In the beginning, when they learned about the nomination, the company prepared two sets of scripts in advance.
One set was for the successful award acceptance speech, while the other set was for how to show support for their competitors and leave room for themselves during media interviews in case of failure.
Everyone was too lazy to speak and unanimously agreed that the captain should say a few words on behalf of the group.
Although Huo Ren entered the industry late, he had a high understanding and was diligent in learning. After a year of public relations and speech classes, he was more than capable of handling press conferences as the spokesperson.
Then Uncle Jiang swung the newspaper and took turns knocking on all six of their heads.
“You’re all eighteen—-doing things—-yet still—-so clumsy!”
Huo Ren didn’t expect to be hit on the head as well. He helplessly pressed his forehead with his palm and looked at him.
“Is this a speaking issue?” Uncle Jiang scolded, “If Corona wins an award for the first time at this level, and all of you stay silent, leaving the spotlight to the captain, how do you think the public will view Huo Ren? Have you thought about that?”
The others finally came to their senses and muttered, “Do they really need to scrutinize us like this…”
“They hope to create rumors about the six of you having bad relationships,” Uncle Jiang threw the script at them, “Each of you says a sentence, and the captain will summarize!”
As a result, at the moment they actually received the award, all six of them stood in the center of the cross-shaped stage, being stared at by countless flashlights and big lenses. The joy of winning the award was temporarily overshadowed, and they were all urgently trying to recall how they had memorized the script.
—-Corona is truly deserving of this award, as they have excelled in sales and reputation in Asia this year.
The captain calmly waited for his teammates to finish their thank-you speeches, giving them a signal to raise humble smiles, and bowing in unison to express gratitude to the industry and fans for their support and encouragement.
The guests presented each of them with a silver comet trophy.
It was heavy, held in their arms like carrying a lead ball.
Only when they sat back down did the boys finally come back to their senses, belatedly hiding from the cameras and laughing happily to themselves.
As the awards were announced one after another, it finally came to the grand finale, the Crown Award.
Before the host even spoke, the magnificent curtain in the center of the stage, shimmering with golden dust, rose slowly, revealing the iconic crown.
A red gemstone was set in the center, surrounded by diamonds and white gold, sparkling and shimmering even in stillness.
—-This pure gold design was personally crafted by the French neoclassical designer Jean Vico, and the price for a single crown already exceeded several hundred thousand yuan.
It represented honor and the fervor and dreams of countless artists.
“The competition for this year’s individual and group Crown Award was indeed fierce.”
“Yes, outstanding artists from twelve countries participated in the competition, and each work had its own merits.”
The entire venue suddenly fell silent, devoid of the previous casual atmosphere.
The hosts began introducing the nominated artists and their related works, and the boys sat up slightly, instinctively feeling nervous.
They had heard about this award many times.
Uncle Jiang would mention it during holidays, the company’s senior management would discuss it during meetings, fans would eagerly discuss it on online forums and microblogs, and television news would dedicate extensive coverage and introductions to it.
The OSC Crown Award was only given to the highest-level artists and groups in Asia each year.
It valued originality, encouraged innovation and guidance, and its rigorous judging process was highly trusted and respected by the industry.
—-Just how strong did those seniors have to be to win that crown?
Huo Ren was not familiar with the name mentioned by the host, and the others only had varying degrees of knowledge about it.
The styles of work from different countries were quite different, and they were usually too busy with their own work to have much time to pay attention to these things.
Soon, the awards were announced, and a male artist and a three-member girl group went on stage with smiles to receive their awards. As customary, they performed their award-winning works in front of the audience.
The moment the music started playing, Huo Ren’s breath suddenly stopped for a few seconds.
The male artist who won the individual award was dancing in a way that he had never imagined before, with unimaginable posture and state.
He was singing and dancing in synchronization with the group, with his limbs moving at an almost flashing speed while maintaining perfect control of his breath. If Huo Ren hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he would have thought it was a double-speed effect.
—How did he do that?!
How was he able to open and close his arms four times in a second??
The artist from Singapore conquered everyone present with his breathtaking live performance.
When he started dancing, not only did his limbs and his soul tremble and flow like electric currents, but even the air seemed to be controlled and manipulated.
The electrifying and chaotic electronic music, the trimmed and casual yet ingenious changing beats—-no one could deny that this award belonged to him.
Huo Ren instinctively gripped the armrest of his chair tightly and only relaxed his grip when the program ended, continuing to smile and applaud facing the camera.
When the three cameras gradually turned away, he slightly turned to the side and called out to Yun-ge.
Yun-ge crossed his fingers and didn’t say a word, similarly analyzing the arrangement and structure of this piece on the spot.
“… The gap is so big.”
“Yes.” Yun-ge raised his finger and adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses, letting out an almost imperceptible sigh. “This work of his is both a product and an artistic piece, and its entire structure is flawlessly executed.”
When Huo Ren heard that Corona hadn’t been nominated this year when Uncle Jiang received the invitation, he wondered why.
Now, after this comparison, they were already extremely lucky to receive the Best Newcomer Award.
In terms of stage presence, maturity, and novelty of their works, their newly debuted group still had a long way to go.
Having clean and powerful dancing was just the beginning.
They needed more— they needed to achieve more and more.
At the celebration banquet, everyone took turns to toast Uncle Jiang three times, and they all tacitly waited until the socializing was over before returning to the hotel to have their slimming meals.
They couldn’t touch the foie gras, red wine, or grilled steak at the celebration banquet. After a couple of hours, they only had some cold dishes and purple cabbage.
“You’ve worked hard today. Rest well,” Uncle Jiang rubbed his face with a hot towel. The smell of alcohol still hadn’t dissipated. “We don’t have time to go around nearby this time. The album isn’t finished yet, and I’ve already booked the flight for tomorrow morning.”
“You should get some rest too,” Bo Jue pulled the curtains closed. “You’ve worked hard.”
Huo Ren contemplated for a moment and asked before Uncle Jiang closed the door, “Did Teacher Pei come?”
“He did, Room 302,” Uncle Jiang yawned through the gap in the door. “What do you need him for?”
“I wanted to ask about the choreography,” Huo Ren frowned. “The gap for the Crown Award… it’s too big.”
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” Uncle Jiang smiled instead. “This thing can’t be rushed. The senior who won the award today spent twenty years to get to this point. How long have you been in the industry?”
Although he said that, Huo Ren still had an anxious feeling hanging in the mist-like darkness of the night.
His sense of security was suddenly shaken.
In the Kingdom of Time, most of the old boy groups faded out of the entertainment circle with age, and the new boy groups were currently dominated by Corona. It was a time when they were shining brightly.
First, the concert, and now the invitation to the OSC Asia Awards. He originally thought that everything was stable to the extreme.
But today, after finally seeing the world, he realized that he was just a newcomer who had just entered the industry.
Insignificant among the numerous superstars.
Huo Ren greeted Bo Jue, who was in the same room, and quickly went to the door of Room 302.
He hadn’t seen Teacher Pei for almost half a month. Now, as he reached out to knock on the door, he felt an inexplicable hesitation.
The young man lowered his head and collected himself, then quickly knocked twice.
After a while, faint footsteps could be heard from inside the room.
The other person glanced at him through the peephole and opened the door, saying, “Why did the little student come over?”
Huo Ren instinctively looked up and suddenly realized that he was looking up.
When he was fifteen, he stood in front of Pei Ruye. He was 1.75 meters tall, while Pei Ru Ye was 1.87 meters.
He had to look up at him, just like a child.
Now, at nineteen years old, he was 1.85 meters tall, while Pei Ruye was 1.92 meters tall. He still had to lift his head to look at him.
Pei Ruye exuded a calm and composed aura that Huo Ren couldn’t imitate.
Steady, insightful, and composed, with a hint of a worldly and playful feeling.
The man had just finished taking a shower, a few strands of damp hair hanging on his forehead. His gaze was scrutinizing yet filled with a smile.
Huo Ren snapped out of his daze, realizing that he hadn’t responded for five or six seconds. He took a step back, trying to conceal his reaction.
Pei Ruye didn’t urge him to speak and returned to the table after opening the door. He poured himself a bottom-filled glass of whiskey, thought for a moment, and then put the bottle back. He fetched a bottle of skimmed milk from the refrigerator and poured half a glass, handing it to Huo Ren.
Huo Ren took the milk with both hands and furrowed his brows, wanting to say, “I’m already nineteen, not a child.”
But instead, he lowered his head and addressed Pei Ruye first.
“Teacher.”
As if this address made the following conversation much simpler.
“I saw the live performance of the Crown Award.”
It felt like there was a hidden sense of grievance in his words.
Pei Ruye swirled the amber liquid in his glass, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“And?”
“How did he do it?” Huo Ren leaned forward, sitting on a high stool opposite him, his tone frustrated. “I’ve memorized every movement of his dance routine, but I just can’t perform it the same way.”
“Moreover, that person was singing and hitting higher keys while dancing, and there was no issue with his three-octave shifts.”
Huo Ren didn’t realize that he was relying on Pei Ruye.
He was the captain, and even if he was anxious and uneasy, he would instinctively suppress his negative emotions and worries, trying not to affect the other team members.
But in front of Pei Ruye, he could ask anything.
He could even occasionally vent his complaints.
In front of him, he wasn’t the captain or a signed artist under SPF. He was just his student.
Unconsciously, Huo Ren continued to speak, following his own train of thought.
“That award-winning group used Yodel singing technique. Why did I never think of combining A cappella with Yodel?”
“Do their albums not require any auto-tuning? Why is the sound quality so clean to that extent…”
Pei Ruye noticed that the milk had been consumed and quietly refilled the glass for him.
The young man half-layed on the small bar counter and took a sip, his eyelashes drooping as he said, “I feel like I’m not strong at all.”
“Indeed.”
Huo Ren immediately looked up at him.
“Teacher,” he persisted. “You can’t say that.”
“What can’t I do?” Pei Ruye pushed his wine glass aside and lazily said, “If you’re not strong enough, it’s because I haven’t taught you well enough.”
He was admitting his mistake openly.
“I should reflect on myself and write a three-thousand-word self-criticism for you.”
Huo Ren pondered for a moment and shook his head. “That won’t work either.”
“Teacher,” he said earnestly, not joking with him. “Let’s make the choreography for the new album more challenging.”
“I’ll go talk to Uncle Jiang and ask for more rehearsal time for us.”
It was already 1:30 a.m., but the young man showed no signs of sleepiness.
His ambition suddenly surged with confidence.
“I want to win that crown, and Yun-ge and Jue-ge want it too.”
“Teacher, can you teach us more?”
Pei Ruye handed him a tissue and walked back to the work desk to retrieve a USB drive from the computer.
“No need for you to go talk to him.”
He placed the USB drive in the palm of the young man’s right hand, unintentionally sounding a bit indulgent.
“The schedule and the team have already been arranged. Take these video copies of the choreography for a few songs back and watch them.”
“I’ve taught you for three years… It’s time to make it a bit more challenging.”
Currently, the dances of Corona’s boy band were only superficially learned without grasping their essence.
When the essence of the structure was in place, they still needed to find the soul.
“Take it one step at a time.”
The USB drive had a silvery-red shell, smooth and cool in his palm as if it were a gift.
Huo Ren hadn’t expected to receive approval so quickly, and his whole demeanor changed, like a little wolf cub wagging its tail.
“Teacher, have you finished choreographing the title track’s dance yet?”
“Go back and sleep for now.”
“Teacher, last time I mentioned that I want to learn reggae—”
“Go back and sleep for now.” Pei Ruye poured the remaining half bottle of chilled milk into the glass, lazily saying, “You have to get up for your flight in four and a half hours.”
Huo Ren downed the contents of the glass in one gulp, his eyes filled with a smile.
“Teacher, see you on the 16th floor.”
Pei Ruye saw him off at the door, leaning against the door frame with a faint smile.
“Alright, see you on the 16th floor.”
-2-
Their second album was written almost entirely in a fragmented time and was named “Nonsense.”
The first album, “Radiant Gem,” was full of vitality and tension, while the second album aimed to break more barriers and find a sense of breakthrough power.
“Nonsense” consisted of fourteen songs, targeting the atmosphere of a gym for intense studying, and seeking inner support. Even the slow songs gave people a sense of determination and identification.
Xie Lianyun had written nine demo songs, but in the end, Teacher Zhong and other higher-ups decided to keep only five of them.
Both the Chinese and English albums had been recorded one after another. In November, they familiarized themselves with the choreography, and in December, they would begin shooting music videos and promoting the songs.
“We had initially agreed to release the songs in January,” Manager Jiang complained as he sent them back to the company. “But Boss Pei is keeping an eye on your unfinished choreography, so now you have to allocate more time for practice.”
“From now until Chinese New Year, I’ve pushed back all other endorsements and advertisements. Study well and don’t waste time.”
“Yes, yes,” Xie Lianyun pressed the elevator button, feeling cold. “He even said he would take us to the Maldives for vacation—”
“Bullshit!” Manager Jiang kicked his butt. “If your dancing sucks, you’re not allowed to eat sweets for a whole year!”
And so they entered the familiar state of spending every day in the hexagonal glass dance studio.
Bo Jue was still coordinating with the team for music arrangement and orchestration, while Xie Lianyun occasionally skipped a few classes to work on the second album in advance. Their roles leaned more towards the creative side, with fewer dance steps to learn, so they had relatively less pressure.
Huo Ren was practically sleeping on the 16th floor.
Boss Pei had delivered on his promise, and the difficulty only increased without mercy.
Now, he could even hear the sound of the bamboo sword slicing through the air in his dreams.
“The first step is to find the perfect position for all the basic moves in front of the mirror.”
All dances eventually converge to a point, with the human body having only a few hundred basic movements.
Everything else is an endless combination and permutation.
The man’s voice was cold and deep.
The young man’s practice attire was soaked with sweat, but he continued to soar and dance tirelessly, like a falcon spreading its wings, following the rhythm.
“The second step is to forget the mirror.”
You need to completely familiarize yourself with every aspect of the dance.
Then, forget the mirror and start feeling and creating with undivided attention.
The bamboo sword struck the floor, its crisp sound resembling the falling of snow from a pine branch.
Huo Ren closed his eyes, raised his arms, bent his waist, and spun into the air. The arcs, strength, and precision of each movement no longer required confirmation through his gaze.
“The third step is to become a mobile rhythm instrument.”
You should be able to be awakened by any beat on the roadside.
Even if you’re still drowsy, even if you’re standing in the dark, your body should naturally synchronize with any rhythm.
And then continue dancing as if by instinct.
Mei Shengyao, Chi Ji, and Long Jia practiced with him until 8 o’clock every night, and the remaining time was dedicated to singing and fitness training. Occasionally, they would take a bath and rest early.
Huo Ren would continue practicing until midnight after they left.
Undivided attention, unmoved by distractions.
Pei Ruye found over three thousand different international MV choreographies for him. He watched them all within a week, automatically building a library of materials in his mind. He remembered every frame clearly.
Practicing fast, slow, and variable speed freestyle became a common occurrence. Sometimes Pei Ruye wouldn’t even play a beat and would randomly strike the rhythm with a bamboo sword. Huo Ren would then close his eyes and dance improvisationally as if he never grew tired.
Bo Jue noticed that Huo Ren visibly slimmed down again.
After finally developing some apple muscles at the zoo, now his chin had become sharp and thin.
Bo Jue didn’t take it seriously, and the next day, he brought apples and pears back to the 17th floor to make soup.
Apples were originally spices. After peeling and cutting them into small pieces, they were slowly simmered in pear juice. The rich fragrance scratched the heart like a hook.
This soup not only nourished the spleen and stomach but also helped calm the mind during sleep.
The small fire on the stove bubbled and simmered, spreading its sweet aroma recklessly into the dry, cold winter air.
Xie Lianyun leaned in first and made a popping sound. “Bro, can I have a bowl?”
“No sharing,” Bo Jue stirred the soup expressionlessly. “Your weight is about to cross the line. It’s not appropriate for the whole group to be punished with standing in the cold during the winter.”
“If you don’t want to share, then don’t share. It’s not like it’s surprising that you can hit someone right in the heart,” Xie Lianyun complained.
Then Chi Ji and Mei Shengyao also leaned in together.
“Report! Captain is still practicing, and it seems like Teacher Pei is teaching him choreography and locking!”
Bo Jue lowered the flame and filled two small bowls for his two younger brothers.
“Don’t burn yourself,” he reached out and ruffled Mei Shengyao’s hair. “Is it sour?”
“The apple is a bit sour, but the taste of the soup is just right!” Mei Shengyao smiled with curved eyes. “Brother Bo, you’re so skillful with your hands!”
“Little Chi, want another bowl?”
“Okay, muah~!”
The two satisfied little ones left, and Long Jia had just finished taking a bath. He rubbed his hair and approached the kitchen door, playfully calling out, “Teacher Bo!”
“You don’t have any,” Bo Jue glanced at him. “The rest is all Ren Ren’s.”
“Just a small bowl,” Long Jia coaxed. “I haven’t even tasted Teacher Bo’s soup. It’s not right.”
Bo Jue slammed the lid back on the pot and grumbled, “No apple soup, just a pile of apple peels.”
“Teacher Bo—” Long Jia reached out and ran his hand through Bo Jue’s smooth, silky hair. Leaning against the wall, he refused to leave and let out a low chuckle. “Bo Jue, if you feed me a spoonful, I’ll go.”
Frowning, Bo Jue turned his head. “You don’t know how to use a spoon? You want me to feed you?”
Long Jia happened to be looking closely at his eyebrows and eyes, and in that second, they both realized that something was off.
They quickly averted their gaze to the side.
“I’ll go first,” Long Jia turned around. “Remember to send a text to Huo Huo. He’ll just fall asleep as soon as he comes back.”
“I know.”
After the sound of footsteps faded away, Bo Jue looked down at the simmering apple soup in the pot for a while, then scooped a small bowl out.
Silently, he placed the sweet soup on the table in front of Long Jia’s door, knocked twice on the door with his knuckles, and returned to his room, closing the door behind him.
After a while, Long Jia slowly opened the door. He first glanced at the soup at the door, then looked at Bo Jue’s tightly closed door.
He chuckled silently, sat at the door, and drank the soup mouthful by mouthful. He went to the kitchen, washed the bowl, and returned to his room to sleep peacefully.
When Huo Ren returned to the 17th floor, it was already half past midnight.
Most of the others were already asleep, but Bo Jue left a night light for him.
He had seen the text message earlier and quickly finished drinking and eating all the apple pear soup, feeling much warmer.
Bo Jue was still awake, tidying up the skincare products, face cleanser, and shaving cream scattered in the bathroom.
He did these tedious tasks smoothly, not because of cleanliness, but because his mind was preoccupied.
Huo Ren greeted him and expressed his gratitude, saying that the sweet soup was delicious.
Bo Jue smiled in response, urging him to quickly take a shower and rest.
After taking a shower and coming out, Huo Ren saw that Bo Jue was still there, now wiping off the fog on the mirror with disinfectant wipes.
“Brother?”
Huo Ren didn’t ask what was bothering him. Holding his toothbrush, he casually said, “Let me tie your hair for you.”
Bo Jue was still focused on wiping the mirror. “Sure.”
Bo Jue’s long hair cascaded to the side of his waist, looking elegant and classical, but it was actually difficult to manage on a daily basis.
When they first slept together in the open dorm at the zoo, they discovered this problem on the first night.
If long hair is not braided or combed before going to bed, it will become tangled and take even more time to fix the next day.
— So, taking turns to help Bo Jue with his hair became a nightly routine for them.
Huo Ren held a horn comb and carefully combed Bo Jue’s long hair from top to bottom, gently holding the strands as he braided his brother’s hair.
Bo Jue was still looking at himself in the mirror when he suddenly asked, “Huo Huo, did you ever have a girlfriend in middle school?”
Huo Ren laughed, “Who has the time? No, I didn’t.”
Bo Jue replied solemnly, “Me neither.”
He had always been busy with competitions and piano practice, so he never came across anyone suitable.
“Well, if you were to be in a relationship, what kind of person would you choose?” Bo Jue asked.
“I don’t know,” Huo Ren replied calmly. “I haven’t even watched soap operas, so I have no idea what it feels like to like someone.”
“It’s simple. You would want to be hugged by them, always wanting to stay by their side, and occasionally just thinking about them would brighten your mood,” Bo Jue turned his head to look at him, smiling self-deprecatingly. “Or maybe I’ve just read too many novels and have a tendency to daydream.”
The young man paused for a moment, his ears slightly reddening.
When he heard those words, the first person that came to mind was surprisingly Pei Ruye.
Author’s note:
Enjoy your meal~