Chapter 806: Yan Zhusheng

Saturday evening, nearing seven o'clock.

In the Zhenjiang dormitory at Qianjiang University, Cheng Jinyan lay face-down on his bed, clutching his phone eagerly.

This time Su Wei was not there—she had gone out on a date with her boyfriend—leaving only Shen Zhaoyin still in the dorm room to keep her company.

"Zhusheng said she'd start streaming on time," Cheng Jinyan said to Shen Zhaoyin immediately after finishing a WeChat chat with Yan Zhusheng, still holding his phone tightly, "I didn't expect her to start streaming again so soon—I'm so envious…"

"Envious of what?" Shen Zhaoyin asked casually, sitting at her desk, her phone mounted on a stand beside her, textbooks spread out on the table, her expression calm.

"Of course I'm envious of her having so many fans!" Cheng Jinyan couldn't help exclaiming, "Think about it—we got into the Music Academy precisely so one day we could become famous all over the world."

"And look—Zhusheng's only a freshman, yet she's already achieved that goal!"

"Over four million followers on Douyin—hard to even imagine."

"I originally thought that even though Zhusheng has such an incredible mother and such an incredible boyfriend…"

"To become as famous as Aunt Yuan, it would still take a very, very long time."

"But now it seems like she doesn't even need that much time."

Shen Zhaoyin had no strong thoughts on the matter; her phone displayed Yan Zhusheng's promotional short video, posted just hours earlier in the afternoon, and she kept refreshing the comment section.

There was one comment she herself had posted—highly visible on her own account—【Will Chongran come to the livestream today?】

…

Seven o'clock in the evening.

Yan Zhusheng's livestream opened on time.

Unlike Yuan Wanqing's previous livestream, which had a recording studio as its backdrop, Yan Zhusheng's current livestream setup was much simpler.

From the livestream's perspective, the viewer faced directly at Yan Zhusheng's streaming desk, with a microphone placed in front of it.

Behind her seat, to the left, was a window offering a direct view of the night outside.

To the right rear was a bookshelf, filled with a stack of music-related books and albums, serving as a subtle backdrop decoration.

But most viewers paid little attention to the background—upon entering the livestream, they were instantly captivated by Yan Zhusheng's stunning beauty and had no interest in anything else.

【Here she is! Here she is!】

【Finally started streaming!】

【Zhusheng, Zhusheng~ Long time no see~】

【Zhusheng is still so beautiful】

【So beautiful! So beautiful!】

Yan Zhusheng sat demurely before the camera, blinking at the lens and waving her hand forward.

◆CO

"Can you see clearly? Hello? Can you hear me?"

【I can see clearly】

【We hear you!】

【What are you going to do in today's livestream?】

【Where's Chongran? Isn't he here?】

【Where is this livestream taking place?】

"Let's do a giveaway first," Yan Zhusheng said, following the livestream schedule designed by Ying Chanxi before the stream began, "Let me see what you all asked—I can only answer the ones I can."

"Hmm… Chongran? Li Luo isn't here today."

"I'm in the company's livestream studio—this place was specially arranged."

"Yeah, as long as nothing comes up, I'll livestream every weekend."

"Today's stream will last one hour."

Yan Zhusheng carefully replied to each comment on the screen.

But her response speed clearly couldn't keep up with the pace of the comments.

【So what's your real relationship with Chongran? Last time he ran off too fast!】

"We're good friends," Yan Zhusheng replied seriously.

【Company? Is this the same place as last time? Is Aunt Qing here too?】

"No, my mom's studio is downtown, not here," Yan Zhusheng shook her head, "The company I signed with is run by Li Luo."

【Huh? Huh huh huh?!】

【Something's up!】

【Why is Chongran the one who runs the company?】

【Aunt Qing already has her own studio—aren't you her daughter? Why sign under Chongran's name?】

【Something's fishy! Something's fishy!】

Yan Zhusheng blinked, pretending not to see, then clicked her mouse to select a backing track of a song.

"I'll sing a song first."

After the giveaway, Yan Zhusheng sang the theme song of Little Joy.

Meanwhile, in the Zhenjiang dormitory, Cheng Jinyan was frantically typing comments on his phone.

【She's nervous! She's nervous!】

【Hahahaha!】

"Hahahaha~" Cheng Jinyan rolled around on his bed, laughing as he typed, kicking his feet, "I'm dying laughing—Zhusheng stubbornly insists she's just good friends with Li Luo."

"But how come good friends sign under his company?"

"Why not sign under her mom's studio?"

"If you sign under your mom's studio, it's basically the same as signing under your husband's, right~"

"Hahahahaha~ This is so interesting~"

Shen Zhaoyin glanced at Cheng Jinyan, who was laughing hysterically, then silently stared at the Douyin live stream interface on her phone; hearing Yan Zhusheng say Li Luo wasn't here today, she let out a disappointed sigh.

In the live stream, after Yan Zhusheng finished her song, the rhythm finally settled into place.

"What songs do you want to hear? Type them in the chat." Yan Zhusheng displayed a blank playlist in the upper right corner.

She listed songs that appeared frequently in the chat, arranging them in order.

"Then let's sing this one next."

Between songs, Yan Zhusheng casually answered one or two questions.

【Is Yan Zhusheng really still a freshman?】

"Yes, I just enrolled this September, same school as Li Luo."

【So when are you planning to officially debut? Like, releasing your first solo album?】

"You'll have to ask Li Luo—he says he'll take care of it."

【No wonder you signed under Chongran's company—after all, Qingjie can't write songs, but Li Luo can.】

【Ah, that makes sense!】

【Now it all adds up—good singers are always more common than good songs.】

The viewers were good at filling in the blanks.

For parts Yan Zhusheng didn't answer, they filled in their own explanations—no need for her to invent other excuses.

Since Yan Zhusheng had already said she was good friends with Li Luo, most viewers were willing to believe it.

After all, everyone preferred to imagine such a stunningly beautiful girl as still single.

Even if they knew they had no chance, they still fantasized a little.

The live stream continued.

Yan Zhusheng sang three or four songs in succession, and half the broadcast time had already passed.

When she reached the middle of her fifth song, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

Yan Zhusheng paused, her gaze clearly shifting past the camera toward the direction behind her desk.

The chat exploded instantly.

【Huh?】

【Who is it?】

【Someone's knocking?】

"Come in," Yan Zhusheng called toward the door.

The viewers then heard the sound of the door opening behind her.

Then they heard Yan Zhusheng say: "Why are you here?"

【Who? Who? Who?!】

【Could it be Qingjie?】

【Or Chongran?】

【Hey Yan Zhusheng, why'd you mute the mic?!】

The viewers saw Yan Zhusheng press a key on her keyboard—the live audio cut out—and immediately panicked.

All they could see was her lips moving, but heard nothing she said—helplessly waiting in the live stream.

【I'd give anything to crawl inside the camera.】

【Like you didn't already suspect this.】

【Who exactly is she talking to?】

【Probably just staff coming in to say something.】

【But she just said 'Why are you here?'—sounded surprised. Doesn't seem like staff.】

Once curiosity took hold, the viewers couldn't stop it.

Fortunately, Yan Zhusheng didn't mute the mic long—she spoke a few words to the door, nodded, then quickly unmuted the mic.

"I'm back," Yan Zhusheng said toward the camera. "Something came up, so I muted the mic."

【What could be so secret you can't say it in front of us? Are we outsiders now?】

【Exactly!】

【So who just came in?】

【Spill it!】

"Oh, that was Li Luo."

Yan Zhusheng didn't hide anything—she told the viewers plainly, "He asked me to mute the mic. I thought it was unnecessary."

"He just asked if I wanted to go get barbecue after the stream ends."

"I thought I had nothing else planned tonight, so I said yes."

【Did Chongran come too?】

【Didn't you just say he wasn't here?】

【Why didn't you let him in?!】

【Call him in!】

【This bastard! What a goddamn lucky life—he gets to take Yan Zhusheng out for barbecue, ughhh!】

【Yan Zhusheng, be careful—you can't let this guy take advantage of you!】

Yan Zhusheng blinked at the scrolling chat, thinking to herself: if Li Luo wanted to take advantage of her, she'd welcome it gladly.

"Do you want me to call him in?" Yan Zhusheng asked. "But I don't have another chair—I'll have to get one brought in."

【What's the big deal? Let him stand!】

【What status does Chongran even have? How dare he sit in our livestream?】

【Let him livestream while typing beside you, haha】

"I'll go call him—he's probably in the office," Yan Zhusheng stood up and said to the camera, "Wait for me a moment, okay? If he refuses to come, there's nothing I can do—he's the boss after all."

After saying that, Yan Zhusheng walked out of the livestream room.

Despite the host's departure, the livestream room grew even noisier, with everyone saying something different.

Many viewers even went straight to Li Luo's fan groups, shouting to get people to come watch the livestream.

Soon after, the sound of the door opening echoed again through the livestream room.

Everyone grew eager.

【Here he comes! Here he comes!】

【Where is he? Hurry over!】

【Yan Zhusheng's back—where's Chongran?】

【Is he putting on airs?】

【He won't even come?】

"He's here," Yan Zhusheng sat down and said to the camera, "But he went to find a chair—he'll be right over."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Li Luo walked into frame carrying a chair, glanced at the camera twice, then nudged Yan Zhusheng: "Move over a bit—this shot won't fit me otherwise."

【Hey hey hey! What are you doing with your hands? Behave!】

【Shoving around—what kind of conduct is this? Don't touch my Zhusheng!】

【Can the boss treat employees like this? I'm reporting you!】

【Holy shit! Li Luo actually showed up?】

In Zhenjiang Dorm, Cheng Jinyan stared in surprise, then grinned with delight, shouting down to Shen Zhaoyin: "Zhao Yin! Zhao Yin! Are you still watching?"

"Watching," Shen Zhaoyin nodded, eyes locked on her phone screen, sweeping between Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng, and reminding her roommate, "Shh, keep it quiet."

Meanwhile, Li Luo had carried the chair and sat to Yan Zhusheng's right, placing a laptop on the desk as well.

"What's that for?" Yan Zhusheng turned to look at the laptop, puzzled.

"Typing," Li Luo chuckled. "Someone in the chat suggested it—perfect, I was due to write at this time anyway."

【Laughing so hard! You're actually typing?】

【Yan Zhusheng livestreams singing, and you just sit beside him typing?】

【666, no surprise it's you】

"That laptop was my gift to you," Yan Zhusheng blinked, suddenly pointing at Li Luo's laptop. "I noticed you always use it on business trips."

【Holy shit? You say you're just good friends? You even gave him a laptop!】

【Damn it, Chongran!】

"What else?" Li Luo said. "Since your gift still works, why buy a new one?" As he spoke, he opened the laptop, clearly preparing to type.

"Will my singing disturb you?" Yan Zhusheng asked.

"No," Li Luo replied. "It doesn't affect me." He turned the laptop screen toward the camera, showing viewers. "This chapter still has zero words."

"Let's play a game."

"From now until Yan Zhusheng's livestream ends, there's half an hour left."

"When there are only three minutes left before the stream ends, we'll hold a prize guessing game."

"Guess how many words I've written in this chapter."

"If it's 2600, count it as 3000; if it's 2400, count it as 2000—just round to the nearest thousand. Simple enough?"

"We'll draw twenty lucky viewers from those who guess right, and give them our grand prize."

【Good good good, you know how to have fun】

【How much can you write in half an hour? If I had half an hour for a Chinese exam, I'd barely write three or four hundred words】

【This isn't writing an essay—online novel authors type fast. Half an hour's probably a couple thousand words】

【What are you thinking? This is Chongran! That bastard's a famous tentacle monster—minimum two or three thousand words】

【But Yan Zhusheng's singing's right beside him—if someone sang while I was doing homework, I'd go crazy】

Watching viewers in the chat guess how many words Li Luo would write, Yan Zhusheng grew dissatisfied and couldn't help poking Li Luo's arm.

"You came, but don't steal the spotlight—this is my livestream room."

"What? Didn't you insist I come over just now?" Li Luo chuckled. "I'm your boss now—this is how you talk to your boss?"

【Getting cocky?】

【Yan Zhusheng bite him!】

【Don't bully my Zhusheng!】

【I feel like I'm shipping something…】

"Then start typing," Yan Zhusheng blinked. "But I'm going to distract you."

"Fine," Li Luo laughed. "But no direct physical contact—no physical interference."

"Okay," Yan Zhusheng nodded seriously. "Then start."