Chapter 14: The Prolific Musician’s New Tune

“What’s wrong?” Qin Yu, walking beside her, seemed to notice her unusual silence and asked with concern.

Lin Ziyao shook her head, indicating she was fine. However, the anxiety and apprehension etched on her face made it difficult to believe her words.

Since Lin Ziyao didn’t want to speak, Qin Yu chose not to press her. Instead, she slowed her pace, walking right by her side.

Sometimes, the best care might simply be companionship. The two walked on, side by side, gradually falling to the very end of the group.

“Thank you, Qin Yu!” Lin Ziyao took a deep breath, her usual composure returning.

She had come to a realization: rather than being plagued by apprehension, it was better to simply let go and act. Dwelling in a state of overthinking would only prevent her from moving forward.

Watching Lin Ziyao regain her spirit, walk towards the commercial van, and ask Xiao Li for paper and a pen, Qin Yu felt a wave of relief wash over her.

She had feared Lin Ziyao would sink deeper into the quagmire of self-doubt, unable to escape.

“Yo la la la ah la bei, yi la suo la ah la bei la.”

As she jotted down notes, Lin Ziyao couldn’t help but hum the tune.

Her renewed vigor, however, drew a curious gaze from Qin Yu. “What are you singing?”

Noticing Qin Yu trying to approach, Lin Ziyao instantly shielded the notebook behind her back, as if protecting a precious treasure. She glanced left and right at the wheat fields bordering the road. “Nothing, just a sudden inspiration.”

Faced with Qin Yu’s suspicious gaze, Lin Ziyao could only laugh it off. If others discovered she was writing song lyrics, and then saw them, she’d likely be labeled as ‘country bumpkin hype.’

However, Qin Yu, who had long since seen through Lin Ziyao, had already guessed that the notebook hidden in her arms was likely connected to her earlier apprehension.

“What could you be writing?” She began to openly speculate in front of Lin Ziyao.

“A love letter?” A guess slipped from her lips as she tapped her chin with her index finger. “Or a diary?”

Lin Ziyao, guarding her notebook, watched Qin Yu warily, much like a kitten protecting its food. Then, an answer quietly emerged from Qin Yu’s lips.

The curve of Qin Yu’s smile momentarily stunned the protective Lin Ziyao. Following this, Qin Yu spoke in an almost teasing tone, “It wouldn’t happen to be lyrics for another new song, would it?”

Beyond being captivated by Qin Yu’s beauty, Lin Ziyao was so startled by her guess that her mind went blank.

‘She figured it out!’

Seeing Lin Ziyao freeze, Qin Yu knew her guess was correct. It was only the second day of the program, and she had already produced a third song. Was her inspiration truly inexhaustible?

Lin Ziyao, however, was unaware that in Qin Yu’s mind, she had already transformed into a prolific musician.

“Let me see!” Qin Yu requested, eager to glimpse her latest creation.

“No way, absolutely not!” This time, however, Lin Ziyao shook her head like a rattle-drum, her hands clutching the notebook tightly to her chest, as if no one could ever take it.

With Lin Ziyao’s defensive stance, Qin Yu couldn’t forcibly snatch the lyrics. She could only venture a guess based on the two snippets Lin Ziyao had hummed earlier. “The song you were humming sounded like it had folk influences. Is your new song a folk song?”

“Yes, it’s a folk song.” Seeing that Qin Yu no longer demanded to see the lyrics, Lin Ziyao lowered her guard and began to answer her question.

‘And it’ll probably become a “folk sensation,”‘ she added mentally.

The main reason she didn’t want Qin Yu to see it was that, besides the lyrics, her notebook also contained some wild, spontaneous ideas she’d jotted down in a moment of exhilaration. If Qin Yu saw those, it would be utterly mortifying.

As she completed the final line of lyrics in her notebook, a system notification suddenly echoed in her mind.

[Host has completed the system-rewarded accompaniment. The system will now automatically provide the full version.]

Once the system finished speaking, the memory of the entire song, just like last time, flooded into her mind. Lin Ziyao’s understanding of this song could now be said to rival the original singer’s.

Now that the accompaniment and lyrics were complete, one crucial matter remained: who would sing it? In her previous life, this song was performed by a male and a female vocalist. With the system’s enhancement, Lin Ziyao could perfectly handle her part.

However, she still needed a partner. Lin Ziyao’s gaze fell upon Qin Yu. Logically, Qin Yu had debuted as a pop singer, and Lin Ziyao wasn’t entirely sure if she could handle a folk song. She also had a backup option in mind.

Her eyes shifted to Xu Li. Since the male vocal part of the song wasn’t extensive, Xu Li could certainly sing it. However, if she were to perform this song repeatedly in the future, she would inevitably be tied to Xu Li, which might cause her some inconvenience.

But for now, there was a more pressing matter.

“Xiao Li, please send this accompaniment to Director Chen and ask him to arrange everything before tonight.” Lin Ziyao transferred the system-provided accompaniment from her phone to Xiao Li, instructing them to pass it to Director Chen for arrangements.

Then, she turned her head, her gaze assessing Qin Yu. From the side, Qin Yu’s jawline was distinct, accentuating her long, slender neck, making her appear as refined and elegant as a noble swan.

Indeed, being with Qin Yu was much more pleasing to the eye than with the ‘old man’ Xu Li. Lin Ziyao would absolutely never admit that she was a sucker for good looks.

Thus, she swiftly scribbled two more pages of lyrics and handed them to Qin Yu. “Take a look at these lyrics first.”

“Oh?” Noticing Lin Ziyao’s clear change in attitude, Qin Yu took the lyrics she offered and scanned them, then broke into a radiant smile. “When I heard you humming earlier, I suspected it might be a folk song. So, are you planning to perform this tonight?”

“Just read the lyrics first. I’m worried that once you hear them with the melody, you won’t be able to read them anymore,” Lin Ziyao said, sidestepping Qin Yu’s question. She wanted Qin Yu to memorize the lyrics quickly, knowing her own recent experience was the best example.

Qin Yu handed back the two pages of lyrics she had merely glanced at. Looking at the still-perplexed Lin Ziyao, she countered, “Have you forgotten what my special talent is?”

‘Right, her talent is speed memorization. What an enviable gift!’

“Alright then, I’ll let you listen to the accompaniment!” To achieve the best effect for this song, a large number of traditional ethnic instruments would be needed, but the production team clearly couldn’t procure them on short notice.

She could only lower her expectations, hoping they could find a few primary instruments. The remaining instruments needed for the song were synthesized by an electronic keyboard within the accompaniment itself, making it easier for Lin Ziyao to explain its origin.

Putting down her phone, Qin Yu looked at her hesitantly. “The style of this song, for you, is quite a leap!”

“Alright, I knew what you were going to say.” Facing Qin Yu’s assessment, she shrugged indifferently. The moment she decided to bring out this song, she had mentally prepared herself to simply accept Qin Yu’s critique.

High emotional intelligence: ‘The style is quite a leap.’

Low emotional intelligence: ‘This song doesn’t sound like you wrote it.’

“Since we still have some time, let’s give it a try!”

Lin Ziyao was now impatient, eager for tonight to stir up a storm in Taofeng Square.