Inside the hotel, the staff from Nenshi and the production crew of Alice in Borderland began to analyze the feedback and results brought about by the first event in Xia Country.
"Director!"
A young analyst abruptly stood up. Looking at the translated text on the screen, his voice trembled with excitement.
"We've really gotten off to a flying start this time. We occupy three spots in the top ten trending searches on Xia Country's social information software, [Blog]!"
Director Aoyama almost trotted over to the screen. Seeing the entries followed by the bright red character for "Explosive," his face bloomed with irrepressible ecstasy.
"Quick! Click on these trending topics and let's see."
The voice of the Nenshi representative was somewhat hurried, carrying an unquestionable tone of command.
The screen switched, instantly submerged by a massive amount of blog posts. At the very top were short videos filmed by fans at the venue with their phones. Although the image quality was a bit shaky, Michiya Gōshin's extremely fluent Chinese was clearly indistinguishable.
The number of shares, comments, and likes on the videos jumped frantically at a speed visible to the naked eye.
[Holy crap, this fluent Mandarin... you're telling me this is a Japanese person?!]
[This voice is just too swoon-worthy!]
[Turning from a passerby to a fan! He respects the Chinese market and studied Chinese with heart; he deserves to be famous!]
[The sisters at the venue are so lucky, Michiya Gōshin's eyes are so gentle!]
[Where is the 'Ai-Yu-Ren' army? Push this up! Let everyone see him!]
Similar exclamations and praise swept in like a tsunami, interspersed with a large number of passersby who had been converted into fans expressing their intense curiosity about Alice in Borderland.
Xia Country's major entertainment media and film and television public accounts also seemed to sense this traffic, successively beginning to report on today's promotional meeting, and the heat began to climb steadily.
Director Aoyama looked at this overwhelming positive public opinion. He clenched his hands into fists with excitement and punched the air fiercely.
"Did you see that? This is Michiya-kun's value! This is the massive success of our promotional strategy this time! With this opening, when the TV series officially premieres, the viewership ratings in Xia Country definitely won't be bad!"
The Nenshi representative's face was even more radiant. He immediately took out his phone, walked to the corner, and reported the battle results to the Tokyo headquarters in a decisive tone, forcefully requesting an additional promotional budget for Xia Country. His tone was full of confidence.
That evening, the team behind Alice in Borderland booked a high-end restaurant to hold a celebration banquet. The atmosphere at the scene was extremely lively.
The long table was filled with exquisite delicacies and expensive champagne bubbling with gas. The faces of the crew and Nenshi members were brimming with victorious smiles. They raised their glasses one after another, extending their warmest congratulations to today's absolute protagonist, Michiya Gōshin, and the equally radiant Sakurajima Mai.
"Michiya-kun! I must toast you again!"
Director Aoyama, his face glowing red, walked up to Michiya Gōshin with his wine glass. "Today, you didn't just complete a commercial event; you led us in fighting a beautiful battle! You take the first credit!"
"Aoyama-san, you overstate it. I simply did my best to fulfill my duties."
Michiya Gōshin stood up, remaining as composed as ever. His posture was upright, his temperament noble and elegant, standing out in the crowd like a crane among chickens.
His gaze occasionally swept over Sakurajima Mai, who sat opposite him. She was smiling and talking with the producer beside her. A sapphire blue long dress accentuated her skin, making it look as white as snow, and the diamond necklace at her neck refracted brilliant light under the lamps, making her breathtakingly beautiful.
In a moment where their gazes inadvertently met, he raised the teacup in his hand to her across the noisy crowd. His eyes were gentle and profound, carrying a trace of silent inquiry and comfort.
Sakurajima Mai's heart skipped a beat. She subconsciously raised her glass in return, then quickly lowered her head. Her thick, long eyelashes drooped down, concealing the complex emotions churning at the bottom of her eyes.
The celebration banquet was declared over at eight in the evening. After all, there was a second event tomorrow afternoon, and everyone needed to recharge their energy.
Michiya Gōshin returned to his suite. Kato Megumi had already prepared all the clothes and materials needed for tomorrow's event and was standing quietly in a corner of the living room. Seeing him return, she immediately took a step forward, bowed slightly, and spoke in a voice as steady as still water.
"Michiya-san, you are back. Three more media interviews have been added for tomorrow. This is the finally confirmed schedule and question list."
"Thank you for your hard work, Kato."
Michiya Gōshin took the neatly printed stack of documents and placed them casually on the cabinet in the entryway. "There is nothing else here, go and rest."
Kato Megumi nodded. Without any superfluous words, just as when she entered, she silently withdrew from the room and gently closed the door.
Michiya Gōshin pulled off his tie, unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, and paced to the massive floor-to-ceiling window.
Outside the window, the Oriental Pearl Tower stood like a dazzling lighthouse.
Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and picked up his phone, found that familiar number, and composed a short message.
"Mai-san, let's go out for a stroll. I'll come find you in a bit?"
The message was sent. He put down the phone and walked straight to the cloakroom, changing into a black hoodie with no logos and a pair of dark gray sweatpants, putting on a pair of soft canvas shoes.
One minute later, the phone screen lit up. Sakurajima Mai's reply was simple, just a single word.
"Good."
A little past eight in the evening, Michiya Gōshin stood outside the door of Sakurajima Mai's suite. He raised his hand, his knuckles knocking three crisp times on the heavy solid wood door.
The door opened almost in response to the sound. The girl had already changed out of the evening gown from the banquet. She was wearing a light apricot-colored cashmere knitted cardigan that outlined her slender and graceful curves.
Over it, she wore a beige long trench coat with the belt loosely tied, appearing casual and languid. She wore only a simple black mask on her face, and her long hair draped smoothly over her shoulders, emitting a faint fragrance.
"Let's go." Her voice came through the mask, carrying a trace of imperceptible softness, as if afraid to break the tranquility of the night.
Michiya Gōshin nodded, and the two walked to the elevator hall, one behind the other in tacit understanding.
Unlike in Japan where going out required full armor of sunglasses, hats, and masks, in the foreign land of Shanghai, although the daytime event had caused a huge sensation, the recognition on the streets at night was greatly reduced.
A simple mask was enough to let them enjoy a freedom close to "invisibility."
Without using the hotel's luxury courtesy car, Michiya Gōshin hailed the most common type of taxi at the hotel entrance. He skillfully pulled open the door, protected the top of the door frame with his hand to let Sakurajima Mai sit in first, and then walked around to the other side to get in himself.
He gave the driver an address in Mandarin so fluent it had no flaws. It was an area close to the Bund, where one could admire the river view while also being steeped in the charm of old Shanghai and the breath of life.
The driver responded, skillfully started the meter, turned the steering wheel, and merged into the river of cars flowing with light and color in the night.
The taxi traveled smoothly through the neon-flashing streets.
Shanghai's night and Tokyo's were two completely distinct aesthetic experiences.
Although Tokyo's night also flashed with neon, it still exuded a distance and estrangement between people. Xia Country's night, however, was more all-encompassing, filled with the temperature and vitality of human fireworks.
Ancient architecture and modern glass curtain wall skyscrapers coexisted marvelously. Beneath huge luxury brand billboards were steaming pan-fried bun shops and elderly people waving palm-leaf fans to cool off. Various dialects, Mandarin, and foreign languages interwove into a chaotic yet vital urban symphony.
Sakurajima Mai leaned quietly against the car window, watching this grotesque yet vibrant scene outside, feeling the urban pulse that was so different from Japan.
She entrusted herself completely to Michiya Gōshin, listening to him chat naturally with the driver in Chinese, from traffic congestion to urban changes, and then from Shanghai snacks to the recent weather.
The other party's ease and sense of integration, as if he were born and raised here, made her feel a strange sense of peace and reliance in this unfamiliar environment.
In this country where the language was a barrier, with him by her side, everything seemed to become simple and worth looking forward to.
The taxi stopped at a slightly quiet intersection. Michiya Gōshin paid the fare with his phone and got out with Mai.
The humid night breeze immediately wrapped around them, gently lifting the corners of the girl's trench coat and a few strands of hair on her forehead. When she looked up and saw the scene before her clearly, her breath couldn't help but hitch slightly, as if even her heartbeat skipped a beat.
What came into view was the magnificent Bund nightscape, gorgeous as a dreamlike fairy tale.
On the river surface, sightseeing cruise ships decorated with strings of colorful lights moved slowly like mobile water palaces, cutting ripples of shimmering light across the water.
The viewing platforms along the bank were crowded with tourists from all over the world. Camera flashes rose and fell like fireflies on a summer night.
Exclamations in various languages, laughter, and the melodious saxophone melody faintly drifting from street performers interwove into a vibrant urban nocturne.
In the air, the faint fishy smell of the river water, the mellow aroma drifting from roadside cafes, the fresh fragrance of flower stalls, and the scents of various perfumes on pedestrians mixed together, constituting a smell unique to this place.
"It's too beautiful..."
Sakurajima Mai couldn't help but marvel in a low voice. Those clear eyes revealed above the mask reflected the boundless lights on the opposite bank, flickering with shocked brilliance.
This wasn't her first time in Shanghai, but in the past, her trips were always filled with tight work schedules—promotion, interviews, photoshoots, rushing between venues... like a spinning top driven by an invisible whip.
She had never truly stopped like this moment to immerse herself in this world-famous scenery and feel the breath and heartbeat of this city with her heart.
"Mn, it feels completely different from the daytime."
Michiya Gōshin stood by her side, also gazing at the opposite bank. His voice sounded deep and magnetic in the night breeze.
The two walked slowly along the riverside promenade, blending into the bustling flow of people.
Without the blinding flashbulbs, without the fanatical shouts of fans, without the vigilant gazes of managers, they were liberated from the halo of being artists and turned into two most ordinary travelers, enjoying this rare tranquility and freedom.
Michiya Gōshin seemed quite familiar with this place. He didn't walk along the main road where the crowds were densest but led Sakurajima Mai into some small roads parallel to the riverbank that were relatively quiet yet full of charm.
"You seem to know this place very well? Have you been to Xia Country before?"
The girl couldn't help but ask again. The curiosity in her heart was like ripples blown by the wind; the other party's understanding of this place was definitely not like that of a first-time visitor.
"This is my first time for work."
Michiya Gōshin turned his head to look at her. The streetlights cast fragmented shadows in the depths of his eyes, making his handsome face appear even more three-dimensional.
"I did a lot of homework before coming, so naturally, I'd be somewhat familiar."
They walked together past small shops selling handmade leather goods and independent designer accessories, passed through neighborhoods wafting with the rich aroma of coffee and baking, and also passed some alley entrances that were still brightly lit at night, revealing the breath of daily life.
Michiya Gōshin even used Chinese to buy two skewers of glittering candied haws from an old grandfather pushing an electric bike, handing one skewer to Mai.
She carefully pulled down her mask, her cherry lips parting slightly to take a small bite. The cold and brittle sugar shell shattered between her teeth, accompanied by the soft and sour flesh of the hawthorn. The sweet and sour taste instantly permeated her mouth, bringing a simple and pure pleasure.
"It's delicious."
Michiya Gōshin watched the satisfied expression she rarely revealed, and a trace of gentle laughter, which even he hadn't noticed, swept through the depths of his eyes.
The two walked aimlessly like this, occasionally exchanging a few sentences. The content had nothing to do with work pressure, nor the complex emotional entanglements between them; it was just about the interesting shops passing before their eyes.
Sakurajima Mai even had a moment of trance, as if she had forgotten the emotional obstacles lying between them, feeling only that the night scenery, the river breeze, the lights, and this man beside her who made her heart flutter constituted a picture so perfect it felt unreal.
After walking for quite a distance, Michiya Gōshin stopped, rotated his ankle, and spoke naturally, "I'm a little tired. Shall we find a place to sit?"
Sakurajima Mai nodded. She did feel somewhat weary, but more than that, she felt a spiritual relaxation and coziness.
Michiya Gōshin's gaze patrolled the surroundings for a moment before finally crossing over the glamorous main road and landing deep in a small alley perpendicular to it.
It was brightly lit there, boiling with human voices. A scent mixed with cumin, chili pepper, grease, and various spices rushed toward them—that was the smell belonging to night market food stalls.
"Shall we go over there to experience it?" Michiya Gōshin pointed to that small alley that seemed like another world.
Sakurajima Mai looked in the direction he pointed, revealing obvious curiosity and a trace of hesitation on her face.
In Japan, except for specific summer festivals and fireworks displays, large-scale roadside stalls like this were extremely rare. Even if they existed, most were concentrated in certain areas known as "Yatai" and were strictly managed.
But the small alley before her eyes was clearly a "culinary jianghu" where Shanghai locals enjoyed midnight snacks, full of market vitality.
"Is it okay?"
She asked softly, carrying a bit of instinctive wariness toward an unknown environment, but more so, an impulse aroused by novelty.
"Since we're here, of course we have to experience the most authentic things."
Michiya Gōshin smiled, his tone certain and composed. "Leave it to me."
The other party's confidence and calmness were like a breeze, blowing away the last trace of apprehension in Sakurajima Mai's heart. She nodded and followed his footsteps, stepping into that bustling small alley.
The alley wasn't wide, and both sides were densely packed with all kinds of stalls.
There were Malatang and barbecue stalls with red tents set up, furnished with low tables and plastic stools, the charcoal fire blazing and smoke curling up; there were fried noodle and fried rice stalls with huge iron woks set up, spatulas dancing, full of "wok hei."
There were also various pushcarts selling stinky tofu, pan-fried buns, crayfish, ice jelly, and small wontons—everything one could expect.
Diners sat around every stall. People talked and laughed loudly, clinking glasses and drinking freely. The bosses shouted enthusiastically in Mandarin with heavy accents, filling the place with fresh and boiling human fireworks.
Sakurajima Mai looked around, somewhat overwhelmed. This was a completely different world from the high-end ryotei and Michelin-starred restaurants she usually frequented.
That rich and rugged aroma of food constantly stimulated her sense of smell, actually making her feel a burst of genuine hunger.
Michiya Gōshin led her to a seat in the back corner in front of a blue tent that looked relatively clean and tidy, hanging a sign that said "Authentic Barbecue."
The plastic tables and chairs were slightly small and low, but for them, it had a novel and interesting sense of experience instead.
The boss was a middle-aged man wearing an apron with some oil stains. Seeing customers, he immediately greeted them enthusiastically with a menu, speaking in Mandarin with a noticeable accent.
"What would you two like to eat? We have barbecue, crayfish, stir-fries, everything! The taste is absolutely authentic!"
Michiya Gōshin accepted the laminated menu with slightly curled edges incomparably naturally and responded in standard, fluent Chinese, "Thank you, boss. We'll take a look first."
He quickly scanned the menu, then turned to Sakurajima Mai sitting beside him, passing the menu to her as he asked in a low voice.
"Is there anything you want to try? Or should I order some local specialties here?"
Sakurajima Mai looked at the dish names on the menu that were somewhat strange to her. She hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.
"I'll leave it to you to decide."
Michiya Gōshin nodded knowingly. He picked up the menu and skillfully recited a string of dish names to the boss: "Boss, ten lamb skewers, mildly spicy, five roasted pork belly skewers, two roasted chicken wings, one portion of enoki mushrooms roasted in tin foil, one portion of roasted eggplant with garlic, and another portion of stir-fried clams."
His proficiency in ordering made the girl beside him secretly marvel again; this was simply like a "local" who had lived here for a long time.
After ordering, just as the boss was about to turn away to prepare, Sakurajima Mai seemed to suddenly make some kind of determination. She opened her mouth and looked at Michiya Gōshin's face. "Um... is there alcohol?"
Michiya Gōshin was stunned for a moment. He saw a complex emotion mistying in the girl's eyes above her mask.
Tomorrow's promotional event was in the afternoon, so drinking a little seemed harmless?
"Boss, is there alcohol?"
Michiya Gōshin nodded and shouted to the boss in Chinese.
"Yes! We have beer! Tsingtao, Snow, Budweiser, we have them all!" The boss responded enthusiastically.
"Then... let's have four bottles of Tsingtao first."
"Alright! Coming right up!"
The boss responded and left, quickly returning with a plastic basket carrying four chilled bottles of Tsingtao beer and two clean glasses.
The food hadn't arrived yet, but the wine had arrived first.
Michiya Gōshin picked up the bottle opener and neatly pried off the cap, pouring a full glass for both Sakurajima Mai and himself. The golden liquid hung with fine white foam on the glass walls, just like cream.
At this moment, the barbecue they ordered began to be served successively. Lamb skewers roasted until fragrant and sprinkled with cumin and chili powder, oily and shiny roasted pork belly, golden roasted chicken wings, as well as the roasted eggplant with garlic and enoki mushrooms bubbling with heat in the tin foil boxes... The tantalizing aroma instantly occupied the small dining table.
Michiya Gōshin and Sakurajima Mai looked at each other, then almost simultaneously reached out and took off the masks on their faces.
When two faces that frequently appeared on Japanese television screens and fashion magazine covers were exposed without any concealment under the slightly dim but incomparably real lights of the roadside stall, it caused the boss who was serving dishes to freeze abruptly.
He blinked hard, suspecting his eyes had been blurred by the oil smoke.
That male customer was handsome as if he had walked out of a manga, his features exquisite and superior, and that female customer was beautiful to the point of suffocation, her temperament elegant and noble, just like... just like the female stars he saw on TV!
The boss opened his mouth, emitting a meaningless syllable from his throat, but ultimately swallowed all his surprise and curiosity back down. He just silently arranged the dishes and stole two more glances.
Opening a night market stall in Shanghai, he had seen all kinds of people, but born with such looks, this was truly the first time.
He muttered in his heart but didn't dare to step forward to disturb them. After serving the food, he tactfully retreated to the side.
Sakurajima Mai looked at this impactful food before her eyes. She picked up a lamb skewer, mimicking the diners at the table next to them, carefully blew on it, and then took a bite.
The lamb was roasted until the skin was slightly charred, but the inside was fresh, tender, and juicy. The rich aroma of cumin and the slight stimulation of chili powder blended perfectly in her mouth; it was a rugged and direct deliciousness.
She couldn't help but take another bite, pairing it with a large mouthful of ice-cold beer.
The refreshing slight bitterness of the beer swept away the greasiness of the barbecue just right, bringing a satisfaction that was delightfully thorough.
"How does it taste?" Michiya Gōshin looked at her.
"Mn... very delicious."
Sakurajima Mai nodded, her tone relaxed and sincere as never before.
This feeling of sitting amidst the noisy marketplace, feeling the cool night breeze, eating grounded food, and drinking ice-cold beer made her feel a freedom and carefreeness of breaking free from all shackles.
After a few skewers of barbecue and a glass of beer bottomed out, two moving blushes gradually spread on the girl's white jade-like cheeks, like sunset dying white snow.
She put down the empty glass in her hand, picked up the bottle again, and poured herself a full glass. Then she raised her eyes, her gaze looking straight at Michiya Gōshin with a trace of drunken haziness and bravery.
"Michiya-kun, are you living together with Kurokawa now?"
She asked softly, her action of raising this topic somewhat sudden.
Michiya Gōshin's hand holding the wine glass paused slightly. He looked at the other party, clearly seeing the unconcealable pain in her eyes.
After a moment of silence, Michiya Gōshin candidly met her gaze and answered in a calm tone.
"Yes."
"Does this count as cohabitation?"
"Mn..."
"Cohabitation..."
Sakurajima Mai repeated this word in a low voice, as if every syllable carried weight, smashing onto her heart.
The blush on her face seemed to fade instantly. She abruptly picked up the wine glass, tilted her head back, and poured the ice-cold liquid down her throat in big gulps, almost as if out of spite.
The alcohol burned her esophagus but seemed to ignite the flame that had been suppressed in her chest all along.
"Mai-san, don't drink so fast."
Michiya Gōshin reached out to hold her wrist, but it made Mai tremble violently all over.
She abruptly pulled her hand back, raising her eyes which were already somewhat blurred and glistening with watery light, looking at this man before her whom she loved to the bone.
The alcohol finally completely collapsed the dam of reason. The grievances, unwillingness, sadness, and that love that had never been extinguished, accumulated for over a month, poured out like a flood bursting a dike at this moment.
Tears rolled down from her beautiful and sorrowful eyes without warning, sliding down her flushed cheeks, dripping onto the greasy plastic tabletop, blooming into small circles of water marks.
"It's all... it's all your fault."
She choked with sobs, her voice carrying a heavy nasal tone and uncontrollable crying.
"Clearly I was the one who liked you first... why... why did it turn out like this?"
Michiya Gōshin watched her shed all disguises in front of him, crying so heartbreakingly. His heart felt as if it were ruthlessly gripped by an invisible hand, transmitting waves of suffocating dull pain.
He reached out and gently pulled her constantly trembling body into his embrace. Sakurajima Mai struggled symbolically at first, but in the end, she still leaned weakly against his warm and solid chest.
"Mn, it's all... all my fault."
________________________________________
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