Chapter 115 - 100: Overnight Sensation, Hearing Inner Thoughts

Chapter 115: Chapter 100: Overnight Sensation, Hearing Inner Thoughts

A single line, sung before the actor had even appeared, sent ripples through the entire opera house.

Every opera fan in attendance shuddered, feeling as if the voice had hooks that burrowed straight into their hearts, leaving them itching with anticipation.

’This is worth it!’

’That voice alone made the trip worthwhile!’

The Class Leaders and famous actors from rival Opera Troupes, who had come hoping to see a joke unfold, felt the disdainful smirks freeze on their faces. They subconsciously sat up straighter, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

’That voice, that charm... Where did the Qingchun Troupe find such a talent?’

As the audience’s hearts pounded with excitement, the stage curtains slowly parted.

A figure glided forward with graceful, lotus-like steps, slowly moving to the front of the stage.

In that instant, it felt as though everyone in the Guangle Building had stopped breathing.

The performer on stage wore a magnificent Cyan Robe and a dazzling, jeweled headdress. Their face was exquisitely made up, with brows like distant, dark mountains and eyes like shimmering autumn waters.

For a moment, everyone was utterly transfixed.

As stunning as the poster had been, it was ultimately just a flat image.

But the living person before them—in every smile and frown, in the way their eyes moved—possessed a vibrant, soul-stealing beauty.

In their private room, Mr. Lu and Qi Shihao—two middle-aged men who had seen their fair share of storms—were utterly dumbfounded, forgetting even to lower the teacups in their hands.

Lu Jinghong’s cheeks flushed crimson. Her traitorous heart pounded in her chest, and her eyes glittered with a strange light.

In another, less conspicuous box, a well-dressed man with a pipe clenched in his teeth had been lounging lazily in his chair. But now, he shot upright, so abruptly that he didn’t even notice the pipe falling from his lips to the floor. His eyes were locked on the figure on stage, completely unable to look away.

Meanwhile, Chen Ye stood on stage, feeling the gazes of thousands converge upon him, his heart as calm as still water in a deep well.

His Soul-Stealing Diva Talent activated silently, pushing the effects of his Dramatic Appearance Skill to their absolute peak.

In the eyes of the audience, he was no longer Chen Ye, but Du Liniang, the character from the play.

His singing, his posture, every glance and every movement—all of it brought the character’s infatuation, resentment, pouting, and joy to vivid life.

It was a beauty that transcended gender, striking directly at the soul.

The song ended, but its melody seemed to linger in the air.

Yet below the stage, there was still a dead silence.

In the wings, Guan Sihai’s palms were slick with sweat, his heart lodged in his throat.

’What’s going on? Why isn’t anyone cheering? Did he bomb?’

Beside him, Deng Ming was also drenched in a nervous sweat, constantly dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief.

’He had staked his reputation and the good name of the Guangle Building on promoting Chen Ye. If this blew up in their faces, he could kiss his job as manager goodbye!’

Just as the two men were consumed by anxiety.

"Bravo!"

The man with the pipe on the second floor was the first to break into applause.

That single cry was the spark that ignited the entire theater.

Thunderous applause and a tsunami of cheers swept through the Guangle Building.

Guan Sihai and Deng Ming’s knees buckled, and they nearly collapsed. An instant later, their faces were masks of pure ecstasy.

They knew. He had done it.

Sure enough, for the remainder of the opera, Chen Ye was the undisputed center of attention.

Each of his arias earned a fresh round of applause, and his every movement elicited screams from the crowd.

The audience clapped until their palms were red and shouted until their voices were hoarse, yet they remained tireless.

As for the rivals who had come to gloat, they now sat slumped in their chairs, their faces ashen and their spirits crushed.

They knew that starting tonight, the world of the Sea Guardian Guard’s Peach Garden Lineage was about to be turned upside down.

This young man, Chen Ye, would reign supreme over the Cyan Robe Role in all of the Sea Guardian Guard. He would become a lingering nightmare for every other Dan Role Actor.

After what felt like an eternity, the opera finally concluded.

Chen Ye stood center stage and gave a deep bow to the audience for his curtain call.

But the audience below acted as if they hadn’t heard the final gong. Not a single person rose to leave; they all continued to stare at him with feverish intensity.

Suddenly, someone threw a gleaming Ocean onto the stage. It landed with a crisp clink.

It was followed by an unending stream of CLINKING and CLANKING.

Countless copper plates and Oceans rained down on the stage from all directions.

This was an old custom in the Sea Guardian Guard—the most direct way for fans to show their adoration for a star performer.

"Thank you all for your generous support."

Chen Ye clasped his hands and bowed repeatedly in thanks. The moment he spoke, his clear, pure, masculine voice carried throughout the theater.

That was like poking a hornet’s nest.

"He’s a man! It’s actually a man!"

"Heavens! How can a man portray a woman so beautifully!"

"I don’t care! Man or woman, I love him!"

The crowd, especially the women in the audience, went even wilder.

A man with a face that could topple kingdoms—the stark contrast made his charisma multiply exponentially.

More money rained down, soon covering the stage in a thin layer.

In her private room, Lu Jinghong’s face was flushed with excitement as she paced back and forth in a panic.

’She wanted to throw something too, but she hadn’t brought any money!’

In a moment of desperation, she grit her teeth, slipped the exquisite gold bracelet from her wrist, wrapped it carefully in her handkerchief, and threw it toward the center of the stage with all her might!

"Boss Chen, I love you!"

The young lady’s clear, bold cry echoed distinctly throughout the entire opera house.

The shout was like a ladle of cold water hitting a wok of sizzling oil!