"I thought you wouldn't know, You." Tang Xin chuckled softly. "You've been quite busy with company matters recently, haven't you?"

Xu Xiaoyou didn't speak, but took a small cake from under the table and placed it in front of them.

Only then did Tang Xin notice the little pig clock on the table, a hint of surprise emerging from her beautiful eyes.

"Hey, that is..."

"It's the little pig clock you lost before. I found it and asked someone to repair it. Look, it's like new."

Xu Xiaoyou shook the little pig clock in front of the girl's eyes. Tang Xin gently took the clock and sat before her. A shy look reappeared on her serene face, and after a while, she softly said, "Thank you, I'm very happy."

"I thought I couldn't find it anymore."

Since the talent show audition, the young girl's demeanor had transformed drastically. The beauty and remarkable aura previously concealed due to a lack of confidence was now on full display, drawing people's attention to this radiant girl. The daughter of Stars remains a hot topic.

Many investors reached out, willing to pay a hefty price for Tang Xin to endorse luxury brands or star in popular variety shows and TV dramas, all of which Xu Xiaoyou declined.

She didn't plan to let Tang Xin enter that world prematurely, intending instead to keep her hidden until her brilliance was undeniable.

Nonetheless, due to Tang Xin, she attended quite a few parties recently, mingling with people from the upper echelons of Star of Art.

Though Dream Chasing Media currently has only Tang Xin as an artist, it is no longer an empty shell. At least it now has an independent office in Heart-shaped Building in Queens District, rather than squeezing into a tiny security booth with the young girl. They've even rented a standalone villa on Mount Olympus. Whenever she drove a sports car through Olympus's mountain roads at night, she felt a slight nostalgia for the old security booth, where things were less complicated.

The snow continued to hit the window-pane, creating gentle thumps, occasionally accompanied by the sound of traffic from the street outside. Outside, the city was vibrant at night, with golden light darting across the large glass curtain wall, but this did not disturb the tranquility of the office. A pen lay quietly on white paper, the little pig clock ticked in this narrow room where time seemed to flow slowly amid the quiet atmosphere.

The lights dimmed, and the candle on the small cake was lit, with the cozy flame casting the silhouettes of two girls. The blue-haired girl closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and when she opened them again, the flickering flame reflected in her gaze.

For Tang Xin, birthdays were always spent alone in the past, whether at the foster home or after leaving. She would buy a small cake and sing a birthday song meant only for herself. Celebrating with others for the first time was quite special.

"What wish did you make?" Xu Xiaoyou asked.

"You, if I tell you, the wish won't come true," Tang Xin replied.

Xu Xiaoyou laughed softly, saying nothing.

After the candle was blown out, she felt the scent of white irises enveloping her amid the darkness, a gentle warmth surrounding the softness of the girl's body as Tang Xin hugged her lightly, resting her face on her shoulder.

"What's up?" Xu Xiaoyou asked.

"Everything feels so unreal. Just one month has brought so many changes. You know, You, at this afternoon's concert, everyone was chanting my name; the glow sticks and support signs with my name moved like waves, rising and falling."

"Thanks, You."

"I'm really happy."

"You're a big star now. As you truly step onto the artist's path, the cheers will only grow louder," Xu Xiaoyou said.

"Once you really become famous, you might attract powerful media companies willing to pay a huge breach fee to get you. Don't leave me behind," Xu Xiaoyou joked half-seriously. "We've been through tough times together."

The lights came on, and she saw Tang Xin's slightly shy face, with a hint of displeasure in her eyes, "Stop joking."

"Just kidding," Xu Xiaoyou shrugged helplessly.

Then, Xu Xiaoyou mentioned, "In a few days, I plan to recruit some more artists and a director to expand Dream Chasing Media's influence."

Tang Xin hesitated: "Is that so?"

"Haha, it's necessary. If we want to make Dream Chasing Media big and strong..."

Tang Xin's voice weakened as she spoke, and Xu Xiaoyou felt a slight chill from her face as she watched the girl use her finger to dab some cream onto Xu Xiaoyou's face, then looked at her intently:

"We're good friends, right?"

"Yes, best friends for life," Xu Xiaoyou nodded repeatedly.

Only then did Tang Xin hum lightly, also feeling a hint of chill on her cheeks, wiping her face to see the creamy whiteness on her hand, showing her little tiger teeth, beginning her retaliation.

Playful sounds erupted in the office as the two girls played, subsiding after a moment.

"Okay, okay, let's stop. Don't waste food. Let's eat the cake,"

Xu Xiaoyou hid behind the office desk, circling with Tang Xin, weakly pleading. Only when alone with her would she reveal her lively and innocent side.

After finishing the remaining small cake with Tang Xin, evening drew to eleven o'clock.

The two girls sat together on the office couch, the blue-haired girl wrapped in a gray blanket, her toes stirring the water in the basin. The steam rose warmly as her feet gently stirred the surface, droplets lightly leaping and falling. Tang Xin's light blue hair fell over her shoulders, her eyes particularly serene in the warm light of the table lamp, with a tinge of melancholy.

Xu Xiaoyou noticed the scars on her foot, likely from past dance training.

"The day after tomorrow, there's a concert for you at the King's District's Chess Stage. I might not have much time, as there's a ball, so contact Amy if there's anything," Xu Xiaoyou said.

"Okay." Tang Xin nodded.

"In a few days, it'll be the next round of the talent show. You're registered for the singing, string, and dance tracks. Only one contestant from each track can advance. Aren't you nervous?"

"A little bit," Tang Xin turned her head sideways.

"Then, best wishes?"

Tang Xin gently smiled and also made a fist gesture: "Best wishes."

After sending the girl off, Xu Xiaoyou was alone again in the office. Then her curtain received an email, and noticing the sender, her thoughts raced—it was Lin Xing.

Since returning from the snowy plains half a month ago, Lin Xing hadn't been heard from, seemingly vanished into thin air. Why contact now?

Opening the email, it was brief.

[Contact me in two weeks for matters related to the company.]

She keenly noted the email's receipt time—exactly eleven-thirty. It likely was a scheduled email from Lin Xing, indicating a decision made before sending it, knowing she'd soon be caught in a Vortex.

"Matters related to the company..." Xu Xiaoyou pondered awhile, choosing to store the email in her inbox, pulling on the woolen coat hanging on the couch, and heading out of the office.

Late night, in a narrow, dark room in the city.

A girl with bloodshot eyes huddled under the covers, edited the video, a strange curve forming on her mouth, and reached out with a finger slick with mucous to click 'send'.

A few hours later, a headline hit the hot searches.

—[The Daughter of Stars and Her Unknown Past.]