Chapter 11: Do I Still Have a Chance?

The opening piano solo sent a tremor through Jiang Qi’s heart.

After listening for a few seconds, Jiang Qi frowned slightly. This song was nothing like "Dissipate Sorrow." From the prelude, it seemed more like a pop song.

A synthesized electronic voice began to sing:

"Bubbles in the sunlight
Are full of colors
Just like me, deceived
Yet still feeling bliss
Why search for right or wrong
Your lies
Are built on the fact you still love me
Beautiful bubbles
Though they burn out in a flash
All your promises
Fragile as they are
But love is like a bubble
How could I see through it
Why feel sorrow..."

At some point, Jiang Qi found tears welling in her eyes.

She thought of her first love back in university.

It was during her freshman year. She was strikingly attractive and pursued by many young men.

In the end, Jiang Qi chose him—the one who once promised to love her for a lifetime.

But just a few months later, Jiang Qi sensed something was amiss. A woman's intuition is rarely wrong.

The man who had vowed to protect her forever was secretly dating her best friend.

All those promises were too fragile.

Her first love was like a firework—beautiful, yet fleeting.

Jiang Qi understood the song. In just a few lines, she felt as if she could see through love, see through the illusions of the world.

Love is like a bubble—it bursts with a single touch.

The world outside is full of temptations, and bubbles are too fragile.

So Jiang Qi chose never to fall in love again.

The music continued, the lyrics flowing on:

"We should have known
Bubbles burst at a touch
Just like a wounded heart
Unable to bear more pain
It’s no one’s fault
There are just too many lies..."

The voice was synthetic and emotionless.

Jiang Qi tried singing in her own voice, but after barely two lines, tears streamed down uncontrollably, and she was sobbing.

Though she had long known her first love was all empty lies, that the promises were only meant to make her happy, still...

She had been happy, after all.

Jiang Qi had heard others say that first love is the most unforgettable emotion in a person's life.

She wasn’t sure if it was the “most” unforgettable, because for her, it was the only one.

The memories she thought she had sealed away were suddenly unlocked.

Jiang Qi kept wiping her tears and blowing her nose with tissues. Thankfully, she was at home; otherwise, tomorrow's headlines would have come out early.

It was a long while before Jiang Qi calmed down, picked up her phone again, and resumed the video.

"Because you still love me..."

Jiang Qi was almost afraid to listen further.

The greatest fear when listening to music is finding yourself in the lyrics.

And Jiang Qi realized that this song might as well have been written about her.

At that moment, a longing rose in Jiang Qi’s heart—she wanted to sing this song herself.

Though she’d just choked up before she could finish, Jiang Qi felt this song suited her perfectly.

Just as she was anticipating what the next lyrics would be, the video stopped, the music faded out.

Jiang Qi’s expectant face fell instantly.

Of course.

Of course.

Of course, it ended like this.

She couldn’t hold it in any longer and flung her phone across the room, as if it were Jiabei himself and throwing it would somehow ease her heart.

What the hell is wrong with you!

Jiang Qi was about to lose her mind.

Others were only tormented by the song "Dissipate Sorrow," but for her, Jiabei was twice the torment.

Fuming, she picked up her phone, her beautiful features twisted in frustration, feeling sorry for her own device.

Now the paint was chipped from being tossed.

On the cracked screen, Jiang Qi sent a message to the source of all her misery.

[Singer Jiang Qi]: "Teacher Jiabei, I can only say, you never disappoint."

Seeing the message, Li He laughed.

[Jiabei]: "Right? You think it’s well written too."

All his songs had been tried and tested by the market—they couldn’t be bad.

Li He silently gave himself a thumbs up—well done, truly impressive.

Jiang Qi was dumbfounded.

She meant to complain about the abrupt ending, not praise his lyrics!

Suppressing her anger, Jiang Qi was still unwilling to give up and asked:

[Singer Jiang Qi]: "Teacher Jiabei, when will you release the second half of the lyrics?"

She didn’t ask if she could buy it—what if someone else was going to sing it?

Her question was a test: if there was a release date, that meant someone else had already claimed it.

Li He hadn’t thought that far. He was just a simple college student—what bad intentions could he possibly have?

[Jiabei]: "Not sure yet. I’m planning to sell this song, but I haven’t finalized anything with a few singers, so I don’t know when it’ll be released."

Jiang Qi’s heart skipped a beat—if it wasn’t finalized, she still had a chance!

[Singer Jiang Qi]: "Teacher Jiabei, do you think I still have a chance?"

Li He nearly spat out his drink.

The conversation was going so well—don’t scare me like that!

He almost replied, "I’m not going mountain climbing with you," but figured Jiang Qi wouldn’t get the joke, so he let it go.

Still...

Her words hinted at real interest.

Li He asked modestly:

[Jiabei]: "Of course there’s a chance, Jiang Qi. How much are you offering?"

This was important—he still owed debts!

The money he borrowed from the online platform was due next Friday. If he couldn’t pay, the interest would compound, and who knew how much thirty thousand would turn into.

Although it wasn’t a loan shark, missing the deadline meant high interest rates.

Jiang Qi felt nervous. She didn’t know what price would be appropriate—she’d never bought a song before!

She was just a newcomer, only two months into her career. The company had always picked her songs; she’d never had to worry about this.

So, sensibly, Jiang Qi called her agent and explained the situation.

After getting Li He’s consent, Jiang Qi sent the half-finished demo to her agent, Fang Ai.

Within minutes, Fang Ai called back: the budget couldn’t exceed 800,000 Xiabi.

Now that she knew her limit, Jiang Qi hung up gleefully, promising the team to trust her—she’d return triumphant.

Agent Fang Ai was a bit worried. Jiang Qi was very talented—otherwise, the company wouldn’t have set such a high budget. But sometimes Jiang Qi was a bit naïve and prone to emotional outbursts. What if she got too excited and spent the whole 800,000 in one go?

Not trusting her, Fang Ai hurriedly drove from the company to Jiang Qi’s home.

Jiang Qi had no idea her agent was so worried. She wasn’t stupid—why would she blow the entire budget at the start?

Buying a song was just like buying vegetables. Jiang Qi was an old hand at this; before her debut, she often accompanied her family to the market, so she knew all the tricks.

[Singer Jiang Qi]: "Teacher Jiabei, can I ask how much the other artists are offering?"

If you ask me, who am I supposed to ask... Li He replied confidently:

[Jiabei]: "Hundreds of thousands of Xiabi."

Damn it...

Now Jiang Qi was stumped.

When buying vegetables, the vendor gives a price, and the customer haggles down from there.

But now Li He hadn’t given a price at all, leaving Jiang Qi to guess—she’d never learned how to do this!

So she tentatively made an offer.

[Singer Jiang Qi]: "Teacher Jiabei, how about 500,000 Xiabi?"

Five hundred thousand...

Li He rested his chin, thinking.

He’d hoped to sell it for six hundred thousand. This was a bit low.

[Jiabei]: "Jiang Qi, your offer lacks sincerity."

Jiang Qi was taken aback.

Was it too low?

She wanted to call her agent for advice, but then remembered how confidently she’d promised there’d be no problem.

A girl has her pride.

After an internal struggle, Jiang Qi made up her mind. If it wasn’t enough, she’d cover the difference herself.

With trembling fingers, she typed in her final offer on the keypad.

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