Mature Fantasy Power Invasion

Chapter 54

Chapter 54

"Hey, Xiao Huan, come in, come in." Mrs. Zuo's face was caked with powder; in the back-lighting, the mismatch between her face and her neck was glaring.

"Sorry to bother you, Auntie."

"No bother at all. I saved those tickets just for you." She beamed and tugged Yan Huan inside.

He let his gaze flick over her overly bright smile and the hand clutching his arm, suspicion prickling. Too friendly?

Mrs. Zuo dragged over a chair and practically pushed him into it. Yan Huan thanked her and sat, glancing at Bai Yi's back in front of the vanity mirror.

"Yiyi."

At her mother's call the girl finally turned. Yan Huan was startled: there was no trace of recent tears. She had fixed her expression into a smile, though exhaustion still lurked at the edges of her eyes.

Loose black hair framed a single angel-wing hairpin above her right ear, tiny crystals glinting beneath it. Her make-up was flawless, fresh and pure. In her idol-style white-and-gold stage dress she sparkled under the lights—exactly the stunning beauty the press loved to gush about.

"President Yan."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, drew a steadying breath, and buried the last hints of fatigue and hurt. With one hundred percent idol energy she greeted him.

Yan Huan studied the forced composure, the smile pinned in place, while the wall clock ticked like dripping water—tick, tock.

His own face revealed nothing; he simply smiled. "Just Yan Huan is fine."

Mrs. Zuo pulled up another chair. "Exactly, kids these days and their titles. Sit, sit."

Yan Huan gave her a polite nod but said nothing. Mrs. Zuo sized him up, then leaned in.

"So, Xiao Huan, Auntie has a quick question."

"Go ahead, Auntie."

"Last week that Ye International set up a scholarship at your school, right? It's real?"

Yan Huan nodded. "Yes. It even covers living expenses on top of tuition, plus summer internships."

Mrs. Zuo smiled vaguely; the details bored her. She glanced at him again, choosing her words.

"Well... what exactly is your relationship with Ms. Ye Lan? The principal's secretary said she came to school just to see you."

Yan Huan finally understood the warmth. His expression didn't change, but behind him Bai Yi blurted, "Mom!"

Mrs. Zuo rolled her eyes at her daughter, then beamed back at Yan Huan. "Yiyi's uncle—my new husband—used to be Ms. Ye's junior. He's back in Linmen, so I'm just curious."

"No problem. Ms. Ye did visit last weekend; I spent it at her place."

"Ah, I see." Mrs. Zuo had heard enough to confirm the connection was special.

Yan Huan guessed the rest: her questions were groundwork for her husband.

"That Ms. Ye is still single, right? I heard her ex treated her and the child terribly. If there's a chance I could introduce her to someone—"

Yan Huan kept smiling, silent.

"Mom!"

Bai Yi's low growl cut through the room. Mrs. Zuo frowned at her daughter, then brightened again.

"Anyway, Xiao Huan, stay in touch with Auntie and Yiyi. I'll leave you young people to chat." She patted his shoulder fondly on her way out. "Yiyi, check the time."

Click—the door shut. Only the two of them remained, the clock still dripping—tick, tock.

Bai Yi forced a wry smile and gestured toward the door. "Sorry about my mom, President Yan."

"Yan Huan is enough."

"Ah—Yan Huan."

He exhaled. "I'm bad with adults, but for my idol I braved it. First time backstage—pretty cool."

"Idol, huh..." Color touched her cheeks; her nose tilted proudly.

"So, Bai Yi, will you sing today?"

She opened her mouth, the earlier pride shrinking in her eyes. Lips pressed together, she gave another brittle smile. "Not today."

"Stage rules?" He tilted his head. "It's a game and anime expo, after all."

"Golden Lion doesn't restrict guests as long as we file in advance. It's... well, artists have many paths, but sometimes we have to pick one." Her voice softened. "My mother chose one for me—probably the one the public likes."

She smoothed her hair, then flashed a practiced, dazzling grin. "Fans don't care who you really are; they just want the idol they've imagined. Pretty face, perfect persona—maybe that's enough."

Watching that polished smile, Yan Huan was certain she had donned it just for him.

Why?

She turned, picked up a flash drive, and held it out.

"As for singing—maybe later, as a hobby. Fans online keep asking about movies and variety shows, never the songs." Her eyes met his, gentle. "You're the first to say you're my fan and ask for a new song."

She pressed the drive into his hand. "I recorded the new track and backing track on here, plus lossless versions of my older songs. Consider it my first album—only a few tracks."

Answer to the unspoken why: Bai Yi treasured this rare, genuine fan.

So even after crying in secret, she could rearrange her face. Even after her mother's cringe-worthy display, she swallowed the embarrassment.

Yet as Yan Huan took the drive, his perfectly managed expression faltered for a heartbeat.

Only he and Meow-chan knew: he wasn't her fan at all—barely even a listener. Every compliment had been a calculated lie, part of the Modifier scheme.

He looked up at Bai Yi's hopeful smile, then at the flash drive in his palm. After a moment he accepted it. Perfect Expression Management snapped back into place; delight lit his face.

"This is incredible—I'll treasure it!"

"Don't make a big deal out of it."

Bai Yi waved a dismissive hand, then let her gaze drop to the hem of her skirt, unable to meet Yan Huan's eyes. She twisted her fingers together, hesitating, and finally spoke.

"Um... Yan Huan."

"What is it?"

"I... I need to apologise. I'm sorry."

Yan Huan blinked, his reflection caught in Bai Yi's downcast eyes, but all he allowed to show was mild curiosity. "An apology?"

"It's... it's like this." Bai Yi lifted her gaze again, her words slow and rusty. "I've been jealous of you for the longest time."

"Jealous? Why?"

"You cleared Eight-Saka's audition on your first try, right? And that was just the beginning—your grades, your reputation at school, everything."

She lowered her head once more, a faint, pretty smile still clinging to her lips.

"Honestly, you're good-looking, smart, hardworking, kind, and sincere. So my mother kept holding you up as the example I should follow. But which child wants to hear their mother praise someone else every single day? Over time, I grew jealous—no, I started to hate you."

She inhaled shakily. "But none of that is your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. It was my own narrow-mindedness. So... I'm sorry, Yan Huan."

Yan Huan tilted his head. "I see. Still, why apologise? There's an old saying: gentlemen judge deeds, not thoughts. Even if you felt that way, if you never acted on it, there's no need to apologise, right?"

"I—"

But I did act.

The paint on your desk, the pebbles thrown at you, the times I followed you... every bit of it was me—just never where you could see.

She couldn't admit the part about the pocket-watch; that would reveal her possession of Indifference. The words lodged in her throat. In the end, all she managed was a mumble.

"Anyway... I just wanted to say sorry."

Yan Huan knew exactly what she was apologising for—he'd already traced those incidents to her Modifier. He was more surprised by the apology itself; if he'd had a cheat like hers, treating someone to beef would have been the last thing on his mind. Yet here she was, owning up.

He studied her for a long moment, then gave a helpless little smile. "All right."

"At first, when I realised the person I envied was actually my own fan, I felt secretly pleased. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised the real me probably doesn't deserve to be anyone's idol—especially not yours."

When Yan Huan spoke, relief finally softened Bai Yi's face. She smiled—genuinely this time—and extended her hand.

"So, from now on, don't treat me as an idol. Just see me as a normal classmate... or maybe even a friend?"

A beat of silence. Yan Huan's lips curved; he didn't say yes or no, simply reached out and clasped her hand.

The moment their fingers touched, Bai Yi felt a weight slide off her heart. The bright smile she forced for Yan Huan could no longer hide the exhaustion and pain beneath it. She exhaled shakily.

Yan Huan noticed. "Tired, Bai Yi?"

"Ah... a little. I'm up soon. We rehearsed loads; it's just a short Q&A with the host and a couple of plants in the audience, nothing major."

"That's all?"

"That's all. Still... I'm nervous. Every time I step on stage, I feel it—the eyes of the executives, the audience, my mother."

As she spoke, the last trace of her smile vanished. But she plastered it back on because Yan Huan was still watching.

"I wish I could find a place where no one would ever find me... and just hide forever."

Then, as if catching herself, she brightened again. "Sorry for dumping all that on you. Hey—want to hear my new song? I just finished it!"

"Huh?"

Yan Huan raised the USB stick she'd given him earlier. Bai Yi's eyes widened; she'd forgotten he had no laptop—how was he supposed to plug a USB into a phone?

"Oh! Sorry, I totally blanked. Don't worry, I've got a backup on Plane. I'll send it."

She whipped out her phone and transferred the file, then watched him eagerly.

Yan Huan raised an eyebrow at the incoming file simply titled "A." He popped in two Bluetooth earbuds and hit play.

Silence settled over the lounge. For nearly four minutes, only the music existed. When the track ended, Yan Huan slipped the buds back into their case.

Bai Yi bit her lip, heart hammering. She opened her mouth to ask what he thought, but Yan Huan beat her to it.

"Bai Yi, during rehearsal, how long does the audience-interaction segment take?"

Huh?

Why isn't he saying anything about the song?

Does he hate it?

His voice seemed to blur; a high-pitched ringing filled her ears. Layered beneath it came her mother's relentless voice.

"That tune of yours? Don't embarrass yourself."

"Just stick to the plan I gave you."

"Image! Maintain your image!"

Each word cut like a blade, growing sharper, more rhythmic, until they merged into the steady drip-drip, tick-tock of a clock.

Bai Yi's eyes glazed over. Her mind went blank; answering felt automatic.

"About... seven and a half minutes."

"Got it." Yan Huan nodded.

Before he could say more, the door opened and Ji Lin stuck her head in.

"Yi-yi, ready? We need to head backstage."

"Y-yeah, all set."

Bai Yi snapped back to herself, the clock-sounds receding. She stood, complexion pale.

"I'll get going, then."

"You look unwell."

She shook her head quickly. "It's just the air-con—really chilly. See you."

"...Okay."

Yan Huan watched her leave. Once the door shut, his expression flattened. He pulled out his phone and opened Plane, navigating to An Le's newly added profile.

He hesitated, then tapped her Moments.

Sparse posts scrolled past beneath her signature line: "A girl's quiet ramblings."

Yan Huan kept scrolling.

"Xiao Huan's at school too! He's gotten so handsome, so outstanding. I feel so inadequate—after all these years I still can't do anything right. Has he forgotten me? Or if he remembers, would he even dare to admit knowing who I am now?"

"Got into Yuanyue! Mom and Dad are thrilled. But they say the students there are all rich and brilliant—someone like me will probably never make friends, haha~"

"Today a pregnant woman got robbed. When the thief ran past me, I grabbed him and wouldn't let go—almost got stabbed. Thank goodness others helped. I was terrified that night... If I'd died, Mom and Dad would've been heartbroken. And I still want to see Xiao Huan."

"Framed for stealing in Longguo. I swear I didn't do it. None of my classmates spoke up for me—kinda hurts."

"This year, Mom and Dad have to work on my birthday. I'll skip the cake to save money~"

Yan Huan's eyes lowered as he stared at the post on his phone, saying nothing.

Then, on his shoulder, a black cat materialised and meowed.

"When An Le added you on Plane, she probably forgot her Moments are full of stuff about you, meow~"

He scrolled to the end: a selfie she'd taken on her birthday, alone, no cake, in a cramped Longguo flat.

She wore a paper crown, smiling like a fool who had everything she needed.

Looking at that smile, Yan Huan locked the screen.

He drew a long breath, leaned back in his chair and murmured,

"She's always been careless."

"Meow~"

"Meow-chan... actually, I'm the one who's only ever seen what I wanted to see, aren't I?"

"Meow?"

"Ever since the Modifier marked me, I've treated the girls—the hosts—as if they were the Modifier itself."

He lowered his gaze to the flash drive Bai Yi had given him. A strip of tape on it read, in handwriting,

"For Xiao Huan~"

"Bai Yi"

His fingers closed tighter around the plastic shell.

"So I treated them like enemies that could wreck my life.

When An Le became a host, I was more lost than ever.

But, Meow-chan, that view was probably just wishful thinking on my part.

Before the Modifier chose them, they were themselves—people living in this world, just like me."

He glanced at the cat with its tail held high.

"Bai Yi's mother has her cornered. An Le's been lonely since we parted. Even Ye Shiyu—Bai Yi's mom just said her father treats her terribly.

For them the Modifier is bait for ruin, but strip away that filter and I still have to find out, with my own eyes, whether they're truly evil."

Meow-chan blinked. "What about Spencer?"

Yan Huan blinked back. After a pause he said,

"Spencer's the exception."

"Meow?"

The cat's sleek black tail brushed his neck. Yan Huan finally exhaled.

He opened his phone, opened the chat box on Plane, and sent An Le the first move: a cat-face sticker.

"Found Spencer?"

A short silence, then a hurried reply:

"Found her, Xiao Huan! We'll watch one show at the main stage and leave—Spencer's feeling a little off."

Off? The bull-strong Spencer?

"Good. The student council will probably be team-building till late. Take care on the way home—see you at school tomorrow."

He added,

"From now on, your Moments won't be a one-girl monologue."

"!!"

An Le had just realised he'd scrolled through years of her cringeworthy posts.

She'd be mortified by now—too embarrassed to delete them or leave them.

Cute, An Le.

He closed the phone, slipped the flash drive into his pocket and rolled his shoulders.

"Meow~"

Meow-chan tilted her head. "Bai Yi's going onstage soon. What do we do, meow? Meet up with Sakuramiya and Hashimoto?"

"No."

"Meow?"

Yan Huan smiled, fatigue and confusion gone. Confidence flashed in his eyes.

"We're going to deal with the Modifier—but maybe more than just the Modifier."

Meow-chan didn't understand, yet she trusted him.

His hand was already on the doorknob of the lounge.

"Since she apologised..."

The next second the door swung open onto a corridor buzzing with pre-show chaos.

"Coming through!"

"Where's the B-group supervisor?!"

"Lighting tech, over here!"

"Media teacher, sound is all yours—shouldn't be much, you can handle it alone, right?"

"Everyone! Watch the clock!! Stick to the rehearsal order!!"

Yan Huan shut the door behind him and, with Meow-chan beside him, stepped into the hush that remained beneath the clamour—

the steady tick-tock of a clock,

tap... tap... tap...