Chapter 71 Camping in Maple Forest Park

Zhao Liyue also stepped forward to help. She was quick and strong. Although she was not very familiar with setting up tents, under Su Xiaonuan's guidance, the two worked together well. Before long, a cozy little campsite was set up under a huge red maple tree.

Just as I straightened the last folding chair, I heard the sound of a car stopping next to me.

A family SUV stopped not far from them, and a couple who looked to be in their thirties got out of the car with a pair of lively twins, a boy and a girl who looked to be about five or six years old and were very cute.

The male homeowner appeared calm and reserved, silently unloading large and small bags of camping equipment from the trunk and skillfully setting up a larger family tent.

The woman, holding the hands of two children, walked towards Su Xiaonuan and her companions with a warm smile on her face.

"Hello!" the hostess greeted us with a cheerful voice and a smile. "Are you here to see the autumn leaves too, and planning to go to the concert tonight? We're practically neighbors!"

Su Xiaonuan and Zhao Liyue returned the smiles.

Su Xiaonuan nodded: "Yes, I heard it's very lively here at night."

“That’s right!” The hostess was very talkative. She introduced herself as Liu Yali and pointed to her busy husband, “That’s my husband, Wang Song. These two naughty boys are our children, Xiaolong and Xiaofeng.”

The two children hid behind their mother, curiously peeking out to observe Su Xiaonuan and the aloof Zhao Liyue beside her.

"My surname is Su, and this is Sister Zhao," Su Xiaonuan introduced herself briefly.

"Oh, Miss Su, Miss Zhao!" Liu Yali readily agreed and struck up a conversation with great enthusiasm. "You've come at the perfect time! I heard that the celebrity we've invited tonight is Fu Lilian, who's been super popular lately! She sings beautifully and is very pretty. My daughter adores her!" As she spoke, she patted her daughter's head.

Fu Lilian?

Su Xiaonuan's heart skipped a beat, but she remained calm on the surface, only her smile deepened. She thought to herself: What a coincidence! We just added each other on WeChat yesterday, and today I'm running into her open-air concert?

Zhao Liyue wasn't a fan of celebrities, but out of politeness, she nodded slightly.

Liu Yali seemed to be a social butterfly, and quickly steered the conversation away from the concert, talking about parenting tips, the recent weather, and even a few trivial gossip news items.

Zhao Liyue didn't talk much, but when she occasionally responded, she seemed less distant.

Su Xiaonuan wasn't particularly talkative; she mostly listened with a smile, occasionally interjecting a few words about food or interesting stories about street vending. The atmosphere was quite harmonious, with a warm feeling of neighbors chatting casually.

Soon after, Wang Song called out, indicating that the tent was set up.

Liu Yali smiled apologetically at Su Xiaonuan and the others, "I'll go help tidy up first, we'll talk later!"

"Okay, you're busy." Su Xiaonuan waved with a smile.

Watching Liu Yali and her family of four begin setting up their campsite, Su Xiaonuan couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for the concert that evening.

As she took out the marinated meat skewers, vegetables, corn and other barbecue ingredients from the refrigerator, she imagined Fu Lilian singing on stage.

As dusk fell, the lights in Maple Forest Park gradually came on, outlining the trees and tents, creating a unique and charming scene.

In the open space in the center of the park, a temporary stage was set up with flashing lights and warm-up music playing from the speakers, attracting a large audience.

Su Xiaonuan's small grill was also emitting wisps of smoke. The charcoal was glowing red, and the meat skewers were sizzling on it. Oil droplets fell on the charcoal and popped into tiny sparks. The rich aroma of cumin, chili powder and various secret seasonings filled the camping area, attracting Xiaolong and Xiaofeng to peek out from the side.

Zhao Liyue helped out, handing over seasonings and flipping the food. Although her movements were not as skillful as Su Xiaonuan's, she was still meticulous.

The two sat on folding chairs, with grilled meat skewers, chicken wings, mushrooms, steamed bread slices, and Su Xiaonuan's homemade refreshing lemon tea on the small table in front of them.

Just then, the host's enthusiastic voice came from the direction of the stage, followed by a familiar, energetic, and youthful singing voice coming through the high-quality speakers—it was Fu Lilian!

Su Xiaonuan and Zhao Liyue chose an excellent spot, located on the edge of the camping area. They wouldn't be disturbed by the crowded main area, yet they could clearly see the energetic figure on the stage and hear the singing clearly.

Fu Lilian, dressed in a sequined mini-skirt, sang and danced on stage with a sweet smile, frequently interacting with the audience and eliciting cheers.

Her singing voice was clear and infectious, penetrating the cool autumn night air and drifting among the maple trees.

Su Xiaonuan took a bite of the crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside, and fragrant beef skewer, then took a sip of the iced lemon tea, and closed her eyes contentedly.

Zhao Liyue slowly ate the grilled mushrooms, occasionally glancing at the stage. Although her face was expressionless, she exuded a relaxed aura.

A gentle evening breeze, carrying the scents of maple leaves and the aroma of food, swept by, dispelling the last vestiges of the day's heat and bringing a pleasant coolness. Above, the night sky was studded with a few stars; in the air, there were melodious songs and the faint cheers of the crowd; beside me, delicious food and... a companion who, though not talkative, was very reliable.

At this moment, the gloom felt during the day at the entrance to the Snow Lake Forest seemed to be temporarily dispelled.

Su Xiaonuan leaned back in her chair, enjoying this rare night filled with a blend of leisure and liveliness.

The pleasant atmosphere dissipated instantly, like a punctured balloon.

Su Xiaonuan was holding a skewer of crispy, sizzling chicken wings, discussing with Zhao Liyue whether the chicken wings were cooked better than last time. On stage, Fu Lilian's clear and melodious voice was singing the climax of the chorus, and the audience below was waving glow sticks, immersed in a sea of ​​joy.

Sudden--!

"Sizzle—Pfft!"

The speaker emitted a piercing electrical noise, then, as if it had been choked, the singing abruptly stopped!

Immediately afterwards, all the dazzling lights on the stage were simultaneously turned off as if by an invisible hand, plunging the stage into complete darkness with a "snap"!

Only the streetlights in the distant park and the scattered tent lights in the camping area provided a faint light source, illuminating the blurry outline on the stage and the crowd below that suddenly stirred.

"What happened?"

"The power is out?"

"Fu Lilian! Where is Fu Lilian?"

A cacophony of noise, doubts, and anxious screams rose and fell.

Su Xiaonuan almost reflexively dropped the chicken wing in her hand, stood up abruptly, her heart pounding wildly in her chest, and a strong sense of unease gripped her.

She stared intently at the stage area that had suddenly fallen into deathly silence and darkness, her pupils slightly contracting in the dim light.