Chapter 1929

Chapter 1929

Evening.

The sky gradually darkened.

By now, it was already 7 o’clock.

Dong Xuebing’s magic performance alone had taken up more than twenty minutes of stage time. No segment at a gala typically lasts this long—singing, dancing, or even skits, usually at around ten minutes. Any longer, and they risk dragging. However, Dong Xuebing’s extended performance felt anything but tedious. Time seemed to fly, and the audience was so engrossed that they hardly noticed the minutes passing. Many were left wanting more when the act concluded.

“Secretary Dong!”

“Encore!”

“Yes, one more!”

Dong Xuebing, already on his way off the stage, laughed when he heard the calls. He picked up the microphone and said, “We don’t do encores here! Thank you all for your support. Up next, we have even more exciting performances lined up!” He then handed the microphone to a staff member and headed backstage.

“Next, let’s enjoy a song-and-dance performance by the General Political Department Art Troupe, Spring Breeze! Let’s give them a warm welcome!” the female host announced.

“What?!”

“The General Political Department Art Troupe?”

“No way! That legendary troupe is here?”

“You just found out? Didn’t you watch the news from Jiaolin County yesterday?”

While many were already aware, a portion of the crowd was catching up. This troupe was a heavyweight in the art world—prestigious and renowned. Gradually, the audience shifted their focus from the breathtaking magic act to the stage ahead.

Backstage.

Dong Xuebing was already there.

Director Sun, who had temporarily abandoned his task of overseeing the cameras, was the first to greet him, laughing heartily. “Xuebing, you’re something else! That performance was spectacular!”

Dong Xuebing chuckled, “It was a spur-of-the-moment idea. I didn’t expect it to go this well.”

“Well? It was phenomenal!” Director Sun exclaimed. “The crew backstage was just as amazed. By the way, how on earth did you pull that off?”

Dong Xuebing shrugged. “I just did it.”

Director Sun frowned in confusion. “Magic requires props and setup. When you said you’d do an impromptu act without any preparation, I assumed you’d perform some close-up magic with cards or balls. Who knew you’d pull off such a grand illusion? When did you set it all up?” Pausing momentarily, he added, “Wait, that doesn’t add up. You didn’t prepare anything. I was here directing the whole time and didn’t see you approach the stage or the rock formation to set anything up.”

Dong Xuebing blinked innocently. “It’s magic, Director Sun. Of course, I can’t reveal how it’s done. Don’t ask because even if you do, I won’t tell! Haha.”

Director Sun sighed in frustration. “You’re killing me here!”

Director Sun had seen it all as an experienced stage director with extensive knowledge of magic performances. He was familiar with the tricks and secrets behind most illusions. Typically, magic acts require coordination with the director, especially during rehearsals, where the tricks are often laid bare. But this time, Dong Xuebing’s performance left Sun utterly baffled. There was no sign of preparation, no visible props, and not the faintest clue as to how the illusion was achieved. It was mind-blowing.

“Xuebing.”

Now fully dressed and made up, Chen Ying walked out with a smile.

Dong Xuebing waved at her. “Hey, old classmate, you look stunning tonight!”

Chen Ying laughed. “No matter how good I look, I can’t outshine your magic act. It was thrilling, with one twist after another—danger, humor, and surprises. Simply perfect.”

“Alright, stop flattering me,” Dong Xuebing said with a grin.

At this moment, Teacher Zhou Xuguo also came over. “What a brilliant performance! Truly, real skill hides in plain sight, and those who show off often have little to show. Haha, excellent job.”

Receiving praise from Teacher Zhou was a bit overwhelming for Dong Xuebing. Zhou Xuguo was not just a celebrity; his stature went far beyond that. Take Chen Ying, Liu Han, or Li Mengmeng, for instance—each had a more extensive fan base and greater popularity than Zhou Xuguo. This was the youth and pop music era, and Zhou couldn’t compete with their numbers. However, in terms of status, artistry, and seniority, none could hold a candle to Zhou Xuguo. Liu Han might be popular, but she was only a pop star and would never achieve the title of a true musical artist.

Nearby, a few foreigners also approached.

The foreign singer, Amy, chattered excitedly in English to Dong Xuebing, while the drummer from the SS band was equally animated, muttering a stream of words.

“#”

“###”

Dong Xuebing laughed and replied, “Thank you, thank you!”

Finally, Amy gave him a thumbs-up with an expression of deep admiration.

Surprised, Director Sun whispered to Dong Xuebing, “You know English? Why didn’t you mention it before?”

Dong Xuebing broke into a sweat and whispered back, “Know English? Me? Not a chance. I figured they were complimenting me, so I just thanked them. That’s about the extent of my English.”

Director Sun: “…”

Chen Ying overheard and couldn’t help but giggle.

Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “Alright, I’m off. Still got a lot of socializing to do outside.”

Director Sun said, “If you ever quit being a civil servant, remember to find me. If you go into magic, I guarantee you’ll be a superstar.” Though his tone seemed playful, there was a hint of sincerity in his words.

Dong Xuebing laughed. “No thanks, I’ll stick to serving the people.”

Director Sun smiled at this and said no more. He quickly put on his headset and returned to directing the event. The directing setup was simple—just a makeshift tent backstage with equipment and monitors. Soon, his voice came through, “Camera three, don’t stay on wide shots. Get some close-ups too!”

Meanwhile, Dong Xuebing exited from the side of the backstage area, bending slightly to avoid the live cameras, and quickly made his way to the fourth row in the west section, where the investors were seated. Surrounding him were company executives and business owners who had arrived yesterday and today, totaling nearly 300 people.

Dong Xuebing chose to sit here instead of in the front row with the other officials because the core purpose of this cultural festival was to attract investment. This was the primary goal and theme, where Dong Xuebing’s focus naturally lay. To him, mingling with the officials was superficial; what truly mattered was fostering relationships with the investors.

“Well, Secretary Dong is here!”

“Haha, Brother Dong, that performance was incredible!”

“How did you pull off that magic trick? Come on, give us a hint!”

When they landed at the airport, Dong Xuebing had already built rapport with many of them. The interactions were pleasant, and their enthusiasm and interest in him grew significantly after the magic show. Everyone seemed eager to engage with him.

This is what you'd call charisma!

Dong Xuebing thought smugly as he joined the conversation with the others. To avoid disrupting the surrounding audience, they all kept their voices low.

Zhang Dongfang had likely gone to the restroom earlier and had just returned. Noticing Dong Xuebing sitting among the investors, he glanced at him. Dong Xuebing caught his eye and responded with a nod of his own. Understanding the cue, Zhang Dongfang headed straight to the front row to sit with the government officials. Since Dong Xuebing was present, there was no need for both the county’s top two leaders to entertain the investors. Zhang Dongfang trusted Dong Xuebing’s way of handling things and knew he had a better rapport with the investors. With that in mind, Zhang Dongfang left this side to Dong Xuebing and went to attend to the leadership.

The dance performance ended.

Dozens of performers from the General Political Department’s Song and Dance Troupe exited the stage.

Although their performance couldn’t match the excitement of Dong Xuebing’s magic act, the audience still applauded heartily. It wasn’t just about the performance itself—seeing a live show by such a prestigious troupe was an honor for many.

“Who’s up next?”

“I can’t wait!”

“Ah! Chen Ying is coming out!”

“It’s Chen Ying! Chen Ying, I love you!”

Chen Ying made her entrance, and as soon as she stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted into cheers. This was a level of enthusiasm neither Zhang Dongfang nor Dong Xuebing had experienced during their appearances.

The music began.

Chen Ying sang one of her singles, titled Soar.

The melody was decent—catchy and easy to follow. However, the lyrics lacked depth and impact. Chen Ying’s vocal quality wasn’t particularly unique, and her singing skills were slightly lacking. It was no surprise that this single wasn’t a significant hit. But after all, Chen Ying wasn’t a professional singer; she was an actress known for her roles in television dramas and films. Acting was her forte, her area of expertise—not music. She didn’t graduate from a music conservatory either. Given all this, her performance was quite commendable. At the very least, no one could claim the song was terrible.

As the song ended, Chen Ying smiled and bowed.

The audience responded with thunderous applause and cheers. Scattered among the crowd, a few people raised light boards displaying her name, their glow shining brightly against the night sky.

This is the power of stardom. Her popularity served as the foundation. In truth, it didn’t matter much what Chen Ying sang or how well she sang it. The applause and cheers were guaranteed as long as she stood on stage.

Was it unfair?

There was no unfairness here.

Today’s applause was a testament to Chen Ying’s hard work, earned through years of effort and accumulation. It wasn’t something anyone could envy or begrudge.

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