A Bad-Hearted Doctor is Unbearably Beautiful - Chapter 104

After staring at the screen all night, Lu Xiao finally reached a conclusion.

Lin Xue’s explanation had been mystical and abstract, but to Lu Xiao, the difference between the “two” kidnappers on the screen boiled down to something quite simple: one had improper designs on Shen Zhao, and the other did not.

Furthermore, it wasn’t just the video. Lu Xiao carefully recalled the kidnapper’s attitude toward Shen Zhao after the breach. His movements lacked that initial “clammy, obsessive” vibe; instead, he had seemed focused on completing a specific task as quickly as possible.

He felt more and more certain that the truth was exactly as Lin Xue suspected. Lu Xiao narrowed his eyes. If Nine had only been physically present with Shen Zhao during that initial period, then his alibi was effectively null and void.

The problem was proving it. The kidnapper had covered his tracks perfectly from start to finish, even going so far as to swap the man behind the mask. It was a level of meticulousness that was frankly staggering.

For now, he could only observe from the shadows. Nine’s sudden appearance at Shen Zhao’s side surely served a deeper purpose. Would there be another storm after this concert? He only hoped Shen Zhao wouldn’t be blinded by “friendship.”

While Lu Xiao calculated his next moves, he organized the key leads for the “Holy Healing Manor” investigation and sent them to Old Zhou. By the time his eyes were too heavy to stay open, the sun had already risen.

Lu Xiao met Shen Zhao at the stadium at the agreed-upon time. To his irritation, there wasn’t a single parking spot to be found near the venue. After circling the third parking lot without success, Lu Xiao slammed his hand against the steering wheel.

Damn, is this kid really that popular?

With the start time looming, Lu Xiao made a snap decision and swerved his Maybach right onto the curb. “It’s just a few hundred bucks for a fine, no big deal!”

Lu Xiao was dressed to the nines, his face clean-shaven and his skin smelling faintly of expensive cologne. He had even done a little “walk-through” of a perfume cloud before leaving the house.

“Hello? Shen Zhao, where are you? I’m here.”

Binjiang Stadium

The area outside the stadium was already a sea of people. Scalpers huddled near the gates, and wave after wave of young girls passed by carrying support flags and glowing fan boards.

An older woman nudged Shen Zhao. “Young man, do you want one of these?”

Shen Zhao looked down. In the woman’s hand was a light-up board where the English name Damian flashed in blue and white light. He glanced at the fans passing by; almost everyone seemed to be carrying some kind of merchandise.

“Don’t hesitate, I’ll give you a discount. Only 100 yuan!”

“Um…”

Just as Shen Zhao reached into his pocket for the money, someone grabbed his arm. A familiar voice rang out: “Don’t buy that! That thing is probably off-gassing enough formaldehyde to kill a horse!”

“You young man! How can you be so rude?!” the woman’s voice shrieked behind them.

Inside the stadium, the sound system was being tested. Fans had piled up mounds of support bouquets at the entrance.

“Ahhh! Damian is premiering a new song tonight! I’m ready to record the whole thing!”

“Do you remember his look with the black cloak at the Japan concert? He was so hot! I can’t believe we get to see him live without leaving the country!”

The crowd formed a thermal wave, pushing them forward. Lu Xiao kept a protective arm around Shen Zhao as they searched for the VIP entrance.

“Have you ever been to a concert before?” Lu Xiao leaned in close, his breath brushing Shen Zhao’s ear. A pleasant scent of sandalwood wafted from Lu Xiao’s neck.

Shen Zhao’s nose twitched. He hadn’t noticed Lu Xiao being the type to wear cologne before. “No. This is my first time.”

As they entered the arena, Shen Zhao craned his neck toward the stage, but Nine had yet to appear.

When Lu Xiao heard the words “first time,” he felt a pang of irrational discomfort. But then, he relaxed. He casually draped an arm over Shen Zhao’s shoulder. “What a coincidence! It’s my first time, too. Who would have thought our ‘first time’ would be together…”

The way Lu Xiao drawled those words made it sound like they were about to engage in a very different kind of activity. Shen Zhao frowned and shot him a side-eye.

Lu Xiao looked back and noticed the faint shadows of exhaustion under Shen Zhao’s eyes, as if he had just come off the operating table. “Are you tired?”

“I’m alright. I just didn’t sleep well.”

Lu Xiao’s lips curled into a smirk. “I told you to come to my place. See? Insomnia again.”

Shen Zhao didn’t dignify that with a response and moved toward their seats. Nine had reserved seats that were very close to the front—not the first row, but the third row, which offered a much better viewing angle.

“Wait, you’ve got to be kidding me. Our seats aren’t together?” Lu Xiao looked at his ticket and realized his seat was directly behind Shen Zhao’s. “This guy is too calculating!”

Shen Zhao whispered, “Maybe there just weren’t any tickets left. Don’t think like that.”

Lu Xiao gritted his teeth and sat down. Shen Zhao occupied the third row while Lu Xiao sat behind him, his broad shoulders squared like a high-priced bodyguard.

Next to Shen Zhao was a girl with silver ribbons in her hair. She had just finished setting up a professional-grade camera for high-definition shots when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned to see Lu Xiao’s handsome face.

“If you don’t mind, could we swap seats?” Lu Xiao held out his ticket.

He’s so handsome… She began to consider it, then glanced over and saw Shen Zhao.

Holy crap! The guy next to me is even more handsome! Is he an idol?

“No swap,” she said firmly.

Lu Xiao was speechless. “I’ll pay you!”

The girl ignored him and went back to scrolling through her phone. Lu Xiao was about to say something to Shen Zhao when a line of text quietly illuminated the giant screens:

“Welcome to Echo: The Garden We Burned—”

It was the theme of the concert.

In an instant, a deafening cheer swept through the stadium, wave after wave of sound crashing over them. Shen Zhao felt as if his eardrums were about to burst from the combination of the speakers and the screaming fans. In his heart, he began to anticipate Nine’s entrance.

The stage lights suddenly flooded the entire venue!

Sparklers erupted, and a sea of silver-white light boards surged like starlight. Shen Zhao sat in a sliver of light, his Adam’s apple moving slightly. Beneath the stage, everyone felt suddenly small, waiting for the arrival of the superstar.

Yes, Nine had always been the popular one, ever since they were children…

The screaming around them grew louder as cameras and phones clicked incessantly. “I don’t care about anything else tonight, I just want him to sing more than two songs! Two is never enough!”

It was impossible to tell who was speaking. Lu Xiao sat behind Shen Zhao, feeling entirely out of place amidst the frenzied fans. He narrowed his eyes. Shen Zhao was watching intently, looking genuinely expectant…

The lights dimmed slightly!

The screaming reached a new fever pitch. Blue and white laser beams shot out from all directions, and every eye was glued to the center of the stage. He was coming!

The announcer’s voice boomed: “Please welcome—Damian!”

Lu Xiao crossed his arms over his chest, a look of total reluctance on his face as he glared sideways at the center of the stage.