Chapter 43: Yinhai Feiyu
Wearing a white baseball cap and a face mask, Shen Xi sat in a taxi for an hour before finally arriving at the coffee shop.
*Ding-ling*
As she pushed open the door, the bell rang softly. A rich aroma of coffee filled the air. There weren’t many customers inside, and soft, relaxing music played in the background.
She went straight upstairs. The second floor was lit with warm yellow lights, their glow diffused through semi-transparent lampshades, making the space feel cozy and peaceful.
Shen Xi scanned the room. In the corner by the window, a man sat wearing a loose, stylish T-shirt, also hiding his face under a cap and a mask.
As she walked toward him, the man seemed to sense someone approaching and looked up at her.
Shen Xi found it amusing. Both of them were completely wrapped up, leaving only their eyes visible.
For a moment, their gazes met.
The man’s eyes were clear and bright, with slightly upturned corners. Even with the mask on, his energy felt warm and cheerful, almost familiar.
Shen Xi noticed a flicker of surprise in his eyes. She was dressed plainly today. Just a simple black T-shirt and casual pants, keeping a low profile.
But her natural curves were impossible to hide, no matter how much she tried.
"Yinhai Feiyu?"
She asked softly, testing the waters.
"And you must be... Miss T-Rex? No, wait, I should say, 'Moonlight Goddess'."
His voice was clear, carrying a playful tone that instantly lightened the mood, making their first meeting far less awkward. Shen Xi let out an awkward chuckle and sat down across from him.
"Just call me Shen Xi. 'Moonlight Goddess'... that name feels so weird."
"Your eyes are unique. Are you mixed-race?"
Shen Xi shook her head. "I’m pretty sure I’m fully Chinese."
At least, the original story never mentioned anything about her being mixed-blood. She had no idea why her irises were light blue. Maybe the author just liked it that way?
At that moment, the waiter came upstairs with their coffee. The two of them paused their conversation until the waiter left.
Now, both of them sat there, still covered up like two secret agents meeting in a spy movie. It was a little awkward. To break the silence, the man grinned and took off his mask first.
Revealing a sunny and handsome face with well-defined features. The two small tiger teeth that showed when he smiled added to his youthful charm.
"Hi, I’m An Yufei. It’s great to finally meet you in person."
Shen Xi’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. No wonder he looked familiar.
She had seen his face way too many times. Thanks to her best friend, Keke, who was obsessed with him.
"Yinhai Fei… ahem… Yufei... Ah, I see now. You’re An Yufei, the superstar. Nice to meet you."
Her voice remained calm, only mildly surprised that the person she was meeting turned out to be her best friend’s favorite idol.
An Yufei was indeed good-looking, worthy of being a top-tier celebrity. But Shen Xi wasn’t particularly excited. After all, in her original world, he was just a fictional character.
Besides, her own man back home was even better-looking, so she was already immune to handsome faces.
Most importantly... she wasn’t into pretty boys. If anything, she’d just add him to her "guys I’m jealous of" list.
An Yufei was a little taken aback by her reaction. Everywhere he went, people either screamed or lost their minds over him.
But this woman? She acted like she was just meeting an ordinary friend.
It felt rare and refreshing. For once, someone was talking to him like a normal musician instead of a celebrity. It was... nice.
"Heh, I guess I still have work to do. I haven’t made it to your idol list yet."
"But you’re my best friend’s idol." Shen Xi chuckled, "She’s been a fan of yours for years. She sends me your MVs all the time."
As she spoke, she casually took off her mask. For a brief moment, the world seemed to stand still.
A stunningly beautiful face was revealed. Elegant, flawless, impossible to ignore.
She lifted her coffee, taking a small sip. Now that she knew who she was dealing with, there was no need for secrecy anymore. It would also make discussing their collaboration easier.
An Yufei’s gaze locked onto her, unable to look away.
He had met countless gorgeous female celebrities, but somehow, she was on a whole different level.
It wasn’t just her features that were breathtaking. It was the unique aura she carried, something indescribable yet captivating.
"No wonder they call you 'Moonlight Goddess'."
His eyes gleamed with genuine admiration. The corners of his lips curled up, showing off his signature tiger teeth.
"Miss Shen, you’re not just a musical genius. You’re so beautiful it’s hard to look away."
"The music industry is in for a big shake-up. I can’t wait to see the expressions on those old-timers' faces. Heh."
Shen Xi's face turned slightly red. She still wasn’t used to being called beautiful instead of handsome.
Finally, the two of them got down to business, discussing the details of music composition. An Yufei quickly realized that Shen Xi was a rare musical genius, her talent was undeniable.
However, when it came to formal music theory, her knowledge was a little shallow. It was like finding a precious gem that just needed refining and polishing to fully shine.
"Don’t be so formal and call me ‘Miss Shen.’ It sounds too distant. Just call me Shen Xi, and I’ll call you Yufei."
Shen Xi smiled casually, her tone relaxed. Talking to Yufei felt easy, there was no need to put on a front or worry about hidden costs.
An Yufei nodded with a smile. He felt the same way. As a public figure, it was rare to meet someone who saw him beyond his celebrity status.
Being able to talk openly, without pretense, felt like finding a quiet oasis in the middle of a noisy city, something he truly appreciated.
"Alright then, Xixi."
"Uh…"
Shen Xi was speechless. She wasn’t exactly thrilled about him calling her something so intimate, but she didn’t know how to correct him.
Especially since he had offered to help her for free.
As a top-tier celebrity, he didn’t need the little payment she could offer. What he really wanted was to support original artists and help them gain recognition. The only thing Shen Xi had to pay for was the studio fees.
She sighed inwardly, maybe being good-looking had its perks after all.
Forget it, let him call her whatever he wants.
Yufei stood up, his face full of excitement.
"Let’s go. No time to waste. We’ll head to my friend’s studio. It’s got top-tier equipment. Who knows? We might even record a demo today. I can’t wait to hear the full version of your song."
Then he asked, "Oh, by the way, Xixi, have you decided on a song title yet?"
Shen Xi hesitated for a moment before deciding to stick with the original name from her past life.
"It’s called 'I Know'."
Yufei was caught off guard.
"Huh? What’s the name again?"
"‘I Know’."
Shen Xi’s eyes curved into a smile, and she couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Her already stunning face became even more playful and charming. She didn’t notice that An Yufei was momentarily dazed, completely caught up in her expression.
………………………………………
That Night.
Gu Hanling arrived home.
Butler Wang immediately stepped forward and handed him a thick, sealed file folder.
"Sir, you’re back. Assistant Liu specifically instructed me to give this to you personally."
The man’s expression was cold as he took the file, his gaze sweeping around the house. The butler hesitated, then cleared his throat and spoke cautiously.
"Madam hasn’t come home at all. Should I… ask her when she’s coming back?"
"She has hands and feet. She can come back if she wants or not."
Gu Hanling frowned slightly, his tone indifferent. He sat down on the couch, placing the file on the table.
After a moment of silence, he picked up his phone. In his WeChat chat with Shen Xi, he typed:
"Lock the door at 8."
But after thinking for a moment, he deleted the message entirely. Then, tossing the phone aside, he opened the file...