Your eyes look exactly like my idol's.

Inside the five-star hotel room, the floor-to-ceiling windows looked out over the bustling city nightscape.

Ji Fanxing sat before a spacious desk, the screen of her laptop casting a soft, gentle glow. Her slender fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard as dense text and images shifted constantly on the monitor, part of the lecture materials she was meticulously crafting.

"To give children interested in music the courage to take this step."

Recalling the resolute look in Fang Zhijing’s eyes when he spoke those words, Ji Fanxing’s expression turned serious. The reason she was willing to participate in this music lecture was not only because she did not want to let down Fang Zhijing’s efforts on her behalf, but even more so because of this statement.

The world was fickle and utilitarian; traditional culture was being forgotten, national pride was fading, and practitioners chased only superficial traffic and empty fame. The works they produced varied wildly in quality, leaving ordinary people with no desire to explore further. Seeing the development of arts and entertainment stagnate for years and even begin to decline, she wanted to use what she had learned to let children know that music was not a tool for pandering, but an art to inherit culture, express emotions, and convey strength. She wanted to tell the children of the Dragon Country to chase their dreams freely, and leave the rest to her.

Most importantly, as a woman destined to stand at the peak of the entertainment industry in the future, how could her path be a barren wasteland? What fun would that be?

Ji Fanxing checked the information regarding the music lecture. As a routine event of the Dragon Country Music Exchange Conference, the highlight was the evening gala. Not only could participants enter the audition venue to watch the performances, but they also had the chance to co-create a piece with the guest speakers.

Aside from her, this year's guest speakers included Du Mingyu, President of the Dragon Country Conservatory of Music; Zhou Fangran, President of the Musicians Association; and the renowned teacher Li Ming.

Originally, Ji Fanxing’s spot should have belonged to Fang Zhijing, who was stepping back into the public eye. To protect her, Fang Zhijing had gone against all opposition and yielded his place to her.

Each speaker had ten minutes for their presentation, with the main focus of the conference being the evening gala. Participating students had the opportunity to receive one-on-one guidance from the mentors and experience the joy of the musical stage. Those who were not selected would be free to tour the premier music institution of the Dragon Country.

Inside the Dragon Country Conservatory of Music, intense preparations were underway to welcome the attending students.

During class hours, inside the Ouge tiered lecture hall, Professor Li Ming, one of the guest speakers, was lecturing with fervent passion.

"That's why the future of music still relies on Western music. Their instruments, their compositional theories—now that is what you call..."

He purposely prolonged the end of his sentence, his face filled with reverence.

"Professor, then what do you think about the combination of traditional folk music and popular music?"

A lean, slender boy raised his hand and asked tentatively.

The boy, named Zhang Zixuan, had loved music since childhood and had a particular interest in traditional folk instruments, but ultimately chose Western music due to the broader environment. Recently, captivated by Ji Fanxing’s meteoric rise and her musical style of blending traditional instruments into pop music, he couldn't help but raise his hand to ask.

"Combining folk music and popular music?"

Li Ming acted as if he had heard some ridiculous joke. Adjusting his glasses, his tone dripped with mockery.

"Look at those so-called 'national style' songs currently on the market. Which one of them isn't incongruous, pandering trash?"

"Folk music is folk music, and pop music is pop music. Forcing them together will only ruin both genres!"

Zhang Zixuan’s face flushed red. He wanted to say something more, but Li Ming impatiently cut him off.

"Alright, alright, don't ask such boring questions and waste everyone's time."

The surrounding students burst into laughter. Zhang Zixuan felt his face burning, wishing a crack would open in the floor for him to crawl into. He had simply wanted to ask for the professor's opinion—how did it become a boring question? Was folk music really that despicable? If so, why were the most popular works on the exchange conference's official website all Ji Fanxing's national-style songs?

After class, Li Ming and Professor Wang, a peer of his, walked side by side through the campus.

"Young people nowadays are all brainwashed by Ji Fanxing. Every single one of them thinks folk music is some sort of precious treasure," Li Ming said, his tone laden with disgust toward that student.

"Indeed, folk music went out of style long ago. Only Western music is orthodox," Professor Wang agreed, nodding in profound confirmation.

"Still, don't you think saying that to a student in class was a bit..." Professor Wang hesitated before finally speaking up. "He's just a student, so it's normal for his questions to be a bit naive. Did you have to be so harsh?"

"Hmph, I did it for his own good, to make him realize reality early on so he doesn't stray down the wrong path in the future," Li Ming sneered, completely oblivious to his own fault. In his view, folk music was a synonym for backwardness and vulgarity, and any attempt to promote it was futile.

The mere thought that Ji Fanxing—the person who created such a mishmash of music—was going to speak alongside him made his stomach turn. A woman standing on a podium running her mouth—what an absurdity! Weren't they afraid of leading students astray?

***

On the day of the lecture, the entrance of the Dragon Country Conservatory of Music was packed with people and bustling with excitement. Junior high, high school, and even elementary school students from various schools across the capital had come to attend. Among the entering vehicles, several black sedans blended in low-profile.

In the front row of the venue, within the media zone, the production crew was busy making preparations.

"Little Zhang, are all the equipment ready?"

"Brother Liu, everything is ready. We can start filming at any time."

"Good. This interview assignment is very crucial; we must ensure high quality."

"Understood!"

Cameraman Xiao Liu instructed his assistant while surveying his surroundings, taking in the lively scene of the venue. Having just returned from Yun Province after filming a tense, anti-narcotics-themed documentary, he actually felt somewhat out of place here.

"This music lecture is insanely popular. I heard Bureau Chief Chu even brought his granddaughter to attend."

"Yeah, and there are leaders from quite a few other departments too. It seems the higher-ups attach great importance to this event."

"Shh, keep it down. The leaders specifically instructed us to keep a low profile!"

"Ahem! ...Well, mostly because of Ji Fanxing, I suppose. She's been trending nationwide lately."

"That's right. She used practical actions to prove that traditional instruments can have new tricks played with them, and she's gotten more people to pay attention to traditional culture."

Listening to the discussions among his peers, Xiao Liu firmed up his own thoughts even more. He had actively requested to join this interview assignment precisely because he wanted to see the girl who had edited videos like *Farewell Blossoms Bloom* with his own eyes.

At the gates of the music conservatory, a tall figure stood out conspicuously among the crowd. Wearing a black mask and a duck-billed cap, he was wrapped up tightly, seemingly wishing not to attract attention.

"Hey, look at that guy. Aren't his eyes a bit like Ji Fanxing's?" someone passing by through the busy entrance couldn't help taking a second look.

"True, oh! If he weren't clearly a guy at first glance, I'd have thought Ji Fanxing herself showed up... Haha."

Hearing the conversation, the youth irritably pulled up his mask and quickened his pace, vanishing from the pair's line of sight.

*If your eyesight is bad, go see a doctor! Who looks like that freak of nature?!*

"Ji Rufeng, why are you walking so fast?"

A crisp voice came from behind. The youth paused his steps and turned around somewhat reluctantly.

"Zhang Shuyi, why are you here?"

The girl speaking wore a ponytail; she was Ji Rufeng’s desk-mate, Zhang Shuyi.

"Hehe, I ran fast that day and managed to grab a ticket."

Zhang Shuyi triumphantly waved the ticket in her hand, her youthful appearance devoid of any trace of the silence and numbness from before. After all, she was still a youth. After untying her emotional knots, in just a single month, the once-depressed Zhang Shuyi had undergone a earth-shattering transformation in spirit and demeanor.

"How did you know I came?" Ji Rufeng asked awkwardly, considering he had wrapped himself up so securely.

"Please, did you really think I wouldn't recognize you just because you wore a mask?" Zhang Shuyi smiled. "Your eyes are identical to my idol's. Wearing a mask just makes them easier to spot!"

Hearing this, Ji Rufeng immediately ripped the mask off his face, exposing his sharply defined jawline. Lifting his chin, he demanded, "How about now?!"

Zhang Shuyi's gaze lingered back and forth across his face before she ultimately shook her head with regret. "Not like her anymore..."