Chapter 505 - 504: IF Line: Did the Big Shot Vie for Favor Today? 73

Chapter 505: Chapter 504: IF Line: Did the Big Shot Vie for Favor Today? 73

Yan Huoshui gripped the microphone. His magnetic, elegant voice, like a beautiful melody drawn from a vintage cello, slowly began to resonate throughout the massive stadium.

"I’m so happy that all my fans could make it to my very first concert. I’m sure you all know my new song is called ’Benefactor.’ That’s right, it’s my cat’s name."

"Heh heh~"

He chuckled as he spoke, his tone tinged with a doting fondness. "Although the name sounds quite regal and dignified, my Benefactor is actually very mischievous. She even rolls her eyes and is always throwing little tantrums in front of me."

"However, as long as she’s by my side, I’m willing to put up with all of it. After all, she is my beloved pet."

"It’s just that... the little troublemaker decided to be naughty and run wild outside. I don’t know if she got lost, but she’s taking her sweet time coming home. I hope that if she hears this song, she’ll hurry back to my side. I won’t be mad at her, as long as she comes back."

When the fans heard this, they thought his cat was lost. One by one, they tried to console him. "Don’t be sad! We’ll help you look for your cat!"

"We’re sure Benefactor knows how much you love her and will definitely come back!"

...

Listening to Yan Huoshui’s words, Chen Xinyi was just as moved as the other fans, tears streaming down her face. "Teacher Yan is such a good person, loving his cat so much. I hope he finds her soon."

Shi Lan’s face was stiff, and she didn’t dare say a word. She secretly swallowed. ’I can’t believe Yan Huoshui is actually looking for me...’

’This man is terrifying.’

Although his tone was gentle, Shi Lan couldn’t shake the feeling that he was threatening her, warning her to go back to him quickly.

She wished she could leave the concert right now, but she knew her best friend would never want to go. Besides, they were in the front row, a very conspicuous spot. Leaving would mean a long walk, which would only attract more attention.

Shi Lan sat rigidly in her chair, no longer sure what kind of expression to maintain. Chen Xinyi wiped away her tears, looked at her in confusion, and lowered her voice to ask with concern, "Lanlan, are you okay? You look a little pale..."

Shi Lan subconsciously touched her face. It took her a long moment to reply, "Maybe the AC is too strong. I’m a little cold."

"Why didn’t you say so sooner? Here, wear my jacket."

As she spoke, Chen Xinyi quickly rummaged through her bag and pulled out a matching red knit cardigan. She had brought it specifically in case the indoor AC was too cold, but she had gotten so swept up in the passionate enthusiasm of the concert that she hadn’t felt cold at all.

Unsure if it was from a guilty conscience or the cold air, Shi Lan did indeed feel a chill. She took the cardigan and put it on, praying inwardly for the concert to end soon.

After his opening remarks, Yan Huoshui soothed the fans’ emotions. "Sorry for bringing down the mood, everyone. Actually, my cat isn’t lost. It’s just that she... hit her head and isn’t quite herself. So I’m hoping she can recover and go back to her old, healthy self."

"Thank you all for your concern."

"And now, please enjoy this new song in silence~"

As soon as Yan Huoshui finished speaking, the once-raucous stadium fell silent.

A gentle melody gradually filled the air. On the big screen, Yan Huoshui’s head was slightly bowed, a few strands of red hair falling across his forehead. Below them, his high-bridged nose once again highlighted his exceptional features.

His red lips parted slightly. "The afternoon sun, like a holy light, brushes past you. Your eyelids lift, and a speck of light leaps into my heart. Like an illusion, a dream, bringing beauty with it..."

Shi Lan had heard her best friend sing the beginning of this song before, and she had even looked up the preview to listen to it herself later.

But it was nothing compared to the powerful impact of hearing it live. It was like a warm current flowing through her, unintentionally soothing the anxiety in her heart.

Although Yan Huoshui was angry about Benefactor’s departure, there was no denying that the mere thought of her inexplicably softened his heart.

In the past, his songs had always been closer to punk and rock—surging, passionate, flamboyant, and intense. This was the first time he had ever composed such a gentle melody, and it seemed to transport him back to a certain afternoon on the film set.

He was holding the cat, stroking her pristine white head, watching her glare at him unhappily. He would throw his head back and laugh, then coax her with a helpless sigh, and she would reward him with a gentle pat from her paw.

Yan Huoshui was truly a man who detested trouble, yet he had endless patience for Benefactor.

The song’s chorus went:

"I have my flaws, and you have your jokes.

I just hope that after the storm, I’ll turn around and you’ll be there."

And the final line, delivered in a fading voice that was almost a whispered murmur, was, "If you truly are a benefactor, can you grant me one more chance, to protect you for a lifetime..."

A stubborn refusal to admit defeat was etched into his very bones. Perhaps because he was always the one being fawned over, Yan Huoshui couldn’t bring himself to say the simple words "please come back." Yet, every line of the song was laced with his longing for her. As he sang the final line, his lowered lashes betrayed the deep attachment and reluctance in his heart.

The fans in the stadium had never heard him sing with such a lyrical, gentle voice. Just by listening to this song, they could feel the love he had for his cat. They were all incredibly moved, and many shed emotional tears.

Chen Xinyi, who cried easily, couldn’t hold back either.

As for Shi Lan, her hands tightened slightly. She still couldn’t understand why Yan Huoshui was so obsessed with a cat. She could feel the emotion in his song, so while she was shaken, she was also deeply confused.

’Looking back, I was always getting mad at Yan Huoshui, occasionally threatening him with my claws and rolling my eyes at him. I wasn’t that well-behaved at all. And he was so disgusted with me at first, so sharp-tongued that I wanted a new owner immediately. I never thought he’d be this reluctant to let me go...’

She had to admit, she was a little moved. But being moved was one thing; her sense of caution was much stronger.

Yan Huoshui was not someone you could easily fool. After all, not long after she had left, he’d launched that video contest to find a cat that rolls its eyes. It was obvious he had sensed the change in the soul inside the cat’s body.

In such a short time, he had considered a possibility that no normal person would even suspect and had already taken action. He was so perceptive that she was afraid to even meet his gaze.

The more Shi Lan thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed. It wasn’t that she was scared of Yan Huoshui as a person, but if she had a choice, she wanted to avoid as much contact with him as possible. She could never outsmart him; he was far too cunning.

"My apologies, I got a bit too into that one. Thank you all for listening so quietly to my song ’Benefactor.’ Now, let’s do something more cheerful. We’re going to randomly select a fan from the big screen to request a song. It can be any of the songs I’ve performed today."

"Benefactor" was the last song on the setlist. After finishing it, Yan Huoshui turned his attention to interacting with the fans.

He didn’t have many original songs, only five or six in total, which wasn’t enough to fill a concert runtime of about two hours. Therefore, the show also included interactive segments like taking song requests from fans.

For true fans, this was a precious opportunity to interact with him. Every single one of them wished that kind of good luck would fall right on their head.

The atmosphere in the venue instantly became lively. Only Shi Lan was wringing her hands nervously, praying that she wouldn’t be chosen.