Chapter 6: A Song Unsung, A Plan Unveiled

Cradling her guitar, Lin Ziyao found her mind inexplicably filled with unfamiliar memories after redeeming a reward from the system. Once she had sorted through them, she realized she could skillfully perform the song she had just acquired.

Qin Yu rested her chin in her hand, watching Lin Ziyao stare blankly at the guitar. She wondered if she had pushed her too hard.

Just as Qin Yu was about to speak, she saw Lin Ziyao’s eyes sparkle with renewed brilliance, making her hesitate.

Lin Ziyao’s fingers danced across the strings, producing a cascade of fluid notes.

Upon hearing the guitar, Qin Yu’s movements halted instantly.

Simple. That was Qin Yu’s first impression. Yet, despite its simplicity, the melody was incredibly captivating, at least to Qin Yu, who felt it would be hard to forget after just one listen.

After Lin Ziyao finished playing, Qin Yu found herself eagerly anticipating the lyrics. However, Lin Ziyao concluded her performance without singing a single word.

It felt like a cat had playfully scratched at her heart a few times before wagging its tail and leaping away.

A slight sense of emptiness settled within Qin Yu, yet she felt confident that with the right lyrics, this arrangement alone could make the song a massive hit. “Have you written lyrics for this song?”

Lin Ziyao nodded, handing the guitar back to Qin Yu. Having her past knowledge of guitar rekindled, combined with the system-bestowed memories, she could now perform the song flawlessly, as if by instinct. Though she hadn’t sung, this experience significantly bolstered her confidence in the system.

The task, which she had initially resisted, now had Lin Ziyao actively considering how to complete it.

Her chosen target, of course, would be Qin Yu, her roommate and collaborator!

Thirty minutes, neither too long nor too short, passed swiftly. When everyone reconvened in the villa’s garden, it was evident that several guests had changed their attire, clearly related to the talents they were about to present.

Lin Ziyao took her seat, which, whether by accident or design, was next to Qin Yu. She settled in, waiting for Director Chen to host and outline the next arrangements.

Director Chen surveyed the assembled guests, then nodded. “Alright, since everyone is here, let’s begin in seating order.”

Surrounding cameras were already set up, filming since the guests’ arrival. Each guest faced the lenses without a trace of fear, save for Qin Yu, who was still lost in the echo of Lin Ziyao’s performance from the room.

If the talent show followed seating order, Lin Ziyao would be the very last, the grand finale. This meant she could comfortably enjoy everyone else’s performances from her seat until her turn.

Yang Tian, seated first, looked around before rising. “Since Director Chen has arranged it this way, I’ll start!”

Yang Tian’s appearance was a stark contrast to how he looked at dinner. Adorned with metal accessories and a fuzzy hat, everyone present could guess he was about to perform rap.

“Yo!” Yang Tian launched into his act instantly, his eyes sharpening. From his clearly articulated lyrics, Lin Ziyao could tell he had put in considerable effort; this was no casual performance.

‘Is this the standard of a trainee?’ she wondered.

Comparing herself to Yang Tian’s demonstrated skill, Lin Ziyao felt a distinct pressure weighing on her shoulders.

“Surprised?” Qin Yu snapped out of her reverie, noticing Lin Ziyao’s tense expression and tightly clenched hands on her chair.

Yet, acknowledging the gap between herself and him, Lin Ziyao nodded. “I didn’t realize Yang Tian was so impressive when I first saw him.”

Yang Tian’s confident, sweat-drenched performance on stage genuinely caught Lin Ziyao off guard.

“There are countless trainees across the country, but only a handful make it to the end and successfully debut,” Qin Yu explained, speaking from experience. “Yang Tian’s ability to stand out among so many and prepare for his debut isn’t just because of his popular video channel; it’s also due to his own hard work.”

After Yang Tian’s performance concluded, it was Tang Wenjie’s turn, seated right beside him. The two exchanged a high-five of encouragement as they swapped places.

Tang Wenjie’s talent came as a surprise to Director Chen: street dance. Tang Wenjie had never revealed any inclination towards street dance to the public, and even his fans were unaware of this hidden skill.

However, watching Tang Wenjie’s practiced moves, Director Chen couldn’t help but admire how well he had kept it under wraps. It seemed many were truly pushing themselves to showcase their best on the reality show stage.

Next was Feng Qiqi, who chose to perform her forte, the piano. As a piano prodigy, her performance was predictably impressive. Even without a grand piano in the villa, the production team provided an electronic keyboard, and her pure music alone was enough to mesmerize the audience.

In her words, she quite literally ‘eats by playing the piano.’

Following her, Dai Wen, a model, performed a segment of classical dance, earning considerable applause. Then, Xu Li pulled out his portable clapper and delivered a piece, drawing unanimous praise.

According to the seating arrangement, after Xu Li finished, it was Qin Yu’s turn to perform.

Lin Ziyao’s heart skipped a beat as she watched Qin Yu walk onto the stage with a guitar, scan the audience, and then fix her gaze directly on Lin Ziyao.

Seeing the slight, playful smile on Qin Yu’s rosy lips, Lin Ziyao had a strange feeling that she was about to stir up some trouble.

‘Damn it!’

“I hadn’t thought of what to perform, so I’ll just play the tune my roommate just played for me in the room,” Qin Yu announced. Her mischievous smile, highlighted by the stage lights, seemed almost blinding to Lin Ziyao.

All eyes in the room converged on Lin Ziyao. With the cameras still rolling, she could only maintain a polite smile, watching Qin Yu on stage, eager to understand her intentions.

“Because my roommate only played the tune for me and didn’t sing it, I feel a little regretful. So, Director Chen, I wonder if we could perform this song together and present it fully to the audience?”

‘These guests really understand variety shows!’ Director Chen thought.

Faced with Qin Yu’s request, Director Chen was, of course, a thousand percent in favor. Yet, outwardly, he feigned a difficult expression, glancing in Lin Ziyao’s direction as if seeking her consent.

Lin Ziyao, seeing Director Chen’s solicitous gaze, knew it was merely his usual routine. Resigning herself, she pinched her nose and nodded her agreement.

Seeing Lin Ziyao’s nod, Director Chen immediately assented. “Of course, no problem!”

With no other choice, she rose from her seat and walked over to Qin Yu. Out of sight of the cameras, she shot Qin Yu a fierce glare and whispered, “What exactly are you trying to do?”

Qin Yu leaned in and softly replied, “Don’t you think showcasing this song like this would be beneficial for you?”