Ke Xue Lu Ren Wang

Yuzuru nodded and extended his hand to shake hands with the other person.

"it's me."

"Hello, Mr. Yuzuru, my name is Sakae Yamagishi. I apologize for disturbing you this time." The man introduced himself.

After shaking hands, the two took their seats. Without exchanging any pleasantries, Yamagishi Sakae immediately beckoned a waiter over.

He handed the menu to Sonoko Suzuki first, and then to Toru Hanyu, making a very polite gesture.

"Please make yourselves at home. What would you like to drink?"

Yuzuru did not refuse.

If making him travel all this way only to have to pay for his own coffee, then I might as well just get up and leave now.

He glanced at the menu and chose a cappuccino.

Seeing him finish ordering, Sonoko Suzuki almost blurted out, "I want the same thing!"

Yuzuru glanced at her with some surprise.

He had never tasted this kind of coffee before, but he thought the name sounded nice and took this opportunity to try it.

After ordering, a brief silence fell over the booth.

Yuzuru and Yamagishi sat facing each other, silently sizing each other up.

Yamagishi Sakae's first impression on Habu Toru was that he was a gentle-looking middle-aged man with a smile on his face, who seemed easy to get along with.

However, the image of Toru Hanyu in Sakae Yamagishi's eyes was completely beyond his expectations.

Photos and videos are ultimately just illusions.

Only by seeing him in person can you truly feel his overwhelming handsomeness.

The boy's facial features were deep and his lines were smooth, making him even more photogenic than in front of the camera.

Moreover, Sakae Yamagishi discovered that from the very first moment they met, Toru Hanyu, whether in conversation or behavior, was completely free of the impetuousness or restraint of his peers.

This composure beyond his years only strengthened Yamagishi Sakae's resolve to sign him.

"Hanyu-kun," Yamagishi Ei broke the silence first, "Excuse my bluntness, but I've listened to your song 'Mirai' at least twenty times. Both the timbre and the emotional delivery are at a professional singer's level. Have you... received any professional vocal training before?"

"No," Yuzuru answered crisply. "If I'm not mistaken, this should be the first time I've sung in a karaoke bar."

"..."

Yamagishi Sakae's smile froze for a moment, unsure how to speak.

With such amazing singing skills, you're telling me you learned it in a karaoke bar?

Although Yamagishi Sakae was shocked, he was a seasoned veteran and quickly composed himself before getting to the point: "It's like this, Yuzuru-kun. I'm here on behalf of our company to formally invite you to join us. With your looks and vocal talent, we are confident that we can make you a top idol of the next generation within three years."

However, Toru Hanyu simply picked up the cappuccino that had just been served, stirred the milk foam gently with a small spoon, and did not respond immediately.

He blew away the steam from the surface and took a small sip.

The initial taste is slightly bitter coffee, which is then enveloped by dense milk foam and a delicate aroma, making the flavor smoother than expected.

"So what's the price?" He put down his cup, his voice not loud, but it carried clearly to the other side.

Yamagishi Sakae was taken aback.

"cost?"

"Hmm." Yuzuru looked up at him. "For example, a ten-year contract? Or a 90/10 revenue split? Or perhaps a year-round schedule of non-stop work and a private life followed by paparazzi 24/7?"

For the first time, the smile on Yamagishi Sakae's face completely vanished.

He straightened his posture and re-examined the boy in front of him.

These words are completely unlike what a high school student would say.

Each question points directly to the most crucial and dispute-prone clauses in an artist's contract.

Sonoko Suzuki was also stunned by what she heard.

So... there are so many rules and regulations to be a celebrity?

"It seems Mr. Yuzuru has a deep understanding of this industry." Yamagishi Eiji put away all his disdain and his tone became serious. "What you said is indeed a common situation in the industry. However, we can talk. As long as you are willing to sign, the terms will definitely be top-tier in the industry."

"Oh?" Yuzuru raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"A 50/50 split, an independent management team, guaranteed one album and film/television resources per year, and the company gives you the final say on scripts and songs."

The conditions offered by Yamagishi Sakae were undeniably generous.

Just then, a familiar melody suddenly came from the television hanging on the wall of the coffee shop.

On the screen, a girl with long, wavy hair and a sweet smile is singing and dancing energetically on stage; she is none other than the popular idol Yoko Okino.

Yamagishi glanced at him subconsciously, a hint of gentleness and pride flickering in his eyes.

"Yoko Okino," he said, as if talking to himself, yet also as if speaking to Toru Hanyu, "she is the most talented and hardest-working artist I have ever managed."

When he talked about his artists, his expression relaxed considerably.

"but……"

Before he could finish speaking, his cell phone suddenly rang urgently in his pocket, interrupting their conversation.

Yamagishi Sakae frowned, glanced at the caller ID, his expression changed, and he immediately answered the phone.

"Feed?"

On the other end of the phone, a woman's voice, clearly choked with sobs, came through urgently.

"Yamagishi! Come to my apartment right now! Hurry... Something terrible has happened!"

It's Yoko Okino's voice!

Yamagishi Sakae's expression changed abruptly, his composure vanishing completely.

"Yoko? What's wrong? Don't rush, tell me slowly!"

"There...there's...a dead person in my room!!"

"What did you say?!" Yamagishi Sakae suddenly stood up from his seat, his voice rising abruptly, drawing surprised glances from the guests at the surrounding tables.

He quickly realized his lapse in composure and lowered his voice, but the anxiety in his tone could not be concealed.

"Where are you now? Don't move! I'm coming right away!"

After hanging up the phone, Yamagishi Sakae's face was extremely pale, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

"What's wrong?" Yuzuru asked.

Yamagishi Sakae glanced at him, his lips moved as if he hesitated.

Seeing this, Sonoko Suzuki said, "If there's any danger, we can help. The more people there are, the more help we can provide."

Yamagishi Sakae glanced at Suzuki Sonoko, then at Hanyu Toru, and after a moment of silence, finally revealed the truth.

"It was Yoko...she found the body in the apartment."

"A corpse... a body?"

Sonoko Suzuki gasped, covered her mouth, and stared wide-eyed.

Yamagishi Sakae didn't care about anything else. He quickly waved to the waiter, pulled out a ten-thousand-yuan bill from his wallet, slammed it on the table, and didn't even ask for change.

"Hanyu-kun, about this matter..."

He didn't finish his sentence, seemingly wanting to end the meeting.

Just then, a blue light screen, visible only to himself, quietly appeared before Yuzuru Tetsu's eyes.

【Ding! 】

[Random Quest Triggered: The Idol's Crisis]

[Mission Description: Proceed to Yoko Okino's apartment and resolve the current crisis.]

[Task Reward: Intermediate Singing Skill (Permanent)]