Chapter 65: A Subtle Sadness
The man spoke in a calm, unhurried tone, his gaze fixed on the woman with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Try it first."
Some things can only be truly appreciated once experienced.
Shen Xi said no more. She casually hummed a melody, and within seconds, the computer transformed her voice into sheet music. It even automatically matched the right instruments. Just a little manual tweaking, and the composition would be ready to use.
"Sugoi!"
Shen Xi couldn’t help but be amazed. As expected, the rich rely on technology, while the poor rely on miracles.
Gu Hanling stood quietly, watching her. The amusement in his eyes deepened.
"Go ahead. Let’s hear your new song."
Shen Xi nodded, took a moment to gather her emotions, then softly hummed the intro before parting her lips to sing:
🎵 Keep love by your side, there’s a blue sky beyond the window.
🎵 When the leaves fall, remember...
🎵 To wear an extra layer.
Her voice was pure and vibrant, carrying the freshness of youth. It instantly transported the listener back to their school days. The days of first love and innocent dreams.
Gu Hanling stood with his arms crossed, unmoving, his gaze never leaving her.
Her voice was like an invisible hand, gently plucking the strings of his heart.
His eyes narrowed slightly, the amusement in them gradually replaced by a more complex emotion.
The more beautiful the song, the more uncontrollable the desire growing inside him.
And then came the chorus—
🎵 Did you ever feel a little spark for me?
🎵 If you love me...
🎵 Give me an answer.
Gu Hanling’s lips parted slightly, as if to say something, but the next second, he pressed them together again.
🎵 My love has no time difference,
🎵 Waiting...
🎵 Is the price I pay for you.
As she finished the final note, silence filled the room.
She lifted her gaze and met Gu Hanling’s eyes. There was something unusual in his expression.
She hesitated for a moment. Does he still think it’s not good enough?
"So? Big brother, is it okay?"
Only then did Gu Hanling give a faint response.
"Not bad."
Hearing his approval, Shen Xi felt an unexpected sense of satisfaction.
She turned to check the melody generated by the AI, nodding in approval. The accuracy was surprisingly high, about 80% of what she remembered from her past life. With a few manual adjustments, it would be perfect.
Then, she looked back at Gu Hanling, tilting her head and blinking curiously.
"So... what’s the price I have to pay?"
At that moment, she was unknowingly… adorable.
Gu Hanling’s expression remained as composed and indifferent as ever, but his gaze seemed deeper than usual.
He took a step closer, bent down slightly, and gently pinched her cheek between his fingers. The gesture soft but with a hint of undeniable authority.
"I’ll tell you once I decide."
Shen Xi froze at the sudden touch.
Her first instinct was to pull away, but considering how much he had just helped her, she decided to let it slide.
When Gu Hanling finally let go, she instinctively rubbed the spot he had pinched, giving him a side glance.
Was it just her, or was he getting addicted to this?
Come to think of it… she, too, had a habit of pinching Keke’s cheeks all the time. Hehe.
It wasn’t about romance. It was just that the texture was satisfying.
Maybe Gu Hanling felt the same way.
At least, that’s what Shen Xi told herself.
Shen Xi continued adjusting the music score on her computer. Since she wasn’t very experienced, it took her a full hour to finish.
Once done, she sent the score to her exclusive guest group, finally feeling relieved. She stretched lazily, letting out a soft “Mm~” out of habit, a little habit she had always had.
But now that she had become a woman...
That sound came out way too delicate and seductive.
She suddenly remembered there was someone else in the room. Her face instantly burned with embarrassment.
Turning her head, she happened to see Gu Hanling, a man worth billions, frowning as he took a bite of... one-yuan pack of spicy strips.
Hearing Shen Xi’s unintentionally suggestive sound, the man instinctively looked up.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, the room fell into complete silence. Even the air seemed to freeze, and an awkward tension filled the space.
And then—
Gurgle.
Shen Xi’s stomach betrayed her with a loud growl.
Gu Hanling raised an eyebrow, the corners of his lips curving into a faint smile.
Shen Xi glanced out the window, it was already night. She had been so busy she hadn’t realized she hadn’t eaten yet.
And judging by the fact that the man had resorted to snacking on spicy strips, he must be hungry too.
"Ah, my bad! Dinner's on me tonight. Let’s get something good to eat."
She stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles on her dress, flashing a slightly apologetic smile.
“Oh? Let’s go.”
Gu Hanling stood up without the slightest hesitation.
A man like him, invited to high-end banquets and elite gatherings, was someone people could only dream of hosting.
But if she was the one inviting him?
He’d go.
…………………………………….
After they had their fill, Shen Xi even bought Gu Hanling a set of pajamas.
Later, after showering, the two climbed onto the hotel's hard mattress, keeping a respectable distance between them.
Shen Xi noticed the slight frown on Gu Hanling’s face and immediately knew. He wasn’t used to the bed either.
She felt like she was forgetting something, but with her livestream scheduled for tomorrow, she decided to rest and reached for the light switch.
And just then—
The hotel's poor soundproofing allowed a very heated exchange from the neighboring room to travel through the walls, loud and clear.
Oh, hell.
She had completely forgotten, this was where the male and female leads were staying! Of course, they’d be going at it by now.
A mischievous thought crossed her mind.
Wasn’t the whole reason she called Gu Hanling here in the first place just so she could see his awkward reaction at this moment?
She sneakily glanced at him.
Only to find that he was already looking at her, his expression unreadable.
Their eyes met again.
Uh...
Shen Xi quickly snapped back into character, her expression darkening as if deeply troubled. She shifted her gaze away as if she couldn't bear to listen any longer and leaned against the bed's headboard.
Then, she took out her newly bought noise-canceling headphones and put them on.
This… this wasn’t going the way she imagined! It felt like she was the one making a fool of herself instead!
Meanwhile, next door, Shi Jingyan and Lin Yueyue were going at it full force.
If she were still the original Shen Xi, this situation would’ve driven her insane. They really have no mercy, huh...
Just as she was feeling sympathy for the original owner of this body, she felt her headphones being gently removed.
Shen Xi froze, looking up at Gu Hanling, who was now holding them in his hand.
His voice was cold.
"Pretending not to hear won’t change reality."
Shen Xi was at a loss for words. Next door, the intensity of the sounds only escalated. She let out a bitter laugh and turned her gaze away, feeling even more suffocated.
The neighbors were busy doing something she had studied countless times through “educational material” in her past life...
But now, she had no chance to ever practice it herself.
An indescribable feeling of… melancholy washed over her.
Gu Hanling watched as the usual lively, carefree woman suddenly looked so downcast. He reached out, gently lifting her chin so she would face him.
The woman who was always cheerful and bouncing around was now…
"I've never seen you look this sad before."
His voice was deep, unreadable.
Strangely enough, if anyone else had lifted her chin like this, Shen Xi would have found it disgusting.
But because it was Gu Hanling, it somehow felt… natural. As if it was only right.
Still, the whole situation felt a bit off. She lightly pushed his hand away.
"So, big brother, stop bothering me and let me be."
Gu Hanling's eyes grew increasingly deep and cold, the last moment of calm before the storm.
"What's so great about him?"
Shen Xi let out a bitter chuckle.
"Big brother, you’ll never understand."
Because this was the sorrow of someone who had lost something very important…
Gu Hanling’s fingers tightened around her chin, his grip firmer this time.
"Oh? Never understand?"
He let out a low chuckle, his voice carrying a noticeable sharpness to it.
"I do understand one thing. If you make me unhappy, the Shi family will go bankrupt, just like the Jiang family."
"Hah?!?" O_O?!