Ruan Xing took a few days off, and when he returned to class, the atmosphere at school had changed a bit.

During the break, many of his classmates were excitedly discussing a name.

"SuSu..."

Ruan Xing rarely talked to his classmates, but Fu Gui, blending in with his inconspicuous frame, had managed to learn the details of the situation.

It turned out that Su Su was performing at a nearby venue, and tickets for the show were currently on sale.

Ruan Xing briefly recalled what she looked like. She was indeed beautiful, and it was said that everyone—from elderly people in their seventies or eighties to young children—had watched her movies or TV shows. She was also skilled at singing.

In these tough times, people's obsession with entertainment stars wasn't as crazy as in peaceful eras, but they still expressed a considerable amount of enthusiasm.

While Ruan Xing was on the road, a student handed him two tickets. Since Fu Zhi wasn't around, he gave one of the tickets to Bai Xu, who also wanted to join the fun.

The weather was nice that day, and the venue, which could hold over a thousand people, was packed to the brim.

Bai Xu was wearing an off-shoulder T-shirt with metallic sequins and a neck full of jewelry. When he saw Ruan Xing, he put his hands on his hips and smiled, "Who would've thought someone like you—with those serious eyes and thick brows—would turn out to be such a cutie?"

Ruan Xing was wearing a milk-white short-sleeve T-shirt with light blue shorts and sports shoes paired with white socks, giving off a youthful and refreshing vibe.

"Where's Pei Ye?" Ruan Xing thought of how he always called Su Su his goddess—there was no way he would miss this.

Bai Xu showed a big grin, the chains on his body clinking as he leaned back. "He went on a mission, but I already sent him a message and took a picture of our two backstage tickets. It's going to drive him crazy."

Ruan Xing shot him a glance. Yep, classic little pink-head move.

After everyone settled down, the performance quickly began.

The lights went out.

A beam of light illuminated the center of the stage, revealing a woman dressed in a red gown. The gown, made of countless sequins, shimmered and sparkled with every movement, dazzling like a mermaid in a black sea.

What was even more captivating was her appearance—every inch of her seemed meticulously crafted by the Creator, flawless and exquisite. Her black wavy hair cascaded down her neck, with a tear mole below her eye, seductively drawing people in. Her full, red lips moved with grace, complementing the red dress she wore.

Every breath she took, every movement she made, captured the hearts of the audience.

The soft, melodic music began to play, and the woman started to sing. Her sweet voice drifted from her lips as if it had turned into real musical notes, dancing in everyone's hearts.

Everyone was immersed in the beautiful music.

But Ruan Xing suddenly noticed a strange smell at the tip of his nose.

"Do you smell something?"  Ruan Xing asked Bai Xu as he glanced at his bracelet. The pollution level was slightly high but still within the normal range.

"What smell? I don't smell anything!" Bai Xu crossed his legs and teased, "Ate too much at lunch, and it's coming back to haunt you? That smell might be your own breath."

Ruan Xing glared at him. "Don't project your behavior onto others."

Bai Xu squinted his eyes. "Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions. I'm just making a reasonable guess. A lot of people look glamorous but are actually just simpletons."

There were a lot of people in the venue, so maybe it was someone's body odor.

But as time passed, the smell intensified. It wasn't just body odor anymore—it was pervasive, and Ruan Xing couldn't pinpoint the source. It was as if everyone around him had that same odor.

"Are you really not smelling anything?" Ruan Xing asked Bai Xu again.

Bai Xu shrugged. "I really don't smell anything..."

"Shut up!" Someone next to him suddenly yelled. Their eyes were bloodshot, and their breathing was heavy, looking like something was wrong.

The two exchanged a glance. They kept their voices low, thinking they wouldn't disturb anyone, but the man seemed very irritable, almost as if he wanted to rip their tongues out.

Looking around, the people who had overheard their conversation were staring at them with angry expressions.

What's going on?

Ruan Xing checked his wristband again. The pollution level was still normal.

Strange.

The music reached its peak, and the beautiful sounds filled the entire venue, which heated up the atmosphere.

Countless audience closed their eyes, completely absorbed as their breath matched the rhythm of the music.

On stage, the woman was light, the embodiment of beauty, the brightest color in the overwhelming darkness. The melody seemed to make everyone forget their troubles, surrendering alongside her and embracing the endless possibilities of the future.

She was too perfect. Every smile, every frown, every breath, every movement was a touch to the heart.

When the song ended, the audience burst into cheers, some even moved to tears, shouting for an encore.

SuSu smiled gently, covering her throat and bowing. Her long hair gently cascaded with her movements, swaying like a beacon in her fans' hearts.

She picked up the microphone. "I can feel everyone's passion, but please give me some time to rest. After all, I'm not a professional singer."

Hearing this, many people in the audience laughed. The man who had stopped Ruan Xing and Bai Xu earlier stood up, cupping his hands like a megaphone, and shouted, "You look even better than a professional singer!"

SuSu seemed to have heard this and blushed a little. "I'm still aware of my own level."

This caused another round of laughter from the audience.

"The next segment isn't singing; it's time for the interactive session!" The woman's voice carried a hook at the end, and she winked at the camera, instantly igniting the atmosphere in the venue.

"Me, me, me!" Bai Xu raised his hand energetically, trying to join the crowd's excitement.

Clearly, the fans were thoroughly enjoying themselves, actively interacting and hoping they'd be the next lucky person chosen.

The organizers, clearly in tune with the audience, moved on to the main event after the one-on-one interactions.

On the big screen, the camera swung freely until SuSu called out, "Stop."

On the screen, a young man with black hair and green eyes lazily lifted his eyelids.

He was handsome, with deep-set eyes and a slightly indifferent expression, which contrasted sharply with the intense atmosphere around him. The crowd's chatter gradually quieted down.

Bai Xu gave a thumbs up. "You're so lucky, man! You get to meet SuSu up close! Hurry up! Get on stage! Don't make me come over and drag you up."

Ruan Xing looked at the screen, then at the woman in the red dress. After avoiding the crowd's gaze, he walked up to the stage.

People turned to look at him, their expressions a mix of surprise, curiosity, disdain, and even hostility.

Hostility?

Ruan Xing turned his gaze toward the source and noticed a man in a suit. He was large and stocky, with layers of fat, standing very close to the stage and holding a support banner for SuSu.

He seemed like a diehard fan.

Ruan Xing shifted his attention away.

Upon seeing him, SuSu's smile deepened.

"It's you, what a coincidence."

Ruan Xing stood next to her and realized he was only a little taller than her, and she was wearing flat shoes.

As he drew near, Ruan Xing noticed the strong scent of perfume mixed with a masked pungent odor.

Ruan Xing: [Is there anything abnormal?]

Fu Gui shook his head: [No, just the smell is a bit unpleasant.]

Ruan Xing frowned but didn't realize his expression was now being magnified several times on the wall screen.

Seeing SuSu, how could he show such a face? Several fans began murmuring, some even starting to complain. They would have preferred to have been chosen instead!

"What's going on? Is this guy a black fan?"

"I think he is. He looks handsome but doesn't know how to respect others."

Bai Xu, somewhat surprised, looked at the people nearby. "Don't you know him?"

The two boys exchanged a glance. "No, we don't."

Is he some new celebrity?

Bai Xu sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Teacher Ruan is so well-known. He even saved a student recently, but his face didn't look too good because he hadn't fully recovered. I didn't expect people would think of him like this. Society has really gone downhill."

The boys' expressions changed. They hadn't known about this and immediately apologized. "Sorry, we didn't know—"

Bai Xu turned away and ignored them.

"It's really a coincidence. When I first came to school, I even met this gentleman," SuSu turned her head to look at him. Her silver earrings swayed and reflected in Ruan Xing's eyes.

The earrings were adorned with silver diamonds, catching the light in an almost blinding dazzling display.

Ruan Xing's gaze shifted slightly, and his expression turned cautious.

Just now, he felt a slight disorientation. Is this woman an awakened? Like Chen Yin?

Ruan Xing kept his guard up and subtly moved a few steps away.

The stench from earlier became more prominent, but for some reason, no one around seemed to notice.

The host introduced the interactive session. There were two groups: SuSu and another guest. The lucky person selected would carry them around the venue and complete a small task. The group that finished first would win, with a small reward.

The crowd erupted with excitement. They'd get to interact with their goddess up close! Plus, there was a prize—how lucky could you get?

Many people cast envious and jealous glances.

But Ruan Xing's face stiffened. Was he supposed to carry some foul-smelling thing around the venue?

SuSu stepped closer, still as mesmerizing as ever. Just a smile from her was enough to drive people crazy.

Her red lips parted, and the overwhelming stench leaked from her mouth. "What's wrong?"

Ruan Xing could no longer hear anything. He was nearly overwhelmed by the stench.

He took two steps back, disgusted. "It smells awful."

SuSu's smile vanished.

The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward, and the crowd fell silent.

The host forced a smile, "Our lucky contestant might be shy. He just said he smells bad. Really, how could he say that about himself? I'm sure SuSu doesn't mind, right?"

The host didn't expect that he(RX) wouldn't give the slightest bit of face.

Ruan Xing covered his nose with his hand, which muffled his voice. "No, I meant she smells awful. It's like a stench that could knock you out—like ten-year-old salted fish, mixed with socks that haven't been washed for months and the smell of rotten eggs fermenting in an old jar."

The microphone broadcasted this through the entire venue, and even people outside could hear it clearly.

The massive venue went so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Then, an uproar ensued.