Yan Huan glanced at Tong Yingying, who had just taken a seat, with a look that said, "Are you sure about this?"
While it was good that this otherwise idle presence in the store could finally be of so use, her history as the "idea queen" was less reassuring. Hopefully, this wouldn’t end in her chatting so much that Bai Yi's Modifier overheated.
“Ding ding!”
Noticing Yan Huan still standing there, Tong Yingying pressed the bell in her hand and stared at him. With her expression and a pointed finger, she'd look just like that infamous husky
from the past.
The ssage was clear: "Stop talking and get going already!"
"...Fine."
After a brief pause, Yan Huan gave in. At least today, Sister Tong hadn’t been drinking, and when she was sober, her head usually worked...probably.
"Alright, I’ll get to it," he said, raising an eyebrow before heading off.
The store was busy enough to need extra help, and Sister Tong wasn’t exactly about to break into a specialized domain. He could always return if needed. Taking one last glance at Bai Yi, Yan Huan turned and left.
As he walked away, the fragile calm Bai Yi had found in his words and the warm cup of water began to unravel.
She instinctively wanted to sniffle but held back under Tong Yingying's sharp gaze.
The mont Yan Huan was gone, Tong Yingying's deanor shifted, her eyes growing subtly sharper. She exhaled deeply, pulling out a cigarette case to reveal a few neatly arranged slim cigarettes.
Her left hand deftly flipped open a lighter, sparking it to life and igniting her cigarette. Beneath her slightly askew red bangs, her gaze seed to smolder alongside the lit cigarette.
Through the curling smoke, her eyes, once lifeless, now carried a seductive, languid charm. But even then, she gave off an unapproachable air—a quintessential South District vibe.
Bai Yi watched as Tong Yingying reached into the inside of her coat.
“Bang!”
A stun baton landed on the table.
Bai Yi’s eyes widened as she cautiously glanced at Tong Yingying. But the woman wasn’t done.
“Bang!”
A folded butterfly knife followed suit, hitting the table.
“...”
Seeing Tong Yingying continue rummaging, Bai Yi panicked and stood up, her voice trembling, "I-I’ll leave now. No need to trouble you any further."
“What’s the rush? Sit.”
Bai Yi hesitated, but Tong Yingying didn’t pull out a Smith & Wesson or anything more alarming. Instead, she retrieved a small iron flask from her coat.
Glancing furtively in the direction Yan Huan had left, Tong Yingying unscrewed the flask and took a careful sip.
So it was just booze...but why so secretive?
Bai Yi couldn’t figure it out but hesitated and sat back down.
The sip of liquor brought a relaxed expression to Tong Yingying’s face. Even her tone softened.
“Dressed so primly at night with a mask and sunglasses—you look like a stalker. And now you want to leave? Can you even see where you’re going?”
“...”
She had a point. Bai Yi had spent the entire day tailing Yan Huan, fully disguised, until she ended up here in the South District.
Guiltily avoiding eye contact, Bai Yi muttered, "I’ll manage..."
Tong Yingying imdiately rolled her eyes.
“Didn’t get it? I ant take off the mask and sunglasses if you want to talk.”
“I...I’d rather not.”
“Oh, is it because you’re ugly?”
“...”
Bai Yi bit her lip and lowered her head, staying silent.
Seeing her reluctance, Tong Yingying suddenly leaned in closer.
Gotcha!
Before Bai Yi could react, Tong Yingying snatched the sunglasses off her face.
Exposed, Bai Yi’s tear-streaked eyes were now visible.
“What are you doing?!” Bai Yi gasped, trying to retrieve her sunglasses.
But Tong Yingying leaned back in her chair, refusing to return them, her expression tinged with surprise.
“You’re actually really pretty. What’s there to hide?”
“I...”
“And coming to a pub at night, all teary-eyed? This isn’t a kids’ playground, you know. Minors aren’t welco here.”
Bai Yi averted her gaze and murmured softly, “Then why do you hire minors?”
“...You kids are sharp-tongued these days. Are you preparing for the bar exam or sothing?”
Placing Bai Yi’s tear-smudged sunglasses on the table, Tong Yingying fetched an ashtray from behind her.
“My hiring practices are completely legal under the Linn Part-Ti Work Act. Employees work no more than 28 hours a week. Got an issue?”
“...”
Flicking her cigarette ash, Tong Yingying gazed at the table. Her tone grew serious.
“Those Weber sunglasses cost over five grand. Soone like you doesn’t live in the South District, right? Where’d you co from? Do you know how dangerous it is to wander around here crying at night? Take off the mask—maybe I can help.”
Bai Yi silently retrieved her sunglasses, rising as she muttered, “There’s no need. I’ll leave now.”
“Suit yourself. But if you leave, I’ll call the cops.”
“What? Why?” Bai Yi spun around in disbelief.
Tong Yingying looked at her as though she were an idiot.
“Are you kidding? Your phone’s busted, your clothes look cheap, and you don’t seem to carry cash. Where can you even go? This is the South District. If I don’t call the cops now, I’ll be answering their questions tomorrow when they investigate.”
Bai Yi glanced at her cracked phone screen, which was clearly visible to Tong Yingying. Tears welled in her eyes again.
Though Tong Yingying’s concerns didn’t pose a problem for soone with her pocket watch, Bai Yi still didn’t know where to go.
She was too afraid to return ho and face her mother. The argunt earlier had ended with her smashing her phone in anger, leaving her cashless and helpless.
As she thought about it, tears stread down her face once more.
Tong Yingying, busy on her phone, felt a chill and looked up. Seeing Bai Yi crying silently, she froze.
What the...?
Is she crying because of ?!
“D*** it...” she muttered, about to curse aloud when Yan Huan’s voice from the register interrupted her.
“That’ll be 298—Plane or cash?”
Tong Yingying imdiately sobered up, putting out her cigarette as she gestured for Bai Yi to sit down.
“You’re young, and if you’re here crying, it’s probably either about family or school, right?”
Caught off guard, Bai Yi nodded hesitantly.
Tong Yingying smiled faintly. “Family problems?”
“...Yes.”
“Big deal. I’m older than you and still fight with my family all the ti. They’ve always found fault with . But look at
now—eating well, drinking well, and surrounded by handso guys.”
Bai Yi blinked at her, slightly reassured by her words. After a mont, she sat back down and removed her mask.
Tong Yingying gave her a quick once-over and raised an eyebrow.
“Wow, you’re gorgeous. What’s the problem, then?”
“That’s because you’re grown up and independent now. I’m not in the sa position as you...”
Rolling her eyes, Tong Yingying replied, “Yeah, yeah. When I’m your age, I’ll get it, right?”
“That’s not what I ant.” Bai Yi sniffled.
“I just don’t know how to get along with my mom. I only want her approval, but to get it, I have to sacrifice so much of myself. She keeps comparing
to others. I don’t even know if she wants
or just soone else entirely...”
“So you want her approval without making yourself miserable?”
“...”
Seeing her silence, Tong Yingying leaned on her hand and asked, “What about your dad?”
“He’s busy and rarely around,” Bai Yi replied.
“How does he treat you?”
“He’s actually nice. He listens to , unlike my mom.”
Taking another sip of her drink, Tong Yingying suddenly lit up like a pair of small lightbulbs.
“I’ve got an idea!” she exclaid with a grin.
“Uh?” Bai Yi turned, but before she could ask further, she noticed Yan Huan walking over, his face unreadable.
“Sister Tong...”
Tong Yingying’s triumphant expression froze in an instant.
Tong Yingying quickly retracted her raised finger, shrugged, and said to Bai Yi, "Not anymore."
She stubbed out the remainder of her cigarette in the ashtray and quietly tucked the small flask back into her coat. anwhile, Yan Huan glanced at the now maskless and sunglass-free Bai Yi, his expression turning to surprise.
"Wait a minute... You look familiar. Are you Bai Yi from our school?"
The initial surprise on his face gradually shifted to excitent.
"Ah... Ah?" Bai Yi froze slightly, her expression a mix of tension and confusion.
Could Yan Huan actually recognize her? She avoided his gaze and fumbled for an excuse, but Tong Yingying interrupted, “Your classmate?”
“Not just a classmate. She’s a celebrity! She’s even been in movies. I’m actually a fan of her music—she sings really well. It’s just a sha she doesn’t co to school often.”
A... fan?
Bai Yi’s face flushed bright red. She looked up at Yan Huan in disbelief and stamred, “Yan Huan... No... President Yan, have you really heard my songs?”
Tong Yingying blinked and shifted her gaze between Bai Yi's reddened cheeks and Yan Huan’s smiling face.
Classmates? A handso guy and a beautiful girl? Idol and fan? This was like a rom-com setup...
Ugh.
By comparison, she felt like so villainous temptress preying on a young couple.
“Of course.” Yan Huan nodded with a smile, pulling out his phone and opening his music app. He showed her a playlist titled "Bai Yi," which contained two of her songs.
(Admittedly, he’d added them during his commute earlier that afternoon.)
But at this mont, he exuded the enthusiasm of a long-ti fan.
“I’ve been following you for a while. When I heard you’d enrolled at Yuanyue, I was thrilled. It’s just a pity we rarely see you around.”
A decade-long fan, self-invited!
So... the Yan Huan her mother constantly compared her to, the one she despised hearing about, was actually a fan of her own songs?!
“But it’s been ages since you’ve released a new song. I wonder—”
“I will! A new song will be uploaded soon!” Bai Yi interrupted, blurting out before he could finish.
“Really...”
Her heart pounded, and she suddenly wished she could record this conversation. Next ti her mother started extolling Yan Huan’s virtues, she could play this recording for her. No—she should put it on a loop and play it nightly until her mother was convinced!
Yan Huan noticed her fiery determination and realized his earlier guesses were spot on. He’d overheard her argunt with her mother but hadn’t caught the specifics. However, from her disdain for other activities, he deduced she genuinely wanted to focus on singing, a passion less comrcially viable than her other ventures.
Why did she dislike him?
Judging from her earlier conversation with Tong Yingying, it likely had to do with her mother.
“That’s great, but—”
“Hey, you two, hold on a second,” Tong Yingying interjected.
The atmosphere between the two felt like a scene out of a rom-com: the male and female leads eting for the first ti.
Tong Yingying rubbed her temples, annoyed, and cut in, “Shouldn’t we first figure out why she ran off to the South District by herself? You’re a celebrity, your family has money, and you go to Yuanyue... Did you run away from ho?”
“...Yes,” Bai Yi admitted softly, embarrassed.
Tong Yingying’s eyes lit up with another “I’ve got an idea” look.
“Well, then! Call your family and have them pick you up.”
“No! I can’t!” Bai Yi refused imdiately, clutching the pocket watch in her hand. Its hands, which had been still, began to quiver.
“Tick... Tick... Tick...”
The sound of a phantom clock echoed faintly, like drops of water. For a fleeting mont, even the chatter from the custors outside seed to slow.
I can’t bear to hear my mother’s rejection again...
If she dismisses
like before...
Bai Yi's desire to use the Modifier surged. Yan Huan’s pupils contracted slightly as he stepped in to interrupt Tong Yingying, whose expression scread "troubleso."
“No need to rush. Let’s sit and think this through.”
Denied once again, a vein pulsed on Tong Yingying’s temple. Her hand twitched, itching to grab the stun baton for relief.
“She can’t avoid going ho forever. Staying outside is a hassle, and keeping her here isn’t my responsibility...”
Bai Yi gripped her skirt tightly. She knew she couldn’t keep stalling.
“Tong Jie! Can you help
here?”
From behind the bar, Tian Li called out, making Tong Yingying’s already irritated expression darken further. She ruffled her red hair, reluctantly standing.
“Fine, fine. You two geniuses figure it out. I’m too old to keep up with your cerebral wavelengths.”
Once she left, Yan Huan turned to Bai Yi with an optimistic expression. “By the way, are you going to the ga convention this weekend? Will you sing there?”
“Uh...” Bai Yi froze, then shook her head.
“Probably not. I’ll just et with everyone.”
“That’s too bad. I was hoping to hear you sing there.” Yan Huan smiled and pulled out a ticket he had taken from Yaqiao Mu, showing it to her. “I even got a ticket specifically to see you.”
Bai Yi’s eyes widened slightly. She glanced at Yan Huan, then quickly looked away.
The event was on Sunday, with rehearsals on Friday and preparations starting Thursday. It was already Wednesday night.
Her mother would never allow her to sing there. In her eyes, Bai Yi’s music was amateur at best.
But Yan Huan had gotten a ticket just to see her?
For so reason, the resistance in her heart wavered, replaced by a growing desire to return ho and participate in the event.
“Little Huan! Over here!”
“Coming, just a mont!”
“Quick! It’s urgent!”
Bai Yi opened her mouth but remained silent. After a pause, she softly said, “If I call my mom later, will you talk to her for ?”
Yan Huan raised an eyebrow.
“...Of course.”
“...”
“Should I call her now?”
“...Yes.”
Yan Huan handed her the phone. With trembling hands, Bai Yi dialed her mother’s number.
After the line connected, Yan Huan took the phone and spoke politely, “Hello, Auntie. Is this Bai Yi’s mother? I’m her classmate, Yan Huan...”
Listening to his composed conversation, Bai Yi lowered her head, too scared to hear her mother’s response.
Then, as if on cue, her stomach growled loudly.
“Grrrrr~”
Her face turned crimson as she clutched her stomach. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast at her friend’s house and had spent the entire day out. Now, hunger had caught up to her.
She snuck a glance at Yan Huan. Seeing he was still on the phone and hadn’t noticed her embarrassnt, she exhaled in relief.
“Alright, I’ll hand the phone to her now.”
Yan Huan passed the phone back, but Bai Yi hesitated, reluctant to take it.
After a mont of uncertainty, she finally accepted it.
“Hello...”
“Stay there. I’ll co get you. Be ready tomorrow for the weekend event,” her mother’s cold, indifferent voice stated, devoid of any bla or emotion.
The words stung Bai Yi’s heart.
“Yes...”
The call ended with a beep. Bai Yi stood there, drained, and placed the phone on the table. After a mont, she murmured, “Thank you.”
“No problem. Take a seat; I have so things to handle.”
“Okay...”
As Yan Huan left, Bai Yi’s suppressed emotions began to surface.
What if they argued again after she went ho? Or worse, what if her mother no longer cared enough to fight with her?
What if she really wasn’t suited for singing?
Maybe her lifelong dream was just a delusion. Maybe she lacked talent, and her songs could never resonate with anyone.
She hated it.
The judgnts of others.
If only she could disappear.
But wasn’t she already invisible?
Even so, the pain remained.
If that’s the case...
Why should she disappear?
Wouldn’t it be better if everyone else ceased to exist instead?
“Click...click...click...”
As this thought surfaced, the pocket watch in Bai Yi’s hand began to spin faster. The previously motionless hour hand trembled, seemingly signaling the awakening of so latent power.
Around her, the clocks on the pub’s walls slowed, as though dragged down by the weight of sothing emanating from within her.
“Tick...tick...tick...tick...”
“...Tick...”
Just as Bai Yi was consud by her thoughts, a plate was placed before her.
The sudden sound snapped her out of her trance. The cold, heavy atmosphere dissipated in an instant.
Bai Yi looked down to see a plate of caral pudding sitting in front of her.
Pudding?
Turning her head, she saw Yan Huan smiling beside her.
“I...” She looked at the dessert, then quickly raised her broken phone.
“Thank you... But my phone is broken. I’ll pay you back once my mom gets here.”
“There’s no need,” Yan Huan said gently. “I heard your stomach growling earlier. Just eat.”
“Huh?”
He... heard that?
Bai Yi’s face turned crimson, and she fidgeted, unsure of what to do.
From across the pub, Tong Yingying’s voice cut through the mont, “Little Huan! Co take paynts and print receipts!”
Bai Yi opened her mouth to speak, but Yan Huan raised a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay quiet.
“Shh. I made this for you in secret. If Sister Tong finds out, it’ll be a hassle.”
“This... I can’t possibly... I...”
Yan Huan gave a light laugh and said, “I’m your fan, rember? What’s wrong with a fan treating their idol to sothing?”
A... fan?
I...
Bai Yi’s breath quickened. She quickly thanked him, “Thank you...”
“No problem.” Yan Huan smiled and turned to leave but stopped abruptly, as if rembering sothing.
“Oh, Bai Yi...”
“Ah?” She looked at him, puzzled.
With a sincere expression, Yan Huan said, “Your music is amazing. I’m really looking forward to your next song. And good luck this weekend—I’ll be there to cheer you on.”
“...”
“Little Huan!”
“Coming!”
Bai Yi watched as Yan Huan left to attend to his tasks, his words lingering in the air like a soft lody.
The caral pudding before her seed to radiate a faint vanilla aroma, mingling with the mory of his encouragent.
She felt her hunger return. Opening her mouth slightly, she scooped a bite of the pudding and placed it on her tongue.
The sweetness lted just right, spreading through her senses much like the words she had just heard.
Sohow, it felt as though everything Yan Huan wanted to say was encapsulated in this simple dessert.
And for the first ti, Bai Yi had heard soone say they liked her music.
Her mother’s voice of constant denial echoed in her mory. The relentless comparisons and criticisms had fueled her resentnt...
Resentnt toward that boy who seed superior in every way.
Yet, the validation she had longed for all this ti ca from none other than the person she despised most.
“Wu... wu...”
She lowered her head, silent tears streaming down her face as she sobbed quietly.
The pocket watch in her hand, as if softened by the pudding, slowed its spinning. The hands began to move reluctantly, ticking slower and slower until...
“Tick...tick...”
They stopped completely.
Silence returned.
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