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The surprise was so unexpected that Xiao Chen grinned from ear to ear.

As a conscientious subordinate, Xiao Chen glanced at the newcomers in the studio, filled with ambition.

He was determined to work hard for the boss, he couldn’t let these newbies steal the boss’s ‘favor’!

Thus, Xiao Chen tactfully said, “Well, boss, I’ll go instruct the newcomers on office workflows. I won’t disturb you any further.”

It was a rare day off for the boss. He certainly couldn’t get in the way of the boss, who was so lovestruck it was breaking his usual cool persona, enjoying his date!

Jing Heguang: ???

His subordinate didn’t want to engage anymore, and as the boss, there wasn’t much he could do. He couldn’t exactly force the guy to praise him, so he just hung up the phone.

However…Xiao Chen, say goodbye to your bonus!

After Xiao Chen hung up, Luan Xing’an spoke up: “I think I heard something about a trending topic?”

“Huh?” Jing Heguang feigned ignorance. “It’s probably just me trending again.”

Luan Xing’an didn’t use Weibo often, though he did have the popular app installed.

“Brother Jing, it’s not convenient for you to check while driving, let me take a look for you.” He unlocked his phone, eager to help.

Jing Heguang was a huge star, so Luan Xing’an found it normal for him to trend. However, he never expected that he would be trending too.

Curious, Luan Xing’an opened Weibo and navigated to the trending topics page.

He discovered that the top trending topic was: #JingHeguangBoyfriendSuspectedToBeRevealed#.

He clicked on it to view the photos.

The first photo was of him and Jing Heguang!

Luan Xing’an was momentarily stunned. Seeing his silence, Jing Heguang asked, “What is it? Is someone badmouthing me?”

Luan Xing’an looked a bit bewildered. “We were photographed while out shopping, and the internet thinks I’m your boyfriend…but we didn’t really do anything, did we?”

Luan Xing’an looked at the grid of nine photos but couldn’t find anything that looked overly intimate or suggestive enough to make people jump to that conclusion. “Brother Jing, do you want to post a clarification on Weibo?” Luan Xing’an was a bit flustered, having never dealt with a situation like this before.

Jing Heguang pulled over to the right in a temporary parking zone, glanced out, and remarked, “Do we really have that much CP chemistry?”

After that comment, Jing Heguang took his phone. “We’re trending at number one anyway, might as well make our official announcement right now. Let’s capitalize on the free publicity while it’s hot!”

Luan Xing’an asked, “An official announcement?”

“Exactly.” Jing Heguang pointed his phone at Luan Xing’an. “Let me snap a photo of you first.”

Luan Xing’an froze the moment the camera lens was aimed at him.

Jing Heguang felt that, beyond being a genius at cooking and manufacturing CP chemistry, he was also a natural at photography. The composition and lighting of his casual shots were excellent!

So, Jing Heguang snapped away, taking a whole series of photos of Luan Xing’an.

With so many photos, he could release one publicly and keep the rest for his own private viewing!

After finishing the photos, Jing Heguang had Luan Xing’an register a new Weibo account. The plan was for Luan Xing’an to post a greeting once Jing Heguang had made his announcement.

“The main account is for the public to see, while you can keep using your old alt account for your own fun.”

After giving these instructions, Jing Heguang selected a photo that captured Luan Xing’an’s youthful charm and posted it with the hashtag #JingHeguangBoyfriendRumor.

@JingHeguang: A talented newcomer from my studio, his singing is absolutely amazing. @LuanXing’an [Image.jpg]

Hearing the notification sound, Luan Xing’an felt a tingle of nervous apprehension as he drafted the first post for his new account.

He typed and deleted words repeatedly, finally settling on a dry, simple phrase under Jing Heguang’s patient, expectant gaze.

@LuanXing’an: Hello, everyone.

After posting it, Luan Xing’an asked in a low voice, “Is it…is it too dry?”

He was annoyed with himself for being so slow-witted. Whenever he got nervous, that was the only phrase he could remember. Jing Heguang said, “Just being polite is enough. All you have to do is repost that Weibo post of mine.”

Luan Xing’an scratched his short hair and reposted Jing Heguang’s post.

This time, he made an effort to sound studious while acting cute.

@Luan Xing’an: Boss sings even even even even even better! (*^▽^*) Reposting //@Jing Heguang: …

Jing Heguang praised him further: “This emoticon looks just like you, an adorable young guy. The fans are sure to love it.”

As Jing Heguang guided him step-by-step, Luan Xing’an felt reassured, thinking: Maybe…being a star isn’t actually that hard?

***

Over the next twenty days, aside from essential work, Jing Heguang dedicated his time to helping Luan Xing’an improve.

Luan Xing’an was incredibly talented at writing his own lyrics and composing music, and the songs actually sounded great, which made it even more impressive. He also had a great look, a small, photogenic face and a solid physique.

However, his issues were equally obvious.

First: He was stiff in front of the camera, almost as if he were under a spell, and didn’t know what to say. His reactions were average, and he lacked quick wit.

Second: Regarding his vocal abilities, such as breath control and technique. While he could play to his strengths and mask weaknesses through song selection in the short term, these were issues he ultimately had to overcome. He couldn’t just cut corners forever.

Jing Heguang had them wear silly masks and use voice-changing sound cards, and the two of them would goof around on livestream broadcasts with their faces hidden.

After a few days, Luan Xing’an had clearly become much more outgoing and learned the right mindset for handling and facing the negativity found online.

On top of that, Jing Heguang dug up all the vocal techniques the original owner had learned and used them to give Luan Xing’an extra lessons.

Worried he might not explain certain points well enough, Jing Heguang even contacted his former teacher to ask detailed questions, quietly boosting the teacher’s opinion of him in the process.

To think a massive star like him would want to come back and revisit seemingly useless basic skills, it’s truly rare!

Twenty days later, Jing Heguang, the boss, was finally set to make an appearance at the office. Upon learning that his boss intended to bring Luan Xing’an over to help him build confidence and gain experience, Xiao Chen wasn’t the least bit surprised, in fact, he remained completely unfazed.

His boss was no longer the cold, ruthless, and terrifying tyrant who loved to berate people. He had transformed into someone whose mind was entirely occupied by romance rather than work.

***

Inside the studio.

Jing Heguang arrived with Luan Xing’an and introduced him to the team.

The staff members were visibly excited.

They had joined the studio primarily because Jing Heguang was an artist with a promising future, working with him meant good money.

Yet, after more than twenty days on the job, this was the first time they were seeing their boss in the flesh! It had been quite a wait, some had even started to wonder if they’d been scammed.

Jing Heguang said a few brief words of encouragement to the staff, then under the guise of evaluating his talent, asked them to listen to Luan Xing’an sing.

Clutching his guitar and facing the crowd that had suddenly gathered, Luan Xing’an finally felt the tangible reality of performing before an audience.

Live performance was different from online streaming, this was the final lesson Jing Heguang had prepared for him.

Luan Xing’an held his guitar and glanced at Jing Heguang.

Jing Heguang gave him a thumbs-up gesture of encouragement.

Luan Xing’an took a deep breath, strummed the strings, and began to sing.

He was performing a new song, one with a livelier tempo and more impact than the track he’d chosen for his audition video, making it better suited for leaving a lasting impression.

And, of course, the song itself was incredibly melodious.

The staff had been briefed by Xiao Chen beforehand, so from the start, their expressions clearly conveyed their keen interest and curiosity.

As soon as Luan Xing’an’s distinctive voice rang out, several of the listeners straightened up in their seats, paying close attention.

As the lyrics unfolded line by line, they revealed the impulsive passion, mild vexation, and sweet joy of young love, unfolding like a romantic tale and resonating like a poem that lingers in the memory long after the first listen.

Some voices are imbued with emotion and can effortlessly convey a wide range of feelings, the same is true for lyrics. Luan Xing’an’s lyrics are rich with emotional depth, capturing a listener’s heart with just a few well-chosen words.

The studio team felt that Xiao Chen, the new manager, was being far too green. Did a singer-songwriter of such caliber really need empty flattery? He was clearly a future superstar in the making.

As the listeners became fully engrossed, Jing Heguang listened with a look of pure enchantment.

The original owner certainly possessed musical talent, Jing Heguang could hear that the emotions in Luan Xing’an’s singing were even more profound, and his vocal stability was astonishing.

In short, Luan Xing’an’s live performance was even better than the recording. He was a natural-born performer, a man made for the stage.

As the song concluded, it felt as though everyone had been transported back to their youth.

When the final note faded, applause erupted in unison. Though the audience was small, every single person responded with wholehearted enthusiasm, clearly captivated by the song.

After finishing the song, Luan Xing’an’s gaze fell upon Jing Heguang’s face. He scuffed his feet uneasily against the floor, a faint blush rising on his cheeks.

Luan Xing’an felt a bit flustered: why was it that while singing this love song, his mind had been filled with thoughts of brother Jing?

When Jing Heguang stepped forward to speak, Luan Xing’an slipped to the side and shook his head vigorously.

It must be because brother Jing had been treating him so well lately, it was giving him the wrong idea!

Luan Xing’an could sense that the current Jing Heguang was very different from the one he used to know.

In the past, brother Jing had likely been under immense pressure, busy trying to make a name for himself and break free from the company so he sometimes said things that were a bit harsh.

But the current Jing Heguang seemed to have undergone a transformation, being around him felt incredibly comfortable.

Plus, perhaps brother Jing felt guilty about having used his song previously and was now trying hard to make it up to him. It was almost like…like having an older brother, you know? It felt like he was being guided as he grew.

No one had ever treated him quite like this before. His grandmother’s kindness lay in raising him and cherishing him deeply, a different kind of care entirely from what he received from brother Jing.

As Luan Xing’an’s thoughts wandered, new musical notes suddenly popped into his head. He hummed a few bars and hurriedly jotted down the melody in his small notebook.

He had been finding more and more inspiration lately, it was truly a run of good fortune.

***

Three days later, the recording for Voice of Heaven began.

Luan Xing’an first headed to the Green Channel’s production headquarters to join thirty-nine other young men, all under the age of twenty-five, for the preliminary selection round.

The forty trainees wheeled their suitcases into their respective dormitories.

At 3:00 PM, before they had even managed to get to know one another properly, they were ushered onto the stage for the preliminary selection.

Voice of Nature adopted the format of talent competition variety shows, but with a key distinction: the focus was squarely on the voice rather than elaborate song-and-dance routines. Since large-scale group performances weren’t the priority, the initial roster of contestants was capped at forty.

At the same time, the production team wanted, much like those talent shows, to showcase the contestants’ individual charisma. The goal was to pave a smoother career path for talented young singers and inject fresh blood into the music industry.

The first person to appear on stage was the director. In a brief one-minute address, he spoke about the show’s innovative nature and future vision, emphasizing that the production team was committed to being pure and unpretentious, operating with complete openness and transparency.

The contestants were somewhat taken aback: with such a bold declaration made right out in the open, were they really going to play it completely transparently?

The balding director smiled faintly and then stepped aside.

Then, the lights went dark before flashing back on. The mentors took the stage one by one, each leading a performance.

Zhang Qi was the first to appear. As soon as she began to sing, the contestants naturally joined in, singing along in unison to one of her most famous classic songs.

Luan Xing’an hummed along too, fully immersed in the music.

However, Luan Xing’an was unaware that the person standing three spots to his left had caught a glimpse of his face and was struck with utter astonishment.

Author’s Note: This story is likely going to be quite long. (Sounding a bit uncertain)

T/N: This world will be quite long indeed (๑>◡<๑)