After discovering the picturesque beauty of Daocun Village, the young couple, Zeng Tong and He Yuxuan, were reluctant to leave early. They stayed at Jiang Fei’s house for the entire three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, only departing at 5:30 PM on the third day after an early dinner, driving away with lingering reluctance.
“Brother Fei! Boss! Let’s make it clear now—whenever I have a holiday, I’m coming over to your place. You can’t get annoyed with me, alright?”
Before leaving, Zeng Tong pulled Jiang Fei aside and said pitifully, “Last night, my wife told me that if I don’t bring her here often to mooch off your food, she’s going to make me sleep in a separate room! Boss, my future ‘happiness’ depends entirely on you now.”
Zeng Tong spoke with a pitiful tone, but his mind was filled with the delightful memories of the previous night. He Yuxuan had indeed told Zeng Tong to come to Jiang Fei’s place often for food, but she hadn’t used threats to get her way.
He Yuxuan, though a proper lady with a good lifestyle, had a hidden side to her. She had a bold, unfiltered personality, especially in the bedroom.
Last night, she had used her petite frame to unleash a series of “martial arts” moves, leaving Zeng Tong, a tall and strong man, completely disoriented and utterly satisfied.
As the saying goes, even heroes fall for beauties, and the toughest steel can be bent by tenderness.
Faced with He Yuxuan’s “attacks,” how could Zeng Tong possibly resist?
So, he had immediately agreed last night and was now shamelessly pleading with Jiang Fei.
“What does your ‘happiness’ have to do with me?” Jiang Fei chuckled and scolded.
“Come on, Brother Fei. I’m about to get married. Have some mercy and let us come over often. Think of it as doing a good deed…” Zeng Tong begged without any shame, even grabbing Jiang Fei’s arm and shaking it like a little girl throwing a tantrum.
Having a grown man act like this made Jiang Fei shudder, his skin crawling with goosebumps. He quickly pulled his arm away and said irritably, “Alright, alright! I agree, okay? Whenever you two have time, you’re welcome here. I’ll welcome you with open arms!”
After finally wearing Jiang Fei down, Zeng Tong grinned and thanked him again before driving off with He Yuxuan.
With the departure of this lively couple, Jiang Fei’s villa became much quieter.
Lin Moli, who had to handle various hospital matters, frequently traveled to Jincheng, so most of the time, only Jiang Fei and the superstar Qiao Yiyi remained in the villa.
However, over the past few days, even if Lin Moli had to go to Jincheng during the day, she would always return to the Daocun villa at night…
After three days of treatment, Qiao Yiyi’s damaged vocal cords were steadily recovering. Compared to three days ago, her voice was no longer as hoarse, and she could now speak more clearly, though she still couldn’t raise her voice or sing. At most, she could only do some basic recovery exercises.
Although Qiao Yiyi couldn’t practice singing these days, she didn’t neglect other aspects of her craft. She maintained the discipline of a professional artist.
For example, to keep her figure, she had to exercise daily and practice dancing. She even had her manager, Aunt Mei, bring her a guitar. Every day, she spent half an hour practicing. According to her, playing an instrument was a long-term skill, and if she didn’t practice regularly, she would lose her touch.
In fact, Qiao Yiyi didn’t just play the guitar; she also played the piano. However, the piano was too bulky to transport from Jincheng to Daocun, so she settled for the guitar.
“By the way, I need to go back to Jincheng tomorrow to treat someone. It’ll take half a day. Your vocal cords have improved significantly, so missing one acupuncture session won’t affect your recovery too much,” Jiang Fei said to Qiao Yiyi as she prepared to play the guitar.
“Are you going to treat Old Master Ye again?” Lin Moli asked.
Jiang Fei nodded.
Old Master Ye Zhennan’s legs required Jiang Fei’s treatment at the sanatorium again tomorrow. His condition was more time-sensitive than Qiao Yiyi’s vocal cords and couldn’t be delayed.
“It’s been a while. Shouldn’t it be almost over?” Lin Moli asked.
She had interacted with Ye Yuanyuan, and after Jiang Fei’s multiple visits to the sanatorium without any issues, Lin Moli was no longer worried about his trips there.
“Old Master Ye can already walk with some difficulty. At most, four or five more sessions, and his legs will be completely healed,” Jiang Fei said.
Qiao Yiyi didn’t fully understand the situation but knew Jiang Fei had an important patient he treated regularly. She nodded and smiled, “Alright. If you’re going back to Jincheng tomorrow, I’ll go with you. I have some things to take care of as well.”
After discussing, Qiao Yiyi sat down and began to gently strum the guitar.
The melody was soft, slow, and lyrical, quite different from the energetic, dance-heavy style Qiao Yiyi usually displayed on stage.
After all, Qiao Yiyi was a singer who had returned from South Korea, where the music scene favored high-energy performances with stunning visuals and sexy dances. It was rare to see a singer like Qiao Yiyi quietly playing a guitar on stage.
Even though Qiao Yiyi leaned toward a calmer style, her concerts never featured such a serene atmosphere.
“Yiyi, the you in real life is quite different from the you we see on TV and online,” Lin Moli said, sitting on the sofa with her chin propped on her hands.
Most people knew Qiao Yiyi for her singing and dancing skills, but few knew she was also fond of playing instruments. She could play several, including the guitar, piano, and violin. While she wasn’t a master at any of them, her skills were more than enough to impress as an artist.
“What can I do? When the company first trained me, they positioned me as a singer-dancer. But deep down, I’ve always wanted to be a quiet, artistic girl,” Qiao Yiyi said with a laugh as she played a soothing tune.
After playing for a while, Qiao Yiyi stopped and sighed, “Being a singer who just sings quietly is really nice. Singing and dancing is exhausting. It’s tiring during practice and even more tiring on stage. Just performing one song can make you sweat. If I hadn’t taken this break, even if my vocal cords hadn’t given out, my body probably would have.”
Lin Moli sympathized and asked, “I’ve seen news about how S/M Company treats its artists almost like slaves, barely giving them time to sleep. Many artists develop health issues from overwork. In recent years, hasn’t there been a lot of conflict between artists and the company, even lawsuits over contract disputes?”
Qiao Yiyi didn’t show much self-pity or anger. Instead, she smiled lightly and said, “Most of the year is packed with activities, and during those times, it’s indeed exhausting. The body can’t always keep up. But it’s not as terrifying as the rumors make it out to be.”
Lin Moli shook her head. Qiao Yiyi was a hardworking and determined woman. If even she said it was tiring, then it must really be tough.
At that moment, Jiang Fei came out of the kitchen with a freshly heated bowl of herbal medicine. After Qiao Yiyi drank it, he began her acupuncture treatment.
After so many sessions, the process was now routine and quickly completed. Qiao Yiyi spat out the medicine from her throat, and Jiang Fei handed the needles to Lin Moli for sterilization.
Seeing the guitar nearby, Jiang Fei suddenly had an idea.
His life skill, Musical Arts, had also reached level nine. If he played the guitar, the effect should be quite impressive, right?
The thought made him restless, and he couldn’t resist trying it out. Rubbing his hands together, he asked, “Yiyi, can I try playing your guitar?”
“You can play the guitar too?” Qiao Yiyi was surprised but handed the guitar to Jiang Fei with a smile. “Go ahead.”
“Jiang Fei, do you really know how to play the guitar? You’ve never mentioned it before. Don’t mess around and break Yiyi’s guitar,” Lin Moli teased, though her curiosity was evident.
“Hmph, today I’ll show you two women with long hair and narrow minds what a true master looks like!” Jiang Fei declared confidently.
With his Musical Arts at level nine, playing the guitar should be a piece of cake, right? Jiang Fei glanced at the life skills section in his system interface.
Playing the guitar? Easy!
As soon as he took the guitar from Qiao Yiyi, Jiang Fei felt a difference. It was like when he picked up acupuncture needles to treat someone—he naturally entered a state of focus. The guitar in his hands felt incredibly familiar, as if he had played it a thousand times before.
Slides, fingerpicking, bends—he knew them all, and his fingers moved effortlessly.
Without using a pick, Jiang Fei began to play directly with his fingers.
“Ding-ding-ding~”
The music flowed, and Jiang Fei started with a simple folk song he liked, singing along as he played:
“I know those summers
Will never return like youth
What replaces dreams can only be compromises
I know the boasts I made
Will be laughed off with youth
Leaving me trapped in the city, remembering you…”
After showing off a little, Jiang Fei looked at the two women with a smug expression. “Well? Do you feel like worshipping me now?”
“The guitar was played well, and your singing was pleasant,” Qiao Yiyi commented with a smile.
Since Jiang Fei had only played a simple folk song, even with his level-nine Musical Arts, there wasn’t much room to showcase his skills. So, Qiao Yiyi and Lin Moli weren’t particularly impressed, just slightly surprised.
Lin Moli, ever the tease, rolled her eyes and said, “What ‘well’? Yiyi, don’t humor him. I think it’s just average. Like someone who’s only been playing for a couple of days…”
Well?
Average?
You’re both blind!
Women really are creatures with long hair, narrow minds, and big breasts but no brains!
Not receiving the praise he had expected, Jiang Fei was quite dissatisfied. He snorted, prepared himself, and began to strum the guitar again.
This time, he was going to show them what he was really capable of!