The video opened on a girl sitting in a classroom, hugging a guitar with her head bowed.
She was stunningly beautiful, yet it didn’t impress him in the slightest.
Online goddesses weren’t rare these days. Even without filters, makeup alone could transform someone completely.
After seeing so many beauties, he’d grown numb to them.
His focus stayed on work-related details—the girl’s guitar skills and her singing voice. A professional habit, he supposed.
After just a few seconds of the intro, he spotted flaws: tension ruining her performance, classic newbie mistakes.
He’d seen this countless times back when he reviewed fresh recruits before becoming head of department. For a moment, he almost felt like he was back in his old job.
He chuckled faintly, about to close the video and find actual gaming clips. Then the girl on screen began to sing.
Hedong froze.
As her slightly raw voice carried the melody of youth, his expression shifted to pure shock.
He’d never heard this song before!
A new track?
To him, both lyrics and melody were exceptional. If he hadn’t just discovered this girl, he’d have sworn a big-name artist wrote it for her!
Could she have composed it herself?
And it wasn’t just the songwriting—her vocal talent shone through the imperfections. Beneath the rough edges lay a gem waiting to be polished into brilliance!
Without a doubt, she was the best prospect he’d seen in years!
When the final note faded, Hedong still hadn’t snapped out of his daze.
After a quiet moment, he jolted awake. Grabbing his phone, he called his secretary: “Drop everything. Get to my office now!”
Minutes later, a knock sounded at his door. Before he could answer, it swung open—not his secretary, but a man barged in first. “What’s wrong? Your secretary said you sounded frantic.”
The secretary followed, shooting Hedong an apologetic glance.
Hedong paused, not blaming her. He knew this man’s impulsive nature. “I might’ve found a treasure. We need to sign her before other companies do.”
He pushed his laptop toward his secretary. “Contact this account’s owner. Don’t mention contracts yet—just ask if they’re free to meet. I’ll go myself.”
Though surprised by his urgency, she nodded obediently.
Hedong then turned to the man. “Chen Peng, still no lead actress for your project? How about her?”
…
Jiujiang, KR Game Expo.
After resting for half an hour on the road, Xiaohan was fully recharged.
Staring at the endless queue outside the venue, she gaped. “So many people?”
Getting in would take ages.
Chunan shot her a sidelong glance. “When has KR ever had few crowds? Especially before school starts.”
“I’ve never been here before…” Xiaohan scanned the area, lowering her voice. “So we queue now?”
“Did you forget who your dad is?” Chunan pulled a staff pass from his pocket and waved it. “Dad’s got privileges. No lines for us.”
The expo had invited influential streamers like him, granting them staff passes with perks. A fair trade: streamers boosted hype, the expo offered convenience.
Xiaohan narrowed her eyes at him for a few seconds but didn’t argue over the “dad” title.
Fighting always left her losing face, and with so many people around, she refused to embarrass herself.
Besides, she was counting on Chunan to buy her fun stuff.
Thanks to the pass, they slipped smoothly inside. The venue was far bigger than Xiaohan imagined. Even the map handed to them made her dizzy.
“So… many booths…” After squinting at the map uselessly, she tucked it away and stuck close to Chunan. “Where to first?”
Chunan set up his livestream gear—a selfie stick and phone. The setup was quick. Thousands of viewers were already waiting when he went live. He gave a casual greeting, then turned to Xiaohan. “Any spots you wanna check out?”
Xiaohan peeked at his stream screen. Feeling she should greet viewers too, she flashed a silly smile and waved at the camera. Then she obediently trailed behind him. “You pick. I’ll follow your lead.”
She’d never attended a game expo and had no clue what was fun. Better to let the experienced one guide her.
Chunan nodded and started working—livestreaming.
Though outdoor streams were rare for him, he handled them smoothly. He naturally steered chat toward the expo, introducing interesting booths as they walked.
Xiaohan stayed quietly behind him, eyes darting everywhere. His commentary was for viewers—and for her. Finally, she grasped what this expo was about.
Truth was, she’d agreed to come just for the outing. Or rather, to hang out with Chunan.
A homebody at heart, even she craved a break after being cooped up too long.
Hmm… this expo had genuinely sparked her interest now.
Ahead, Chunan chatted and joked with the live comments. Outdoor streams were casual chats—a chance to bond with fans. He’d answer any topic they threw at him.
As initial expo excitement faded, comments inevitably turned to Xiaohan’s viral video.
“You mean that song?” Chunan grinned. “I wrote both lyrics and melody. If I said I’m debuting as an idol, would you believe me?”
He glanced back at Xiaohan.
Only to see her sprinting toward him, flustered. “Whoa! I followed someone wearing the same clothes as you for ages! Then I realized he had no selfie stick—I thought you’d gone quiet!”
Chunan: “….”
How she’d survived to adulthood was a miracle.
Sighing, he took her hand. “It’s packed here. Getting lost would be a hassle. I’ll hold your hand while we walk. Just tap me if you spot something fun—I’m not rushed. We can take it slow.”
Xiaohan nodded sheepishly. “…Okay.”
Ugh… major facepalm moment.
