“As long as you like it.”
The girl looked up, a faint blush still lingering on her face. She breathed out gently, her hidden emotions drifting toward the sky like mist. She reached out and cupped Xu Xiaoyou’s face, her eyelashes trembling slightly as her eyes curved into crescents.
Xu Xiaoyou subconsciously looked away, her gaze flickering as she met the girl's eyes. Tang Xin blinked, then proceeded to vigorously pinch and knead Xu Xiaoyou’s cheeks.
“Next time you do something like this, tell me first!”
“I was... I was really scared when I was standing there alone.”
“If I told you beforehand, it wouldn't have had the same effect,” Xu Xiaoyou mumbled through the pinching. “It might have even backfired.”
Tang Xin started to say something but stopped. She stared intently at Xu Xiaoyou until the girl showed a guilty expression, and only then did she let go. “Fine, I understand.”
She picked up the instrument bag from the park bench and began to follow the crowd.
【Character Tang Xin’s bond level with you has changed.】
【Favorability: Indifferent → Caring.】
【You will share 14% of Tang Xin's total attributes.】
It jumped a whole level, Xu Xiaoyou thought. It seemed the girl really wasn't angry with her.
“You’re going the wrong way, Miss Tang!” she called out to the girl's retreating back.
Tang Xin froze.
Xu Xiaoyou watched as Tang Xin turned around with her head down, her face clouded with embarrassment. She stomped back with tiny, frustrated steps—just like a petulant toddler—speeding past her and heading toward the park exit.
Xu Xiaoyou threw up her hands helplessly.
The Security Booth
Upon returning to the Black Swan Apartment, they flipped the light switch in the security booth. The incandescent bulb overhead flickered a few times before illuminating the interior.
The layout hadn't changed much in the past few days, yet it now felt more "lived-in." A Marilynn poster was pasted on the left wall, an old calendar hung by the window, and a chair sat at an angle by the five-drawer chest. Opposite the kitchen area was a vintage gas stove, and the old refrigerator door wasn’t quite shut, emitting a faint blue light.
“Did we leave the fridge open before we left?” Tang Xin hung her instrument bag on the coat rack and took off her heavy cotton coat, hanging it up as well.
In the perpetual cold of the Star of Art, combined with the lack of heating inside the booth, the refrigerator acted more like an insulator to keep things from freezing solid. Tang Xin put on her slippers, walked to the fridge, and took out a bag of sliced bread they hadn't finished that morning. She then pulled a small block of butter from the bottom drawer, sliced off a piece, and spread it evenly over the bread.
Xu Xiaoyou walked into the room. Seeing the simple arrangement and the particular domestic atmosphere, she felt a sudden sense of trance. It reminded her of her old room—similarly tiny, yet fully functional. On rainy days, she used to sit by the bed, listening to the raindrops drumming against the aluminum window frame, letting her thoughts drift for hours.
She walked over to the desk. It held a pen holder, a notebook, and a desk lamp. In the top-left corner sat a succulent plant Tang Xin was raising. Under the dim yellow light, the plant’s globular leaves looked plump and soft, as if vitality were flowing through them. It was quite adorable.
“Here.” Tang Xin handed a piece of bread to her, blinking.
“I—”
“Eat, eat.” Without waiting for a refusal, Tang Xin pressed the bread to her lips. “Don't always keep such a stiff face. Smile more.”
Xu Xiaoyou lowered her gaze slightly and took a bite of the bread. She watched as Tang Xin leaned down to greet the succulent.
“Succulents shouldn't be watered too much, or they’ll die. The pot needs to be breathable.”
“You’ve raised succulents before?” Tang Xin turned to ask.
“I used to talk to succulents every day,” Xu Xiaoyou said casually.
She pulled up a chair and sat at the desk, picking up a pen and twirling it between her fingers as if reminiscing. As time ticked by, Tang Xin didn't disturb her. Instead, she pulled up another chair and sat opposite Xu Xiaoyou, resting her chin on her hands and quietly observing her.
She hadn't noticed before, but this girl had rather long eyelashes. Her thin, straight bangs covered her forehead, with two locks of blonde hair framing her face and softening her features. Her long hair was tied in a low ponytail, and her golden eyes looked peaceful, intellectual, and serene in the moonlight.
Tang Xin suddenly felt that she was actually quite pretty.
The Strategy of the Little Blue Bird
“Start a livestream now,” Xu Xiaoyou said suddenly.
“Huh?” Tang Xin was startled.
“The original purpose of that concert was to help you gain followers. Now is the perfect time.”
“You still have to participate in the Starry Art Competition preliminaries in ten days, followed by the qualifiers, the knockout rounds, and the finals.”
“Alright, alright, stop it, I get it. Just listening to it makes me feel stressed,” Tang Xin said, raising a hand to stop her. “Will anyone actually watch?”
“Just open it.”
With a skeptical attitude, Tang Xin opened her social media account and started the livestream room.
[Livestream room of User Tang Xin BuBird.] [Livestream Heat: 3.] [Current Viewers: 0.]
“What should the title be?” Tang Xin reached out to adjust the curtain display, centering the frame on herself, Xu Xiaoyou, and the cute succulent.
“Two options. See which one you prefer.” Xu Xiaoyou’s gaze became sharp. “When it comes to packaging an artist’s persona, I am a professional.”
“First, we go for pure clickbait. For example: 'SHOCK! The Mysterious Artistic Girl from the Park!' Your performance at the park is a hot topic right now...”
Tang Xin looked embarrassed and waved her hands frantically. “That’s definitely not okay!”
“As long as you're thick-skinned enough, it’s fine.”
“The thing with Lin Fan’s concert... you did that, didn't you?” Tang Xin asked, blinking. She wasn't an idiot. There were no such coincidences in the world; one moment a male idol has a public scandal on stage, and the next, a crowd of disappointed fans just 'happen' to pass by her corner of the park and give her a chance to perform.
Clearly, Xu Xiaoyou had arranged everything from the start.
“His own conduct was the problem; there's no need to pay him any mind,” Xu Xiaoyou said expressionlessly.
She felt zero guilt about utilizing a tainted artist like Lin Fan. Besides, she had only caused the tuning equipment to malfunction; if he actually had the talent and didn't need to lip-sync, it wouldn't have affected him at all.
“Is it really okay?” Tang Xin hesitated.
“Actually, the first method has its risks,” Xu Xiaoyou sighed. “If it's too forced, Lin Fan’s fans might vent their anger on you since the scandal hasn't died down yet.”
“Me?” Tang Xin pointed to herself.
Xu Xiaoyou didn't explain further, simply moving on. “Then we'll go with the second option: the Little Blue Bird persona. Regular operations, steady and reliable.”
She reached out and tapped the girl's curtain a few times.
[Welcome to Little Blue Bird BuBird’s livestream room~ 🎵]
“This will do.”
Xu Xiaoyou propped her chin on her hand, her tone mysterious. “Now, we just need to wait for the bullet to fly for a while.”
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