Drunk On The Night Breeze - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

To be honest, Tao Zhi did not fully enjoy this performance. It wasn’t that the singer on stage was bad; it was that he found himself unable to focus on the music.

Initially, Tao Zhi and Ruan Lingfeng stood side-by-side. Seeing Ruan Lingfeng’s usual efficient and professional demeanor at the studio, Tao Zhi could never have imagined him as the type of audience member who truly threw himself into a live show—high energy, seemingly forgetting everything about the secular world, simply jumping and swaying to the rhythm, occasionally singing along and cheering.

Tao Zhi could even see beads of sweat sliding down Ruan Lingfeng’s temples—despite the air conditioning being set quite cold.

While Ruan Lingfeng was having a blast, Tao Zhi was feeling a bit moody. When he listened to these kinds of live shows, he really disliked being on the ground floor, regardless of whether he was in the front or back row. There were too many people. Take right now, for instance: he constantly felt the people behind him pressing against him as they jumped.

At a Livehouse, this kind of physical contact is unavoidable. Most people don’t do it intentionally, and Tao Zhi understood that, but he personally found it hard to accept.

Moreover, he wondered if some people were doing it on purpose.

Every few moments while listening to the song, his mind would wander, and he’d turn to look at Ruan Lingfeng. There were people jumping and crowding behind Ruan Lingfeng too; sometimes they were almost pressed against his back. Watching this made the veins in Tao Zhi’s temples throb.

After a song or two, Tao Zhi’s position gradually shifted behind Ruan Lingfeng. Seeing him move back, the two people originally standing in that spot muttered a few things before happily squeezing their way to the front row.

Tao Zhi was a head taller than Ruan Lingfeng, and his build was much sturdier compared to Ruan Lingfeng’s slight frame. From behind, it almost looked as if he were encircling Ruan Lingfeng.

Ruan Lingfeng clearly noticed the movement of the person beside him shifting back. He turned slightly, tilting his head up. The venue was very loud, so he had to shout to ensure the other could hear him: “Why did you move to the back?”

Tao Zhi roared back: “Listen to your music!”

So Ruan Lingfeng ignored him and continued to immerse himself in the next song.

When the performance ended, Tao Zhi was in a foul mood. With a scowling face, he asked Ruan Lingfeng: “There’s a signing session later. Do you want to line up?”

Ruan Lingfeng saw that Tao Zhi looked like he was about to explode from being there. After thinking it over, he said: “Forget it, let’s not. There are a lot of people, and I’m not really a fan…”

Tao Zhi: “You’re not a fan, yet you were jumping around that happily?”

.I was showing respect to the performer.” Ruan Lingfeng really didn’t know what Tao Zhi was throwing a tantrum about this time. He guessed that because both of them started as niche singers, Tao Zhi might have felt an inexplicable sense of rivalry and disliked seeing someone close to him get too passionate about someone else’s show. A bit petty, Ruan Lingfeng thought.

Still, he patiently coaxed Tao Zhi: “If I were watching your performance, I would be just as serious and invested.”

Tao Zhi’s ears turned red: “I’m not talking about that!!”

Ruan Lingfeng: “Then what are you talking about?”

Tao Zhi didn’t answer. He tugged his hat down, crossed his arms, and walked toward a relatively empty backstage passage, not forgetting to call out to Ruan Lingfeng: “Keep up.”

Tao Zhi was truly frustrated. He didn’t know what he was doing. During the whole show, he had stayed behind Ruan Lingfeng, blocking the messy crowd from pushing up against him, and for some reason, he had remained hyper-vigilant, watching left and right to ensure no one rubbed up against Ruan Lingfeng.

He felt less like a concert-goer and more like a security guard.

It was as if he were possessed.

Furthermore, whenever Ruan Lingfeng stepped back just a little, it felt as though he were about to fall into Tao Zhi’s arms.

So annoying.

Could the guy show some self-respect?

When they entered the backstage area, Tao Zhi told Ruan Lingfeng to wait outside for a moment while he went to greet the Livehouse owner. When he came out, he had two signed CDs by Xie Jiashu in his hands, which he stuffed into Ruan Lingfeng’s grasp.

Ruan Lingfeng: “Eh?”

Tao Zhi frowned: “Don’t you like them?”

“I’m really not a fan, I just listen to the songs,” Ruan Lingfeng added, “Is Xie Jiashu in there? Why didn’t you take me in?”

Tao Zhi exploded again: “You said you weren’t a fan, then you ask why I didn’t take you in… He’s already at another area for the signing session; he’s not in the back, okay? …Besides, I don’t even know him. Even if he were there, I wouldn’t just bring someone to find him.”

Before Ruan Lingfeng could speak, Tao Zhi continued his output: “I get you signed CDs and you don’t even thank me, you’re just standing there being picky!”

Ruan Lingfeng quickly smoothed things over: “No, no, I’m very grateful. I was just a bit surprised and forgot to express my thanks first.”

Saying this, Ruan Lingfeng solemnly put the CDs away: “Thank you… By the way, you said you don’t know him, so how did you get the signed discs?”

“Hmph,” Tao Zhi’s expression finally softened, a glimmer of pride in his eyes, “The owner only asked Xie Jiashu for five discs in total. I snatched two of them directly.”

Ruan Lingfeng: “Then you’re… quite impressive.”

“Let’s go,” Tao Zhi, who had been raging a moment ago, was now beaming. He headed toward the exit. “I said I’d treat you to food.”