CHAPTER 216: 095 THE HIDDEN REAL BOSS_2

The group playing games in the corner all forgot about their battle, their heads snapping up to look in the direction of the sound.

Qin Xiangge stared incredulously, her eyes widening, the microphone awkwardly frozen near her lips.

She fixed her gaze tightly on Shen You’an.

The girl lounged lazily on the sofa, microphone in hand. She wasn’t looking at the lyrics on the TV, yet each word poured fluidly and accurately from her ruby lips.

Every note was perfectly on beat, her transitions across vocal registers flawless, and the silkiness of the climax was enough to make people want to stand up, their hearts surging with emotion.

Yet her expression remained relaxed and nonchalant, as if this wasn’t a globally-recognized, highly challenging song, but just an average tune requiring no technical skill.

But everyone knew that to sing this song to such a level required extraordinary talent and technique—it was far from coincidental.

Every eye in the room was glued to her. In that moment, she seemed as though she were standing on a stage bathed in radiant light, boldly showcasing her brilliance and talent; no gaze could tear itself away from her.

At this moment, no one could distinguish between being enchanted by the girl’s wondrous voice or entranced by her unmatched, breathtaking beauty.

"Brilliant... truly brilliant! You sing so much better than that actress, what’s-her-name Rong!" Jiang Shengyao’s applause resounded powerfully.

Liu Runxi smiled gently and said sincerely, "Impressive."

Gu Bichen looked at Shen You’an with eyes glowing brightly.

Gao Yuyue gave her a thumbs-up and said, "If you went on that idol competition show, what chance would the other contestants even have? You’d definitely outshine Rong Xianning!"

She stared at Shen You’an like she’d discovered buried treasure. She truly hadn’t expected it—Shen You’an wasn’t tone-deaf at all; earlier, she must’ve held back just to save her some face.

Looking up, she didn’t miss the embarrassed expression on Qin Xiangge’s face, who had originally planned to mock Shen You’an and show off herself but was now thoroughly humiliated.

Shen You’an wasn’t flashy or arrogant—she was the real hidden master of the group.

Shen You’an gave a light cough, picked up a cup of water, and took a sip to moisten her throat before finally saying, "Just showing off a little, nothing much."

"Too modest! Shen You’an, no, I need to call you the boss—you have to participate in next year’s idol competition, alright? I’ll make sure you debut. With such amazing vocal talent, the music industry would suffer a huge loss without you."

Shen You’an shook her head. "Not interested."

She had long grown weary of the entertainment world; there was no way she would willingly step back into it.

Gao Yuyue looked disappointed, but quickly followed up with another question. "An’an, when did you study vocal music? Did some big shot teach you?"

Shen You’an stared into the void, her gaze tinged with reminiscence.

She smiled lightly and said, "Yes, a very skilled vocal master taught me."

Gao Yuyue’s eyes lit up instantly. "Who was it?"

With an insincere smile, Qin Xiangge interjected, "Shen, you actually know a vocal master? Really surprising. Which master are you talking about—maybe I know them too."

Gao Yuyue rolled her eyes. Her tone was sour as if Shen You’an didn’t deserve to know any vocal masters.

Shen You’an glanced at Qin Xiangge with a faint smile. "Sorry to disappoint you, but the master prefers to remain anonymous and avoids fame and fortune. Few people know of them in this world."

Qin Xiangge sneered—it was likely no such master existed. Shen You’an was clearly exaggerating to make herself look good.

Seeing the tension rise, Jiang Shengyao quickly clapped his hands. "Always singing is boring. Why don’t we play a game instead?"

Shen You’an received a message on her phone, rose without a word, and grabbed her backpack. "I have something to do. I’ll be heading out first."

With that, she left without a backward glance, ignoring the group completely.

Liu Runxi instinctively wanted to follow her, but his partially extended foot reluctantly retreated.

Jiang Shengyao, however, resolutely chased after her. A few minutes later, he returned, dejected.

He cued up "Love Even in Death" and began singing hoarsely at full volume.

The others clutched at their ears, their brows furrowing deeper with each note.

After Shen You’an’s departure, Liu Runxi, Gu Bichen, and Gao Yuyue all left one by one, citing excuses.

Qin Xiangge felt disgraced today, her face darkened with displeasure.

"Ayao, that’s enough!" Qin Xiangge walked over and yanked the microphone out of Jiang Shengyao’s hand.

Jiang Shengyao shot her a cold glare.

Qin Xiangge felt a chill in her chest—never before had Jiang Shengyao looked at her with such a foreign, cutting gaze.

Without saying a word, he picked up his jacket from the sofa and walked out of the private room, not bothering to look back. A group of younger friends eagerly followed after him.

Qin Xiangge felt as though she’d fallen into an icy abyss, her whole body chilled to the bone.

That look from Jiang Shengyao—it was a warning.

In the beginning, Jiang Shengyao only felt contempt for Shen You’an.