Chapter 25: The Fox’s Tail Has Finally Shown

Lai Music Studio

A small-scale music studio that mainly takes on composition, production, and recording projects, collaborating with some local singers, variety shows, and short drama companies.

The owner is a woman with a passion for music.

In the editing room, Vivian and two interns are listening to a male singer's cover of a once wildly popular rap song: “Xie Di~ Xie Di~ I want Disneyland♪”

“He sings pretty well.”

“Yes, his tone is great.”

The two interns, both college classmates, offer high praise.

Nearby, Vivian sits with her long hair down and a baseball cap shading her face. She wears a loose white T-shirt and casual clothes that conceal her figure—after all, she has a boyfriend now, and it’s necessary to be conservative at work.

Though her loose T-shirt hides her alluring curves, her delicate features and exceptional aura cannot be veiled.

Vivian sits in her chair, headphones on, long legs crossed, and taps her slender foot in rhythm with the music.

When the singer reaches a certain line, her foot stops moving.

Vivian picks up a pen and marks a note on the lyrics—lower by half a beat.

The two interns glance over. The female intern, Wang Ting, asks, “Is this part too high? I don’t think so. You didn’t even look at the score.”

“It’s those two words that are off,” says Chen Tao, the male intern, picking up the score to show Wang Ting. “See, in the second line of the chorus, the words ‘Xie Di’ are too high. It does need to be lowered.”

Wang Ting is taken aback, turning to look at Vivian, who’s listening and making notes on the lyrics.

Chen Tao, checking the score, is surprised. “That’s spot on. Vivian, do you have perfect pitch?”

Vivian merely nods calmly.

What!

Chen Tao and Wang Ting can’t hide their envy.

They have relative pitch, which is already impressive.

But Vivian has perfect pitch? That’s the ultimate skill every musician dreams of.

With perfect pitch, Vivian only needs to hear a piece once to know which notes are off and can correct them instantly.

Chen Tao and Wang Ting, however, need to use the score to fix mistakes—time-consuming and less accurate than perfect pitch.

In the world of audio editing, those with perfect pitch are undisputed rulers.

All I Feel is for You♪

Incoming call: “Ranbao.”

Vivian takes off her headphones and leaves the editing room to answer.

Chen Tao panics. “Wang Ting, there are three interns but only two will be hired. Should we look for another place to intern? It’s a waste of time here. Even if the boss were deaf, she’d know to pick between perfect and relative pitch.”

Wang Ting protests, “So what if she has perfect pitch? My boyfriend recommended us for this internship. Now that Vivian’s here, I’ll just tell my boyfriend tonight—his family knows the boss, so if someone doesn’t get hired, it’ll be her.”

Wang Ting’s boyfriend is a young heir, with some money and connections.

“I heard Vivian was the campus beauty at Sichuan Conservatory. Does she have connections, a boyfriend who got her in?” Chen Tao worries about both women having connections, leaving him the odd one out.

“I checked—Vivian doesn’t have a boyfriend; she applied on her own. Don’t worry, she has no backing. In this industry, that means no future.”

“When we get hired, I’ll treat you and your boyfriend to dinner.”

Outside.

Vivian overhears their conversation but is too busy with “Ranbao’s” phone call to deal with them now.

Lin Ran calls to invite her for a meal.

Vivian stands in the corridor, picking at peeling paint on the wall while she talks on the phone.

“The boss is coming back for a meeting at noon, so it’ll have to be tonight. Oh, and I’ll invite Manman, Susu, and the others for dinner.”

“What’s the occasion?”

“It’s just…” Under her cap, Vivian’s face flushes with shyness. “Just… since we’re dating now, and they insisted I treat them to dinner. I thought hotpot—what do you think?”

“Hotpot again? Boring. Let’s go somewhere nicer. I’ll think about it later.”

“Don’t make it too expensive; I don’t have much money.”

Vivian is practical.

“I’m paying. By the way, is your internship going well?”

“Everything’s been great since we started dating.”

He laughs.

Vivian is good at making her boyfriend happy.

“Ask Lu Man and the others what they want to eat, then let me know.”

“Okay, bye.”

She hangs up in a soft, girlish voice. The next moment, Vivian sends a message in the group chat: “What do you want to eat tonight?”

Lu Man: “Let’s have a feast.”

Susu: “Dinner tonight? Then let’s have some drinks, get you tipsy, and let you fulfill Lin Ran’s dream as his girlfriend.”

Kexin: “Yes, yes, last time Lin Ran said he wanted a girlfriend to end his virgin days. (covers mouth laughing)”

Lu Man: “Our Vivian is also a… you know.”

Vivian: “I swear, you tease me again and I’ll make you regret it tonight!”

Lu Man: “You and your magic cloak!”

Vivian is a typical Chengdu girl—sweet or sassy, gentle as water or wild as a mountain storm.

Lu Man: “But seriously, how’s the internship? When do you get hired? If it doesn’t work out, come work at our company.”

Vivian plays the voice message, opens the door, and walks in.

Wang Ting and Chen Tao immediately stop gossiping when they hear someone in Vivian’s WeChat inviting her to work at a company.

They exchange puzzled glances. Who’s inviting Vivian to work for them?

Vivian replies by voice to Lu Man, “I’ll think about it and get back to you.”

Chen Tao is stunned. It’s so hard to find a job these days, and someone’s inviting her, yet she says she’ll think about it?

Does she not need this job?

Wang Ting is also troubled. Didn’t they say Vivian had no connections? Where does her confidence come from?

She can’t be underestimated.

In the outside world, your identity is what you make of it.

No connections? No background? Then create one that makes people wary—it only takes a few words.

Whether or not she gets hired is another matter, but at least during the internship, no one will target her.

Even if she doesn’t get hired, she can say she doesn’t need the job—she’s been poached and will let the connected ones have this chance.

Vivian is shrewd.

…

Taikoo Li.

Lin Ran and Jiang Shuyao are out looking for food.

Jiang Shuyao is amused by Lu Man and the girls teasing Vivian in the group chat.

Lin Ran asks, “What are you looking at?”

“None of your business,” Jiang Shuyao says, protecting her phone.

Lin Ran shrugs, “Fine. So, what’s for lunch?”

Jiang Shuyao replies, “Lunch doesn’t matter. The real question is dinner. The girls are asking what we’ll eat tonight.”

Lin Ran thinks for a moment. “Let’s book a place near Taikoo Li. We can stroll around in the evening. There’s a hotel ahead, The Temple House—I saw it on Douyin. Looks good. Let’s try their food at lunch, and if it’s good, we’ll have dinner there. What do you think?”

Jiang Shuyao says, “You’re the one with money—you decide.”

With a laugh, Lin Ran heads straight to The Temple House.

The Temple House is the fifth luxury hotel in Asia developed by Swire Hotels.

Set in the ancient city’s alleyways, hidden within Taikoo Li, it occupies the site of an old temple, blending traditional architecture with modern design.

Soon, they reach the hotel reception.

Lin Ran takes out his ID card.

Jiang Shuyao is astonished. “You need an ID to eat here?”

Lin Ran smiles, “I’m booking a room.”

“I’m out,” Jiang Shuyao says, turning to leave without a second thought.

Lin Ran intercepts her, laughing, “Why are you leaving?”

“You know why,” she murmurs, embarrassed.

First, he wanted her as his advisor.

Then, he surprised her with new shoes.

And now, he’s taking her to a hotel room.

So, the fox’s tail is showing.

He’s her best friend’s boyfriend, after all.

There’s no way she’ll go to a hotel room with him.

Jiang Shuyao is a girl of principle.

“I didn’t sleep well last night, and we have to wait until dinner for the gathering. I’ll book two rooms so we can both rest. What are you thinking? I’m not the type to covet my girlfriend’s best friend.”

“Really?” Jiang Shuyao thinks, don’t trick me—I’m too naive, I might really believe you.

“Of course. Two rooms, miss.”

Jiang Shuyao breathes a sigh of relief. Lin Ran, it seems, is indeed a gentleman.

They book the rooms and order a few dishes.

“We’ll go upstairs, and when the food’s ready, call me,” Lin Ran tells the staff. Then he turns to Jiang Shuyao, amused by her appearance.

She’s wearing a mask.

“Is that really necessary?” he asks.

“Of course! If we run into someone we know, they’ll think we’re up to something. Come on, let’s go.”

She hurries into the elevator, waving Lin Ran in.

“Don’t just stand there—get in!”

Lin Ran enters with a smile, thinking how adorable Shuyao is.

Even with a mask, Lin Ran’s sharp eyes can recognize her unmistakable figure.

Still uneasy, Jiang Shuyao asks, “Lin Ran, can I invite Manman and the others to the hotel? We can hang out together this afternoon.”

“Of course,” Lin Ran replies.