A Core Ship From The Start-Chapter 2369 - 1591: Golden Combination? (I’m Picking Favorites, Not Strength)
"Popular Youtuber and TikToker, MEM, I didn’t expect you to still be interested in idols."
Looking at the nervous MEM in front of her, Mei PRO President Saito Kyoko couldn’t help but exclaim, then she glanced at Duanmu Huai.
"Are you sure letting her join is okay?"
"Isn’t it the internet age now? I think having someone from the online world join the idol group would be convenient in many ways. Plus, after that incident before, I believe MEM is at least a reliable person."
"Oh, since you say so, there shouldn’t be any problems. But..."
While speaking, Saito Kyoko stared at MEM.
"You seem to have some hidden matters, don’t you?"
"Hidden matters?"
Hearing Saito Kyoko’s words, Duanmu Huai was somewhat surprised.
"Everyone has things they’re not comfortable explaining; it’s not a big deal."
"Yes, sometimes that’s true... but sometimes it’s different... By the way, how old do you think she is?"
"Hmm?"
Faced with this sudden question, Duanmu Huai was taken aback.
"Isn’t she eighteen? I recall that’s what she said."
"Indeed... although her bone development seems quite young, it can’t escape my eyes."
Saito Kyoko chuckled lightly, staring at MEM.
"You’ve likely misreported your age, haven’t you?"
"..."
"But there’s no need to be so scared. It’s common for girls acting independently to report a younger age; I don’t mind."
"Really? That’s great..."
Facing Saito Kyoko’s reply, MEM, who had been frozen stiff, finally sighed with relief.
"By the way, how old are you actually?"
"Well..."
MEM hesitated, then leaned towards Saito Kyoko’s ear.
"Hmm, hmm... Um?"
Soon after, Duanmu Huai saw Saito Kyoko’s expression change suddenly.
"That’s quite a difference! At this age, how can you still claim to be eighteen?"
"Hahaha..."
"Misreported by how much? Three years?"
"... Twice the three..."
"..."
What can you say? Even Duanmu Huai felt speechless at this moment. However, he could understand a girl’s obsession with age. For example, Mary, although her growth stopped at that phase after becoming one of Duanmu Huai’s followers, Mary insisted on one thing—that she only aged if she lived a year in her world.
So, in other worlds, no matter how many years she spent with Duanmu Huai, it didn’t count!
Mary was particularly adamant about this, even though Duanmu Huai didn’t care much about such trivial matters. But perhaps it wasn’t trivial for women.
As for MEM... well, Duanmu Huai had seen people like her before, even some high school teachers looked like elementary school kids. Compared to them, MEM was relatively normal.
"Actually, I have my reasons!"
At this point, MEM hurriedly explained.
"Since I was young, I dreamed of becoming an idol, but we have a single-parent family, and during my senior year of high school, my mom fell ill due to overexertion, plus my two younger brothers needed college tuition. I worked part-time jobs to support them in college, and my mom recovered. But by then, I was already twenty-three..."
MEM sighed as she spoke.
"For idols, isn’t twenty too old? So even if I wanted to be an idol then, no one would want me. That’s why I became a Youtuber, and since I was technically a high school student on leave, I went for the JK vibe. Unexpectedly, it was a big hit, with rapidly increasing fans, leading to my current situation!"
"Hmm..."
That’s fairly common; setting up a persona as a Youtuber is crucial, as a failure would be disastrous. And her appearance indeed doesn’t seem adult-like, allowing her to pull it off.
"What do you think?"
Looking at the despondent MEM, Saito Kyoko turned to Duanmu Huai to ask his opinion. Although she was the president of Mei PRO, the office had long become a subsidiary of Duanmu Huai’s film company. And since the person was introduced by Duanmu Huai, Saito Kyoko naturally wanted to know his thoughts.
"Isn’t it great?"
Duanmu Huai wasn’t particularly worried.
"She’s genuinely passionate about being an idol, and despite her youthful looks, she’s a reliable adult, so I feel more comfortable with her in the team."
These were Duanmu Huai’s honest thoughts. It’s true that idol groups typically comprise 14-20-year-old girls who lack life experience—they’re easier to deceive and more impulsive, often causing troubles.
But having a responsible adult like MEM in the group can prevent the entire team from making immature decisions due to their young age. Being a famous Youtuber, MEM was well-versed in online interactions. Although her age was somewhat beyond expectations, there’s an old saying:
"An elder in the house is like a treasure."
Of course, Duanmu Huai wouldn’t say this directly to MEM.
"Can I really do it? Even at twenty-five?"
