She couldn't keep up with his rhythm at all, so she needed to start trying new things from this point onward, while also gradually changing the public's perception of her.

"My future is up to me"

"Dancing all day, playing across the screen"

"A dream that never powers down, accelerating straight ahead"

"Running on the map I've drawn"

After singing "My Future Style," Xu Qingqiu gasped continuously for air. This was arguably the fastest song she had ever sung. While it was difficult, the more critical issue was that she was still somewhat unaccustomed to such an intense rhythm. But it had to be said, her talent and ability were truly outstanding. Even with such a short time to prepare, having received the song less than half a month ago, and needing to prepare ten to twenty other songs and practice choreography in the interim, she still delivered a perfect performance. One could only say there was no helping her good fortune with talent like that. And being so talented yet still working so hard—it was no wonder she had come this far.

"WTF, why does it sound so good?"

"Not just good, it's incredibly amazing! Listening to this song makes me feel like I'm back in my senior year of high school."

"Give me one of those monster college-prep exam books right now, and I swear I won't sleep tonight until I finish it!"

"Stop messing around; this song is about youth, not for you to do homework to."

The applause below the stage was thunderous, with cheers and screams that lingered for a long time.

Once Xu Qingqiu felt her breathing stabilize, she looked at the audience with a smile and shouted loudly, "Did you guys like that song?"

"Yes!!!"

"You liked it, right? Actually, the TV show is even more entertaining."

Seeing that the song had achieved the desired effect, the corresponding promotion naturally had to begin.

Only Chu Tian, sitting backstage, was somewhat surprised. He knew Xu Qingqiu would sing this song. After all, for a concert, especially one with over ten thousand people in attendance, a dozen or so songs were far too few. Others usually performed at least thirty. Although her limited number was due to circumstances, it was inevitable that some would criticize her for lacking sincerity or for just trying to make money. Therefore, adding any new song she could was the proper thing to do.

But Chu Tian had never imagined that Xu Qingqiu would promote a TV show in such a setting. They hadn't discussed this point at all beforehand. Mainly, Chu Tian felt that promoting his company's production at her concert was a bit much, and he didn't want his own affairs to overshadow her. He certainly hadn't expected Xu Qingqiu to give him such a huge surprise.

"This TV show is called 'iPartment,' and it will soon be broadcast on Jiangyou TV Station," Xu Qingqiu announced. "The show is an urban sitcom about a group of young people navigating life in the big city while sharing an apartment called iPartment, and all the amusing things that happen to them. I can responsibly say that this show is really, really good, and watching it will definitely make you happy."

At this, Xu Qingqiu herself couldn't help but laugh. After all, as Chu Tian's girlfriend, she sometimes had certain privileges. For instance, when the company had him review the final product, Xu Qingqiu happened to be by his side. The two of them watched a few episodes together, laughing so hard their stomachs hurt all afternoon. Now, the memory still made her chuckle, causing her to nearly burst out laughing on stage.

"Hahaha, sorry," she said. "For some reason, I got a sneak peek at some of the TV show's content, and it's genuinely hilarious. I just remembered it and couldn't help myself."

Originally, many in the audience didn't think much of it. Although they felt the advertising was a bit too direct, it didn't really matter. Whether they watched it or not depended on their mood; most would likely forget about it later. But Xu Qingqiu's laughter made everyone curious.

Is it really that good? Maybe we should check it out later?

Once this thought took root, it was bound to sprout in a few minds. In any case, many viewers and fans quietly noted down the name of the TV show, deciding to search for it later to see if it was actually good.

After all, their idol couldn't be doing false advertising, right? Over all these years, she seemed to have never done such a thing. She even rarely took on endorsements.

Xu Qingqiu had no idea what the people below were thinking. She was even less aware that her spontaneous decision to help Chu Tian might have almost backfired and affected her reputation.

The concert continued, and naturally, the music couldn't stop. Not only did it not stop, but when it came to the mid-concert break, after a brief rest, as the next song started, Xu Qingqiu didn't just sing; she performed a full dance choreography with a group of backup dancers.

This made the fans ecstatic.

"Damn, damn! What a surprise!"

"President Xu is dancing? Who's ever seen that? We really hit the jackpot this time!"

"Please, when President Xu debuted, she'd gone solo from a girl group, you know."

"That's true, but how many years has it been since she last danced?"

"Seems like... six years, right?"

Yes, six years. In the blink of an eye, so many years had passed. Initially, Xu Qingqiu had debuted solo due to an unforeseen event, starting with a single song. As her songs grew more popular over time, her style and image kept changing. From her initial live performances involving singing and dancing, she gradually became purely a singer and never danced again. Perhaps it was the comfort zone that came with fame, or perhaps she felt she was getting too old to dance. But who knew that this was all part of her former company's strategy? They had even once forbidden her from dancing, steering her style towards maturity. If she hadn't fought for her artistic integrity, she might have even been pushed towards a sexier image. No one ever seemed to care that she was just a 25-year-old young woman, still in her prime.

But now, everything was different. She could dance if she wanted to, without worrying about so many rules and restrictions, without having to conform to a specific public persona.

To be herself again, sing the songs she liked, dance the dances she liked, do the things she liked—this was the simplest form of happiness.

"Alright, the songs have been sung, the dance has been danced. Can everyone guess what's coming next?" Xu Qingqiu asked after a guest performer had finished their set. She returned to the stage in a new outfit: a floor-length gown with a pinkish-white base, adorned with pastel-colored petals. A pair of silver, crystalline high heels shimmered like a distant galaxy. Walking out from the side of the stage, she looked like a princess from a fairy tale—noble and pure, inspiring an almost sacred awe.

As they looked at Xu Qingqiu on stage, smiling like a goddess, the audience slowly fell silent.

"Actually," she began, "I've always had a song that I never released."

When she said this, the audience was stunned for a moment. Then, a hubbub broke out, only to quickly quiet down again as everyone focused on the figure on stage, eager to hear what she would say next.

"This song was actually written for me by Youmeng," Xu Qingqiu continued. "When I first saw it, I wondered how someone could write songs so well—songs that could directly pierce one's heart like a needle, bit by bit, deeper and deeper. It causes an agony so unbearable, yet you're unwilling to pull it out..."

As she spoke, for some reason, Xu Qingqiu slowly started to cry, her tears flowing uncontrollably as if a dam had burst. If not for her exquisitely applied makeup, it probably would have been ruined by now.

At this moment, the audience below was dumbstruck, staring at the person on stage, still unclear about what was happening.

Wasn't she just laughing a moment ago? How did she start crying after saying just a few words?

But some people in the crowd looked serious, as if they had realized something. After all, she was already 25 years old...

"Yes, a song that wrote itself directly into my heart," Xu Qingqiu murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "When I first received this song, do you know what my first reaction was?"

She didn't wait for a response from the audience, continuing as if speaking to herself. "I thought at the time, 'I absolutely have to sing this song because it's written about me. I love it so much!'

"But later, I decided to put this song away, because..." She paused, waiting until her emotions had stabilized somewhat before slowly continuing, "because I suddenly realized this song might be my only memento. I've pursued my dream for so long, yet I have nothing tangible to commemorate it by.

"Or rather, there isn't a single moment I can recall with such profound fondness, but this song could always be with me.

"When I'm old one day, I can sit at home alone, singing this song that belongs only to me, thinking about someone who doesn't belong to me."

By now, if any members of the audience still didn't understand what she meant, they were truly clueless. But understand it as they might, everyone was still shocked.

What's going on? Is this an official announcement? Is she in love? Or heartbroken?

Instantly, a surge of information flooded their minds, and everyone felt their heads buzzing.

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