{Chapter: 311 Interested!}
And just as Lin Yuan had suspected, his assumptions were quickly confirmed.
As soon as the two girls stepped onto the stage, the pair of petite twin sisters took a moment to stand side by side, then began introducing themselves to the audience.
The girl with the vibrant double ponytails—dressed in an elegant and frilly Lolita outfit—took the microphone first. Her eyes sparkled with confidence and charm as she spoke clearly into it.
"Hello everyone! I'm very happy to meet you all today," she said, her voice soft and cheerful like a bell ringing in the spring air. "My name is Xie Shixuan. I hope we can all get along well in the future. Thank you for your time!"
Her tone was upbeat and full of enthusiasm, and she carried a pleasant smile on her face the entire time. With a casual yet graceful motion, she picked up a piece of white chalk and walked over to the large blackboard at the back of the stage. She carefully wrote her name in neat, flowing characters for everyone to see.
Once she finished writing, she turned back toward the audience with another sweet smile and gestured to the girl standing quietly next to her.
"This is my twin sister," she said with playful pride, handing the microphone over.
The other girl—who wore a more modest school-style outfit resembling a Japanese JK uniform—accepted the microphone with a cool expression. Her demeanor was clearly more reserved, and she gave off a calm, almost distant aura.
"Hello. My name is Xie Shiyin," she said simply, her tone cold but not unfriendly. Without saying anything more, she returned the microphone to its stand and stepped slightly behind her sister.
Despite the brevity of her introduction, the two girls' presence had already captured everyone's attention.
A warm round of applause spread through the room almost immediately after their introductions. The twin sisters, with their strikingly similar appearances yet contrasting personalities, were instantly popular among the attendees—particularly among the few male students present.
Xie Shixuan's cheerful demeanor, along with her eye-catching Lolita fashion, made her especially captivating. Her adorable charm drew appreciative smiles from many in the room. It would have been surprising if she hadn't attracted attention.
However, while many admired the twins, no one dared to so much as sneak a glance at another equally stunning girl seated next to Lin Yuan—Gui Qingtong.
Unlike the twins, Gui Qingtong seemed to emit an untouchable aura, protected not only by her own gentle grace but also by the overwhelming presence of Lin Yuan at her side. His aura was simply too commanding. His closeness to Gui Qingtong made it clear that anyone attempting to flirt or even stare too long would be playing with fire.
After the twins stepped back from the microphone, Gui Qingtong, who had been seated comfortably with her arm still looped around Lin Yuan's, suddenly poked him gently in the side.
"Hm?" Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow and turned to look at her, slightly amused.
Gui Qingtong leaned in slightly and whispered with a giggle, "Brother Lin Yuan... um, I mean, Dad, those two—Xie Shixuan and Xie Shiyin—they were actually my classmates in high school! We were even in the same music classes together. They're super talented!"
"Oh?" Lin Yuan blinked in surprise. "You knew them from high school too?"
Gui Qingtong nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Yes! I got along pretty well with them. I think it's because we're all similar in height and build... all kind of petite and gentle-looking. Maybe that's why we clicked so easily, hehe."
Hearing her words, Lin Yuan turned his attention back toward the twins on the stage.
While Gui Qingtong believed that she and the twins shared a similar build and appearance, Lin Yuan's experienced eye saw things a bit differently.
To a casual observer, the twins might seem as delicate and slender as Gui Qingtong, but Lin Yuan could tell the truth at a glance. The Xie twins, though undeniably youthful and small in stature, possessed rather surprising physical attributes—ones that were subtly concealed by their choice of clothing.
Xie Shixuan, with her playful personality and fashion-conscious taste, had likely taken deliberate steps to downplay her figure. Her Lolita dress was chosen not just for cuteness, but also to draw attention away from her more mature features. Otherwise, her silhouette might have looked exaggerated or even disproportionate.
Xie Shiyin, on the other hand, had chosen a loose-fitting top that draped comfortably over her frame. Her cold and quiet personality suggested she didn't enjoy attracting too much attention, so it made perfect sense that she would dress in a way that minimized focus on her body.
But Lin Yuan remembered the details from the original character profiles of the novel. These were no ordinary girls—they were epic.
Though they looked like adorable little dolls, these two were famously described in the novel as "opposite extremes"—not only in temperament, but also in the subtle allure that made them unforgettable.
To put it bluntly, they were the kind of characters who defied first impressions: small and innocent in appearance, but with strikingly developed figures hidden beneath their youthful image.
They were the very definition of the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover."
And it was that paradox—the delicate, childlike frame paired with an almost exaggerated maturity—that made the Xie twins so intriguing and impossible to ignore.
They were the stuff of legends in every corner of the anime fanbase.
The so-called "Oppai Lolis."
So much so they even use full-length Chest Binder to flatten their breasts.
Compared to them, Gui Qingtong—adorable and lovely as she was—seemed a bit more modestly built. She was soft and gentle, sure, but her figure leaned more toward the flat and elegant side.
As Gui Qingtong tugged gently on his sleeve and looked up at him with those innocent, expectant eyes, Lin Yuan couldn't help but sigh internally.
She had no idea how different she was from the twins she admired so much.
Gui Qingtong turned her head and looked at Lin Yuan with a puzzled expression, her brows slightly furrowed in confusion. "What's the matter, Dad? Why did you suddenly sigh like that?" she asked, her voice soft and full of curiosity.
Lin Yuan smiled faintly and gently reached out to flick the tip of her ear, a gesture he often used to tease her. "It's nothing serious," he said with a light chuckle. "I was just thinking about how to make it up to you when we get back home. Maybe I should consider giving you some more milk or something."
Gui Qingtong giggled at his words, her cheeks tinting slightly pink. "Hehe. Thank you, Dad. Then… I'll drink more milk from now on," she replied playfully, clearly catching the hidden meaning in his words, even if she pretended not to.
Lin Yuan simply nodded in response, hiding his amusement behind a composed expression.
Gui Qingtong glanced toward the stage and noticed that the previous performance was about to end.
"I think I might be next. I should start preparing a little," she said, adjusting her posture and brushing off her skirt.
"It's just a formality," Lin Yuan said reassuringly, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. "You still have a bit of a cold, remember? Just take it easy. There's no need to be nervous."
"Okay!" Gui Qingtong nodded confidently, though the nervous flutter in her chest remained.
While they were speaking softly to each other, the twin girls on stage had begun their performance. Xie Shixuan sat at the grand piano, her fingers dancing gracefully across the keys. Meanwhile, her twin, Xie Shiyin, sat beside her with her cello, bow gliding skillfully across the strings.
The two performed a well-known classical duet, a piece known for its emotional depth and technical difficulty. And yet, the lacy, doll-like girls executed it with remarkable harmony and elegance.
Their timing was impeccable, their expressions focused, and their synchronization — perhaps a benefit of their twin bond — was more seamless than any other pair Lin Yuan had seen so far. The harmony between piano and cello reverberated across the room, casting a gentle hush over the audience.
When the piece concluded, there was a moment of stunned silence — and then enthusiastic applause erupted from the seats. Lin Yuan clapped politely, a faint smile on his face, as he appreciated their level of skill.
Xie Shiyin quietly packed her cello with minimal expression, staying true to her cold and composed demeanor. Meanwhile, Xie Shixuan stood, gave a graceful bow, and then looked toward the audience with a warm smile.
Her eyes swept gently across the front row — and as they landed momentarily on Lin Yuan and Gui Qingtong, her smile seemed to brighten just a little more.
Gui Qingtong, still clinging to Lin Yuan's arm, instinctively smiled back, thinking the warm expression was for her. She leaned closer and whispered, "Shixuan recognized me… I think she smiled at me just now!"
But Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly with amusement. His gaze was sharp, discerning, and not easily fooled.
No… That smile was directed at him.
It wasn't a matter of ego — Lin Yuan had long since grown used to the attention his absurdly high charisma score attracted. It was more an observation of subtle detail. The way Xie Shixuan glanced precisely at him after he clapped. The flicker of curiosity in her gaze at the school gate earlier. He'd noticed it all.
He remembered clearly: last night under the soft glow of the streetlamp, he and Yu Shanshan had spotted the twins from a distance. Yet, somehow, Xie Shixuan and her sister had clearly seen him as well — from the window of their dormitory no less.
Earlier that day, when they crossed paths at the school gate, there had been something unmistakable in Xie Shixuan's eyes — an inquisitiveness, maybe even faint recognition. Her sister, Xie Shiyin, had remained stoic and distant as usual, but Shixuan's interest had lingered.
It wasn't hard to imagine why.
Lin Yuan was good-looking — unfairly so. And thanks to the system, his charisma stat was pushed to such an extreme that almost any woman who laid eyes on him would feel some level of attraction or curiosity, even if they couldn't explain why.
But it wasn't just his looks.
Xie Shixuan also knew who Gui Qingtong was — not just a pretty face, but a girl from a distinguished and wealthy family. Despite that, it had always been just Gui Qingtong and her mother, Mei Yuxian. No man ever appeared beside them — not until today.
Now suddenly, a mysterious, charismatic man shows up by Gui Qingtong's side, sitting closely with her, arms entwined. It was enough to stir anyone's curiosity — and in Xie Shixuan's case, it clearly did.
Of course, she had no idea that Lin Yuan already knew a great deal about her and her sister — far more than they could guess. He even knew about their more hidden features beneath the deceptive styling of their outfits.
In truth, Lin Yuan was interested too. These twins weren't ordinary students; they were eye-catching and mysterious. And their shared aura of elegance and innocence wrapped in doll-like charm only made them more unique.
But for now, those thoughts would have to wait.
The vice-principal's voice echoed through the speakers, calling the next name on the list:
"Next, we would like to invite Gui Qingtong to the stage for her final performance evaluation."
Lin Yuan felt a slight tremble from the girl holding his arm. Her palm had grown damp with nervousness.
He gently squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes with a calm, reassuring smile.
"You'll be fine," he said warmly. "Just do your best. You've already worked so hard. I'm proud of you, no matter what."
Gui Qingtong nodded, her eyes shining with a mix of nerves and trust. Then she slowly stood up and made her way to the stage, taking a deep breath as she walked.
Lin Yuan sat back and folded his arms, eyes fixed on her. Now it was her time to shine.