Chapter 111: Admissions Promotional Video

The brightly lit music hall plunged into sudden darkness, leaving only the tiny red tally lights of the cameras flickering in the void.

A single beam of light descended from the dome, illuminating Zhou Miao as he sat poised before the grand piano. As the camera slowly zoomed in, Zhou Miao closed his eyes, his fingers pressing gently against the keys. Because this was a promotional film for student recruitment, he avoided the overly complex etudes that might alienate a general audience, choosing instead the elegant and soothing "Moonlight Sonata."

A second beam of light hit the stage, bathing the "King of the Violin" in its glow. The mellifluous sound of the violin blended perfectly into the melody, and a row of lights flared to life, revealing a dozen vocal music students singing soft harmonies.

Zhou Miao shifted the rhythm, fluidly transitioning into a more stirring, passionate composition. Simultaneously, all the lights snapped on, flooding the entire music hall with brilliance. Beneath the ornate dome, eighteen different instruments played in perfect harmony, leaving the listeners spellbound.

As the performance drew to a close, the instruments fell silent one by one, following the order in which they had joined. The camera returned to Zhou Miao, who played with increasing speed. His fingers flew across the keys, pushing the movement to its climax. At the very peak, accompanied by a crisp, resonant chime, the music came to an abrupt halt.

Zhou Miao looked directly into the lens. "Are you looking for a challenge? I’ll be waiting for you at the Central Conservatory of Music!"

"Great!" the piccolo player chirped, clapping enthusiastically.

The director walked over. "For that final moment, you need to radiate your charisma completely. Do you understand what I mean? You need to smile more seductively, like this~"

The director flashed a wicked, devil-may-care grin, drawing a burst of laughter from everyone nearby. The director immediately straightened his face. "What are you laughing at? I’m just demonstrating. Obviously, if Zhou Miao does it, it won't look like mine."

Returning to his station, the director signaled for a retake. "Let’s do it again. Zhou Miao, remember what I said—seductive, it has to be seductive!"

What kind of ridiculous request was that... Zhou Miao felt a headache coming on.

A ten-minute recruitment video took an entire afternoon to film. Zhou Miao’s face felt like it was cramping from smiling, and by the end, he had forgotten how he was supposed to smile at all. This cemented his resolve to stay out of the film industry—acting was truly too difficult.

The director reviewed the footage and gave a thumbs-up. Everyone on set breathed a sigh of relief; it had been exhausting. Not only did Zhou Miao have to smile repeatedly, but every musical sequence had been shot dozens of times, with every minor flaw requiring a restart.

"When will the promo be released?" Zhou Miao asked.

The director thought for a moment. "Probably a few days before filling out college applications, right after the Gaokao. It’ll be soon, just over a week or so."

Is the Gaokao almost here? Time flies. This time last year, he had been just like the candidates this year, buried in intense study and review every day, waking up only to face endless problems and test papers.

The suffocating sensation of drowning in a sea of test questions remained vivid even now. Especially in the final days leading up to the exam, even with his strong mental fortitude, he had been so nervous he suffered from insomnia.

Back home, Zhou Miao called the publicity department. "Cancel that link-up campaign. Just release the third song directly, but we need to swap the track."

The original plan for the third installment of the album pre-release campaign was a romantic duet he had recorded with Zhao Li. However, he felt that in the current atmosphere, a different song would be more fitting.

When Zuo Qiu heard the news, she called him. "This is the final teaser before the official launch. Are you sure you want to change it? The publicity department has already finished the posters."

"Change it. What the students need right now isn't a love song. I believe this song will give them the strength to press forward," Zhou Miao said.

"Fine, you're the boss." Seeing his persistence, Zuo Qiu didn't try to dissuade him further. Zhou Miao never made moves without reason; if he had made this decision, he had his logic. When it came to music, he never joked.

At 10:00 PM the next day, Zhou Miao reposted the newly released song with the caption: "Victory is just ahead. Hold on, don't give up!"

Students made up a large portion of Zhou Miao's fan base. Seeing the new release, they took a brief respite from their sea of test questions, treating it as a reward for their efforts.

*"The Brightest Star in the Night Sky*? Is this song about himself?" The fans smiled as they saw the title.

They clicked play. A gentle guitar melody began. Judging by the intro, it sounded like a very tender song.

*"Can you hear the loneliness and sighs in the heart of the one looking up, oh brightest star in the night sky? Can you remember the silhouette that once walked with me, only to vanish into the wind? I pray for a transparent heart and eyes that can shed tears, to give me the courage to believe again, to cross through the lies and embrace you. Whenever I cannot find the meaning of my existence, whenever I am lost in the dark of night, oh brightest star in the night sky, please guide me closer to you."*

...

Following the intro, Zhou Miao’s low, whispered singing sounded like a lonely soul pouring his heart out to the starry sky. The loneliness and confusion revealed in the lyrics instantly gripped the listeners.

When the chorus reached its climax, the soft, low crooning transitioned in a single breath into a soaring, piercing falsetto—not sharp or jarring, but full of pent-up emotion finally unleashed, venting both pain and struggle.

Although titled *The Brightest Star in the Night Sky*, the song was actually about the deepest, most repressed emotions of the soul, where there was nowhere to turn and no way to retreat. Countless students listening to it couldn't help but burst into tears.

There is no moment more vulnerable than listening to a song that pierces your heart while you are alone; even the toughest person can't help but cry like a child.

After weeping, they wiped away their tears, new strength surging within. The revolution was not yet successful—how could they fall at the final step?

After the release of *The Brightest Star in the Night Sky*, reviews were polarized. Those who loved it were deeply moved, while those who didn't couldn't grasp its appeal, finding the melody merely decent. But the fact that major universities across the country were reposting the song to encourage their students said everything—the majority clearly loved it.

The influence of *The Brightest Star in the Night Sky* fermented rapidly. Zuo Qiu felt a sense of relief; if they had released the love song, it likely wouldn't have had such an impact.

Following this release, fan anticipation for Zhou Miao’s new album reached its peak. Every day, countless fans left comments in his section, begging him not to "squeeze toothpaste" and torture them anymore—just release the album so they could enjoy it to their heart's content!

Other singers watched this scene with a bitter taste in their mouths. Their promotional periods were much longer than Zhou Miao's—some could stretch the release of a single album over an entire year—yet they had never seen fans clamor for a release like this.