The male star is my boyfriend.

Fortune is such a marvel—it stirs up turbulent waves, only to vanish without a trace at critical moments, leaving behind nothing but peace no one notices. "Xiaohan, how’s college? If anyone bullies you, you have to tell your dad and me, okay?" "Mom, stop worrying. No one’s messing with me, and my roommates are great." With that brief family exchange, Yihan—a plain girl fresh out of high school and the first in her family to attend college—wrapped up the call. Though her university wasn’t prestigious, it was still her family’s pride. She wasn’t conventionally beautiful: round face, fair skin with a hint of pink, small eyes that somehow radiated warmth and approachability. Back in her dorm, she booted up her computer and started watching videos—of Lin Yihan, the rising star who’d built his fanbase from a low-budget web drama, then blown up last year with a hit big-IP project. Now he was one of the most influential actors of the decade. Suddenly, two hands snaked around her neck and pinched her cheeks. "Xiaohanhan, still watching your idol? Lin Yihan won so many awards this year—he’s ridiculously handsome. I’d totally crush on him if I didn’t have a boyfriend!" "Oh, right—wasn’t Lin Yihan’s college major the same as ours? Wait, I bet you picked this major because of him, didn’t you?" Yes. She’d loved Lin Yihan since junior high. In high school, when she’d drowned in endless exam questions, just thinking of him had reignited her drive. She’d vowed to get into college, to one day meet him and say, “Hi, Lin Yihan.” Night fell. A soft breeze brushed the leaves, carrying summer’s lingering heat and autumn’s cool clarity. Stars twinkled, but Yihan slept fitfully. She jolted awake—still dark outside. She’d dreamt she was Lin Yihan’s assistant. But in the dream, he was an unknown, struggling actor; she was just another unremarkable junior staffer at the company. To project a “caring employer” image, the company had randomly paired Lin Yihan with her as his assistant-c*m-agent. They’d been through so much together… The dream felt painfully real, like it had actually happened. “If only that were true,” Yihan thought hazily before drifting back to sleep. Just then, a subtle shift rippled through the air… "Master, Master, wake up—stop sleeping!" A young child’s voice kept ringing in Yihan’s ears. She rubbed her eyes groggily, and her gaze fell on a little yellow blob: it had an antenna-like stick on its head (with a tiny circle at the end), stubby little arms and legs, and was frozen mid-shake to rouse her. "What… what are you?" Yihan asked, dazed. "I’m your Dopamine Manager, Master—my name’s Xiaoba!" Xiaoba explained, full of energy. "D-dopamine manager? Is this a dream?" Yihan mumbled. "You guessed right, Master—it is a dream!" Xiaoba chirped. "But it’s a parallel world within a dream. Recently, your brain detected your dopamine levels are all over the place, so your body’s health system sent me to fix your dopamine secretion. I built this parallel dream world based on your recent thoughts and daydreams—you’ll get tons of dopamine here!" That way, I can finally get a promotion and a raise… heehee! Xiaoba thought, grinning without showing teeth. "…………" Silence stretched for a while. "Master, don’t think I’m just small now—I can change size based on how much dopamine you earn!" Xiaoba babbled on. "S-so you’re here to help me? Does that mean… none of this is just a regular dream?" "Bingo, Master—smart cookie!" Xiaoba praised. Yihan sighed, staring at the ceiling with a heavy heart. "I only wish this could happen. I’m no one special, and he’s a superstar—shining and untouchable. Can I… refuse this world? I don’t care if I’m ‘happy’ or not. And call me Xiaohan—‘Master’ feels weird." "Alright, alright, Xiaohan—stop moping!" Xiaoba said. "You’re gonna be late for work any second. In this parallel world, it’s your first day as his manager—come on, let’s kick off our Dopamine Plan!" "Master, Master, wake up—stop sleeping!" A young child’s voice kept ringing in Yihan’s ears. She rubbed her eyes groggily, and her gaze fell on a little yellow blob: it had an antenna-like stick on its head (with a tiny circle at the end), stubby little arms and legs, and was frozen mid-shake to rouse her. "What… what are you?" Yihan asked, dazed. "I’m your Dopamine Manager, Master—my name’s Xiaoba!" Xiaoba explained, full of energy. "D-dopamine manager? Is this a dream?" Yihan mumbled. "You guessed right, Master—it is a dream!" Xiaoba chirped. "But it’s a parallel world within a dream. Recently, your brain detected your dopamine levels are all over the place, so your body’s health system sent me to fix your dopamine secretion. I built this parallel dream world based on your recent thoughts and daydreams—you’ll get tons of dopamine here!" That way, I can finally get a promotion and a raise… heehee! Xiaoba thought, grinning without showing teeth. "…………" Silence stretched for a while. "Master, don’t think I’m just small now—I can change size based on how much dopamine you earn!" Xiaoba babbled on. "S-so you’re here to help me? Does that mean… none of this is just a regular dream?" "Bingo, Master—smart cookie!" Xiaoba praised. Yihan sighed, staring at the ceiling with a heavy heart. "I only wish this could happen. I’m no one special, and he’s a superstar—shining and untouchable. Can I… refuse this world? I don’t care if I’m ‘happy’ or not. And call me Xiaohan—‘Master’ feels weird." "Alright, alright, Xiaohan—stop moping!" Xiaoba said. "You’re gonna be late for work any second. In this parallel world, it’s your first day as his manager—come on, let’s kick off our Dopamine Plan!" "...Why didn’t you tell me earlier where the company is and how to get there? Maybe I should just give up now." In the end, Yi Han still found the company with Xiao Ba’s help. The company was called Xingji, one of the top entertainment firms in the country—identical to its counterpart in the real world. Yi Han gazed at this skyscraper that countless dream-chasers aspired to enter, but reality was harsh: only a handful achieved massive success, while the rest lingered as background figures. At this thought, Yi Han sighed, unable to imagine how Lin Yihan had endured his obscurity back then. "Right... Right, what was that about dopamine secretion levels earlier? Do I need to reach 100% to return to the real world?" "Yes, Xiao Han’s so smart. But there are many ways to boost dopamine—you’ll learn gradually. Don’t rush. Let’s go, we have something important to do today," Xiao Ba shrank in size and perched on Yi Han’s shoulder. "Xiao Han, listen. Today, the company is reassigning assistants and agents to actors. Since Lin Yihan’s still unknown, his agent and assistant roles are combined. It’s tough here—only the more popular actors get better treatment. Most others are stuck with difficult personalities, but don’t worry—Lin Yihan’s assigned to you." The elevator doors opened, and Yi Han stepped into the meeting room, dominated by a large round table where brokers sat, with assistants standing behind them. "New here? Hurry and find your seat—meeting’s starting," a junior assistant hurried Yi Han to a corner. She scanned the room; all broker seats were taken. Just then, a sharp, female voice cut through: "Meeting begins. I assume everyone knows why we’re here. I’ll distribute each artist’s name and profile shortly." The woman wore a khaki blazer, black harem pants, and bold red lipstick—her sharp eyes exuded a "queen bee" vibe. "Any questions? Dismissed." "Wow, that’s Broker Sister Jiang—legend says her artists blow up within two years, if not sooner." "When will we get that good? Tired of being treated like lackeys." "Yeah, dealing with temperamental artists... all we get is yelling..." As artist profiles were passed out, Yi Han’s hands trembled when Lin Yihan’s file reached her. "Xiao Han, Xiao Han—let’s go meet Lin Yihan first. Can’t keep your idol waiting," she said, shaking off her daze. Right, I’m his agent now. No fangirling. Gotta make him a star! "Xiao Ba, right?" "Not bad—came in ready to quit, now you’re fired up..." Xiao Ba mused mentally. They arrived at the artists’ lounge. Yi Han spotted Lin Yihan standing alone in the corner. Her heart raced, palms sweating, as she approached. Wiping her damp hands on her clothes, she extended one. "Hello, Lin Yihan—I’m your agent and assistant, Yi Han. Please take care of me going forward." She nearly teared up but held it together. "Calm down, Xiao Han—try to act professional," Xiao Ba muttered in her mind. "Hello, Agent Yi Han. I’m Lin Yihan. Thank you for taking me on," he replied, bowing slightly with a warm, disarming smile. Other artists ignored their agents or looked annoyed, leaving the brokers awkward. "Since I’m older, I’ll call you Yihan," Yi Han blurted, suddenly hyper-aware of standing this close to her longtime crush. Did I just save the world in a past life?! "Hey, Xiao Han—your name Yi Han and his Yihan sound almost identical," Xiao Ba chirped mentally. I know—how could I forget? He’s been my crush for years. "Yihan, feel free to call me that. I’ve read your basic info, but private details are yours to share—if you need anything, tell me. We’ll figure this out together. I trust you, and I’ll make sure you rise to the top. Let’s trust each other," Yi Han said, trying to sound confident despite her inner nervousness. "Mm, Agent Yi Han—I believe in you. Let’s work hard together," Lin Yihan replied, aware of the poor treatment newbies got but heartened by her determination. "Go back first. I’ll contact you when there’s work," Yi Han said. "Agent Yi Han—can I have your number? For emergencies," Lin Yihan held out his phone. From Yi Han’s view: fair skin, lean but boyish frame, veins tracing his hand—all the world faded. "Yi Han? Yi Han? Snap out of it..." Xiao Ba’s voice jolted her. She’d zoned out staring at him, her face flushing. She fumbled for her phone. "I’ll go now—call if you need me." "Xiao Han, your dopamine levels just spiked 5%," Xiao Ba said smugly. "We’re close!" "But how does that even work? I feel fine," Yi Han frowned.