Chapter 189: Come Over and Give It a Try

Chapter 189 Come and Give It a Try

At the Shenzhen Universiade Center Gymnasium, preparations for the Double Eleven Gala had been underway since the beginning of November. This was not the venue’s first time hosting the event, so the staff were well-versed in the routine. Once the production team arrived on the 5th, singers and celebrity guests began to trickle in for rehearsals.

On the afternoon of the 8th, Bai Zhi held her first rehearsal. Her duet partner was a top-tier actor; they had recently starred in a drama together that enjoyed high ratings, and his popularity had been steadily climbing over the past few years.

This actor had also recently participated in a crossover singing competition. While he didn’t win, his vocals earned him a new wave of fans, and his singing ability was respectable.

Capitalizing on this momentum, they had teamed up to take the stage at the Double Eleven Gala.

The rehearsal went smoothly enough, but the production team was clearly unsatisfied. Bai Zhi’s performance was standard, while the actor leaned a bit too heavily on posturing and showing off—which was understandable, as one often compensates for a lack of vocal prowess with stage presence. It could elicit screams from the audience, but the assistant director in charge of the musical segments felt something was missing.

"Let’s take a break."

After several consecutive run-throughs, the directors didn't want to be too harsh.

The next group to rehearse was Su Qingcen. This wasn't a coincidence; she and Bai Zhi had traveled to Shenzhen together and coordinated their rehearsal times.

As for the actor, he naturally had to accommodate them—not out of chivalry, but due to the disparity in their star power.

Soon, Su Qingcen finished her rehearsal. Her stage presence was impeccable, and she nailed it on the first pass, leaving only the full dress rehearsal in two days to look forward to.

Of course, Su Qingcen could have arrived two days later to combine the rehearsal and dress rehearsal, but she happened to have other business in Shenzhen, so she came a day early with Bai Zhi to get it out of the way.

After the rehearsal, Su Qingcen didn't leave, waiting for Bai Zhi to run through her set one more time so they could head back together.

As another group of guests arrived, Su Qingcen walked over to where Bai Zhi was waiting. After exchanging greetings with the actor, the two women chatted happily.

Buzz.

Almost simultaneously, both received a WeChat message from Meng Fan. Each contained a video. Upon opening them, the sound of the songs they were meant to perform played, accompanied by a sand art performance.

"Hmm?"

They finished watching at the same time, their eyes lighting up.

The sand art they saw was perfectly suited as a backdrop for their songs. It could even be edited into a music video—it was dazzling, beautiful, and incredibly creative!

"Did Meng Fan send yours too?"

They asked at the same time, then swapped phones to look.

"What’s going on?"

Curiosity piqued, Bai Zhi called Meng Fan.

Meng Fan explained concisely, sounding quite impressive. He claimed the inspiration had just struck him, so he created the sand art for their songs. He laughed it off, saying it would be great if they could use it for the live broadcast, and that it was just a small token of gratitude for all their help.

Before Meng Fan could mention performing live on stage, Bai Zhi cut him off, telling him to hold on, and hung up.

She walked over to the production team and showed them the video. "Director Sun, what do you think if we added this kind of sand art performance to our segment?"

"Sand art combined with a song?"

Director Sun was no stranger to this format; it had become quite common in recent years, and the results were usually decent. As for feasibility, there was no issue—the Double Eleven stage could accommodate any form of performance.

He thought for a moment. "It’s possible. Your song is well-suited for it, but..." He paused and asked, "Is the performer a friend or acquaintance of yours?"

Bai Zhi nodded.

Director Sun considered it further. "Well, why don't you have him come over and try it out to see how it looks in rehearsal? Of course, whether it makes the final cut depends on the head director."

Director Sun had seen plenty of sand art performances. The one in the video was decent in terms of watchability, though not exactly groundbreaking.

Of course, "decent" was relative to the top-tier industry performances he was used to.

At this moment, Su Qingcen handed over her phone as well.

"Oh? There’s more?"

Director Sun was stunned. After watching, he could tell the style was identical, and upon asking, confirmed it was the same person.

"Then have him try both. But let’s be clear: we can only have sand art for one song. Even if it’s perfect, we won't do it for both."

"We understand."

Bai Zhi and Su Qingcen nodded. As for who would get the sand art, they would see how the rehearsals went; they weren't about to fight over it.

Bai Zhi called Meng Fan back.

Su Qingcen, however, was suspicious. Was that guy aiming for this performance all along?

He had refused her invitation to perform at her concert, so why was he so proactive now?

Could it be... the live broadcast!

Once she realized this, she found it even stranger. Why was he so obsessed with the live aspect? Did he really mean it when he said he only had experience with live shows and would get nervous otherwise?

As if!

Su Qingcen wasn't a child; she couldn't possibly believe that.

...

Yeah!

After hanging up with Bai Zhi, Meng Fan chuckled and ran to find Wen Wan.

"You need a high-quality sand art table and playback equipment? What for?"

"To perform."

"Perform? What kind of performance?"

"The Double Eleven Gala. Though, for now, it's just for rehearsal; it’s not guaranteed."

"The Double Eleven Gala?"

After hearing this, Wen Wan began to doubt reality!

It had only been a few days—how could he already be on a stage as massive as the Double Eleven Gala?

Did she hear that right?

Had the organizers lost their minds?!

"Wait... come here, come here!"

Wen Wan dragged Meng Fan to the studio and pointed at the sand table. "Show me your current level! How on earth are you ready for the Double Eleven Gala?"

Five minutes later, Wen Wan felt the urge to curse!

"You... you're almost catching up to me! What kind of monster are you!"

Meng Fan’s learning ability completely shattered Wen Wan’s worldview. She felt like her own decade of sand art experience had been for nothing. If not for her years of accumulated skill, Meng Fan would have caught up to her entire career in just a few days!

It wasn't just the technique; it was the storytelling.

Using sand art to narrate a story wasn't something one could master in a year or two.

"Wait, wait, hold on!"

Wen Wan struggled to organize her thoughts, staring at Meng Fan. "Don't tell me you started learning sand art specifically for this Double Eleven Gala?!"

If that were true, it would be terrifying.

A strong learning ability wasn't the scariest part; the scariest part was that he could predict his own potential, ensuring he would reach a level worthy of such a massive stage before the date arrived!

Was he even human?

Meng Fan brushed a hand against the bridge of his nose: "Then I suppose I won't tell you... shall I?"

(End of chapter)