Chapter 303 Catching Scalpers
Xia Lili held Xia Xubai's hand tighter, her tone filled with longing and excitement: "See what Lili looks like at 22! See if I'm more powerful now than before!"
Xia Xubai's lips curved into a gentle arc, and he raised his other hand to gently stroke his sister's cheek.
His fingertips were warm as he carefully traced the contours of her eyebrows and eyes. Finally, he gently pinched her soft cheek and whispered, "I know without even looking that Lili is now in her best form."
"It's nice to hear that your parents are in good health, and to see you shine in the career you love..."
"For me, these are the best lights."
The light passed by outside the car window, gently brushing over the figures of the brother and sister walking side by side.
…
The New Year is here in the blink of an eye.
The lively atmosphere of the Spring Festival has not completely dissipated, and the air seems to still linger with the aroma of the New Year's Eve dinner and the aftertaste of firecrackers. In the blink of an eye, the grass is green and the birds are singing, and we have entered early spring.
Not only Xia Xubai, but Xia Lili's whole family is busy because his brother's first concert tour in his life is about to officially start!
The house suddenly became a temporary "tour headquarters".
Mother Chang Yue was not only busy choosing costumes for her son's performance, but she was also enthusiastically gesturing at her own wardrobe, saying with a smile, "I have to dress smartly and nicely to go to my son's concert!"
Dad Xia Lintian, wearing reading glasses, checked the weather forecast for the tour city while carefully counting the health tea and common medicines he would bring to his son, for fear that he would miss something and make his son feel unwell while away.
Xia Lili, meanwhile, became the "family itinerary manager," clutching the tour itinerary in one hand and a thick travel guide in the other. She showed them to her parents with sparkling eyes, "Dad, Mom! We're going on a dual tour this time! I've looked it up. Every city has unique attractions and delicious food. I guarantee you'll have a blast!"
Although the whole family was ready to follow the whole process, Xia Lili had to regretfully choose to only attend the first stop, Jiangcheng, due to her course work arrangements.
Xia Lili waved the plane ticket in her hand and smiled at her brother, who was already in Jiangcheng, on the other end of the phone. "Don't worry, brother. I'll definitely be on time for the first show in Jiangcheng! Our whole family will hold up the brightest light board in the whole venue to cheer you on!"
Xia Xubai smiled softly on the other end of the phone and replied softly, "Okay, I'll wait for you."
*
In a blink of an eye, it was the day of Xia Xubai's personal tour concert.
Jiangcheng Sports Center is bathed in the evening glow, and the rays of light fall on the huge curved dome like gold powder, giving this modern building a gentle warm color.
Xia Xubai's first concert is about to begin.
Xia Lili was excited the whole day, her heart pounding.
When she and her parents arrived at the main entrance of the stadium by taxi, it was already getting dark, but the outside was crowded with people and very lively.
There was a long queue at the ticket gate. The noise was mixed with the shouts of scalpers selling tickets and the honking of volunteers maintaining order. In the distance, there were vendors selling glow sticks and cheering headbands. The whole stadium seemed to be wrapped in a carnival atmosphere.
Fans gathered in groups to take photos in front of the stadium, many of them holding high Xia Xubai's cheering signs, which flashed a soft warm yellow light in the twilight.
Seeing this, Chang Yue and Xia Lintian entered first.
Xia Lintian carried a professional camera on his shoulder. Chang Yue smiled and said, "We need to adjust the camera and take a look at the venue to find a good shooting angle in advance."
"Okay, I'll go backstage to see my brother first on your behalf!"
Xia Lili nodded and watched them disappear at the security checkpoint.
After her parents left, Xia Lili first relied on her amazing memory and good eyesight to catch several scalpers and contacted the police officers at the police station.
Afterwards, she walked to the staff passage alone, showed her pass and successfully entered the backstage.
The backstage area was brightly lit, the air was filled with the mixed smell of hairspray and perfume, and there was a busy bustle of people coming and going.
In front of the dressing table, the stylist was concentrating on styling Xia Xubai's hair. His brother was wearing a diamond-studded performance costume, and his slightly tired but energetic face was reflected in the mirror.
Xia Xubai prepared more than ten sets of costumes for this concert, from the opening suit to the finale robe, all hung on the mobile clothes rack on the side, which was dazzling.
Xia Lili leaned in closer and chatted briefly with her brother: "Brother, there are so many fans outside, the light signs are shining like stars!"
Xia Xubai raised his lips slightly and replied softly: "The light board you designed will definitely be very effective!"
The brother and sister chatted briefly, but the enclosed space backstage made Xia Lili feel a little stuffy.
"Brother, the air here is a bit stuffy, I'm going to get some fresh air!"
Xia Lili turned and walked towards an inconspicuous exit on the side. When she came here, she saw there was a terrace.
This small exit leads to a small open-air terrace outside the backstage.
The lights of some of the stadium's stands can be glimpsed beyond the railings.
As soon as Xia Lili pushed the door open, she saw a figure.
It was Su Wanqing, the concert's warm-up guest. Standing in a corner of the terrace, dressed in simple rehearsal clothes, she closed her eyes and concentrated on warming up her voice.
However, the person standing next to Su Wanqing was not the male assistant who was about 1.7 meters tall and followed silently behind her that Xia Lili had met before at the swimming invitational competition in Country M.
Instead, there was a very young-looking girl standing by attentively. She must be the new assistant.
Xia Lili, wearing a mask and a staff badge, hadn't intended to disturb the two. As Su Wanqing turned to leave, Xia Lili happened to pass by her. The moment their eyes met, Xia Lili felt a sudden trance.
An illusion appeared before my eyes!
In the illusory scene, Su Wanqing came on stage in a plain white long dress. Under the spotlight, she closed her eyes lightly, and her ethereal voice flowed slowly with the prelude of the guqin. A song "Old Dream Chant" filled the entire venue like smoke and fog.
This song was her famous work many years ago. The lyrics and music are as ethereal as a banished immortal, carrying a bit of the melancholy of the worldly life.
When singing the most heart-wrenching passage - "The night is long, and the lonely moon shines on the separated people", the stage speakers suddenly burst into a shrill whistle, so sharp that it almost ripped the eardrums!
Su Wanqing suddenly opened her eyes wide, and before she could react, she covered her ears in pain. After staggering a few steps, she fell to the ground, her face as pale as paper.
The audience suddenly became noisy, fans screamed in panic, and someone shouted "What happened to Wanqing!" The scene was in chaos.
The staff quickly cut off the sound source, and security and medical personnel quickly rushed to the stage, but Su Wanqing was already curled up in a ball, sweating profusely, and obviously unable to continue the performance.
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