Mu Wan took the gift, quickly glancing at it. It was a beautiful fortune cat ornament and a POS machine, both quite practical. “Thank you!”

In addition to all of the ST members, O Lan, O Ruo, and Chu Xiao Yin were also invited by Mu Wan. She had originally invited Kuang Xingran, but she had a last-minute commitment and couldn’t make it. Mu Wan took them on a tour of the villa. Chu Xiao Yin, just like when Li Yue first arrived, was constantly exclaiming, “A three-story villa as a company office? Goddess, you’re really going all out!”

“How can I join your company? I want to come here after graduation.”

Coach Yang nodded as he admired the villa’s decor. “This renovation is nice, spacious and elegant. It’s even better than our ST headquarters.”

“I told you, the Chinese style is timeless, but Designer Zhang insisted on the industrial style,” Mu Wan said. “Now it looks like a refugee shelter.”

Project Designer Zhang, who was a little disgruntled, retorted, “Look at all the figurines in the base, and these stinky socks left by those kids who came out of nowhere. What are you talking about, a refugee shelter? Stop blaming me.”

When they got to the second floor, Shen Lele looked around at the newly renovated and expanded music hall. “Wow, there’s even this kind of place.”

The music hall was the part of the villa where Mu Wan had put the most thought into. Since it was mainly for performances, she had specifically built a one-meter high stage, and the walls behind it were soundproofed for amplification. In front of the stage was an audience area with more than enough space to seat 200 people.

A pure white piano stood on the stage. Suddenly, with a click, all the lights in the music hall turned off. In the midst of the crowd’s confusion, the spotlight on the stage illuminated. Mu Wan, who had been behind them just moments ago, appeared on the stage. She raised her hand, and her slender fingers touched the black and white piano keys. Instantly, a rich and melodious tune filled the hall.

The group exchanged glances and, in perfect unison, found their seats. As the sound of the piano rose, another spotlight shone, and Li Yue, holding a violin, stood beside Mu Wan at the piano. The two melodies complemented each other, rising and falling like two playful dolphins leaping and dancing on the azure sea, joyous and harmonious.

When the piece ended, both musicians stood up and bowed to the audience. “The first piece from the Jian Jia Orchestra, ‘Ode to Joy’ duet. Thank you for listening.”

The audience immediately burst into applause. Xu Yijin quietly asked Kuang Ye, “Wan wan can play the piano too?”

Kuang Ye answered proudly, “Wan wan knows many classical instruments, though she’s not as proficient with the violin.”

Coach Yang commented, “I didn’t know there was this kind of musical performance. I only knew about those noisy music festivals.”

Jiang Yu said, “The performers on stage seem like they’re glowing.”

Shen Lele quietly leaned in and whispered, “Although Wan wan already has the captain, what about that sister standing next to her? Should I ask if she’s single?”

Jiang Yu’s gaze involuntarily fell on Li Yue, his ears turning slightly red. He kicked Shen Lele in irritation. “I’m not talking about that, go away.”

Shen Lele yelped, “Fine, fine! If she’s not single, what’s the big deal? Manager, Jiang Pangzi^[1]Pangzi means fatty hit me, come and discipline him.”

Manager Zhang ignored them.

O Ruo, looking at Mu Wan and Li Yue on stage, listened to Chu Xiao Yin’s envious comments. Her previously uneasy heart suddenly calmed. She grasped O Lan’s hand. “Xiao Lan, tell the chief surgeon when we get back—I’m ready for the surgery.”

O Lan was thrilled. “Sis, is that really true?”

Though with Kuang Ye’s help, the money for O Ruo’s surgery was already prepared, the doctor had said that O Ruo’s mental state was too negative, which would affect the success of the surgery, as the success rate was only 50%. O Ruo had naturally been anxious. But after watching this simple duet performance, she understood what she needed to do. She wanted to continue playing the violin. Even if it meant risking her life, she was determined to stand on that brilliant stage once again.

Three Days Later, Jian Jia Villa

Mu Wan received a message from O Lan. O Ruo’s surgery had been a complete success. Even though, due to her rebirth, Mu Wan already knew the surgery would go well, seeing the news still made her sigh in relief.

“That’s great! I hope your sister recovers soon.”
“Wan wan, thank you so much for all the help you and Ye Shen have given me. I will make sure to play well in the competition and repay you with victory.”

A month had passed, and O Lan had successfully passed the test and remained in ST, officially becoming a member of ST’s second team. The two siblings, O Ruo and O Lan, had faced many hardships, but now they were finally reaping the rewards.

However, things on Mu Wan’s side were—

“Boss, recruiting artists is so difficult. As soon as they hear we just opened, they call us frauds,” Li Yue sighed, looking at the red exclamation mark on the WeChat message she just sent, lying down on the couch feeling depressed.

Jian Jia Company had been open for three days, and not a single artist had been recruited, nor had they received any work. The classical music scene was too small, and if limited to the S City area, it was even smaller. Although S City had two music conservatories, the students had to focus on their coursework, which didn’t quite fit the current recruitment requirements. Other amateur musicians could work, but Mu Wan was very picky about talent…

As for work, Mu Wan had the connections through the Mu family, so it wasn’t that she couldn’t get any jobs. But since this was her first official job, she still wanted to see how far she could go on her own.

“I think the problem is that we’re still too unknown.”
“We need a way to increase our visibility. Once we get some recognition, trust will follow.” Li Yue thought for a moment and suggested, “How about making short videos? You could feature as the three-time Stern Violin Competition champion—it should help raise your profile a bit.”

Mu Wan responded, “…That’s not a bad idea.” She had previously asked Chu Xiao Yin to shoot short videos, so she wasn’t opposed to this approach. However, what Mu Wan didn’t expect was that after the video was posted, the audience was more focused on her looks than her violin skills.

*“…Being too good-looking is also a trouble.”*

“Let’s post one every day. If it can attract even one professional, that’s good enough.”
“Well, I guess we have no choice but to start like this.”