IDEI CH47

In the blink of an eye, the day of TND’s official debut album release arrived.

In truth, album presales had begun some time ago. The presales were for physical albums, reaching 600,000 copies on the first day, and by the time of the official release, 1.7 million copies had already been sold. For a newly debuted group, this was already considered an exceptional achievement. Consequently, after seeing these numbers, TND quietly redoubled their efforts in practice, wanting to deliver an even better result for the fans who supported them.

Their title track this time was a retro-futuristic concept song, rather grand in scale, while the B-sides were far more eclectic.

From ballads to high-energy dance tracks, they had it all.

Among these, in addition to the title track “New World Fantasy,” the B-sides “Flower Bomb” and “The Bird That Never Lands” also had dedicated choreography.

Therefore, TND had recently been drilling these three songs continuously, practically etching the movements into their bones.

An Zai had once complained to Qi Yanning that these three songs were practically engraved into his DNA.

One day toward the end of practice, his consciousness had turned hazy, and he had even blacked out for a brief stretch in the middle. Yet when he watched the recorded video afterward, from his moves to his facial expressions, everything was no different from usual; if anything, his slightly unfocused gaze had actually earned praise for fitting the song’s concept…

“You have no idea how unreasonable Qingyi-ge is!” An Zai grumbled endlessly. “Sometimes even I can’t see the difference, but he’ll say, ‘An Zai, your movement angle was five degrees too low’! Is that kind of dynamic visual acuity even humanly possible? If Qingyi-ge became a referee, they wouldn’t even need Hawkeye challenges!”

Qi Yanning found it amusing to hear. Still, despite An Zai’s complaining, he had never once slacked off in practice, remaining utterly dedicated throughout.

This was also why Qi Yanning appreciated TND: regardless of their personalities, the members were all hardworking individuals who never cut corners.

Looking at the visibly nervous TND members, he shook his head with a gentle smile.

At this moment, they were in the van heading to the showcase recording studio.

Everyone’s first look had already been completed back at the villa, with clean, fresh makeup gracing every face, pure to the utmost degree.

Today marked the official album release. The music video would drop at 5:00 PM, and the showcase would kick off at 7:00 PM.

Because it was their debut album, this showcase did not sell offline tickets, opting solely for an online livestream format, featuring three brand-new stages throughout the night.

In fact, starting from early this morning, TND’s fans had already grown impatient.

Across various platforms and group chats, they voiced their boundless anticipation.

[Ahhhhh how are there still eight hours left!!]

[Help, why is it still so far away, I can’t wait any longer]

[The teaser photos are genuinely so handsome! Gorgeous! TND is an all-visual group, no arguments accepted]

[All three sets of teaser photos are insanely good. The styling suits them so well! It’s so handsome I’m crawling on all fours]

[The stylist who came up with the wild concept is a genius. I’d call that set of teaser photos the best of the year!]

[So… why isn’t it 5:00 PM yet!!]

“Why is five o’clock coming so fast!” Gong Jiayu clutched his phone, his hands trembling.

The thought of their music video officially going live in just a little while made it hard for him to breathe. The members and the entire crew had poured everything into this MV, so he feared receiving negative reviews.

Inside the green room, the others wore equally tense expressions.

Seeing their anxious states, Qi Yanning arched an eyebrow. “What, what are you afraid of?”

“Will they like this MV?” Lou Yuxing asked with a look of worry.

“Of course,” Qi Yanning said with absolute certainty. “Trust my aesthetic. There won’t be any issues with this MV.”

Infected by Qi Yanning’s powerful confidence, the boys let out a sigh of relief, though only a slight one.

“Alright, go change your clothes, let’s rehearse on stage one more time,” Xiao Yingyi said with furrowed brows, sensing that staying this nervous wouldn’t do.

The members obediently changed and headed to the stage. Staff members were currently calibrating the equipment, so the boys didn’t disturb them, merely propping up a phone to record themselves running through all three songs.

Afterward, all nine heads huddled around the single phone screen to spot flaws. In reality, after enduring such intense, demanding training for so long, their performances were practically flawless; the only issues they could pick out were minor details like facial expression management or catching camera angles.

Even so, they analyzed everything with utmost seriousness before heading back to the green room backstage.

By then, it was already 5:20 PM. The music video had been live for twenty minutes.

When they walked into the green room, they saw Qi Yanning sitting there, watching their MV on the room’s large screen.

“Qi-ge…” An Zai was uncharacteristically nervous. “How are the reviews?”

Qi Yanning glanced at him. “Very good. Want to see for yourself?”

An Zai instantly brightened, turning his gaze to the screen. The bullet comments were entirely composed of praise, and when he clicked into the comment section, it was likewise a flood of acclaim.

“Awesome!” The members were ecstatic, clutching their phones to scroll repeatedly, excited flushes rising to their cheeks.

Once they started reading, they became completely absorbed, sharing the positive comments with one another and even taking screenshots to save them.

Soon it was 6:50 PM, close to their stage time.

“Put your phones down, everyone,” Qin Haoyu said in a deep voice. “You’re a bit too hyped right now. Calm down a little.”

The members obediently put their phones away, working to soothe their fluttering excitement.

Their first stage had an ethereal, cool concept; they couldn’t possibly take the stage in such an overly excited state!

Meanwhile, out front on the still-dark livestream display, numerous fans were already chatting away with excitement.

[The MV is filmed so well, super high-end!]

[Never expected the MV to look this good! Morning Star Entertainment truly spent money!]

[Excited excited excited excited]

[TND charge for me!]

[The whole album sounds so good! Zero skip tracks, genuinely, I’m crying]

[I saw the preview saying there are three stages today, anticipation is through the roof!]

…

They chatted with fiery enthusiasm until the screen suddenly flared to life.

Against a sky-blue backdrop, nine silhouettes emerged.

[It’s starting!]

[!!!!!]

The nine were clad in pure white garments, their trousers soft and pristine white as well. Looking exceedingly plain and understated, it left the live chat somewhat puzzled.

[What is this??]

[Did you run out of money after filming the MV? The styling is so simple]

[@QiYanning is something wrong with you? Why is the styling so half-hearted this time?]

[Dropping the ball at the crucial moment?]

However, their doubts evaporated in short order.

As the music began, the camera slowly pushed in, freezing on Lou Yuxing’s face. His makeup at this moment was exceptionally minimalist; even his lip color was barely there, and white eyeliner gave him an ethereal, cool detachment, reminiscent of pure snow.

Glancing back over his shoulder, his eyes, framed by pale blue contact lenses, stared straight into the lens, devoid of mundane human sentiment, bordering on the divine.

[Holy crap, wifey!!]

[What kind of noble, aloof immortal is this?]

[Here it is, the ‘looking at trash’ gaze, I’m in heaven]

[Xiao Xing is too gorgeous today!!]

[This is truly a visual critical hit]

…

The live comments refreshed at breakneck speed, all praising Lou Yuxing’s styling.

Watching the broadcast and reading the comments, Qi Yanning gave a slight nod; the desired effect of this styling had been achieved.

Lou Yuxing’s androgynous features were ideally suited for extreme aesthetic concepts; whether maximally vibrant or maximally minimalist, both produced breathtaking results. This makeup was designed precisely to highlight his understated aura. When stripped down to the absolute limit, Lou Yuxing radiated an almost celestial presence, untouched by sorrow, joy, anger, or resentment.

Subsequently, the camera swept across each of the other members’ faces.

To accentuate the pure aesthetic, everyone’s skin tone was unified to a fair shade this time. Yet thanks to Qi Yanning’s exquisite technique, rather than appearing caked or mask-like, it looked remarkably translucent and natural.

Fair complexions paired with minimalist styling made every one of them seem sculpted from ice and snow, pristine and untouched.

As the vocals kicked in, the nine finally began their choreography.

“The Bird That Never Lands” was a melancholic ballad, and its choreography leaned toward contemporary dance, fluid and expressive, brimming with emotional resonance.

With their movements, the seemingly ordinary outfits gradually revealed their hidden secrets.

The white shirts actually featured a layer of feather embellishments on the surface. The feathers were not sewn down rigidly, fluttering as they moved, imparting a gentle, lingering grace to their lines.

The trousers appeared to be plain white pants on the surface, but the wide hems shimmered with iridescent ripples in motion, resembling mother-of-pearl gems or sunlit water.

In this way, the ostensibly plain garments came alive with the members’ motion, as if infused with a soul in an instant.

Because of this wardrobe, TND’s movements were accentuated with effortless fluidity, tracing graceful arcs with every kick and reach.

Synchronized with the melody, the nine members melted completely into the song, tenacious and mournful, just like nine birds flying endlessly without ever landing, because landing meant death.

[!!!]

[Holy crap, did TND’s skill level jump again? Terrifyingly formidable!]

[My eyes can’t even keep up, I finally understand what breathtaking beauty feels like…]

[This stage is too overwhelming. Fluidity combined with crisp synchronization gave me goosebumps all over]

[Never thought TND could pull off this style (yes, looking at you, An Zai)]

[This terrifying emotional pull, mark down another god-tier stage for the year!]

[Top-tier lighting and props, top-tier skills and looks, top-tier styling, TND really is…]

[These outfits are seriously so gorgeous!! The feathers on the shirts and the polarized shimmer on the trouser legs are stunning, styling that fits the track to perfection]

[I’m tired of saying how brilliant TND’s stylist is!!]

…

After the stage concluded, a staff member filling in as host took the stage to announce that the next performance would begin in thirty minutes, after which the screen plunged back into blackness.

Yet such a long intermission did not dampen viewers’ enthusiasm; instead, clips being uploaded to Xingbo drew even more new viewers to the stream.

[Xingbo sightseeing tourist +1]

[TND fans were secretly eating good behind everyone’s backs again!]

[Excuse me, how much longer to wait? I can hardly keep calm]

…

Backstage, the nine were frantically changing. Pulling off three different looks for three stages was a massive gamble.

Generally, a showcase used a single styling setup from beginning to end. However, their three stages featured completely distinct concepts. To maximize stage impact, someone had suggested leaving a thirty-minute window for a rapid transformation. They had held several meetings previously without reaching a consensus, but ultimately placed their faith in Qi Yanning’s capabilities, committing to this risky decision.

“Hurry, hurry, hurry, go change clothes first!!” The backstage staff’s voices were cracking with urgency as they called the members over. In the changing area, five assistants were already on standby to help them change as swiftly as possible.

Outside, Qi Yanning had arranged all the necessary cosmetics within arm’s reach. Wu Jianming, Chu Sixiu, and Li Jinshi beside him were visibly tense.

“Don’t be nervous. There is plenty of time,” Qi Yanning said.

The assistants couldn’t even manage a forced smile, their eyes glued to the dressing curtain.

Though they had rehearsed this workflow countless times, nerves still ran high.

Soon, the first batch of three members emerged in their new wardrobe. Qi Yanning pressed Xiao Yingyi into a chair, deepening his eyebrows, altering the eyeliner color, and sweeping a pale pink blush generously across his eyelids and cheeks. He then accented the inner half of the eyes with light green and yellow, finally accentuating the aegyo sal.

His hands were exceptionally steady, moving with instinctive precision and speed, wrapping everything up in a mere two and a half minutes.

The moment Qi Yanning finished his portion, Chu Sixiu stepped forward quickly, affixing pre-prepared 3D floral accents onto Xiao Yingyi’s face, sweeping seamlessly from his cheekbone across the bridge of his nose. Although her lips trembled from nerves, her hands remained perfectly steady.

Finally, Wu Jianming and Li Jinshi stepped in, one styling the hair while the other attached accessories. Dividing the labor with four hands darting back and forth, they progressed rapidly.

Before long, Xiao Yingyi’s styling was complete. With his look done, the three assistants hit their stride, matching Qi Yanning’s tempo.

Ultimately, at the twenty-seven-minute mark, all nine transformations were finished. Qi Yanning inspected each look, fine-tuning minor details, sending them toward the stage precisely at the thirty-minute mark.

“Oh, that was terrifying!” Li Jinshi slumped into a chair, patting her cheeks to soothe her frayed nerves.

“I can’t believe we actually pulled it off!” Chu Sixiu had a dazed expression. Reworking hair and makeup like this in half an hour was truly unbelievable.

Wu Jianming nodded in agreement.

“You have been trained by me for so long,” Qi Yanning remarked with a faint half-smile. “If you couldn’t pull it off today, I would have to question your comprehension skills.”

The three instantly shuddered.

Why did the Great Demon King suddenly bare his fangs, ahhhh!!

Out front, however, a different scene unfolded. With the members still preparing and the stream screen dark, some comments in the chat had begun grumbling.

[Changing clothes takes half an hour?]

[Why is it taking so long…]

[Other groups dance through multiple stages back-to-back at showcases. TND can’t possibly lack the stamina, needing a thirty-minute break after a five-minute stage, right?]

[I really want to see what kind of miracles they can pull out of changing clothes…]

As that comment drifted past, the screen lit up, and viewers sucked in a sharp breath.

They had literally pulled flowers out of it!

On stage, unlike the varied starting stances of the previous track, the nine stood in a V-formation, heads bowed with hands clasped in front.

The wide angle obscured their faces, but their garments were visible in vivid detail.

All nine wore suits, yet the suit colors were entirely distinct.

Lavender purple, sunny orange, apple green, jasmine yellow… light, breezy suits of varied shades were worn across the group. Even more marvelous was that every suit featured cohesive floral motifs. Whether one side of the hem dissolved into cascading petal cuts, flowers of matching hues clustered at the collar, or a floral vine trailed from shoulder to leg…

Vibrant colors and layered, delicate blossoms made the entire frame look like an enchanting garden, delivering an immense visual impact.

As the drumbeat dropped and the members raised their heads, the chat fell dead silent.

Their makeup had transformed completely! Where they had been icy and aloof moments ago, now spring was in full bloom.

Generous washes of blush paired with yellow and green accents across the lids created a fresh, captivating allure, reminiscent of a garden blossoming in spring, every bud opening freely to the warm breeze.

Not to mention the tiny floral accents gracing their faces; restrained on each member, yet acting as brilliant focal points that brought their features to life.

[Ah…]

[Can it really look this good?]

[Another god-tier styling concept… it’s fine, I’m not jealous, wuwuwu]

[Qi Yanning definitely knows magic, otherwise how else could he transform the makeup so fast!]

[From cool and minimalist to lush and radiant… if I weren’t a TND fan who knew their faces by heart, I’d think they swapped out the members]

[Turns out boy groups can pull off floral themes too without being greasy or vulgar, so fresh and aesthetically pleasing]

[Never expected even Mo Jinghai could suit this styling! It doesn’t look odd at all; flowers resting across his chest make him even sexier, hehe]

[This is practically a work of art!]

[TND is genuinely dedicated to being an authentic boy group]

Moving with the music, the members sang and danced. “Flower Bomb” was a track with dynamic arrangement, modern and crisp, invoking images of a puppy bounding through riverbank blooms in springtime.

The choreography was lively, packed with hip-hop elements, balancing aesthetics and groove. As they danced, the flowers adorning their suits swayed and fluttered, appearing to blossom on the wind.

[Too cute! My little flower fairy An Zai!]

[Xiao Xing, why are you so pretty, Xiao Xing]

[Wei Mingzhe has a flower pasted by his beauty mark! Screenshotted, gorgeous]

…

For the ending fairy, each member drew a handful of petals from their pockets, tossing them high into the air.

Petals matching the colors of their suits mingled in midair, turning into a shower of multicolored rain. Amidst this raining floral cascade, the nine members of TND smiled at the camera.

[F*ck!!!]

[God-tier stage +2!]

[Rendered speechless by the beauty, my eyes are feasting today!]

…

Backstage plunged once more into costume-change purgatory. The workload was even heavier this time, requiring them to conceal parts of the previous look and repaint over it.

The first person Qi Yanning seized was Pang Nong. Pulling the younger boy over, he cupped his face and began applying makeup.

The final song was the title track “New World Fantasy.” With time too tight to recreate the striking blue-and-brown eye makeup from the MV, Qi Yanning opted for soft smoky eyes instead.

This time, he focused his transformation on the eyes, his brush swiftly picking up black eyeshadow and diffusing it. Deepening the eyeliner once more, the eye makeup was complete. Facial contouring was intensified, while most of the previous blush was neutralized, leaving only a healthy natural flush.

In this manner, the makeup transformed in seconds.

The three assistants took over, styling hair and completing the remaining touches, bustling without pause.

After updating the makeup for all nine members, Qi Yanning pulled Lou Yuxing over to adjust his hair. The previous soft waves were no longer fitting, so Qi Yanning nimbly braided his hair into a fishtail plait, weaving small accent braids along the sides, giving Lou Yuxing an instantly sharp, fierce presence.

Checking the looks one last time, they sent TND back onto the stage within forty minutes.

Unlike the doubts earlier, the chat was now overflowing with anticipation.

[Let me see what magic TND is going to pull off now!]

[Don’t tell me it’s that blue-brown eye look from the MV! That would be insane!]

[Definitely not, an eye look like that takes at least twenty minutes, not enough time.]

[But Qi Yanning has magic!]

[666]

[No matter what it looks like, I’m seated!]

This time, the music swelled before the screen gradually lit up.

TND strode forward slowly to the beat. Smoky makeup paired with denim ensembles, accented by an array of modern details. Iridescent laser straps and metallic hardware gave the outfits a simultaneous retro and futuristic edge.

[Whoa! As expected, no disappointment!]

[Wildness intertwined with cold detachment, how does it look this good?]

[Different from the MV styling, but the flavor is identical, Qi Yanning is unreal!]

[Praise TND, praise Qi Yanning!]

…

“New World Fantasy” drew the audience into another frenzy with its psychedelic electronic tones and heavy basslines. The choreography for this performance was the most expansive of the three: powerful leaps, sweeping movements, intricate and unexpected formations… As the camera pushed in, viewers could see the veins and beads of sweat on their necks.

This drove the atmosphere into a fever pitch. Once the performance ended, TND bowed deeply on stage for a full thirty seconds before the broadcast concluded.

TND swept across the trending charts once again!

#TND Sales#

#TND MV#

#TND The Bird That Never Lands#

#TND Flower Bomb#

#TND New World Fantasy#

#TND New Song Reaction Compilation#

…

Every topic revolved around TND’s new album and this showcase. Every single member had at least one individual trending topic, where fans and visual enthusiasts celebrated in ecstasy.

Even Qi Yanning claimed two solo trending tags.

One was the old one: #QiYanningYouStillSayYouDontKnowMagic?#

The other was brand-new: #QiYanningDeservesAnAltarInTheAncestralTemple#

The hot search churned vigorously through the entire night, showing no sign of calming down even the following day. Meanwhile, Qi Yanning, deemed worthy of the Ancestral Temple, was already on his way to the village where the successors of Red Gate embroidery resided.

Settling into his airplane seat, he turned his head and arched an eyebrow. “Yuchuan, why… are you on this flight as well?”

Ling Cangzhou offered a radiant smile. “I wanted to go on a trip. Is A-Ning not welcoming me?”