Chapter 112: A Young Team

At that moment, Lin Yu suddenly thought of creating a website—a platform for releasing original songs.

Just imagine it: after disappearing for a month or two, a Chinese-style pop queen whose voice had captivated all of Asia suddenly uploaded a magnificent new song of her own creation to a website. With a little deliberate publicity, how could that website fail to become popular?

Although Xiao Qiangwei still had several years left on her contract, the songs could be released under descriptions such as “possibly Jasmine” or “possibly Xiao Qiangwei.”

The moment he thought of this, Lin Yu grew excited.

Xiao Qiangwei was unquestionably a money tree. Since she had nowhere else to go and was afraid of being found by Liang Tian’s people, she could simply remain at Qi Yue’s home. She could compose songs in her spare time and, whenever she felt bored, disguise herself and go shopping. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

Once she had escaped the filthy cesspool of the entertainment industry, she would surely be able to sing even more perfect songs. When the website eventually developed and they had earned enough money, they could even take Liang Tian to court and settle the matter by paying the contract penalty directly.

“Excellent!” Lin Yu grew happier the more he thought about it.

In his excitement, he said, “Actually, I don’t think Chinese-style songs necessarily have to be sung entirely in classical language. Why don’t I sing you a passage?”

He intended to win the girls over with the lyrics and melody before revealing the plan he had been brewing.

“You can sing Chinese-style songs?”

At his words, Xiao Qiangwei was astonished. Even Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin, who knew him inside out, found it rather unbelievable.

“Is there anything in this world I can’t do?” In high spirits, Lin Yu began boasting proudly.

Under the doubtful gazes of the three girls, he picked up the microphone and began singing a cappella. The song was “Searching and Searching,” which had been popular online in 2012.

He had not chosen Jay Chou’s “Breaking the East Wind” or “Blue and White Porcelain” because he could no longer remember the years in which those songs had been released. He was afraid of causing an embarrassing misunderstanding and becoming a laughingstock.

“The entire forest of cherry blossoms is in bloom. In the blink of an eye, every petal has fallen, white as snow. My footsteps grow faint, one soft sound after another. The wind plays the branches like a piano, until the melody breaks…”

Lin Yu had sung only a few lines when the expressions in the girls’ eyes immediately changed, surprise filling their gazes.

Yang Zhilin, who especially loved literature, was the most affected. Her clear, beautiful eyes suddenly lit up. These lyrics touched the deepest part of her heart—they were precisely the kind she loved most.

“Tell me, searching and searching, searching and searching. What are you looking for, little by little, drop by drop? This moment has already passed; race against every second. After all, life is but a dream, so stand up and ride the wind with me…”

After Lin Yu sang the line, “This moment has already passed; race against every second. After all, life is but a dream, so stand up and ride the wind with me,” with complete intoxication, the three girls, led by Xiao Qiangwei, began clapping to the rhythm.

When Lin Yu’s voice—neither hoarse nor harsh, yet filled with the weight of life—faded into the living room, the overjoyed Qi Yue rewarded him with a sweet kiss.

Yang Zhilin, already accustomed to Qi Yue’s boldness, merely smiled quietly without much reaction. Xiao Qiangwei, as pure as a blank sheet of paper and someone who simply loved to sing, shyly closed her eyes.

After a passionate, lingering kiss as scorching as the Sahara Desert, Lin Yu turned toward Xiao Qiangwei, who still had her eyes closed, and said, “Jasmine, what do you think of this song I sang? It’s completely original.”

Only then did Xiao Qiangwei open her eyes. After considering it briefly, she answered in her light, clear voice, “The lyrics are very good, but your singing wasn’t. You went off-key in the middle. And I have to be honest—you may never become a professional singer in your entire life. Besides… there’s also…”

Seeing her launch into a professional analysis, Lin Yu immediately interrupted her helplessly. “All right, stop, stop! Don’t say anything more. I’m not planning to make singing my profession. Let’s just discuss the lyrics and whether songs in this style might become popular.”

“If I sang it, it would definitely be a hit,” Xiao Qiangwei said confidently. After furrowing her brows in thought, she continued, “Write down the lyrics. I’ll sing them for everyone.”

“All right. Zhilin, I’ll recite the lyrics and you write them down.”

Lin Yu took paper and a pen from the coffee table and handed them to Yang Zhilin before reciting the lyrics line by line.

Yang Zhilin immediately began doing what she loved most. Her pen flew across the page like a phoenix, splashing every line of the lyrics clearly onto her notebook.

Xiao Qiangwei then read through the lyrics several times in silence. After taking a few sips of honey water that had already gone cold, she picked up the microphone and began singing softly.

In an instant, every word flowed from her lips like the fragrance of orchids. She performed the entire Chinese-style song perfectly, shaping the melody according to her own interpretation.

“Genius! Now I understand why you became a superstar,” Lin Yu praised her joyfully the moment she finished.

A professional was a professional. With only a few simple lines, she made the difference in quality immediately apparent.

Some people chose music for themselves. Others were chosen by music. Without question, Xiao Qiangwei belonged to the latter group. Her talent was extraordinary.

Taking advantage of the moment, Lin Yu laid out the entire plan for establishing a website that he had conceived.

After hearing him out, Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin showed no particular reaction, but Xiao Qiangwei clapped excitedly.

“You’re all good people!” she said, her voice brimming with happiness.

“Actually, everyone is simply getting what they need. You can hide from Liang Tian while continuing to sing, and we can establish our own business while we’re still in school. Of course, any profits will be divided equally among us.”

Lin Yu lit a cigarette and took a leisurely drag.

“I’m not very concerned about money,” Xiao Qiangwei said with a smile. She looked like someone who had barely experienced the world. “I just want somewhere to stay, a place where I won’t be caught, where I won’t have to sleep with anyone, and where I can sing every day! And, of course, there must be delicious honey water.”

Although she had once been a hugely popular singer, she had never enjoyed even a trace of a luxurious life. Deep within her heart, she had preserved the innocence she possessed at the beginning.

“Then let’s wish each other a happy partnership!” Lin Yu exhaled one of his trademark oval rings of smoke.

“There is one problem, and it’s the most important one,” Xiao Qiangwei said, frowning as she analyzed the situation. No matter what, she was still a professional from the entertainment industry. “How many more songs like this do you have? If you can only manage to write one or two whenever inspiration strikes, it will be difficult to stay popular for long.”

“Heh, I don’t have many lyrics on hand—perhaps three or four songs,” Lin Yu replied with a smile. He pointed toward Yang Zhilin. “But we have a highly talented young woman here who loves words. From now on, she’ll be responsible for writing the lyrics. You’ll handle the composition and singing. Qi Yue will be responsible for the investment, while I’ll take care of running the website and handling the day-to-day affairs. How does that sound?”

“That’s a wonderful idea!”

Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin, who had originally thought they would have no role to play, laughed together. They felt the arrangement was perfect. Each of the four people could make use of the strengths they had been born with.

“Hehe. Since we’re going to work hard together, why don’t we have a toast?” Qi Yue said with a smile. She took a bottle of dry red wine from the liquor cabinet—it had been there merely as decoration—and handed it to Lin Yu to open.

“Cheers!”

Accompanied by the crisp, melodious clink of glasses, a vigorous young team was successfully formed.

Lin Yu, Qi Yue, and Yang Zhilin were all eighteen. Xiao Qiangwei, the oldest among them, was only twenty-one.

Their average age was less than nineteen. This was a young and energetic team.