For the last song, Jiang Hua compromised and chose "The Once You".
This time he just started it off and barely participated throughout.
But the audience sang happily. This was what a concert should be like.
Jiang Hua exited perfectly. The performances that followed were still excellent, but everyone felt something was missing.
If only this had been Jiang Hua's personal concert.
It wasn't nearly enough. Jiang Hua had even brought out a new song, but people only knew how to sing a few lines.
Backstage, Jiang Hua changed into his own clothes, feeling a bit quiet.
He felt like he was addicted, falling in love with this kind of stage.
"Guess who I am?"
He leaned back in his chair to rest, his eyes covered by soft little hands.
It had been a long time since he felt this. Yunxiao used to play this kind of joke often.
"Qingqing, right? Why aren't you watching the concert in front?"
Qingqing was all smiles.
"Oh, it's so boring up front. You don't know, you were so handsome just now. None of the people after you were as handsome."
Oh, this little cutie still knew how to talk.
"Jiang Hua, congratulations."
Li Yunxiao smiled faintly, offering her congratulations gracefully, but the old feeling couldn't be recaptured.
Jiang Hua still preferred her mischievous self. Had she developed an idol's burden now?
Chen Lijun also offered her congratulations.
"Oh my, Jiang Hua, you didn't tell us you had a new song. And I have to criticize you, with such a good opportunity to promote Yue Opera, you didn't sing in opera style."
This girl really didn't miss any chance to promote Yue Opera. It was the most important thing in their lives.
Jiang Hua immediately admitted his mistake.
"The organizers only gave me time for two songs, the last one was added at the last minute. The band only had time to rehearse one extra song. Next time, next time for sure, I'll invite you as my guest performer."
Chen Lijun immediately shook her head.
"Oh my, tens of thousands of people, I'm scared."
Chen Jiechu, who immediately got into character once her stage makeup was applied, was actually stage-shy.
This made everyone laugh.
Jiang Hua joked: "Then we'll put you in beautiful opera costume, and you won't be afraid anymore."
Chen Lijun tilted her head and thought for a moment.
"That might work."
"Mr. Jiang, the car is ready."
"Okay, thank you."
Jiang Hua led the group through the backstage and left through the fire exit.
...
In the car, Qingqing was still gesticulating excitedly.
Even the socially anxious Caicai started to give her speech.
Even the usually invisible Xiaoyuanzi was full of admiration. Opera people liked pop music too.
Pop music was easily accepted by the masses because of its high circulation and easy singing.
Unlike opera, where just the singing style stumped many people.
But there were reasons why opera had been passed down for thousands of years.
Because thousands of years ago, opera was also pop music.
It's just that times have changed. Now there are more forms of entertainment, and this art form with a bit of a threshold has gradually been abandoned by young people.
So to promote opera, one must keep up with the times and connect with younger groups.
Yue Opera was still on its way.
"Yunxiao, why aren't you saying anything? Wasn't it your idea to come watch Jiang Hua perform?"
Li Yunxiao had been quiet since getting in the car, constantly looking at the scenery outside.
Jiang Hua and Chen Lijun exchanged a glance. What was going on? Hadn't Li Yunxiao already gotten over her anger?
Now she didn't seem like the happy-go-lucky person she used to be at all.
Li Yunxiao turned to look at Qingqing, smiled faintly and said: "I'm very happy. Jiang Hua was very handsome and excellent today."
This sounded a bit perfunctory.
Li Yunxiao suddenly stood up and said: "Well, let's go drink. Let's go to a bar. I've never been to one since I was little."
Oh my, what's going on? Li Yunxiao wants to drink?
In the past, they would just have barbecue and drink some beer. Now they're going to a bar?
Jiang Hua rarely went either. In the past, he couldn't afford it, now he wasn't in the mood.
They all started learning opera from a young age, with strict management at school, not even allowed to bring phones.
Later, after joining Xiao Baihua, they were focused on getting on stage, spending every day in the practice room.
The bar was indeed a strange place for them.
The only one here with any experience, besides Jiang Hua's few times, was Xiaoyuanzi.
This little girl had transitioned from actress to sound engineer, and had more free time.
She occasionally went to bars with her girlfriends.
"Shall we give it a try then?"
Qingqing was eager to try, and the others had similar reactions.
Jiang Hua thought for a moment: "How about we eat first, then go to the bar?"
"Sure, sure."
.....
At the entrance of Qianzhou's largest bar, the group sneaked in.
As soon as they entered, they were startled by the music inside.
It was deafening.
"Everyone sway with me!"
Men and women were swaying together on the dance floor.
"Sir, please sit this way."
Jiang Hua asked the waiter to find a less conspicuous seat.
"Sir, all the drinks and snacks you ordered are here. Please enjoy."
Even the waiter had to shout to be heard.
Li Yunxiao picked up a bottle and started pouring.
"Come on, let's drink. Here's to the new year, may we all be happy, smooth-sailing, and may all our wishes come true."
Before she finished speaking, Li Yunxiao had already downed her drink in one go. This wasn't beer, sister.
This was foreign liquor.
"Ah, it's so spicy, cough cough."
Now you know how strong it is. Jiang Hua immediately patted her back and handed her some juice.
Li Yunxiao took a big gulp of juice before she recovered.
"Why aren't you all drinking? I've already had mine."
Something was up. Even Jiang Hua could see she was off today. On such a happy day, why wasn't she happy?
Jiang Hua had just experienced the first concert of his life.
Xiaoyuanzi picked up her glass and drank it in one go too. She indeed seemed experienced.
"That's right, well done Xiaoyuanzi."
As time went on, everyone started drinking freely, imagining the coming year.
How many performances they would have, how much money they would earn, getting married.
Getting married was Caicai's dream. Li Yunxiao found another reason.
"Come on Caicai, let's cheers. May you be happy for the rest of your life."
"Thank you, and may you be happy for the rest of your life too, Yunxiao."
Jiang Hua frowned and said: "How about we drink slowly? This is bad for our voices."
"Oh come on, don't worry about it. We're on holiday."
"That's right, we're on holiday. We can let loose a bit."
Chen Lijun raised her glass, clearly a bit tipsy already.
Alright, alright. Everyone had been under pressure for a year, performing almost every day. They indeed needed to relax a bit.
Jiang Hua could only let them be.
As long as he stayed sober himself.
"Come on, Jiang Hua, let's have a toast."
Chen Lijun grabbed Jiang Hua's sleeve, wanting to toast. He couldn't refuse this drink.
"Oh, Chen Lijun, you can't just toast Jiang Hua alone. What about us? Aren't we friends anymore?"
See, they found another reason to drink.
Toasting each other.
Who knows how long they had been drinking, but the atmosphere in the bar was getting more and more intense.
Li Yunxiao looked at the men and women on the dance floor and shouted:
"I want to go dance too."
...