The meeting took place at Gu Entertainment. As soon as Xia Qingtian walked in, she spotted Wen Ning and Li Mengxiao, along with two men—one with a crew cut and a slightly stocky build, and the other thin, with shoulder-length hair tied into a low ponytail at the back.
After exchanging greetings, Wen Ning introduced the two men to Xia Qingtian.
The stocky man with the crew cut was a representative from a company collaborating with Gu Entertainment, surnamed Zhou. Their company specialized in 3D modeling for virtual idols, motion capture, voice bank technology, and even post-production holographic programming—essentially handling all the technical aspects.
The thin man with the low ponytail was a vocal coach Wen Ning had hired after discussing Xia Qingtian’s vocal characteristics with others at the company. He was also a lyricist and composer who collaborated on songs for virtual idols.
Coincidentally, his surname was also Zhou.
"Brother Zhou, Professor Zhou," Xia Qingtian addressed them with these two titles to distinguish between them, smiling sweetly as she greeted them.
"Miss Xia is so beautiful. Even if you weren’t pursuing the virtual idol path, with your looks, you could debut outright, couldn’t you?" Brother Zhou shook her hand with a laugh. "The company was thrilled when they heard the vocal samples Ning sent over. Everyone loved them."
"Your vocal condition is decent, and your technique is passable, but given your age, you should be careful with overly flashy techniques. Your vocal stability isn’t quite there yet," Professor Zhou was much stricter. "You’re still young, so I recommend increasing your exercise routine to build up your lung capacity—start with jogging. And don’t neglect your vocal fundamentals."
Xia Qingtian nodded along cheerfully.
The meeting went smoothly. Both the production company and the vocal coach were very satisfied with Xia Qingtian.
Professor Zhou even had her sing a melody a cappella on the spot, recording it on his phone to consider for future lyric and composition work.
During the hour-long meeting, Xia Qingtian listened attentively and interacted appropriately.
Li Mengxiao, ever perceptive, made sure to refill tea and water without missing a beat.
Wen Ning only spoke up when it came to specific questions about timelines and overall production progress.
Her tone remained cool, her words carrying an unyielding firmness.
Professor Zhou seemed long accustomed to Wen Ning’s demeanor and didn’t argue with her.
Brother Zhou, on the other hand, wiped sweat from his brow several times, intimidated by Wen Ning’s overwhelming presence.
He couldn’t help but think to himself: *No wonder the company assigned me such a cushy job—the catch was here all along.*
Still, Xia Qingtian’s high level of cooperation, easygoing nature, and striking beauty made him feel slightly better about the situation.
Once the next meeting time and agenda were set, the gathering finally came to an end.
After seeing Brother Zhou and Professor Zhou off, Wen Ning spoke up. "This company’s technical capabilities are solid. The contract will be handled by our legal team, so you don’t need to worry about the material requirements for the virtual idol. As for the voice bank and motion capture, that’ll depend on you."
"Professor Zhou is also a long-term collaborator with Gu Entertainment. Whether you can secure a lasting partnership with him is up to you."
With that, Wen Ning glanced at her watch and promptly dismissed her. "I have another meeting. You can go now."
"Okay, see you later, Ning." Though this wasn’t Xia Qingtian’s first time meeting Wen Ning, and she knew Wen Ning meant no harm, she still struggled to get used to her tone and attitude.
It wasn’t until she and Li Mengxiao had left Gu Entertainment that Xia Qingtian heard Li Mengxiao exclaim excitedly, "Qingtian, Ning must really believe in you! You’re definitely going to blow up!"
*Really...?*
Xia Qingtian blinked, unsure. Wen Ning’s attitude didn’t exactly scream *I believe in you*—more like *I don’t dislike you, and that’s good enough.*
"You might not know this, but Professor Zhou’s schedule is packed. He usually doesn’t write for newcomers. Ning personally went to invite him, and he only agreed out of respect for her," Li Mengxiao explained. "All the songs Ling Fenghan has been topping the charts with lately were written by Professor Zhou."
"Ling Fenghan?" That was a name Xia Qingtian knew well—he had been her idol for years in her past life!
But she also remembered that just a few years later, Ling Fenghan had been maliciously slandered by an obsessive fan and eventually disappeared from the industry.
It was only then that Xia Qingtian learned the truth: behind the vibrant persona on screen was someone who had been harassed for years by a stalker under the guise of "love," all while battling depression.
"You called me?" A clear, crisp male voice came from behind Xia Qingtian, startling her.
When she turned around, she found the face she’d only ever seen on screens now magnified right before her eyes.
Xia Qingtian stumbled back two steps, nearly losing her balance. If not for Li Mengxiao steadying her, she might have made a complete fool of herself.
"Am I really that scary?" Ling Fenghan touched his face, then looked at Xia Qingtian with a slightly hurt expression.
Xia Qingtian quickly waved her hands. "No, no! We were just talking about you when you showed up—it surprised me, that’s all."
"Professor Ling, we’re newly signed under Ning. This is Xia Qingtian—she’s collaborating with Professor Zhou soon," Li Mengxiao quickly added by way of explanation. "We were just discussing your recent chart-topping songs."
After hearing their explanation, Ling Fenghan laughed warmly and extended his hand. "Professor Zhou is amazing. Since we’re labelmates now, let’s look out for each other, okay?"
Xia Qingtian forced a smile and shook his hand. "Your new songs are incredible. You’re definitely going to win big at this year’s Golden Mic Awards."
"Thank you." After shaking hands with Xia Qingtian, Ling Fenghan did the same with Li Mengxiao before waving and jogging off at his assistant’s call—exuding boundless energy and joy.
Watching his retreating figure, Xia Qingtian’s gaze dimmed.
She remembered that Ling Fenghan had indeed swept the Golden Mic Awards that year—his final triumph before leaving the industry.
By her estimation, his stalker had already targeted him by now, and the seeds of his depression were beginning to sprout.
Maintaining such a cheerful facade must have been exhausting.
"Ling Fenghan is such a great guy!" Li Mengxiao gushed, rubbing her hands together. "I can’t believe he shook my hand—I’m never washing this hand again!"
Xia Qingtian could only chuckle helplessly before bidding Li Mengxiao farewell and heading straight back to the Xia residence.
Xia’s father was still working overtime, and Aunt Liu was out visiting friends, leaving only Xia Qingyu at home.
When Xia Qingtian returned, Xia Qingyu didn’t avoid her as she used to, instead nodding slightly in acknowledgment.
Noticing Xia Qingyu wearing headphones, Xia Qingtian walked over, plucked one earbud out, and slipped it into her own ear. "What are you listening to?"
The intimate gesture made Xia Qingyu stiffen slightly, but she cleared her throat and answered, "Ling Fenghan’s new song."
"You like him?" Xia Qingtian hadn’t realized Xia Qingyu was also a fan.
"Not really. The girls in my class are all listening to it, so I figured I’d give it a try," Xia Qingyu said.
"It’s really good…" As Ling Fenghan’s voice filled her ear, Xia Qingtian sighed softly. *Such a talented person…*
Just then, an electronic voice sounded in her mind.
**[The Chosen One System has been activated.
Option A: Get closer to Ling Fenghan and uncover the truth behind his departure from the industry. Reward: One Time Stopper (15-minute duration).
Option B: Stay out of it and mind your own business. Reward: A Golden Mic Award nomination next year, plus 100,000 yuan in cash.]**