I desperately want to win on the peninsula

Silent all night.

The following day at noon, Breeze Center, Taipei.

It's the weekend, and there are quite a few men and women shopping in the mall. With so many recent events, the crowds are quite dense.

I met with the organizers' staff along with Li Rongzhen. The company didn't have a translator, so communication was mainly handled by Lin Qianqiao.

The organizers felt refreshed the moment they saw Lin Qianqiao, realizing that the idol they had invited was indeed top-notch in appearance, and their original resentment towards the headquarters for not being able to invite another spokesperson, Super Junior, disappeared.

"Does Inui Takumi speak Chinese?"

"I studied for a long time when I was in school, so I can have some normal conversations."

"That's great! Do you know any Chinese songs? Your fans would be so happy if you sang one!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qianqiao explained the situation to Li Rongzhen, who was standing next to her. After waiting for a response, she turned to the organizer's supervisor and said, "I can do a little, but I might not sing very well..."

He was being honest; he had no problem with everyday conversations, but when it came to singing, he couldn't pronounce the syllables clearly and could only muddle through with his intonation.

"It's okay, as long as you can sing!" After understanding the situation, the manager replied cheerfully, "What songs can you sing? I'll have the DJ play the accompaniment."

"Either 'Ordinary Friends' or 'Lying' will do..." Lin Qianqiao pondered for a moment and suggested two songs that relied on vocal techniques to convey emotions. He explained that he would mispronounce words in songs that required too much emphasis on pronunciation, and both songs were by well-known local singers.

"Great! Let's sing both songs!" The manager immediately agreed and made the decision.

But it's interesting that he sang these two songs at the Valentine's Day event; he also actually sang "Guest"...

After some conversation, Lin Qianqiao was taken to have her makeup done and changed into clothing provided by the brand.

Looking in the mirror, the outfit looks like a cheap knock-off. He wears a white short-sleeved shirt over a navy blue plaid striped shirt, paired with washed denim jeans and ordinary high-top sneakers. It doesn't look fashionable on him; it just gives off a very casual, everyday vibe.

Because it was an offline event held in the center of the mall, after everything was prepared at the store, we went behind the backdrop to prepare, where we could see that many onlookers had already started to pay attention.

The main reason is the role of the MC. Many people are willing to join in the fun. Due to the impact of Korean culture, they are more or less curious when they hear that it is an event by idols from the Korean Peninsula.

With the MC's introduction, Lin Qianqiao slowly walked from the backdrop to the stage, took the microphone from the MC, and then introduced herself under the gaze of all the onlookers.

"Hello everyone, I'm Kyo from MONSTAX, from..."

Before the words were even finished, gasps of surprise rippled through the crowd, the source of which was unclear...

Wow! So handsome?

"Wow! He looks a bit like Aaron Yan~"

"You know what, they do look a bit alike, but I think he's more handsome. Maybe it's because he's younger?"

"Possibly...she does look very young~"

The crowd below the stage was buzzing with discussion, and a small group on the left side even seemed to be fans cheering, their voices quite concentrated.

Having seen this kind of scene before, Lin Qianqiao was not affected and delivered her introduction clearly and smoothly.

However, after finishing the introduction, Lin Qianqiao glanced subtly to the left and saw Wu Xiuzhen and Ye Shuhua, who were full of energy.

This girl is like a superhero; as long as she raises her arms and shouts a slogan, the girls surrounding her will respond, making her a great leader.

After Lin Qianqiao introduced herself, the MC, who was in the lead, helped to create a lively atmosphere and then brought up the topic of singing.

"Kyo has prepared two Chinese songs for this event!"

Are you looking forward to it?

"expect!"

In less than a second, Wu Xiuzhen made a megaphone shape with her hands and responded loudly. Perhaps because she was the leader, the girls around her started shouting along.

Lin Qianqiao, who had expected an awkward silence, smiled slightly after hearing this.

As a staff member brought over a stool, Lin Qianqiao took out his phone, explaining that he needed to look at the lyrics, but without a teleprompter, how could he possibly remember them...

Fortunately, I had made an annotated version before, and my phone has a gimbal function, so I could just find it.

Sitting quietly on the stool, waiting for the music to start, Lin Qianqiao could see many people in the audience looking at him with curiosity, probably because many of them were not familiar with him.

Lin Qianqiao wasn't too intimidated. He gave a perfectly timed smile and waved lightly in greeting.

As if in response, a round of applause ensued, and the accompaniment to "Ordinary Friends" began to play.

The melodious guitar strings resonated in the prelude. Meeting the gaze of the audience below, he held the microphone as if it were a fragile object, brought it close to his lips, and spoke in a gentle and tender voice, full of a sense of confession.

"expect

I am ready anytime, anywhere.

Be your emotional support

I have no questions

I guess

This is love...

The voice was deep and gentle, with a narrative quality and a cautious probing, as if speaking to the air or talking to oneself.

The entire space below the stage was unusually quiet. The audience was deeply moved by the restrained yet intense emotions, holding their breath and unwilling to break the solemn sorrow. Only the singing, the accompaniment, and his occasional breathing flowed in the air.

Many people could clearly feel the entanglement, tenderness, and unspeakable love he expressed.

The agonizing feeling of "wanting to get closer but being unable to, wanting to give up but being reluctant" permeated the entire space.

Wu Xiuzhen, sitting in the audience, stared wide-eyed. Just from listening to the intro and the verses, she felt that this guy was incredibly talented.

She leaned close to Ye Shuhua, who was listening intently, and whispered, "Wow~ I think I sang even better than you!"

"Tsk!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Shuhua instantly broke the mood, giving Wu Xiuzhen a light slap in annoyance, "Why do you have to yell at me when I'm happy!"

"Okay, okay~ Let's listen to music!" Wu Xiuzhen quickly admitted defeat.

As the lyrics touch upon an inner longing, "Don't let me think I'm your emotional crutch..."

The sound began to rise slightly, but it was not an explosion; rather, it was like an undercurrent surging beneath the calm surface of a lake.

A slight warmth seeped into the tone, carrying a hint of pleading, with a noticeable pause in breath, as if gathering courage, or as if choked by the "truth" about to be uttered.

Lin Qianqiao finally raised her eyes for a moment, briefly glancing ahead, but quickly looked away again, with a hint of panic and self-mockery.

"I can't just be ordinary friends~"

The feelings are so deep, how can I let go?

But you said I

I only want to be your friend

... "

His brow furrowed imperceptibly when he sang the key lines, a subtle crease appearing between his eyebrows, revealing his inner struggle, and his lips pressed even tighter.

The air was thick with regret, longing, helplessness, and a deep, still sorrow. Enveloped in this atmosphere, the audience felt not excruciating pain, but rather a lingering, restrained, and profound "bondage of love."

The silent audience, Lin Qianqiao's restrained performance, and the music itself together created a heartbreaking yet exceptionally beautiful emotional landscape.

As the music ended, there was no thunderous applause, or rather, a certain silence...

Although there was a slight awkward silence, Lin Qianqiao's idol instincts told him what to do. He put his phone, which he was using to look at the lyrics, aside, and with a smile, placed his hands together in a heart shape on his cheek. His bright, clear eyes curved into crescents, and his gaze accurately located Wu Xiuzhen and Ye Shuhua in the audience. This signature gesture, with its approachable, boy-next-door charm, was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.

"ah--!!!"

……

"ah--!!!"

Almost the instant he made a heart shape with his hands, Wu Xiuzhen's piercing scream broke the brief silence. She jumped up excitedly and waved her hands frantically.

The scream was like a starting pistol, igniting the atmosphere that had been temporarily frozen by the lingering notes of her singing. The girls surrounding her, and many more audience members who had been captivated by Lin Qianqiao's looks and voice, finally came to their senses.

It's normal for audiences to be slow to react or take a beat to the beat when faced with an unfamiliar male idol.

But male idols can't possibly not know how to create a lively atmosphere, unless they're too lazy to eat or too timid. But Lin Qianqiao knows her strengths and won't be intimidated. Instead, she confidently made this interactive gesture.

"So cute!"

"Kyo! Saranghae!"

"I received your kindness!"

"One more song!"

Applause, cheers, and shouts of support in Korean and Chinese erupted suddenly, more enthusiastic and concentrated than ever before. Many passersby who had initially just stopped to watch couldn't help but clap along, their faces beaming with admiration.

Lin Qianqiao's timely and precise interaction instantly brought the audience, who were immersed in the song's melancholy mood, back to reality and ignited the enthusiasm of the audience.

Standing next to Wu Xiuzhen, Ye Shuhua, though not as outgoing as her friend, was also caught up in the atmosphere. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she clapped enthusiastically along with everyone, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the stage. Wu Xiuzhen, even more excited, turned to Ye Shuhua and shouted, "See that! I told you he's an amazing cook! He's so handsome!"

The experienced MC on stage immediately seized upon this heightened emotional moment, grabbing the microphone and exclaiming, "Wow! It seems everyone has been touched by Kyo's love, right? Singing such a deeply moving Chinese song, and interacting with the audience so sweetly—it's truly amazing! Everyone, do you want to hear more?"

"Yes—!!!" The audience responded in unison, with Wu Xiuzhen's voice standing out particularly.

"Alright! Let's hand the stage over to Kyo again, and have him perform his second Chinese song—'Lying'! Let's give him a round of applause!"

Amidst the renewed applause, Lin Qianqiao gave a slight bow, his smile undiminished. He picked up his phone again—the one he had casually placed on the stool while making a heart shape with his hands—and expertly swiped the screen to find the lyrics file for "Lying."

He took a deep breath, adjusted the microphone, and waited for the prelude, which carried even more complex emotions, to begin.

Lee Young-jin stood in the staff area further back. He couldn't understand the lyrics, but he could feel the change in the atmosphere, especially the enthusiasm of the audience after Lin Qianqiao made a heart gesture. This made him smile with satisfaction. Looking at Lin Qianqiao, who was bathed in light, he nodded to himself.

"The company made the right decision to send him to help with the event. His quick thinking and language skills are a huge asset in this kind of situation."

The organizer's manager was grinning from ear to ear, whispering to his colleague, "We've struck gold! This is definitely a steal!"

A woman wearing sunglasses and a mask standing not far away watched Lin Qianqiao on the stage with great interest. She was somewhat surprised to see him here, someone she had met at a Swarovski event before. She thought it was quite a coincidence.

The prelude to "Lying" features a gentle, melancholic piano melody that flows out slowly. Unlike the tender and affectionate "Ordinary Friends," this song has a more repressed and introspective tone.

The smile on Lin Qianqiao's face gradually faded, replaced by a quietude that seemed to tell a story. He lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze fixed on the phone screen, as if carefully choosing his words, or perhaps recalling something.

"I've had a few good relationships."

It's not that I'm lonely or alone.

Perhaps my promiscuity makes people uneasy.

That's why they all ended up dying...

His voice rang out again, lacking the cautious probing and pleading of "Ordinary Friends," replaced by a feigned ease tinged with weariness and self-deprecation. His enunciation still carried a hint of the sticky, lilting quality characteristic of foreign accents, but under the deliberately controlled low tone, it added a unique narrative charm, like confiding one's innermost thoughts to a stranger in a late-night bar.

The commotion below the stage quickly subsided, and the audience was once again drawn into another emotional vortex by his voice. Wu Xiuzhen also quieted down, focusing intently on the stage, and whispered to Ye Shuhua, "This song seems really difficult to sing... He's really amazing."

Ye Shuhua didn't speak, but nodded slightly, her gaze following the figure in the center of the stage who was speaking in Chinese with a strange accent, eloquently expressing complex emotions.

Lin Qianqiao was immersed in the emotions of the song, occasionally glancing up at the audience with a dreamy look that seemed to penetrate the crowd, as if she were not performing, but making a sincere confession.

When he sang the key line, "Life is already so difficult, so let's not expose some things," the helplessness and bitterness in his voice made many viewers tremble slightly.

Although Lee Yong-jin backstage couldn't understand the lyrics, he was also caught up in the atmosphere, raising an eyebrow slightly and thinking that this tune was more interesting than the previous one.

Meanwhile, at the front side of the stage, Wu Xiuzhen and Ye Shuhua were completely immersed in the song, forgetting to cheer and simply listening quietly, feeling this "lie" that came from a foreign land but unexpectedly resonated with them.

Lin Qianqiao's singing voice flowed under the bright lights of the shopping mall, creating a subtle contrast with the sweet commercial atmosphere on the eve of Qixi Festival. The way he held his phone still had that casual boy-next-door air, but the emotional weight carried in his singing made this figure in a shirt and jeans stand out exceptionally clearly and uniquely on stage.

He knew that within the melody of "Lying," he needed to tell another story about saying one thing and meaning another.

After the performance, there was applause and cheers without any prompting. In addition to the audience who had already stopped to watch, there were also many tourists leaning against the glass railing on the upper floors.

Lin Qianqiao stood up and bowed politely in response, and the staff quickly removed the high stools from the stage.

The purpose of the bar stool was to keep time, because the organizers didn't even provide him with an in-ear monitor. Lin Qianqiao could only sit and tap one foot on the floor to keep time, otherwise the rhythm would easily get out of control. So they had to communicate and handle it in a simple way.

At typical offline events, he doesn't have much to do. The MC helps to get the audience engaged, and the idol just needs to pose for nice photos and maybe get some food.

Since it was my first time participating in an event here, I readily agreed to the organizer's additional request.

According to the procedure at the Peninsula, he only needed to browse the stores, and then say goodbye after the event ended.

Fortunately, the performance of the two songs was very successful, and Lin Qianqiao was indeed very satisfied with their first meeting in this setting.

……