Green plums cannot become lovers.

He brought them here today so they could see firsthand how a real professional band performs on stage.

A band's job is more than just playing music; it's also about building rapport and interaction with the audience. On stage, it's not just about singing and playing the songs well.

You have to learn when to speak, when to be silent, when to hand the microphone to the audience, and when to give the stage to the guitarist's solo. These are things you can't learn in the rehearsal room.

Several girls watched intently, nodding repeatedly.

After a performance, they walked through the flowing crowd to the secondary stage located on the south side of the park.

This stage was smaller than the main stage, and its overall scale and equipment were a step down. There were also fewer audience members, but looking around, there were still thousands of people standing in the area, holding drinks and mobile phones, gathered in small groups in front of the stage.

The band performing on stage right now is a girl group.

Their music style leans towards upbeat pop-rock, with catchy melodies and a light rhythm. Compared to the frenzy on the main stage, the atmosphere wasn't as enthusiastic. Most of the audience members were simply swaying gently to the rhythm, with only a few jumping around.

But that's not a downside. After all, not everyone likes the kind of music that's ear-splitting. Some people come to music festivals just to enjoy soothing music and drinks on an autumn lawn and spend a leisurely afternoon.

Good afternoon, everyone!

The lead singer on stage shouted into the microphone, her voice filled with a bright and energetic spirit. She wore a loose hoodie, her hair was tied in pigtails, and when she smiled, she revealed a row of neat white teeth.

"We are the 'Saitama Agriculture Department' band! We're here to bring joy to everyone! We also hope you'll come visit us in Saitama Prefecture. We'll give you a warm welcome!"

“Yeah,” the bassist chimed in, adding with a smile, “We have lots of delicious food and fun things to do in Saitama Prefecture, everyone should definitely come!”

Several girls standing below the stage all showed somewhat complicated expressions when they heard the name "Saitama Agriculture Department".

"What a strange name..." Jingqin Rencai muttered to herself.

“But it seems kind of cute,” Anwa Subaru added.

An and Asuka stood to one side, silently evaluating the band's name in their hearts.

In the band scene, the stranger the name, the more normal it is.

He'd seen bands called "Expired Bread," "After-School Tea Party," and even a hardcore punk band called "Please Don't Feed Them." In comparison, while the name "Saitama Agriculture Department" was strange, at least it was memorable.

Moreover, judging from their interactions on stage, this seems to be a band with official promotional purposes, perhaps part of a cultural project by the Saitama Prefectural Government to promote local agricultural products.

He had seen many similar official bands in the industry, with varying levels of skill, but this one at least seemed to be taking it seriously.

The girls on stage took turns introducing themselves, each with a bright smile. Their interaction was natural, and their tone of voice didn't sound like they were reciting lines; it was more like friends joking with each other.

This relaxed atmosphere infected the audience, and some people who were originally just quietly listening to the songs began to laugh along with their words.

"Well then, without further ado, the show is about to begin!"

The lead singer clapped his hands, and the drummer behind him tapped his drumsticks twice as a signal, and then the crisp guitar intro began.

Before the music fully blasted, An and Asuka turned their heads slightly and whispered to the girls standing beside them, "You can learn this."

Several girls immediately turned to look at him.

"The level of MC on the main stage might be a bit too early for you guys right now. That requires a lot of experience and presence, and you can't learn that all at once."

An and Asuka's gaze returned to the stage, their voices low, making sure only a few of them could hear them clearly. "But the rhythm of this band is just right. Not too noisy or intense, yet it shows the liveliness and intimacy of teenage girls, and the distance between them and the audience is just right."

The style of "Saitama Agriculture Department" standing on the stage now is the best teaching material for them. They don't need to imitate the wildness and domineering presence of those big-name bands; they just need to be themselves.

Five teenage girls stood on the stage, using their energy and sincerity to move the audience.

"Mmm!" The girls nodded in unison, their eyes filled with seriousness.

An and Subaru even pulled out their phones, opened the notes app, and quickly jotted down something—maybe a quote from the lead singer, or a small gesture from their interaction; she didn't miss a thing.

After watching the "Saitama Agriculture Department" performance, An and Asuka took them to two other stages.

At each place, he would make them stand for a while, at least to watch two or three pieces of music.

The third stage in the northeast corner features heavy music. The band on stage is playing a fierce style that blends metalcore and electronic music. The double bass drum sounds like a machine gun mounted on the ground, pounding down on you and making your insides tremble.

The audience below the stage was divided into two groups: one group was wildly shaking their heads and legs, while the other group stood at a safe distance, watching the crazy crowd with amusement.

"This... is not suitable for us." Ebizuka Satoshi concluded expressionlessly after only one glance.

“Not necessarily.” An and Asuka shook their heads. “Although your style isn’t suitable, you can learn from their level of dedication. Look at that guitarist, he’s completely immersed in the music and doesn’t care at all what the audience is thinking. This kind of focus is applicable to any style.”

Ebizuka Tomo thought about it and admitted that he was right.

In the far south corner, there was a tiny stage... It was more of a makeshift platform built on the lawn, with pitifully rudimentary equipment. It didn't even have a proper sound system; there were just a few small built-in speakers pieced together.

On stage was a solo performance, a young man who looked to be in his early twenties holding a wooden guitar, quietly singing his own songs. There were only about ten people scattered in the audience, but everyone was listening attentively. Some were even sitting on the floor with their eyes closed, as if the song had transported them to another world.

"There are so few people..." Kawara Momoka said softly, her tone tinged with sympathy.

“But look at those people, they’re listening,” An and Asuka replied softly. “Sometimes, even if only one audience member is listening attentively to your song, it’s worth singing the whole song well.”

Kawara Momoka remained silent for a while, looking at the young man on the stage who was focused on plucking the strings with his head down, and silently memorized those words.

After touring all the stages, it was almost time.

The group returned to the secondary stage on the west side.

The previous band had just finished their half-hour performance, and before the girls could go on stage, another band was scheduled to perform.

This is a good opportunity to let the girls see how others do it, since they can definitely learn more from being on the same stage.

Soon a band stood on the stage, and the group recognized the blond-haired youth from not long ago.

Volume 1: Chapter 303 Singing

Soon it was the girls' turn to go on stage.

An and Asuka led them through the staff passage behind the stage to a temporary backstage area behind the curtain. Various equipment boxes and cables were piled up there, and several staff members were conducting final equipment checks. When they saw them arrive, they simply nodded without saying a word.

The air was filled with the distinctive smell of a stage: metal, cable insulation, residual anti-slip paint on the wooden floor, and a faint whiff of sweat.

An and Asuka stopped and turned to look at the five girls behind them.

They had changed into their performance costumes and tuned their instruments. The five girls standing before him now were no longer the same five girls who had been somewhat bewildered when the blond-haired boy provoked them in the hallway just hours before. Their backs were ramrod straight, their eyes filled with tension, but also with a sense of determination.

"Don't be nervous, just act like usual."

He knew that this sounded easy, even dismissive. But he also understood that the more he said at a time like this, the more likely they were to overthink it. Giving them the simplest of words, to let them focus on the music, was enough.

"Yes, we will definitely try our best."

Jing Qinren nodded vigorously.

She was usually carefree and nonchalant, seemingly not taking anything to heart, but at this moment her expression was unusually serious, as if she were making a momentous promise. An and Mao, standing beside her, nodded in agreement, their bright eyes reflecting the flashing signal lights at the edge of the stage.

Time is up.

The girls took a deep breath, stepped out of the shadows backstage, and onto the brightly lit stage.

An and Asuka stood there, hands in their pockets, watching their figures disappear into the bright lights at the stage entrance. He didn't follow—this stage belonged to them; he only needed to stand there and listen.

The girls stood on the stage, looking down at the crowd below.

Even the most composed Momoka Kawahara could feel her heart racing at that moment.

She finally... finally stood on this large stage again as a professional player.

It wasn't performing in an underground livehouse for a few dozen people, nor was it playing alone in a practice room. Instead, it was truly standing on a music festival stage that could hold thousands of people, facing unfamiliar audiences from all directions.

The sunlight was a bit too bright, making it difficult for her to see the faces of the people below the stage for a moment. But she could feel their presence; the pressure from thousands of gazes converging was like a silent wind blowing up from below the stage, brushing against her cheeks and arms.

Jingqinrencai walked up to the microphone.

Her hand holding the microphone trembled slightly, but she still tried her best to make her voice sound steady.

"Hello everyone, we are thorny and thornless."

A lukewarm response came from the audience, with scattered applause and some curious whispers.

"What a strange name."

"The names are even stranger than those of the bands before. What does 'thorny' and 'thornless' mean?"

"I don't know, but the five beautiful girls are quite eye-catching. Let's listen to them first."

"I hope they're not just a pretty face band."

The sounds weren't loud, but they could still be heard to some extent on stage. Izuru's ears turned slightly red, but she didn't back down.

She took a deep breath and continued into the microphone, "Please continue to support Thornless! We will definitely work hard to bring joy to everyone in the future!"

After saying that, she turned around and glanced at her teammates behind her.

The four of them nodded.

The performance officially began.

The first song was written by the five of them themselves.

With its upbeat rhythm and catchy melody, the opening track was a fairly standard choice for a new band. Most of the audience seemed to be observing, some nodding along to the beat, some watching expressionlessly with their arms crossed, and others taking a few seconds to record a video before putting it down.

No one showed obvious aversion, but no one showed much enthusiasm either.

The second song was also their own original composition.

This song is slightly more mature than the first one. The lyrics express a sense of confusion and stubbornness about growing up. The lyrics were co-written by Izana Izare and Momoka Kawahara. When singing, Izana Izare's voice carries a serious and powerful quality, not like she's just singing casually.

But the reaction from the audience remained the same—normal and without any bullying.

Some people even started to turn around and leave impatiently.

At first, he was alone. He glanced at the girls on stage, frowned, and then walked towards another stage without looking back. His movements weren't big, but they stood out in the sparse crowd below the stage.

Then, several more people followed him and left.

This scene was like a tiny thorn, piercing the hearts of the girls.

The people on stage certainly saw those departing figures. Although they felt slightly uneasy, they still cheered themselves up and began the third piece of music.

The third song is a cover song by an idol group.

With its catchy melody and distinct rhythm, this song was perfect for the live atmosphere. As soon as the song started, the previously slow decline in the crowd finally slowed down a bit, and several audience members who were just passing by even stopped and stood at the edge of the crowd to watch.

But people still occasionally leave the crowd and move on to other stages.

After singing the last note of her third song, Izayoi's breathing became a little unsteady. She glanced at the audience; there were far fewer people than at the beginning. Although the remaining people were still watching them, the feeling of "being able to leave at any time" hung over her like a knife, preventing her from truly settling down.

This was their first time performing on a stage of this scale. The audience didn't know them, had no emotional connection to their work, and could choose to leave at any time.

This is the cruelest and most realistic rule.

Before the fourth song began, the girls exchanged a glance.

Then they nodded.

Jingqin Rencai walked back to the microphone, and this time, her voice was clearer than before.

"The next song is called 'The Light of Fireflies,' please enjoy it."

The crowd below the stage, who had been somewhat disheartened, suddenly seemed to be struck by something and perked up.

Those who were hesitating about leaving stopped abruptly in their tracks. Those who had already turned halfway around turned back again. Even the audience members who had been absentmindedly scrolling through their phones looked up and focused their attention on the stage.

They were very familiar with the name "Hotaru no Hikari" (The Light of Fireflies).

That was Asuka's debut song.

It's the song that created a huge wave online, introducing countless people to the name "Anhe Asuka" for the first time. It's not a run-of-the-mill pop song, but it possesses a unique power.

Almost everyone who has heard of it will remember it.

And now, this unknown new band is going to cover this song on the music festival stage?

"The light of fireflies, the window of snow."

The memory of years of diligent study remains vivid and fresh.

The girls' clear voices flowed from the stage.

Their voices carried a crisp quality typical of young girls. When they sang this song about parting, there was no sense of vicissitude or heaviness; instead, there was a clean and firm quality, as if they were saying that although parting is sad, we will still say goodbye with a smile and continue to move forward.

The feeling was different from the original style, but it had a unique flavor.

The audience gradually quieted down, and then became completely absorbed.

No one spoke, no one looked down at their phones, and not even one fidgeted. Everyone's attention was drawn to that voice, like an invisible thread connecting the people on stage with those in the audience.

When the last note fell, the entire stage was silent for two or three seconds.

Then came thunderous applause, more intense than any previous band performance.