Chapter 180
The bus drove steadily down the road, followed by a convoy of countless cars. With about twenty buses leading the way, many passersby stopped to watch the scene curiously as they waited for the traffic light to turn red.
Ji Shao's photo was printed on the bus body. Liu Xiaoxin, who was sitting by the window, saw many young people gathered in groups of three or four pointing at the bus they were riding. Some even took out their mobile phones to take pictures of the whole bus.
The photography exhibition is not far from Huashang Times Square. Although Liu Xiaoxin didn't get a spot for the book signing event immediately, she came for the excitement and had carefully read the map posted on the blog before coming.
As they passed a paved road strewn with golden maple leaves, not only she but the other fans on the bus practically glued their eyes to the windows. As the tall bus advanced, its underbody occasionally scraped against the lush maple branches, making a rustling sound. So far, it had been a truly satisfying trip for the fans.
The tall iron gates flung open, revealing the clean, clean grounds and a warehouse-like building housing a massive flower wall. The moment she saw the wall of flowers, she knew for sure the owner of this lavish space was a heart-throb.
The flower wall is very simple, as if it was specially reserved for everyone to check in. The five big words "Ji Shao Photo Exhibition" are inlaid with white roses among the fiery red roses.
Simple and clear, the flower wall, which looked like a show of wealth to outsiders, looked even more dreamy in person. Liu Xiaoxin immediately felt that the "I'm waiting for you at XX" signs were far from comparable to the support from her own fans.
Meanwhile, Zhou Xiao, disembarking from the cheese cart, gazed at the tightly closed warehouse gates, realizing this must be a surprise Qi Sisi and the others had prepared for everyone. Fans began to disembark, and with her advance notice, security had already directed the cars to a nearby parking area.
The crowds were almost all arriving. Zhou Xiao and Zhu Jian stood on either side of the iron gate, both already having been urged in by the three people inside. Of course, knowing there were thousands of people outside, Qi Sisi and the others tacitly kept their mouths shut.
Liu Xiaoxin followed the others off the bus. Although she was curious about the quaint warehouse-like exterior, her anticipation for the photo exhibition peaked at that moment, thanks to the impressive flower wall.
When the iron gate, still adorned with red paint, opened, Liu Xiaoxin, nestled in the crowd, was greeted by a wall of warm lights. A fan from another group, who had joined her, exclaimed in surprise. Liu Xiaoxin knew it was because their phone covers and signage indicated they were fans of Lin Nan.
Hearing the other person's surprised voice, Liu Xiaoxin slowly felt a sense of pride rising in her heart. It was the end of the year, and the sky was already beginning to darken. The warm yellow light panel, like a plus screen, immediately drew those outside into a warm and pure world.
The entire light board was about a meter thick, composed of several 20-centimeter-thick foam boards and corresponding LED light strips. Liu Xiaoxin now understood why the queue ahead of her was so slow. The closer she got to the line, the more she appreciated the creativity and beauty of the board. By the time her turn came, she was almost paralyzed.
The hollowed-out sections of the foam board resemble irregular growth rings or wavy patterns. As the irregular cutouts in the center of each panel shrink, the final image reveals a picture of Ji Shao standing beneath a chinaberry tree, smiling with faint dimples. This image is clearly a photograph printed on a lightbox, illuminated by the lightbox behind it.
Countless exquisitely crafted, small, and chibi dolls are fixed to the edges of these irregular layers of foam board. If someone were to look closely at this wall after viewing the photo exhibition, they might discover that the dolls on the wall correspond to Ji Shao from each period of his life.
Of course, Liu Xiaoxin didn't know this at the moment. She was staring at so many tiny, exquisite figures that she felt overwhelmed. Liu Xiaoxin is a die-hard fan of the show, and she can even recall the exact era of each figure.
Just like one of the puppets half-kneeling on the ground with his hands stretched forward, combined with his clothes and hairstyle, she could clearly recognize that this was Ji Shao who was photographed with such excitement during the finals.
Everyone couldn't help but exclaim in admiration upon seeing this solid panel. Not only was the light board beautiful, but looking at the figures affixed to it, one could sense the organizers' deep dedication.
Urged by fans behind her, Liu Xiaoxin quickly skirted the "wall." It was at that moment that the purpose of the photo exhibition became fully apparent. The spacious, neat, and pristine white space resembled an art gallery, and many of the photos hanging on the walls were unfamiliar to Liu Xiaoxin.
The most eye-catching feature was the "photo waterfall" in the center of the venue. Many people's first reaction was to walk over and observe it, but Liu Xiaoxin was different. She first turned her attention to the photos hanging on the wall.
Inside the venue, a human-shaped standee was placed at regular intervals. These standees could rotate 360 degrees, and printed on the back were short stories about Ji Shao from various periods of his career. These were authorized by Zhou Xiao, who found fans, and each standee carried the warmth and affection of the fans.
In addition to this rotating sign, there is a line of reminder text under each photo: Please do not touch the exhibits and view the exhibition in an orderly manner.
Carefully examining each photo, Liu Xiaoxin unknowingly found herself near the "Photo Waterfall." She leaned forward, following the light poles within to peer at the clear photos.
The order of the photos of the waterfall is consistent with the time they were taken. In just a few months, Ji Shao has quietly grown from a green boy to the most dazzling new star this year.
After circling the "waterfall," she cast her gaze toward a golden chinaberry flower arrangement in the background. This was the name Liu Xiaoxin later saw on a nearby plaque. A simple, low, round pottery jar sat atop a round, milky-white pillar. Several large branches spread out, and the conical, golden fruits, from a distance, looked as if they were tied to the branches with silk thread.
Zhou Xiao took this branch from the pruner in the square. The fruit of the chinaberry flower can be regarded as a blessing for Ji Shao's future career. The efforts and sweat he put in will eventually be rewarded with golden fruits.
The crowd behind urged those in front to move forward. By the time these people realized they had to make room for the fans behind them, some had already bypassed a temporary display board and arrived in another world.
Behind the display board with photos is a rest area. Liu Xiaoxin felt as if she had stepped from an art gallery into Christmas. This space featured an oversized Christmas tree, rich holiday decorations, sofas and chairs for relaxation, an endless buffet of desserts and drinks, and a giant gift-box-shaped capsule toy machine.
There were already quite a few people in the lounge area. When Liu Xiaoxin pushed open the glass door, she heard the music of "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells..." Like other fans, she trotted towards the capsule toy machine as soon as she entered.
As soon as I squeezed into the crowd, I saw a few lines of eye-catching words on the capsule toy machine:
"Scan the QR code below and score 80 or above in the questionnaire about Ji Shao to get a verification code. Turn the button to draw a support gift pack.
Warm reminder: Please do not copy other people's answers.
Zhou Xiao compiled this questionnaire using data collected from various sources, and after several adjustments from his friends, he finalized it. The questions weren't exactly simple, but they weren't particularly surprising either. You can even find the answers with a simple browser search.
Zhou Xiao didn't care how everyone got 80 points in this way. Even if they were passers-by who strayed in, her goal was to see if they were willing to spend some time getting to know Ji Shao.
When Liu Xiaoxin raised her phone to scan the code, someone had already completed the puzzle. She watched as they placed the verification code on the giant capsule machine's scanning port. Two dings sounded, and a voice announcement rang out: "Congratulations, you can now spin the button on my body!"
——【Entertainment Forum】——
[Theme] Don't rush! Here are the photos from the exhibition!
[Main Building] We've opened a new building for the interior of the photo exhibition, in response to popular requests. For directions to the exterior of the photo exhibition, see this post with over 2K replies: [Heartbeat chartered 20 buses to take us to the photo exhibition...]
PS: The post on the neighboring forum was also created by the original poster. Feel free to repost it if you want. You don’t need to ask for my permission!
Besides the inhumane flower wall, entering these two mottled iron gates...
[Image]*N
1L
It gave both local and foreign audiences a complete shock... I've been to an offline photo exhibition in Korea before. Although I was very moved, I have to say that the scale was too small and it was gone after just one look.
67L
Take this as my plea, could you please move the camera towards the unreleased pictures on the wall!!! Ahhhh, I saw new pictures I haven't seen before!
147L
Can I go to this exhibition tomorrow? Even through the burnt filter of the host, I can arouse my eager heart.
231L
Waiting for the follow-up! It feels like an art exhibition! There is even a special Christmas lounge area. I'm stunned. Do you have to eat so well?!
407L
It feels like visiting a cloud exhibition. Please update more often.
539L
OP!!! Stop looking at the photos! Go get your hands on the Gachapon! A fan posted a photo of the Gachapon machine in Ji Shao's chat.
704L
Thank you for the reminder, I heard it too! This post will be temporarily updated [bow.jpg]
763L
I shouldn’t have reminded you if I had known this. Woohoo, who will compensate me for visiting the exhibition online?
…
When the voice announcement of the first capsule toy was heard, some of the people still watching from the entrance began to move toward the rest area. Pushing open a glass door covered with a cute Ji Shao sticker, the bustle inside washed over them like a heat wave.
This is the [Heavenly Sound Lock] item that Zhou Xiao exchanged for the system, which directly isolates the sound between the two areas in one step.
To redeem the capsule toys, one had to enter the other gallery through the glass corridor connecting the two galleries. On the glass corridor, Zhou Xiao followed the adhesive marks left earlier and hung up the hanging photos.
The second gallery is filled with neatly arranged gift packs. Fans can open the capsule toys they draw and redeem them here using the cards inside.
Qi Sisi and a few others were in charge of this area. In addition to them, Zhou Xiao also temporarily "borrowed" three staff members from Li Ruoshi to deliver desserts and drinks.
The empty space is now mostly filled by the enclosed perimeter, but looking up, one can see the bustling scene next door through the long corridor. The fragmented space and atmosphere are magically connected by this connection.
The opening of the two galleries forms a circular circulation path, allowing those who wish to leave after redeeming their merchandise. At the exit, there's a large curved art wall. Aside from a picture of Ji Shao's back, which was previously posted by the editor-in-chief of Shang Ken magazine, the wall is completely blank, waiting for fans to leave their names. It's as if every fan leaving this place leaves a photo of their back at this exit.
Meanwhile, Liu Xiaoxin also received her own capsule toy. The challenge was surprisingly simple for her. After opening it, she saw a chibi version of Ji Shao holding a card with the number "1." She also saw different chibi versions at other vendors' stores. The attention to detail was exquisite. Liu Xiaoxin felt that if she hadn't made up her mind to come, she would have been unable to sleep for years, thinking about this exhibition.
After putting the capsule toy into her bag and refueling in the rest area before reviewing the photo exhibition, she watched the crowds of people passing by, considered her return time, and then reluctantly followed the sign into the glass corridor to collect her merchandise.
When she gave the number tag in the bag to the lady at the exchange counter, she was still a little reluctant, but when she received a large package of peripherals, that reluctance had long been thrown out of the window.
Liu Xiaoxin, clutching her belongings, signed her name on a signboard outside the room. She looked back at the bright, warm yellow light inside. She took a deep breath, snapped a final photo of herself with the photo exhibition, and boarded a bus with a glowing "Subway Station" sign on the rear.
On the approaching bus, after the in-car announcement, you can scan the QR code inside the bus and select several locations the bus will visit, such as the subway station, Huashang Times Square, etc. This is a small program that Zhou Xiao asked the system to help generate, which can automatically identify the number and allocate vehicles.
When Liu Xiaoxin got on the bus, it was already packed with people, and everyone was very excited. Some people even called out their phone numbers, asking everyone to add them as a friend.
Some people, while exchanging messaging apps, suddenly remembered they were fans of teammates who were attending the autograph session today, and their profile pictures were of other NINE STAR members... They bravely exchanged messages, only to receive friendly smiles from Ji Shao fans. Of course, there were also cases of people exchanging with fellow fans...
In short, today's experience was a surprising and magical day for everyone present. Under the stars, the bus slowly moved toward its destination. The driver smiled knowingly when he heard laughter or singing from behind.
Inside the photo exhibition, many fans were still helping to clean up the trash in the two galleries. Among them were two men, their heads bent down, helping to clean up very quickly. They were very close together, and their cleaning was very neat and efficient.
Qi Sisi and Zhou Xiao, who hadn't grabbed the cleaning tools, started wiping the table. As they were wiping, Qi Sisi suddenly looked at Zhou Xiao and said, "Xiaoxiao, why are those two making those eyes at you? And, hey, they look a little familiar!"
This was overheard by Cheese, who was passing by with a dustpan. She was also curious: why were the two assistants from Huayao and Xincheng fighting with the fans for the job of sweeping the floor? And it seemed like they were even competing with each other.
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