“This is our band’s logo. This stamp is fluorescent; it’ll look really cool when the lights dim downstairs,” the girl said, then also handed him a glow stick.
Xie An’yu assumed it was a freebie, thanked her, and headed downstairs. After a few steps, he overheard other passersby behind him asking, “Don’t you have glow sticks to give out?”
“Nope.”
“Then why did that guy just get one?”
Hearing this, Xie An’yu turned back and heard the ticket seller say with a laugh, “That glow stick is my personal property. I only gave it to him because he’s a handsome young man.”
The passersby laughed: “Ah… understood, understood.”
The girl chuckled twice, and when she turned around, her gaze met Xie An’yu’s. She waved at him: “Hurry inside and grab a spot! If you’re late, you’ll only see the tops of people’s heads.”
In fact, when Xie An’yu entered, he could already only see the tops of other people’s heads. He arrived late, and the venue was already packed. He couldn’t squeeze his way to the front and could only stand in the back row. Fortunately, he wasn’t short, so he could see the entire stage.
The performance kicked off with a passionate rock song. As the music surged, a hidden vitality within his body was stirred to life. Being in such an environment, emotions were involuntarily contagious, allowing him to briefly forget the unpleasantness of reality.
Xie An’yu stood motionless in place, clutching a glow stick in his hand without waving it once. His calm and detached state seemed a bit out of place amidst the frenzied crowd, but inwardly, he was also very excited, his palms sweating profusely.
***
Equally ‘out of place’ was Yu Feng, standing next to Xie An’yu.
Yu Feng had spotted Xie An’yu as soon as he came in. Wearing a black baseball cap, and carrying a black backpack, and tall, conspicuous frame—very noticeable.
Yu Feng had also arrived late, just a little earlier than Xie An’yu. He didn’t bother pushing his way to the front and simply stood at the very back. The basement was dimly lit, and Xie An’yu was distracted, so he didn’t even notice Yu Feng standing beside him at all.
Yu Feng didn’t greet Xie An’yu, silently standing next to him and watching the performance on stage.
Yu Feng didn’t particularly like crowded places, especially noisy environments like this, so he felt no emotional fluctuations throughout.
Forming a band and making music was Zhou Yi’s passion. Yu Feng could feel Zhou Yi’s charisma on stage, but that was all.
The current song was a ballad, and the glow sticks below the stage swayed slowly in time with the gentle rhythm. Suddenly transitioning from deafening roars to such a tender melody, Yu Feng felt his hearing instantly recover.
When he turned to look at Xie An’yu again, and a beam of light happened to struck Xie An’yu’s face. For half a second, the light flashed past, and in that instant, Xie An’yu blinked, a single tear sliding down his cheek.
The tear clung to Xie An’yu’s sharp jawline for two seconds before suddenly falling.
Yu Feng’s gaze lingered in Xie An’yu’s direction for a few seconds.
***
The soft melody and tender lyrics had pierced the most vulnerable part of Xie An’yu’s heart. The moment the tear fell, he was flooded with memories of many people and events.
He thought of his parents, his grandmother, Shuangye Isle, and his childhood, which could never return.
He felt that life was constantly reminding him that being alive was always the greatest fortune of all.
Only by existing in this world could one have the chance to pursue what they loved, hear beautiful songs, and share the joys and sorrows within the music with complete strangers.
***
Yu Feng glanced back at Xie An’yu several more times. Xie An’yu was no longer crying, but he sniffled, pulled his baseball cap further down, covering his eyes.
When the show ended, Xie An’yu was pushed forward by the crowd. Because the exit was at the back, and he was standing at the very end, he was at the forefront when leaving, feeling a wave of people pushing him from behind.
The performance wasn’t long, lasting only about an hour. After all, the ticket price was only fifty yuan; it couldn’t compare to a full-fledged concert with extended sets.
Before running into Xie An’yu here, Yu Feng had assumed he’d already gone home. Now seeing him still wandering outside, and remembering the thugs who were chasing him earlier, he couldn’t shake off a lingering sense of unease.
As if by some strange impulse, when Xie An’yu left, Yu Feng followed him.
Not long after, Zhou Yi called him.
“Where are you? Why didn’t you come backstage?” Zhou Yi asked from the other end of the phone.
“Something came up. I can’t make it. Either wait for me a bit and we leave together, or just take a taxi home yourself.”
Zhou Yi fell silent for a moment before murmuring, “You didn’t even come, did you?”
“I did come. I told you, something came up.”
“Did you take photos?”
“I did, and I even recorded a video for you.”
Zhou Yi expressed satisfaction: “Alright then. But seriously, what’s so urgent that you have to deal with it right now?”
“Wait ten minutes. If I’m not back by then, just go home by yourself.”
***
Returning to reality after watching the performance, Xie An’yu found himself completely broke. He pulled out his phone and opened a job search app, when suddenly he felt a heavy weight press down on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Lu Yang had draped his arm across his shoulder.
“In good mood, huh?” Lu Yang said, looking at him. “Was the music good?”
Xie An’yu frowned and shrugged, trying to shake off Lu Yang’s arm. Just as he was about to exert force, he felt a hard object pressing against his lower back.
“Guess what this is?” Lu Yang said, maintaining his grip with the casual camaraderie of a close friend, ensuring no passersby noticed anything amiss. He spoke to Xie An’yu in a deceptively polite tone: “If you don’t want any trouble, just come with me obediently.”
Xie An’yu shifted slightly. He didn’t believe Lu Yang would be bold enough to commit a crime on a busy street.
Lu Yang suddenly tightened his grip on Xie An’yu’s shoulder. “Just because I’m not touching you doesn’t mean I won’t touch Yue Lai. Care to guess if he’s home right now?”
Xie An’yu’s pupils constricted as he whipped his head around to stare at Lu Yang.
Lu Yang grinned. “Let’s go.” He retracted the spring-assisted knife he’d been carrying, his arm still draped over Xie An’yu’s shoulder, and steered him forward as if nothing were wrong.
Xie An’yu’s intuition was correct. Lu Yang didn’t have the guts to commit serious crimes. If he had that much guts, he would have forced himself on Xie An’yu long ago.
Lu Yang was in his early thirties, with a criminal record that had kept him locked up for several years. After finally getting out, he’d started a small business, with better days still ahead. It wasn’t worth risking everything for a boy who caught his eye.
His drunken assault on Yue Lai earlier that day had been a moment of reckless abandon. At the time, he thought since Yue Lai couldn’t speak and was quite handsome, Lu Yang figured he could satisfy his cravings with the mute boy, since he couldn’t get his hands on Xie An’yu. He never expected Xie An’yu to walk in on them.
Being caught was bad enough, but then he also took a beating.
Who would have thought that Xie An’yu, that little bastard, was so strong? His stomach still hurt as if his internal organs were all twisted into knots from that kick.
He just couldn’t swallow this humiliation. He wanted to teach Xie An’yu a lesson and, in doing so, finally taste that tough piece of meat.
The curly-haired man and his gang chased Xie An’yu to the underground band’s performance venue, only to lose him. They asked the glow stick vendor at the entrance and found out he had gone in to watch the show, but by then, the performance had already started, and outsiders weren’t allowed in.
The curly-haired man saw the performance duration listed on the roll-up display banner, contacted Lu Yang, and planned to ambush Xie An’yu at the exit. Lu Yang, concerned that a large group waiting in the mall’s basement entrance would be too noticeable, told the others to leave and came alone.
“Where is Yue Lai?” Xie An’yu asked Lu Yang.
“You’ll find out when we get there.”
“What do you want?”
“You used to call me ‘Brother Lu’ all the time, but now your wings have truly hardened, talking to me so disrespectfully.” Lu Yang gripped Xie An’yu’s shoulder tightly, as if venting his anger. Xie An’yu couldn’t help but frown slightly.
***
Watching Xie An’yu walk further away, Yu Feng didn’t hesitate. He immediately chased after him and grabbed his backpack.
Xie An’yu froze, turned his head, and stared at the person before him in stunned silence.
“Where are you going?” Yu Feng glanced at the man beside him.
“I…” Xie An’yu didn’t know how to answer.
Lu Yang sized up the man before him.
This must be the meddlesome passerby Wu Dazhi had mentioned—around twenty years old, decent-looking, wearing black-rimmed glasses.
Lu Yang smiled and asked Yu Feng, “You have a problem with my brother?”
The words carried a mocking tone, considering Yu Feng had said the exact same thing an hour earlier. Now the tables had turned, and the other party had taken the upper hand.
Yu Feng didn’t confront them directly, instead acting like a righteous bystander who was unaware of the situation. He asked Xie An’yu, “Is he your brother?”
When Xie An’yu remained silent, Yu Feng turned to Lu Yang. “Are you his brother? He doesn’t seem very familiar with you.”
“Then you’re very familiar with him, are you? Still sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong?” Lu Yang’s tone turned icy.
Xie An’yu didn’t want an innocent bystander getting involved, and he was worried about Yue Lai’s safety. He had no choice but to submit to Lu Yang’s coercion, he pretended nothing was wrong and urged Yu Feng to leave.
“Big Brother, I’m fine,” Xie An’yu said to Yu Feng. “Just go.”
Yu Feng frowned but remained silent.
Lu Yang chuckled. “What, afraid I’m kidnapping him? Why don’t you call the police?”
Yu Feng shot him a glance.
Indeed, he couldn’t stop Xiao Dao from leaving with the other man, nor did he have a reason to call the police.
He wasn’t even sure if his insistence on keeping Xiao Dao from leaving would only get him into deeper trouble.
***
After a moment of silence, Yu Feng released Xie An’yu’s backpack.
Lu Yang smirked. “Go home and get some rest. Be careful on the way.”
Halfway there, Lu Yang glanced back to make sure the other person was gone before wrapping his arm around Xie An’yu and continuing forward. He asked Xie An’yu, “Who was that guy? Do you know him?”
“No. Just a passerby.”
“Such a righteous passerby. Was he the one who told you to hide in the car earlier?” Lu Yang sneered. “Too righteous, so righteous it’s nauseating… is he perhaps after something else? What do you think, Xiaoyu?”
Xie An’yu remained silent, his face cold.
Lu Yang said coldly, “Speak.”
In truth, Xie An’yu hadn’t understood Lu Yang’s hidden meaning at all. He didn’t know Lu Yang’s intentions towards him, let alone comprehend Lu Yang’s petty thoughts, which were based on his own projections.
“What?” Xie An’yu asked impatiently.
That ‘what’ made Lu Yang realize that Xie An’yu genuinely had no idea what he was thinking. He suddenly laughed, “You really are a block of wood.”
The surroundings were nearly deserted, with only a few scattered streetlights. They had entered an uninhabited alleyway. As they walked, Xie An’yu suddenly realized his mistake.
How could he have blindly trusted Lu Yang and just followed him here? Worry had clouded his judgment; he hadn’t even considered the possibility that Yue Lai might not be with Lu Yang.
Xie An’yu stopped and said to Lu Yang, “I want to send a WeChat message to my aunt. It’s getting late, and I’m worried she’ll start looking for me.”
Lu Yang watched Xie An’yu’s profile, guessing he had already realized the truth and wanted to contact Yue Lai to confirm his safety.
He’s still young and inexperienced, after all. Although he was not as easy to deceive as an ordinary little boy, he was not that hard to deceive.
“Why bother with WeChat? A phone call would be much faster,” Lu Yang said. “Take out your phone and call. I’ll watch you do it.”
Yue Lai was deaf and mute; he couldn’t hear and couldn’t make phone calls. Both of them knew this.
Xie An’yu stood his ground, aware that Lu Yang was deliberately provoking him.
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 18.2″]
人滿為患 (rén mǎn wéi huàn): packed with people; overcrowded; overpopulation; to cause problems due to being overcrowded; to cause problems due to being packed with people. This idiom means that the number of people is too large to accommodate or cause trouble. It emphasizes the actual negative impact rather than the sheer number of people. It is often used to describe neutral or positive scenes.一動不動 (yī dòng bù dòng): to not move an inch; to be perfectly still; motionless.
震耳欲聾 (zhèn ěr yù lóng): lit. to shock the ear almost to the point of going deaf; ear-splitting (idiom); deafening.
無時無刻 (wú shí wú kè): (prescribed) at no time; never; (proscribed or Cantonese) at all times; anytime; incessantly; every minute of the day; without a moment’s pause.
身無分文 (shēn wú fēn wén): penniless (idiom); not have a penny left on one; be flat/stony broke.
得不償失 (dé bù cháng shī): the gains do not make up for the losses (idiom); the loss outweighs the gain; to do more harm than good; one is losing more than one is gaining; the game is not worth the candle.
眉清目秀 (méi qīng mù xiù): good looking; pleasant facial features; pretty; with delicate features; having delicate features; with clear and bright eyes; elegant and refined; handsome and graceful; pretty and charming; describes a person’s appearance as being elegant and not vulgar.
五臟六腑 (wǔ zàng liù fǔ): five viscera and six bowels (TCM); The five solid organs and six hollow organs; the internal organs.
引人注目 (yǐn rén zhù mù): to attract attention; eye-catching; to draw attention; to catch people’s eyes; to stand out; to be conspicuous; attract the gaze of people; catch sb’s attention; describe people or things that are very distinctive and attract people’s attention.
一模一樣 (yī mú yī yàng): exactly the same (idiom); carbon copy; as like as two peas in a pod; identical.
反客為主 (fǎn kè wéi zhǔ): lit. the guest acts as host (idiom); to make the guest and host exchange roles; fig. to turn from passive to active behavior; turn the tables; reverse roles; the subordinate becomes the dominant; seize control; From Romance of the Three Kingdoms: 淵為人輕躁，恃勇少謀。可激勸士卒，拔寨前進，步步為營，誘淵來戰而擒之，此乃「反客為主」之法。, This Xiahou Yuan is easily provoked to anger, and being angry he is bold without discretion. Your way now is to work up the enthusiasm of your soldiers, then break camp and advance. Do this in a series of marches, and you will excite him up to the point of giving battle, when you can capture him. They call this the ‘Ruse of the Interchange of Host and Guest‘.
以己度人 (yǐ jǐ duó rén): to measure others according to one’s values; to measure other people’s corn by one’s own bushel; measure another man’s foot by one’s own last.
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![[Quick Transmigration] The young master relies on his beauty to dominate the entire system](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/youngmaster.jpg "[Quick Transmigration] The young master relies on his beauty to dominate the entire system")
