Tang Zheng was He Xiu's college classmate. Finding the school clubs uninteresting during their university days, he founded his own music club, which included singers, instrumentalists, and composers. He Xiu was also pulled into this group.
Everyone thought that this small group would disband after graduation, but unexpectedly, despite everyone being busy with their own lives, under Tang Zheng's persistence, not only did the club not dissolve, it grew stronger and became a well-known online music team.
He Xiu glanced at the time and said to Tang Zheng on the phone, "I haven't forgotten, I'm still at the company, I'll be heading home soon."
Tang Zheng was a bit worried, "Will you make it? The number of people online is almost fifty thousand now, many are here just waiting for you!"
"Don't worry, with Big J's talkative nature, the concert definitely won't end on time."
Tang Zheng: "..."
He actually found it hard to refute.
"Hurry up then, if you're late, the girls will revolt."
"Yeah, so stop wasting my time."
Tang Zheng: "..."
He hung up the phone with a snap.
Approaching eleven o'clock, Lin Zhen was still sitting on Jian Yan's sofa listening to the concert. Jian Yan had already finished her shower and was now scribbling in a notebook nearby.
"Today was the first day at Starlight Department Store, where I was assigned to the Dream Closet. I think it's a great sales floor; there are clothes of various prices and styles, allowing me to interact with all sorts of customers..."
She was earnestly recalling the events worth recording from today, which would later become her precious material. Suddenly, the host's voice rose an octave, breaking the quiet night, "Ah, ah, I see it, the person you've been waiting for has come online!"
With his words, even Lin Zhen perked up, "Is it Great Nan Si?"
Jian Yan glanced sideways at her, "It's already late at night, please keep your voice down."
Lin Zhen smiled and made a zip-my-lips gesture.
She quieted down, but the host's noisy voice continued, "Alright, don't get too excited, we haven't even gotten the second mic yet, you guys are almost flooding the chat. Oh, how annoying, I won't invite him up, let's chat for ten more minutes."
"Damn, Big J is getting more and more mean," Lin Zhen muttered softly, typing furiously on the keyboard.
"You little devils are so heartbreaking, I've been hosting for so long, and you say such things, wah wah wah." Big J whimpered pitifully before returning to normal, "Alright, Great Nan Si, give everyone a greeting."
There was a moment of silence, then came a man's voice, "Good evening everyone, I am Nan Si."
Jian Yan's hand paused while writing, she could hardly believe that within one day, she could hear two such pleasant male voices.
"The chat is going crazy, you girls need to be a bit more reserved," Big J's voice sounded again, "Those who are typing 'get out,' don't think I didn't see it! Alright, I'm leaving!"
After the host stepped down, it became Nan Si's show: "Well, sorry for making everyone wait, I just got off work."
Jian Yan quietly leaned over, watching the messages fly across the screen.
"Ahhhhhahh, husband!"
"Husband, you're working so hard, I'll support you!"
"Husband, you're lying, you just got up from my bed!"
"Ahhhhhahh, kiss me, hug me, lift me high!"
Jian Yan: "..."
She felt the host was right; these girls should indeed be more reserved.
Nan Si said, "Since it's so late tonight, I'll sing a sentimental song. I'll send everyone a song called 'She Doesn't Love Me,' hoping you like it."
The slow prelude began to play, followed by Nan Si's magnetic voice, "She doesn't love me, when we hold hands it's too cold, when we embrace, it's not close enough..."
Although Nan Si's voice wasn't particularly soft, as described by those in the industry, it was a solid attack-type voice. But strangely, his singing had a magical quality that could warm up even winter.
"I know, she doesn't love me, her eyes speak her mind..."
When he reached the chorus, the feeling of being deeply touched was similar to what she experienced when talking to He Xiu earlier.
The chat messages flew past like machine-gun fire, but unfortunately, a song's duration was too short to convey their adoration fully.
In these brief four minutes, Jian Yan was completely immersed in Nan Si's singing, as if experiencing a fleeting romance.
"Sang too beautifully, didn't you!" Big J's voice brought everyone back to reality, "But since you're here today, we can't let you go after just one song, right?"
The screen filled with a chorus of "Right."
Big J said, "See everyone's hearts, do you have anything else you want to say?"
Nan Si replied, "Thank you for the gifts everyone sent."
"Just that?! Great Nan Si, don't try to get away with it."
Nan Si laughed and asked, "What else do you want to hear?"
As soon as he spoke, the screen started filling with requests for "mic kiss" and "majestic and domineering."
Big J coughed and said, "Mic kisses are probably impossible, Great Nan Si has never given a mic kiss, and 'majestic and domineering'... even less likely. How about this, everyone knows Great Nan Si's impersonation skills are amazing, why don't you give us a mature female voice?"
"Hahaha, good job, Big J!" Lin Zhen excitedly slapped the table, Jian Yan looked at her, and she immediately sat properly.
Nan Si paused, then spoke again in a splendid mature female voice, "Little brother, shall I teach you some happy things?"
"Ahhhhhhh." Lin Zhen couldn't control herself and exclaimed, the screen filled with "ahs" and "happy things."
Jian Yan was stunned again, was this voice really coming from him?
Even Big J went wild, "Wife Nan Si, Mother Nan Si! It's too nice!"
Jian Yan: "..."
What is this, it's too naughty to listen to.
Big J calmed down and proposed new demands to Nan Si, "The mature female voice is passed, now we want a deep voice that's super soothing!"
Nan Si said, "That's not difficult at all." He paused slightly, then in a deep and charming voice, said, "Goodnight, little fairies."
The screen was filled with "ahs" as if they had sound effects, almost spilling out of the screen.
"My goodness, too soothing, smart as I am, I recorded it!" Big J laughed, "But why only flirt with the chat, say goodnight to Big J too!"
Nan Si said, "In front of so many ladies, I really don't want to call such an impure name."
Big J was unconvinced, "You clearly said something as naughty as 'happy things'!"
"What's naughty about happy things? You guys are naughty."
"... Alright, can I ask why you're so good at impersonations?"
Nan Si thought for a moment, "Maybe because I'm good-looking."
"..." Big J was silent for three seconds, "If you're so good-looking, dare you speak a sentence in your real voice?"
"Hmm? This is my real voice."
"No way." Big J's voice was full of doubt, "Okay, since Great Nan Si said goodnight, let's let him go, goodbye, Great Nan Si~"
"Goodbye, everyone."
After Nan Si left the mic, the concert continued, but Jian Yan no longer planned to listen. She picked up her pen and notebook and headed upstairs, "I'm going to sleep, you continue listening."
"Oh, okay." Lin Zhen glanced at her retreating figure and put on her headphones.
After Jian Yan returned to her room, she couldn't fall asleep, her head full of Nan Si's voice. This restless emotion was something she had never experienced before, and until today, she hadn't realized she was a voice connoisseur.
"Ahjussi!" Jian Yan took off her eye mask, sat up in bed, and grabbed the tablet next to her, turning it on. She searched for Nan Si and easily found his Weibo account.
"Over eighty thousand followers." Jian Yan blinked, seeing his profile read, "Busy, contact for work matters, only accepting songs of interest."
Oh, seems pretty high-profile.
Nan Si updated his Weibo very infrequently, with the most recent post half a month ago, and the comments were all from fans urging him to update. His posts were simple, either sharing songs or photos of food or scenery.
"This must be in City A." Jian Yan looked at the buildings in the photo, seemingly lost in thought. She browsed through his homepage and found an audio file, an original song.
The songwriter and composer names were the same as Nan Si's. Jian Yan put on her headphones and clicked play, her restless heart finally calming down gradually in his singing.
This person is toxic.
She couldn't remember how many times she looped the song, but when she woke up the next morning, the tablet was out of power.
She tidied herself up and went downstairs to work. Lin Zhen's heels were still outside her door, indicating she hadn't left yet. Jian Yan didn't have time to worry about her and took her car keys and left.
Starlight Department Store opened at nine in the morning, but employees needed to clock in by eight twenty, with a formal morning meeting held at eight thirty. Jian Yan ran into Xiao Shao, whom she met yesterday, in front of the time clock. He recognized her immediately and greeted her warmly, "Good morning, beautiful."
Jian Yan barely managed a smile, her lips slightly curled.
Due to her unusual emotions last night, she thought her androphobia might have suddenly improved, but now it seemed not to be the case.
After clocking in, she quickly left, thinking that perhaps she was just too emotional last night due to it being late.
Arriving at Dream Closet, Jian Yan noticed that the models in front of the Bunny counter had changed into new outfits. She was puzzled and asked a colleague nearby, "These are...?"
"Oh, these are the collaboration items between Bunny and Sugar Paper. You know Sugar Paper, right? The famous manga artist, these clothes are all designed by her in her comics."
"Mm... I know this, but are these clothes already on sale today?"
"Yes, yesterday Bunny's official website and Sugar Paper's Weibo announced the release together."
Jian Yan was bewildered, "Ah?"