Trillionaire's Slice of Life

"Ink has touched the water, across a pond of blue and white. I gather a trace of the sunset glow and head home with bamboo in tow.

A gentle breeze rustles by, burying the earth in mulberry and hemp. Clad in a Kasaya, I lay down my longing love...

..."

A faint and ethereal voice echoed in his ears, the singing carried a tinge of sorrow, along with an undissolvable melancholy.

Touched by the song, Chu Mo took up his stride again and arrived at the end of the corridor; with a turn of his gaze, the scenery before him suddenly opened up.

On the massive stage ahead, a woman with a graceful figure was passionately singing. Her eyes were as clear as crystals submerged in water, the corners slightly lifted, conveying a weakness akin to water.

In this moment, Chu Mo's entire being seemed to be captivated by her, drawn to her pure pupils, the tender shape of her eyes mysteriously blending into an exquisitely beautiful scene, her thin lips a pale, watery hue.

The song continued by his side, forcibly shifting his gaze from the devastating beauty on stage, he looked around to find that, in the entire music hall, dozens upon dozens of staff members were all utterly enchanted, their gazes, without exception, focused entirely on the woman singing onstage.

Chu Mo gently closed his eyes, listening intently, and then his whole soul seemed entranced by the song.

"If you could see the mountains and rivers in my heart within your eyes, I would pray with each step as if stepping on lotus flowers.

Little did I know that our fleeting life is but a mere expanse of grass, as the years urge us to age. With just one laugh, all ties with the dust of the world are severed...

..."

In this moment, Chu Mo's spirit was exceptionally pure, no longer focusing on the beauty of the girl on stage, but wholeheartedly listening to her voice, and then, it seemed as though the singing transported him to a wondrous world.

It was a forest after the rain, water droplets on the leaves slipping away with the breeze, like a graceful guzheng melody, plucking at his heartstrings; in a daze, the faint sunlight pierced through the long hair of the girl on stage, guiding Chu Mo's gaze, reflecting off the leaves'shadows, like a dreamy intoxication, the beautiful singing by his ear seemed to tell him, this is an angel of the mortal realm, a sprite within the woods.

Time passed without knowing how long, as the singing by his ear gradually faded. After what felt like an eternity, Chu Mo finally broke free from that wondrous world, opening his eyes to see that the calamitous figure on the stage had long disappeared without a trace, a sudden sense of loss emerging in his heart.

Slowly detaching from the recent trance, Chu Mo, now returned to his calm state, suddenly spoke:

"The girl that just sang on stage, she must be the girl from the ancient city, right?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Siyue, who seemed equally distracted, nodded hastily, then, composing herself, she seriously replied:

"Yes, that girl is Zi Xuehan, a student at the University of Science and Technology of the ancient city. I've heard that she was quite an influential figure in school and was approached by many film and television companies, but she didn't want to develop a career in performing, so she chose to refuse."

Chu Mo nodded lightly, it seemed about right; with the musical talent the girl had shown, coupled with her unbeatable beauty, had she been willing to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, she would at least be a super top-tier star.

Of course, it was precisely because of her extraordinary talent that she might face more of the industry's dark side before becoming famous, without the support of a powerful backing. Perhaps this was why she was hesitant to step into this field.

Chu Mo didn't wish to delve deeper into this issue. He slightly adjusted the golden glasses on the bridge of his nose, then his voice came out flat:

"With her talent, she should be the champion of this competition... Although she will inevitably lose to Amy Belle in the end, having the chance to challenge Amy is also a success. Besides, the champion gets a hundred million US dollars in prize money."

Chu Mo spoke softly, while Lu Siyue beside him didn't immediately respond. She breathed gently, then carefully added:

"President Chu, if you say so because you haven't seen the performances of the other participants yet. Winnie Christina from Maple Leaf Country is no simple character. Winnie, twenty-seven years old, is a print model, and in terms of appearance alone, she is no less stunning than Zi Xuehan.

What's more, Winnie is inherently a model, with a height over one meter eighty-five and a very prominent temperament. In terms of presence and aura, Winnie has an advantage over Zi Xuehan. Moreover, she's skilled in both singing and dancing; a single dance performance on stage can instantly ignite everyone's passion, making it impossible to resist dancing along. Winnie is truly enchanting.

Zi Xuehan, on the other hand, is more reserved, with a conservative stage style. Compared to Winnie, she's at a disadvantage. However, if you, President Chu, take a special interest in Zi Xuehan, we could make some adjustments behind the scenes to let the girl from the ancient city win."

Lu Siyue's soft words enlightened Chu Mo; he had underestimated the other contestants. Observing Zi Xuehan's performance, he initially thought she would surely win the crown, but to his surprise, according to Lu Siyue's assessment, the Maple Leaf Country model seemed even more formidable.

Chu Mo knew that with just one word from him, regardless of how the competition proceeded, he could forcefully alter the result. If he wanted Zi Xuehan to win, then the nineteen-year-old girl from the ancient city would certainly triumph. This was the power of capital, and he was now in a position to represent capital itself.

Taking a gentle breath, Chu Mo's gaze swept across the entire hall; he noticed that, besides Zi Xuehan, there were several other women whose looks were almost equal to hers, yet Ding Qian was not there, and neither was the Maple Leaf Country model with the particularly exceptional temperament mentioned by Lu Siyue.