Chapter 90: A Song for Yang Xiaomi

Yang Xiaomi entered Su Bai’s bedroom, carrying a stack of freshly dried clothes. She paused, watching Su Bai wrapped in a blanket, deeply absorbed in writing something.

“What are you working on?” Yang Xiaomi asked, puzzled by his concentration.

Without looking up, Su Bai continued scribbling. “Wait a moment. I’m almost done.”

Yang Xiaomi quietly took a seat and waited for him to finish. When at last Su Bai handed her the completed pages, she glanced down and realized it was the lyrics and music for “Just Once.”

She looked at Su Bai in astonishment. “What does this mean?”

“It’s an unreleased song. I’m giving it to you,” Su Bai replied sincerely.

Giving it to her?

Yang Xiaomi pointed at herself, incredulous, and gazed at Su Bai, unable to believe it. She understood what kind of response this song would evoke once it was released. The fact that it had moved a group of seasoned women to tears spoke volumes about its quality.

Originally, Yang Xiaomi had thought this was a song Su Bai was about to release, or perhaps one already scheduled for publication. She hadn’t expected him to simply give it to her.

“Why?” she asked, still doubting.

Su Bai met her gaze with genuine warmth. “Thank you for introducing me to such a vast network of resources.”

Yang Xiaomi had never openly asked her friends to support Su Bai, but everyone understood. She had brought Su Bai here, gathered everyone for a meeting—all for this very purpose: to help him if the opportunity arose.

The group she’d assembled consisted of prominent figures in the entertainment industry. Yang Beibei was the leading lady at Huayi Brothers and a darling of the luxury brand world. Yet, the richest resources belonged to Yang Xiaomi herself.

Yang Xiaomi was stunned. She had indeed intended to introduce Su Bai to her circle. Over the years, she’d made countless introductions, offering opportunities whenever she admired new talent. But few, if any, had ever responded so immediately or with such gratitude as Su Bai.

Take Lin Zifeng from Science Fiction World, for example. When Yang Xiaomi first met him, she had given him access to film industry connections. Yet Lin Zifeng was insatiable—not only did he want all her resources, he sought to possess her as well, without a shred of shame or consideration for her feelings.

Gradually, Yang Xiaomi came to dislike him, and her attitude toward him changed.

Still, out of respect for his background, she never severed ties completely.

Yang Xiaomi understood precisely what a good song meant to a singer—it was the very foundation of their livelihood. She herself had branched out into multiple fields, but lacked a signature piece in music. She remembered, during her stint as a mentor on the last season of “Tomorrow’s Light,” the criticism she faced online for not having a standout song. Had she possessed a song like “Just Once” at the time, those doubts might never have arisen.

In truth, whether she continued in music was no longer so important to her. But Yang Xiaomi had always been a strong woman. She did not want to be criticized; she wanted a song to counter those who had once slandered her.

“Thank you, Su Bai,” she said, her eyes shining with gratitude.

“Meeting you has been my honor,” Su Bai replied, a little overwhelmed by her sudden emotion.

“Um, Xiaomi, could you step outside for a moment?” he said awkwardly. “I’d like to get dressed.”

Yang Xiaomi handed him his clothes, closed the door behind her, and pressed her hands to her chest, leaning against the wall. She could feel her heartbeat changing—something unfamiliar stirring within her.

Why? Why did she feel this way? Was it possible she had fallen in love at first sight?

Yang Xiaomi shook her head. She knew herself—her emotions were not so easily swayed. After years of tumultuous relationships, she believed her heart was not prone to fluttering.

But today, her heart was unsettled. She hadn’t felt such strangeness in a long time.

When Su Bai emerged, fully dressed, he paused in surprise. Yang Xiaomi was standing right outside his door, pressed to the wall.

“Uh, Xiaomi, what are you doing here? You startled me!”

Yang Xiaomi smiled, regaining her usual confidence. “Waiting for you!”

“Are you hungry? Want me to cook some noodles?”

Su Bai quickly shook his head. “No, I need to find Director Zhang. I’ve already postponed our meeting for a day.”

Suddenly, Su Bai noticed a shadow cross Yang Xiaomi’s face, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

“Well, I suppose a little longer won’t matter. How about I eat some noodles before I go? After all the excitement this morning, I’m hungry.”

Yang Xiaomi stuck out her tongue, then ran excitedly to the kitchen.

Watching her skip and hop, Su Bai found it hard to imagine that Yang Xiaomi could have such a girlish side.

Presented with a steaming bowl of instant noodles, Su Bai was surprised. “Is this what you usually eat?”

Yang Xiaomi stuck out her tongue again. “It’s the simplest. I don’t trust my cooking skills with anything more complicated. This is the safest bet to make sure you can actually eat it.”

Su Bai thought it over and accepted it—she probably hardly ever cooked for herself. Most days, she ate at film sets or hotels, or had a chef at home.

“Mmm, delicious!” Su Bai said, giving a thumbs up.

Yang Xiaomi, hands cupping her face, watched him with wide eyes and a sweet smile. She knew Su Bai was probably flattering her, but it made her happy nonetheless.

“If you like it, eat more! Have an egg, to nourish yourself.”

Watching Su Bai finish the soup down to the last drop, Yang Xiaomi’s eyes widened. Was it even possible to eat noodles like that? Drinking so much soup—wouldn’t it make him gain weight?

“Are you full?” she teased.

Burp~

Laughter erupted between them.

Yang Xiaomi led Su Bai to the garage, holding four or five sets of keys.

“Here, pick one to drive. I hardly use them anyway. Sometimes I get a car for an event, but then it just sits here unused.”

Su Bai gazed at the lineup of luxury cars. Before he could say anything, Yang Xiaomi said, “Go on, choose one. Don’t tell me you’re going to refuse! It’ll make getting around Beijing much easier for you.”

Su Bai chose the least expensive, a BMW X3.

“Thank you, Xiaomi!”

“Don’t call me ‘sister’—I don’t like it!”

“Then thanks, Xiaomi.”

“Go on, get out of here, you rascal!”