Chapter 118: Do You Have a Ticket?

“Ye Chen came back later than usual today. Did something happen?” Bai Ji, who could recite Ye Chen’s schedule with her eyes closed, noticed that he returned much later than usual tonight. If nothing had occurred, Ye Chen would have come back right on time.

She immediately concluded that something must have happened. As Ye Chen ate the midnight snack Bai Ji had carefully prepared—though the taste left something to be desired—he recounted what had happened to him. “I did come back late today. I met a very interesting girl who’s actually a fan of Iwazawa. I think she could be considered a friend now.”

After hearing Ye Chen’s full account, Bai Ji smiled softly and suggested that he find a time to bring her to meet Iwazawa.

It was rare to meet such an intriguing girl who was also a fan of Iwazawa. Ye Chen did not break his word; the next day, at the same time, he arrived at the park. There, he found Miyu Yuya already sitting on a bench, swinging her legs back and forth out of boredom. When she spotted Ye Chen, she jumped down from the bench.

Her violet-silver eyes fixed on him as she said, “You’re so slow! I’ve been waiting here for a long time!”

Glancing at the time, Ye Chen realized he had arrived at least half an hour early. Yet, she still called him slow. When had she started waiting? Shrugging, he replied, “I actually got here half an hour earlier than we agreed.”

“Still too slow! I’ve been waiting here for three hours!” Miyu Yuya said, hands on her hips, her confidence unshaken by arriving before Ye Chen.

“Three hours? That’s tough. But if that’s true, you probably haven’t eaten yet, right?” Ye Chen was a bit surprised by how early she had come. Then he remembered that three hours ago, it was still daylight, far from dinner time. Since Miyu Yuya hadn't brought anything with her, he made an educated guess.

Ye Chen’s remark reminded Miyu Yuya that she was still hungry. Her stomach let out a small grumble in agreement, and her face flushed red. She crouched down, clutching her stomach, looking utterly drained.

When she lifted her head again, Ye Chen was gone—as if he had vanished while she looked down. Feeling a surge of energy despite her hunger, Miyu Yuya scolded him, “You rotten villain! I waited for you so long without even having dinner, and all you did was come over, tease me, and leave! I’m never talking to you again!”

Her stomach growled again, leaving her too weak to even walk. Tears welled in her eyes as she blamed Ye Chen for everything. If it weren’t for him, why would she have come here without eating?

“I hate you, you jerk!” she muttered, her feelings of grievance growing as she sat alone in the park, blaming Ye Chen for everything.

Suddenly, a calm voice came from behind her. “Do I really make you hate me that much? I haven’t done anything wrong!”

Miyu Yuya instantly recognized the voice. Gathering strength from somewhere, she spun around and froze, her eyes locked tightly on the bread and two bottles of drink in Ye Chen’s hands.

Seeing her expression, Ye Chen smiled faintly, spreading out his hand. “Give me your hand.”

Without hesitation, Miyu Yuya placed her small hand in his. Crouched before him, she reminded him of a playful little animal. Ye Chen’s other hand gently patted her head. “Good girl, good girl. Let me pet your head.”

At this moment, Miyu Yuya sensed something was off. She was reluctant to pull away from his hand. Truth be told, being patted on the head felt surprisingly comforting, but being teased by Ye Chen annoyed her. Her violet-silver eyes blazed with quiet fury at him.

“Come on, don’t be angry. If you get any angrier, you might not even have the strength left to be mad. Here, eat something first. I’m still waiting for you to sing,” Ye Chen said smoothly, noticing her mood, and placed the bread in her hand.

Having missed dinner, Miyu Yuya couldn’t resist the tempting aroma of the bread. She pushed aside her annoyance and began to devour it heartily, revealing her childlike nature with big bites.

Seeing her eat so eagerly, Ye Chen opened a bottle of juice and handed it to her to prevent choking. When Miyu Yuya received the juice, she suddenly realized her earlier behavior had been somewhat rude. Her cheeks flushed, and she returned to her usual ladylike composure, nibbling the bread delicately.

“Want more? You still look pretty hungry!” Ye Chen asked after she finished the bread.

Miyu Yuya, whose appetite was never large, no longer felt hungry. Just as she was about to thank him, Ye Chen teased her playfully.

“Hmph! I’m not as big an eater as you think!” Miyu Yuya mumbled, a little embarrassed. Raised by strict parents, she ordinarily maintained elegant manners in public, but in front of Ye Chen, she let down her guard completely. She scrunched her nose in mock annoyance.

“By the way, you’re the one who asked me to come here today, right? But so far, all I’ve seen you do is watch me eat. Were you just waiting for me to bring you bread?” Ye Chen said, placing his hand back on her head.

“Of course not!” Miyu Yuya quickly denied, then explained, “You’re a fan of Iwazawa too, right? Then you must know that Iwazawa is holding a concert in a few days.”

Ye Chen nodded. He was well aware of it and had been repeatedly urged by Iwazawa to attend. Part of his reason for inviting Miyu Yuya was to let her meet her idol.

“Then let’s go see Iwazawa’s concert together!” Miyu Yuya suddenly stepped in front of Ye Chen, her eyes sparkling with hope. Though she wanted to go, she was hesitant to attend alone. Her parents were busy and couldn’t accompany her. Now, with a like-minded friend, Miyu Yuya felt a newfound sense of hope.

“Sure! But do you really have tickets?” Ye Chen readily agreed. He had planned to go anyway, but noticing something odd about Miyu Yuya, he asked.