Shu Nian had always been quick to believe what others told her. Because of Xie Ruhe’s words, she even had the small, oblivious thought that she had performed exceptionally well this time—that she was no longer tone-deaf and had stopped singing off-key.

That she had sung a heavenly melody.

But when Shu Nian looked up and noticed the expressions of others in the control room, she knew this thought was wrong.

The atmosphere became subtle.

Soon, Li Qing spoke through the microphone in the control room: “Get ready, we’ll begin the acting test shortly.”

Then he cut off the communication system with the recording studio.

Through the glass window, Shu Nian could see that the men standing next to Xie Ruhe had begun talking, their emotions visibly agitated, as if they couldn’t believe what he had said.

Noticing one person’s lip movements, Shu Nian could roughly guess that he was mimicking how she had just sung. Her scalp tingled, feeling utterly embarrassed, and she stopped looking in that direction.

Shu Nian emptied her mind, looking at the content of the script, gradually immersing herself in the scene.

This character was a girl with cancer, an orphan, slow-witted but cheerful. In front of others, she was always upbeat, like a little sun. Even though, for her, death was just around the corner.

In this scene, after her condition worsens, the girl calls a friend and learns that her ex-boyfriend has started a new relationship.

Li Qing’s voice came through the headphones: “Alright, let’s begin.”

Shu Nian nodded, cleared her throat, and slightly adjusted her voice, finding what she felt was the most suitable voice for this character. When she spoke, her voice was crisp and bright, clearly that of a lively and somewhat clueless girl.

In front of her friend, upon hearing this news, she remained carefree and chatty.

“That’s too much! How long has it been since we broke up?”

“She must be ugly, that girl must be ugly, absolutely, no exceptions, definitely ugly.”

“…She’s too pretty, I even want to go after her myself.”

After a while, the girl hung up the phone and sat alone in the room, lost in thought for a long time.

“It’s better this way, no attachments left,” the girl chuckled lightly, her voice trembling at the end, “I won’t be a burden to him anymore.”

The audition ended, and Shu Nian bowed toward the control room. When she looked up, she happened to meet Xie Ruhe’s gaze from the control room. Compared to his earlier languid appearance, his expression now had become rigid.

His eyes were very dark. Like a black cloth, without any light.

Shu Nian thought she had performed poorly, but judging from others’ expressions, that didn’t seem to be the case.

Due to Xie Ruhe’s completely different reaction from the others, Shu Nian was genuinely puzzled. But she didn’t have time to think more about it; she removed her headphones and left the recording studio.

Only a few people were left to audition.

Several people came up to her, looking curious, and asked: “Did Teacher A-He say anything?”

Shu Nian didn’t dare to tell the truth and reluctantly lied: “No.”

The next woman was about to go in for her audition when, at that moment, the recording studio door opened, and Xie Ruhe came out, followed by a man who was probably his assistant.

Everyone else instantly fell silent.

Xie Ruhe seemed to just be leaving, not saying a word, his gaze fixed, not looking at anyone.

After he left, more than a dozen people started talking among themselves.

“Why did Teacher A-He leave? I haven’t auditioned yet.”

“Does that mean someone has been chosen?”

“That can’t be…”

Shu Nian didn’t listen to them, staring at Xie Ruhe’s retreating figure, her expression dazed.

Inside the elevator.

“Tell Huajing,” Xie Ruhe said softly, “They can decide the audition results themselves, I’ll find another singer.”

Fang Wencheng was stunned for a moment, scratching his head: “I thought you would choose Miss Shu Nian.”

Xie Ruhe didn’t respond.

He had had such a thought.

If that were the case, he could see her every day. But Shu Nian wasn’t good at singing, and even if he was willing to teach her patiently, she probably wouldn’t like singing in front of others.

If he directly selected her, and she found out later, she would probably feel that her voice-acting skills hadn’t been recognized by others, that she had gotten this opportunity only because of him, and she wouldn’t be happy about that.

Besides, with his current condition, liking her seemed inappropriate.

It would indeed be a burden.

At least wait until his body recovered, at least until he was no longer confined by the shackles beneath him.

At least wait until then.

“When you said she sang well earlier, you gave us all a huge shock,” Fang Wencheng couldn’t help saying. “So why did you say that? Or were you being sarcastic?”

“No,” Xie Ruhe didn’t continue on this topic and brought it back to the previous matter. “You find the singer.”

Fang Wencheng quickly agreed: “Who do you want to find?”

Xie Ruhe was in a bad mood and had lost interest: “Whatever.”

“Just find someone.”

After everyone had finished their auditions, Li Qing came out of the recording studio and said: “Thank you all for coming today! The results should be out within a week, you can all go home now.”

Shu Nian wasn’t feeling particularly good either. She checked the time, still wanting to go to another recording studio to find Huang Lizhi. She said, “Goodbye, Director,” and then shouldered her bag.

Walking out of the recording studio, Shu Nian was about to go wait for the elevator when crisp footsteps suddenly sounded behind her, followed by someone tapping her shoulder: “Hey!”

Shu Nian instinctively turned around, stepping back a few paces, her demeanor wary.

Thinking she had frightened her, the person laughed and said: “Oh, sorry, did I scare you?”

It was one of the women who had auditioned with her, the only one who had been criticized by Xie Ruhe.

Shu Nian recognized her and shook her head: “It’s fine.”

“I’m Lin Qiqi,” the woman was naturally friendly. “Do you recognize me? I’ve been to the recording studio in Shangdu many times and have seen you a lot!”

Shu Nian did find her somewhat familiar and softly made a sound of agreement.

Lin Qiqi said happily: “Then let’s add each other on WeChat.”

Shu Nian rarely socialized with people now. Generally, few people actively approached her to talk, and even if they did, they would give up the idea of making friends due to her reticence.

Shu Nian didn’t know how to refuse, so she could only nod, taking out her phone to scan Lin Qiqi’s QR code.

After verifying the connection, Lin Qiqi looked to the side, seemingly greeting another girl she knew, then said to Shu Nian: “That’s it for now! Let’s hang out sometime! I’m off!”

Shu Nian responded with an “okay,” but felt they probably wouldn’t meet again. She turned and left the building.

After sending Xie Ruhe home.

Fang Wencheng immediately reported this matter to Xie Ruhe’s grandfather, Ji Xinghuai.

Ji Xinghuai was nearly seventy, with three sons and many grandchildren. His only daughter, Ji Xiangning, passed away many years ago, leaving behind her only child, Xie Ruhe.

Because of this, Ji Xinghuai transferred all the love he had for his beloved daughter to Xie Ruhe, placing a great deal of affection and attention on his grandson.

When Fang Wencheng brought up this matter, Ji Xinghuai fell silent, and after a long while, he asked again, his voice kind and gentle: “What did you say the young lady’s name was?”

Fang Wencheng said: “Her name is Shu Nian, the characters for ‘reading’ and ‘thinking’ are reversed.”

Ji Xinghuai’s expression became vacant.

He recalled many years ago when he first went to that place in Shi Yan Town to bring Xie Ruhe back. At that time, he was still young, fifteen years old, taking after his mother in appearance, tall and thin, with extremely good looks.

But unlike Ji Xiangning, he did not have a gentle, good-natured temperament.

He carried a full body of hostility; if others didn’t actively provoke him, he would hide the thorns on his body. Once someone approached him, regardless of whether that person came with goodwill or malice, Xie Ruhe would immediately raise all his thorns, rejecting others’ approach.

Except for that little girl.

A thin, small girl, fair and adorable, wearing an oversized school uniform that made her appear even more petite.

Named Shu Nian.

Before leaving Shi Yan Town, Xie Ruhe had only gone to find Shu Nian. He had said many things to her, repeatedly emphasizing many points, and only left after receiving her promise.

After returning to the Ji family, Xie Ruhe was only willing to speak to Ji Xinghuai, but he spoke very little. Ji Xinghuai had discovered that he would occasionally call Shu Nian. Only at those times would his words reluctantly increase by a few sentences.

Before this, Ji Xinghuai had never met him.

Ji Xinghuai didn’t know what Xie Ruhe used to be like, didn’t know if he had always been as silent and dark as he was now as if he had lost the will to live.

Only in front of Shu Nian would the aura around him become vibrant again.

Thinking of the past, Ji Xinghuai’s eyes welled with tears, his appearance instantly aging considerably. He reached out to rub his brow, earnestly saying to Fang Wencheng: “If that young lady is willing, try to let them meet more often.”