Chapter 118: The Countdown Resumes—Return to the Martial World!

The large screen timely focused on the young man, beside whom the girl was already shyly hiding her face. Suddenly called out by Zhou Miao, the boy was momentarily flustered, his face flushing red. Yet, mustering his courage, he climbed onto the stage.

Zhou Miao handed him a microphone and draped an arm over his shoulder, asking, “How much did the tickets cost?”

The boy stammered, “Over three thousand, bought two tickets from a friend.”

Zhou Miao nodded. “You spent over three thousand on two concert tickets, but you spent the whole time staring at that girl? Are you really my fan?”

“Yes, I’m a die-hard fan!” Under the gaze of a hundred thousand people, the boy’s hands trembled nervously.

“All right, if you can sing through the entire ‘Rooftop’ with me without missing a word, I’ll give you two front-row tickets for my next concert—though I don’t even know when that will be.”

“Deal!” The boy was elated—a front-row ticket! Even if he couldn’t make it, he could easily resell them for tens of thousands.

The music began, and Zhou Miao sang softly:

“Can't sleep in the middle of the night,
Turning my mood into a song,
I can only go to the rooftop to find another dream.”

The boy raised the microphone and continued:

“Woken from sleep, still unsure,
How is there such a moving melody on the opposite rooftop?
Quietly closing the door, I climb up with hope,
It turns out to be the person who often appears in my dreams!”

On the stage of the Bird’s Nest, two men sang the heartfelt love song “Rooftop” in duet, instantly filling the air with a warm, electrifying atmosphere.

The fans, trying to suppress their smiles, joined in the chorus.

Since its release, “Rooftop” had firmly held the top spot on KTV request charts—anyone taking a girl to sing KTV would inevitably pick this song!

Yet, here was the original singer Zhou Miao, performing it for the first time on stage as a duet with another man!

What the fans didn’t know was that Zhao Li, the other original singer of “Rooftop,” was backstage.

After the song ended, Zhou Miao applauded the boy, “That was pretty good. After the concert, stick around and leave your contact with the staff—I’ll send you the tickets.”

The boy beamed and left the stage.

Zhou Miao continued with several songs, then paused to take a sip of water and asked, “How many of you still remember the band Countdown?”

For many, the name was unfamiliar, but Zhou Miao’s old fans erupted in screams.

That summer at the Strawberry Music Festival, four spirited young men had shot across the sky like meteors, only to vanish afterward.

Could it be that the Countdown band was reuniting today?

With a grand gesture, Zhou Miao shouted, “Let’s welcome the Countdown band with a round of applause!”

Sparks flew on stage as the three members of Countdown slowly rose from the lift, each clad in rock-style leather jackets, exuding coolness.

Zhou Miao caught the guitar tossed to him by Ma Yun and addressed the microphone, “Next, please sing along with us, ‘Leaving the Surface of the Earth’!”

At the mention of the familiar song title, the remaining audience finally recalled who the Countdown band was.

Zhou Miao had once released an EP containing just two songs—“Leaving the Surface of the Earth” and “One Night in Beijing”—under the name Countdown band.

A high school band that had risen to fame at the Strawberry Music Festival, only to disband immediately afterward.

No one expected to see them reunite more than a year later. This concert ticket was worth every penny!

“Throw away your watch, throw away your jacket,
Throw away your backpack and the nagging,
Throw away the TV, throw away the computer,
Throw away your brain and throw away your worries,
Whatever you rush for, big or small,
There will always be someone singing against it,
Hate more, love less,
Just want to jump crazier and crazier,
Jump higher and higher, shaking off the Earth!”

Zhou Miao suddenly thrust the microphone toward the crowd, sparking a massive sing-along.

“One heart pounding wildly! In an instant, all worries, worries, worries are forgotten!”

The deafening chorus echoed backstage, compelling even Zhao Li to stand up, overwhelmed by the fiery atmosphere despite not seeing the scene firsthand.

A hundred thousand voices singing together—just imagining it made her eyes shine. No singer could resist such a temptation; she was itching to go on stage!

After finishing “Leaving the Surface of the Earth” and “One Night in Beijing,” Zhou Miao said, “Tonight is the first concert of my life. Thank you all for coming.”

“So, here’s a new song from Countdown band, ‘You’re Not Truly Happy,’ for everyone!”

A new song? The crowd was instantly surprised and fell silent in anticipation.

“In the crowd, crying,
You only want to become a transparent color,
You no longer dream, feel pain, or have a heartbeat,
You’ve made up your mind, you’ve made up your mind,
You quietly endure,
Tightly holding yesterday in your fists,
And the sweeter the memory, the more it hurts,
Leaving deep, shallow, countless cuts in your palm,
You’re not truly happy,
Your smile is just your protective mask,
You’ve decided not to hate, and also decided not to love,
Locking your soul inside a shell forever!”

Among Zhou Miao’s fans, there was a saying: Miao Ge has three talents—deadly words, moving melodies, and heart-wrenching lyrics.

“You’re Not Truly Happy” perfectly combined moving melody and piercing lyrics.

Especially the line, “You’re not truly happy, your smile is just your protective mask,” which resonated deeply with countless fans.

Hearing the song live, many fans had tears streaming down their faces, their emotional armor shattering in that moment.

Who doesn’t hope someone could see through their disguise and offer a warm embrace?

The song was both sorrowful and deeply healing, leaving listeners cleansed of gloom, filled only with emotion.

Backstage, Zhao Li wept so hard her elegant makeup was ruined.

“Please touch up my makeup; I’m going on stage soon,” she sobbed to the makeup artist.

With the new song finished, the atmosphere reached its peak.

The three members of Countdown came to the front of the stage and bowed deeply to the audience. Tonight was goodbye, with no telling when they’d meet again.

Zhou Miao joined them in a group hug, thanking his friends for their support.

Then Zhou Miao handed the stage over to Zhao Li, having sung for a long time and needing a break.

After a quick makeup touch-up, Zhao Li steadied herself and sang three songs on stage. The fans were generous, waving glow sticks vigorously and singing along whenever they could.

Zhao Li didn’t want to leave the stage afterward, already dreaming of holding her own concert at the Bird’s Nest someday.

Zhou Miao returned to the stage, singing for over half an hour more, then briefly interacting with fans. The originally planned three-hour concert was flying by.

Looking out at the still passionate crowd, Zhou Miao announced, “Tonight’s final song, ‘Sunny Day’!”

As the most popular track from Zhou Miao’s new album, fans had been eagerly awaiting this moment.

When the music began, everyone sang along in unison, their voices hoarse and sore, perhaps unable to speak tomorrow, but determined to finish the last song together.

On stage, Zhou Miao, exhausted, sat on the edge, using every last breath to sing through the song. His breath faltered, and his pitch wavered, but no one cared.

Tonight, Zhou Miao was like a rolling heatwave at center stage, burning fiercely under the spotlight in this shimmering night.