Chapter 101: A Fiery and Thrilling Opening Performance

One week later, the debut of the Masked All-Rounder King commenced, slowly unveiling like a bride’s veil amid the eager anticipation of countless fans.

Lu Ran nervously directed in the broadcast studio. Tonight was the premiere, and to ensure everything went flawlessly, they had rehearsed dozens of times over the past two months. Yet his expression remained solemn and intense.

After confirming there would be no mistakes, he sipped coffee in the director’s room while browsing the lively skirmishes among fans on Weibo, a proud smile playing across his face.

For this season of Masked All-Rounder King, striving for genuine talent rather than mere spectacle, Lu Ran resolutely rejected the TV executives’ suggestion to release a teaser episode first. Although a teaser could attract early fans, it risked giving the impression that the show relied on a few big names riding on their fame.

Instead, his strategy was to release five-minute conceptual shorts through official channels, all masked and filmed with a sci-fi drama approach—mysterious and intriguing—leaving people irresistibly curious about the performances these stars would deliver.

At first, the network’s higher-ups were skeptical: without pre-release hype, how could there be buzz? But Lu Ran’s insistence won them over, with the caveat that he alone would bear all consequences.

Today, Lu Ran’s unprecedented idea proved wildly successful, exceeding expectations. Before the network even uttered a word, fans and marketing accounts had already launched several polls online, their enthusiasm shining like a starry feast.

Vote for your most anticipated performance.
Best costume design.
Most creative...

Fans of Ling Ziheng, Chu Chuo, and Ye Linyun had long begun building momentum online, creating trending topics and hot discussions across nearly every media platform.

At last, Lu Ran exhaled deeply. His show had already dominated three Weibo trending topics, with related reposts exceeding one million—a true nationwide mobilization.

In stark contrast, tonight’s final episode of Cross-Boundary Stars barely registered any attention, almost completely ignored. Masked All-Rounder King had clearly taken a commanding lead. The network executives praised him highly; his hand trembled as he lit a cigarette, but he steadied himself. After all, the show was just beginning—whether the premiere would close smoothly was the true test.

Backstage in the VIP makeup room, Ling Ziheng was already made up. Disliking outsiders’ interference, he always had his fixed makeup artist, and for major events, Mei Ning personally handled his look.

“Oh wow, boss, if it weren’t for Lin Ge’s inspiration, I wouldn’t have dared such a bold design. You’re so handsome I’m about to transform!” Mei Ning shouted to the man resting with his eyes closed in the chair.

Today, the man was outrageously handsome. Mei Ning carefully studied his sculpted features. Ling Ziheng was stunning even without makeup, but today’s subtle enhancements were breathtaking, enough to make even a straight man question himself.

Following Lin Ge’s instructions and to better match the theme of the performance, his hair was slicked back in shades of pale blue and black, paired with faint blue eyeliner—subtle, yet enchanting against his fair skin, like a mesmerizing king of sea sirens.

Ling Ziheng furrowed his brow slightly, eyes closed, resting. Even his frown stirred hearts, but his aura remained cold. Mei Ning sighed, continuing to tweak the hairstyle, searching for any imperfections, silently pleading, “Lin Ge, why aren’t you here yet? The boss is getting restless.”

Meanwhile, Lin Zhiwei wore a simple black casual suit, blending among the orderly entering audience and staff, her gaze sharp as she stood at the highest vantage point surveying the stage.

Although she had inspected this stage many times before, tonight was truly the main event. The crowd’s murmurs grew louder as fans, holding light sticks and placards, took their seats with excitement and order.

She smiled calmly. At Fushiji University, she had designed many stages, but they were mostly niche plays and dramas with only a few dozen attendees. The largest, a production of Carmen, attracted only about a hundred.

Tonight’s stage, however, held a thousand live spectators, plus countless online viewers tuning into the livestream. Her palms felt slightly warm—this was her first time, and nerves lingered until her phone vibrated, pulling her back to focus.

“What’s wrong, Mei Ning?” she asked.

“Lin Ge, why aren’t you here yet? The boss’s energy is so low I got kicked out of the lounge. Hurry back!” Mei Ning whispered near the dressing room door.

“Let him rest properly for now. What good would it do if I went back? Besides, this scene is nothing to him—he’ll handle it effortlessly,” Lin Zhiwei replied indifferently. At this critical moment, she didn’t want to stir trouble or risk Ye Linyun witnessing a showdown of epic proportions.

“I swear, Lin Ge, are you suffering from male chauvinism? No, female chauvinism... The boss is practically screaming for hugs and comfort. Do you even know how to date?” Mei Ning rubbed her nose, wondering if they’d been handed the wrong script.

Their boss had already gotten the upper hand—being together seemed inevitable. Why was Lin Ge so clueless and oblivious? Drowning in work wasn’t the way to devote himself. How would they survive in the days to come?

“Alright, alright, I’m coming back to serve him,” Lin Zhiwei rolled her eyes. Fine, she’d check on the makeup effect—just in case the enchanting man suddenly decided to flirt. She had only just given him a bit of sunlight a few days ago; she wasn’t about to let him get too cocky now.

Lin Zhiwei walked toward the VIP lounge, instructing Zhao Lei and Xiao Yu to focus on their respective duties.

Ling Ziheng, Chu Chuo, and Ye Linyun each had their own rest and makeup rooms; the remaining artists shared a common lounge. She moved down the narrow corridor, passing first Ye Linyun’s room, then Chu Chuo’s, and last was Ling Ziheng’s.

From Ye Linyun’s room came bursts of curses. Lin Zhiwei shook her head and hurried past. With that fiery temper, she’d be despised sooner or later. The higher she climbed, the harder she’d fall. Unfortunately, Ye—the queen of shadows—could not understand this truth at all in this moment.