Qiao Yiyi’s vocal cords had finally fully recovered. When she spoke or sang, there was no trace of hoarseness left—her voice was clear, melodious, and incredibly pleasant to the ear. Especially when she hit high notes, her voice soared with a bright, resonant quality.
Jiang Fei had previously thought Qiao Yiyi’s singing ability was mediocre, but hearing her perform at full strength and in peak condition changed his mind. Her rise to fame and her title as the “next-generation diva” weren’t just due to her looks, charm, or marketing—she genuinely had talent.
Compared to the younger generation of singers, Jiang Fei believed there were very few in the country who could surpass Qiao Yiyi in terms of vocal ability.
Now that her voice had fully recovered, it naturally meant Qiao Yiyi would be moving out of Jiang Fei’s villa and returning to Jincheng. Soon, she’d likely be traveling all over the world, busy with concerts, commercial performances, album releases, fashion shows, fan meetings, and more. She was about to become a true “frequent flyer.”
To be honest, after living with this beautiful star for a week, Jiang Fei felt a pang of reluctance and melancholy at the thought of her leaving.
Over the past week, he and Qiao Yiyi had gotten along wonderfully. Her elegance, politeness, and warmth had left a deep impression on him. If possible, Jiang Fei wouldn’t mind having Qiao Yiyi stay in his villa indefinitely.
However, not only was Jiang Fei feeling a bit down about her departure, but Qiao Yiyi herself was even more reluctant to leave.
She didn’t want to say goodbye to the picturesque Daocun village or to the exquisite meals Jiang Fei, a culinary master, prepared. These days in Daocun had been some of the happiest and most relaxed moments she’d experienced in years. It was even more joyful than when she first debuted as a star after her trainee days.
She had never imagined that her vocal cord injury would turn out to be a blessing in disguise, allowing her to enjoy such a comfortable and carefree week.
Now, she had truly fallen in love with Daocun, with Jiang Fei’s villa, and with the local culture and charm.
If she could, she wouldn’t mind giving up her hectic schedule, the sleepless nights, and the constant pressure to meet high standards.
“Are you really moving out today?”
After finishing a song, Jiang Fei watched as Qiao Yiyi packed her guitar into its case and asked with a hint of regret.
Qiao Yiyi stood up, tucking a strand of her coffee-colored, slightly wavy hair behind her ear. She smiled at Jiang Fei and asked, “Do you really want me to leave so soon?”
“Of course not,” Jiang Fei shrugged. “I actually wish you could stay longer. Having a superstar like you as a tenant not only adds a touch of glamour to my villa but also elevates its status.”
“Really? I felt like I’ve been causing you a lot of trouble these past few days. I was almost too embarrassed to stay any longer,” Qiao Yiyi said, a little shyly.
“What trouble could you possibly have caused?” Jiang Fei chuckled. “I genuinely hope you can stay here as long as you want. But I know that’s not possible. You’re a big star with countless contracts and commitments. Staying here to recover was one thing, but now that you’re healed, your manager, Auntie Mei, must be getting impatient, right?”
Qiao Yiyi suddenly smiled brightly and shook her head. “As long as you don’t mind me being a bother, it’s all good! I’ve already discussed it with Auntie Mei, and I’ll be staying here for three more days!”
Jiang Fei was taken aback. “Really? You still have time to spare? I thought your schedule was packed, and you’ve already delayed a lot of work. How do you manage to squeeze in three more days of leisure?”
“Well,” Qiao Yiyi said with a happy smile, “Auntie Mei had originally given me ten days off. But thanks to your incredible medical skills, my voice healed in just seven days. Since I’ve got this rare break, I might as well enjoy the full ten days before going back to work!”
Jiang Fei’s expression suddenly turned a bit strange. He rubbed his nose and said abruptly, “Since you’re not leaving today, there’s something I’d like to ask you to help me with.”
“Help you? Sure! What do you need?” Qiao Yiyi agreed without hesitation, not even asking what the favor was.
She was more than willing to help Jiang Fei. Not only had he saved her singing career by healing her vocal cords in such a short time, but she also felt that simply endorsing Jiang’s Clinic for free wasn’t enough to repay him. She was ready to help him with anything he needed.
Besides, she had something she wanted to ask Jiang Fei for later—she still hadn’t convinced him to be a guest performer at her concert!
“I need you to meet a fan of yours…” Jiang Fei said somewhat helplessly.
“That’s even easier. Is this person a friend of yours?” Qiao Yiyi asked with a smile. She had always been kind to her fans, a fact well-known in the entertainment industry.
After all, a polite and gentle woman like her, who treated strangers with respect, would naturally be even more considerate toward her fans.
Normally, she avoided interacting with fans to prevent complications, but since this fan was a friend of Jiang Fei’s, it would be more like a private gathering.
“You could say… they’re a friend,” Jiang Fei said, rubbing his nose.
Technically, Ye Yuanyuan’s best friend, Bai Mangguo, could be considered his friend—even though he only knew her name and gender, and had no idea what she looked like.
“You didn’t know me before, but it seems like there are quite a few of my fans in your circle,” Qiao Yiyi said with a hint of pride.
After spending a week together, she had become quite close to Lin Moli and had also met Zeng Tong and He Yuxuan, the young couple. So, she knew that Jiang Fei hadn’t heard of her before.
But it didn’t matter if Jiang Fei wasn’t her fan. As long as many of his friends were, she felt it would be easier to convince him to perform at her concert.
—
At a high-end clothing store, in a private VIP room…
“Yuanyuan, do you really think Jiang Fei knows Qiao Yiyi and can bring her to my birthday party?” A young woman, who had just tried on a purple evening gown, asked Ye Yuanyuan nervously.
Ye Yuanyuan, sitting with her legs crossed, didn’t even look up. “I don’t know,” she replied coldly.
“How can you not know? You two are so close. He’s the first man to ever capture the heart of our Miss Ye,” the woman said with a laugh as she adjusted the hem of her dress and sat down beside Ye Yuanyuan.
The woman wasn’t particularly beautiful, and her figure was a bit plump, which made finding the perfect dress a challenge. Most of the time, she had to have her outfits custom-made.
Compared to Ye Yuanyuan, the woman’s only advantage was her larger bust. In every other aspect, she fell short. However, her chubby, baby-faced appearance and long, center-parted hair gave her a mischievous, playful vibe.
This woman was Ye Yuanyuan’s childhood best friend and only close confidante. Her name was Bai Mangguo, but most people just called her “Mango.”
Ye Yuanyuan glared at her. “Shut up, Mango! What nonsense are you spouting?”
Most people would have been terrified by Ye Yuanyuan’s angry expression, but Mango wasn’t fazed at all. She giggled and hugged Ye Yuanyuan’s arm. “How is it nonsense? You’ve never talked about any man this much before. Men who offend you either end up apologizing after a beating or… they can’t even apologize because they’re too badly beaten! But this Jiang Fei—I’ve heard you complain about him several times recently. I think you two are like a pair of bickering lovers. Fighting is intimacy, and scolding is love! Don’t get mad… the angrier you get, the more it proves I’m right!”
Ye Yuanyuan glared at her childhood friend but eventually gave up.
“It’s not that I don’t want to beat up that jerk! It’s just that I can’t beat him! And that shameless guy has even befriended my grandfather. They’re like buddies now. Do you think I dare to lay a finger on him?” Ye Yuanyuan said bitterly.
In her heart, she added, And that jerk knows the secret to increasing bust size. How can I afford to offend him?
Mango giggled and nodded. “If that’s the case, then you really can’t touch him. Hearing you talk about him makes me even more curious about this Jiang Fei. I really want to see what kind of person he is.”
But then she paused and added, “Actually, what kind of person he is doesn’t matter. As long as he brings Qiao Yiyi to my birthday party tonight, I’ll be grateful!”
Ye Yuanyuan gave her a disdainful look. “He’ll definitely come. That guy might be a jerk sometimes, but he’s reliable when it comes to keeping his word. Since he promised, he’ll bring Qiao Yiyi.”
“That’s good,” Mango said with a grin. “Last time, that woman Wu Xue only managed to invite some washed-up celebrity to her birthday party. If I can get Qiao Yiyi to come, I’ll make her so jealous!”
