18: Chapter 18, "The Offering of Love," has arrived!

Yang Mi fell silent. After a moment, she opened her mouth: "If you really want to enter the industry, that's fine. Just based on your looks..."

She trailed off, her beautiful eyes sweeping over Lin Chen a few times.

She had to admit that Lin Chen's external conditions were simply invincible.

He was not only handsome but also exuded a charm that made it impossible to look away.

With that face alone, he was more than qualified to be a top-tier young heartthrob.

"However, I suggest you go to a training class for a while first. You haven't touched this industry, and our production is already more than halfway finished. The core cast is set in stone, so it's impossible to squeeze someone in or swap people out at the last minute. It's better to wait for the next production Reba and I are in, and I'll arrange something for you then."

"He already said he's a genius, there's no need for training!" Dilraba suddenly interjected.

Yang Mi was amused: "I believe he's a genius, it's just..."

"Have you chosen the theme song for your drama yet?" Lin Chen interrupted her directly.

Yang Mi shook her head: "Not yet. Why?"

Lin Chen's tone was indifferent: "A theme song in exchange for a bit part—just some minor character who hasn't appeared yet is fine. I don't want to steal anyone's job. If you don't agree, just pretend I never mentioned it."

Dilraba looked at him in disbelief: "You can do Singing? No, wait, you can write lyrics and compose music too?"

Lin Chen didn't answer; his gaze remained quietly fixed on Yang Mi.

Yang Mi flashed a sweet smile: "Sure!"

She didn't expect Lin Chen to actually come up with any hit songs.

Creating music required incredible talent and inspiration. This man used to be a waiter; how could he possibly dash off a masterpiece?

She agreed readily, purely because the price Lin Chen asked was so low.

An insignificant minor role was something she, as both a big boss and the female lead, could settle with a single word.

It was an easy favor to grant, and since they all had to get along for another year, it was better not to sour the relationship.

Lin Chen nodded and turned to walk back to the rest area.

Dilraba's curiosity was piqued, and she followed closely behind him, swaying her hips.

Yang Mi still had to film some retakes, so she remained in the center of the set.

Back in the tent, Lin Chen asked: "Do you have paper, a pen, and any musical instruments?"

Dilraba rummaged around and quickly produced paper and a pen. As for musical instruments... she pulled a red plastic whistle from her small bag: "Does a whistle count?"

As she spoke, she puffed up her rosy cheeks and blew a "beep."

Lin Chen was speechless: "Why on earth would you bring a cheap whistle to the Film Crew?"

Dilraba stuck out her tongue and laughed sheepishly: "The security guard at the gate bought it. I thought it looked fun, so I asked for one. Is that not allowed?"

"What do you think?"

"I get it! Wait for me a second. I know where there's an instrument. Is a zither okay?"

"Sure."

Dilraba took off, her long, fair legs carrying her away in a flash.

Less than two minutes later, she dashed back, clutching a large zither.

"It's just a prop used for photos on set. I don't know how to play it at all. Every time I'm on camera, I just pluck at it blindly, and the post-production handles the dubbing." She muttered as she set the zither on the table.

Lin Chen reached out to take it, plucked a couple of strings, then lowered his head and began turning the tuning pegs.

"What are you doing?"

Dilraba squatted right beside him, her large eyes filled with curiosity.

"Tuning it. It's out of tune." Lin Chen forced himself to look away.

"Wow! You even know how to do that?"

"Yeah."

Dilraba pouted her rosy lips: "That's so amazing! When I was a kid, my mom let me pick an extracurricular class. I didn't choose piano; I chose dance. Now I regret it so much. Being able to play an instrument is just so cool! Can you teach me?"

"No."

The smile on Dilraba's pretty face froze instantly, and she stood up, seething: "Lin Chen, I'm officially notifying you right now: you are the most annoying person ever! From now on, we have nothing to do with each other! Hmph!"

She stomped her foot, swayed her hips as she walked over to a folding chair, and plopped down, turning her back to Lin Chen.

Lin Chen couldn't be bothered to coax her. He lowered his head, plucked the strings a few times to find the right tune, then picked up his pen and began scratching away on the white paper.

Dilraba had intended to stay tough and not look back even once.

But the intermittent, melodious sound of the zither behind her hooked all the curiosity in her heart.

Like a little kitten, she crept up behind Lin Chen and poked her head over to look at the paper on the table.

"nourishment of love》? Is that the title of the song you're writing?"

"Yeah."

Lin Chen had listened to countless pop songs in his previous life.

Ordinary people might be able to hum a line or two of the chorus at most, but it was impossible for them to transcribe the full score and lyrics.

But with the support of Grandmaster-level Singing and Grandmaster-level instrument skills, things became simple and straightforward.

All his skills were interconnected.

Top-tier music theory knowledge combined with a mind full of classic melodies from his previous life was basically like cheating.

In just over ten minutes, the full composition and lyrics for nourishment of love》 were complete.

And after his Grandmaster-level refinements, the details were even more perfect than in his previous life.

"You're done already?"

Dilraba blinked her large, watery eyes, looking adorably bewildered.

Because she was so engrossed, she hadn't noticed how provocative her posture was.

Her entire upper body was practically pressed against Lin Chen's back, her ample chest squashed tightly against him.

Lin Chen calmly shifted forward half an inch to avoid the tormenting friction, responding with a casual grunt.

Dilraba was completely bewildered.

Was this what they called songwriting?

Going to the bathroom and playing a couple of games on her phone took longer than that!

She didn't understand sheet music, but she knew that creating a good song was incredibly difficult.

Writing something like this in such a short time must surely result in a pile of junk.

However... when she saw the handwriting on the paper, she froze again.

The Calligraphy was beautiful!

It was bold, elegant, and fluid.

She didn't know Calligraphy, but she just felt that the writing was incredibly pleasing to the eye.

"When does Yang Mi finish work?" Lin Chen asked, turning back.

Dilraba shook her head: "I'm not sure. Not all the scenes today are hers. I'll have my assistant go ask."

She cupped her fair, delicate hand to her mouth and called for her assistant, Meng Pingping, telling her to go check the front and bring Yang Mi over if she was free.

Before long, Yang Mi walked into the tent, wearing a heavy, traditional costume.

"What did you want with me?" she asked, tugging at her stifling collar.

"Lin Chen wrote a song!"

Dilraba handed over the paper as if presenting a treasure.

Yang Mi took it and scanned it.

Her first reaction was that the Calligraphy was truly stunning, but she didn't think much of the rest.

She was also tone-deaf.

However, her thoughts were exactly the same as Reba's.

What good could come from a piece of drivel rushed out in ten minutes?

She made up her mind to offer a few perfunctory compliments, then find an excuse later to say the director wouldn't agree to change the theme song.

"I can't read sheet music. How is this supposed to sound?" Yang Mi asked with a smile.

Lin Chen didn't say a word.

He sat up straight, pressed his hands onto the zither, and his slender fingers suddenly plucked the strings.

A beautiful, mournful melody instantly rippled through the tent.

It was like the tinkling of a mountain spring or the evening breeze brushing against wind chimes—so beautiful it sent shivers down one's spine.

Yang Mi and Dilraba both widened their eyes in disbelief. This melody... it was actually incredible!

"Holding you in my hands, I burn incense in devotion."

"Cutting a sliver of candlelight, I light the scriptures."

"Not asking for a soul-stirring romance, only asking for a chance to love."

"Loving until the end only to be hurt, weeping in such despair."

...

Lin Chen's clear, gentle voice drifted through the air. There were no heart-wrenching high notes, yet it possessed a penetrating power that struck straight at the soul.

The terrifying nature of his Grandmaster-level Singing was laid bare.

This wasn't just a display of technique; he had taken every word and syllable, crushed them down, and transformed them into emotion filled with imagery, forcibly lodging them into the listeners' ears.

A single, simple line of his Singing was enough to completely shake one's soul.