Chapter 180
Chapter 180
Standing in the cold wind for several hours, the tips of their ears and the soles of their feet began to turn icy. The wind was particularly strong today, forcing everyone to huddle together for warmth.
Many media outlets were also present, shivering while admiring the fans' perseverance and silently praying for the group to arrive soon.
Around noon, several vans pulled up. The staff got out and, under the pressure of the surrounding gazes, started unloading luggage. There were forty suitcases in total, requiring multiple trips to transport them all.
Fans who were close by recognized members of the Timetrain team and mustered the courage to ask, "Hey, when are they arriving?"
The person handling the luggage paused, then replied, "Not sure, but they should be on their way."
Just as everyone lowered their heads to brace against the cold wind again, a black sedan arrived.
The car itself indicated that its occupants were no ordinary people.
Several bodyguards emerged from the terminal, holding black umbrellas. As the car stopped by the roadside, they opened the umbrellas to shield the passengers from the cameras.
The grand display piqued the curiosity of even those who hadn't been interested before, making them crane their necks to see.
"Who is it?"
"...Is it Lin Jie?"
"Ahhh! It's Jiang Juyou!"
Lin Jie and Jiang Juyou stepped out of the car together. Fans nearby immediately recognized them, and Lin Jie quickly teased the crowd, "They're coming soon, focus on the road!"
At her words, the fans who had been staring at Jiang Juyou immediately turned their attention to the road, where three black vans appeared in the distance, resembling dark dragons crawling along the street.
The front row of fans began to stir, raising their cameras and phones.
Jiang Juyou and Lin Jie, escorted by bodyguards, entered the terminal as the vans slowly pulled up to the entrance.
The second van opened first, and out stepped Yao Shuo, whose popularity was rapidly catching up to the two top members. His platinum blonde hair, with golden highlights at the tips, shimmered like sunlight.
Carrying a bag sponsored by a brand, he wore a denim jacket, a gray scarf, and sunglasses. After stepping out, Yao Shuo adjusted his clothes and glanced around, waiting for his teammates.
Chi Qiao, who was in the same van, wore a white padded jacket and a gray beanie. A gust of wind made him bury his face in his collar, but he quickly remembered his makeup and lifted his head, waving to the fans.
The two didn't linger at the entrance, quickly heading inside under the staff's urging.
Pei Luming and Ye Xing, who got out of the van a bit later, stayed at the entrance for a while. Ye Xing had dropped his phone in the van and couldn't find it, so the group was searching for it, leaving the two momentarily stranded by the roadside.
Ye Xing noticed some familiar fans and asked, "Are you cold? Next time, don't come out in such chilly weather."
The shivering girls insisted, "We're not cold!"Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Frowning, Ye Xing reached into his pocket and handed them two hand warmers. Seeing that it wasn't enough, he unzipped his jacket and gave them the ones from his inner pocket.
This gesture caused other fans to grumble like upset puppies.
Standing nearby, Pei Luming exchanged awkward glances with his fans. Seeing their expectant looks, he said sheepishly, "...I don't have any hand warmers."
His fans immediately offered theirs, startling Pei Luming into waving his hands in refusal.
Gao Xiayu, from the last van, was the last to step out. He had been napping and delayed his exit because his makeup needed touch-ups. Upon seeing Pei Luming and Ye Xing still standing by the roadside, he approached to check on them. The staff finally found Ye Xing's phone wedged in a crevice and quickly handed it to him.
"What happened?" Gao Xiayu asked as he approached.
Ye Xing shook his head, pocketing his phone. "I couldn't find my phone earlier."
With everyone out of the vans, the staff urged them to hurry inside.
Knowing the fans had traveled far to see the five of them, the staff promised, "Let us go in first. We'll come back out in five minutes for photos, okay? Thank you all for coming to see them off. Let the kids go in and greet their boss first, then they'll be right back!"
The speaker was Pei Luming's assistant, known in the fandom for his lively personality. His words immediately soothed the fans' irritation.
A voice from the crowd, belonging to a man from the Northeast, shouted, "Hurry up!"
Pei Luming's assistant turned and replied, "Got it, bro!"
Their back-and-forth amused the other fans.
Despite the grand send-off, there was no sign of them on the trending list, even though fan accounts and media had posted pictures. It was clear that Random Entertainment had paid to keep the event low-key.
The flight lasted over ten hours. The last time they had flown like this, they were still trainees. Now, their status had changed. Some of their former companions had returned to ordinary lives, while others continued to struggle in the industry.
Gao Xiayu gazed out the window, feeling a wave of melancholy.
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Timetrain's departure was kept quiet, but their promotional appearances were a different story.
They would stay in New York for a week, with radio interviews, talk shows, stage performances, and Christmas-themed mall events.
These were all arranged by their American company after they signed a contract there.
Their song "Neon Light (English Ver.)" had risen to No. 82 on the Billboard charts, with predictions suggesting it could climb another 20 spots next week based on its current momentum.
Jiang Juyou attended every event that week.
Ye Xing, Pei Luming, and Gao Xiayu, who were fluent in English, took the lead in answering the hosts' questions. Yao Shuo and Chi Qiao, whose English was decent, could handle daily conversations and pre-written answers.
Jiang Juyou stood backstage, watching the five of them on the sofa during an interview.
Even though it wasn't their first event, they were still nervous. She noticed Pei Luming's clenched fists, Gao Xiayu's intense focus on the host, and Ye Xing's frequent swallowing to ease his tension.
The host, holding a cue card, kept the atmosphere lively while interacting with the audience.
Lin Jie quietly approached Jiang Juyou from behind, tapping her lightly and whispering, "The flight is booked. We need to leave now."
While getting to know Fluoxetine, they're also learning about Random Entertainment.
"Oh my, how can a company buy two planes just to protect the privacy of their artists' travels!"
"Their app is truly amazing. I even want my Chinese clients to register an account on it. It can translate in real-time!"
"It's the first time I've seen a company encourage fan-made content. It's unbelievable!"
"If the company has its own venue, does that mean they can hold fan meetings every week!"
After an upgrade, the Galaxy app has achieved real-time translation functionality. The language within the app changes according to the phone's system settings. Even if some posts are made by international fans, to the user, they appear in their native language.
From the perspective of international fans, the posts made by Chinese fans appear in English. They were surprised for a while before realizing that the app translates in real-time. To Chinese fans, their posts appear in Chinese.
Not only are the posts translated, but the comments are also accurately translated, including metaphors and idioms, which are translated into appropriate meanings.
A large number of international fans have joined, and the ID tags now include flags indicating region and country, making it easier to distinguish where each fan is from. Without these tags, many Chinese fans wouldn't have known that the Galaxy app already has many international fans.
The fact that Random Entertainment bought two planes was first shared by Chinese fans on an interactive forum, which was then picked up by international fans.
@Idiot is a good egg[China]: I'm shocked by Random Entertainment, they actually bought two planes! This blogger on IG specializes in plane interior design. His Story said the planes he decorated for Random Entertainment are ready and will be sent to China soon! He even tagged Random Entertainment!
"[Image][Image][Image]"
"@Nancyyy[Singapore]: Buying planes? Our Jiang Juyou is really rich now!"
"@geee[Thailand]: Could it be for the artists? I think it's highly likely!"
@Dragon Slayer Girl[China]: Could the tag next to the ID mean what I think it means?
@Pujia Family Busy Member [South Korea]: This is truly on a mainland scale... I really want to tag a few companies and make them see this.
“I drank two taels this morning [China]: This must be Jiang Juyou’s way of managing her finances. Rich people always do things like this.”
“@31[Canada]: H**yS**t! This is how you should protect your artists, not blaming fans for being on the same flight! Well done, Random Entertainment!”
@Doudou Doudou [China]: Got it, no translation for the swear words.
@Cute Today is a bit much [South Korea]: Hello, sisters from China!
Today, Galaxy is buzzing with fan activity, mainly because it’s almost 11 o’clock, and Fluoxetine’s debut meet-and-greet live stream is about to start on the platform.
Their live stream will be broadcast on multiple domestic platforms, but international fans can only watch it on the Galaxy app, which is why there’s so much traffic today.
All of Random Entertainment’s groups hold their debut stages at the venue next to the company. Early this morning, fans were already lining up outside, ready to enter.
Many fans who came over from Timetrain couldn’t help but recall the previous winter, when it was just as cold, and they were waiting outside to watch Timetrain’s debut stage.
By mid-to-late November, Beijing is already quite cold, and the air is getting drier. Standing outside for just a while, the cold air feels like it’s slicing through your nostrils.
Considering the fans might be cold, they were allowed to enter the plaza early to wait, and heated seats were provided.
As fans on-site shared updates, international fans learned that Random Entertainment not only has its own venue but also boasts extremely advanced facilities.
“[Canada] A company that thinks of this is truly remarkable.”
“[South Korea] Wow, they even have heated seats? Did they install hot water pipes in the seats? I’m so jealous, but my visa application keeps getting rejected.”
“[Japan] Huh? Are the seats warm?”
“[South Korea] When will they come to South Korea? We have music shows too! Please, just come for a visit!”
Once inside, phones can no longer be used. If caught, you’ll be blacklisted.
With half an hour to go before the start, the waiting fans outside began to enter, and they were immediately stunned by the venue’s setup.
Gasps and exclamations filled the air—
“Wow...”
“This is the first time I’ve seen even the fan seats decorated.”
“Oh my god, I swear this will be the last home on my idol journey!”
The meet-and-greet had all seats open, with over 2,700 seats each holding a tote bag containing a bouquet of white lily of the valley. Inside the bags were blankets to drape over their laps and thin cushions to lean against.
In addition to the carefully prepared gifts on the seats, even the ceiling was decorated, resembling a wedding venue with draped scarves and flower arrangements.
The large screen displayed the logo of [Fluoxetine FLXT], along with a message: Lily of the valley, for you who came from afar, my lover.
“Aww—”
“This is too good, too good! The team deserves all the praise!”
“I’m going to die here—this is my final home!”
The live stream started five minutes early, broadcasting the scene inside. Fans who tuned in were completely unprepared for the stunning setup, which hit them like an emotional punch.
“I was already upset about not getting a ticket, and now I’m even more upset...”
“So beautiful!!!”
“Random Entertainment never disappoints!”
“I hate that I couldn’t get a visa!”
Fans of other groups: These guys are the real deal. How much money did they burn for this?
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