"Why are you all so slow? What are you standing around here for?"
Yara Song, who had been walking ahead, turned back.
Once inside the hotel, she took off her mask and sunglasses.
This time, to welcome so many celebrities, the Orchid Crown International Hotel had made plenty of preparations.
Basically, the entire hotel had been booked out by stars from all walks of life and some wealthy young heirs.
So inside the hotel, Yara could be a bit more relaxed—she didn’t have to stay fully disguised everywhere, worried about being recognized and causing unnecessary trouble.
"Yara, you’re here."
Shawn Zhang’s eyes lit up when he saw Yara Song. He immediately walked up and greeted her with a smile he thought was quite charming: "I was just talking to your manager about you."
"I was actually planning to go see you with your manager later. You know, it’s been what—half a year since we last met?"
Shawn Zhang stood pretty close to Yara, and when he spoke, he made no effort to hide the gentle tone in his voice.
As he spoke, Shawn Zhang couldn’t help but shoot a smug glance at Evan.
In his eyes, this guy was probably just another fanboy.
Since he was standing with Victor Wu, he was most likely chasing after Yara Song. He just wondered what trick this kid used to get Victor to actually bring him in.
Of course, maybe this kid was just Victor’s tag‑along.
But none of that stopped Shawn from planning to show off his own arrogant attitude in front of Evan.
"Yeah, it really has been a while. By the way, you’re looking more and more handsome these days."
Yara nodded and replied with a smile.
She didn’t try to avoid Shawn as he came closer—after all, Shawn really was good‑looking.
"By the way, I happened to notice this random guy—he came in with your manager. Do you know him?"
Shawn looked at Evan, hinting something, and continued in an extremely casual tone: "He’s not here just to see you, is he?"
"If that's really the case, maybe I’ll have to get a little jealous."
Shawn laughed at himself. He said it like that, but his meaning was obvious.
He didn’t see Evan as any kind of rival—in his eyes, this kid’s ‘combat power’ was only a five.
There was no way Yara would like him, and even less chance he’d ever get in Shawn’s way with her.
Saying this was just Shawn’s way of lightening the mood and getting a bit closer to Yara.
"Him? He just flew over on the same plane as me."
Yara glanced at Evan, then walked over and stopped about three meters away, sizing him up.
For once, she looked at the boy in front of her without her sunglasses.
She noticed the boy was looking right back at her.
"Well? Is it a good view?"
Yara’s tone carried a hint of laughter and a touch of teasing: "On the plane, I was wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a mask."
"You said you’d never heard of me, and I can’t really blame you—after all, I’m just a nobody with no fame."
Yara was a bit self-mocking as she spoke, but she kept her eyes fixed on Evan.
"Now that we’re here, you should be able to get a good look at my face, right?"
Yara spoke with a pride she couldn’t hide.
It was the kind of confidence that only a beautiful woman could have.
Yara had been praised for her looks since childhood; her pretty face had always been her ticket to opportunities.
This world always gives a few extra perks to beautiful girls.
Right now, Yara was a little bit stubborn, but she was even more eager to see this seemingly clueless boy show a hint of amazement when he finally saw her real face.
Or maybe he’d be embarrassed, or annoyed, or something else entirely.
But no matter how she looked, the boy’s expression remained unchanged—quiet, calm, and as still as water.
"Just average."
Evan’s three words hit Yara’s ears, and her smile froze.
She frowned, her brows suddenly knitting together.
"That’s a bold statement."
Shawn, standing off to the side, sneered at Evan: "You’re saying Yara’s just average?"
"You actually said that out loud?"
"I’m guessing you’re either face-blind or just a clown trying to get attention."
Shawn seized the opportunity, trying to boost his own standing in Yara’s eyes.
Victor Wu spoke up too: "This kid said he only knows Tessa Tong, not Yara."
"Isn’t that basically lying?"
"Now that Yara’s taken off her mask and sunglasses, he still has the nerve to say she’s not good-looking? He must really be interested in her."
"Compared to others, this kid’s clearly got more experience—he can lie without even blinking!"
Victor kept rambling, and he even moved farther away from Evan, afraid Evan might do something to him.
"Is that so?"
Shawn snorted, full of disdain: "I’ve heard about those useless tricks guys use—this is just a way to make Yara curious about you, right?"
"Let me tell you, it won’t work. You should look in the mirror and see what you really look like. And honestly, you don’t belong here."
"Do you know how much it costs to stay in one of these rooms for a night?"
"And you say you know Tessa Tong?"
At this, Shawn’s expression turned a bit strange.
Tessa Tong.
She was the star of the Shining Era group.
She used to be hugely famous in the mainland, and even now, she’s a goddess in countless people’s eyes.
Even Shawn only dared admire her from afar.
Shawn had thought about trying to get close to Tessa—maybe use a publicity stunt to spark something—but she had absolutely no interest in him.
Tessa wasn’t interested in money, and didn’t seem to care about fame either. She always gave off an aura of pure sincerity.
Could a kid like Evan really know Tessa Tong?
Was he even worthy?
Shawn looked at Evan with utter disdain, his eyes filled with disgust.