Chapter 18: I Really Want to Go to the Concert

The next afternoon, Tang Xiaohe’s phone rang right on time.

🎵 “You know I wanna be your destiny…” 🎵

Tang Xiaohe quickly picked up.

“Hello, Yanli…”

A deep, magnetic voice came from the other end:

“Mm, are you ready? I’m waiting downstairs.”

Tang Xiaohe grabbed her bag, changed her shoes, turned off the lights—all in one smooth motion.

“I’ll be right down!”

Ji Yanli could faintly hear the sounds of her rushing around. He chuckled softly.

“No need to hurry.”

Tang Xiaohe stepped into the elevator, excitement bubbling inside her.

At the 20th floor, the elevator stopped. Ji Yanli walked in, meeting her surprised gaze.

“I wanted to go down with you,” he said.

The two of them took the elevator straight down to the underground parking garage. The lighting was a bit dim, and Tang Xiaohe couldn’t see clearly, so she walked slowly.

Naturally, Ji Yanli reached out and gently placed his hand near her arm, hovering protectively.

He’d already noticed earlier that she was wearing high heels today. If she twisted her ankle, that wouldn’t be funny at all.

They were standing very close. Tang Xiaohe’s cheeks flushed slightly, but thankfully the dim lighting concealed it well, so Ji Yanli didn’t notice.

Not far ahead, a Maybach was parked. It looked like Ji Yanli’s usual car. Tang Xiaohe, unable to see the license plate clearly, gently poked his arm and asked:

“Is it this one?”

A tingly sensation from her touch lingered briefly. Ji Yanli steadied himself and replied,

“No.”
Then pointed ahead:
“A little farther.”

The underground garage was quiet. The two walked side by side, and it almost felt like they could hear each other’s breathing.

Finally, they reached a car. The headlights flashed as Ji Yanli opened the passenger door for her.

Tang Xiaohe was surprised—this wasn’t the black Maybach Ji Yanli usually drove.
It was a bright yellow Lamborghini.

Again, she found herself marveling at how rich Ji Yanli’s family must be.

She got in.

Tang Xiaohe twisted her shoulders a bit, leaned back, and instinctively adjusted the seat until she found a comfortable position. Only then did she reach for the seatbelt.

Very different from the first time she rode in Ji Yanli’s car—back then, she sat upright and tense.
Now, she was unknowingly more relaxed around him.

“Why the car change?” she asked.

Ji Yanli kept his eyes on the road, casually replying:

“This one feels more suitable for going to a concert.”

The last time he saw Tang Xiaohe standing with Lin Xiang, their youthful and energetic vibe left a deep impression on him.

So today, Ji Yanli had specifically chosen to dress more casually sporty clothes, and even a smartwatch to match the look.

No, he couldn’t magically turn into a college student, but at least he looked a bit more vibrant than usual.
At least Xu Yang thought so.

Xu Yang had even said Ji Yanli’s usual car made him look like a serious old businessman, totally out of touch with youth.

So last night, Ji Yanli went back to the family estate just to swap out his car. He left in such a hurry that he didn’t even stay for dinner, which left Xu Lihua (his aunt) quite annoyed.

Of course, Tang Xiaohe knew none of this.

She looked around the car like a curious kitten. Noticing a small box with a cute egg-shaped sign inside, she picked it up excitedly.

“Wow! This is so cute!”

Ji Yanli glanced at it from the corner of his eye. A few days ago, after dining out with colleagues, he walked out of the restaurant and saw a street promoter handing out small signs—scan a QR code to add them on social media, and you’d get a cute standee.

He normally never paid attention to these kinds of activities, but somehow, in that moment, his eyes were drawn to a little fried egg sign among the pile. Almost as if compelled by some invisible force, he walked over to the promoter and asked:

“Excuse me, can I buy this one?”

The girl was about to refuse—after all, she wasn’t there to make money, she was promoting a WeChat account. But when she looked up and saw his face…

What kind of devastatingly handsome guy was this?! He looked like he’d just walked out of a Korean drama!

The rejection died on her lips and turned into:

“Handsome guy, if you’d like to take this standee, just scan our QR code and add us on WeChat!”

Ji Yanli frowned slightly.

“It’s inconvenient for me to add someone on WeChat. Name your price—anything’s fine.”

And just like that, the little fried egg standee ended up in his possession. He had originally kept it in his bedroom, but when he changed cars yesterday, he brought it along—because he wanted her to see it.

And sure enough, it caught Tang Xiaohe’s attention.

Hearing her praise, Ji Yanli added with intention:

“It is cute. I like it a lot.”

Tang Xiaohe beamed proudly:

“Right?! I love it too! My WeChat nickname is ‘Fried Eggy’—it’s based on my name!”

Ji Yanli chuckled—of course he already knew that.

The road was smooth at first, but the closer they got to the stadium, the more congested traffic became.

For the first time, Tang Xiaohe felt just how grand her idols’ presence was.

Fans were everywhere—on the sidewalks, in cars, and probably in the subway tunnels beneath their feet.
All of them had come from all directions, full of love, just like her.

After a long stop-and-go struggle, they finally reached the stadium.

Tang Xiaohe got out first. Ji Yanli rolled down the window:

“Wait here for me. I’ll go find parking.”

All the nearby spots were long taken. Ji Yanli had to drive farther away.

Eventually, a few blocks away, he found a paid lot with open space. He quickly paid, parked, and got out.

Ji Yanli checked the time, frowning slightly—he didn’t want to keep her waiting.

Without hesitation, he broke into a run.

His long legs carried him swiftly, the summer air rushing past his ears.
Though it was already evening, the heat lingered. He didn’t feel even a hint of coolness.

By the time he returned, Ji Yanli was breathing heavily from the run, but thanks to years of training, he hadn’t broken much of a sweat.

Tang Xiaohe pulled a bottle of water from her bag.

“Here, drink some water and take a break!”

Ji Yanli took a big gulp. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and damp strands of hair clung to his forehead, tickling his eyes and making him squint uncomfortably.

A hand reached out gently, brushing his messy hair aside. The small gesture left behind a faint scent of citrus.

Ji Yanli’s heartbeat faster than it had when he was running. His eyes moved toward Tang Xiaohe and lingered there, unable to look away. After a long pause, he tried to speak:

“I…”

“Let’s go, the concert’s about to start.” Tang Xiaohe hadn’t heard clearly. She glanced toward the ticket entrance, where fans were already beginning to line up.

Ji Yanli didn’t say anything else and walked with her toward the entrance.

“You know,” Tang Xiaohe said, “I’ve liked Chairs since high school. Back then, they weren’t that popular—didn’t have so many fans.”

Ji Yanli responded warmly:

“They’re really popular now. Looks like you have great taste—you saw their worth early on.”

Tang Xiaohe was just about to reply when they suddenly heard shouting from behind—an argument mixed with the faint sound of crying.