13

"When you go in, make sure to greet him enthusiastically," Meng Kelin reminded Lin Xin.

Lin Xin nodded and glanced at the chess manual in Meng Kelin's hands. "Will this really work?"

Meng Kelin rolled her eyes. "What do you know? I went through a lot of trouble to get this—it's extremely rare!"

Behind them, Ye Linghua glanced uncertainly at the chess manual and asked, "Are you sure he can understand it?"

Meng Kelin was immediately displeased. "What are you saying? I asked around—Teacher Zhang is a total chess fanatic!"

Ye Linghua looked up at the sky. "A fanatic, sure... but have you ever heard anyone call him a chess saint?"

Meng Kelin paused. "You mean… his skills aren't good?" Then, realizing how unlikely that seemed, she quickly dismissed the thought. "No, no, no, that's impossible. Ordinary people don't just reach the level of a chess saint!" Not having that title was normal, right?

Ye Linghua chuckled softly, and said, "Maybe. But with someone of Teacher Zhang's status, if his skills were even slightly decent, he probably would have been called a chess saint, don't you think?"

Meng Kelin: "..."

Suddenly, she wasn't so sure anymore.

* * * *

Zhou Shan, the assistant assigned to receive them, soon emerged from the inner courtyard. When she saw the three of them, her gaze flickered slightly before she greeted them with a warm smile. "Hello, I'm Zhou Shan, Teacher Zhang's personal assistant."

Zhou Shan appeared to be in her early thirties. Though she was just a personal assistant, her presence was no less imposing than Meng Kelin's. Dressed in a professional black suit, her long hair was neatly tied into a bun at the back, and she wore black-rimmed glasses, giving her a sharp and competent look.

It was Meng Kelin's first time meeting her, so she greeted politely, "Hello, I'm Meng Kelin, Lin Xin's manager."

Zhou Shan smiled. "Nice to meet you."

They shook hands briefly before Meng Kelin continued with the introductions. "This is Lin Xin, and beside her is her personal assistant, Ye Linghua."

Zhou Shan's smile deepened as she glanced at Ye Linghua. "This assistant doesn't look like an ordinary one."

Meng Kelin had always thought Ye Linghua was not only excessively good-looking but also carried a natural air of refinement. When Lin Xin went out with her, it was easy for people to mistake her for an executive rather than an assistant. Sometimes, if one wasn't paying attention, it almost seemed like Lin Xin was the one accompanying her rather than the other way around.

Lin Xin, however, wasn't annoyed or jealous over Zhou Shan's comment. She simply found it a little odd—no matter how striking Ye Linghua was, it was unusual for someone to immediately focus on an assistant instead of the main figure.

Fortunately, Zhou Shan quickly invited them to Teacher Zhang's office, and the thought was soon pushed to the back of their minds.

* * * *

Teacher Zhang's residence was exactly what one would expect from a scholar. From the entrance, there were lush green plants, artificial rock formations, and flowing water. The entire compound was built in a traditional Chinese architectural style—rounded archways, covered walkways, all exuding an air of tranquility and elegance.

They walked along a stone pathway through the courtyard, following the covered walkway until they reached a garden filled with vibrant, blooming flowers. In the center of the garden stood a small pavilion.

Sitting on a stone bench in the pavilion was an elderly man. Hearing their approach, he slowly turned his head.

"You're here?" Zhang Kunshan, now in his sixties, had a head of mostly white hair. Though his face wasn't heavily lined with wrinkles, his deep, unreadable gaze gave him an air of mystery. In the rare photos that circulated of him, he always exuded the presence of an otherworldly figure detached from mundane affairs.

"Teacher Zhang, hello. I'm Meng Kelin from Yuntian Films. This is Lin Xin. She'll be the sole vocalist for the song Dusk, and we hope to receive your guidance. Oh, and we brought a small gift as a token of appreciation."

Zhang Kunshan leisurely fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan. He glanced at the chess manual without much reaction, then casually set it aside.

Gesturing toward the table beside him, he invited them to sit. After they were seated, Zhou Shan served them tea before stepping aside. Ye Linghua, sitting directly across from Zhang Kunshan, quietly sipped her tea without speaking.

Zhang Kunshan cast a brief, assessing glance at her feigned politeness before shifting his attention to Lin Xin. He nodded approvingly. "I've listened to the song. It's very well done—grand and powerful. For a newcomer to achieve this level, you have great potential."

Meng Kelin immediately responded, "Thank you, thank you!"

Zhang Kunshan looked at her speechlessly. "..." I wasn't talking about you.

Sighing, he continued, "However, I've listened to some of your past songs, Lin Xin. To be honest, this piece has a much higher technical requirement."

Lin Xin was momentarily stunned.

Zhang Kunshan elaborated, "The songs you've sung before were relatively simple in technical difficulty. Of course, this song is strong enough that even a mediocre performance might still make it popular—but that would be a waste of its potential."

Lin Xin immediately sat up straighter. "I'll work hard." Though he had pointed out her lack of technical skill, she didn't feel offended. Zhang Kunshan, despite not being a composer himself, had a sharp ear for music and a deep understanding of the craft.

Even if his words were harsh, seeing Ye Linghua sitting beside her seemed to temper his criticism somewhat. Fortunately, Lin Xin had the right attitude.

Zhang Kunshan didn't dislike her, so he sincerely advised, "Your current team isn't good enough. If you want to sing well, you need to change teams."

Lin Xin and Meng Kelin exchanged glances. They saw the same confusion in each other's eyes.

Change? Lin Xin wasn't a professional singer, so her music team had never been a specialized one. They had always worked with whoever the company assigned. Whether they were the best or not wasn't a concern—so long as they produced decent music, it had been enough.

"Can't find a better team?" Zhang Kunshan asked, glancing at their hesitation.

Meng Kelin hesitated. "It's not that we can't find one, but most teams are at a similar level."

Zhang Kunshan chuckled. "Well, since I'm writing the lyrics, I can't just stand by and watch my work get buried in mediocrity. So, I'll help you out. I have a team on hand—whether you want to use them is up to you."

Lin Xin and Meng Kelin stared at him in shock.

It was already surprising enough that Teacher Zhang agreed to write the lyrics, but now he was offering to oversee the entire production? What did we do to deserve this?!

Meng Kelin immediately said, "Of course, we'd love that! But… we'd hate to trouble you, Teacher Zhang."

Trouble? I already took the job—what's a little networking on top of that?

Zhang Kunshan thought to himself, then looked toward Ye Linghua. Tapping his palm-leaf fan in her direction, he said, "Since you don't want to trouble me, then keep me company for a couple of games. I noticed this young lady has been eyeing the chessboard since she arrived. She must be decent—why not have her play with this old man?"

Ye Linghua: "...I know a little." Did I agree to play chess today?

Meng Kelin quickly signaled to Ye Linghua with her eyes, urging her to accept.

Ye Linghua had no choice but to respond politely, "Teacher Zhang, my skills are mediocre. I apologize in advance if I embarrass myself."

Zhang Kunshan beamed.

I don't know why she's pretending to be modest, but as long as she's playing, I win.

Thus, the deal was set. Meng Kelin spent the afternoon contacting the production team, while Zhang Kunshan and Ye Linghua battled over five matches—leaving Lin Xin, the supposed main character, as a mere spectator.

And what she saw left her shaken.

Because who wins five games in a row against someone they're asking for a favor?

Apparently… Ye Linghua.

When Ye Linghua won the first game, she was stunned. But seeing Zhang Kunshan remain completely calm, she simply assumed that he had excellent composure.

When Ye Linghua won the second game, she started to feel uneasy, yet Zhang Kunshan continued fanning himself leisurely, unfazed. She found herself admiring his patience.

When she Ye Linghua the third game, she began to worry that he might regret his decision, but Zhang Kunshan never once mentioned taking back his offer.

When Ye Linghua won the fourth game, Lin Xin's expression had gone blank—after all, if even Zhang Kunshan wasn't anxious, why should she be?

When Ye Linghua won the fifth game, she expected Zhang Kunshan to take it in stride as well.

To her surprise, his face darkened, and he stood up, visibly displeased.

Lin Xin and Meng Kelin quickly stood as well, trying to think of how to console him, only to hear Zhang Kunshan wave them off with a tired sigh. "You can go now! I've lost so much I'm exhausted. I won't be in the mood to play for the next few days—I'll go write your lyrics instead."

Meng Kelin: "...Thank you, Teacher Zhang." But with your mood like this, can you even write lyrics? Never mind, I'm docking her salary this month!

* * * *

News of Lin Xin securing Zhang Kunshan as a lyricist spread quickly within the industry.

Naturally, Zheng Lanwen and Lin Wan heard about it through the company, and Zheng Lanwen was particularly shocked.

Zheng Lanwen had considered pursuing music several times, but she lacked the talent and connections in that area, which was why she reluctantly switched to acting.

Yet in the five years she had been married to Lin Xin, Lin Xin had never once mentioned knowing Zhang Kunshan.

Zhang Kunshan's true power wasn't just his talent—it was the terrifying network of industry connections he possessed. Among them were some of the most brilliant minds in music.

To have a connection with Zhang Kunshan was like having a golden staircase leading straight to success.

If Ye Linghua had heard this, she would have sneered. Isn't this just courting death?

But for Zheng Lanwen, the idea of knowing Zhang Kunshan was too tempting to ignore. She couldn't help but resent Lin Xin—since you knew such an important figure, why did you hide them from me?

And that wasn't even the worst part.

The real issue was that the music production team she and Lin Wan had been in talks with had chosen to work with Lin Xin instead.

To say Lin Xin 'stole' them would be an exaggeration—the deal had only been in preliminary negotiations, and nothing had been finalized. Still, the fact remained that the team ultimately chose Lin Xin over them, leaving Zheng Lanwen at a disadvantage.

Even so, she couldn't shake the bitter feeling inside her. Lin Wan, on the other hand, frowned deeply.

She had just returned to the country, and the mess between Zheng Lanwen and Lin Xin was already troublesome enough.

She had planned to make her mark through music, yet Lin Xin had come in and disrupted her plans.

She found it hard to believe that Lin Xin wasn't doing this on purpose.

As a fellow woman, Lin Wan understood all too well what it felt like to have someone take away the person you loved.

Jealousy, pain, resentment—those were natural emotions.

So if Lin Xin was using underhanded tactics, Lin Wan wouldn't be surprised at all.

But to be on the receiving end of it? That was much harder to accept.

Lin Wan's frown deepened as she thought about the music team falling through. "Lanwen, can you ask Lin Xin to stop targeting us?"

Zheng Lanwen sighed. "I'm not exactly scared of her…" But the moment she thought of that woman in the courtyard, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Lin Wan let out a breath. "Our song's release is likely going to clash with hers. Now that the team we were in talks with has been taken away, it's clear she's deliberately coming after us. If we let this continue, she'll interfere with every connection we try to make."

"Interference is one thing," Lin Wan continued, but getting completely blocked out is much worse. Like today."

Zheng Lanwen's expression slowly darkened.

Being tangled up in drama was annoying enough, but having her career actively obstructed? That was infuriating.

This couldn't go on.

So, Zheng Lanwen decided to call Lin Xin.

* * * *

"Hello?"

However, the voice that answered was not Lin Xin's.

It was a voice Zheng Lanwen dreaded.

Zheng Lanwen: "..."

Oh, interesting, you call first, yet you won't speak? Also, how dare you still call, Are you no longer afraid of me leaking those photos?

Zheng Lanwen finally spoke. "…Why are you answering the phone?"

Ye Linghua's voice was casual. "Who were you hoping to hear? Or have you finally figured out who you actually love?"

Zheng Lanwen scowled. "Why are you always so concerned about my love life?"

Ye Linghua was genuinely baffled by her shamelessness. "Concerned? CONCERNED? If not for Lin Xin, do you think I'd give a damn about your love life? How full of yourself can you be?"

Zheng Lanwen huffed. "Can't you talk properly?"

Ye Linghua sneered. "Do I seem like someone who talks properly? If I could, would I have used those photos to threaten you?"

Zheng Lanwen: "..."

"Stop bringing up the photos," she grumbled. "If you push me too far, you'll see if I care anymore."

After all, she couldn't let herself be controlled by this forever.

Ye Linghua let out a low chuckle. "You think the photos are the real issue? You think I'm threatening you?"

"What a joke. Do you really believe you're worth threatening?"

Zheng Lanwen: "..." Okay, that was uncalled for.

Ye Linghua's tone turned cold. "The only reason I haven't released them is because it would hurt Lin Xin. I don't want her to know that the person she genuinely loved cheated on her during their marriage."

"If it weren't for that, I would have exposed them long ago."

Zheng Lanwen fell silent again.

She wanted to retaliate, but with those photos in Ye Linghua's hands, she didn't dare act recklessly.

Hearing Ye Linghua's scornful voice, she knew that getting through to Lin Xin today was impossible, so she simply hung up.

Ye Linghua stared at the disconnected call, her eyes narrowing slightly.

If Lin Xin had picked up that call herself, who knows what kind of nonsense that woman would have said?

Looks like just having those photos isn't enough to keep them in check…