Mature Fantasy Power Invasion

Chapter 57

It was already approaching the afternoon, and the events at the Main Venue had finally come to an end. Only then did Bai Yi get a chance to rest and step away from her work.

Aside from going on stage, she had several other tasks—some big, some small.

For instance, she had to film short promotional videos in collaboration with the company and participate in clothing platform promotions at the expo.

By the time the ever-busy Bai Yi finally stopped, it had been several hours since her noon performance.

The person in charge of performances at the Gold Lion Group venue finally came looking for her.

Zuo Jiangqin had left early to rest due to being in a bad mood, so Jiang Xiong accompanied Bai Yi to handle the remaining matters.

"I'm Milos, the person in charge of performances at the Gold Lion Group expo. Please, have a seat—both of you."

Following a middle-aged man with a Gold Lion emblem on his chest into the office, Bai Yi and Jiang Xiong took their seats as Milos gestured toward the chairs.

Bai Yi sat nervously across from the golden-haired man, while Jiang Xiong calmly pulled out a chair and sat beside her.

Milos poured them each a cup of coffee and casually began the conversation.

"Regarding Miss Bai Yi not following the rehearsal during today's noon performance..."

Bai Yi pressed her lips together, lowered her head slightly, and took the initiative to speak.

"It was my decision to do it this way, without any prior discussion. I’ll take full responsibility."

Milos glanced at her without responding. He handed the coffee cups to Bai Yi and Jiang Xiong.

"Please, enjoy."

Jiang Xiong typically didn’t handle Bai Yi’s artist affairs directly—those were usually managed by her mother, Zuo Jiangqin, and her agent.

So, at that moment, he refrained from speaking and instead simply glanced at Bai Yi.

After pushing the coffee toward them, Milos continued.

"Just now, before the event officially ended, a boy came forward and claimed responsibility in the same way."

"He said he was your fan and diverted the media teacher without your knowledge. Is that true?"

In an instant, Bai Yi realized the boy Milos was referring to was Yan Huan. She quickly waved her hands, trying to explain.

"No, that’s not it. It was me."

Milos raised his hand, signaling her to stop speaking.

He gave a small smile and said lightly,

"No need to be so hasty. Miss Bai Yi, you’re not nearly as composed as your fan."

"Eh?"

Milos opened a drawer and pulled out a contract.

He flipped through the pages, glanced at the clauses, and said,

"According to the terms, breaches are defined strictly as absence, severe performance accidents, or actions that damage the reputation of the expo or the Gold Lion Group."

He lifted his gaze to look directly at Bai Yi.

"Frankly, it’s difficult to categorize what you and your fan did as a breach of contract."

Bai Yi blinked as Milos took out his phone, opened an app, and handed it to her.

She looked at the screen—it was Linmen’s most popular short video platform.

On the trending list, the third and fourth topics were “Bai Yi’s Amazing Performance at the Game Expo” and “Linmen Gold Lion Game Expo.”

She blinked again as Milos swiped through several trending platforms. Her name, “Bai Yi,” appeared repeatedly.

Then, Milos retrieved his phone and continued.

"Do you understand now? Your performance wasn’t overtime—it was within seven and a half minutes. In my opinion, it far exceeded the original plan and surpassed our revenue expectations when we signed with you."

"Even if this issue were taken to court, it’s unlikely they’d rule it as a breach just because it didn’t follow the rehearsal."

"What’s more, this performance has gained substantial traction. We wouldn’t want to see headlines like 'Gold Lion Group Kicking an Idol When She's Down' or 'Gold Lion Lawsuit Drama' in a few days."

Bai Yi parted her lips slightly, finally understanding what he meant.

She looked into Milos’s blue eyes and asked, disbelieving,

"So… you’re not going to hold me accountable?"

Milos nodded.

"That’s something your fan seemed to understand better than you did."

"And it appears he believes in you more than you believe in yourself."

Bai Yi’s pupils contracted slightly.

She suddenly recalled the moment she let Yan Huan listen to her new song in full.

As soon as the prelude played, he had abruptly raised his eyes to look at her.

Then he asked,

"Bai Yi, during rehearsals, how long did those interactions usually take?"

It turned out that from the moment he first heard her song, he had already decided to step in. That’s why he needed to confirm whether finishing the song would exceed the time limit.

From that very moment, he had trusted her and believed in her music.

But back then, she had thought—

*Thump. Thump.*

She clutched her chest, unable to speak for a long time.

Meanwhile, Milos rubbed his brow and leaned back in his chair.

"But don’t think you got lucky, Miss Bai Yi. As someone senior in this industry, I’ll give you a piece of advice."

"Y-Yes."

Milos looked at Bai Yi and said slowly, enunciating every word.

"Not every impulsive act ends up with such good fortune. It’s lucky this time that boy wasn’t just acting out of blind fan admiration. Otherwise, the consequences would’ve been unimaginable. Understand?"

"No company would accept such sudden changes from an artist. The Gold Lion Group must guarantee everything goes smoothly. Otherwise, why would we rehearse the performance so many times?"

"Even if the final result was good, legally speaking, you may not face consequences. But with that kind of unpredictability, any company in Linmen would think twice before working with you again."

Bai Yi lowered her head and sincerely apologized.

"I’m sorry. This kind of thing won’t happen again."

"No need to apologize. That boy already did."

Milos crossed his hands and spoke earnestly.

"Besides, the program was submitted by you—not forced by us."

"If you had wanted to sing, you should’ve told us. We’re not strict with approvals. If you’d spoken up earlier, none of this would’ve happened, right?"

Bai Yi smiled helplessly and nodded.

That was true. The expo allowed freedom in performances this time, but her mother had forbidden her from singing, which led to the current situation.

But now that things had been resolved, it felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from her heart.

'Did Yan Huan really think that far ahead?'

'I really want to thank him in person.'

Holding her phone, her pink lips gently pressed together, she nodded again in gratitude to Milos.

But he simply waved his hand.

"Alright, that’s enough. You’ve worked hard today and participated in many events. Go home and get some rest. If there’s another chance, we’ll work together again."

"Okay. Thank you so much!"

Bai Yi and Jiang Xiong stood up to leave.

Just then, Milos seemed to recall something and called out to her.

"By the way, Miss Bai Yi."

"Ah? Is there something else?"

"Nothing major. I just think you really have a talent for singing. When you get home, talk to your family. Maybe consider pursuing it seriously."

Bai Yi was slightly stunned, then smiled beautifully.

"I’ll seriously consider it."

Milos didn’t respond, only waved his hand to dismiss them.

As they walked out of the room, Bai Yi’s previously elegant steps grew lighter. She eventually began hopping like a little bunny.

Once she exited the Gold Lion Group’s office completely, she clenched her fists and ran out smiling.

The young and beautiful girl spun twice in front of the fountain engraved with the Gold Lion emblem. Then she clasped her hands behind her back, letting the breeze lift her black hair.

In that carefree wind, she spread her arms wide, as if experiencing true joy for the first time.

Jiang Xiong stood not far behind her and smiled.

Walking up, he said,

"Looks like that was a close call?"

Bai Yi turned around, her face still showing traces of fear.

"I was scared to death, Uncle Jiang. I really thought I’d have to pay a huge penalty, so..."

"So you were already planning to take all the blame when you went in."

"Yeah… Who would've thought Yan Huan had already gone to speak with the person in charge before me."

'What he said—about taking responsibility for your own actions—it was true.'

Beneath her makeup, a faint blush seemed to bloom on Bai Yi’s cheeks, and she instinctively lowered her head.

But because of that, she felt just a little closer to her own heart, and her heartbeat rang louder in her ears.

*Thump. Thump.*

Jiang Xiong smiled slightly, pointed at Bai Yi's phone, and reminded her,

"Shouldn't you send Yan Huan a message to thank him now? After all, he went through all that trouble just for you—his idol."

"Idol... or whatever."

Bai Yi's face turned even redder, but her hand still trembled as she took out her phone, opened Plane, and muttered,

"I wonder if he's still inside the venue."

"Does it matter whether he is or isn't? Aren’t you both from the same school and the same grade? Plus, he’s your school’s Student Council President."

"Eh, Uncle Jiang, you know Yan Huan?"

"Of course I do. Your mama has mentioned him plenty of times—not just in front of you."

"I see..."

At the mention of her mother, Bai Yi’s expression dimmed slightly again.

Jiang Xiong noticed the change and sighed inwardly.

Zuo Jiangqin had been very beautiful in her youth, but due to a turbulent life, she became extremely insecure and pinned all her hopes on Bai Yi.

Combined with her personality, those harsh expectations had become a burden—torturing the child like a form of punishment.

Thinking of this, Jiang Xiong gave a helpless smile and said,

"It's okay. Didn’t I tell you? Because of work, I’ll be staying in Linmen again."

"That executive from the Gold Lion Group also said you have real talent for singing. Since you're gifted and passionate about it, grab the opportunity."

"The facts speak for themselves. Let’s convince your mama together—don’t worry."

Bai Yi looked at Jiang Xiong, smiled faintly, and nodded.

"Okay, Uncle Jiang."

Then she finally made up her mind, looked at the chat window with Yan Huan, and raised her finger.

*Meow~*

The sun slanted westward. Outside the expo center, on the sunlit avenue, the black cat perched on a boy’s shoulder suddenly spoke,

"Yan Huan."

Yan Huan turned his head slightly, rubbed the black cat’s head, and asked,

"What is it, Meow-chan?"

Meow-chan’s emerald eyes looked at Yan Huan curiously.

"Did you already plan for Bai Yi to sing just now, meow?"

Yan Huan smiled slightly and shook his head.

"There was no plan. It was just a spur-of-the-moment idea."

Meow-chan opened its mouth, tilted its head, and asked,

"Just a spur-of-the-moment idea, and you dared take such a huge risk to change her performance on the spot, meow? What if it failed—"

"Yeah."

Yan Huan smiled and continued walking forward.

"But Meow-chan, no idea comes from nothing."

"Her desire to sing has been suppressed by her mother—that’s one. The song she wrote is genuinely good, and I figured the young crowd at the convention would enjoy it—that’s two."

"Also, the modifier’s sound on her body is getting clearer. If we ignore it, I have a bad feeling something serious could happen—that’s three."

Meow-chan stared at Yan Huan and asked,

"Even with those three points, what was the success rate, meow?"

"Less than seventy percent."

"Seventy... seventy percent?!"

Seeing Meow-chan's shocked expression, Yan Huan couldn't help rubbing its chubby face and said,

"Meow-chan, there’s an old saying: 'Do your best, leave the rest to fate.' Bai Yi truly has singing talent and a song that moves people—that’s what really matters."

"As for the remaining thirty percent, rather than leaving it to chance, I believed she wouldn’t waste the opportunity."

"As for me, I just wanted to resolve the modifier issue."

To deal with the modifier, Yan Huan had to seize this once-in-a-lifetime chance, summon the resolve to make a decision, and the courage to face the risks.

But... was it really just to solve the modifier?

At that moment, Yan Huan thought of the girl on stage, bathed in brilliant light, pointing in his direction.

Her gaze seemed to transcend everything—

Her mother, the sea of faces in the audience, the responsibilities that awaited her, even the modifier—

Her eyes were fixed solely on him.

Yan Huan couldn’t explain the feeling, so he summed it up in one phrase:

"Not bad."

Smiling at the thought, he turned and walked toward the meeting spot arranged in the student council group on Plane.

"President!!"

From afar, You'an Lina spotted the strikingly handsome boy in the crowd and waved excitedly.

Behind her, Yinggong Tong, holding a parasol, also turned to look at him.

Aishili crouched on the ground, grinning mischievously as she stared ahead.

Yan Huan walked over, scanned the group, and quickly noticed someone was missing.

"Where’s Yaqiao?"

"Well… how should I put this, President. Yaqiao’s over there."

Following You'an Lina’s helpless expression and pointing finger, Yan Huan looked in the indicated direction and saw a boy sitting at the edge of the steps, staring up at the sky—an otaku.

Aishili stood nearby, still grinning mischievously in the same direction.

Yan Huan raised an eyebrow and looked at You'an Lina. She leaned close to his ear and murmured,

"Ever since he got back from that Aijo Shijo autograph session, Yaqiao’s been like that. No matter what we ask, he won’t say a word."

"......"

Yan Huan blinked, then began walking over alone, calling out,

"Yaqiao."

Hearing his voice, Yaqiao Mu’s body trembled slightly, but he continued staring at the sky.

After a moment of silence, he murmured,

"President, what do you think the meaning of life is?"

As he spoke, a tear slid down his cheek and gathered into a glistening drop under his chin.

"."

Yan Huan opened his mouth, then reached out and flicked Yaqiao’s forehead.

"Speak human."

After the flick, Yaqiao Mu finally stopped speaking in riddles. He didn’t say anything more, but the tears on his face only increased.

He turned to look at Yan Huan, his face contorted in misery.

"President... I... I got scolded by Teacher Aijo."

"Huh?"

Yan Huan looked confused, while Yaqiao Mu hugged his knees and began telling the student council members what had happened.

You'an Lina crossed her arms and stared at Yaqiao Mu with her mouth agape, her expression clearly saying, "You're hopeless."

Aishili was even more direct—pinching her nose as if she smelled something foul.

Only Yinggong Tong furrowed her brow and looked at Yaqiao Mu.

"Still, for that Aijo Shijo autograph session, Yaqiao must’ve spent a lot of money. For her to say something like that to a fan who likes her seems too harsh."

Yan Huan looked at the poster clutched in Yaqiao Mu’s arms and pulled it from the boy’s unwilling grasp, examining Aijo Shijo’s signature.

In truth, the poster wasn’t anything too extreme, but because it came from an R-rated galgame, the character’s pose was a bit inappropriate.

(*) Galgame: A genre of Japanese video games focused on interactions with anime-style characters, often romantic or adult in nature.

Moreover, what Yaqiao Mu had asked of her was completely reasonable.

It was likely that this old underground project had become a stain in the voice actress’s eyes, making Yaqiao—who liked her because of it—a target for her frustration.

Yan Huan looked at the poster, then at Yaqiao Mu crouched nearby, and suddenly said,

"Come on, Yaqiao. I’ll take you to find Aijo Shijo. She hasn’t left yet—she’s still at the autograph area."

Yaqiao Mu turned to look at Yan Huan, his eyes behind his glasses widening, then softening into a wry smile.

He wiped his tears and said softly,

"Forget it, President. Just give me back the poster."

You'an Lina squatted in front of Yaqiao Mu, waved a hand in front of his eyes, and asked,

"Yaqiao-kun, even after she said that to you, do you still like her?"

Yaqiao Mu was briefly startled, then his eyes started to shift away again.

He gave a helpless smile and murmured,

"I don’t know. I guess I should’ve realized—this was just a job for Teacher Aijo, especially since it was one of her earliest underground works."

"Just like how Teacher Jiaotan draws looting-type comics only because it’s his job—not because he truly loves it."

(*) Looting-type comics: A fan term referring to content that borders on or includes risqué elements, often for commercial appeal.

"I was the one who connected the characters in the work to the voice actress and creator... all because of my own wishful thinking. I was only ever seeing the version of Teacher Aijo I wanted to see—and loving the Aijo I imagined."

As he spoke, Yaqiao Mu’s tightly clenched hand around the poster gradually relaxed. He then carefully placed the now-freed poster back into his backpack.

After that, Yaqiao Mu finally lifted his head, looked at Yan Huan, and said,

"Just because the idol you like isn’t exactly how you imagined, you throw a tantrum? Even as a nerdy guy, I wouldn’t do something like that, President."

"."

For some reason, as Yaqiao Mu said those words, Yan Huan couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

Behind him, You'an Lina and Aishili were blushing deeply, covering their mouths to stifle their laughter.

*Pfft!*

Yinggong Tong could only press her hand to her forehead and shake her head helplessly.

There was no other reason.

At that moment, Yaqiao Mu—who had just delivered such a cool line—was already bawling, tears and snot streaming uncontrollably down his face.

His tear-streaked face, struggling to hold it together, completely contradicted the confidence in his words.

And the next second, he broke down completely. Arms wide open, he lunged toward Yan Huan.

"Waaahhh! I really can’t take it anymore!! Teacher Shijo scolded me like crazy!! President!! She called me a pervert!!"

"Hiss! Everyone fall back! It’s a terrifying otaku!"

Yan Huan quickly stepped backward. Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang in his pocket.

*Ding ding ding~*

Yan Huan stopped entertaining Yaqiao Mu and looked down at his phone.

Meanwhile, Aishili chopped her hand down like a karate move and subdued the essentially powerless Yaqiao Mu, leaving him hugging his backpack and wailing on the ground.

On the app interface of Yan Huan’s phone, a girl sent a message:

"Thank you, Yan Huan."

Needless to say, it was Bai Yi.

Yan Huan gave a small smile and replied with a kitty emoji covering its mouth while laughing.

"No need to thank me."

In the back seat of a car parked just outside the Golden Lion Game Expo, Bai Yi looked at the kitty emoji on her phone and smiled softly.

'He really likes sending emojis~'

She hesitated for a moment, then quietly saved each of the kitty emojis Yan Huan had used.

The next second, a new message appeared from Yan Huan, marked with [Typing...]:

"To be your Fan A, I’m honored."

As she read that message, Bai Yi’s lips parted slightly. Her thoughts drifted back to what she had blurted out on stage earlier when her brain overheated.

Her little face gradually turned bright pink—so red that even makeup couldn’t hide it.

Flustered, she squirmed in her seat, staring at her phone in panic and tapping the keyboard, unsure of how to reply.

From the driver’s seat, Jiang Xiong glanced at the rearview mirror. He saw Bai Yi covering her face and peeking at her phone nervously, and he smiled faintly.

"What, a message from Yan Huan?"

"No! I mean—not really, it’s just—"

"What did he say?"

"That... um..."

Bai Yi’s face turned even redder. Clutching her phone, she tried to find the right words to explain.

But just then, her phone buzzed again.

It was another message from Yan Huan.

Bai Yi, who had nearly sunk into her seat, quickly sat upright, eyes locked on the screen.

Her previously dreamy expression slowly stiffened, and her lips tightened.

Jiang Xiong raised an eyebrow at her reaction and gave a questioning hum, waiting for a response.

In the back seat, Bai Yi had already buried her face in her arms, locking her phone screen in embarrassment.

In a voice as soft as a mosquito’s whisper, she murmured,

"He said I did too poorly on the entrance exam and suggested I attend the study group at school next week. He forgot to tell me earlier."

Jiang Xiong blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Bai Yi, her face burning, laid down on the seat and covered her ears, trying to block out Jiang Xiong’s teasing.

Outside the window, the Golden Lion Game Expo was winding down, the golden sunlight slowly shifting to a warm red.

It transformed into a reunion after a long separation, into a student council with a pleasant atmosphere, into a heart fluttering in the back seat of a car.

With her black hair cascading down and face flushed, Bai Yi once again took out her phone, staring at the silent chat window.

Her finger hovered for a moment before she sent another kitty emoji, then tapped into Yan Huan’s user profile.

She added a personal note under his name.

"Fan A."

After doing that, Bai Yi smiled softly again, tilting her head as she gazed at the chat, unsure of exactly what she was looking for.

Then, all of a sudden, she began to hum a tune.

It was the closing melody of that new song.

[End of Chapter]

(*) Note for line 214: "Otaku" is a Japanese term used to describe someone with obsessive interests, commonly in anime or manga. It can carry both positive and negative connotations depending on context.