The other bands backstage were startled by the scene and laughed; in their eyes, these juniors truly had endless potential, and their tension-filled stage performance was refreshing.
In the workshop, Lu Xuefeng closed his eyes, shook his head, and tapped his fingers on the table, keeping a gentle beat.
In the audience, the serious-faced Bai Fengjiu didn't jump along with those around her; she stared at the radiant Simon on stage, the boy's gaze fixed on the horizon, his voice hoarse and face flushed from screaming, while Su Xiangli stood to his right and behind him, her white wig trembling like a floating water curtain, her eyes fixed on Simon's back, not leaving for a moment.
Everything was good, except...
Four young men and women screamed on stage, and the people below interpreted what rock and roll meant: shaking their heads and rolling around wildly.
Simon could feel his thoughts dissipating along with the vibrations of his vocal cords and airflow, spreading with the electric current.
If thoughts had temperature, Simon was like a red-hot coal flying into lamp oil, the flames and boiling heat glowing with incandescence.
If passion had weight, then Simon was a giant rock thrown into a pond; not only did he create ripples, but he also burst forth countless splashes, allowing people to lose themselves in his roar.
If hallucinations had a scent, everyone would be immersed in a refreshing current that rushed to their brains; the collective hysteria and revelry captivated even the sober, and those whose minds were clouded wished they could shake their necks off and bounce their legs until they broke. Under the midday sun, the scorching human energy transformed into an invisible haze, like a sea of clouds, rolling and drifting, shimmering with countless rays of light.
It was just one song, yet it possessed such charm; when the first fuse in the crowd was lit, this blaze was already unstoppable!
Simon felt connected to his teammates through the music; his highly developed brain had reached a profound and beautiful state, and he was vaguely aware of each band member's condition, every sound signal, scent signal, and even the audience's reactions. Although he stood at the front of the group, it was as if he was face to face with everyone.
[Lu: Su Xiangli, she's a bit distracted, staring at me.]
[Lu: Mu Huai is giving her all; she's really in the zone.]
[Lu: Lou Xundiao, he's too excited, suppressing his fear, but it's like walking a tightrope; he's stretched too thin and could break at any moment. Try to hold on until this song ends!]
The current Su Huai Feixing was a carriage with broken horseshoes, a formula car with a cracked piston, a steamboat that hit an iceberg, a dismasted skiff piloted by Simon, soaring through the rolling smoke and mist of the human sea amidst a torrential storm.
Every second that passed was an agony; the people below cheered for them, but the next second, it seemed they might all boo in unison.
Finally, Lou Xundiao's first mistake occurred. In that instant, Simon felt as if time had stopped the moment the beat was missed. Then, the wrong beat slowly passed, and the next drumbeat successfully continued.
The music continued, and Simon briefly closed his eyes. He knew that his Great-Grandfather must be watching this scene. Although he always said he didn't care, if he could make Great-Grandfather's stiff old face smile, he would be a hundred percent willing.
This was a struggle of youth, rebellious teenagers gathering for a so-called dream, for a so-called moment of high spirits, screaming themselves hoarse on a stage watched by over ten thousand people.
"...So I! Began to change!
"Becoming like a rolling, blazing firework!!"
Simon enjoyed this moment, both as a performer and a manipulator. He was not a monkey in a zoo for people to gawk at; he was a singer who drove people mad with music.
When the song ended, the audience cheered.
"One more!"
"Su Huai Feixing! Su Huai Feixing!"
The entire venue's voices united, shouting Su Huai Feixing. These strangers were captivated by the band of four children. Standing on the turbulent shore, Simon and the other three exchanged joyful smiles.
Simon mouthed: "One more?"
Su Xiangli and Mu Huai both nodded, but Lou Xundiao waved his hand, pointing to his leg, which was numb from shaking.
The audience continued to cheer loudly.
Simon stood before the microphone, about to explain something, when the prompter in his ear conveyed the instructor's voice, "One of your classmates said she could help. She wants to be the drummer."
The four band members looked backstage. The cool, literary young woman Bai Fengjiu, with her hair down, wearing a black mask and a loose white cotton T-shirt with "ROCK 'N ROLL" printed in red, paired with baggy blue jeans and khaki leather shoes, dramatically pulled back the curtain and walked onto the stage. She was like a bolt of cold lightning striking the venue, astonishing and puzzling everyone.
Bai Fengjiu patted Lou Xundiao, "Senior, your drum kit is terrible. Watch how I play. You go rest backstage." Her aura was surprisingly aggressive, leaving Lou Xundiao speechless. The black-haired girl's eyes were like cameras, freezing him rigid, yet he also felt a fiery intensity bursting from those cool eyes. He quickly handed over the drumsticks and shuffled back backstage.
Sitting down at the drum kit, Bai Fengjiu twirled a drumstick, much like a student twirling a pen or a swordsman brandishing a sword, revealing her sharp edge. The musicians backstage's eyes lit up, and they all said, "She's clearly a professional; much better than the last one."
The class president's tone was calm. In times without poetry, she was always like a long spear, direct and leaving no room for doubt. "Next song, come on, what do you want to play?"
Simon laughed loudly, "The class president is here!"
Su Xiangli excitedly ran over and hugged Bai Fengjiu, "How did you get here?"
Mu Huai tilted her head, "You haven't practiced with us before, can you do it?"
"Absolutely."
Simon felt an boundless exhilaration. He leaned into the microphone, "Next, we bring you, 'People Without Ideals Don't Feel Sad.'"
It was another old song, known by only a handful of people in the audience, but they were still willing to applaud, not for any band or song, but for the joyful atmosphere of the music festival.
The synthesizer's intro began, and cheers followed closely.
"My favorite record store,
"Yesterday was its last day,
"The fragments that once intoxicated me,
"All scattered on the street..."
Lu Xuefeng had once sung this song to two children in a pickup truck; now, Simon was on a stage watched by thousands, singing for his Great-Grandfather alone.
"I don't want to die in failure and loneliness!! I don't want to live underground forever!! The deception of materialism! Rushing ants! People without culture don't feel sad!!"
The roar of the crowd spread through the live broadcast. Great-Grandfather sat in the workshop, shaking his head constantly, his face beaming with unparalleled joy.
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