Jing Ran indeed wanted to collaborate with Jiang Fei, as he was eager to break into the medical industry.
The current domestic situation was such that the medical industry was highly profitable. For people like them, who already had many natural advantages, it didn’t take much effort to make a fortune. With a little bit of effort, they could even build a highly representative enterprise.
Although people like them didn’t have to worry about food or drink, they couldn’t just idle around all day, could they? They needed to strive, to climb higher, and to make money.
Small amounts of money might not matter to them, but what about tens of millions, or even billions? Could they really ignore that? If Jing Ran entered the medical industry, leveraging his skills and background advantages, and partnered with a miracle doctor like Jiang Fei, the profits would be anything but small.
So, when he saw Jiang Fei outside the hall earlier and guessed his identity, Jing Ran had already started planning how to make this happen. Unfortunately, Jiang Fei’s response had completely dashed his plans, leaving them dead in the water.
Jiang Fei simply had no interest in collaborating with him, or perhaps he had no interest in making big money at all. This left Jing Ran feeling quite disappointed.
However, despite his regret, he wasn’t about to lose his temper over it. He quickly adjusted his mood and smiled, saying, “Alright then. Let’s put this matter aside for now. We can talk about it again in the future.”
His words clearly indicated that he wasn’t giving up. He wasn’t about to let go of a ‘big fish’ like Jiang Fei.
Without waiting for Jiang Fei to respond, Jing Ran changed the subject and asked with a smile, “By the way, aren’t you supposed to go on stage later and sing a duet with Qiao Yiyi as a birthday gift for Mangguo? Are you ready?”
“Who said I was going to sing a duet with Qiao Yiyi?” Jiang Fei retorted.
“Oh? You’re not?” Jing Ran was taken aback and asked, “Have you changed your mind? Are you going to perform solo instead?”
Jiang Fei didn’t answer. At that moment, a well-known TV host in Jin City, standing on the marble tower in the center of the hall, announced loudly, “Next, let’s welcome the currently most popular star in the entertainment industry, the next-generation diva, Qiao Yiyi, and Mr. Jiang Fei to the stage! They will perform a song together as a birthday gift for tonight’s birthday girl, Bai Mangguo!”
The bustling hall, filled with clinking glasses and lively chatter, quieted down a bit at this announcement. The men and women holding wine glasses turned their gazes toward Qiao Yiyi and Jiang Fei.
Of course, most of the attention was on Qiao Yiyi. No one was looking at Jiang Fei.
In fact, many people started whispering in surprise, “Who is Jiang Fei? I’ve never heard of him!”
“Why is he singing with Qiao Yiyi tonight?”
“Is he a close friend of Mangguo’s who happens to be a fan of Qiao Yiyi? Did he shamelessly ask to sing with her?”
“If I had known that was possible, I would’ve asked Mangguo to let me sing a song for her too!”
These people hadn’t seen what had happened earlier, so they didn’t know the context. Even though they could see Jiang Fei sitting next to Qiao Yiyi, they were still asking who he was.
At that moment, a massive three-tiered cake was wheeled into the hall, with candles already lit. It was clear that after Jiang Fei and Qiao Yiyi finished their performance, the cake would be cut.
As a result, even more eyes turned toward Jiang Fei.
Bai Mangguo herself walked over with a smile, seemingly worried that Jiang Fei might back out at the last moment.
“Let’s go,” Jiang Fei said confidently, standing up first. In a rare display of gentlemanly behavior, he extended a hand to Qiao Yiyi.
Qiao Yiyi stood up gracefully and placed her hand in his. The two of them, a perfect match in looks and talent, walked hand in hand toward the center of the hall under the watchful eyes of the crowd, drawing envy and jealousy from many of the men present.
“So, the person who’s been by Qiao Yiyi’s side all this time is Jiang Fei!”
“It seems they’ve known each other for a while. This isn’t just a one-time collaboration because of Mangguo, is it?”
Whispers and murmurs filled the room. Qiao Yiyi was currently the nation’s sweetheart, the perfect goddess in the hearts of countless men. Being able to sing a duet with her and even hold her hand was enough to make anyone envious.
Once on stage, the two let go of each other’s hands. Qiao Yiyi walked over to the microphone, while Jiang Fei turned and took a seat at the large white grand piano adorned with flowers.
They exchanged a smile, adjusted their positions, and prepared to begin.
The scene immediately revealed the true nature of their ‘collaboration.’ It wasn’t just a duet—it was Qiao Yiyi singing while Jiang Fei accompanied her on the piano!
Bai Mangguo stood below the stage, watching Jiang Fei with a curious smile as he sat at the piano. She turned to Ye Yuanyuan and asked, “Yuanyuan, does Jiang Fei know how to play the piano? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Ye Yuanyuan furrowed her brow, equally puzzled. “I didn’t know either. Is there anything this guy can’t do? He’s a doctor, he can cook, and now he can play the piano?”
Bai Mangguo smirked and said, “So you’ve never seen him play before either? Then he probably isn’t very good. At least he’s smart. I was hoping to hear him sing and see how bad it would be. But if he just messes around on the piano, he won’t embarrass himself too much.”
Ye Yuanyuan didn’t argue.
She also thought that even if Jiang Fei could play the piano, he probably wasn’t very skilled. But this was still better than him trying to sing. At least he had found a way to save face and get through Bai Mangguo’s little test.
Qiao Yiyi adjusted the microphone and began with a brief introduction: “Today is Miss Bai Mangguo’s birthday. I’m very happy to have been invited to her birthday party. Next, I will sing a song titled ‘-like-you,’ accompanied by Mr. Jiang Fei on the piano, as a gift for Miss Bai Mangguo. This version of the song might be a little different from what you’ve heard before. Mr. Jiang Fei and I have made some small changes. I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you.”
Clap clap clap!
As soon as Qiao Yiyi finished speaking, the hall erupted into applause. The atmosphere was electric, almost as if they were at one of Qiao Yiyi’s concerts.
Hearing that the song had been rearranged, the audience’s anticipation grew even stronger. Many people even pulled out their phones, ready to record the performance as a keepsake.
Qiao Yiyi didn’t mind. Even if the video of her singing ended up online, it wouldn’t matter. She was about to make her comeback anyway, so a little exposure wouldn’t hurt.
After testing the sound system and finding it to be of top-notch quality—basically concert-level—Qiao Yiyi nodded in satisfaction. Jiang Fei, too, tested the piano keys and found the white grand piano to be of excellent sound quality.
Once the applause died down, the two exchanged another smile and then turned back to their respective positions, ready to begin.
About three seconds later…
Jiang Fei, still smiling, seemed to immerse himself in the music. His fingers, hovering slightly above the keys, suddenly descended.
Ding ding ding…
A series of pleasant piano notes filled the air, the rhythm clear and smooth, played with remarkable skill.
Hearing this flawless prelude, the audience nodded in approval. Regardless of anything else, Jiang Fei’s accompaniment wasn’t amateurish. It seemed he was a competent pianist, worthy of partnering with Qiao Yiyi.
Bai Mangguo’s expression shifted slightly as she turned to Ye Yuanyuan with a smile. “Seems better than we expected. The piano accompaniment, though simple, is quite well-played. His piano skills might not be bad. Probably at an amateur level 8 or so.”
Ye Yuanyuan didn’t respond, only saying, “Let’s keep watching.”
Her eyes were fixed on Jiang Fei as he sat by the piano, his face serious and focused. For some reason, Ye Yuanyuan had a strange premonition.
This guy might just cause another big stir tonight!
Jiang Fei’s current state of mind was completely focused, as if he were performing acupuncture or cooking a delicious meal. It was the same level of concentration he displayed in those moments.
“I heard, that you’re settled down.
That you, found a girl and you’re married now…”
As the prelude played, Qiao Yiyi began to sing. Although this was their first time performing this song together, they had practiced many other songs during their time at the villa in Daocun.
Back then, Jiang Fei had played the guitar.
Now, with the change in instrument, and thanks to their respective expertise in piano and singing, their collaboration was seamless and perfectly timed.
As soon as Qiao Yiyi’s voice filled the room, the audience was captivated. Her singing was truly exceptional, and her fully recovered voice was incredibly pleasing to the ear.
Her voice wasn’t the slightly husky, sultry type of the original singer. Instead, it was clear and melodious, like the song of a nightingale, bringing a completely different feel to the song.
“So good! Really good!”
“No wonder she’s the next-generation diva. Just one line, and it’s already perfect. Absolutely flawless!”
“She’s so beautiful, and her singing is amazing. A true idol and a powerhouse! How are other singers supposed to compete?”
Praise filled the room as people whispered to each other. Suddenly, someone said, “Don’t you think the piano accompaniment is also really good? It’s so smooth, and it matches Qiao Yiyi perfectly!”
“That’s probably because Qiao Yiyi’s skills are just that good,” someone else replied.
About a minute later, Qiao Yiyi finished the first verse, which had been repeated beautifully, and stopped singing.
Now, only the piano accompaniment remained…
