I Became an All-round Artist

"You..." Old Zhou looked puzzled as Lin Yuan returned to his office after work, holding another box of tea.
"Tea leaves," Lin Yuan said simply.
Old Zhou chuckled, "Did you actually go and buy me some tea? It’s fine. You've already shared it with everyone. I’m not that petty."
"Take it," Lin Yuan placed the tea in the drawer.
Old Zhou waved him off casually, "Just consider it stored here. Whenever you want tea, just come in and make some. No need to be polite with me."
"Alright," Lin Yuan left the tea and walked out. As he passed by the lounge area, a familiar voice caught his attention.
It was Sun Yaohuo.

At that moment, Sun Yaohuo was surrounded by a group of young singers from the company. Their eyes were filled with admiration and envy—much like the look the members of the art club gave Lin Yuan.
Sun Yaohuo was boasting.
More accurately, he was giving a motivational speech about success. "Success is simple, really—just two words: hard work. You all see my success, but you haven’t seen the sweat and effort behind it. Have you ever seen the sun at 1 a.m.?"
"Is there even a sun at 1 a.m.?"
"That’s not the point. The point is, every day I wake up and practice my vocals, train my lung capacity. I’ve avoided smoking, drinking, and even my favorite spicy foods, all for the sake of singing!"
"Come on, Sun, tell us something new."
"Yeah, we've heard this all before."
"Everyone here works hard and puts in the effort."
Sun Yaohuo reclined comfortably on the couch, grinning, "Alright, alright, let me tell you the real secret to success—especially for newcomers."
Everyone perked up, their eyes gleaming with interest.
Sun Yaohuo smiled mysteriously, "The real secret is simple: find the right composer. Even if you're just tied up in the studio and sing a few lines, you'll make it!"
"Isn’t that like being a dog?"
Someone blurted out, then quickly shut up, realizing they had said something offensive.
"Haha," Sun Yaohuo patted the person on the shoulder, smiling, "I’ve heard that before. When I debuted with 'Life Like Summer Flowers,' people said the same thing: 'Even if you tied a dog in the studio, the song would still be a hit!'"
"That’s too much!"
Sun Yaohuo shook his head, "No, no, no. That’s because you’re all still too young. People say I'm just Xianyu's dog, but look at me now. Tell me... what’s wrong with being a dog?"
In this industry, newcomers are like dogs to the big players!
Sun Yaohuo would never forget the moment when Tao Ran handed him the business card, asking him to give up "Red Rose." It was in that moment that he truly felt what it was like to be treated like a dog.
The group of young singers fell into deep thought.

"Senior," Lin Yuan's voice interrupted.
Sun Yaohuo, upon hearing Lin Yuan's voice, immediately froze. In the stunned silence of the group, his expression shifted in an instant. He transformed from casual confidence into a mix of warmth, deference, and a touch of humility—yet maintaining a sliver of... dignity?
"What do you need, Junior?"
"Can I ride with you?" Lin Yuan asked, mainly because he didn't want to call for a cab.
Before Sun Yaohuo could respond, the surrounding group jumped up, rushing to offer their cars before Sun could even react. "Master Xianyu, would you like to ride with me?"
"I have a car too!"
"Let me take you, my car’s worth 300,000 yuan!"
They learned quickly—too quickly, even! It seemed they were about to overshadow their mentor.
A sense of urgency filled Sun Yaohuo as he rushed over to Lin Yuan, "Same temperature as usual, right? I’ll adjust the air conditioning right now. There’s also a milk tea shop I invested in on the way. It has every flavor you could want. We can stop there for dinner; I’ve already made reservations!"
The others fell silent.

Once Lin Yuan and Sun Yaohuo left, the group exchanged looks, their admiration evident.
"Compared to Sun Yaohuo, we’ve still got a long way to go!"
"Woof!"
Someone barked.
The group turned toward the source of the sound, confused. But the one who spoke wore a calm smile, as if he had just uncovered a profound truth. "Today, I'll show you—if Sun Yaohuo can do it, so can I!"
Everyone finally understood and nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Lin Yuan had gotten into Sun Yaohuo’s car.
It turned out Sun Yaohuo really did own a milk tea shop.
His investment came from the psychological shadow left by Jiang Kui’s surprise victory over him.
This shop happened to be along Lin Yuan’s route home, and it offered a wide range of flavors. While Lin Yuan sipped on his milk tea, Sun Yaohuo reminded the staff, "If this gentleman comes in, don't ever charge him."

After the milk tea, Sun Yaohuo took Lin Yuan to the restaurant he had reserved.
The food was excellent, and Lin Yuan thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
However, this time, Lin Yuan insisted on paying the bill.

"It’s only fair," Lin Yuan said.
Sun Yaohuo reluctantly agreed.
As they drove back to Lin Yuan’s apartment complex, Sun Yaohuo kept grumbling about how he should’ve paid for the meal. After all, he had ordered so many dishes, and the bill wasn’t cheap. It was his way of showing gratitude to Lin Yuan.
"Next time, you can pay," Lin Yuan suggested.
Finally, Sun Yaohuo dropped the subject, even considering whether he should open a restaurant someday that served all of Lin Yuan’s favorite dishes. It would make future dinners much easier.
But he didn’t have that kind of money just yet.
Maybe soon, though?
Yes, Sun Yaohuo was different now.
Although "Red Rose" had only been released for a short time, he was already starting to build a fanbase and gain some popularity.
Today, several performance gigs had reached out to his agent. Though the demand wasn’t overwhelming, it was a far cry from what it used to be!

Additionally, the company had lined up premium appearances for Sun Yaohuo, opportunities he couldn’t have even imagined before.
That’s why those rookies were swarming around him.
Don’t be fooled—those newbies were smarter than they looked.
But if they thought sucking up was enough to succeed, they were sorely mistaken.
My real secret to success? Sincerity.

...And flattering with sincerity!
That’s right—the ultimate skill in being a loyal supporter is being genuine. My devotion to Lin Yuan is heartfelt. I know what he wants before he even asks for it, and it’s almost become muscle memory!
Those rookies have a lot to learn.
Their attempts are too shallow, too exaggerated.
Jiang Kui, now she’s the real deal when it comes to skill!

“…”
As they arrived at Lin Yuan’s building, Lin Yuan suddenly said, "Senior."
"Yes, Junior?" Sun Yaohuo responded immediately.
Lin Yuan looked at him seriously, "You're not a dog. You're a person."
Sun Yaohuo froze for a moment, then felt a warmth spread through him. He nodded deeply.

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