Chapter 28: A Doctor’s Revelation and a Journalist’s Quandary

‘You’re not joking, are you?’

Qian Fang was utterly bewildered by her roommate’s words. A doctor and a trainee seemed to have absolutely no connection; how could the two possibly know each other?

If not for Qin Yu’s new song release and the subsequent interview, Qian Fang herself might not even have known of Lin Ziyao’s existence.

Qian Fang’s incredulous expression was evident to her. The moment she saw the photo, she felt as though she had seen the girl before, yet couldn’t quite place her.

The girl in the photograph looked quite different from their first meeting. She appeared more vibrant, her eyes sparkling with a hopeful light for the future.

She recalled Lin Ziyao’s initial awkwardness when she brought her grandmother to the hospital. Upon learning the cost of the surgery, Lin Ziyao instinctively stifled a cry, her trembling shoulders seemingly unable to bear such a heavy burden.

Even the hospital deposit had been pieced together from various sources. In their subsequent encounters, Lin Ziyao’s eyes betrayed an undeniable weariness, suggesting she hadn’t rested well in a long time.

“Her grandmother is hospitalized in our department, and I happen to be the attending physician.”

Jiang Yi’s tone was tinged with helplessness. Indeed, the world often felt incredibly small, where connections could be forged with almost anyone.

“That’s truly wonderful! Quickly, tell me everything about her. I’m worried I won’t have enough material otherwise,” Qian Fang exclaimed, immediately grabbing her notebook, eager to record her roommate’s words.

“Alright, fine!” Jiang Yi knew that if she didn’t sate her roommate’s curiosity, she wouldn’t get a good night’s sleep. However, before she began, she gravely emphasized, “Everything I tell you can be used as reference, but you must obtain her personal consent before making it public.”

“Mm-hmm!” Qian Fang held her notebook, poised to jot down any potential material.

As long-time friends, Qian Fang naturally understood her roommate’s meaning. Despite their different professions, both respected each other’s professional ethics—a principle they each steadfastly upheld.

Seeing her roommate agree, Jiang Yi gradually began to recall the various times she had seen Lin Ziyao caring for her grandmother.

After listening to Jiang Yi’s account, Qian Fang marveled at Lin Ziyao’s brilliance. “To be able to compose two high-quality songs while also caring for a patient is truly remarkable.”

Jiang Yi, who had met Lin Ziyao a few times, concurred. “It truly isn’t easy. From your tone, it sounds like these two songs are of very high quality?”

“First, Lin Ziyao’s ‘Invisible Wings,’ both in its lyrics and performance, offers hope and warmth to a wide audience. Then, Qin Yu’s ‘Original Dream’ strongly conveys the steadfast belief in chasing one’s aspirations. Releasing these two songs together has truly created a synergistic effect.”

As a music journalist, she was undoubtedly the most qualified to speak on this matter.

“Conservatively speaking, these two songs should be able to stay in the top ten of the new song chart for two weeks,” she offered her most cautious prediction.

Hearing Qian Fang’s response, Jiang Yi smiled contentedly. “That’s wonderful. Then her grandmother’s surgery expenses will be taken care of.”

“What do you mean?” Jiang Yi’s words puzzled Qian Fang. “Her grandmother’s surgery fee?”

“Yes, the surgery costs, plus post-operative medication, will amount to around 100,000 yuan. If, as you say, this song is of high quality and sells well, then she’ll have the funds for it,” Jiang Yi explained, genuinely happy for the girl. As a doctor, her greatest wish was to see patients discharged in good health.

She had only spoken about Lin Ziyao earlier, without touching upon her grandmother’s condition, but now she shared that information as well.

“Wait, that doesn’t add up!”

Based on the additional information from her roommate, Qian Fang gained a deeper understanding of Lin Ziyao, yet also caught a hint of something unusual.

“According to what you’ve told me, given Lin Ziyao’s economic circumstances, she shouldn’t have been able to receive professional training at all. So how did she manage to produce two such high-quality songs?”

It had to be acknowledged that becoming a successful trainee demanded significant time and financial investment. Based on Jiang Yi’s account, Qian Fang deduced that Lin Ziyao simply didn’t have the means to undergo professional training.

Confronted with this puzzle, Qian Fang fell into deep thought.

‘Could the company have bought songs for her to gain prestige?’ she murmured, voicing her speculation.

It wasn’t uncommon in the industry for artists to buy others’ songs, claim them as their own, build an ‘original’ persona, and quickly rake in money. However, dragging the currently popular Qin Yu down as a mere foil seemed an overly risky move.

“There’s one thing you might be overlooking,” Jiang Yi reminded her pointedly. “Look at the song Lin Ziyao sang herself. Don’t you think it perfectly reflects her current situation?”

Jiang Yi’s single sentence redirected Qian Fang’s focus back to the song itself.

The song ‘Invisible Wings’ portrays a singer who firmly believes they can overcome despair, while the lyricist harbors hope amidst that despair. Only through this combination can such a deeply moving song be created, one that resonates profoundly with listeners.

Such an impactful song couldn’t simply be bought off the shelf like other common tunes, let alone custom-made for Lin Ziyao.

This left only one possibility: Lin Ziyao had written the song purely from her own life experiences and insights.

As this thought formed in Qian Fang’s mind, she could only describe Lin Ziyao with two words.

A monster!

‘Talented beyond compare’ wouldn’t suffice; only the word ‘monster’ truly captured her assessment of Lin Ziyao.

If ‘Invisible Wings’ was a reflection of Lin Ziyao’s own experiences, then Qian Fang held similar expectations for Qin Yu’s rendition of ‘Original Dream,’ eager to see if she could decipher any distinct meanings within its lyrics.

Unfortunately, Qian Fang tried to apply the song’s lyrics to Qin Yu, but they clearly didn’t fit, indicating that the song’s lyrics were not tailor-made for Qin Yu.

However, the profound meaning embedded within the lyrics of ‘Invisible Wings’ alone was more than enough for Qian Fang to pen an eye-catching exclusive interview.

After speaking, Jiang Yi returned to her room to shower and sleep. Unlike Qian Fang, who had flexible hours and could pull all-nighters at will, Jiang Yi had to wake up for work the next day.

Meanwhile, Qian Fang remained hunched over the dining table, engrossed in writing her interview piece. By the time the sun reappeared outside, she had finally completed her exclusive article on the two new songs.

Now, another problem loomed before her: the interview heavily analyzed the hidden meanings in ‘Invisible Wings’ by linking them to Lin Ziyao’s experiences. All this information had come from Jiang Yi, without Lin Ziyao’s explicit consent.

For the interview to be published smoothly, she absolutely needed Lin Ziyao’s approval. However, both Lin Ziyao and Qin Yu had returned to participate in a variety show and were unreachable.

Consequently, Qian Fang had no choice but to dial the contact number for the management company. “Hello, could you please help me get in touch with Miss Qin Yu?”