How Could He Possibly Like Me?

[Blurb] KGS Music Studio has had a big development recently. They hired a new arranger. Ruan Yi is a freelancer, young, and sweet-looking, but arrogant and aloof by nature. Whenever he's in the mood, he livestreams himself composing music and offers his take on the latest pop songs. There are too many musicians he's brutally criticized to count on both hands. Some of his most common remarks are: "It's not that I'm too picky. They're just that bad." "Even if you spent all the money in the world on marketing, it wouldn't save this terrible song." "Even a dog would pull an all-nighter to fix this chorus." On his first day at work, Ruan Yi did what he always did: swaggered over and sat in the biggest office chair. A few minutes later, Pei Zhuochuan walked in and tapped the desk. "That's my seat." Everyone thought it was over. As everyone knew, Pei Zhuochuan was KGS's founder, and he became a top-tier star as soon as he debuted, rising to fame like the sun at its zenith. He fit perfectly into the kind of musician Ruan Yi usually disliked most. Everyone held their breath. But the next moment, they watched Ruan Yi spring to his feet. "Sorry..." He even put the chair back for Pei Zhuochuan, then stood straight like a schoolboy who'd done something wrong, pressing his lips together over and over. Finally, he pointed to another desk in the office. "May I sit over there?" Everyone: "??" Who are you??? - Ruan Yi had grown up wild and free, never taking anyone seriously. There was only one person he admired: Pei Zhuochuan. A superstar, a natural genius. Compared to him, Ruan Yi was mud in a field beside a star in the sky. No one knew that when Ruan Yi received the notice to try out as Pei Zhuochuan's arranger, he nearly snapped his phone in half. - Much later, at one of Pei Zhuochuan's concerts, someone with sharp eyes spotted Ruan Yi backstage. Was he there to challenge him? Everyone held their breath, then watched Pei Zhuochuan walk over and say something before ruffling Ruan Yi's hair. The arranger who always looked ready to lash out and hurt someone seemed a little dazed. Half a second later, the tips of his ears turned red. Everyone: "???" Blurb recorded on May 11, 2022. *Everything may change before the story begins. Theme: Even a seed trapped in a crack in the stone must sprout toward the light and stand shoulder to shoulder with the mountain peaks.