"Yo, Little Huan, co on in, co on in."
Zuo Jiangqin's face was powdered, making the complexion of her face noticeably different from her neck, a discrepancy exaggerated by the backlighting.
"Sorry to intrude, Auntie."
"No problem, not at all. I got a ticket just for you."
Zuo Jiangqin laughed as she pulled Yan Huan into the room.
As Yan Huan glanced at her smiling face and the hand she used to pull him, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of doubt.
Isn't she being a bit too enthusiastic?
Zuo Jiangqin even personally fetched a chair for him to sit. As Yan Huan thanked her and sat down, his eyes fell on Bai Yi's back, reflected in the makeup mirror.
"Yiyi."
At Zuo Jiangqin's call, the girl in front of the mirror finally turned her head.
To Yan Huan's surprise, there were no traces of tears lingering on her face.
It seed she had composed herself, presenting a smile. Yet, from the depths of her eyes, a faint weariness—born of her mother—remained.
Her long black hair cascaded down, with an accessory resembling angel wings adorning her right ear.
Tiny crystals sparkled beneath the accessory, complenting her flawless makeup and accentuating her pure beauty.
She wore a platinum-colored idol-style dress that shimred under the light.
As the dia often described, Bai Yi truly possessed stunning beauty.
"President Yan."
She brushed her hair back and took a deep breath.
Pushing down the weariness and sorrow in her gaze, she put on her brightest idol smile and greeted Yan Huan.
Looking at the calm yet smiling Bai Yi in front of him, Yan Huan could still hear the rhythmic ticking of a clock in his ears:
"Tick... tick..."
Yan Huan maintained his expression, simply smiling.
"Just call
Yan Huan."
Zuo Jiangqin also sat down beside them, nodding.
"Right, young people shouldn't fuss over formalities. Sit, sit."
Yan Huan glanced at Zuo Jiangqin and smiled but didn't respond.
Zuo Jiangqin, however, gave Yan Huan a once-over before abruptly asking,
"So, Little Huan, Auntie has a little question for you."
"Go ahead, Auntie."
"Well, last week, wasn't Ye International at your school to set up a scholarship? That wasn't fake, was it?"
Yan Huan nodded and replied,
"No, it's real, Auntie. I heard that Ye International's scholarship covers not only tuition but also other school fees. There's even an internship program during holidays..."
Zuo Jiangqin smiled faintly. She didn't actually care about the details of the scholarship.
Instead, she glanced at Yan Huan, choosing her words carefully before asking,
"Oh, I see... It's just that Auntie wanted to know—what's your relationship with Ye International's Ye Lan? I heard from the principal's secretary that she specifically visited you at school last week?"
Hearing this, Yan Huan suddenly understood the reason for her excessive enthusiasm.
His expression remained unchanged, but Bai Yi, standing behind him, suddenly called out,
"Mom!"
Zuo Jiangqin shot Bai Yi a glare before turning back to Yan Huan with a smile.
"Here's the thing: Yiyi's uncle, Auntie's remarried partner, used to be the junior of Ye International's CEO. He's recently returned to Linn to work. So, Auntie thought she'd ask."
"No problem, Auntie. Last week, Aunt Ye did co to school to see . I spent the weekend at her place."
"Ah, I see..."
Although Yan Huan didn't elaborate, Zuo Jiangqin had clearly picked up on the unusual relationship between Yan Huan and Ye Lan.
Yan Huan also guessed that her question about Ye Lan stemd from her remarried partner.
"That CEO is still single, right? I heard her ex-husband treated her and her child poorly. Maybe Auntie could introduce soone suitable to her..."
Yan Huan looked at Zuo Jiangqin and said nothing, maintaining a polite smile.
"Mom!"
But behind him, Bai Yi seed unable to endure it any longer and let out a low shout.
Zuo Jiangqin frowned and shot Bai Yi a look before turning back to Yan Huan with a beaming smile. Standing up, she said,
"No problem, Little Huan. Keep in touch with Auntie and Yiyi, okay? You young people talk; Auntie won't intrude. I'll go check on the preparations. Yiyi, don't forget to check the ti."
She waved to Yan Huan, clearly growing more fond of his handso and composed deanor the longer she looked.
Before leaving, she even patted Yan Huan's shoulder lightly, finally leaving the room satisfied.
"Click."
The door closed, leaving only the two of them and the persistent ticking of the clock:
"Tick... tick..."
Yan Huan turned his gaze back to Bai Yi, who was still forcing a smile. She gestured toward the door and smiled apologetically.
"My mom is a bit... like that, President Yan."
"Just call
Yan Huan."
"Ah... Yan... Yan Huan."
Yan Huan nodded, letting out a small sigh of relief as he said to Bai Yi,
"I'm not great at dealing with elders, but I had to tough it out for an idol. This is my first ti backstage—it's pretty exciting."
"Idol, huh..."
Bai Yi's cheeks flushed slightly at his words, though her nose imperceptibly tilted upward, clearly pleased.
Yan Huan looked at her for a mont before suddenly asking,
"Bai Yi, are you singing today?"
"...No," she replied, her initial joy fading.
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she offered Yan Huan a faint smile.
"It's not allowed on this stage, right? This is a gaming and ACG culture event..."
"Not really. Golden Lion Group doesn't restrict guest performances as long as they're pre-approved. But... how to put it—there are many paths an artist can take, and we often have to stick to one."
Bai Yi's smile faltered as she continued,
"My mother chose this path for , maybe because she thought it suited —or because others liked it."
She adjusted her hair, her smile returning as she looked at Yan Huan.
"Fans don’t really care about who you are as a person. They just want to see the idol they imagine.
"As long as you look good and fit their ideal image, that’s enough."
Seeing her radiant smile, Yan Huan realized it was ant just for him.
Why?
Before he could ask, Bai Yi turned away, retrieving a USB drive that she handed to him.
"As for singing, maybe I’ll sing again soday as a hobby.
"For now, I recorded a new song and instruntal for you on this drive, along with lossless versions of older tracks. Think of it as my first album, even if it’s just a few songs."
Why?
Because Bai Yi cherished Yan Huan as one of her rare, true fans.
Even after arguing with her mother or silently crying, she could quickly pull herself together to maintain her idol image.
But as Yan Huan accepted the USB drive, his perfect fa??ade cracked ever so slightly.
Everything made sense—except for one thing only he and ow-chan knew:
He wasn’t Bai Yi’s fan. Not even close.
It was all a lie, a strategy crafted for the Modifier.
"..."
Yan Huan stared at the smiling Bai Yi and her outstretched hand before taking the USB drive.
His expression was flawless as he feigned surprise and gratitude.
"This... this is so precious. I’ll treasure it!"
"No need to be so formal."
Bai Yi waved dismissively, her gaze lowering to her skirt. She fidgeted with her hands before hesitating.
"Um, Yan Huan..."
"Yes?"
"I... I want to apologize to you. I'm sorry."
Yan Huan blinked, his face reflecting her image as he asked, puzzled,
"Apologize?"
"Yes..."
Bai Yi looked up at him, her words hesitant and rusty.
"Honestly, I’ve always been jealous of you."
"Jealous? Of ? Why?"
"You joined Yasaka Entertainnt’s auditions once and passed on your first try, didn’t you? Not only that, but your grades and reputation at school are great..."
Bai Yi lowered her head again, her smile soft and beautiful as she continued,
"To be honest, you’re good-looking, smart, hardworking, kind, and genuine. My mom has always compared
to you, hoping I could learn from you.
"But no child wants their mother to praise soone else instead of them, right? So, over ti, I beca jealous of you. I hated you.
"But it had nothing to do with you—you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just my own narrow-mindedness.
"So... I wanted to apologize.
"I’m sorry, Yan Huan."
Yan Huan blinked before asking,
"Is that so? But why apologize? There’s a saying: ‘A gentleman judges actions, not thoughts.’ Even if you felt that way, you didn’t act on it, so there’s no need to apologize."
"I..."
No...
I did act on it.
The paint on your desk, the pebbles thrown at you, the tis I followed you in secret...
I did all of it. You just don’t know.
Yan Huan knew exactly why Bai Yi was apologizing—he was fully aware that her actions were a result of the Modifier.
Despite his surprise at her apology, Yan Huan couldn’t help but chuckle internally. If he had a Modifier, the last thing he’d be doing would be apologizing. Buying people steaks would already be too much effort.
But Bai Yi had chosen to apologize.
As he observed her now, it felt like he was truly seeing her for the first ti. He smiled faintly, resigned.
"Alright..."
"When I realized the person I envied was actually my fan, I felt a bit smug," Bai Yi admitted. "But then I thought about it. The real
probably isn’t soone worthy of being your idol, Yan Huan."
Hearing this, a trace of relief flickered across her face.
She extended her hand toward him with a smile.
"So, from now on, don’t treat
like an idol. Just think of
as a classmate—or maybe... a friend?"
There was a brief pause before Yan Huan smiled slightly. He neither agreed nor disagreed but reached out to shake her hand.
With that simple gesture, Bai Yi felt as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted.
Her smile, which had been held up through sheer willpower, now revealed traces of exhaustion and pain. She exhaled deeply.
"Are you very tired, Bai Yi?" Yan Huan asked.
"Ah, just a bit. I’ll be going on stage soon. I’ve rehearsed a lot already. There’s no problem, really. I just need to answer a few simple questions from the host, and there’ll be a few helpers to interact with ."
"That’s it?"
"That’s it. But for so reason, I feel nervous every ti I go on stage lately. It’s the looks from the leaders, the audience... and my mother."
By the ti she ntioned her mother, the smile on her face had completely faded.
But, facing Yan Huan, she forced a smile once again.
"I wish I could find a place where no one could ever find
and just hide forever."
Her tone softened as if she were speaking more to herself than to him.
The brightness of her expression returned as she abruptly changed the subject.
"I’ve been venting too much to you, haven’t I? Sorry about that! Oh, right, do you want to listen to the new song I recorded?!"
"Ah?"
Yan Huan raised the USB drive in his hand, holding it up to her. Bai Yi blinked in confusion before realizing he didn’t have a computer—or any way to listen to it on his phone.
"Ah, I forgot it’s a USB drive! No worries, I have a backup on Plane. Let
send it to you."
She quickly retrieved her phone, sent the file, and watched him expectantly.
Yan Huan raised an eyebrow as the file, titled "A," appeared.
Taking out his Bluetooth earbuds, he put them on and pressed play.
The room was silent except for the faint sound of the music.
For the next few minutes, as the nearly four-minute song played, Bai Yi’s nerves tightened. Her lips twitched as if to speak, but she remained silent, watching his reaction intently.
When the song ended, Yan Huan removed his earbuds and placed them back in their case.
"How was it?" she finally asked, her tension palpable.
Instead of answering, Yan Huan asked, "During rehearsal, how long did those interactions usually take?"
Huh?
Why wasn’t he talking about the song?
Did that an he didn’t like it?
Her breathing quickened, and for a mont, it felt like a sharp ringing filled her ears.
Alongside it ca the familiar, scathing voice of her mother:
"Your singing is hopeless. Just stop!"
"Why can’t you just do what I tell you?"
"Stick to the persona! Maintain it!"
Those cutting words, repeated day after day, began to fade, transforming into the steady rhythm of a clock:
"Tick... tick..."
Bai Yi’s eyes dimd, her mind blank. She felt as though her answer was being drawn out against her will.
"A-about seven and a half minutes," she mumbled.
"Got it."
Yan Huan nodded, as if he’d reached so sort of conclusion. He was about to speak again when the door suddenly opened, revealing Ji Lin.
"Yiyi, are you ready? You need to head backstage soon."
"Yes... I’m ready."
Snapping back to reality, Bai Yi’s thoughts were still muddled, her face pale. She took a deep breath, standing up to look at Yan Huan.
"I’ll get to work now, Yan Huan."
"You don’t look well."
Bai Yi shook her head quickly. "It’s nothing. The air conditioning’s just a bit cold... I’ll go now."
"Alright."
Yan Huan watched her retreating figure as she left the room. Once the door closed, his expression shifted, becoming unreadable.
He pulled out his phone and opened his recently added contact, An Le, on Plane.
After hesitating, he tapped into her profile and scrolled through her posts.
Sparse updates painted a vivid picture of her life, with a tagline that read:
"A lone soul's musings."
One post caught his eye:
"Little Huan is at school too! He’s grown so handso and accomplished. I feel so ashad of myself; I can’t seem to do anything right. Has he forgotten ? Or, if he rembers, would he even admit to knowing
now?"
Another read:
"I got into Yuanyue Academy! Mom and Dad are happy, but I heard the students there are all wealthy and outstanding. I wonder if I’ll even make friends."
Yet another:
"Today, I saw a pregnant woman get robbed. I don’t know what ca over , but when the thief passed by, I grabbed him and wouldn’t let go. Almost got stabbed... If I’d died, I’d feel so sorry for my parents. I still want to see Little Huan again."
One by one, her posts revealed monts of loneliness and perseverance.
In one post, she celebrated her birthday alone in a cramped Dragon Empire apartnt. She didn’t buy a cake to save money but wore a paper crown and smiled for the selfie.
Yan Huan stared at her image, her silly yet satisfied smile.
He locked his phone and leaned back in his chair, speaking softly.
"She’s always been like this—careless."
"ow~"
"ow-chan, maybe I’m the one who’s only ever wanted to see what I wanted to see."
"ow?"
"Since the Modifier targeted , I’ve seen the hosts as enemies, as the Modifier itself."
Yan Huan glanced at the USB drive in his hand, the label bearing Bai Yi’s handwritten note:
"To Yan Huan~ Bai Yi."
He tightened his grip on it and continued,
"So, I treated them as threats to my life.
"But An Le being chosen as a host made
realize how lost I was.
"Before the Modifier, they were just ordinary people like , living in this world."
ow-chan tilted its head, asking, "What about Spencer?"
Yan Huan hesitated before replying, "Spencer is an exception."
"ow?"
ow-chan’s tail brushed against his neck, and Yan Huan exhaled deeply.
He unlocked his phone, opened a chat with An Le, and sent her a ssage.
First, a cat emoji.
"Did you find Spencer?"
After a pause, her reply ca:
"Yes, we found her! We’re planning to watch a performance at the main venue and leave afterward. Spencer seems a bit unwell."
Unwell? That Spencer?
"Alright. Be careful on your way back. See you at school tomorrow."
He added another ssage:
"Your profile won’t be ‘a lone soul’s musings’ anymore."
"!!"
There was no reply, likely because she was too embarrassed. Knowing her, she was probably flustered.
Adorable.
Closing his phone, Yan Huan stood, holding the USB drive firmly.
"ow~"
ow-chan tilted its head, curious. "What’s next, Yan Huan? Should we join Ying Gong Tong and Yaqiao Mu?"
"No."
"ow?"
Yan Huan smiled, his confidence returning.
"We’re solving the Modifier issue. Maybe more than just that."
Puzzled but trusting, ow-chan followed as Yan Huan opened the door, stepping into the bustling hallway filled with the ticking rhythm of the Modifier’s clock:
"Tick... tick..."
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