Chapter 45
Sunday morning. The strong sunlight just breaking over the horizon crept up the wall of a public rental building in the southern district, peeking through the window sill into an east-facing room on the sixth floor.
Inside, a black cat darted back and forth across the wooden floor before finally stopping at the bathroom door.
It sat down gracefully and let out a soft meow at the person inside.
"Meow~"
"Almost done, Meow-chan."
In the bathroom, Yan Huan stood in front of the sink, already dressed for today's outing.
A loose-fitting navy plaid shirt layered over a white T-shirt paired perfectly with the black cargo pants he wore.
He set down his razor and splashed hot water onto his clean, well-defined jawline.
Releasing a warm breath, he picked up the hair dryer.
*Whoosh!*
He dried his damp hair, alternating between hot and cold air, styling it into a look he was satisfied with.
At last, it came together like the finishing touch on a striking masterpiece.
"Meow~"
Meow-chan lightly leapt onto his shoulder, blinking at the handsome boy in the mirror.
"This is rare, meow. You're actually grooming yourself so seriously today."
Its long black tail brushed against his earlobe before perking upright.
"Well, it's not just our student council gathering today. Bai Yi will be there too, right?"
"Meow~"
After giving himself a final once-over in the mirror, Yan Huan hung up the hair dryer and walked out of the bathroom.
"Alright, all done. Let's head out."
He slipped on his shoes, picked up his breakfast, and headed out the door.
He wasn’t carrying anything bulky—just his phone, Bluetooth earpiece, wallet, and house keys stuffed in his pockets.
Oh, and the ticket he’d prepared for Yinggong Tong.
Munching on a pork floss bun he’d bought at the convenience store after work the night before, he opened Plane and messaged Yaqiao Mu.
A "head-tilting" kitty emoji led his message, followed by a question he typed out:
"I'm heading out. I'll wait at the subway station near your place, then we can go together."
"OK."
A busty, golden-haired, otaku-style beauty gave a thumbs-up emoji.
He also sent a message to the big group chat.
"Yaqiao and I are on our way. Meet at 8:30 at the Golden Lion Convention Center in Jinghe District?"
After receiving confirmations from everyone, Yan Huan popped in his Bluetooth earpiece, turned on some music, and walked to the nearby subway station.
It was about a ten-minute walk, and along the way, he passed the shuttered Nursery Rhyme pub.
Around 7 AM, Tong Tingting was probably still asleep.
After finishing the pork floss bun, he drank a box of milk and tossed the trash into a bin just outside the subway entrance.
He scanned his phone to enter the station and boarded Line 11 toward Jinghe District—just one stop to the station near Yaqiao Mu’s house.
[Ding-dong! South Fifth Street Station, arrived.]
After getting off, he waited a bit until Yaqiao Mu arrived.
"President!!"
Hearing the voice, Yan Huan, who had been scrolling through his phone on the platform, turned his head to see Yaqiao Mu running toward him excitedly.
The guy wore a mask and a gray T-shirt.
An enormous backpack was strapped to his back, and each hand carried a paper bag stuffed with various items.
Already frail from his otaku* lifestyle, jogging with all that gear while wearing a mask left him nearly out of breath.
(*) Otaku: A Japanese term for people with obsessive interests, commonly used for anime and manga fans.
"Haha... President, ha..."
"Running with a mask on? You're something else. Don’t overdo it."
Yan Huan patted his back, gesturing for him to take off the mask and catch his breath, while eyeing the bags in his hands.
"What the heck is all this? So many bags."
Still panting, Yaqiao Mu cracked open one of the bags to explain.
"Ha... this one's freebies for the cosers—snacks, support sticks, posters for Ai-chan to sign."
"And this one’s got paper, mats, water, bread, a power bank, stuff like that. The backpack’s full of camera gear for later."
That’s way too much stuff, isn't it?!
Yan Huan raised an eyebrow and pulled out a wand-like item from one of the bags, curiosity in his eyes.
"And what’s this?"
Seeing what Yan Huan had grabbed, Yaqiao Mu's expression shifted in alarm, and he quickly said,
"Wait, President! Don’t press that button—your finger!"
But Yan Huan hadn’t noticed the tiny button under his grip—and had already pressed it just by picking it up.
Then, the stick in his hand began to play a recording.
"May I take your photo? Thank you."
He pressed it again.
"May I collect a photo with you? Thank you."
(*) In otaku culture, "collecting photos" refers to asking for a photo together, especially with cosplayers.
He pressed it once more.
"May I add you as a friend? Thank you."
(*) "Add friends" is internet slang for sending a friend request, often through gaming or social apps like Plane.
All the recorded lines were in Yaqiao Mu's voice.
"..."
Holding the "support stick," Yan Huan stared blankly at Yaqiao Mu.
Embarrassed, Yaqiao Mu rubbed the back of his head, quickly snatching the stick back and explaining,
"I have social anxiety, President, please understand! I’m terrible at asking cosers for photos or friend requests, so I pre-recorded the lines—just press the button when needed."
"You really went all out with the prep."
"Well, I go to conventions all the time. It’s not that I bring too much—it’s that you, President, bring too little."
Yaqiao Mu pushed up his glasses, the lenses catching Yan Huan’s reflection. He stared at him for a moment, then pointed dramatically.
"Hey hey, what’s with this outfit, President? You're practically glowing with normie vibes—it’s like we’re not even in the same genre!"
As he spoke, he suddenly seemed to realize something, clutching his head in despair.
"Wait... now that I think about it, the whole student council is full of normies. And I’ve been hanging out with you all this time—have I betrayed my kind?!"
"You’re just realizing that now? From the moment you became my election partner last semester, we started evolving from goblins, boy."
"Huh?! What the heck is a goblin?"
At Yuanyue, the student council election only chooses the president. Typically, two people team up as election partners and compete against other pairs.
The winning duo becomes the president and vice president, while the remaining positions are nominated by the president and announced to the school.
Of course, it’s also possible to run solo without a partner.
As long as you complete all the election requirements and win the vote, you can nominate a vice president afterward.
So, why didn’t Yaqiao Mu become vice president?
There were two reasons.
First, he suffers from intense social anxiety and absolutely refuses to show his face in public.
During the election, he stayed entirely behind the scenes, making it seem like Yan Huan had run solo.
Even though his name had been mentioned several times, most people didn’t realize that those top-tier PPTs, coded data, and animated characters were all his handiwork.
Technically, supporting from the shadows without giving speeches or rallying votes doesn’t qualify as being a real election partner—but Yan Huan always treated him as one.
When it came time to nominate him as vice president, he practically slid to his knees in protest—since the president and VP have to take turns giving speeches to the entire school.
Honestly, if Yaqiao Mu had to give a speech in front of everyone in the morning—
He’d probably jump off a building by afternoon.
The second reason had to do with school connections.
Specifically, Yinggong Tong.
Yan Huan still remembered the chrysanthemum-like smile on Principal Hermis’s face as he rubbed his hands together and eagerly recommended Yinggong Tong for vice president.
(*) Chrysanthemum-like smile: A poetic way to describe a wide, enthusiastic smile, often used in Chinese literature.
[Ding-dong~ Subway arriving. Please let passengers exit before boarding~]
Just as the train arrived, Yan Huan dragged along a disillusioned Yaqiao Mu—who was still questioning whether he looked like a goblin—onto the subway.
Since they were near the starting station, the train wasn’t crowded, and they easily found seats.
A message popped up in the student council group chat.
Yinggong Tong: "I've arrived. I’ll wait near the Golden Lion Convention Center subway station."
Yaqiao Mu saw the message and clicked his tongue.
"That’s so fast. As expected of the young lady from Jinghe District."
"And she even has a car picking her up and dropping her off."
Yan Huan smiled slightly and replied to Yinggong Tong with a "Got it~" kitty emoji, while beginning to think to himself.
Bai Yi was scheduled to perform around 2 p.m.—right when the crowd would be at its peak.
She probably hadn't even arrived yet, so Yan Huan decided to contact her closer to noon.
At that time, he’d evaluate her performance and decide what to do next.
After sitting for a while, as the train neared the Golden Lion Convention Center, more and more people in cosplay began to appear.
[Golden Lion Convention Center East Station, arrived.]
Yan Huan and Yaqiao Mu followed the crowd out of the subway exit, the sunlight gradually washing over his face as he looked ahead.
Before them stood a massive building, with a golden lion head carved into the most prominent spot, looking down at Yan Huan as he emerged.
On both sides of the wide path to the entrance, flags fluttered from the lamp posts in the wind.
They displayed logos of game companies, popular anime characters, and posters of internet celebrities and stars.
The voices of young people chatting blended into a bustling stream of energy—like the morning sun around 8 or 9 a.m.
This was the grand opening of the Linmen Jinghe Game Expo!
"Alright, time to get started!!"
As soon as they reached the station, Yaqiao Mu raised his hand and shouted with excitement.
He had the same enthusiasm he usually had when drawing waifus.
(*) Note: "Waifu" is a slang term used by anime fans to refer to a fictional female character they are emotionally attached to.
"What exactly are you so excited about? Do you love Aika that much?"
"President, over here!"
Just as Yan Huan was about to roast Yaqiao Mu and message Yinggong Tong, a female voice cut through the crowd.
He paused and turned toward the voice, spotting a beautiful girl standing by the railing.
She wore a gothic-style retro Lolita dress, her hair tied back to highlight a black butterfly-shaped bow.
(*) Note: "Lolita fashion" is a Japanese street fashion inspired by Victorian and Rococo styles.
She held a parasol to shield herself, though sunlight still slipped through, falling softly on her pale skin.
Strands of cherry-tipped hair danced beside her delicate face in the breeze.
She looked at Yan Huan and smiled gently.
Wherever her gaze landed, it struck like a death ray—causing nearby men to blush and lose their composure.
She was none other than the Yuanyue Student Council Vice President, Yinggong Tong.
Yan Huan led Yaqiao Mu over. The moment he saw her outfit, he froze—it hit every one of his preferences!
Yinggong Tong was the definition of petite and adorable today—one thousand percent his type.
"Yinggong, you're here really early."
"Ah, my house isn’t far, but I was worried about traffic, so I had the driver leave early."
Yinggong Tong covered her mouth and giggled softly.
Seeing Yan Huan’s dazed look, her expression stayed calm, but inside, she was screaming, ‘Mission accomplished!’
'Schemer~'
She had come early just to secure the perfect spot near the subway exit.
She stood there posing for ten minutes to ensure every angle looked like a photo shoot.
Her plan? To appear like a radiant beauty bathed in sunlight the moment the President emerged from the underground.
'What a psychological impact that would have!'
Her outfit was carefully selected—refined but not overdone. Even the parasol was chosen after comparing multiple styles.
Her makeup was subtle, her hairstyle matched her vibe—everything was flawless.
Most importantly—
She was even wearing daily disposable contact lenses.
She was in full battle mode, radiating the peak energy of youth!
Once everything was ready, she stood still, smiling, parasol in hand, maintaining her elegant pose.
She didn’t move, waiting patiently for Yan Huan to appear.
In truth, her legs were already aching, her feet numb from standing too long.
It felt like she’d just endured military training—like she’d lost control of her legs.
'But are you avoiding eye contact, President?'
'Because you saw how stunning I look today?'
'Eh?'
'What is this?'
'What’s with the President’s hair today?'
'Did he blow-dry it? Did he style it?'
'I’ve never seen this look before!'
'It looks really good! It suits him perfectly—'
At that moment, Yinggong Tong’s perfect smile faltered for just a second.
Her tingling legs shifted slightly under the dress, and she quickly looked away, mumbling,
"Aishili and the others probably won’t arrive until later. They said they’d come together."
"I see."
The incredulous look Yaqiao Mu had given Yan Huan now shifted toward both of them.
He began to question whether inviting these normies to an anime convention was a good idea.
(*) Note: "Normie" is slang for someone not deeply involved in a subculture like anime or gaming.
'Hey, O Great Priest, are you there?'
'Please come pick me up and take me back to the cave, thanks!'
Not far behind Yinggong Tong, Nara sat on a bench—dressed in a qipao, sunglasses on, eating breakfast—and covered her face in disbelief.
(*) Note: A "qipao" is a traditional Chinese dress also known as cheongsam.
'Seriously?'
'You said you’d definitely win the President over, and yet he didn’t even say anything and you already folded?'
'All that effort... and you got one-shotted.'
(*) Note: "One-shotted" refers to being defeated instantly, often used in gaming.
'What a waste of all that posing. How embarrassing!'
Sipping her coffee, Nara thought in silence.
'Well, at least the young lady set up other traps around the convention center.'
'With so many plans in place, surely one will catch Yan Huan’s attention.'
Nara finished her breakfast and lowered her crossed leg.
The hem of her qipao fluttered as she stood and silently walked toward the venue.
Today was going to be another busy day for Miss Yinggong.
"Ah! The ride-hailing app dropped us off on the wrong side! The President and the others are on the east side—we got off on the west!"
"Huh?! You’an Lina, are you dumb? How do you even mess up GPS?"
"S-sorry! Aishili, wuwuwu! It’s the satellite’s fault! Maybe the Earth’s magnetic field interfered with it!"
"Why not just say the magnetic field fried your brain? I can’t even with you."
On the west side entrance, Spencer sat squatting outside a milk tea shop, watching cartoons on her phone in a tracksuit.
She seemed to be waiting for someone.
With only one Bluetooth earbud in, she overheard two girls passing by.
"President?"
Hearing that word, she looked up.
She saw two cosplayers—one in blue, one in red—dressed as magical girls, frantically checking their phones and heading off.
Weren’t those two the Discipline Chair and the Student Council secretary?
Especially the Discipline Chair—Spencer knew her all too well.
No way dressing as a magical girl would fool the sharp-eyed Spencer.
After all, she’d been caught by that same Chair multiple times for breaking school rules just this week.
'Eh~'
'So President Yan is here today too?'
Spencer turned off her cartoon and watched the two girls walk away, an intrigued smile forming on her face.
'This place was definitely worth coming to.'
"Um... sorry, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long, Spencer?"
A soft, hesitant voice made Spencer turn her head.
A girl wrapped in thick clothing, wearing a mask and holding two paper bags, stood nearby.
Aside from the bags, she looked almost identical to Yaqiao Mu’s usual getup—clearly a seasoned otaku.
(*) Note: "Otaku" refers to someone with obsessive interests, particularly in anime and manga.
Even with a different hairstyle, that shy, downward glance gave her away instantly.
It was An Le.
Just kidding.
Spencer didn’t detect her aura or anything—she recognized An Le by her chest.
"You’re finally here—wah, I’ve been waiting forever."
"Sorry, there was a bit of traffic on the way, so..."
An Le waved her hand hurriedly and apologized to Spencer.
"It's fine~ Let's get going."
Spencer didn’t seem to mind and turned to head toward the convention center.
Behind her, An Le jogged to catch up, glancing at Spencer’s back as she asked curiously,
"Um... Spencer, how did you end up giving me such an expensive ticket? I saw online it costs over a thousand?"
Spencer glanced back at An Le, who had asked cautiously. She paused, as if trying to come up with a reasonable explanation.
But after thinking for a while, she came up empty.
She let out a snort and replied impatiently,
"Hah, I just don’t really know much about this stuff. You seemed like you knew your way around, so I asked you. It’s not like I specially invited you or anything, so don’t get the wrong idea."
"I see."
With her mask on, it was hard to tell what kind of expression An Le had.
Spencer, now facing forward again, pursed her lips slightly, as if realizing her words might’ve come off wrong.
She gave another light snort and added,
"Besides, I didn’t even have to pay to come here, so whatever."
*...*
An Le blinked. Honestly, she hadn’t thought there was anything wrong with what Spencer had said earlier.
But looking at Spencer’s back, hands on hips, she couldn’t help but smile under her mask.
On her shoulder, a white snake poked its head out and flicked its tongue.
After sizing up Spencer for a few seconds, it commented coldly,
"Is this person an idiot?"
"H-How can you say that about Spencer? Sure, she’s a little awkward, but she’s kinda cute too."
"Heh, you're the same."
"Aw, Little Pinky..."
In a luxurious villa in the Jinghe District...
Inside the spacious room were various pieces of equipment, makeup mirrors, and racks of clothes. This was Bai Yi’s studio, and also the prep room before the event.
At the moment, several makeup artists surrounded Bai Yi, finalizing her look for the afternoon’s appearance.
Beside them, her agent Ji Lin pushed in a rack of outfits and asked,
"Yiyi, take a look. Which outfit do you want to wear this afternoon?"
Hearing this, Bai Yi turned her head and glanced over the rack of dazzling, trendy clothes.
Just as she was about to speak, Zuo Jiangqin walked in from the entrance.
"Let me see first... Aren’t these a bit too flashy? Isn’t your persona supposed to be the pure type? Don’t you have anything plainer?"
"Sis Qin, it’s just that today’s expo is full of young people, and there’s a lot of otaku culture. These might fit the vibe better."
(*) Otaku: A Japanese term referring to people with obsessive interests, especially in anime and manga.
"What otaku nonsense? Ridiculous. I’ll see if there’s anything else."
"...Got it, Sis Qin."
Zuo Jiangqin turned and left. Ji Lin cast a helpless glance at Bai Yi, who sat emotionlessly in front of the mirror, and quietly pushed the rack of clothes back out.
Bai Yi seemed used to it. Her expression didn’t change.
In front of her on the desk were a USB drive and a sheet of paper filled with lyrics.
It was the instrumental for her newly recorded song, along with lyrics she’d rushed to finish over the past few nights.
A copy was also saved on her phone—she had originally planned to send it to Yan Huan, who had said he was looking forward to her new release.
But as she stared at the chat window, she hesitated for a long time and couldn’t bring herself to send it.
*...*
Just as she was staring blankly at the USB and lyrics sheet, Zuo Jiangqin suddenly entered and swept everything off the desk with one motion.
Bai Yi finally raised her eyebrows, but when she turned her head, she was met with her mother’s even stricter expression.
"Pick out your hair accessories and clothes carefully. Don’t dress so seductively. Stick to the persona. And watch what you say later. Got it?"
*...*
Bai Yi pursed her lips and looked away from her mother.
"Did you hear me?"
Only when her mother repeated the question did Bai Yi finally open her mouth and ask softly,
"When I go on stage later... can I sing one song?"
Zuo Jiangqin was slightly stunned, then her brows furrowed even more.
She slammed the jewelry down on the table and said coldly and firmly,
"No.
Stick to the rehearsal plan."
Bai Yi opened her mouth, then quietly turned her head to look at her reflection in the mirror, saying nothing more.
*Tick. Tick. Tick.*
[End of Chapter]