CHAPTER 28

“Grandpa, is there a driver at home?”

Wen Yang received a call from a classmate today, asking her to be an interviewer in person. However, she didn’t know how to drive and didn’t have a license.

“Yes,” Lin Huashan stood up. After being here for a month, it was rare to see Wen Yang up and about early in the morning, let alone heading out.

“Where are you going?” Lin Huashan asked.

“To the company.”

Lin Huashan smiled warmly. “An old man like me has nothing to do at home. Can I come along and take a look?”

Wen Yang glanced at him. Judging by the way he got up and asked, he clearly wanted to go.

“Sure.”

Wen Yang and Lin Huashan sat in the back seat while Aunt Zhang sat in the front passenger seat. Wen Yang gave the driver the company’s address, and the car started smoothly on its way.

——

Looking at the office building in front of him, Lin Huashan asked, “What kind of business does your company run?”

“Those talent shows you see on TV—training groups of girls to sing and dance.”

“Oh, oh.” The old man nodded, then turned to Aunt Zhang and asked quietly, “What does that mean?”

Aunt Zhang explained, “It’s about forming girl groups and boy bands. You don’t watch those kinds of shows, so you wouldn’t know.”

The three of them took the elevator up. Aunt Zhang tidied her clothes in the mirror-like elevator doors, smoothed her hair, tucked the stray strands behind her ears, then frowned, thinking it made her face look bigger, and let them down again.

“Wen Yang, does your company train both boy and girl groups?”

“Not yet. Today, we’re mainly selecting from the applicants.”

“You’re one of the judges?”

“Mm.”

Hearing Wen Yang’s confirmation, Aunt Zhang’s expression visibly brightened. She rubbed her hands together and started fixing her outfit again.

Lin Huashan stood to the side, listening intently. Aunt Zhang seemed quite knowledgeable about this.

“Can I go in and watch?” Aunt Zhang asked.

Lin Huashan coughed and gave her a look. Aunt Zhang immediately corrected herself, “Can we go in and watch?”

As they stepped out of the elevator, a row of young girls stood or crouched in the hallway, dressed in either plain or stylish outfits, trendy or vintage. Some were in an empty practice room with the door open, squeezing in last-minute rehearsals. The rhythmic sound of dancing feet on the floor, bright and energetic singing, and clusters of hushed discussions filled the air.

But as Wen Yang walked past, the whispers and side glances quickly faded into silence.

Aunt Zhang and Lin Huashan followed Wen Yang closely, instinctively lowering their heads. The presence of two middle-aged and elderly people seemed to dilute her commanding aura.

Just then, the glass door opened, and Fu Xuan stepped out. Seeing Wen Yang, she raised a delighted hand. “Wen Yang, over here.”

“We were waiting for you to start.” Fu Xuan glanced at the elderly man beside Wen Yang, finding him somewhat familiar. “And these two are…?”

“Family elders. They wanted to see where I work,” Wen Yang explained before asking, “Is that okay?”

“Of course. You’re our major shareholder.” Fu Xuan turned to Aunt Zhang and Lin Huashan, warmly inviting, “Grandpa, Auntie, please come in and have a seat.”

Hearing their conversation, the girls waiting in line let out a breath of relief—so she was the interviewer.

Fu Xuan had always been a passionate fan of celebrities. After graduation, she worked briefly in her family’s business, but the rigid atmosphere was a complete mismatch for her lively nature. She quickly quit and used her personal savings, swearing to become a big boss in the entertainment industry with a lineup of top-tier idols.

Unfortunately, her funds weren’t enough to support the grand dreams she envisioned. That’s when she thought of her old university roommate, a brilliant student who excelled in everything. She wasn’t just looking for talent; she wanted to recruit a diligent and dependable worker.

But to her surprise, the once frugal and humble university student had become rich overnight, investing a whopping fifty million without hesitation. A golden Buddha deserved the utmost care and respect.

“You sit in the center,” Fu Xuan said, pointing to the best seat.

“No need.” Wen Yang noticed Aunt Zhang’s barely concealed look of disappointment and leaned over to whisper, “Take me to the boys’ auditions.”

Fu Xuan smirked mischievously. “Ah, I see. Alright, let’s go.”

She led them to another floor where the boys’ auditions were taking place. Just like before, a crowd of nervous young men stood outside, waiting for their turn.

Lin Huashan frowned at the sight of these youngsters dressed in “bizarre” outfits and muttered, “Still, our Xiao Yi is the most handsome.”

Meanwhile, Aunt Zhang kept her head down, blushing like a teenage girl with a crush. It wasn’t until they were inside that she dared to let out a breath and exclaimed under her breath, “Oh my heavens!”

“Xiao Zhang, why is your face so red?” Lin Huashan peered over his glasses at her. “Do you have a fever?”

Aunt Zhang shook her head. It wasn’t a fever—it was the sheer intensity of youthful charm that had overwhelmed her.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Just now, someone outside was practicing high notes, and I held my breath to test how long I could hold mine.”

Wen Yang chose a seat on the far end. She was only here for curiosity’s sake. Since this was an investment of hers, she might as well observe.

The first boy to enter was particularly delicate-looking, a bit shy, and spoke calmly. After introducing himself, he began performing. He sang well, but Wen Yang wasn’t well-versed in music, so she left the evaluation to the professionals. She was only here to look at faces.

However, she wasn’t very sensitive to male attractiveness. No matter how good-looking they were, they all seemed about the same to her—no significant emotional reaction. But with girls, it was different. She enjoyed seeing all sorts of personalities and styles. Regardless of beauty standards, she could always find something appealing in them. But again, this was purely aesthetic appreciation—her heart remained unmoved.

When Fu Xuan asked for her opinion, Wen Yang waved her hand. “Let the professional judges decide.”

Lin Huashan, seemingly uninterested, sat nearby, glancing around the room.

“Wen Yang, what exactly is your job?”

“Shareholder. Hands-off investor.”

By the eighth contestant, Wen Yang was getting restless. She informed Fu Xuan that she was leaving. Fu Xuan agreed without issue.

Wen Yang patted Aunt Zhang—who was fully immersed in admiring the boys. “Time to go.”

As they exited, Aunt Zhang’s gaze lingered longingly over each contestant. Once you debut, I’ll be your devoted fan-mom.

——

That evening

Feeling a bit stifled, Xu Yi stepped outside for some fresh air. Standing by the window, he overheard Fu Xuan making a call.

“My friend is drop-dead gorgeous, even more than some celebrities. Back in college, she was an ice queen—so cold that getting close could freeze you to death. But lately, she’s been interested in dating. As an experienced player, of course, I have to guide her. Tonight, I’m bringing her out. There are plenty of young, energetic guys here.”

“…Wen Yang? Our university’s top beauty and top student. But you wouldn’t know her—no photos online, and even if someone took one, they wouldn’t dare post it. She’s probably a secret hacker.”

“She’s just low-key. You wouldn’t understand.”

Xu Yi slowly repeated, “Young, energetic guys?” A tiny fire flickered in his eyes.

Fu Xuan ended the call and immediately called Wen Yang.

“Wen Yang, are you asleep? There’s an event tonight—lots of cute guys for you to choose from~” she teased.

Xu Yi froze in place.

Meanwhile, Wen Yang, just finishing dinner, recalled the misunderstanding from this morning. “I’m not interested. I only went to the boys’ auditions because my aunt wanted to see them.”

Fu Xuan awkwardly coughed. “Oh, oh. Well, you rest then. Your aunt is welcome anytime.”

Watching her scurry back inside, Xu Yi scoffed. As if any of those guys could be more handsome than me.

Xu Yi turned around, as if sensing something, and lifted his head. In the bright light behind him, Wen Yang could see him clearly, but to him, her face was just a blurred silhouette.

Wen Yang looked up at the sky—there was no moon tonight, nor were there any stars. She lowered her hands and shut the window.

Xu Yi quickly ran upstairs.

Once inside the villa, just to be safe, he asked Aunt Zhang to check if he still smelled of smoke.

Standing on the second floor, Wen Yang overheard their conversation loud and clear.

Xu Yi went up to knock on Wen Yang’s door.

“It’s not locked, come in yourself,” she said.

Xu Yi carefully pushed open the door. Wen Yang was sitting on the sofa, watching videos of outstanding trainees that Fu Xuan had sent her earlier.

She paused the video.

Xu Yi sat beside her, naturally wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her toward him. “Where did you go today?” he asked.

Wen Yang brushed his hand away and pointed at the video on the coffee table. “I went to the company and watched half an hour of talent performances.”

“Were they any good?” Xu Yi asked, his gaze falling on the screen where two young men were dancing.

“I’m not their target audience. It didn’t interest me,” Wen Yang replied.

Xu Yi reached over and tapped the touchpad, stopping the video. “Yeah, I think it’s boring too.”

He turned her face toward him. “Just look at me more.”

“Narcissist,” Wen Yang muttered, leaning into his embrace. Then something came to mind, and she pushed him away. “Go change your clothes—you reek of smoke.”

Xu Yi lowered his head. Aunt Zhang said he didn’t smell anymore—did she lie to him?

“Don’t lock the door. I’ll be back,” he said before leaving.

Three minutes later, Xu Yi had taken a quick shower, ran his hand through his damp hair, put on his sleepwear, and returned to Wen Yang’s room.

She was lying on the sofa, scrolling through her phone, when suddenly, a wet face loomed over her. Droplets from his hair dripped onto her eyelid, slipping into her eye when she blinked. She sat up and looked at him. “You took a shower?”

“Yeah.”

“Dry your hair first.”

Wen Yang watched as Xu Yi entered her bathroom, pulled out a white towel, and threw it over his head. Standing in the middle of the room, he roughly dried his hair in just a few quick rubs.

“You’re still dripping,” Wen Yang pointed out.

“I know.” Xu Yi hung the towel around his neck and pulled Wen Yang up. “I’m really tired today. Can you dry my hair for me?”

Wen Yang didn’t agree or refuse, but Xu Yi had already led her to the spot where she usually dried her own hair. He had plugged in the hairdryer and was already sitting on the stool, handing it to her. “Go ahead.”

She looked down at his legs, which had formed a wall on either side of her. “Are you sure you want it done like this?” she asked.

“Absolutely.” He wasn’t about to pass up such a good opportunity for closeness.

Wen Yang turned on the hairdryer, starting from the top of his head before moving to his bangs. When he lowered his head, the curve of his nape stood out, and her fingers absentmindedly brushed through his hair at the back of his head.

Xu Yi’s gaze drifted to her slender, fair ankle. The warmth from the dryer seemed to spread to his face. He grabbed a towel from the vanity and draped it over his lap—this position was getting unbearable.

Wen Yang switched off the dryer and lightly kicked the tip of Xu Yi’s shoe with her slipper.

“Can I stay tonight…?” Xu Yi wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his face into her stomach. Last night, he had held her but barely had time to savor it before it was over. He regretted not being a little more assertive.

“No,” Wen Yang refused without a second thought. “You’re too warm.”