Chapter 12

The big bear looked so adorably clumsy begging for tips that people subconsciously reached into their pockets for cash.

Electronic payments were far more common these days, however, and hardly anyone carried cash around anymore. The passerby’s pocket came up empty. He didn’t think much of it and prepared to just enjoy the free show, but as soon as he looked up, he met a deadpan bear face. A pair of shiny, pitch-black round eyes stared at him without blinking, instantly filling him with an inexplicable sense of guilt.

Passerby: “…”

Brown Bear: “…”

Passerby: “…Just wait here a moment. I’ll go break some cash nearby.”

Banknotes were tossed into the hat one after another, and before long, the modest hat was packed to the brim.

Not far away, the others wearing mascot costumes noticed the commotion and came waddling over in their heavy suits.

“Yinyin? Was that you singing just now?” Wan Yu propped up her oversized mascot head. “Where did you get the equipment?”

You Yinyin hurriedly said, “Brother Qiao helped me borrow it.”

“Xiao Qiao?”

Over on the other side, the big brown bear had collected a round of tips and was already clutching the hat to negotiate further with the band.

He wanted to rent their instruments and equipment for two hours, offering a fifty-fifty split on any tips collected. If that wasn’t enough, they could negotiate other terms.

Because of the cameraman trailing behind, the band had already recognized who they were and readily agreed.

The drummer, however, seemed hesitant. His gaze kept darting toward the edge of the crowd, and he asked bashfully, “Is Yueyue here today too…?”

Understood: he was a Chu Xinyue boyfriend fan^[1].

Qiao Yanli raised a bear paw, flashing him an OK sign, then pulled out his phone to place a call.

“Chu Xinyue, come over to the south side of the square.”

Chu Xinyue: “Okay, on my way.”

Before long, a Hello Kitty mascot waddled through the crowd, swaying as it approached.

Chu Xinyue still hadn’t figured out what was going on when she arrived, looking at the gathering crowd in confusion. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

Qiao Yanli: “Nothing much. Take off your headpiece and stand right here.”

Chu Xinyue complied, thoroughly bewildered.

The air inside the costume was stifling, and she had worked up a sweat, with a few damp strands of hair sticking to the side of her face. Before she could react, the brown bear in front of her held up a phone. She barely had time to offer a reflexive smile before a snap rang out, leaving her immortalized in a photo with the fan, completely dazed.

Chu Xinyue: “…???”

Chu Xinyue asked in confusion, “Wait…”

Qiao Yanli looked down to verify the shot, then handed the phone back to the drummer. “All done.”

Chu Xinyue: “What’s done?!”

The drummer fan looked deeply touched. “Thank you, Yueyue! Thank you, Teacher Qiao! I’ll treasure this forever!”

Chu Xinyue: ???

Wait, what just happened?!

The band held a brief huddle before a girl dressed in a cool, edgy style walked over. An embarrassed expression crossed her cool, glamorous face. “Xiao Qiao… Teacher Qiao, can I take a picture with you? If you need it, we can accompany you as well.”

The band had a full set of instruments, but not everyone in the Ideal Times group of seven knew how to play.

Qiao Yanli naturally didn’t mind. He generously removed his bear headpiece, sending a ripple of excitement through the crowd. Tucking the headpiece under his arm, he asked, “Do you want me to strike a pose?”

“No need.” The girl’s cheeks flushed slightly. “You look good no matter how the photo is taken.”

Qiao Yanli took her phone to snap a photo of the two of them. As he handed it back, he asked, “Would you like an autograph?”

“An autograph is okay too?!”

“Where should I sign?”

The girl grabbed her boyfriend, the lead singer, flipped him around to reveal the plain white back of his T-shirt, and said boldly, “Sign here!”

Lead Singer: “???”

【What to do when you meet your girlfriend’s idol? Don’t say a word, just serve as an ordinary human signature board.】

【Hahahahaha, I’m dying of laughter! Chu Xinyue was sold out before she even realized it. The last one sold out so cluelessly was Tu Sheng. It looks like no one around Qiao Yanli can escape!】

【When necessary, he’ll even sell himself!】

【He’s so practiced it breaks my heart.】

【I’m so jealous of the people there! Not only do they get to meet their idols, but they also have Qiao Yanli helping them chase their idols!】

【What on earth is “Qiao Yanli helping people chase their idols”? Hahahahaha, this is hilarious! He even grabbed a stack of postcards to help the square-dancing aunties get autographs from Wan Yu and Tu Sheng!】

【Other celebrities pamper their own fans, but Qiao Yanli pampers other people’s fans too.】

【Help, this square is right next to my house! Why on earth am I away at college in another city?!】

With the band lending them equipment and space, and even providing accompaniment, they no longer needed to work odd jobs.

Everyone changed out of their mascot suits. By the time Director Yang learned about this behind the monitors, it was already too late. He could only pinch his nose and accept it, clutching at what little hair he had left as he racked his brain for new schemes to trap the guests.

In the center of the square, the impromptu open-air concert was ready to begin.

Onlookers formed several concentric circles. The hat had been swapped out for a large basin, and after learning about their busking scheme, several passersby had specifically gone to exchange for paper cash.

The setlist was quickly decided through discussion. With so many people and limited time, the lineup mostly featured the four with stage experience. Chu Xinyue, Shen Fei, and Tu Sheng had acting backgrounds; each had their own specialty, so they didn’t push to steal the spotlight here.

After all, there was no post-production on the spot, and if they sang poorly, they would be too embarrassed to busk for money.

The opening number was the quartet’s rendition of 《Midsummer Night》.

The four took their places across the makeshift stage.

Wan Yu held the microphone, tapping her foot rhythmically to the beat.

The song 《Midsummer Night》 had nothing to do with the more famous play; it was merely an impromptu piece Qiao Yanli had composed on a summer night. Its tone was gentle and brisk, lacking profound weight, just a light, breezy little tune.

Wan Yu was a seasoned veteran singer with formidable vocal skills. The moment she opened her mouth, she pulled the listeners straight into the atmosphere.

Her slightly raspy voice flowed like a gentle stream, drifting into everyone’s ears.

It was like a soft summer evening breeze brushing across the tips of one’s hair, while faint fireflies danced before the eyes.

The rudimentary equipment did not hinder her performance at all. The audience felt as though they were standing in a stadium concert before tens of thousands of people; the singing itself was an auditory feast.

Once she finished the first verse, the square fell so quiet that only the gentle notes of the keyboard remained.

Next came You Yinyin.

Compared to the seasoned Wan Yu, she was still a bit green, and a touch of nervousness showed in her voice. Yet she had listened to this song hundreds, thousands of times, knowing it by heart.

After her was Qiao Yanli.

The camera lingered on his profile, capturing his sharp, exquisite jawline. The microphone rested against his lips, and his long eyelashes cast a dense patch of shadow.

His voice felt like a gentle evening breeze, or like the clear moon spilling its calm, tranquil glow, crystalline and gentle.

Moonlight washed over a gravel path, fireflies flickered ahead to guide the way, and hidden cicadas hummed in the distance.

In the middle was a soft, airy whistle, its undulating melody like the melodious song of a nightingale.

【The live performance sounds way too good, wuwuwuwu! This is singing on a god-tier level! How did I never notice before that Qiao Yanli sang so well?!】

【And the four of them didn’t even rehearse, they just started singing right away, yet their chemistry is incredible! Is this what real singers are capable of?!】

【I used to think idols were completely talentless, but now I’m suddenly starting to get it…】

【I’m a survival show fan who attended live tapings, and I can vouch that Qiao Yanli has always been rock-solid! His improvement was obvious too. Back on the survival show you could still hear a few flaws, but later on a singing competition show, he took on a diva’s notoriously difficult song and stunned the entire venue with his high notes!】

【Wan Yu and Qiao Yanli’s voices blend so well! When can they collaborate again? Absolutely incredible!】

【You should listen to 《Mountain and Sea》, the song Wan Yu and Qiao Yanli did together. It’s so good!】

【Time to spread the gospel! Our Xiao Qiao writes the lyrics and music for all his songs, every single track is top quality, and he’s always had rave reviews. Even though the Golden Finch Award is now mocked as the Water Bird Award, when he was nominated back then, tons of casual listeners genuinely felt it was well-deserved TAT】

【Wuwuwuwu, I’m a Qiao fan. Ever since Xiao Qiao retired, he’s been mocked for two years, and I almost gave up. Now hearing Xiao Qiao sing again, I feel like I’m alive again!!】

【Our Xiao Qiao is super amazing!!! (Super loud!)】

【I’m actually crying. Ever since the Golden Finch Award turned into the Water Bird Award, people have constantly questioned Xiao Qiao’s skills, when he was literally called a monster rookie when he debuted, his talent was terrifyingly good…】

【That being said, even though Qiao Yanli’s remarks about his dreams have been mocked for the past two days, it’s not like he said anything wrong… If singing wasn’t his dream, he wouldn’t have been able to stay in such great form after two years away from the industry. Isn’t it totally normal for him to have other things he wants to pursue besides singing?】

【If singing was his dream, why did he retire? He said out of his own mouth that he made a comeback for another purpose. Are his dreams that trivial?】

【I hope Qiao Yanli stops overthinking all that nonsense in the future. As long as he keeps singing properly, I’ll keep buying his albums. He sounds this good just singing casually live, he shouldn’t waste his talent!】

The drawn-out final notes gradually softened before fading away, dissolving into the piano music.

Under the vast, boundless starry sky, lush forests and tall grasses grew dense and wild.

Song Shuqi was the last to raise his microphone.

The audience in the square was thoroughly immersed in the song. Even stray cats and dogs passing by lay down on the stone pavement, gazing unblinkingly at the people on stage, their tails swishing back and forth.

He gripped the microphone, his palm slick with clammy sweat. Counting the beats in his head, he braced himself and sang out the first verse assigned to him.

“…”

An unfamiliar baritone rang out, jolting the passersby who had been lost in the reverie right back to reality.

Many blinked in bewilderment, struggling to process what had just happened.

【…】

【Ummmmm…】

【Is it just me? Why does it sound so awful the moment Song Shuqi starts singing…?】