The concert

Only Gu Jiangfeng, Zhao Wanling, Gu Zhiyue, and Gu Shuoyan were home to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together.

Gu Shen Ci was busy rehearsing for tomorrow's concert, while their eldest brother, Gu Tingchuan, was too far from home to return.

Gu Zhiyue brought the lounge chair out of his room and lay on it, eating his favorite lotus seed paste and egg yolk mooncake while staring unblinkingly at the golden moon.

A round table stood in the courtyard, laden with fruit and mooncakes. Aunt Sun brought out a bowl of freshly made osmanthus soup.

Zhao Wanling raised her voice slightly and called, "Sweetheart, come try this osmanthus soup!"

"Coming." Gu Zhiyue stuffed the last bit of mooncake into his mouth and sprang up from the lounge chair.

Zhao Wanling ladled out a little less than half a bowl and handed it to Gu Zhiyue. "Osmanthus is most fragrant this time of year. Try it and see if you like it."

Gu Zhiyue picked up a spoon and tasted a little, while Zhao Wanling and Aunt Sun watched with anticipation written all over their faces.

"Young master, how does it taste?"

"It's delicious! The sweetness is just right, and the light osmanthus fragrance is perfect."

Zhao Wanling chuckled. "Sit down and eat. There's fruit here, and mooncakes in other flavors."

Gu Shuoyan bit into a piece of fruit. "Have you packed for tomorrow? I've already booked the presidential suite. It's only ten minutes from Second Brother's concert venue."

"I packed ages ago. Is Dad coming with us?"

"Yes, everyone's going together."

Gu Zhiyue took out his phone and messaged Luo Yunhe. [Remember to keep your phone with you tomorrow. We'll start the video call at three in the afternoon.]

Luo Yunhe replied with an "OK" hand gesture. [I don't know when my dad will get home tonight, but the red bean mooncakes our housekeeper made are really good.]

[You should've told me earlier that you were home alone. I would've picked you up so we could celebrate together. It's not far, anyway.]

[Next time. There's always next year.]

Gu Shuoyan leaned over. "Who are you having such a good time chatting with? Xing Yisheng?"

"No, Luo Yunhe."

Gu Shuoyan said, "You were smiling so happily that I thought it was Xing Yisheng."

Gu Zhiyue tilted his head. "Am I not allowed to smile when I talk to other people?"

"That's not what I meant."

Zhao Wanling asked, "Is that boy doing all right at school?"

Gu Zhiyue nodded. "He's doing pretty well, except he has to go to the medical building for a checkup every few days."

As a mother, Zhao Wanling sincerely felt sorry for Luo Yunhe. "That doctor will return to Anzhou this winter, though the exact month still needs to be confirmed. Our family is on good terms with him. Once he's back, I'll go to the hospital and ask about his schedule so your classmate can get examined at his hospital."

"Okay, I've already told him. Luo Yunhe has a medical team and doctors providing conservative treatment right now, too. He'll definitely be all right in the short term."

Zhao Wanling picked up a mooncake and handed it to Gu Zhiyue. "Lotus seed paste and egg yolk. Have another. Xiao Yan, this one has your favorite pineapple filling. Both of you, eat some more."

After eleven, it was getting too late, so the three said good night to one another and returned to their rooms to rest.

Aunt Sun put away the remaining food and dishes, then called over two or three servants to clean the courtyard.

The next day was not excessively hot like the past few days. The temperature had dropped four or five degrees to twenty-two, and a light breeze was blowing. Compared with the previous few days, it was quite cool.

The driver drove while the mother and her two sons sat in the back. Zhao Wanling told him, "Go to the hotel first, then to the open-air venue."

"Yes, ma'am."

After a drive of nearly two hours, they finally arrived at the hotel. The three went up to the presidential suite on the top floor, put down their suitcases, and then headed for the concert venue.

It was only ten minutes away, so they chose to walk. Besides, the venue was bound to be packed solid with people by now. If they drove, there would be nowhere to park.

As they drew closer to the venue, the fans who had already been waiting outside began forming long lines, waiting for ticket checks and admission to begin in half an hour.

Gu Zhiyue looked at the several long, snaking lines outside the venue and clicked his tongue repeatedly. "We still got here too late! How long will we have to wait in line?"

Someone dressed like an assistant approached from the side. "I'm He Ran, Shen Ci's assistant. He asked me to bring you inside."

Zhao Wanling nodded. "Sorry for the trouble, Xiao Ran. Thank you."

They went around through the back without the fans queuing outside noticing. Half an hour later, the ticket-checking lanes opened. Security guards stood beside the ticket scanners, watching the fans enter one after another and find their assigned seats.

There were three large screens onstage, currently playing clips from Gu Shen Ci's television dramas and videos of him recording songs in the studio.

Gu Zhiyue marveled, "So this is what a concert feels like. I finally understand why fans get so excited they can't control themselves. Anyone would lose control here."

Gu Shuoyan handed Gu Zhiyue the assembled phone stand. "Here, it's ready to use."

"Thanks, Third Brother!" Gu Zhiyue secured the stand, mounted his phone on it, and put on his Bluetooth earphones so he could talk to Luo Yunhe more easily. The earphones' microphone would not interfere with Luo Yunhe hearing the live singing, either.

Then he sent Luo Yunhe a call invitation. Three or four seconds later, Luo Yunhe answered.

On the screen, Luo Yunhe's eyes lit up. "So television really wasn't lying to me. Concerts really are like this."

Gu Zhiyue nodded. "That's my second brother on the screen. What do you think? Isn't he really good-looking?"

"Lots of people I know are devoted fans of your second brother. One of my aunts says she really likes listening to this young man sing. Whenever he releases an album, she always buys it."

"Say no more. Next time Second Brother releases an album, I'll have him save a copy for our aunt."

The seats soon filled up. Beside Gu Zhiyue sat a young woman who looked barely into her twenties.

The curly-haired young woman glanced at Gu Zhiyue several times before finally asking another young woman beside her, a complete stranger, "Girl, I feel like the guy sitting next to me looks so much like our idol."

The short-haired woman said, "Really? Our idol is so handsome, and someone actually looks a bit like him?"

"Seriously. Look if you don't believe me."

The woman leaned back against her seat, even drawing her chin back, while the other woman bent forward to get a look. Then they both sat normally again.

"I wasn't lying, was I?"

"He really does look like him! Hey, aren't those two over there his mom and younger brother? They've been to his concerts several times."

"I know that. We've all seen what his parents and other brothers look like. But this is the first time I've seen this one who looks like him."

The curly-haired woman's eyes shifted as she guessed, "Do you think he could be some relative of his? Plenty of relatives look alike."

The short-haired woman sighed dreamily. "This little cutie still seems pretty young. Give him a few years, and if he goes into entertainment, both brothers will be mine!"

"It'd be so great if he debuted now. One brother is cool and aloof, and the other is gentle and sweet. If they could share a stage, that would be such a blessing for us fans!"

"Hey, hey, it's starting. Let's discuss it with the other girls afterward."

"No problem!"

Gu Zhiyue was talking to Luo Yunhe when Xiao Jiu's voice rang out. [Host, those two young ladies next to you are taking pictures of you.]

Gu Zhiyue quickly turned to glance at them before looking away again. [Why are they taking pictures of me? Shouldn't they be photographing the stage?]

[Because you look a lot like Gu Shen Ci, and this is their first time seeing you, so they're very curious.]

[Oh, I see. Let them be curious, then. A few pictures won't hurt.]

All the large screens onstage suddenly went black. A large section in the center of the stage opened up, and a lift slowly rose from below. Gu Shen Ci stood on it in white haute couture formalwear, greeting everyone at the venue.

Almost explosive screams erupted throughout the venue. Gu Zhiyue applauded along with everyone else, while Luo Yunhe watched without blinking on the phone screen.