Chapter 5 The Unique Supreme (Part 2)

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There was the rumble of music, the chatter of many people, and the songs of the warm-up band swirling into one's ears. All these sounds merged into a kaleidoscopic dreamscape.

So, after a burst of laughter, when everyone suddenly fell quiet, Cen Ye felt out of place. It was hard to describe what he felt, but it was as if he had been startled awake by something. He lifted his head from the crook of his arm and looked at his silent buddies, then followed their gazes.

A woman had already made her way to the scattered tables right below their booth amidst the boisterous crowd. She walked quietly, but many people were watching her.

Cen Ye remained motionless, watching expressionlessly as well.

Historically, bars have always been places filled with beautiful women, and for those seasoned bar-goers, there was no type of woman they hadn't seen. But this woman was completely different.

Today, she had let down her long hair, revealing wavy locks that were pitch-black, with each curl soft and fitting perfectly beside her cheeks. Her complexion was naturally fair with a rosy tint, which, under the dim lighting, looked even better. Her long, deep-set eyes were tranquil as a maiden's. She had on tender red lipstick with a hint of pearl sheen.

She wore a loose, warm-colored trench coat over a black figure-hugging sweater and a layered skirt, which did nothing to hide her full yet slender figure. She also wore high heels, two inches tall, making her stand gracefully.

But most importantly, it was her aura. The understated yet luxurious makeup and her delicate and vivid facial features attracted much attention. She walked in slowly, holding a dark patterned, embroidered gold clutch, seemingly accustomed to the attention yet indifferent to it.

It wasn't just men who were watching her, but women too. In the dim light, she was like a quietly blooming pear blossom, silent and absorbing all the light around her.

The scattered tables below were already full. She looked around quietly. A man sitting alone at a table suddenly smiled and said something to her. Her expression remained calm, and then she smiled faintly, seemingly saying 'thank you.' The man picked up his drink and joined another table, with a somewhat carefree air as if he had just done something covertly cool.

Xu Xunsheng smoothed out her skirt and took a seat at the small table, resting her chin in her hand as she watched the stage, waiting.

In the air, the slight commotion caused by her dispersed as if it had only just started. Those who were chatting continued to chat, and the onlookers kept on looking; everything went back to normal.

And at Cen Ye's table, it seemed as though everyone had simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. Zhang Hai, who had never seen Xu Xunsheng before, whispered jokingly, "Damn, where did this fairy come from? And she's alone?"

"Hai, you better not set your sights on her," Zhang Tianyao suddenly said, causing Cen Ye to instantly look up at him. Zhang Tianyao's eyes were fixed on Xu Xunsheng, but his words were addressed to Cen Ye: "Xiaoye, I've changed my mind."

Cen Ye said nothing.

Zhang Tianyao spoke slowly and deliberately, "Do you guys think I can win over this fairy?"

Everyone fell silent, then unanimously exclaimed, "No way!"

Zhang Tianyao: "F*ck! Are we still brothers? I'm going up now!" He was just about to wave and call for Xu Xunsheng when the bar manager came over telling them to get ready for their performance backstage. It was only then that Zhang Tianyao immediately dropped his roguish air, and the group followed the manager to the stage with renewed energy.

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The Chaomu Band now has a few fans, too, and as they passed through the bar towards the backstage, people were shouting, "Chaomu Band!" "Xiaoye!" "Tianyao!" The guys all smiled back and waved at the fans. Cen Ye usually didn't bother with it, but today he subconsciously turned back for a glance.

In the crowd, several girls with indistinguishable faces were screaming; Cen Ye's expression was indifferent. It was just that unintentional moment when, among so many people in the not very well-lit environment, he saw Xu Xunsheng, and she saw him too. Then both of them shifted their gazes away without any expression.

Once they reached the backstage, Cen Ye hurried to the restroom to wash his face, grabbed Zhao Tan's Da Bao cream, smeared it hastily on his face, then wet his hair with water, combed it a couple times, and considered himself ready to go.

It was almost time for their performance.

The few boys stood on the side of the stage, motionless, without speaking. The stage was now empty, ready for them. Fog filled the stage, and the lights flickered. Someone announced their name, and there was a roar of cheering from the audience. Some were excitedly jumping, others had looks of anticipation.

In that moment, each boy's throat felt slightly dry, but their hearts seemed to beat forcefully in tune with the rhythm of the warm-up music playing. A bar staff member shouted, signaling that it was time for them to go on stage. Zhao Tan suddenly stretched out his hand and said softly, "Chaomu Band, supreme above all others!"

"Chaomu Band, supreme above all others!" someone repeated, and then one hand after another piled on top: Zhang Tianyao, Huizi, Cen Ye... Zhang Hai smiled and spoke the words forcefully too, placing his hand on top.

They all waved their hands a few times and then broke apart. Zhang Tianyao was the first to leap onto the stage with his guitar, followed by Zhao Tan. Then came the lead singer, Cen Ye.

Cen Ye looked up to see that the stage lights were actually hazy, and the audience's cheers were so fervent, they seemed to threaten to shatter this dreamlike reality. A multitude of voices filled his ears, each note as if teasing his bloodstream, his cells. He jumped onto the stage and heard another significant stir from the crowd; he heard a voice inside him laughing.

Once everyone had their instruments set up and plugged in, Cen Ye raised his head. The microphone stood aloofly in front of him, between him and the fans. It seemed like he saw a look of ecstasy crossing the faces of some girls in the front row, but in the blink of an eye, he actually hadn't seen anything clearly. He grabbed the microphone, and the bar gradually quieted down, while he felt the whole world fall silent with it. In a fleeting moment, he felt very distant from everything, then in a haze, he realized he was actually in the midst of it all.

Until the bass sound next to him started, accompanied by the guitar's high-pitched melody that suddenly cut through the air, also awakening his eyes. He looked up to see all the murky, tumultuous, crazed commotion in front of him, saw his companions next to him playing with fierce tension, and felt like in that moment, his blood began to awaken, surge, and scream along with the tune. His face neared the microphone, his palms were burning hot, he looked completely indifferent, but in his mind, there was only one thought left.

A clear, strong, resonating, uncompromising thought—

This is my stage.

My music.

Supreme above all others.

In all the heavens and the earth, as high as the sky and as deep as the earth, through the past and future, under this patch of sky today.

In this life of dreams and drunkenness, supreme above all others.