Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 562 The Little Demon 23

The next morning, as dawn broke and the air was still cool, the familiar aroma of food wafted from Yun Chu's kitchen.

Chi Jingchen arrived as promised.

Two bowls of steaming hot rice noodle soup were placed on the table—a warm breakfast specially prepared by Yun Chu, containing fresh small oysters, finely shredded lean meat, shredded shiitake mushrooms, two tender poached eggs, and sprinkled with bright green scallions and white pepper.

Alongside it were a few refreshing side dishes: her pickled crispy radish, a small dish of crispy fried dough sticks, and freshly steamed, soft and fragrant custard buns.

The two sat at a small dining table, sunlight streaming in through the window.

They enjoyed their breakfast quietly without saying much.

Chi Jingchen ate earnestly and contentedly. Compared to his weakness and timidity when he first drank porridge in the hospital room, he appeared much more composed now. He only occasionally glanced up, his gentle gaze falling on Yun Chu, who was focused on stirring her own noodles.

After breakfast, Chi Jingchen got up to clear the table, but Yun Chu naturally stopped him. He went to the entryway, put on his coat, and picked up his backpack.

Just as he was about to open the door and leave, he paused, turned around, and carefully took out an envelope from a hidden compartment inside his backpack.

The envelope was a simple white, without any unnecessary decoration. He handed it to Yun Chu, his tone a slightly gentler, more earnest tone, characteristic of farewells:

"Yun Chu, this... please accept it."

Yun Chu took the envelope and opened it with a hint of doubt.

Inside is a beautifully designed concert ticket—in the center is a powerful silhouette of Chi Jingchen, with the date and location clearly printed below: "Chi Jingchen | 'Star Trails Begin a New Era' Solo First Concert | Beijing Star Theater | April X".

"One month from now, in Beijing." Chi Jingchen looked at her, his eyes filled with barely perceptible anticipation and a hint of nervousness. "This will be my first real solo concert. I hope... you can come."

He didn't say "Can you come?", but directly expressed "I hope you can come".

Yun Chu clutched the uniquely textured ticket, her heart skipping a beat. Meeting his sincere gaze, she didn't hesitate, a bright smile blooming on her face as she nodded vigorously: "Yes! I'll definitely go! Congratulations!"

Chi Jingchen's lips curled into a deep smile, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief, or as if he had received the best response.

He glanced one last time at Yun Chu and the cozy little kitchen behind her, his deep voice warm as he said, "Thank you for breakfast. I'm leaving now."

"Be careful on your way." Yun Chu watched his tall figure disappear into the corridor, then looked down at the ticket in her hand, her fingertips gently tracing the smooth surface of the ticket.

Every day after that, Chi Jingchen would send messages to Yun Chu, sharing the joys and exhaustion of his life.

Occasionally when he goes home, he will invite Yun Chu to have dinner together.

A month has passed in the blink of an eye, at the Starry Sky Grand Theatre in Beijing.

As night falls, the Starry Sky Grand Theater is ablaze with starlight.

Yun Chu sat near the stage and could clearly feel the overwhelming enthusiasm and anticipation of the entire audience.

When the lights suddenly went out and the entire venue was plunged into darkness, with only the glow sticks swaying like stars, a beam of bright light shone down and Chi Jingchen appeared in the center of the stage!

The opening track was an explosive dance song that instantly ignited the entire venue!

Throughout the concert, Chi Jingchen showcased his amazing all-around talent.

From energetic dance songs to heartfelt ballads, from cool electronic music to delicate, unreleased original demos played on an acoustic guitar, he switches effortlessly between different styles, each one brimming with charm.

In a relatively quiet setting, with the lighting turning a warm amber hue, Chi Jingchen walked over to the piano and sat down.

He adjusted the microphone, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping across a certain area of ​​the audience, and softly said into the microphone, "The next song, 'Sunset Glow,' is being performed publicly for the first time, dedicated to someone... someone who has become accustomed to it." Screams and applause erupted from the audience.

When the familiar melody started playing, it was the unfinished version that had been playing in the studio that afternoon!

Yun Chu's heart tightened suddenly.

On stage, Chi Jingchen's voice was even more mellow and moving than in the recording, and his emotions were even more abundant and profound.

His slender fingers danced across the piano keys as he sang: "The sunset burns the sky / Like the shy haze in your eyes... / I'm used to having you here / Even the wind is gentle..." The stage backdrop was a vast, dazzling projection of a burning sunset, dreamlike and ethereal.

The atmosphere reached its peak with a grand finale of several hit songs performed together. Amidst deafening chants of "Encore!", Chi Jingchen returned to the stage for an encore.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and with immense satisfaction and a hint of exhaustion, he bowed to the entire audience in gratitude.

"Thank you! Thank you for every applause and every shout!" His voice was slightly hoarse from the shouting performance, but it was full of power and sincerity.

"'Star Trails Begin a New Era'—this isn't a path I've walked alone. Thank you all for being with me! Tonight was truly perfect!"

Amidst a shower of confetti and thunderous applause, the dazzling stage lights slowly dimmed.

In the dead of night, the hustle and bustle of Beijing has subsided.

Yun Chu followed the crowd out of the grand theater, still immersed in the awe of the concert and the thrill of "Evening Glow." A gentle evening breeze caressed her face, and the city's neon lights shimmered.

Just as she was about to hail a taxi home, her phone screen suddenly lit up with a new message from someone whose contact name was "[Neighbor] Chi Jingchen":

"How was the song tonight? :) I just finished backstage and suddenly I'm craving a bowl of hot noodle soup. Would you be so kind as to come to my house and make me a bowl of hot noodle soup?"

This message struck Yun Chu's heart more directly than any song!

Her fingertips hovered over the screen for a moment, and the image of Chi Jingchen singing passionately on stage intertwined with the gentleness and intimacy conveyed in the message.

She took a deep breath, a smile she herself didn't realize was on her face, and quickly typed a reply:

"The concert was amazing, every song was breathtaking! 'Sunset Glow'...it was truly moving. I was also a little hungry."

Chi Jingchen's text message was like a pebble thrown into a lake of her heart, the ripples spreading so intensely that she could almost feel the heat on her ears.

The dazzling cityscape of Beijing outside the car window remained as vibrant as ever, but Yun Chu's heart had already flown back to Chenxi Residential Area. She couldn't help but tap her phone again, her finger hovering over the screen for a moment before finally replying with a crisp, decisive: "Okay."

As the car entered the quiet Chenxi residential area, most of the residents' windows were already dark.

Yun Chu entered the password, and with a soft "click," the door opened. She was greeted by silence and darkness, but instantly, his familiar yet slightly cool scent gently enveloped her.

Yun Chu didn't hesitate for long. She quietly closed the door and groped her way to the light switch in the entryway.

pat.

Warm light instantly filled the entryway and flowed into the open living room.

She changed into slippers and went straight to the kitchen.

I skillfully turned on the kitchen light, and the low hum of the refrigerator became the new background noise.