Chapter 111: The Sound of Nature

“No way! That’s not it at all!” Seeing her idol misunderstand her, Qi Yue’s face flushed even deeper. She quickly explained, “The Qi Dazhu you mentioned is my father…”

“…! My apologies, I think I misspoke,” Xiao Qiangwei said awkwardly after having just disparaged Qi Dazhu.

“Qiangwei, wait a moment. I’m going to call Qi Dazhu and settle this!” Qi Yue said, then dashed back to her room, pulled out her phone, and dialed her father’s number.

“Hello? What’s up, eldest son?” Qi Dazhu’s warm voice came through immediately. Having been unable to have a son, he simply called both his daughters “son.”

“Nothing much. Just give me two million!” Qi Yue said, clearly annoyed.

“Two million? Son, what’s going on? Did something happen?” Qi Dazhu’s voice grew urgent.

“Nothing happened. I just heard you spent two million on… well, you know. I figured I need some money too, to do something!” Qi Yue replied unhappily.

Qi Dazhu burst into loud laughter upon hearing this. “Sweetheart, you’re upset just over that? Let me tell you, it’s for business. That’s why I had to spend those two million. Otherwise, our family business wouldn’t run smoothly.”

“So, you used that two million to bribe someone with an actress?” Though there was still some displeasure in her voice, it was notably softer.

“Foolish son, that’s not bribery; it’s building relationships. You’re too young to understand! If there’s nothing else, I’m off to sleep now.”

“Wait! I’m really out of money. Can you give me some tomorrow?” Qi Yue chuckled.

“All right, I’ll transfer you ten thousand tomorrow. You’re still too young, don’t spend recklessly.”

“Just admit you’re stingy. My grandfather’s over seventy; am I still too young? And you never give either!”

“Your grandfather’s old and can’t handle stress. If he found out he made or lost money, he might get too excited and it would be a loss in the long run.”

“Oh, so that’s why!” Qi Yue finally understood her father’s concern—it wasn’t that he was unwilling to spend money.

At that moment, she recalled her father’s oft-repeated principle about spending money without hesitation: spend freely on honoring elders, true friends, and on learning and growth.

“Oh, speaking of your grandfather. Go visit him more often with your little boyfriend. Old people fear loneliness. And last time, your boyfriend had a conflict with Zhang Kai’s son. Your grandfather even arranged for someone to help sort it out,” Qi Dazhu added just before hanging up.

“You don’t have to worry. They go see grandfather every week,” Qi Xiaoyue said sweetly, feeling a warmth sweeter than honey as her father naturally mentioned Lin Yu.

“Ah, it feels so good!” she said, grinning mischievously before leaving her room.

Back in the living room, she saw Xiao Qiangwei finishing a bowl of honey water and picking up the microphone to begin singing.

Seeing this, Qi Yue called out with a smile, “Wait, wait! I’m going to get Xiaoyu.”

A minute later, Lin Yu, still groggy from sleep, was reluctantly woken up by her.

“What’s there to listen to? I’ve heard it all before,” he grumbled drowsily.

“Can listening to a CD compare to hearing a live performance? This is even better than the VIP lounge experience!” Qi Yue retorted, unwilling to accept his complaint.

After this little interruption, Xiao Qiangwei formally began singing “Fishermen’s Song at Dusk” along with the accompaniment.

Listening to the beautiful lyrics—“The setting sun and solitary wild geese fly together, the autumn waters and the vast sky share one color. Fishermen’s songs at dusk echo along the banks of Pengli…”—and Qiangwei’s ethereal, richly textured voice, Lin Yu instantly perked up, silently praising, “Really nice!”

Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin nearby were also deeply captivated by the delightful singing, even unconsciously holding their breath to avoid disturbing Xiao Qiangwei.

This exquisite, melodious performance not only showcased a unique style but also carried a strong classical charm—truly heavenly music, with the lingering notes humming for days.

After finishing this piece, Xiao Qiangwei, under the watchful eyes of her audience, continued singing other classics of their group such as “Slow, Slow Voices” and “Sleeping in Jiangnan.”

Beyond her lovely voice, her stamina was also commendable. After performing at a concert for thousands, most female stars would be too exhausted to stand, let alone keep singing. Yet Xiao Qiangwei sang with great pleasure, showing no signs of fatigue.

“Qiangwei, if you’re tired, take a rest and have some more honey water,” Qi Yue said with a smile, pouring her idol another bowl after “Slow, Slow Voices.”

Taking the delicate blue-and-white porcelain bowl, Xiao Qiangwei sat on the sofa and sipped lightly, smiling, “I simply love singing. Once I start, I forget what tiredness means.”

“That’s wonderful!” Qi Yue said dreamily, resting her chin on her hand beside her.

At that moment, Lin Yu, standing in the living room, suddenly spoke up, “I have a suggestion. I hope it’s okay to say.”

“What suggestion?” Hearing this, Xiao Qiangwei immediately looked toward him.

Though she wasn’t very fond of Lin Yu, she didn’t hold their minor disagreements against him when he mentioned having a suggestion.

“Your voice is especially beautiful, your singing technique is quite good, and the songs are lovely. But the lyrics, to me, borrow too heavily from classical poetry. Can’t you create some original Chinese-style lyrics of your own?” Lin Yu said softly.

Hearing this, Xiao Qiangwei frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then replied, “Thank you for your advice. We do borrow too much. But creating original Chinese-style lyrics is extremely difficult. Talent like that is hard to find.”

“There’s no such thing as a difficult task, only those who lack determination. Your group is doing very well now, but to stay popular long-term, you need to create something truly your own,” Lin Yu continued with his suggestion.

“There’s no group anymore!” Qi Yue quickly explained Xiao Qiangwei’s escape from the others, adding firmly, “From now on, Qiangwei won’t work with those two shameless women again.”

“I see. The entertainment industry really is dirty, isn’t it?” Lin Yu sighed, then turned to Xiao Qiangwei and asked, “So, what do you plan to do next?”

“Take it one step at a time. I’ll stay here a few days to lay low. I’ve thoroughly offended Liang Tian; I’m probably going to have to keep hiding from now on,” Xiao Qiangwei sighed deeply, feeling heavy at the thought of possibly never singing publicly again.

Hearing this, Lin Yu suddenly had a spark of inspiration and thought of a quick way to make money.