As the afternoon approached, the activities in the main hall gradually ca to an end.
Bai Yi finally found a mont to catch her breath, stepping away from her whirlwind of responsibilities. Beyond her performance, she’d also had to shoot short promotional videos for her company and assist in showcasing outfits for partnered brands.
By the ti she could truly stop, several hours had passed since her midday performance.
The Golden Lion Group's event manager finally ca to speak with her.
Zuo Jiangqin, in a sour mood, had left early to rest, leaving Jiang Xiong to accompany Bai Yi to handle the situation.
"I’m Milos, head of the Golden Lion Group’s performance division. Please, have a seat," the man said.
He gestured for Bai Yi and Jiang Xiong to sit in the office chairs across from him. A middle-aged man with blonde hair and the Golden Lion emblem on his chest, Milos took the main seat.
Bai Yi sat down nervously, while Jiang Xiong calmly followed suit.
Milos poured coffee for both of them before opening the discussion.
"Regarding your deviation from the rehearsal plan during today’s midday performance..."
Bai Yi pressed her lips together, lowered her head, and spoke first.
"It was my decision to perform that way without prior discussion. I’ll take full responsibility!"
Milos glanced at the girl before him but said nothing imdiately. He handed the coffee to her and Jiang Xiong.
"Please, drink."
Jiang Xiong, who usually didn’t handle Bai Yi’s professional matters, left most of that to Zuo Jiangqin and her manager. He remained silent, observing Bai Yi as he sipped his coffee.
After setting down his cup, Milos continued,
"Earlier, during the event, a young man ca to take responsibility as well.
"He claid to be your fan and admitted to distracting the dia staff without your consent. Is that true?"
Bai Yi imdiately realized Milos was talking about Yan Huan. She waved her hands, trying to explain.
"No, that’s not what happened. I..."
Milos raised a hand, interrupting her.
"Don’t be so hasty, Miss Bai. You see, you’re not as composed as your fan."
"Huh?"
Milos opened a drawer, pulling out a docunt. Glancing at its contents, he began,
"According to the terms of your contract, a breach of agreent would require absenting from the performance, causing a major incident, or damaging the reputation of the expo or the Golden Lion Group."
He looked up at Bai Yi.
"Frankly, neither you nor your fan’s actions constitute a clear breach of contract."
Bai Yi blinked in surprise as Milos picked up his phone and opened a popular short-video app, showing it to her.
On the trending page, the third and fourth most popular topics were "Bai Yi’s Stunning Expo Performance" and "Golden Lion Linn Gaming Expo."
He scrolled through several other platforms, all of which prominently featured Bai Yi’s na.
Milos retrieved his phone and explained,
"Do you understand now? Your performance didn’t run over the allocated seven and a half minutes.
"And from my perspective, the impact was far greater than the original plan, exceeding our expectations for the event’s return on investnt.
"If this were taken to court, it’s unlikely a breach of contract would be upheld just because you deviated from the rehearsal.
"Besides, given the buzz surrounding this performance, we have no desire to deal with a PR crisis involving headlines like 'Golden Lion Crushes Rising Idol' or 'Golden Lion Legal Disputes.'"
Bai Yi’s mouth opened slightly in disbelief.
"Does that an... you won’t hold
accountable?"
Milos nodded.
"Your fan grasped this better than you did.
"And, frankly, he seems to believe in you more than you believe in yourself."
Bai Yi’s eyes widened as she recalled the mont Yan Huan had listened to her new song for the first ti.
When the intro played, he had looked up at her and asked,
"Bai Yi, during rehearsals, how long do those interactions usually last?"
He had planned this from the very beginning, ensuring her song wouldn’t exceed the ti limit.
From that mont, he had trusted her and her music.
And she had doubted it all...
Thump... thump...
Her hand pressed against her chest, her heart racing with an indescribable emotion.
Milos rubbed his temples and leaned back in his chair.
"Don’t consider this a lucky break, Miss Bai. As soone with experience in this industry, let
offer you so advice."
"Y-yes," Bai Yi replied, her voice earnest.
Milos fixed her with a steady gaze.
"Not every impulsive decision will result in such good fortune.
"Fortunately, this wasn’t a case of a fan acting rashly under the influence of their admiration. Otherwise, the consequences would’ve been unimaginable.
"No company would accept unplanned changes like this. The Golden Lion Group demands perfection. That’s why we rehearse even for a gaming expo.
"Even though the outco was positive, your actions put you at legal risk. With such conduct, future collaborations in Linn would be carefully reconsidered."
Bai Yi lowered her head, bowing deeply.
"I’m sorry. This won’t happen again."
"No need to apologize. That young man already did," Milos said, his tone softening.
"And for the record, we’re not unreasonable. You submit your own programs—we didn’t force you to choose anything.
"If you wanted to sing, why didn’t you say so earlier? We’re not sticklers. With proper notice, there wouldn’t have been any issues, don’t you agree?"
Bai Yi smiled wryly and nodded.
In truth, her mother had opposed her singing, which was why the initial program submission had been altered.
But with this issue now resolved, she felt an imnse weight lift off her shoulders, like escaping a narrow brush with disaster.
Did Yan Huan really anticipate all of this?
She clutched her phone tightly, her lips pressing into a faint smile.
"I wish I could thank him in person..."
She whispered softly, holding her phone close as she bowed again to Milos.
Milos waved her off with a casual smile.
"Alright, that’s settled. You’ve worked hard today. Go get so rest. Let’s collaborate again if the opportunity arises."
"Thank you so much!"
Bai Yi and Jiang Xiong stood to leave, but Milos called out to her just before they exited.
"One more thing, Miss Bai."
"Yes?"
"I think you have real talent for singing. Discuss it with your family. You might consider pursuing it further."
Bai Yi paused before responding with a radiant smile.
"I’ll seriously think about it."
Milos nodded, gesturing for them to leave.
Outside the office, Bai Yi’s formal deanor gave way to a light, bouncing gait. She skipped and twirled in the plaza outside the Golden Lion building, laughing as the breeze tousled her hair.
Jiang Xiong watched her antics from behind, chuckling softly as he approached.
"Looks like it all worked out, huh?"
Bai Yi turned to him, still giddy but slightly bashful.
"I was so scared, Uncle Jiang. I thought we’d have to pay a huge penalty..."
"And yet, you went in fully prepared to take all the bla yourself."
"Well, yeah... but I didn’t expect Yan Huan to get there before ."
When he said he’d take responsibility, he truly ant it.
Beneath her makeup, a faint flush crept across Bai Yi’s face as her heart beat faster.
Thump... thump...
Jiang Xiong smiled knowingly and pointed to her phone.
"Don’t you think it’s ti you thanked him? After all, everything he did was for you, his idol."
"I-I’m not really an idol..."
Her face turned crimson as she nervously opened Plane, muttering under her breath.
"I wonder if he’s still at the venue..."
"Does it matter? You’re in the sa school, the sa grade. He’s even your student council president."
"You know him, Uncle Jiang?"
"Of course. Your mother’s ntioned him more than once."
"She has?"
Bai Yi’s smile faltered slightly at the ntion of her mother, her expression darkening.
Noticing this, Jiang Xiong sighed inwardly.
Zuo Jiangqin had been a stunningly beautiful woman in her youth, but life’s hardships had left her insecure. She had pinned all her hopes on Bai Yi, her expectations turning into a heavy burden that felt more like punishnt.
With a wry smile, Jiang Xiong reassured her.
"Don’t worry. I’m moving back to Linn for work, rember?
"And Milos was right. You have a gift for singing. If you love it, pursue it. We’ll convince your mother together."
Bai Yi looked at Jiang Xiong, her smile returning as she nodded firmly.
"Alright, Uncle Jiang."
She turned her attention back to her chat with Yan Huan, her fingers hesitating for a mont before typing...
"ow~"
The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the road outside the expo center. On the shoulder of a young man walking down the sunlit path, a black cat spoke up.
"Yan Huan..."
Yan Huan tilted his head slightly, rubbing the cat’s head.
"What’s up, ow-chan?"
ow-chan’s jade-green eyes studied him curiously.
"That thing you did earlier, making Bai Yi sing—did you plan it all along, ow?"
Hearing this, Yan Huan smiled faintly and shook his head.
"There was no plan. It was a spur-of-the-mont decision."
ow-chan blinked, tilting its head in disbelief.
"A spur-of-the-mont decision, and you risked changing her stage performance like that? If it had failed..."
"Exactly."
Yan Huan’s tone remained calm as he walked, hands in his pockets.
"But, ow-chan, no idea cos out of thin air.
"First, her desire to sing was stifled by her mother. Second, the song she wrote was genuinely good. I figured other young people at the expo would enjoy it too.
"And lastly, the Modifier’s presence on her was growing stronger. If left unchecked, I had a feeling sothing serious would happen."
ow-chan’s green eyes narrowed as it asked, "Even considering those three points, what were the odds of success, ow?"
"Less than seventy percent."
"Seventy—seventy percent?!"
Seeing the cat’s astonishnt, Yan Huan couldn’t help but chuckle and ruffle its chubby cheeks.
"ow-chan, there’s a saying: 'Do your best and leave the rest to fate.' Bai Yi has talent and a song capable of moving people. That’s what mattered most.
"As for the remaining thirty percent, I wasn’t gambling on luck. I believed she wouldn’t waste the opportunity."
He paused briefly before adding, "For , it was just about dealing with the Modifier."
But was it really just about the Modifier?
As Yan Huan reflected, the image of Bai Yi under the spotlight ca to mind—her outstretched hand, her gaze piercing through everything: her mother, the crowd, the responsibilities weighing her down, even the Modifier.
Her eyes had locked onto his.
He couldn’t quite describe the feeling, settling instead on a simple thought:
Not bad.
Smiling to himself, Yan Huan turned and made his way to the designated student council eting point he had arranged on Plane.
"President!!"
You Anlina spotted him from a distance, her voice carrying above the crowd as she waved enthusiastically.
Behind her, Ying Gong Tong, holding her parasol, turned to look his way.
Aixi Li crouched nearby, grinning mischievously as she stared in another direction.
Yan Huan approached, scanning the group before asking,
"Where’s Yaqiao?"
"Uh... well, President," You Anlina said hesitantly, pointing in a direction with a helpless expression.
Yan Huan followed her gesture to see a familiar figure sitting on the edge of a staircase, gazing at the sky.
Aixi Li, catching Yan Huan’s glance, smirked knowingly at Yaqiao’s sulking form.
Yan Huan raised an eyebrow and turned back to You Anlina, who leaned in close to whisper,
"Ever since he ca back from Shijo Ai’s signing, he’s been like this. He won’t tell us anything."
"...?"
Yan Huan blinked, then made his way over to Yaqiao, calling out as he approached.
"Yaqiao."
Yaqiao Mu flinched at the sound of Yan Huan’s voice but kept his gaze skyward. After a mont, he murmured,
"President, what’s the aning of life, anyway?"
Tears welled in his eyes, streaming down his cheeks and gathering at his chin before falling.
"...Say sothing comprehensible."
Yan Huan reached out and gave him a light smack on the head.
The hit brought Yaqiao back to reality, though his tears continued to flow as he turned to Yan Huan, his expression pitiful.
"President... I... Shijo-sensei scolded ..."
"Huh?"
As Yaqiao clung to his knees, he recounted the events of the signing to the student council mbers.
You Anlina stared at him with her arms crossed, her mouth agape as if to say, You’re hopeless.
Aixi Li pinched her nose theatrically, acting as if she couldn’t bear the imaginary stench of despair.
Only Ying Gong Tong furrowed her brows, remarking,
"Still, Yaqiao must’ve spent quite a bit for that signing. For Shijo Ai to say such things to a fan who admires her... it’s too much."
Yan Huan glanced at the poster Yaqiao was clutching and pulled it from his reluctant hands. He examined it carefully, noting the signature.
The poster wasn’t particularly offensive, though the galga’s nature ant the character’s pose was a bit provocative. Yaqiao’s requests had been perfectly reasonable.
However, Yan Huan suspected Shijo Ai viewed her early niche work as a stain on her career and had taken out her frustration on Yaqiao.
After a brief mont of consideration, Yan Huan said,
"Let’s go, Yaqiao. I’ll take you to talk to Shijo Ai. She’s still at the signing area."
Yaqiao’s eyes widened behind his glasses before he gave a wry smile.
Wiping his tears, he shook his head.
"It’s fine, President. Just give
back the poster..."
You Anlina crouched in front of him, waving her hand dramatically in his face.
"Yaqiao-kun, after what she said to you, do you still like her?"
Startled, Yaqiao hesitated before averting his gaze and smiling ruefully.
"I don’t know... Maybe I’ve always known. To Shijo-sensei, this is just work—especially her early niche roles.
"Like how Teacher Jiao Tan draws plunder-system comics because it’s a job, not because he loves them.
"I guess I’ve always been seeing the version of Shijo Ai I wanted to see, liking the image I created of her."
As he spoke, his grip on the poster loosened. Instead of destroying it, he carefully tucked it back into his bag.
Turning to Yan Huan, Yaqiao added,
"Getting angry because the idol I like doesn’t match my ideal? Even as an otaku, I can’t bring myself to stoop that low."
"...Really."
Yan Huan raised an eyebrow, but his expression softened slightly.
Behind him, You Anlina and Aixi Li were turning red, trying to stifle their laughter.
"Pfft!"
Ying Gong Tong pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, shaking her head.
The reason for their reactions?
Despite Yaqiao’s heartfelt words, his tear-and-snot-streaked face completely undermined his mature declaration.
The next second, his composure crumbled entirely as he threw himself toward Yan Huan, bawling.
"Waaaah! I can’t take it! She called
a pervert, President!"
"Gah! Everyone, back! It’s the terrifying otaku!"
Yan Huan dodged him, only to be interrupted by his phone ringing.
"Ring-ring-ring~"
He paused, glancing down at the notification.
anwhile, Aixi Li subdued the wailing Yaqiao with a swift chop to the neck, leaving him on the ground clutching his bag.
The ssage on Yan Huan’s phone was from Bai Yi.
"Thank you, Yan Huan."
Yan Huan chuckled softly and replied with a cat emoji covering its mouth in a shy laugh.
"No need to thank ."
In the backseat of a car leaving the expo, Bai Yi smiled as she read the ssage.
He likes using emojis, huh?
Blushing faintly, she hesitated before saving his collection of cat stickers one by one.
A new ssage popped up from Yan Huan:
"I’m honored to be your Fan A."
Bai Yi’s lips parted slightly, her mind flashing back to the mont on stage when she had impulsively dedicated the song to him.
Her face turned a deep shade of red, even through her makeup. She fumbled with her phone, trying to compose a response.
In the front seat, Jiang Xiong glanced at her through the rearview mirror, his mouth curving into a knowing smile.
"Did Yan Huan ssage you?"
"N-no! I an... sort of..."
"What did he say?"
"Uh, um..."
Before Bai Yi could muster a reply, her phone buzzed again.
Her flustered expression froze as she read the screen, her lips pressing tightly together.
Jiang Xiong raised an eyebrow. "What now?"
Bai Yi buried her face in her arms, her voice barely audible.
"He said my opening exam scores were too low and suggested I join a study group next week... He forgot to tell
earlier."
Jiang Xiong blinked, then burst into laughter.
"Ha! Haha! That’s perfect!"
Bai Yi’s face burned as she slumped over, covering her ears to block his teasing.
Outside, the Golden Lion Gaming Expo faded into the golden-red hues of sunset.
The event left behind connections rekindled, lighthearted student council camaraderie, and the fluttering heartbeat of a girl in the backseat.
Humming softly, Bai Yi opened her phone again, staring at the chat window. She sent a cat emoji in response, then opened Yan Huan’s profile and typed a private note:
"Fan A."
With a small smile, she leaned back, her hum shifting into the final lody of her new song.
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