New update!  Two songs are mentioned in pa.s.sing in this chapter.  I’ve provided the links but since they didn’t really “show up” in the novel, I did not translate them.

Ah, can you sense from some of Sheng Sheng’s thoughts and reactions that Toupai is working his way into her heart?

Chapter 29 – Spicy Crispy Skin Fish (7)

Me and her…

Me and her…

Completely because of his introductory words, she simply could not focus enough to listen to how Toupai’s singing sounded or whether her harmonizing was perfect … Luckily, oh luckily, this time, Toupai had turned off comments for the post.

With her face turned to the side, she lay on her stomach on her bed and listened to the song another time.

Probably because she had been teased too much this whole day already… she surprisingly had lost that initial embarra.s.sment, and now, all she felt was a somewhat subtle, but remarkable feeling.

She stared at her mobile phone, and then, as if prodded by some unknown hand, she unthinkingly opened up the comments.

The number of re-tweets was still increasing by the second, but only friends could leave comments, and in particular, the ones doing so were those who had listened in as they recorded in the studio that day. From Feng Ya Song and Dou Dou Dou Bing to Wwwwk and Fei Shao, they were all leaving messages of disdain: Hey, where’s the “Shang Ye” we had agreed on?

All except one very strange message that was very eye-catching.

It, surprisingly, was left by a singer who had gone into seclusion for a long time now — Ling Long Ti Tou: Huh? That voice doing the harmony, is that Sheng Sheng Man?

This G.o.ddess, who in the hearts of many ancient-style fans was the number one mature and powerful female voice, actually recognized her voice? Gu Sheng was a little shocked by this, but after remembering all the gossip and rumors of the last month… Well, anyone could guess who that was in the recording. While she was still trying to find a suitable reason, someone had already replied to Ling Long Ti Tou: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, it’s Sheng Sheng. But hey, Little Cage, you don’t ever go on Weibo. How did you find out about our females star of this last month’s gossip?

Ling Long Ti Tou: Mm. Actually… I’ve known about her for a long time now.

And then…

There was no more dialogue.

Ling Long Ti Tou’s comment made Gu Sheng feel somewhat uneasy. Ling Long Ti Tou had been in the ancient-style music circle for five or six years now, but Gu Sheng had only just entered the circle not long ago. In the beginning, it was only because a cla.s.smate had asked her to arrange a song that she had the opportunity to somewhat understand what the ancient-style music circle was all about. Because the previous couple of years had been so busy with schoolwork, she usually would just arrange music for songs others had composed and given to her, and only occasionally would she both compose and arrange … But back then, she had not even registered for Weibo, so when the singer released the song, at most, her name would simply be listed next to “composed by” and “arranged by”. It was only later, in her fourth year of undergraduate studies, when she had already been accepted straight into graduate studies, that she had the time and had decided to join a music a.s.sociation as a singer…

So… she had never been famous before. She had very comfortably stayed in her role as an unknown, happy to arrange music and sing some songs.

The 2-D world entertainment circles that were most commonly talked about were, in general, online voice acting, ancient-style music, artists and ill.u.s.trators, writers, and cosplay. Most people who had spent some time in the 2-D world would end up crossing over into several of the circles. For example, Dou Dou Dou Bing was a celebrity in both the voice acting CV and ancient-style music circles while Ling Long Ti Tou was in both the artist/ill.u.s.trator and ancient-style music circles… Unlike herself, who stuck purely to doing ancient-style songs. That was why she very much admired people like Ling Long Ti Tou, who had many talents and abilities.

She seemed to recall…

When Toupai had asked her what line-up of singers she ideally wanted to cover a song, she had mentioned Ling Long Ti Tou.

She also seemed to recall…

At the time, Dou Dou Dou Bing had said that Ling Long Ti Tou seemed to… have special feelings for Toupai?

And every time she released a new song, she would @ Qiang Qing Ci…

Holding her mobile phone up above her, she flipped over on her bed and lay on her back, staring at the ceiling above her. She suddenly felt a subtle, peculiar feeling. A little bit of curiosity, a little bit of speculation, plus a little bit of… discomfort and unease. As she refreshed Toupai’s Weibo again, she saw that Ling Long Ti Tou really had not left any more comments. Toupai had forbidden comments on this Weibo post from non-friends… so that meant she was one of Toupai’s friends?

One was the commercial CV, Toupai; the other was an ancient-style singer who had long ago been elevated to G.o.ddess status…

Gu Sheng gazed at her phone. She felt that the more she thought on this, the more she was overthinking it, and so, she quickly exited out of his Weibo and exhaled lightly. Her stomach rumbled hungrily as she ran to the kitchen and made some oatmeal. Grabbing a shredded, dried pork bun with her, she headed back to her room where she saw a notification on her Weibo indicating a new private message.

She clicked it open.

It was… Ling Long Ti Tou: My apologies for being so bold as to contact you like this. I have recently been wanting to make an alb.u.m.  I was wondering if you have time to compose and arrange some songs for it?

Gu Sheng had just ripped open the plastic packaging of the bun when she saw this and was instantly stunned.

An alb.u.m to be released commerically? Compose and arrange songs?

Since when had she become so famous?……

Or maybe… it was because of Toupai?

She randomly guessed at the reason as she took a bite of her bun.

Before she had a chance to reply, Ling Long Ti Tou added: 2500 yuan per song. That’s the amount I offer to all composers and arrangers. Is that fair to you?

Gu Sheng placed her hands on her keyboard and typed rapidly: ^^ So happy that you would think so highly of me…… But I rarely compose. Usually I just do arrangements… I’m nervous I won’t be experienced enough…

Ling Long Ti Tou: I have listened to all of your past songs. I really like them.

Gu Sheng: …… How about this? Why don’t you tell me what style you usually prefer, and I will think about it……

T.T Why did she feel like she was being arrogant?

But, that was not the case. Every composer, arranger, lyricist, art designer, and person who did post-production wanted to work with a big-name singer. After all, to have one’s own work sung by the finest singer would be so gratifying… However, she honestly was not good enough to the point that Ling Long Ti Tou would personally invite her to collaborate with her, especially on a commercial project…

Ling Long Ti Tou: and . Have you heard them before?

Gu Sheng: Mm-hmm.

The other end fell silent.

Gu Sheng mulled over the proposal for a moment, contemplating whether she was capable of completing the task.

She had not finished this conversation yet when Geng Xiaoxing, who had disappeared for the entire day, suddenly sent over a private message: Officially requesting to chat.

Gu Sheng replied to Geng Xiaoxing: Wait a sec.

She switched back to the window with Ling Long Ti Tou’s messages and wrote a reply to her: Would it be okay if I gave you an answer tomorrow? ^^

Ling Long Ti Tou: Sure.

So, like that… her conversation with Ling Long Ti Tou came to an end.

And on the other side, Geng Xiaoxing had already sent over a question: In your opinion, if a girl and a boy have known each other for quite some time but the boy still has not asked to see the girl’s picture or have a video chat or something … does that mean he’s not interested in the girl?…

Gu Sheng: …… ╮(╯▽╰)╭ Why don’t you just come out and say that Jue Mei Sha Yi still hasn’t asked to have a video chat with you?…

Geng Xiaoxing: …… Go to h.e.l.l, you. Just answer the question.

Gu Sheng: I think… there’s nothing unusual about that…

Geng Xiaoxing: Why? Nowadays, don’t people exchange photos and have video chats right after they meet?…

Gu Sheng: You’re talking about a circle of people who interact with their voices. No one really pays much attention to outward appearance.

Geng Xiaoxing: But what if the other party is really ugly looking? What do you do then?

Gu Sheng: Jue Mei DaRen is quite handsome… and you are nice-looking too…

Geng Xiaoxing: T.T I still think it’s weird, ah.

Gu Sheng: It’s just like writers and ill.u.s.trators. When you like them, it has nothing to do with what they look like, right? ╮(╯▽╰)╭ For CVs and singers, they are voice lovers to start with, so as long as the other party’s voice sounds right to them and that person’s looks aren’t so bad they would be an endangerment to society, then that’s enough… It’s not uncommon for people to be together for half a year or a year and to still haven’t seen each other’s photograph. To them, connecting by voice is enough. That’s the world of a voice lover. ^^

Geng Xiaoxing: Oh, true…… Since I started liking listening to voices, I’ve felt there’s no need to see the person’s face. Actually… I’m just scared he won’t like my face.

Gu Sheng teased her: Then go send a pic to him and ask, “My Lord, are you satisfied with your humble servant wife’s face?”

Geng Xiaoxing sent back an emoticon vomiting blood.

Gu Sheng typed a smiley face and then very empathetically comforted her: The face is not important. What’s important is, is his voice nice? Is he straight? And the most important… how’s his personality and reputation? I can very certainly tell you, Jue Mei Sha Yi is very much a straight male, not the least bit bent, and his reputation in the entertainment circle is very good. So *cupped fist* Add oil. Go get ’em!

Geng Xiaoxing: T.T ……

Geng Xiaoxing seemed to have worked things out in her own mind and did not ask any more questions.

Gu Sheng continued to munch on her bun. She took a slurp of her oatmeal. So hot… She drank it down, one little mouthful at a time. Her thoughts drifted around, then came back to Ling Long Ti Tou’s invitation to her to compose and arrange. Before she had thought too much about it, however, Toupai’s phone call came in.

Ouch…

In her anxiousness, she had scalded her tongue with the hot oatmeal.

When Gu Sheng answered her phone, she was still taking deep intakes of air, trying to lessen the pain on the tip of her tongue.

In her phone receiver, she heard Toupai first say h.e.l.lo. His voice was somewhat low. “Finished listening to it yet?”

“Mm. Just finished…”

“I forgot to ask you just now, it’s so late, how come you still haven’t eaten?”

She tilted her head to look up at the clock hanging on the wall. It was rather late. Eight o’clock already…

“My dad and mom aren’t home today…… but they left me some buns to eat.”

“You’re eating already?”

“Mm-hmm,” she answered honestly.

“I just finished up here.” Mo Qingcheng gave a little laugh. “I had wanted to wait and have some good food with you as a compensation to myself for having to work overtime on Valentine’s Day.” His statement was simple, but yet it made her feel so guilty…

“Next time…” Her mind felt like it was floating as she listened to him speak. “Next time… I promise to have dinner with you.”

“How about tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?”

( ⊙ o ⊙)……

Mo Qingcheng seemed to have taken a drink of water. He was contemplating as he told her, “I’ll be going to the recording studio tomorrow afternoon, and then I’m having dinner with Feng Ya Song and the others after. Why don’t we arrange a place and I’ll pick you up?”

Feng Ya Song and the others?

That was not bad, then… At least it would not be just the two of them by themselves. But… the recording studio and her home were in completely opposite directions, and it was definitely out of the way for him to pick her up. It was better for her to go herself to save time.

“Sure… Give me the address, and I’ll just take the bus there myself. It’ll be fine.” Gu Sheng reached over and felt for paper and a pen on her desk.

“Alright. It might be a little late when I’m leaving the studio anyway.”

Mo Qingcheng did not beat around the bush and told her the address.

She was writing it down when she abruptly stopped.

This was clearly… a home address…

Shouldn’t it be a restaurant?!

“This is my home address.” Mo Qingcheng had torn open some sort of food packaging and was starting to eat. His words were slightly m.u.f.fled by food as he explained, “Jue Mei and I live together.”

Whenever he ate, he always spoke slowly, like a lazy cat licking his claws while gazing at you, and for some unexplainable reason, it made your heart feel fl.u.s.tered.

Wait. This was wrong…

That’s not the point here, k T.T, Sheng Sheng Man…

( ⊙ o ⊙)……

Tomorrow, she was going to his home… for dinner. That was the most important point out of the important points.

She seldom ever went to cla.s.smates’ homes, and when she visited relatives at their home, she would always feel awkward. And now, she was actually going to a guy’s… No, wait, it was TWO guys’ home? Gu Sheng tried to imagine what a boy’s room would look like, and immediately, the image that popped into her mind was Cousin’s room filled with all sorts of electronic and video gaming equipment…

Toupai’s… shouldn’t be like that, right?

There should be professional recording equipment… and… food?

Yogurt? Potato chips?

She was a little embarra.s.sed with that thought. Suddenly, she felt that when Toupai was eating, regardless of whether it was in person or over the phone like right at this moment or through her headset like in the past, he was rather… cute… and a little… adorable.

*covering face with hands* Such a weird thought T.T……

“So, we’re agreed?” Mo Qingcheng confirmed with her.

“Mm…” As she stared at that string of words that was an address, that string of words that was Toupai and Jue Mei Sha Yi’s home address, she had an even more subtly remarkable feel.

小籠子 “Xiao Long Zi.” Literally means “little cage.” It is actually a play on Ling Long Ti Tou’s name, where the ‘long,’ which means cage, sounds like the ‘long’ in her name.