The crowd shouted, cheered, screamed, and chanted a name repeatedly. The stage was completely dark. Six loudspeakers were dimly seen on the edge of the stage, built two meters above the ground level where the crowds stood. Movements could be seen in the darkness on the stage and stopped in a sudden. The crowd, sensing what would happen cheered louder and the name was shouted louder and louder, seemingly would took down the stage and the hall.

Suddenly booming sounds were heard repeatedly along with the shower of sparkling papers cut in tiny pieces. The lights were on as soon as the shower of the sparkling paper started, revealing ten background dancers posing on the stage. Each dancer wore a costume made from a mix of cloth and rubber which shone under the stage lights. As the crowd grew wilder, drumming sounds began to roll, growing in intensity along with the crowd’s spirit.

A figure could be seen standing high above the stage’s gigantic TV monitor. The figure stood straight with both hands forming the letter ‘V’. One hand moved slowly down while the other one still pointed high. “ARE YOU READY?” A shout was heard across the hall. The voice was of a female, sweet but had the firmness characteristic in it.

The crowd grew wilder as soon as they hear the voice. “ARE YOU READY?” once again the figure high above asked, louder. The sound of the voice, added with the power from the speaker put the already ‘high geared’ crowd onto much higher spirit.

As the crowd cheered wildly, the figure leapt forward. She somersaulted in the air, making those who are new in her concert gasped in awe while the others who had seen the act – but never got bored – cheered even louder. She landed gracefully and kneeled in front of the crowd. Her hands spread out and her fingers touch the floor of the stage. Her heads looked down. She stayed still in that pose for a moment, as if savoring the high spirit from the crowd. The crowd grew silent, unsure what to be expected.

When the hall was silent that even a drop of a pin could be heard, the kneeled singer spoke in a soft voice, but could be heard by everyone in the hall. “If you’re ready…” She raised her head looking forward, then somersaulted backward and landed perfectly standing up straight and shouted. “THEN LET'S ROCK THIS CITY TONIGHT!!!!” As soon as she finished her shout, the crowd cheered wildly again. Two spotlights shone at her, showing a young beautiful woman wearing costume that consist of silver circlet, silver vest added with wispy white silky sleeves, a long silver pants, and a pair of white boots. On her left ear there was a wireless earphone and microphone.

The singer, called Linda Cath, usually called either Linda or Cathy snapped her fingers and the music began. Cathy and her background dancers moved with precise movements as they had practiced a few days before, but only Cathy who could move with such graceful and spirit that the other background dancers seemed like fireflies compared to her as a sun. Her graceful movements combined with her beautiful figure clad in the silver costume made the male audiences either wishing to be her costume or in risk of mass nosebleed, while the female audiences were either so envious or caught awe with her figure and movements.

Not only her physical features that made the audiences seemed to forget about everything, but her voice combined with the music was so powerful that she seemed able to control her audiences’ mood just with her songs. The concert lasted in a bit more than two hours with Cathy doing almost all the songs from her two albums. She also complied with the audiences’ wishes for encore for two songs that seemed to be their favorites.

***
 

She entered the limo with her manager and secretary, and immediately sat and let go of a big breath. Her body was so tired and she felt a little pain from various spots. She took the drink offered by her secretary.

“Well, that was a total success, Linda.” Said her manager, Daniel.

Linda grinned at him. “Thanks, Daniel. Didn’t have any doubt of that did you?”

“How could he? With such responses and performances.” Said Saeko, the secretary.

Linda stretched her body and felt the pain stung. “Ow, ow.”

“You overdid again, didn’t you? I never understand why did you have to do that jumping from such a high place act like that. I mean we could lower the starting place so it’ll go easier for your muscle.” Said Daniel.

“Aah, but where would be the fun, Daniel?” She winked naughtily. “Besides I’ll be healed with two hours meditation, don’t be such a worrywart.”

Saeko only smiled at her response while Daniel, as usual, let out a heavy sigh.

“So, what’s after Singapore?” asked Linda, changing the subject.

Saeko took out her notepad. “Well, after tomorrow’s concert, we’ll be rushing to…”

“As usual…” Linda quipped.

Saeko smiled again. “Hong Kong for three days concert.”

Linda looked out the limo’s window. She absently thought about her sifu (master), Gen and da-cie (big sister), Chun Li. “Hong Kong, huh? Sure bring back a lot of memory.”

She was brn in mainland China from a middle-class family. With hard-work, sacrifices, and connection, she made it to the top, a lot of thanks unacknowledged in public went to her sifu, Gen, who had made contacts with producers and records companies. She also had a lot of encouragement from Chun Li, although now the two had lost contact due to the different paths they took.

She missed a friend as well, who had done a concert with her once, Lily Yin. She knew not where about of this talented flute player and felt a pang of regret for not keeping in touch. Lily was a high-spirited person in or out of the stage and she certainly had learned a lot from her. “But that’s showbiz,I guess.” She thought.

She planned on taking a vacation after the concert in Hong Kong, she needed and earned the long rest, probably a month or two. The around-the-world tour had taken its toll on her. “It’s been a long while since I saw her, wonder if she looked different or got married already.” Thought Linda as the limo cruised through the street toward their hotel.