At the turn of the seasons, the weather is always unpredictable.
A grey curtain of rain seemed to shroud the world.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, the lazy cat napping in the living room immediately perked up its small ears.
When it sprinted, it was like a rolling ball of pure white fur, darting to the doorway in the blink of an eye.
But then, it became reserved, suddenly braking, meowing haughtily twice, and rubbing itself against Han Xiao’s legs, its tail held high, as she entered.
Normally, whenever Han Xiao returned, she would playfully tease it with her fair toes.
But today was different; she walked directly into the living room, softly humming…
“In childhood, whose light did I steal by chiseling the wall?”
“Night after night, unkempt, ten years of bitter study.”
“Now reading leisurely under the lamp, with a beauty’s scent.”
“Half a lifetime of fleeting fame is but an illusion.”
The chubby cat tilted its head to look, then lightly jumped onto the coffee table to assert its presence.
Han Xiao seemed to just remember there was a chubby cat at home and poked it with her fingertip.
The chubby cat shook its head, half of its body turning sideways.
After a moment, it was finally pushed completely over.
Fair fingers gently massaged its belly, and the kitten, four paws in the air, let out contented meows.
“Brother Tai, oh Brother Tai, how can there be such a beautiful song? Comparing people truly makes one furious!”
After leaving Xu Huo’s house, Han Xiao, fearing she might forget, immediately copied all the lyrics she remembered into her phone’s memo.
The more she read them on the way, the more startled she became.
Many so-called “Guofeng” (Chinese style) songs nowadays merely awkwardly stitch together some words and phrases, making them incomprehensible and sickening to read!
But Xu Huo’s song used allusions throughout, yet without any stiffness.
In fact, she had to Baidu many of the allusions to understand them, showing astonishing talent that forced admiration.
To evaluate it with a phrase from within the industry, it was “beauty of language, almost divine.”
But how could a high school student, without systematic professional training, write something like that?
It seemed only talent could explain it.
She sighed softly, held the chubby cat in front of her eyes, and gazed at it for a moment.
The chubby cat’s eyes were wide open, its two short paws stretched forward motionlessly.
Han Xiao also stared at it with wide eyes.
After a moment, she puffed out her cheeks and adorably leaned closer to it, but finally put it down.
The chubby cat took the opportunity to jump off the sofa.
At that moment, a rapid knocking came from the entrance.
The sound was urgent, revealing the visitor’s mood.
Han Xiao could probably guess who it was.
She rose helplessly, looked through the peephole, and indeed, as soon as she opened the door, she was embraced.
“My little ancestor, are you okay?”
“Qin… Sister Qin, I can’t breathe!”
Han Xiao tilted her head back, breathing with difficulty.
Referee!
She fouled, charging with the ball!
Lu Qin, 40 years old, had been in the manager’s circle for over ten years, bringing out many second-tier budding stars, but none had truly become hugely popular.
Years ago, when scouting new talent at a training camp, she instantly took a liking to Han Xiao.
Her looks were simply too outstanding, and Lu Qin was determined to elevate her to A-list status.
So, for the past two years, she had truly pampered Han Xiao, holding her as if afraid she’d break, and cherishing her as if afraid she’d melt, like caring for a newborn.
When Han Xiao finished singing, she would bring throat-soothing tea.
When Han Xiao finished dancing, she would summon a masseuse.
When Han Xiao was idle, Lu Qin would double as a nutritionist and weight-loss coach, preparing nutritious meals and exercising with her.
In short, she was more affectionate than a biological daughter.
“What exactly happened?!”
Lu Qin was beside herself with worry.
After releasing Han Xiao, she frantically checked her body up and down, her gaze finally settling on her knee.
Hearing that Han Xiao was suspected of jumping, it felt like a series of lightning bolts had struck her forehead.
Han Xiao limped back to the living room, her face calm, “I told you it was a misunderstanding. Why did you still rush back?”
“How could I not? The internet already has a bias against you, and now they’re saying you’re using ‘suicide’ for hype. Your public image is ruined!”
“Whatever, I don’t really have a public image to begin with.”
“Isn’t that just handing a knife to Qin Yimo and them?”
“Doesn’t matter! With those two, we’d still get backstabbed even if we were well-behaved… I’m used to it.”
Han Xiao was perfectly calm, but Lu Qin couldn’t sit still.
As a manager, anything that could affect an artist’s image must be avoided and prevented, let alone something that adds fuel to the fire.
No wonder her junior colleague called specifically to “care,” but was actually mocking her.
The feud between them dated back a long, long time.
Back then, almost all managers had their eyes on Han Xiao, but only she and Han Xiao clicked.
Her junior colleague had to settle for Qin Yimo, but unexpectedly, Qin Yimo’s background was terrifyingly powerful, and she had become hugely popular.
However, Han Xiao, whose persona was quite similar, had all her resources eaten up and was on the verge of leaving the industry.
“Alright, none of that matters anymore! I’ll handle the online stuff.”
Lu Qin took a deep breath.
Having navigated this industry for so many years, her ability to maintain composure was top-notch.
To succeed in this line of work, one must battle against heaven and earth.
Those who can emerge from the fiercely competitive entertainment industry are not to be underestimated.
“For the next few days, you just focus on practicing your songs… When the show airs, your performance will be solid. Even if they try to trip you up, they can’t be so blatant. Even if you don’t win the championship, you’ll at least get some exposure. Our girl might have other debatable qualities, but her looks are undeniable. As long as you perform normally, qualifying definitely won’t be a problem. It’s much better than having every announcement messed up. If luck strikes and you win the championship, and the show helps you release an album, that would turn this losing game around.”
“Got it~~~”
Han Xiao’s eyes squinted into slits as she smiled cheerfully at Lu Qin.
***
The Grand Truth is Simple!
What does this phrase mean?
The greater the truth, the simpler it is.
The bigger the choice, the easier it becomes.
For example: if you don’t like it, fight it.
“But I have to go to school again tomorrow.”
“Are you that idle?”
“Oh, come on! No!”
Han Xiao bit her lip, saying with a wronged expression, “You just say it’s a misunderstanding with a flick of your tongue? I need to find some witnesses.”
“Fine…”
“Don’t worry, it won’t take too long.”
Han Xiao finished speaking, sat back on the sofa, and massaged her temples, looking exhausted.
Lu Qin walked over and opened the window a crack, letting the fresh air flow in, then stood in front of her and asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”
“Being pulled into psychological counseling, the incessant chattering gave me a headache… I now understand why it’s so hard to prove you’re not crazy once you’re in a mental hospital; nobody listens to what you say.”
“That boy too, how could he cause such a misunderstanding without asking anything? It was originally a simple matter, but he made it impossible to resolve.”
Lu Qin rubbed her palms together to warm her hands and fingers, so they wouldn’t feel cold when touching Han Xiao’s skin.
Then, she gently massaged Han Xiao’s temples with two fingers, slowly and with moderate pressure, following a unique rhythm and beat.
Han Xiao instinctively closed her eyes and said, “It’s just that he’s strong, otherwise he’d be the one getting psychological counseling… I also thought he was going to jump.”
“Heh, the two of you together couldn’t muster one brain. You truly are a perfect match.”