stonecrandall Page 71
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When Idol City presented its third reason to all those who had questioned it, almost everyone was speechless with emotion—Bai Lixiao, a legendary figure who initially appeared in the world of anime (light novels, illustrations), and whose influence quickly spread to the idol and film industries...
No one knows where his limits lie, or what kind of extraordinary talent he possesses. Simply put, he is a mystery, a mystery to which you can often hear people around you saying, "Hey! Did you know? Teacher Baili did this or that again!"
To have such a mysterious man as her teacher and roommate, it's no exaggeration to say that Muse's "future potential" is rated "EX"...
In conclusion, since the three most important evaluation criteria for the idol group [Muse] are "EX", "A", and "EX", they are ranked fourth!
Idol City explained its reasons for the ranking and righteously declared that it "would not change" the list, effectively silencing all dissenters—of course, that's a story for later; at this point, the Muse members had only just finished their first concert!
Chapter 0199 The Concert Ends! (Third Update, Please Subscribe)
"congratulations!"
"Thank you!"
The concert had just ended, and the word "congratulations" was heard most often by Honoka and the others. Whether it was the performance team, the backstage setup staff, or even the staff cleaning up the venue, everyone had an excited smile on their face, celebrating the success of the Muse members in their own way.
"Can we take a picture together?" In the performance group, the girl in her early twenties was responsible for the piano accompaniment. Her face was flushed and she looked very cute. She seemed to be shy, but from the way she was glancing at the Muse members, Honoka and the others could clearly see that she was very afraid of being rejected.
“Of course, is it okay to wear this outfit?” Sonoda Umi nodded with a smile—she seemed to see a younger version of herself, just like a girl, afraid of being rejected (even though this girl was older than her)—she looked down at her clothes, the outfit she wore during the final performance of the song "Even Though We Have Nothing": “Or maybe we can change our clothes first…”
"No, no, this is fine!" The girl hurriedly waved her hand, her eyes shining brightly. "I was already a fan of yours before the concert, and I feel so lucky to have gotten the job of accompanying you on the piano for your concert!"
As the girl spoke, she took out her phone and handed it to her companion, while she herself skipped and hopped over to the Muse group and stood on the outermost edge! — That was almost at the edge of the camera; if they wanted to capture the entire Muse group in one shot, her outer arm would definitely extend beyond the frame!
Left with no other option, the girl's companion took a half step back, allowing the girl's entire body to appear in the frame: "Okay, I'm going to take the picture now!"
"Wait a minute!" Nozomi Tojo gently interrupted the falling fingertips, her smile unchanged. She walked to the girl's side, placed her hands on her shoulders, and, to the girl's surprise, pushed her to the very center of the Muse group. "Your spot should be here. Let me see... Hmm, not bad!"
Tojo Nozomi rested her right index finger on her chin, looked her up and down twice, and then snapped her fingers with a soft "snap!": "Isn't this the way the pictures are taken the most evocative?"
"But, but..." The girl was a little anxious, taking a step forward to leave the center position—in any picture, the one in the center is usually the "most important"—she was just an ordinary fan who loved her muse, how could she let her idol, her muse, be in a "supporting role" position?!
"There's no 'buts' about it, this is fine!" Minami Kotori reached out and affectionately linked arms with the girl, simultaneously dispelling the latter's thoughts of "changing positions": "Don't worry about fans or idols or anything like that, we're all girls, just treat it as a normal photo shoot for girls!"
"Yes! Just like this!" Honoka said energetically, one hand on her hip and the other making a "V" sign next to her eyes: "Everyone, let's say cheese!"
The girl's eyes sparkled as she mimicked Honoka's gestures. The moment the flash went off, a thought inexplicably popped into her mind...
(It's so great to be a fan of the muse!)
...
Inside the lounge, the Miao Beiyong and his group, who had already changed their clothes, walked out one after another, greeted by the gazes of Baili Xiao and others.
"Nozomi-chan! Nozomi-chan!" Machida Sonoko couldn't contain herself and took a few quick steps toward Tojo Nozomi, opening her arms wide to give her a big hug: "Your performance at the concert was absolutely amazing! Especially when you sang 'Gokuraku Jodo'!"
Her smile froze slightly. Before Nozomi Tojo could resist, Sonoko Machida pulled her into a tight hug. Feeling the latter's hand gently stroking her cheek near her temple, Nozomi sighed softly, "Ms. Sonoko, this is really bothering me..."
As she spoke, she cast a pleading glance at Ayase Eli beside her. Eli pouted and took a step back, shrugging helplessly—her meaning was all too clear: (You know perfectly well that Sonoko-san likes you a lot, yet you openly seduce her on stage... You've brought this mess on yourself!)
"Ugh..." A muffled sound of regret escaped her delicate nose, and Tojo Nozomi silently closed her eyes.
Chapter 0200 Gan Hui's Bonfire Party! (First update, please subscribe)
In the second zone of Gan Hui Amusement Park, a huge open space that was previously messy and hard soil has been transformed into a large area of neatly trimmed lawn in just a few minutes.
"Isuzu, this is big enough, isn't it?" Tirami looked around, secretly stuffed a few seeds into her small bag, then put on a dejected face and sobbed, tears streaming down her face, "These seeds are all from my hometown, Mimi. If I use them up this time, I'll have to go back home if I want more!"
Once you get used to life on the surface, no one wants to go back—although being underground isn't all that bad, the thought of living next to ants and earthworms is enough to send chills down your spine!
That's why Tirami is so resistant to "going home." Even during the Lunar New Year, he would stay in Surface World 04, drinking and partying to kill time—in his words, "Going home is impossible, I'll never go home in this lifetime!"
Isuzu shifted her gaze from Latifah and examined the grass beneath her feet—a newly planted lawn the size of a standard football field, where Gan Hui's mascots were running around, busy with their own tasks—and nodded slightly: "Okay."
"Hooray!" Tirami shouted, then collapsed onto the grass without any regard for appearances (as if appearances didn't really matter anyway): "Ah... finally I can rest a bit!"
But no sooner had he finished speaking than Mofru and Macaron, who were in dire need of manpower nearby, spotted him: "Tiramisu! Come and help!"
"Huh? I just finished, Ah Mi!" With the expression of a middle-aged office worker being asked to stay and work overtime, Tiramisu grumbled as she sat up and reluctantly moved towards the two of them. "Couldn't you have asked someone else, Mi? Why did you have to drag me into this..."
“Everyone else is busy with their own things, Dragon! Besides, we’re brothers, Dragon!” Macaron grinned, grabbing Tirami’s wrist with his strong hand and giving him a wink—sometimes, “brotherhood” is something to be sold!
"Hurry! Macaron! Tiramisu! Teacher Baili and the others will be here soon! We must get everything ready before they arrive! Fumo!"
As a fire spirit, Saloman is arguably the busiest person tonight, bar none.
Besides lighting the huge central bonfire, her job was also to light the smaller bonfire stands around the perimeter of the site.
"Saloman, please add some fuel to the fire here."
"Okay! Coming right away!"
With a casual reply, Saloman stared at the neatly arranged firewood in front of her without turning her head. A flash of firelight flickered in her golden-red eyes. With a soft "whoosh," a small flame first appeared in the center of the dry firewood. Then, as if accelerants had been added, the flame suddenly flared up and engulfed the pile of firewood in an instant.
"Great!" Saloman clapped her hands and grinned. Her bright red hair shone even brighter in the firelight. After a moment's thought, she took out her phone from her pocket and took a picture of the huge campfire.
"Let me see how people react when I post this on Weibo?" As if she had thought of something interesting, the smile on her lips became more and more obvious—unlike the "reserve" of other female fairies, her smile seemed much more arrogant and exaggerated... After all, she was a fire fairy, and whether she was crying or laughing, she always carried the characteristics of "flames"!
"[Celebrating the success of Muse's first concert, a grand bonfire party has been prepared for Teacher Baili and others!] Is that alright?" After editing the message, Saloman updated her Weibo status and casually stuffed her phone into her pocket—although she really wanted to refresh it constantly to see if anyone had liked or commented, she couldn't help it; there was still a lot of work waiting for her!
"Saloman! Come help me!"
"okay!"
...
"Everyone seems to be in high spirits." Seeing the busy figures coming and going, Latifa sighed with relief—before she fell ill, she clearly remembered everyone's faces showing obvious worry; in just half a month, it had been replaced by "aspirations and longings for a better future": "Everything is thanks to Teacher Baili and the others; I must thank them properly later..."
At this point, Latifa paused slightly, lowering her head to carefully examine her attire—a magnificent and elegant white princess dress concealed her smooth skin, whose complexion, no less radiant than the dress, glowed with a healthy rosy hue in the firelight. With her gloved right hand, she gently touched the hem of her dress, glancing left and right before asking Isuzu with some concern, "Isuzu, is this really appropriate for the banquet tonight?"
“Of course.” Isuzu nodded in response, her gaze sweeping over the former: “This dress is the one Lady Latifa wore as the First Princess. You look absolutely stunning tonight!”
Isuzu's answer contained not a trace of flattery. In fact, this outfit would not be considered "shabby" or "impolite" even at a banquet in the Kingdom of Great Britain. For tonight's not-so-formal bonfire party, it was a "very dignified" performance!
"That's good..." Latifa patted her not-so-small breasts with her small hands, and looked into the distance at the street with its faint lights: "Just thinking about hosting the party later makes me feel so nervous, I don't know why."
As the first princess of "Red Maple Paradise," Latifa had attended many kingdom-level banquets since childhood, to the point that she was used to them. She originally thought she wouldn't be nervous, but her heart, which was beating faster and faster, clearly told her one thing: "You're wrong!"
"It's alright, Lady Latifa. You don't need to worry about 'what if I don't do a good job hosting?' None of the teachers are serious or old-fashioned people, they..." Isuzu's words suddenly stopped, and Latifa looked at her in confusion. What she saw was the smile on Isuzu's lips disappearing quickly: "...Look, the teachers have arrived!"
Chapter 0201 Let's Cheers! (Two chapters, please subscribe)
"Teacher! Good evening!" As Baili Xiao and the others slowly approached, Latifa gently lifted her skirt, her fair little feet adorned with crystal high heels, and took two light steps forward to her side: "The party is all ready."
"You've worked hard. Actually, there's no need to make it so grand. A simple celebration would have been fine..." Baili Xiao looked around and couldn't help but smile wryly.
In the center of the huge lawn were several mats pieced together, on which were placed all kinds of fruits and drinks. Of course, the main attractions of the party—meat and vegetables—were also present.
In addition, around the perimeter of the lawn, barbecue grills were set up, and the food staff stood around them. When they saw Baili Xiao's gaze turn to them, they all smiled kindly—after the party started, they would do their best to prepare delicious food for everyone present!
This was a rare opportunity to demonstrate the importance of the "Food Department," and for that reason, their hands, which were behind their backs, had already begun to move!
The bonfires of various sizes around the venue gradually made the atmosphere in the hall more tense. Latifa gently shook her head, her azure eyes looking at Baili Xiao, then turning to the group behind him: "No, this is what we should do. Without Teacher Baili and your companions, Gan Hui could not have achieved today's glory. Compared to your efforts, these preparations are really not 'grand' enough..."
“Uh, okay…” Latifa’s extremely obvious respect in her words made Baili Xiao feel a little uncomfortable. Personally, whether it was Latifa, Isuzu, or even any of Gan Hui’s mascots, he preferred that they speak to each other in an equal tone—after all, deep down, he had never felt that he was superior to anyone else…
However, judging from the attitude of Latifah and others, it won't change in a short time. Forcing them to treat him as a "friend" might even backfire!
(Let's leave it at that for now.) After a moment's thought, Baili Xiao's gaze lingered on Latifa's small face for two seconds: "Latifa, you seem to be recovering very well?"
“Yes, thanks to Teacher Baili and your efforts, the number of people in the amusement park is increasing every day, and the soul power they bring has also made up for my physical weakness.” Latifa bowed slightly to Baili Xiao—in her mind, the man in front of her was her savior, and such a respectful posture was completely “necessary”!
With a bright smile on her face, Latifah stretched out her right hand, made a fist, and gently waved it twice: "I've never felt so powerful before!"
"That's good." Baili Xiao smiled slightly, unconsciously reaching out his right hand towards Latifa's little head—having spent so much time with everyone in the studio, "patting heads" had almost become an essential skill for him as a way to express his feelings; he would do it unintentionally, but...
Looking at the platinum crown on Latifa's head, Baili Xiao's hand froze in mid-air. He then awkwardly withdrew it and touched his nose: "Well, I'll have to trouble you with the hosting duties from now on. Please take care of yourself and don't overexert yourself!"
"With Isuzu's assistance, it's alright." Although she was a little puzzled about what Baili Xiao had just done, Latifa didn't think too much about it and slightly stepped aside: "Please take your seats, everyone. The party will begin soon!"
...
"Thank you all for gathering here today. I am Latifa, the manager of Gan Hui Amusement Park." Standing on the temporary wooden platform, Latifa bowed deeply to the crowd—her golden hair fell in front of her, and her slender and petite figure made many people feel pity for her.
“Everyone in the amusement park comes from the underground magical kingdom. Although we come from different countries, we met because of Gan Hui.” Latifa clasped her hands in front of her chest and slowly closed her eyes—there were some things she had always wanted to say, and today was the perfect opportunity: “If we want to survive on the surface, people need to keep remembering us, otherwise we will be forgotten and disappear.”
“That’s why, even in Gan Hui’s most desperate times, everyone never gave up on him, never chose to leave and find another place.” Taking a deep breath, Latifa opened her eyes: “Thank you all, thank you everyone. Without your perseverance, there would be no Gan Hui today…”
"Lady Latifa! Please don't say that. Since we have chosen to follow you, we cannot leave alone. Even if we turn into bubbles, I will protect this amusement park, because it is our home!"
"That's right! Lady Latifa! We should be the ones thanking you!"
"Ouch! This is supposed to be a happy time, why did I suddenly get sand in my eye? Kopoli, can you blow it out for me..."
Before Latifa could finish speaking, a continuous stream of laughter erupted, though a slight sob could be clearly heard within the laughter...
"I'm actually not good at acting (good job, Zhao Hao), but Isuzu insisted on making me come up here... I'm sorry, I made everyone cry..." A mist rose in her azure eyes, and Latifa smiled as she gently wiped her eyes: "Today is a day to celebrate. Thanks to the efforts of Teacher Baili and others, Gan Hui Amusement Park has finally escaped the crisis of being abandoned and has reached a level of glory far greater than ever before... At the same time, it also saved my life..."
"Here, as Gan Hui's representative, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Teacher Baili and his team. Thank you for giving Gan Hui a second life... a second light."
"Let's raise a glass to all the teachers to celebrate the success of the new book launch! And to celebrate the success of Muse's first concert!"
"cheers!".
Chapter 0202 I will try my best to pay back the money! (Third update, please subscribe)
"Teacher Baili! Thank you so much!"—This was probably the sentence Baili Xiao heard most often at the bonfire party.
Everyone was waiting to clink glasses with Baili Xiao, everyone wanted to express their gratitude to Baili Xiao—if it weren't for Baili Xiao's appearance, Gan Hui would have inevitably suffered the fate of "Latifa falling into a long sleep, the amusement park being completely paralyzed and eventually abandoned."
After Baili Xiao raised his glass for the twenty-third time and put it down, he shook his head with a wry smile at Isuzu and Latifa, who were slowly walking over: "Even if I'm drinking juice, if this continues, I think... I definitely won't be able to eat anything else."
"..." Upon hearing his words, the two were taken aback for a moment, then exchanged a glance. Latifa couldn't help but chuckle: "Yes, please have some more food, teachers. The food department has been preparing for today for a long time, and everyone has been working hard to show off their skills, hoping to receive your praise."
Isuzu, on the other hand, was even more direct. She turned around and said to Macaron and the others behind her with a blank expression, "Thanks are fine, but please don't offer any more drinks!"
"Uh... well, how can men express their gratitude without wine? Tiramisu, you agree, right, Dragon?" Macaron stiffened, hesitated for a moment with a troubled expression, and while speaking, he secretly winked at Tiramisu 373.
As a close buddy who had drunk, fought, and even... cough cough... shared drinks with, Tiramisu instantly understood what Macaron meant. He puffed out his chest, raised his head righteously, and declared with unwavering confidence, "Of course! We absolutely have to toast Teacher Baili! Otherwise, we'll regret it for the rest of our lives!"
"..." Frost settled on her already expressionless face, and Isuzu narrowed her eyes slightly, staring intently at Macaron and the other woman—though she didn't say a word, her aura grew stronger and stronger... It was a sense of oppression that came from the "bomber boom!"
"Uh..." A muffled sound came from their throats. Macarons and Macarons, sweat beading on their foreheads, looked at each other and simultaneously gave an awkward laugh: "Haha, we, we were just kidding, um, just kidding..."
Before they finished speaking, the two turned around at the same time, put their arms around each other's shoulders, and said meaningless things like "The weather is really nice today" as they moved away from the source of the "shooting"—(aeej) Isuzu!
As the long queue suddenly disbanded because of Isuzu alone, Kasumigaoka Utaha, sitting next to Hyakuri Akira, chuckled and slowly raised her goblet—which contained a liquid as clear as a ruby.
After lightly clinking glasses with Akane Akasaka, Kasumigaoka Utaha gently swirled her wine glass, leaning against Hyakuri Akira's shoulder. Her breath, carrying a hint of alcohol, brushed against his cheek as she asked seductively, "Brother, the red wine Latifa provides is quite good. Don't you really want to try some?"
Baili Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly, then turned to look at Shi Yu with a helpless expression: "If I didn't have a meeting with Gan Cheng's management tomorrow, do you think I would only be drinking juice? Well, a little bit shouldn't be a problem..."
“Yes, this is a rare red wine brought from my hometown, Red Maple Paradise. It’s a royal supply, and the annual production is extremely limited. Please, Teacher Baili, have a taste!” Carefully picking up the bottle, she filled an empty glass halfway and presented it to Baili Xiao with both hands. “Because of its long storage, this red wine might have a strong aftereffect. Since Teacher Baili has other matters to attend to tomorrow, this should be the maximum amount…”
"Thank you." Taking a small sip, Baili Xiao couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Although he wasn't familiar with red wine, he often heard Akane Kousaka and Sonoko Machida discussing the quality of red wine because they frequented the studio. According to them, this kind of red wine, with its rich fruity aroma, layered flavors, and lingering aftertaste, should be considered a "good wine," right?