Inside a discreet café in H.City, marble floors caught the glow of warm lights as soft jazz drifted through the air, wrapping the space in a quiet elegance.
Wang Zi Rui sat by the window, his gaze fixed on the fading sunset. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, a quiet rhythm that betrayed the impatience he kept hidden behind his calm face.
Then a voice of a woman cut through the silence:
"Hay! The traffic was terrible"
His eyes drifted upward and landed on a woman in a red bodycon mini dress that hugged every curve against her porcelain skin. Her hair fell effortlessly over her shoulders, framing a face as confident as it was deliberately alluring.
"You have no idea how long I had to drive to get here—" she began, sliding the chair across from him and sitting down, her tone carrying a hint of impatience. But Zi Rui did not pay attention at all, his eyes flickering to his silver watch.
An hour late, and not a single apology, he noted silently.
"Anyways, My name is Shen Mei. You can call me Xiao Mei," she said, extending her hand with a confident smile.
Zi Rui remained seated, posture perfect, face unreadable. Without taking her hand, he replied smoothly, introducing himself in a calm, measured tone.
At first, Zi Rui didn't care about attending blind dates and couldn't care less whose young lady it might be. But after several days, these meetings had begun to irritate him, taking up time that should have been spent on work.
Then, minutes later, a message lit up his phone, drawing his attention to the table.
Are you coming? The concert starts in ten minutes, it was from his sister, Yixiao.
His eyes lingered on the chat, a quiet warmth stirring in his chest. It had been so long since she last messaged him. Slowly, his gaze shifted back to the woman across from him, still rambling on about herself and her dream wedding.
Growing restless, Zi Rui finally stood, his movements measured and composed. The woman broke off mid-sentence, her gaze instinctively following his shift.
"I apologize, Ms. Shen, but I don't think we're suitable for each other," Zi Rui said, turning to walk away, leaving the woman behind utterly speechless.
Her eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief crossing her perfectly made-up face. She opened her mouth to protest, but no words came, and her carefully built confidence crumbled in an instant.
…
Inside the North Wing Stadium, Bloomis gradually filled the venue, hearts racing in anticipation as they waited for Everbloom to appear on stage. Today wasn't just the final show of the tour—it was also Song Meiqi's birthday, making the moment even more special for the fans.
Suddenly, the LED screens blazed to life, each member shimmering in glittering red outfits as the concert roared to life. Bloomis exploded in cheers, their lightsticks swaying wildly, as Everbloom finally appeared on stage.
From the VIP area above the crowded fans, Wang Yixiao's usually gloomy face lit up, her eyes sparkling in the fading sunset as she watched Everbloom take the stage. Her heart raced, fingers tightening around the lightstick as she admired them—especially her bias, Song Meiqi.
The swirl of emotions she had felt earlier while sending a message to Zi Rui was gone. Everything else fell away as her attention shifted entirely to Everbloom—the lights, the music, and the crowd sweeping her up in their energy.
…
Meanwhile, Zi Rui drove away from the café toward North Wing Stadium, where Everbloom's concert was already underway. His hands tightened on the wheel, city lights blurring past. Concerts had long become something he avoided—they stirred memories he preferred to forget—yet here he was, heading there anyway.
Thirty minutes later, his car pulled up to the venue. He stepped out, sharp in a tailored suit that looked more boardroom than concert hall. Conversations stilled, eyes following him as he adjusted his cuffs and strode calmly toward the guarded entrance.
As he showed his ticket, a staff member led him toward the VIP area. The deafening roar of fans rolled around him, shaking the floor beneath his feet as he moved forward.
A flicker of surprise crossed his face at the sight. He hadn't realized just how popular Everbloom was. The entertainment world had never interested him, and if it weren't for his sister, he probably wouldn't have come at all.
His eyes drifted to the stage, where spotlights cut through the darkness, catching the five girls now in shimmering silver, every movement sparkling under the lights.
Just then, the music ended, and the fans screamed even louder, their voices crashing over him like a wave. Before he knew it, he was already at his designated area.
…
Elsewhere, in a dark corridor of the North Wing Stadium, away from the roaring concert, a man paced, shadows crawling along the walls. His hand shook as he refreshed Echo's webpage over and over. Hours passed, yet still no post about Si Haoran's affair. The silence pressed in on him, heavy and suffocating, echoing his growing nervousness.
Then, he bit his thumbnail, fingers trembling as he anxiously dialled. Each ring thudded in his ears, stretching unbearably, and his chest tightened with every passing second. He swallowed hard, restless, waiting for someone to pick up.
Finally, a voice came through on the other end—one that made his blood run cold.