Chapter 42: Anchen of the Surname Wei

That day could be described as the most chaotic yet the most fulfilling one the couple had spent since their marriage.

Having left Brother Jiang’s restaurant, their original intention was to head straight home. However, as they passed by a small plaza on Nanfu Road, they noticed a nearby university promoting an event: a large-scale concert to be held by the campus band that evening.

No tickets were required, no reservations necessary; anyone interested could simply walk into the university's open-air plaza to listen. Furthermore, the promotional flyers hinted that a special guest would make a surprise appearance midway through the concert, which drew a considerable number of passersby.

"Sir, madam, if you have time tonight, why not come check out our concert? We guarantee it won't disappoint," said a young male student as he handed a deep blue flyer to Gu Xinyao. He then smiled and moved on to the next passerby, leaving no room for refusal.

Gu Xinyao looked at the flyer in her hand. Ever since they stepped out of Brother Jiang’s restaurant, the passionate urge she initially felt to rush home and engage in intimate activities had completely evaporated.

While intimacy was undoubtedly an essential part of life, perhaps a little extra novelty could infuse more romance into their busy days.

"Why don't we go take a look tonight?" Gu Xinyao raised the flyer and asked Dugu Yi beside her. Although the sun was gradually setting, it was not yet the bitter cold season, so his trench coat was not buttoned tightly; only a single button was fastened more out of convention than necessity.

Against the backdrop of his brown overcoat, his delicate, fair skin appeared all the more alluring and captivating. She had originally been walking side by side with him, but the moment she caught sight of his smooth, glowing skin, she couldn't resist reaching out to rest her hand on his waist, causing her previous thoughts to shift slightly.

Dugu Yi naturally saw the boy hand the flyer to Gu Xinyao, though he hadn't expected her to want to attend a concert. He didn't have much interest in musical matters, but since she liked it, he had no objections. Besides, he didn't feel that returning home exceptionally early would be any better.

"Alright. Shall we walk there, or keep riding our bicycles?" The university wasn't far away; walking wouldn't be tiring, whereas riding bicycles might turn into a burden later on.

Gu Xinyao considered this and decided they should proceed on foot.

When they reached the university's entrance, they discovered that a great many people had come for the concert. The majority of them were young people in their twenties and thirties, with a large number of couples among them.

The greeters stationed at the gate were mostly handsome young men and women. The university boys were all tall and refined, while the girls were mostly free-spirited and graceful, their lips curving into slight smiles that were pleasant to behold.

"These are your admission passes for tonight. Please pin them on," a young man handed over two golden-yellow tulips just as they finished queuing and reached the entrance. High-intensity electric lights illuminated the nighttime campus, making the night as bright as day.

Gu Xinyao examined the golden-yellow tulip in her hand. It was quite different from the tulips she had seen before; the edges of its semi-closed petals bore golden patterns, and the buds were not yet fully open. The golden traces along the edges of the petals extended all the way into the pistil. Looking inward from the petals, white stigmas could be seen inside the pistil. If the petals were to open fully, it would truly resemble a crown. It was rare for the concert planners to come up with such a clever gimmick, and it certainly offered a refreshing sight.

Gu Xinyao pinned the tulip she was holding onto the lapel pocket of Dugu Yi's jacket. After Dugu Yi pinned the other tulip onto her clothes for her, the two of them walked hand in hand into the campus.

Upon entering the school gate, the small plaza came into view immediately. A temporary stage had already been erected, decorated with five-colored neon lights around its perimeter. Staff members were testing the lighting effects, and a large crowd had already gathered in front of the stage. Although there were many people, it was not chaotic, and students were maintaining order in the venue.

Gu Xinyao led Dugu Yi toward the spectator area. The seating consisted of simple wooden tables and chairs; the front rows had chairs, while tables were arranged in the back. Most of the front row seats were already taken. Gu Xinyao glanced at the tables in the back and frowned. She wouldn't mind sitting there herself, but how could she bear to let him sit at a table?

She looked around to the left and right. In a corner of the front row, there was an empty seat next to a young girl. She pulled Dugu Yi over.

"Excuse me, classmate, could we squeeze past?" Gu Xinyao leaned forward slightly and said to the girl.

The girl was chatting happily with her peers when she heard Gu Xinyao's voice. She looked up and, past Gu Xinyao, caught sight of Dugu Yi. Dugu Yi looked somewhat distracted as Gu Xinyao pulled him through the crowd, but his exceptional looks instantly stunned anyone who laid eyes on him.

The girl hurriedly stood up and said, "Not a problem at all, please go ahead."

"Thank you!" Gu Xinyao nodded in acknowledgment, pulled Dugu Yi over, and nudged him to take the inner seat, preparing herself to stand in the crowd to watch the concert.

Dugu Yi didn't go in. He looked at the girl who was gazing at him with eager eyes, then looked at the single remaining chair. Instead of going in to sit, he stepped back out.

Confused, Gu Xinyao asked, "What's wrong? Do you find it too crowded?"

At that moment, it occurred to her that no matter how unfavored he might be as the eldest son of the Dugu family, he was still of aristocratic birth; forcing him to squeeze into such a wretched chair was rather unseemly. If he didn't want to stay here, leaving wasn't out of the question. It was just that the little fantasy she had on the way here might not come to pass.

"No, I don't want to sit. I ate a bit too much tonight, so I'll stand to digest it," he murmured, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

Ah? Hearing this, Gu Xinyao found it a bit hard to believe, but seeing him gently press a hand against his stomach, she believed him. She wrapped her arm around his waist to shield him from the pushing crowd, and apologized once more to the girl who had given up her spot, "Sorry about that." The two of them stepped slightly further forward. Although they were right in the middle of the crowd, it didn't hinder their view of the stage performance.

Standing beside Gu Xinyao, the corners of Dugu Yi's lips curved upward slightly.

From time to time, Gu Xinyao would ask him if his stomach still hurt, and he would only reply that it was much better. In truth, he simply couldn't bear to watch her stand alone in the midst of the crowd; even if there were many people, he could no longer bear to leave her isolated by herself. Moreover, he didn't care for the girl's overly eager gaze.

Another ten minutes passed, and the grandfather clock in the plaza struck seven. The lights across the entire venue went out, leaving only the colorful five-colored neon lights spinning on the stage.

The opening music swelled from soft to strong, and the rhythmic beat of the drum set established the main theme of the night—youth.

As the neon lights flashed and a song titled "Resplendent" came to an end, a sharp white spotlight hit the stage. A young man emerged from behind the backdrop, wearing short hair, a handsome face, a short-sleeved T-shirt, a seashell necklace around his neck, black jeans, and black sneakers. Every element of this attire proclaimed youth and vibrancy.

Seeing such an attractive male host, the female audience members below the stage spontaneously broke into applause.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! We are delighted that you could come to Hua University to attend the graduation concert of the Running Band. Tonight, we have special guest performers who will deliver an extraordinary sensory experience—this will be a cross-century musical feast. Please enjoy the performance!" Once the applause died down, the male host, wearing a polite smile, delivered his opening remarks.

After finishing his speech, the youthful and attractive male host flicked the microphone cord, and the lights dimmed once more. The evening breeze blew. Unlike the previous high-tempo, impassioned music, the music that rose next grew increasingly subdued and gentle. The accompanying violin sounds gradually faded, replaced by the melodious and slightly melancholic notes of a bamboo flute.

Gu Xinyao was startled upon hearing this. It was rare to hear a traditional folk instrument like the bamboo flute amidst the many modern instruments; she had assumed this realm would no longer contain things from her former world.

She listened intently, and as she listened, her expression turned peculiar.

Dugu Yi's attention wasn't entirely on the concert; he would occasionally turn his head to look at her. She was watching with deep concentration, yet the moment the bamboo flute appeared, a very subtle change came over her face.

"Does it sound bad?" This was the first time he had heard a piece played on such an instrument. It felt novel and quite special.

Gu Xinyao snapped out of her thoughts, looked at him, shook her head, and pointed toward the boy on stage who was playing the bamboo flute with intense focus. When she first heard him play that tune, she thought it was some novel composition, but after a moment, she realized he was playing none other than "Purple Bamboo Tune." "Purple Bamboo Tune" was characterized by a brisk rhythm, beautiful melody, and bright, sweeping changes. Yet how could such a cheerful piece be played by him with such subdued gentleness, as if laden with boundless melancholy? It clashed so drastically with the original style of the composition that it was no wonder she hadn't recognized it immediately.

"Not really. It's just that his breath control is unstable, and he leans too heavily into his own emotions, failing to convey the cheerful and bright essence of the original piece." Gu Xinyao shared her impressions with Dugu Yi, who listened with a look of partial comprehension.

While Gu Xinyao was explaining the original style of "Purple Bamboo Tune" to Dugu Yi, a middle-aged woman standing directly behind them caught a snippet of their conversation. With very ordinary features, she had originally just been standing quietly in the crowd, but upon hearing Gu Xinyao's remarks, a flash of keen insight crossed her eyes. She edged a little closer to them, though she refrained from interrupting.

By the halfway point of the concert, the enthusiasm of the audience below the stage had gradually mellowed. Several members of the university band took turns singing their signature songs; although they were not a professional troupe, their performance level could be considered top-tier.

The handsome male host took the stage once more. With a look of excitement on his dashing face, he stood in the center of the stage, calmed his emotions, and began: "Ladies and gentlemen, next we would like to invite our special guest for tonight. He is none other than—" He deliberately prolonged the tone, and the lights in one corner of the stage dimmed.

The audience held their breath, waiting for the mysterious guest to appear.

Absolute silence filled the venue. The host paused for a moment to let the suspense build before raising his voice: "He is Mr. Wei Anchen, hailing from Wenran Arts Company, who is already a world-class violinist."

Silence blanketed the crowd for a second, instantly followed by thunderous applause.

Hearing this name, Gu Xinyao raised an eyebrow slightly. While the surname Wei was by no means rare, this was far too much of a coincidence—she had just received a visitor surnamed Wei during the day, and now a Mr. Wei appeared at night.

She focused her gaze on the stage. The moment the host finished speaking, a stark white spotlight illuminated the corner of the stage. Standing there was a young man dressed in a formal black suit with a snow-white shirt underneath. The shirt was unspotted by a tie, and its top two buttons were undone, revealing a patch of fair skin and a slender neck that made him look like a proud prince, or perhaps a distinctive white swan amidst a flock of black swans—haughty and aloof.

He kept his head lowered slightly, a brown-yellow violin resting on his shoulder.

The music of the violin rang out melodiously—at times resonant, at times pure and gentle, at other times rich and profound. Although the piece being played was unknown, the mastery of his performance and the precision of his plucking proved that he well deserved the title of virtuoso.

As the piece concluded, he lowered the violin and gently raised his head. Another wave of gasps rippled through the crowd. But the moment the man on stage lifted his face, the sight that met Gu Xinyao's eyes was one of sheer astonishment.

She tightened her grip on Dugu Yi's hand. The man on stage was young, with clear brows, a high bridge of nose, and red lips; even his short hair looked remarkably spirited and handsome under the lights.

The moment Dugu Yi saw the man, he too held his breath. They looked far too much alike.

"Wow! It's Wei Anchen! Wei Anchen is so handsome! Wei Anchen! Wei Anchen!" Recovering from their shock at seeing an international superstar, the audience below the stage broke into loud cheers, calling out Wei Anchen's name.

On stage, the violinist gave a slight bow and stepped down, offering no further acknowledgment to the cheering crowd.

Perhaps this was the privilege of fame: one could be cheered by masses of people, yet completely ignore those who drove themselves wild for your sake.

Gu Xinyao noticed that before leaving the stage, Wei Anchen glanced down at the audience. What did that glance signify? She could not fathom it.

Dugu Yi beside her had also fallen silent. The moment he saw the man raise his face, an exclamation had nearly escaped his lips.

He—Wei Anchen—actually looked more like his own father than he, the biological son, did. What was the meaning of this? Could it be... He dared not let his thoughts delve any further.