Chapter 66: Hello, I Am Si Siyuan

“How so?” Su Chen asked eagerly.

Lu Yuanqing shook his head, replying, “Find the place first, then I’ll explain everything in detail.”

After their meal, Lu Yuanqing insisted on giving Su Chen a ride back. As they reached the doorway, a young man and woman approached them. The man was handsome, the woman beautiful.

“Qing-ge!” the pair called out joyfully when they saw Lu Yuanqing.

Lu Yuanqing, a little tipsy from the wine, felt his head spin. Their voices helped him regain some clarity. “Oh, it’s Guan Zan and Siyuan?” He greeted them with a smile. “It’s been a while since you two came by!”

Xi Siyuan.

Su Chen, who had been walking behind Lu Yuanqing at an angle, hadn’t seen the two newcomers’ faces. But upon hearing the voice, his gaze sharpened, then turned playful.

At the same moment, Xi Siyuan spotted Su Chen behind Lu Yuanqing. For an instant, her mind went completely blank.

Su Chen! Why was he here? And standing with Lu Yuanqing? That was the King himself! They belonged to two utterly separate worlds—how could they possibly intersect?

She shook her head, half convinced she must be dreaming.

Beside her, Guan Zan continued exchanging pleasantries with Lu Yuanqing. But when he glanced back and caught sight of Xi Siyuan’s stricken face, he grew concerned.

“What’s wrong, Siyuan?” he asked. “Are you feeling unwell?”

Snapping back to herself, Xi Siyuan quickly waved her hand. “No… nothing!” In an instant, she was back to normal. Her ability to change her expression so swiftly was truly impressive.

Standing opposite the pair, Lu Yuanqing took in every nuance of Xi Siyuan’s reaction, a flicker of curiosity crossing his mind.

“You know each other?”

Lu Yuanqing’s question prompted Guan Zan to glance at Xi Siyuan, his eyes darting briefly to Su Chen as well.

“No, he just looks a lot like a friend of mine,” Xi Siyuan said with a slight smile.

Su Chen chuckled softly but said nothing.

Lu Yuanqing, however, pulled Su Chen forward for an introduction. “Well, what a coincidence! This is my younger brother, Su Chen. You should get acquainted.”

Xi Siyuan hesitated for a moment, then extended her hand with forced politeness. “Hello, I’m Xi Siyuan. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

But Su Chen only shrugged, making no move to return the handshake.

Her hand was left awkwardly suspended in the air, a truly embarrassing moment.

Guan Zan frowned, his eyes flickering as if deciding whether or not to rebuke the young man. But Lu Yuanqing quickly laughed it off, saying, “Haha, we’ve had a bit too much to drink, so we won’t keep you. Enjoy yourselves! Let’s have a drink together next time.”

At this, Guan Zan relaxed, agreeing readily. He watched as the two walked off into the distance before turning back.

“Do you know him?”

Xi Siyuan shook her head and smiled. “Let’s go. The others are probably waiting for us.”

To Guan Zan, she seemed perfectly composed. He couldn’t know that inside, Xi Siyuan’s mind was in complete turmoil.

Why was Su Chen here? How did he know Lu Yuanqing? Why were they so close? Might he reveal something about her past? If Su Chen spoke up, and Lu Yuanqing found out, the consequences would be worlds apart.

All along the way, Lu Yuanqing didn’t inquire about Xi Siyuan. Still, Su Chen sensed that he might have guessed something. Not that it mattered—it didn’t affect him in the slightest.

Lu Yuanqing had his driver take Su Chen back to the hotel first, then waved him off.

“How long will you be staying? Shall we meet up again before you leave?” Lu Yuanqing asked, craving another drinking companion. It was rare to meet someone so like-minded; he felt an instant kinship.

“We’ll see how the time goes,” Su Chen replied.

Lu Yuanqing nodded, not pressing further. He was about to roll up the window when Su Chen suddenly asked, “Qing-ge, have you ever thought about starting your own show?”

“A show?” Lu Yuanqing was momentarily taken aback. He looked at Su Chen in surprise. Though he rarely spoke in their chat group, he never missed a message and knew Su Chen always had the best ideas.

“What kind of show?”

“A music talent competition,” Su Chen replied.

Lu Yuanqing’s interest visibly dimmed. After a moment’s thought, he said tactfully, “Su Chen, you might not know this, but music programs are the hardest to make. The audience is small, sponsors are hard to find—it’s not as easy as it sounds.”

Su Chen had already anticipated this reaction. He’d done his research.

On Blue Star, variety shows were scarce. At present, “Mango Main Stage” dominated the market. Why was this the case? There was a story behind it.

When “Mango Main Stage” launched, it became a sensation overnight. Major networks, as if discovering a new world, rushed into the variety show business. Entertainment, talent, music, and matchmaking shows sprang up everywhere. But after a prolonged struggle, only a handful survived. “Mango Main Stage” emerged as the undisputed king, and other networks’ programs never recovered, abandoning all hope of entering the variety field.

Of all these, music variety shows suffered the worst fate. Poor planning failed to attract viewers, there were no viable business models, and all invested funds were lost. The industry soon began avoiding music shows altogether.

That was why Lu Yuanqing looked so troubled when Su Chen brought up the idea.

Su Chen shook his head and smiled, “Qing-ge, I have a proposal for a music variety show. I’ll send it to you later. I think you’ll be interested.”

Lu Yuanqing, seeing Su Chen’s confidence, grinned. “Oh? Well then! You always have a knack for clever ideas. If you really have something new, let’s give it a try together.”

Su Chen nodded slightly. Watching Lu Yuanqing’s car disappear into the distance, he smiled, wondering what expression Lu Yuanqing would have after reading the proposal for “The Voice of China.” He was looking forward to it.

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The next day, following the map’s directions, Su Chen arrived at the legendary Nanluo Alley. Compared to the skyscrapers in other parts of the capital, this place seemed a bit run-down. Though the houses in the alleys were neat and the streets clean, the narrow lanes and crowded courtyards made the atmosphere feel stifling.

Even so, this was one of the city’s most iconic architectural districts and had naturally been developed as a tourist attraction. The streets were packed with people. Despite the crowding, many rickshaws still ferried tourists through the alleys.

Su Chen wandered with a tourist’s curiosity. Though it was his father’s dying wish, he knew some things could not be forced. It was like searching for something you’ve forgotten: when you look, you’ll never find it, but when you’re ready to let go, it appears before you.

The alley was long, stretching from the main road of the modern skyscraper district all the way to the very heart of the old city’s architectural cluster.

With photo in hand, Su Chen walked on, searching as he went.