When asked to describe it as “not boring”? Anyone who could enter the Black Water Street fighting arena had some connection to Black Water Street. Ordinary people wouldn’t dare enter, and there were many rumors about Xiangcheng.
That’s why the fighting arena mostly only streamed on platforms.
Looking at variety shows not just domestically but internationally, none had ever dared to film at Black Water Street.
Who would have the guts? Miss Bai really knew how to give out tickets, Jiang Fuli thought as he looked away.
“Alright, I’ll bring them tomorrow,” Though Yan Lu was a few years older than Bai Lian, she always listened obediently when Bai Lian spoke. She took the tickets and looked down at them. “Can this kind of match be broadcast?”
The tickets showed the time and location for the fight.
The arched entrance printed on the front was magnificent – a building she had never seen before. Yan Lu had left Xiangcheng when she was young and didn’t know much about it. Only today did she learn there was such a large fighting arena here.
Taking Mei Yi to watch fighting would be better than sitting at home making awkward conversation.
“It can be broadcast, but only five people can enter,” Bai Lian put her hands back in her pockets, eyebrows slightly raised. “Decide which five people will go and give me the list tonight. I’ll lead the way tomorrow.”
Yan Lu just nodded. It sounded very strict.
“You’re going to the east side of the city tomorrow?” Jiang Fuli asked lazily after the two finished talking.
Since it was a new trending spot, the production team wanted to ride the wave of popularity. Yan Lu was very direct: “We can promote the hometown while we’re at it.”
“Fine,” Jiang Fuli tapped his phone absently. “Someone will contact you later to arrange tomorrow’s filming.”
Yan Lu replied with a simple “Okay.”
Security cameras were being installed in the courtyard. Bai Lian and Jiang Fuli didn’t go in. After giving Yan Lu the tickets, they left together.
Only after seeing the two striking figures leave, along with the imposing man’s retreating back, did the director run over. “Yan Lu, were those two your friends too? Did you invite them to visit?”
These two could generate trending topics – the entertainment industry had never seen such divine looks.
Sister Xin gave the director a “how dare you even think that” look.
Even Principal Jian was more reliable than those two.
“No,” Yan Lu also rejected the suggestion, then held up the tickets. She was very respectful to Mei Yi. “After touring Wutong Street and Ping’an Street tomorrow, I plan to take Teacher Mei to watch the fighting. Would that be okay, Teacher Mei?”
Mei Yi smiled warmly and shifted his gaze from Bai Lian. “I’m fine with anything, arrange as you like.”
Mei Yi’s manager wasn’t interested in the fighting. He just glanced at the tickets. “Black Water Street? Where’s that?”
He’d never heard of it.
Almost no one present had heard of it.
The director searched the location on his phone map. It was remote but definitely existed. “Only five people can enter? Yan Lu, do you have the arena owner’s number? I’d like to discuss if we can bring more people and help promote their arena.”
With only five people allowed in, they couldn’t bring many cameramen. The director wanted to get more shots.
Yan Lu looked down at the service number on the ticket, which looked like an international number.
She handed it to the director. “You can try asking.”
The director took the ticket, looked at the number, and immediately called it, politely explaining their purpose.
“Sir,” the person on the other end smiled, “please don’t make such jokes next time.”
A voice could be faintly heard in the background: “Who’s calling?”
“Someone who didn’t get tickets and is going crazy about it.”
The director who was “going crazy about not getting tickets”: “…”
Since they were going fishing tomorrow, Jiang Fuli planned to spend the whole evening finishing teaching Ning Xiao and Tang Ming’s difficult problems.
After Yang Lin finished her part-time job, Lu Xiaohan enthusiastically asked her to stay and do homework. “You’d have to turn on lights to do homework at home, wasting electricity. Here with so many people together, you can ask them three questions, and save electricity too.”
Lu Xiaohan had mastered the essence now.
Yang Lin was a person who was hard to get close to. After being classmates for over two years, she had only accepted Bai Lian’s kindness, and that was under the premise of “repayment.”
Even after learning about Yang Jianping’s situation, Lu Xiaohan still treated Yang Lin the same as before.
Yang Lin stayed and sat at Jian Zhe’s table to do homework.
At eleven o’clock.
Outside the milk tea shop, Xu Nanjing, who had just parked, was shocked looking at the scene across the street. Were Xiangcheng students this intense? Still doing homework together so late.
It wasn’t until nearly midnight that the group started packing up.
Xu Nanjing opened the car door and got out.
It was quite late, with only elongated tree shadows on both sides of the road. Cars were rare and it was particularly quiet.
“You take them home.” Jiang Fuli looked at the four-seater car Xu Nanjing was driving today, referring to Lu Xiaohan, Yang Lin, and Tang Ming who lived in the same direction.
It was too late today, so Jiang Fuli didn’t let them go back by themselves.
Jian Zhe picked up his phone, “I’ll take a car back, don’t worry I’m an adult.”
Jiang Fuli nodded slightly. He would take Ning Xiao and Bai Lian himself, as they were also in the same direction.
Yang Lin wore black glasses, her hair falling past her eyes. She silently picked up her backpack, wordlessly refusing, but Lu Xiaohan quickly grabbed her arm, not letting her leave. “I’m scared to ride with two men.”
Xu Nanjing and Tang Ming: “…”
Tang Ming’s home was very close, just five minutes away. Because Lu Xiaohan was “scared,” Xu Nanjing specifically dropped her off first, waiting until she turned on the lights and waved from upstairs before driving towards the apartment building.
Xiaohan’s family lived in a residential complex where cars could park downstairs, but Yang Lin’s apartment building was too narrow for cars to enter.
At midnight there were still quite a few people gathered on the street.
Some were shirtless, some sat on the ground playing cards, others were cleaning up trash.
Seeing an expensive car stop, many people looked over.
Xu Nanjing took out a pack of cigarettes, turned off the engine and followed Yang Lin in. Yang Lin frowned and looked back at him. Xu Nanjing lit a cigarette, smoke rising, “Little sister Bai Lian asked me to see you to your door.”
On the other side, it was already past midnight when Bai Lian got home. She was back later today, and Ji Heng hadn’t waited for her, going to sleep early.
He had left a light on in front of her door, and the courtyard lights glowed dimly.
Bai Lian looked towards Ji Heng’s room, figuring he was asleep, so she didn’t bother him. She opened her door while checking her phone.
On her phone, Yan Lu had already sent over the list of five names and ID documents.
She screenshot it and forwarded it to Xiao Wu.
Regular people needed transit visas to go to Black Water Street.
After replying she went to take a shower.
After showering she used a white towel to dry her hair, walking to the dressing table by the bed. She used a lighter to light some sandalwood incense, and a faint, almost imperceptible smoke curled up.
Finally it spread throughout the small room.
She leaned against the dressing table like this. The calming incense didn’t have much effect on her, but feeling the wisping smoke, her tense nerves also relaxed slightly.
At least she didn’t have nightmares as often as before.
The phone on the desk vibrated several times.
Bai Lian took off the towel. Everyone in the group chat was reporting they’d gotten home safely.
Jiang Fuli also sent her a message—
[Arrived]
Along with a picture of Jiang He sleeping under a cabbage-print blanket.
Bai Lian opened the picture and looked at it for a while, then typed back a number: [1]
On the other end of the phone, Young Master Jiang had just gotten his pajamas and looked down at this “1” for a long while before expressionlessly closing the bathroom door.
Saturday early morning.
Ji Heng was going fishing, and Jiang Fuli and Director Chen both came very early.
Jiang He wore a small blue mandarin collar outfit made by Ji Heng, carrying a small bag and following energetically behind Jiang Fuli.
Bai Lian and Ji Heng were both up. Ji Heng was brushing his teeth by the outdoor sink.
Director Chen put the breakfast he’d brought on the stone table and greeted them both.
Bai Lian raised her hand, lazily giving a greeting, then took a bottle of milk and slowly inserted the straw, thoughtfully watching Ji Heng.
Ji Heng spit out the mouthwash and struck first: “Little Jiang, what size do you wear?”
Jiang Fuli was slightly stunned, then after a moment seemed to understand something. “I don’t know.”
Ji Heng unhurriedly finished brushing his teeth and washed his face outside. “Perfect, go get the measuring tape and I’ll measure you. When I have time in a few days I’ll make you a set too.”
After brushing teeth and measuring sizes, he finally took out a pen and carefully recorded it, asking Jiang Fuli’s preferences.
He was too busy to talk to Bai Lian.
After finishing breakfast, as several people were getting their fishing gear ready to leave, Bai Lian handed Ji Heng his fishing rod and suddenly spoke when he took it: “Have you… forgotten about chemical bonds?”
Jiang Fuli standing to the side didn’t dare speak.
Director Chen didn’t understand, but since Jiang Fuli wasn’t speaking, he naturally dared not speak either.
Jiang He just blinked his eyes watching Ji Heng.
Ji Heng: “…”
Bai Lian went out with them. She was taking the number 12 bus. Only after they saw her get on the bus did Jiang Fuli’s group get in the car parked by the road.
Ming Donghen had stayed in the driver’s seat without getting out. Director Chen opened the passenger door and got in.
The back door opened automatically.
Jiang Fuli had just sat down in the back and was unhurriedly taking out the laptop placed on the tray table when Ji Heng beside him suddenly spoke: “No really, who created so many chemical bonds?”
“How can anyone remember all these rules?”
“Why can’t AlCl3 be an ionic compound?”
“…”
Jiang Fuli: “…”
Director Chen: “…???”
Jiang He silently hugged his pillow and honestly said: “Aluminum chloride is a special case.”
Ji Heng: “…”
He silently took out his pipe and opened the car window, as if the person who had just gone crazy wasn’t him.
Eight o’clock.
“Come On Friends” began filming.
Yan Lu had gotten up at six in the morning, bought breakfast for Mei Yi, then watered the potted plants at home with a watering can, and finally sat in the courtyard reading while waiting for Mei Yi to wake up.
The production team watched silently as Yan Lu sat motionless in the courtyard reading for half an hour.
Mei Yi got up at seven. He called Yan Lu “sister” and Yan Lu naturally called him “big brother.” The two got along without awkwardness, really seeming like siblings.
After eating, Yan Lu first took him to buy milk tea near the school. The milk tea shop had just opened. Yan Lu turned back to tell Mei Yi: “The cakes here are very good, though they used to be even better.”
The shop assistant recognized Yan Lu and Mei Yi and excitedly said, “Yes, Mr. Chi’s cakes were delicious. You can buy them again next month!”
Mr. Chi? The director was a bit confused. Do they call a pastry chef “Mr.”? The people of Xiangcheng seemed very civilized.
Others didn’t ask much about this Mr. Chi, after all he was just someone who made cakes.
After buying milk tea Yan Lu took them to Wutong Street in the east of the city. On the way Yan Lu said, “Someone will meet us at the endpoint.”
The production team all thought it was someone arranged by Yan Lu and didn’t pay much attention.
Mei Yi’s manager was determined to build a good relationship with Yan Lu’s side. He didn’t leave during the show’s filming and kept talking with Sister Xin on the way. “Is Yan Lu close with her songwriter?”
Sister Xin smiled, “Pretty close.”
In a way, they could be considered to have been through life and death together.
“If the songwriter comes, this episode would definitely blow up,” Mei Yi’s manager sighed.
After Principal Jian appeared, lots of people online were trying to guess information about the songwriter.
The car arrived at the Xiangshan Avenue intersection. It was Saturday and there were lots of people on Chang’an Street. Several people in casual clothes stood at the intersection, led by a middle-aged woman.
Behind them, the director had just gotten out of the car. Looking at the woman’s plain face, he thought she must be the contact person Yan Lu mentioned and didn’t pay much attention.
“Who’s that?” Mei Yi’s manager turned back to look at Sister Xin, curious.
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