Chapter 140: The Gala

This was Jiang Yun’s third visit to Xiajing since arriving in this world.

As Jiang Yun stepped out of the airport, he spotted someone holding a sign that read "Jiang Yun." He walked up to the individual and said, "Hello?"

The person glanced at him and asked, "Are you Teacher Jiang Yun?"

Jiang Yun nodded.

"Teacher Jiang Yun, please get in the car!" The person who had come to collect him opened the door, and Jiang Yun climbed in. The driver started the engine and drove Jiang Yun away, eventually dropping him off at a high-end hotel.

"Mr. Jiang Yun, please step out."

After Jiang Yun exited the vehicle, the driver escorted him to a conference suite in the hotel. Jiang Yun sat on the sofa, waiting quietly. A short while later, a woman around thirty-five years old, dressed in a stylish professional outfit, entered the room.

"Brother Jiang Yun, have you been waiting long?"

Jiang Yun stood up quickly. "Are you Sister Hong?"

Li Lihong replied, "Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Li Lihong, and everyone calls me Sister Hong!"

"Hello, Sister Hong!" Jiang Yun reached out his right hand.

Li Lihong shook it and said, "Hello, Brother Jiang Yun!"

Once they were seated, Li Lihong got straight to the point: "Brother, let’s talk about the gala."

"Alright, Sister Hong."

"This year's gala is different from previous years. It is extremely important."

Jiang Yun nodded, listening intently.

"Brother Jiang Yun, do you plan to sing?"

"Yes, I do," Jiang Yun confirmed.

"What song?"

"I have already made my choice," Jiang Yun said.

"Oh? Let’s hear it!" Li Lihong said.

Jiang Yun then performed a demo of the song for her. Li Lihong looked at him with astonishment. "Brother Jiang Yun, you really are a genius. No wonder everyone calls you the National Prodigy!"

"Not at all," Jiang Yun said modestly.

"Brother Jiang Yun, this song is perfect for an opening performance!" Li Lihong declared.

"Thank you, Sister Hong!"

Li Lihong waved her hand dismissively. "No, I didn't do anything; it's your own talent." She continued, "Brother Jiang Yun, I’ve decided to arrange two segments for you! One for the opening and one for the finale!"

Jiang Yun was taken aback. "Sister Hong, wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

"It’s fine, it’s settled!"

"This... alright then!"

"Let’s go," Li Lihong said.

"Where to?" Jiang Yun asked.

"To the rehearsal, of course."

"Oh, right!" Jiang Yun stood up, grabbed his suit jacket, and followed her downstairs. The driver opened the door, and they both got in and departed for the Xiajing studio.

***

When they arrived backstage, it was already crowded.

"Jiang Yun?"

Jiang Yun turned and immediately recognized Zhou Lun. "Brother Zhou, you're here too!"

"Haha! Brother Jiang Yun, I didn't expect you to be on the list!" Zhou Lun walked over and gave him a hearty hug.

"Brother Zhou, you're performing at the gala too, why didn't you mention it?" Jiang Yun asked.

"It’s not just me; Tian Zhen and Wang Feng are here as well!"

"Sister Tian and Brother Wang are here too?!" Jiang Yun was surprised. "It seems I’m the only one who didn't know!"

"Not at all!" Zhou Lun patted his shoulder. "It’s supposed to be kept secret until the gala starts."

"Oh, I see!"

"Jiang Yun!" Li Lihong called out.

"Brother Zhou, I have to go!" Jiang Yun said.

"Go ahead!"

Jiang Yun walked over to Li Lihong. "What is it, Sister Hong?"

"This is Gong Xia from the costume department. Talk to her about what you need," she said.

"Understood, Sister Hong!" Jiang Yun turned to Gong Xia. "Teacher Gong, for my first act, I need a festive outfit, preferably bright red with the character for 'Fortune' printed on it."

Gong Xia nodded.

"For the second outfit, a suit will suffice, ideally in grey."

Gong Xia nodded again. "Got it. Perform the segments so I can plan the details."

"Certainly." Jiang Yun performed the demos. Gong Xia nodded, satisfied.

"Testing, testing?" a man's voice came over the intercom. "All rehearsal participants, please report to the main hall. We will begin reviewing the acts shortly."

"Teacher Gong, I have to go now! We'll talk more later," Jiang Yun said.

He headed to the audience seats, where many others were already waiting. Zhou Lun, Tian Zhen, and Wang Feng were standing together.

"Brother Zhou, Sister Tian, Brother Wang!" Jiang Yun greeted them.

"Little Brother Jiang Yun!" Tian Zhen greeted him enthusiastically.

"Having familiar faces around makes me less nervous!" Jiang Yun smiled.

The three of them laughed.

"Little Brother Jiang Yun, what are you performing?" Tian Zhen asked.

"Singing. What about you guys?"

"We are also singing. Wang Feng and I are doing a duet, and Zhou Lun is performing solo," Tian Zhen explained.

After a while, a middle-aged man in a suit stepped onto the stage. "Everyone, let me introduce myself. I am Mei Yang. We will now begin reviewing the acts. When I call your name, please come up to perform. Starting with the song and dance category—Jiang Yun, with his song 'Wishing You Prosperity'!"

Jiang Yun paused. His turn already? His costume wasn't even ready yet.

***

Mei Yang noticed his hesitation and said, "It’s alright, Mr. Jiang Yun, this is just a rehearsal."

Jiang Yun nodded and stepped onto the stage.

The music began. "Ding-qiang, ding-qiang, ding-ding-qiang!"

Jiang Yun began to sing, "I wish you prosperity, I wish you splendor..."

"Wow!" The other artists began to applaud. "That sounds great!"

As he continued, "...I wish all the girls in the world marry a good boy, and that the two of you stay together forever..."

When Jiang Yun finished, Mei Yang walked back onto the stage and said, "Mr. Jiang Yun, please make sure to keep your phone nearby."

Jiang Yun nodded and returned to his friends.

"Jiang Yun!" Zhou Lun draped an arm over his shoulder. "Looks like you're definitely in!"

"Why do you say that?" Jiang Yun asked.

"Because if you didn't pass, they would have told you on the spot," Zhou Lun replied.

"That's right, little brother!"

Jiang Yun nodded. When it was Zhou Lun's turn, he performed "Blue and White Porcelain."

After a long afternoon, the sketch, crosstalk, and song and dance groups had all finished. Jiang Yun and the others left the studio.

"Where shall we eat?" Tian Zhen asked.

"How about the Lotus Pavilion?" Jiang Yun suggested. "Since we're in Xiajing, how can we miss it?"

"Sounds good, the Lotus Pavilion it is!" Zhou Lun agreed enthusiastically.

They took a car provided by the organizers to the restaurant. By the time they finished, it was already night, and they headed back to their respective hotels.

Once in his room, Jiang Yun took a shower. Emerging from the bathroom in shorts, drying his hair with a towel, he opened his laptop to continue serializing his novel.

*Ring!*

His phone buzzed. He picked it up and saw an unknown number. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Is this Mr. Jiang Yun?" a woman's voice asked.

"Yes, it is. Who am I speaking to?"

"I am calling from Wanda Entertainment. We would like to invite you to star in 'The Proud Smiling Wanderer' and 'New Meteor Butterfly Sword'!"

"This..."