Chapter 119: The Concert

“Do you really have a ticket?” Ye Chen’s words made Yuxiao Meijiu pause for a moment, then tilt her head and ask, “What ticket?”

“The concert ticket! You don’t actually think they’ll just let you in if you show up, do you?” Ye Chen held his forehead, realizing that Yuxiao Meijiu was still just a child, incapable of knowing much about these things.

“Isn’t that how it works?” Yuxiao Meijiu asked blankly.

“Forget it. The concert is here anyway. I’ll take you,” Ye Chen said, brushing off the issue of the ticket, which was a trivial matter to him, and made the decision immediately.

“That’s wonderful! Thank you, Ye Chen!” Hearing Ye Chen agree, Yuxiao Meijiu bounced on the spot, a little excited at the thought of soon seeing her idol up close.

On the day of the Iwasawa concert...

“Aren’t you coming with us, Ye Chen?” During their time in the afterlife, Lihua Zou had grown fond of Iwasawa’s songs. Since Iwasawa was already considered a friend in Lihua Zou’s eyes, naturally, she would attend her concert. Sitting in the car, noticing that Ye Chen had no intention of getting in, she asked.

“No, you guys go ahead first. I have to pick someone up. I’ll introduce you later,” Ye Chen nodded to Lihua Zou and the others, signaling them to go on. He then headed off in another direction. Both Bai Ji and Lihua Zou knew Ye Chen had recently made a new friend, so they didn’t say anything and left early.

After walking for a while, Ye Chen sighed, turned around, and said to the two who had audaciously followed him—Tsubame Origami, who was closely trailing him, and Shiina, who was hiding nearby, “Origami, didn’t you leave with Xiao Zou and the others? Why are you here? And Shiina, why did you come along too?”

“On the way,” Origami gave a blunt answer that was hard to believe. Perhaps it didn’t matter whether Ye Chen believed her or not, as long as she could stick with him.

“I’m your shadow. Wherever you are, I am there too!” Shiina’s crimson eyes flickered as she recited a line she must have overheard somewhere. For some reason, it suited her perfectly, probably because she resembled a ninja.

“Since you’re here, let’s go together. I’m sure she won’t mind,” Ye Chen said indifferently. After all, they would meet sooner or later, so meeting a little earlier was no big deal. This allowed Origami and Shiina to stop trailing far behind and walk beside him.

After several days of interaction, Ye Chen had already left a profound impression on her heart. Yuxiao Meijiu had noticed this too. “We’ve only known each other for a few days. It can’t just be my imagination!” she felt shy and reluctant to admit it, yet she grew more and more eager for Ye Chen’s arrival.

Before leaving, she meticulously groomed herself, repeatedly checking her reflection in the mirror, feeling very satisfied. She convinced herself it was only to meet her idol that she dressed up like this—it wasn’t because of Ye Chen!

Arriving a little early at the agreed time, she found Ye Chen hadn’t come yet. Her nervousness eased but was tinged with a bit of disappointment as she sat properly on a bench, her mind filled with thoughts of Ye Chen, almost forgetting her main purpose today was to watch the concert.

“Meijiu, you’re still early!” Soon, Ye Chen’s voice rang out, causing Yuxiao Meijiu’s heart to skip a beat. She looked up toward Ye Chen and offered a beautiful, sweet smile. But upon seeing the two people beside him, her smile stiffened slightly.

Among her peers, Yuxiao Meijiu was arguably the most beautiful, but seeing the two girls beside Ye Chen—equally stunning—she felt as if her favorite thing had been snatched away.

With two extra people present, Yuxiao Meijiu lost the ease she had when alone with Ye Chen. She nodded politely to the two and then asked Ye Chen, “Who are they?”

“Mm, this is Shiina, and this is Tsubame Origami. They’re both my friends. We’re going to see Iwasawa and the others’ concert together. A few others have already gone ahead. I’ll introduce them to you when we get there,” Ye Chen explained. On the way, he had already told Shiina and Origami about Yuxiao Meijiu.

“Hello, I’m Yuxiao Meijiu,” she greeted politely, though she didn’t feel much affection for the two girls, especially the white-haired Origami, who seemed naturally at odds with her. Still, she kept her manners.

The greetings were exchanged in a neutral tone, with no further conversation. Shiina was usually taciturn, her only contribution being a shallow complaint now and then. Origami was an enigma—rarely speaking unless absolutely necessary. Since Yuxiao Meijiu held little fondness for them and they had just met, she certainly wouldn’t initiate conversation.

Thus, after the brief salutations, an inexplicable silence settled. Ye Chen understood the situation but saw no solution, so he hurried to lead them to the Iwasawa concert venue. Origami and Yuxiao Meijiu seemed to compete for Ye Chen’s attention, each pulling one of his hands.

Shiina followed behind, her gaze occasionally flicking over the two with a strange emotion.

At the GDM concert venue, though Iwasawa and the others were still about ten years old, they had already gained considerable fame. Many people were drawn to their music and became fans of GDM. The venue, capable of holding tens of thousands, was nearly filled with their supporters.

Compared to the vast number of GDM fans, the ten thousand concert tickets were far too few. Many fans without tickets lingered outside, refusing to leave. Security guards worked hard to maintain order, preventing any accidents.

When Ye Chen and the others arrived, the entrance was almost completely blocked by the crowd, leaving barely any space to pass through. Yuxiao Meijiu’s expression wavered; she was also a fan of Iwasawa but had not expected such fanaticism. Entering through the main gate would surely be disastrous.

Not only her, but Origami and Shiina’s faces also darkened. Ye Chen patted their shoulders and said, “Don’t worry, I’m the organizer of this concert. We’ll use the staff entrance.”

Since learning that people from the afterlife had all been reincarnated into this world, Ye Chen had been searching for their whereabouts. Iwasawa and the others came to his attention after posting a song online. Naturally, they became a band under the Starlight Group.

With his protection, many unnecessary troubles could be avoided for them. After all, this world was not the afterlife and was full of many unpleasant and ugly things.

Ye Chen led Origami and the others around the crowd blocking the entrance, arriving at another gate guarded by a few security personnel. They entered the venue through the staff passage without any obstruction.