"Bravo! That was amazing!" Li Yue clapped lightly, admiration sparkling in her eyes. "I didn't expect you to be this talented. That song will definitely be a hit."
Zhang Yichen set down his guitar, though his gaze remained fixed on Chen Xiaoxi. His eyes carried both a trace of nervousness and quiet hope. "What about you? How do you feel about this song?"
Xiaoxi's head lowered, her slender fingers fiddling unconsciously with the hem of her blouse. The tips of her ears flushed crimson as her heart thudded wildly, threatening to burst from her chest at any moment.
Every lyric had struck her like a direct confession, piercing the softest part of her heart.
"I… I really liked it," she whispered, barely audible.
A spark ignited in Yichen's eyes, his smile deepening. "Good. As long as you like it."
"Hey!" Li Yue interrupted, cutting through the rising tide of intimacy between the two. "Don't forget I'm still sitting here. Have mercy on a single woman, will you?"
Flustered, Xiaoxi's cheeks burned even redder. She shot Yue a reproachful glare. "Stop teasing me!"
Yichen chuckled, strumming a few casual notes as his fingers danced across the strings. "Alright then, who's next? Pick a song and let's hear it."
"Me!" Yue's eyes brightened with excitement. "Hand me the guitar. I want to sing The Most Familiar Stranger."
As a top graduate of Shanghai's Conservatory of Music, Li Yue naturally knew how to play—and she played well.
"Here." Yichen passed the guitar to her.
Yue's fingertips brushed the strings, weaving a delicate, flowing melody through the quiet room.
Moments later, she began to sing softly…
"Do you still remember, the ocean outside the window, bathed in moonlight?
Do you still remember, it was love that lit the night for us?
Why, in the end, did silence replace our closeness?
The starry sky… slowly dimmed with clouds."
Her voice lingered with bittersweet nostalgia, rising and falling with emotion. By the time she reached the final refrain, her tone trembled with the weight of longing.
As the last note faded, Yue's hands stilled, the vibration of the strings dissipating into silence. She raised her head, her eyes glistening faintly as if her own song had stirred emotions she thought long buried.
"Wonderful!" Xiaoxi clapped enthusiastically. "Yue, your voice is still so powerful. Why don't we debut together?"
"Debut? Are you serious?" Yue's voice wavered with disbelief, yet also a flicker of desire.
Back in university, when she had chosen music, her family hadn't objected. But after graduation, they refused to let her enter the industry. She had been forced to abandon her dream and grind away in the family business.
Later, her cousin inherited the company, and she received twenty billion yuan in assets as compensation.
Now, no one could bind her anymore. She was free to chase her dream again.
And so, her heart stirred.
But at her age… could she still?
Yichen saw through her hesitation at a glance. "If you really want it, I can help you become a queen of music."
Yue blinked, frowning in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"
"Your true profession is being a CEO," he explained simply.
She understood immediately. So did Xiaoxi.
It meant she could sing, release records, even profit from her voice—but she couldn't run around taking gigs like any ordinary singer. A company president couldn't just casually accept random shows; that would be beneath her status.
"Enough about me." Yue exhaled, brushing it aside for now. "Xixi, it's your turn."
"A-Chen," Xiaoxi whispered, "I want to sing the song you just played. I think it suits me even more."
Her words carried a double meaning.
On the surface, she wanted to sing his song. But beneath that, it was her way of quietly expressing her heart.
Yichen's throat tightened, and he nearly choked on his own breath. This was exactly what he had longed for. But… he had no sheet music written down.
"Xiaoxi, that was an improvisation. Wait, I'll write it out for you right now." He quickly found paper and pen, scribbled down the notes, and handed the sheet to her.
She accepted it with trembling fingers, as though what she held wasn't just a song—but an unspoken promise.
Yichen's gaze lingered on her, faint excitement flickering deep within his eyes.
Yue sat to the side like a playful spectator, lips curved into a knowing smile.
"I'll begin."
Xiaoxi cleared her throat, glanced once more at the sheet, then closed her eyes and drew in a steadying breath.
The world seemed to hush, leaving only her and the song.
Her slender fingers pressed against the strings, and the soft, resonant prelude filled the room.
Then, she began to sing.
"Even in shadows, I searched for your light,
A flame in the storm, guiding me through the night.
Every scar, every tear, taught me how to be strong—
But with you, I've learned where I truly belong.
Courage isn't loud, it whispers your name,
Through silence and fear, it burns just the same.
If tomorrow should falter, if the stars lose their glow,
Take my hand, my heart—this is all I know."
Her clear voice blended seamlessly with the melody, the lyrics blooming like a second confession. A woman's voice, tender yet resolute, carried the song even better than his had.
Every note was a declaration. Every refrain, a promise.
By the time her voice faded, the room was hushed. Even Yue, ever quick with a quip, remained silent, immersed in the emotions stirred by the performance.
Xiaoxi and Yichen's gazes locked, lingering, as though the rest of the world had vanished.
"Xiaoxi…"
Suddenly, Yichen stepped forward and pulled her tightly into his arms.
This time, she didn't resist. Instead, she returned his embrace with equal firmness.
It was their first true hug.
Unlike the one in the kitchen—forced, awkward, and shared with a baby in his arms—this embrace was mutual, filled with genuine feeling.
This time, it was real.