The fanbase of the Roaming the Ocean band consisted mainly of young females, and outside the stadium, you could see mostly girls in their twenties.
Yan Lan helped Yang Xiaole queue to get merchandise from one of the stalls. The stall owner, appearing to be a newly enrolled university student, young and nimble, managed to handle the crowd effortlessly.
They only waited for a few minutes before reaching the stall.
Without looking up, the stall owner said, “Hurry up, open the Bian Xianyang super topic you follow, checking in for over five hundred days gets you an extra badge.”
Yan Lan looked at Xie Yun Zhi helplessly.
Xie Yun Zhi said, “We don’t have Weibo.”
Perhaps not expecting to hear a male voice, the young stall owner looked surprised, raising her face to glance at the two people standing in front of the booth. With eyes adorned in dark blue contact lenses, she seemed a bit flustered when locking eyes with them. “Oh, it’s okay, it’s okay. We are friendly to passersby. As long as you haven’t blackened Bian Xianyang, you can still receive the goods.”
The stall owner quickly picked up two fans with pictures of Bian Xianyang and a badge, handing them to Xie Yun Zhi. “Thank you for supporting Bian Xianyang!”
After receiving the support items Yang Xiaole wanted, Yan Lan took the fans and badges and went to find Yang Xiaole, who was still in line.
“Wow, you got them so quickly!”
Yan Lan nodded.
Yang Xiaole, loving the fans and badges, played with them for a while and then put everything into Yan Lan’s canvas bag. Seizing the opportunity, Xie Yun Zhi said, “We still have some time. You stay here and get what you want. Yan Lan and I will buy some food. We’ll find you later. We’ll use the VIP entrance.”
Yang Xiaole was unaware that their tickets were VIP, allowing them to bypass the regular entrance. When he heard that they could enter through the VIP entrance, his first reaction was how useful financial power was. His second reaction was a mix of excitement and surprise. It meant that he might have the chance to go backstage and meet Bian Xianyang tonight!
“Sure, you go ahead. I’ll be around here. Momo, get me a cup of yogurt.”
Yan Lan nodded, turned, and walked with Xie Yun Zhi to a mall across the street from the stadium. Since time was not abundant, they didn’t choose a restaurant that required waiting. Instead, they picked a coffee shop selling simple meals.
Yan Lan sat by the window, waiting. Xie Yun Zhi, having placed their order, walked back with a small bag of chocolate chip cookies. “Complimentary.”
Yan Lan tore open the packaging, split the cookies in half, giving one portion to Xie Yun Zhi, and kept the other for himself.
During the meal, Xie Yun Zhi showed Yan Lan some photos of Tiantian. The Titanic’s bow was already assembled.
Xie Yun Zhi, sounding seemingly casual yet a bit proud, said, “I helped him assemble it.”
A faint smile curved Yan Lan’s lips, and he cast a sly, adorable glance at Xie Yun Zhi from the corner of his eye.
Xie Yun Zhi stared at him for a few seconds, then leaned over gently. “If someone won’t help him, this uncle can only help someone.”
Yan Lan’s smile deepened, and he picked up his phone to type: How about leaving the rest for you to handle?
After reading it, Xie Yun Zhi shook his head. “You promised Tiantian to help him, not me.”
Yan Lan continued typing: You can help me.
“If you’re around, I’ll help you. If you’re not, I can help you comfort Tiantian a bit, so he won’t be too angry with you.”
Yan Lan: … Thank you, Tiantian’s uncle.
A hint of amusement sparkled in Xie Yun Zhi’s deep eyes. “You’re welcome, Tiantian’s teacher.”
Their conversation was seemingly meaningless, yet both of them clearly enjoyed it. Their exchange was temporarily interrupted only when the waiter brought the ordered items.
Yan Lan had a mango crab stick sandwich and a regular latte, while Xie Yun Zhi had a crab stick and scrambled egg sandwich with a less-iced latte. They also had a yogurt cup ready for Yang Xiaole.
Around 6:30 PM, they finished their meal and returned to the stadium. By that time, the open space outside the stadium had fewer people than when they left. Many stalls had closed, and only a few were still attracting a small crowd.
Holding the yogurt cup, Yan Lan scanned the area and finally found Yang Xiaole sitting by the flower bed. He seemed to have collected quite a few items and was busy organizing them. Even when Yan Lan and Xie Yun Zhi walked up to him, he didn’t notice.
Yan Lan had to lift the yogurt cup in front of him and shake it a couple of times. Yang Xiaole, startled for a moment, suddenly looked up with a joyful smile. “Momo, look, I also got this towel!”
Yang Xiaole unfolded the towel with a side profile picture of Bian Xianyang and happily shared it with Yan Lan, along with a bunch of miscellaneous items like badges, keychains, and other trinkets.
Yan Lan helped him pack the collected merchandise into the canvas bag they brought. Holding Yang Xiaole’s hand, he stood up.
Xie Yun Zhi checked his watch and said, “Let’s go. We can enter now.”
Their tickets were VIP, allowing them to use the VIP entrance. They didn’t need to queue with the “regular troops” for ticket checks and could even enjoy the best viewing seats in the VIP area.
All three of them were attending a concert for the first time. When they saw that each person’s seat had a paper bag with the band’s official poster on it, they didn’t initially realize what it was. Upon opening the bags, they found a bottle of mineral water, glow sticks, LED light rings, the concert’s official poster, and a bag of fruit candies.
Yan Lan and Xie Yun Zhi weren’t particularly interested in the contents of the bags, so they gave everything to Yang Xiaole and continued discussing.
Xie Yun Zhi: “Tiantian likes superheroes. He wouldn’t want to ride a carousel.”
But Yan Lan thought differently: “He’s still young and might yearn for a fairy tale world.”
“Spider-Man and Iron Man fill Tiantian’s toy room.”
Yan Lan quickly typed: He also has Winnie the Pooh and Tigger.
“If that’s the case, why not let him choose for himself? Care for a wager?”
Yan Lan: What do you want to bet?
Xie Yun Zhi’s gaze quickly swept across Yan Lan’s pale lips. “If I win, you tell me about five years ago. If you win, it’s up to you; do as you wish.”
Yan Lan raised an eyebrow slightly and extended his pinky finger. Xie Yun Zhi hooked it with his own.
At exactly 7:00 PM, the concert officially began. The lights dimmed, all spotlights focused on the stage, and the deafening screams filled the vast stadium. Amid various support light boards, most were orange-yellow, bearing the name of Bian Xianyang.
Yan Lan once again felt the immense popularity of Bian Xianyang. Only now did Yang Xiaole and his chance encounter with him at the Kaspian Hotel seem so unbelievable.
In the VIP section of the concert, the seats faced the stage directly, offering a clear view of Bian Xianyang and his group.
Yang Xiaole was so excited that Yan Lan couldn’t hold him back. He wanted to wave the glow stick and shout Bian Xianyang’s name along with the others.
Perhaps because he was too invested, the live screen focused on him several times. The composed and calm figures of Yan Lan and Xie Yun Zhi next to him appeared exceptionally tranquil in comparison.
Bian Xianyang also noticed them. During his singing, his gaze frequently turned in their direction, and he even sang facing their area.
Seeing this, Yang Xiaole became even more excited. He took off his high heels, stood on a chair, and, holding the towel with Bian Xianyang’s image that he got from outside, shouted, “Bian Xianyang! Bian Xianyang!”
He truly resembled an enthusiastic fan.
During the middle of the concert, there was an interactive session where the audience chosen by the live screen could request songs.
Not surprisingly, Yang Xiaole was selected on the large screen. A staff member came over and handed him a microphone.
Unfazed, Yang Xiaole changed his earlier fervent demeanor, politely greeted the band members, and calmly requested to hear “Roaming the Ocean.”
As soon as he mentioned the song, the audience erupted in cheers. This song was the band’s debut title track, known for its gentle and romantic lyrics and melody.
Bian Xianyang stood on the stage, smiling, looking at Yang Xiaole. His clean and refreshing teenage voice was like a Mojito with ice in the summer. “This is also one of my favorite songs. Can you start us off?”
Yang Xiaole was momentarily stunned, subconsciously using the sweet voice he had when cross-dressing, singing, “Ocean~ ocean~ Lonely ocean~”
Bian Xianyang probably didn’t expect his voice to be so sweet. After a moment of surprise, he smiled noticeably and continued singing.
In the entertainment industry, his voice was unique, as if God was feeding him behind his back, especially when he sang love songs. The advantage of his teenage voice was fully showcased.
Yang Xiaole blushed, handed the microphone back to the staff, and sat back in his seat, joining the audience in a collective sing-along.
The two-and-a-half-hour concert seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Many people in the audience were reluctant to leave, unwilling to disperse. They even sang “Roaming the Ocean” again together.
Yang Xiaole also didn’t want to leave. He enjoyed the lively atmosphere, swaying and singing along until the end. People gradually stood up and left one by one.
It was at this moment that a man in his early thirties, wearing black-framed glasses, appeared and walked toward them from somewhere.
Yan Lan noticed that he seemed to be looking at Xie Yun Zhi next to him, curiously scanning the work card hanging around the man’s neck. Unfortunately, he couldn’t clearly see the name and position.
“Mr. Xie, I hope I’m not too forward!”
Only when Xie Yun Zhi heard the voice did he raise his eyes, put away his phone, stood up, and shook hands with the approaching man.
“I’m the executive manager of the Roaming the Ocean band. We met briefly at Yao Jinni’s birthday party before.”
Xie Yun Zhi raised an eyebrow, seemingly recalling. “Hello.”
Yang Xiaole, watching the two talking, whispered to Yan Lan, “It looks like we have a chance to go backstage. The band is only missing a luxury brand endorsement to raise their commercial value and enter the super first-tier. This manager is probably trying to cozy up to Venus Jewelry, and he’ll likely find a way to let Xie Yun Zhi go backstage and meet the artist.”
Yan Lan didn’t quite understand, but Yang Xiaole was right. After a while, the young manager proposed that Xie Yun Zhi go backstage for a while, providing the artist an opportunity to greet him.
The offer was smooth, making it almost impossible to refuse.
Thus, in due course, Xie Yun Zhi, accompanied by Yan Lan and Yang Xiaole, entered the backstage area of the concert.
The backstage was particularly lively at this time, with many staff members walking around in the corridors, moving equipment, and handling various tasks in an orderly yet chaotic manner.
The executive manager attentively led them to a gorgeously decorated meeting room, where they were served with fruits and snacks.
After the manager left, Yan Lan curiously asked Xie Yun Zhi, “Did you anticipate that the manager would come to invite you backstage?”
Xie Yun Zhi shook his head.
Yan Lan became even more curious, “Then how did you originally plan to bring us in?”
“Facial recognition. I am considered half into the entertainment industry.”
Suddenly, Yan Lan remembered his multiple appearances with Yao Jinni on entertainment magazine covers and trending relationship rumors, showing a realization on his face.
Xie Yun Zhi sensed that he was thinking about Yao Jinni and explained, “She and I just have a mutually beneficial relationship. She clarified it.”
Yan Lan pretended to nod indifferently.
Xie Yun Zhi reached out, grabbed his elbow, and pulled him closer, tilting his head to look at him. “Do you believe me or not?”
Yan Lan nodded as if pounding garlic, and Xie Yun Zhi let him go. “I have a meeting tomorrow morning. I’ll pick you up around noon.”
Yan Lan: “I can go to your place and wait for you.”
Xie Yun Zhi hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “That’s fine. If you’re willing to come early, you can spend more time with Tiantian… but don’t cheat.”
Yan Lan instantly put on an innocent face and looked up.
Xie Yun Zhi sighed, not paying much attention. “I knew it…”
Yang Xiaole, left aside, looked complicated. He was about to say something when the door of the meeting room was knocked.
The door was pushed open from the outside, and the recently departed executive manager returned, leading the band members with a newly signed album to greet them.
As soon as Bian Xianyang came in, he saw Yang Xiaole and, with some surprise, pointed at him. “It’s you!”
The other band members also recognized Yang Xiaole as the beautiful fan who had energetically supported them and participated in the interactive song request during the concert. However, they didn’t understand why Bian Xianyang’s reaction was so intense. Wasn’t she just a pretty fan?
After the initial surprise, Bian Xianyang realized that it wasn’t the right time and revealed a shy smile. His short blue hair complemented his small, white, and delicate face.
This was an inevitably commercialized encounter. For the band and the manager, Xie Yun Zhi was their future financial backer. If Venus Jewelry didn’t renew its contract with Yao Jinni at the end of this year, they would surely look for a new, influential endorser before the arrival of the new year. Even if they couldn’t compete with others for endorsements, brushing up on familiarity in front of Xie Yun Zhi was beneficial since the future was uncertain.
Taking advantage of them talking to Xie Yun Zhi, Yan Lan gradually edged himself out and found Yang Xiaole. As soon as he saw Yan Lan coming out, Yang Xiaole quickly pulled him aside and took out the support banner and autograph pen from the canvas bag, eagerly waiting for the conversation between Bian Xianyang and them to end.
To their surprise, Bian Xianyang unconsciously moved himself to the back during the conversation, then slowly stepped back to stand in front of Yang Xiaole. Turning around, he asked him, “Why didn’t I see you at the banquet that day?”
Yang Xiaole’s eyes brightened at his words. “You still remember me?”
Bian Xianyang nodded. “I remember. I helped you get Jinni sister’s autograph, but I left it in the dorm and didn’t bring it… I didn’t expect you to come to my concert.”
Yang Xiaole chuckled, “I’m here thanks to a friend’s influence. Originally, I couldn’t get a ticket.”
Bian Xianyang looked at the support banner and autograph pen in his hands. “Do you want an autograph?”
“Of course!” Yang Xiaole quickly handed the support banner and pen to him.
While signing, Bian Xianyang asked, “How should I give you Jinni sister’s autograph?”
Yang Xiaole hesitated for a moment. “Actually, it’s okay if I can’t get it. After all, I got your autograph today…”
“How can that be? I promised to get it for you that day… All signed, here you go.”
Yang Xiaole took the signed support banner with a smile. “Well, there’s no other way. We probably won’t have a chance to meet and talk like this again. If you remember me, I’ll be happy. I’ll keep supporting you in the future.”
Bian Xianyang looked at him intently. “Tomorrow afternoon, we have an event at New Era Mall. Will you come?”
Yang Xiaole’s heart raced at his gaze. “I… I will.”
“After the event, I’ll be waiting for you at the third-floor shared KTV.”