and matured the most.

Following Chu Ziyu was Tang Qi, one of the current popular Hua Dan. However, unlike the well-reputed Qi Yue, Tang Qi’s acclaim as a “Hua Dan” was somewhat inflated, and her reputation wasn’t exactly spotless. Even so, since her appearance and temperament matched the character of the second female lead, Ling Xiaoxiao, in addition to her considerable popularity, she was cast in the role.

Tang Qi usually preferred heavy makeup, and today was no exception. However, whether it was because of the gloomy weather or her own possible illness, her complexion seemed off. While stepping forward to offer incense, she stumbled and nearly fell, but luckily someone helped steady her.

Chu Qianqian wasn’t sure about Tang Qi’s usual demeanor, but when she saw that Tang Qi didn’t even utter a single “thank you” to the person who helped her up, she realized that the rumors about Tang Qi’s difficult personality were likely true.

After the leads finished offering incense, the tradition usually required everyone present to join in and offer incense together, with a round of auspicious blessings to follow. Today, however, something seemed different.

After Tang Qi, another person stepped forward.

When Chu Qianqian saw who it was, her eyes widened in surprise, and murmurs of astonishment spread through the crowd.

It was Yan Chi!

The murmuring crowd didn’t seem to quiet down anytime soon. Seeing this, Zhang Dong stepped forward, signaling for everyone to settle down. Then, Assistant Zhang, standing nearby, came out to speak on Zhang Dong’s behalf. “This is Yan Chi, the singer who has created both the theme song and the ending song for our production. I believe many of our friends in the press are familiar with him.”

Familiar was an understatement. Forget Yan Chi’s status as a mega pop star-just the recent surge of headlines and trending topics surrounding him made it impossible for anyone present to remain calm. Especially the reporters-many had already started snapping pictures without hesitation.

“All of the music for Ling Xiao-from the theme song, the ending song, to every insert track heard throughout the series-will be composed and performed by Yan Chi. Additionally, he’ll be making a cameo appearance in the show. For all of Yan Chi’s fans, there’s plenty to be excited about in advance!”

Assistant Zhang’s announcement was like a sudden bolt of lightning out of a clear sky, leaving everyone present completely stunned. This news had never been hinted at on the drama’s official social media accounts. Even the main cast members and reporters invited to cover the series’ opening ceremony were hearing it for the first time. There hadn’t been the slightest rumor of this beforehand.

As the crowd’s shocked and uncertain gazes shifted to Yan Chi, he remained composed, his expression calm and unaffected. Taking the incense sticks handed to him by Assistant Zhang, he lit them without any hint of hesitation and carried out the ritual with steady poise.

Like everyone else, Chu Qianqian was both surprised and thrilled by the news.

But upon further thought, it wasn’t hard to see the clues in hindsight.

For example, ever since the news about the Ling Xiao production was revealed, while the cast had been discussed and finalized through multiple meetings, there had been no mention of the music. Looking back, this pointed to a deliberate attempt by the production team to keep their plans under wraps as part of the buildup.

As for Yan Chi, ever since his high-profile departure from Haohan Entertainment and his move to Kunhuang Group, he had been uncharacteristically silent. No new projects, no public appearances, nothing. Under normal circumstances, anyone entering a new company would want to make an immediate impact, especially someone like Yan Chi, whose career had been marred by negative press. A big move would have been expected to refocus public perception and overshadow the baggage of past scandals.

Yet, he had defied expectations, maintaining complete silence despite rampant speculation from the public and his fans. Some reporters even theorized that Yan Chi might have been struggling with mental health issues due to the pressure of those negative headlines. But now, it seemed clear that during that time, he had already been collaborating with the Ling Xiao production team, fully immersed in preparing new music for the series in secret.

Even after Yan Chi stepped down from the stage and joined Zhang Dong, the murmuring and excitement in the crowd didn’t die down. It was obvious to everyone that “Yan Chi” would dominate entertainment news over the following days.

Knowing full well how much Qingyi idolized Yan Chi, Chu Qianqian glanced over in his direction. As expected, his eyes were brimming with excitement, his face flushed red with enthusiasm. His eyes practically sparkled, as if tiny stars were twinkling inside them.

Even from a distance, Chu Qianqian could feel the overwhelming energy radiating from him. She couldn’t help but notice Chu Ziyu standing next to Qingyi, looking resigned but steady as ever. Their hands were lightly touching, confirming that the only thing preventing Qingyi from dashing off to request Yan Chi’s autograph was Chu Ziyu holding him back.

After the high point of Yan Chi’s announcement, the remainder of the opening ceremony felt rather anticlimactic by comparison.

Zhang Dong wasn’t the type to hold an opening banquet after the opening ceremony. In his view, the start and end of a production were marked by the opening ceremony and the wrap party-no more, no less. With the opening ceremony now concluded, everyone present was free to disperse.

Of course, “disperse” was easier said than done. Most people wouldn’t actually leave right away. The entertainment industry was deeply reliant on networking, and no one would pass up an opportunity to make new connections.

Taking a quick scan around the crowd and selecting a few targets, Chu Qianqian glanced at Xie Lin. The two exchanged a look, silently confirming that they each had their own matters to attend to, and then went their separate ways.

Before heading off to expand her own network, however, Chu Qianqian didn’t forget to check on Qingyi and Chu Ziyu. To her relief, Qingyi was sticking close to Chu Ziyu without wandering off on his own. “Good. As long as Ziyu is with him, I don’t need to worry.”

That thought, however, was soon proven overly optimistic.

Given Yan Chi’s status, he was admired by nearly all the singers in the industry. No matter how composed Chu Ziyu usually seemed, he was still only a young man in his early twenties. While Yan Chi might not have been his idol, he was undeniably someone captivating and inspiring to him.

Already feeling a bit tempted to approach Yan Chi, Chu Ziyu was eventually swayed by Qingyi’s enthusiastic encouragement. The two of them ended up seeking Yan Chi out together.

By the time Chu Qianqian finally managed to extricate herself from the crowd and went looking for the two, Qingyi and Chu Ziyu were nowhere to be found.

The area set aside for the ceremony was quite large, and with the sizable crowd, finding them was no easy task. After failing to reach them on the phone, combing the area multiple times to no avail, and staring at so many faces that her eyes felt strained, Chu Qianqian finally admitted defeat and decided to ask someone for help. “Excuse me, have you seen Qingyi and Chu Ziyu?”

The person Chu Qianqian stopped to question was a young woman, her features delicate but not striking enough to be considered beautiful-definitely not to the standards of a celebrity. It was immediately clear that she was either part of the crew or someone’s assistant.