After being dumped by the diva, I was picked up by her arch-enemy.

Stepping out of Tingzhuxuan, the early autumn wind blew in my face, carrying a hint of coolness.

Lin Qinghe tightened the neckline of her turtleneck sweater dress and put on a mask and sunglasses.

She glanced back at the quaint, privately-run restaurant and sighed softly.

Actually, she did have some good feelings towards Chen Yu.

If she hadn't been moved, she would never have made the decision to sever her three-year relationship with Jiang Yichen.

But right now...

Last night's absurd accident completely disrupted her rhythm.

Her mind was in a mess, and she wasn't prepared to accept Chen Yu's advances at all.

The phone in my bag suddenly started vibrating violently.

Lin Qinghe took out her phone, and the screen showed her agent, "Sister Wang".

As soon as I swiped to answer the call, I heard Sister Wang's urgent voice coming from the other end.

"My dear little aunt, you finally answered the phone!"

"She's not replying to my messages, she's not answering my calls, and if I can't contact her anymore, I'm really going to call the police!"

Lin Qinghe rubbed her temples, trying to keep her tone calm: "Sister Wang, I'm fine."

"I went out for a meal, and my phone was on silent, so I didn't notice."

Sister Wang on the other end of the phone breathed a sigh of relief: "It's alright, it's alright."

"You haven't been acting right these past few days. I heard... you dumped Jiang Yichen?"

"Just let him go. Those little artists with no future should have been cut off a long time ago."

"But you'd better get back into the swing of things quickly."

Sister Wang's tone became serious.

"You haven't forgotten the mentor contract I signed for you on Tencent Video's S-level music talent show, 'The Voice of Heaven,' right?"

"Recording starts next week!"

"This is a crucial battle for you to solidify your position in the industry, you absolutely cannot let me down!"

Lin Qinghe took a deep breath.

"I understand, Sister Wang."

"I'll adjust."

........

in the afternoon.

Recording Studio A, 17th Floor, Star Entertainment Headquarters.

Jiang Yichen sat in front of the mixing console.

Gu Ruanxing's efficiency in handling affairs is indeed impeccable.

In just a few hours.

She not only assembled the company's top arrangement team, but also used her connections to directly invite two highly respected teachers in the folk music circle.

One plays the flute, and the other plays the erhu.

At this moment, two folk music teachers in their fifties were sitting in the recording studio, tuning their instruments.

They looked at Jiang Yichen, who was too young for his age, through the glass window, their eyes filled with a hint of suspicion.

Among the so-called stars and artists in today's pop music scene, those who truly understand traditional Chinese music are extremely rare.

Not to mention the perfect integration of folk music into pop arrangements.

Most of them are just random additions of elements, resulting in something that's neither fish nor fowl.

Jiang Yichen pressed the intercom button.

"Thank you for your hard work, teachers."

"Let's try a section first."

"Teacher Li, could you please lower the tone of the erhu's opening note a little? I want that desolate and tragic undertone, not too bright."

"Teacher Zhang, when the flute enters the chorus, give it enough breath support."

The two teachers exchanged a glance.

This young man speaks quite eloquently.

Teacher Li set up the erhu and pulled the bowstring.

A poignant melody flowed out instantly.

Jiang Yichen stared at the waveform on the screen, his brows furrowed slightly.

"Wait a minute."

He pushed the clippers away.

"Teacher Li, please increase the range of your vibrato."

"The glissando in the third measure is held for half a beat."

"I want that desolate feeling of the stage closing and the audience leaving."

Teacher Li was stunned for a moment.

According to Jiang Yichen, he tried it again.

This time, the erhu melody added a touch of melancholy to the tune.

Teacher Li's eyes lit up.

A true expert's skill is immediately apparent.

This young man is really something!

The subsequent recording went surprisingly smoothly.

Jiang Yichen demonstrated exceptional control.

He was absolutely precise in the layering of each audio track and the entry point of each instrument.

If the arrangement team has any questions, he can even pick up a guitar or sit down at the keyboard and play the melody he wants on the spot.

There was absolutely no lag.

Flowing like clouds and water.

Gu Ruanxing sat on the sofa behind her, staring wide-eyed at the man sitting in front of the mixing console, exuding an aura of dominance.

It seemed like it was the first day I met Jiang Yichen.

Xu Zhiyou cupped her cheeks in her hands, staring intently at Jiang Yichen's profile.

He muttered to himself.

"So handsome..."

"Men who are focused on their work are so handsome..."

Gu Ruanxing rolled her eyes at her, but in her heart she had to admit that Xu Zhiyou was right.

This kid is really quite attractive right now.

An afternoon passed.

Jiang Yichen pressed the stop button.

The accompaniment in the recording studio suddenly stopped.

He took off his headphones.

Long, slender fingers slid rapidly across the faders of the mixing console, rebalancing the volume of several tracks.

Outside the glass window, two folk music teachers put down their erhu and flute.

The look in his eyes as he looked at Jiang Yichen was filled with undisguised praise.

Teacher Li gave a thumbs up.

"Teacher Jiang, this piece is absolutely amazing."

"I've played the erhu for half my life, and this is the first time I've seen folk music and pop music blended so cleverly."

"It is poignant but not sorrowful, mournful but not tragic."

"He has the bearing of a great general."

Jiang Yichen stood up and said modestly, "Teacher Li, you flatter me. It is your profound skills that brought out the feeling I wanted."

Gu Ruanxing glanced at her watch.

That's all for today.

She stood up, stretched, and her short suit jacket rode up, revealing a small section of her fair and slender waist.

"The progress is much faster than I expected."

Gu Ruanxing walked to the mixing console and looked at the densely packed audio tracks.

"I estimate it will take another two or three days to finish."

Jiang Yichen nodded in agreement.

......

That evening, Xu Zhiyou returned to her 300-square-meter apartment in the heart of Shanghai.

She tossed her bag aside, kicked off her high heels, and stepped barefoot onto the soft wool carpet.

He pounced on the huge leather sofa in the center of the living room like a cat.

She buried her face in the cushion and rolled around in it twice.

Then he lay flat on his back, looked at the ceiling, and let out a silly "hehehe" laugh.

A few seconds later, her smile faded, and she sighed heavily.

"well……"

Just then, a clear, cold female voice rang out in the empty living room.

"Miss, what's wrong?"

A tall figure appeared at the entrance to the living room at some point.

The woman was wearing a black, tight-fitting sports vest, loose-fitting dark cargo pants, and black Doc Martens boots.

Her flat stomach was clearly defined by her abs.

Above that was a delicate face that exuded an aura of unapproachability.

Su Yu.

Xu Zhiyou's personal bodyguard is also her childhood playmate.

The two grew up together, nominally mistress and servant, but in reality, they were like sisters.

Su Yu walked to the sofa and looked at Xu Zhiyou, her cool face full of seriousness.

"You were spacing out for three minutes, chuckled twice, and then sighed."

She stared at Xu Zhiyou, her tone certain: "Did someone upset you?"

As she spoke, she clenched her fist.

"Tell me his name, and I'll beat him up for you."

Xu Zhiyou was startled and quickly grabbed Su Yu's wrist, pulling her to sit down on the sofa.

"Oh, Sister Yu, don't resort to violence all the time."

Nobody made me unhappy.

Su Yu frowned slightly, her eyes full of doubt.

"Then why are you sighing?"

Xu Zhiyou rested her chin on her hands, her cheeks flushed with two obvious blushes.

"Sister Yu, I... I think I'm in love."

Su Yu was stunned, a look of confusion flashing in her eyes.

"in love?"

"What kind of illness is this? Do I need to go to the hospital?"

Xu Zhiyou was amused by the situation and poked Su Yu's arm in an annoyed manner.

"It's not an illness!"

"I think I've... fallen for someone!"

"He's all I can think about. I miss him when I can't see him, and my heart beats really fast when I do."

Su Yu nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"Oh...so what do you want?"

Xu Zhiyou scratched her hair in distress.

"I want him to like me too! But I don't know what to do..."

Su Yu fell into deep thought.

This topic was clearly beyond her comprehension.

She thought about it seriously for a long time and gave a very simple answer.

"Then be good to him."

Xu Zhiyou's eyes lit up: "How is it good?"

"Buy him some food."

"If someone bullies him, help him beat that person up."

Su Yu's logic is very clear.

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhiyou sighed and slumped back into the leather sofa, feeling limp and weak.

Her mind was filled with uncontrollable memories of her university days.

Back then, she would always send Jiang Yichen food and drinks under various pretexts.

These past two days, she's been trying every trick in the book to show him care.

However, Jiang Yichen remained polite throughout, and there seemed to be no progress between the two.

"This method seems... not working."

Looking at Xu Zhiyou's distraught appearance, Su Yu spoke with unprecedented seriousness.

"Since ordinary methods are useless... then we have no choice but to use extraordinary methods."