Chapter 18: Would You Like to Cut Ten Years Off Your Struggle?

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After hearing Fang Shen’s words, Qin Luo felt both surprised and astonished.

What surprised him was that he had never expected the song he sang yesterday to draw even Fang Shen here.

What astonished him was that she, a celebrated singer in the music industry, would take such a keen interest in it.

To be sure, one of the items Qin Luo possessed, the Classic Song Library, contained countless timeless songs from parallel worlds. “You Are the April of the World,” as one of those works, certainly had a measure of quality.

But compared with Fang Shen’s own abilities and achievements, Qin Luo had never imagined that the song could hold such enormous appeal for her.

Besides, the Classic Song Library contained many other songs of even higher quality, in a wide variety of languages and genres. It was virtually inexhaustible.

It was like a money tree. If Qin Luo truly wished to venture into show business, the Classic Song Library alone could easily carry him to the summit of the music world.

Even if he had no desire to become a singer and only wanted to write lyrics and music, gradually monetizing the songs in the library would still earn him more wealth than an ordinary person could accumulate in ten lifetimes.

“You Are the April of the World” was merely one of them, and not even among the very best. Qin Luo could understand why young people with little knowledge of music would be fascinated by it, but he could not understand why Fang Shen had come all this way specifically to find him.

Countless questions circled through his mind. After thinking for a while, he finally asked, “You really like this song?”

“I like it very much.” Fang Shen nodded without hesitation, then continued slowly, “I can more or less guess what you’re thinking. Indeed, this song isn’t exactly a masterpiece. Given what I’ve accomplished over the years, it hardly seems worth coming here personally to find you…”

“Then why did you…”

“For the money.”

Qin Luo fell silent.

What an extraordinary answer.

He was rendered speechless on the spot. He wanted to make some sarcastic remark, yet the word “reasonable” seemed to lodge itself firmly in his throat, leaving him unable to say anything at all.

Seeing his expression, Fang Shen laughed. “Surprised? There’s really no need to be. I did achieve a fair amount of success back then, and I made quite a lot of money. But after disappearing from the public eye for all these years, I’ve nearly spent it all. You know how women are—we tend to be rather extravagant.”

“Some time ago, my former agency approached me and asked me to make a comeback. I agreed without giving it much thought. Then a new problem arose. I’m no longer young. I’ve lost the passionate spirit and overflowing talent I had in those days, and I can no longer write the excellent songs I once did.”

“The company knows that, but they haven’t looked down on me. After all, the popularity and foundation I built back then are still there. They hope to use that to make money, while I hope to earn enough for my retirement before age and frailty catch up with me. So we reached an agreement, and they had songwriters compose music for me.”

“Unfortunately, although I’ve lost my talent, I still retain my ability to judge music. The current music industry is a complete mess. Most of the songs those writers produce are absolute nonsense. Even the few that are listenable lack depth, and at best, singing them is merely passable.”

“Of course, I’m in no position to criticize them. The truth is, I’m only returning to an old profession myself, so I have no right to complain about this or that. Still, at the very least, I hope the first song of my comeback won’t be greeted by a storm of abuse.”

“It was around then that I happened to hear your song. Although it isn’t of the highest quality, both the lyrics and the style are quite good. What I appreciate even more is the story hidden behind it…”

At this point, Fang Shen paused. A hint of tenderness and sympathy entered her gaze as she looked at Qin Luo.

“You’re a kind and deeply emotional young man. Only someone with feelings as rich as yours can write a truly good song—one capable of stirring the emotions of others. I admire you.”

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Fang Shen spoke at length, while Qin Luo listened quietly. Only after hearing her final compliment did he smile and thank her.

He felt a faint melancholy in his heart.

The dazzling star who had once shone so brightly in the music industry had now grown old and faded. Her company wanted to squeeze every last bit of value from her, while she herself had bowed her head to reality. She no longer possessed the beauty of her youth, the brilliance of her talent, or the radiant charisma Qin Luo had once witnessed onstage.

Although she had achieved more than most people could ever hope to in a lifetime, she now seemed little more than an ordinary woman striving to make a living.

For the money… What a perfectly reasonable motive.

Qin Luo could not help laughing.

Fang Shen asked him, “Do you think my reason is too down-to-earth? Do you feel that the real me doesn’t quite match the image you had of me?”

Qin Luo shook his head. “Quite the opposite. The image you have in my heart has become even greater and more vivid. In my view, the most important thing in life is being able to see oneself clearly. So many people never manage that even in old age, yet you already have.”

Fang Shen blinked. A trace of surprise flashed through her bright eyes. “I thought you were merely a university student with a little talent. But after speaking with you, I’ve discovered that you have considerable potential…”

After a brief pause, she suddenly seemed to think of something and asked, “Young man, would you like to save yourself ten years of struggle?”

Qin Luo was stunned. He instinctively leaned back in a tactical retreat and stammered, “Th-that doesn’t sound right… My mother would beat me to death if she found out…”

Fang Shen found his reaction both amusing and exasperating. “Young people like you have such unconventional minds. You’re always thinking about strange things.”

“I was asking whether you’d be interested in becoming my disciple. You’re very talented, and you have a good appearance as well. I can take you into show business and help you make a name for yourself. Although my popularity is no longer what it was, the foundation I built remains. At least until I retire completely, I can still guide you along for part of the journey.”

What do you mean, my mind is unconventional? Your wording was obviously the problem!

Qin Luo complained inwardly, while also feeling somewhat astonished.

Just as Fang Shen had said, although she had been out of the public eye for a long time, the foundation she had built in her prime was still there. Once she made her comeback, many people would continue to support her.

And if someone appeared at that moment as her disciple, that person would inevitably receive enormous attention and acclaim. If the disciple also possessed genuine talent, his path through the music industry would be smooth sailing.

When Fang Shen said that she could “guide him along for part of the journey,” it sounded casual enough. Yet that single stretch of road was an insurmountable barrier that countless people with dreams of stardom could never cross in their entire lives.

To be honest, Qin Luo was rather flattered that she held him in such high regard.

In the end, however, he still shook his head. “Thank you for your kindness, Ms. Fang, but I have no plans to enter show business.”

“I see. What a pity.” Fang Shen sounded regretful, but she did not press him. Instead, she returned to the matter at hand. “Now that we’ve talked so much, have you decided what you want to do about the song?”

“I have no objections. It’s an honor for the song to have been chosen by you, Ms. Fang.” Qin Luo offered the polite response expected of him.

At once, Fang Shen’s smile became more relaxed. “Good. Let’s exchange contact information. I’ll have my agent get in touch with you later. He’ll bring the contract when he comes, and you’ll be satisfied with the copyright fee.”

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“There’s no need for a copyright fee. If my parents found out that you had to pay me to sing my song, they’d probably give me no end of grief.” Qin Luo spoke politely.

In his opinion, the cover rights to this song would be worth, at most, ten or twenty thousand yuan, perhaps a little more. And the Classic Song Library contained countless songs like it.

If Fang Shen agreed to his offer, Qin Luo would effectively gain a favor from her—something far more valuable than the song itself. If she refused, that was fine too. A normal transaction would not leave him at a loss.

Fang Shen shook her head. “That won’t do. Although we’ve had a pleasant conversation, business is business. We should still be formal where formality is required. I may be rather poor at the moment, but I’m not so broke that I can’t afford to buy a single song. Besides, I’m not the one paying you. My former agency is.”

So even a faded queen of the music industry did not give away favors so easily…

Qin Luo nodded and accepted. He exchanged contact information with Fang Shen, after which they went their separate ways.

He watched as Fang Shen drove away, then leisurely made his way to the library.

His meeting with Fang Shen had been nothing more than an unexpected interlude. He had not forgotten the main task he needed to complete that day.

Tang Yu was an extremely disciplined person. Aside from attending class, she spent most of her time handling work in the student union. The other places where he could usually find her were the cafeteria and the library.

At that hour, the first class of the day had already begun. Qin Luo had learned from the campus forum that Tang Yu had no classes that morning. She could not possibly be in the cafeteria at this time, so she was most likely at the student union. But without a legitimate reason, he could not go there, leaving the library as his only option for trying his luck.

When he entered the library, the first things he saw were the clean wooden floors, the rows of neatly arranged bookshelves, and the dazzling variety of books.

Long tables were scattered throughout the room, and there were surprisingly many people studying. Apart from those who simply enjoyed reading in peace, most were probably students preparing for graduate-school entrance exams.

Qin Luo walked inside while surveying the surroundings. Although he had been at the university for more than two years, he really had not visited the library very often.

After making a circuit, he let out a disappointed sigh.

Tang Yu was not there.

Still, it did not matter. Thanks to Yao Yanyan’s assistance, his womanizing persona had already begun to take shape. Even if he did not interact with many women for a while, it probably would not collapse.

So he casually picked out a book, found a seat in the corner, and temporarily put his womanizing ambitions on hold as he quietly began to read.

He had no idea how much time passed before a gentle voice suddenly sounded beside him.

“Keigo Higashino’s The White Bird and the Bat… Do you like detective novels?”

Qin Luo looked up at the voice and saw an elegant, beautiful woman smiling at him.

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