"The annual meeting is a gala this year, so there will be a red carpet walk. We’ve already contacted a styling team, and they’ll arrive at your place six hours beforehand. You can just head out with the team when it’s time."

"...It’s that formal?"

"Yes. Since you’re the first-place winner, you’ll have to go on stage to accept your award." Meimei said with a smile, "There might be over a thousand media outlets broadcasting that day. Qiuqiu, if you’re free, you might want to prepare a little beforehand so you don’t get nervous."

"Oh." ’That part won’t make me nervous.’

"Also, this year’s meeting has a special segment where the top ten contestants will perform. You’ll likely need to perform something as well."

"Qiuqiu, is there anything you’re good at performing?"

"I have to perform, too!?" Jiang Qiuqiu drew in a sharp breath and pressed a hand to her forehead. ’She *did* know how to play the piano, but unfortunately, times have changed. The instrument had evolved, and the pianos on the market today were nothing like the ones she was familiar with.’

’There wasn’t much time before the performance, so it was too late to learn something new.’

’After thinking it over, the only thing that didn’t require any real preparation was singing.’ "I’ll just sing a song," she said.

"Do you have a song picked out?"

"Do I have to decide right now? Can’t I have a little time to think?"

"Of course. Waiting a couple of days is fine. You just need to let us know the day before the gala."

Jiang Qiuqiu hummed in acknowledgment.

"Oh, right, and another thing—"

Jiang Qiuqiu cut in, "Stop, stop, stop! Sister Mingmei, you can’t be serious. There’s more!?"

"I didn’t realize taking first place was so much trouble."

"Don’t say that. So many people dream of being in your shoes." Meimei knew Jiang Qiuqiu hated dealing with anything that wasn’t cooking, but she continued, "You’re number one, and you’re the youngest top winner in the history of Federation streaming. After the gala, tons of media outlets at the venue will want to interview you."

"Little President Qian and I have already screened them. We’ve filtered out the outlets that are difficult to work with or just try to stir up drama for clicks, leaving only the more legitimate ones."

"You’ll just have to answer a few of their questions about the competition and the gala."

After explaining that, Meimei fell silent for a moment. Jiang Qiuqiu finally let out a sigh of relief. "Looks like Sister Mingmei is finally done listing everything."

"Who says I’m done! There’s one more very important thing I forgot to tell you. I—"

Jiang Qiuqiu’s eyes widened. ’If there was more, this annual gala was officially becoming way too much hassle.’

"I haven’t sent you the pictures yet for you to pick out a gown you like."

Jiang Qiuqiu: "..."

She pouted. "Sister Mingmei, you tricked me!"

"Haha, I was just trying to keep you from getting too stressed out, Qiuqiu."

They chatted for a while longer, and after all the necessary details were covered, Little President Qian and Meimei told Jiang Qiuqiu that she could take a break for a while if she was tired after the competition stream.

But Jiang Qiuqiu shook her head. "No, I can’t. I promised everyone that after the competition stream, I’d make a feast so we could all go ’food surfing’ together. I need to do it soon, or I won’t have time later on."

"Alright, just manage your own schedule then. Don’t pack things in too tightly, or you’ll burn out."

"Mhm, I will."

「After ending the call with Little President Qian and the others」

The sky had already begun to darken. Jiang Qiuqiu gazed out into the deep night, and just before going to sleep, she received a message from Black Hole.

Black Hole: I saw the live stream. You won.

Black Hole: Congratulations.

Jiang Qiuqiu: You watched my stream too? 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Black Hole: Yes.

Jiang Qiuqiu: Did you vote for me, then?

She had only asked casually, not expecting him to reply so quickly.

-I did.

-Every single one of my votes was for you.

...