No Such Plotline

September was already late autumn.

But Bai City was enjoying its best weather of the year. It was neither hot nor cold, tourists were scarce, and rooms were cheap. The leaves by the sea had turned completely yellow, and a circuit of Mirror Sea would reveal golden farmland all around it. With whitewashed houses and dark-tiled roofs backed by green hills, the whole scene looked like a painting.

Xiaoxiao walked to school alone with a backpack on her shoulders.

She had hit a classmate earlier, but nothing had come of it. Dad had given her a dirty look, though. She copied her sister and ignored him, and he could do nothing about her.

No one in class bothered her anymore, either.

To her surprise, she was starting to like how that felt.

Peace and quiet.

No one dared provoke her, which saved her all sorts of trouble.

Even her deskmate no longer dared borrow a pen from her.

How nice.

The only downside was the bad impression it left in other people's minds.

Brother-in-law had said she shouldn't act like that.

But her sister acted like that too, and wasn't Brother-in-law helpless against her?

He liked her a lot, too.

Sister and Brother-in-law...

Why was she thinking about them again?

Was this feeling what people called missing someone?

Xiaoxiao kept her eyes on the ground ahead and walked silently on, each step the same distance as the last, peacefully immersed in her own world.

She entered the school gates. Nothing was different from usual.

Just as boring.

As she passed the campus noticeboard, something caught the corner of her eye. She kept walking, but a few seconds later, she backed up and turned to stare at it.

Two notices had caught her attention—

Registration open for the Global Youth Spell Principles Competition;

Registration open for the International Heavenly Palace Mathematics Competition;

The little girl studied the details beneath the two headings and fell into thought.

If she remembered correctly, her sister had entered the Global Youth Spell Principles Competition last year and then received special admission to a university in Jade Capital.

That was right.

There it was, written below—

Outstanding entrants may have the opportunity to be admitted to Yujing University or Ling'an Academy.

Either one would do.

The little girl read it carefully once more, hitched up the backpack that kept slipping down, then turned toward her homeroom teacher's office.

Without the slightest hesitation.

A few minutes later.

Her homeroom teacher looked at her. "You can enter, but I need to explain something first, Ning Ji. I know you're a genius. You even scored higher on the final exams than the top students at Seventh Talent Academy. But you may not realize how different these competitions are. What we normally study is practical Spell Principles and ordinary mathematics. The Spell Principles Competition and the Heavenly Mathematics Competition test something else. The questions can be very tricky. If you want to compete, you'll need to work through a lot of practice questions in advance and train specifically for their formats. Being good at these two subjects and good at solving problems doesn't mean you can walk in and place. It's different."

"Mm."

Xiaoxiao's reply was brief, her face expressionless.

Her teacher asked tentatively, "How about training for a year and entering next year?"

"No."

"I'm worried it'll shake your confidence."

"It won't."

"All right, then. Since you're so confident, it won't hurt to see what it's like and get familiar with it first." Her teacher nodded. "Pick one, and I'll contact the school's teachers to start you on targeted practice."

"Which one's easier?"

"They're both hard."

"Then I'll pick the Spell Principles Competition."

"Okay!"

"Goodbye, teacher."

The little girl remained polite as she left the office, her expression thoughtful—

She remembered that her sister's room was full of books from last year's competition. She decided to ask her sister about them when she got home. Otherwise, she would pry open her bedroom door and find them herself.

Jade Capital.

Chen Shu sat in his room on a video call with Wen Han.

He had provided only the lyrics and melody, so they still needed to find a teacher to arrange the song. Throughout the process, he had also needed to keep communicating with the arranger and Wen Han, which had taken quite some time. Wen Han had only begun recording a few days ago.

There was no getting around it.

This was another world, after all. A new arrangement was necessary.

Even without changing worlds, when later singers covered older classic songs, they often needed to rearrange them.

Before Wen Han entered the recording studio, Chen Shu also had to discuss how to sing the song with him. They had been talking it over for days.

"How about now?"

"This style is about right."

"Phew... So we're settling on it?"

"Yes, yes."

"Thank you for all the effort, Teacher Chen Shu."

"No need to thank me. Mr. Luo said he appreciates your respect for his opinion." Chen Shu paused. "And I appreciate your respect for mine."

"Please thank Mr. Luo for me, and thank you as well." Like everyone in Yi Nation's entertainment industry, Wen Han placed great importance on courtesy. "If you ever have another song you'd like someone to perform, please contact me first, Teacher Chen Shu. Even if I'm not suited to it, I'll gladly introduce you to other excellent singers. That way, you can earn more too."

"That sounds great."

Chen Shu chatted with him a little longer, then ended the video call.

Next, he found Highness Cinnabar.

Chen Shu: Your Highness, are you there?

Cinnabar: I am!!

Chen Shu: Your Highness is full of energy.

Cinnabar: Of course! I'm bursting with vitality!

Chen Shu: I heard from an entertainment news outlet that you've been practicing your singing lately and have improved a lot.

Cinnabar: Which outlet?

Chen Shu: I forget. I saw it somewhere.

Cinnabar: Those independent media accounts were just guessing, right? But they guessed pretty well! My family recently found me an amazing teacher, and I've improved so much under their guidance!

Chen Shu: Congratulations, Your Highness.

Cinnabar: When can I work with your seniors? Oh, right, what's their sect called?

Chen Shu: The Huayue Sect.

Cinnabar: The Huayue Sect. Sounds like they're great at music.

Chen Shu: As it happens, a senior I know with the surname Jin has a song she'd like someone to perform. I wonder if you'd like it.

Cinnabar: What kind of song is it?

Chen Shu: A song about time.

Cinnabar: That's so broad. Can you be more specific?

Chen Shu: Just listen.

Highness Cinnabar had royal blood, so he didn't have to worry about getting cheated by her. Chen Shu pursed his lips, played the rough accompaniment he had made, and began to sing:

"What you can hold tight, don't let go

"What you can embrace, don't pull away

"...

"Time is something that catches you off guard

"...

"The good and the bad are all part of the scenery..."

He sang it straight through in one go and sent it off.

Excluding the repeated sections, it ran a little over a minute.

Chen Shu: I didn't sing it very well. This song suits a woman's voice better, and it would sound better with more variation in tone.

Several minutes passed. She must have listened more than once before her reply came.

Cinnabar: What a beautiful song!

Cinnabar: Such an unusual style!

Cinnabar: It even has a touch of philosophy!

Cinnabar: I love it!

Chen Shu: The unusual style is only natural. The Huayue Sect hasn't appeared in the world for years, so its members don't know what's popular now. But whatever direction the wind blows, what's good remains good. No matter how the times shift like wind and clouds or the great waves sift the sand, truly good things endure. Don't you agree, Your Highness?

Cinnabar: Yes, yes!

Cinnabar: Who wrote the lyrics and music? This doesn't sound like Senior Jay Chou's style.

Chen Shu: Her name is Jin Wenqi.

Cinnabar: Senior Jin wrote both the lyrics and the music?

Chen Shu: Yes.

Cinnabar: She's amazing! I want it, I want it!

Cinnabar: The Huayue Sect is a treasure trove.

Chen Shu: Name your price.

Cinnabar: How does fifty thousand for the lyrics and music together sound? Standard contract. If that works, I'll contact my manager right now.

Chen Shu: That works.

Highness Cinnabar really was generous.

Come to think of it, of all the songs he had sold, Highness Cinnabar had brought him the most income. Not only had she paid generously, but she was also hugely popular, so "Rice Field" had sold well. Counting all his shares of the proceeds, Chen Shu had already made at least six figures from it.

That was the advantage of working with a popular singer.

Chen Shu: Do your best, Your Highness. If Senior Jin is pleased, perhaps more seniors from the Huayue Sect will choose to work with you.

Cinnabar: I'll work hard!

Chen Shu: From now on, I'll handle all communication with you on Senior Jin's behalf.

Cinnabar: Understood!

Cinnabar: If there's a problem, please don't hesitate to criticize me!

Chen Shu could almost picture the pretty girl saying that, probably with her little fists clenched and determination on her face. Who wouldn't like a member of the royal family like her?

Cinnabar: Since you're in Jade Capital too, Teacher Chen, why not come to the recording studio and guide me in person? Video calls never seem quite as effective.

Chen Shu: Call me Chen Shu.

Cinnabar: Teacher Chen Statement.

Cinnabar: Typo. Teacher Chen Shu, will you come?

Chen Shu: I have things to do.

Cinnabar: What are you busy with, Teacher Chen Shu? Still working as a bodyguard to make money? I'll pay you extra!

Chen Shu: I have classes.

Cinnabar: Oh, then there's really no helping it.

Chen Shu: Right.

Cinnabar: How surprising! Teacher Chen, you're still in school? Which school? Are you about to graduate?

Chen Shu: Your Highness, you ask a lot of questions.

Cinnabar: I'm curious!

Chen Shu: I'm only a first-year student.

Cinnabar: Really? Which school?

Chen Shu: Yujing University.

Cinnabar: /stunned

Cinnabar: Ah, it really is you!!

Cinnabar: /points

Cinnabar: I remember now! It really is you! I knew you looked familiar! Your voice sounded familiar too!!

Cinnabar: /slams table

Chen Shu: /dazed

Chen Shu: I don't know what you're talking about.

Chen Shu: I'm a little busy. I have to go.

She figured it out from that? Incredible.

I shouldn't have told her.

Or I could've just lied. Everything he'd told her from start to finish had been a lie anyway. What was one more?

Chen Shu picked up his cup to drink some water, only to find it had gone empty at some point. He got up and walked out, humming as he went. "Today is a good day..."

Meng Chunqiu was sitting on the sofa outside with a copy of Great Xia Poetry. He looked at Chen Shu curiously.

"Brother Chen, what happy news now?"

"I made some money."

"Alas! Brother Chen, why do you reek so of copper coins..."

"Right?"

Chen Shu took his cup to get some water.

Just then, the dorm door beeped three times. Jiang Lai was probably back.

Chen Shu turned to glance at him and froze.

Gauze covered Jiang Lai's forehead. His face was bruised blue and purple and swollen all over, with cuts and traces of blood still visible. Even the way he walked looked off.

"What happened?"

Before Jiang Lai could return to his room, Chen Shu asked, "How did you get beaten up like that? Did you get caught hitting on someone else's girlfriend?"

Meng Chunqiu's interest flared at once. He tossed aside his book, sprang to his feet, and rounded the sofa in a few quick steps to peer down the passage—

Jiang Lai still had a hand on his bedroom door.

Perhaps feeling that his moment to shine had finally arrived, Meng Chunqiu's eyes practically sparkled. But he drew his face into a scowl. "Who beat you up? Right under the Son of Heaven's nose! A student at a prestigious university! Someone actually dared to be this brazen? Is there no law anymore? Come on, tell me. I'll make sure you get justice!"

"I..."

"Don't be afraid! Just say it! Who was it?"

"No one..."

"Sounds like they've got powerful backing!" Meng Chunqiu grew even more interested, his voice ringing with conviction. "I told you, I'm here. Just say it! Hmph, I refuse to believe anyone in the Imperial Capital of Great Yi would dare show such contempt for the law."

"Brother Meng, really, there's no one..."

"Was it the foremost disciple of some great sect? Or a royal scion from another country? Say it, say it! Only those who dare face injustice are worthy of calling themselves scholars!" Meng Chunqiu was a hair's breadth from climbing onto the sofa.

"I..."

Jiang Lai scratched his head, looking deeply embarrassed. "I went to fight in the arena."

"??"

Meng Chunqiu quietly sat back down.

The corner of Chen Shu's mouth twitched.

The two exchanged a glance, both a little disappointed. They had thought an interesting story had finally come along.