Chapter Thirty-One: "As Wished"

Xi Yuanyuan was stunned. Wait! Brother! How can you write songs this quickly? It’s only been a day, and you’ve already got an idea for a new song? Xi Yuanyuan felt compelled to remind Chen Fang, "An Tinghan has very high standards. Maybe you should think it over a bit more, there’s no rush."

Chen Fang actually wanted to stall for a few days before bringing this up, but with the third round of auditions coming up, he really didn’t have time to be distracted by other things. It was better to settle this new song while things were still relatively calm.

Besides, no matter how high An Tinghan’s standards were, could she possibly turn her nose up at “As You Wish”? If she wasn’t impressed by “As You Wish,” Chen Fang swore he would never write her a song ever again.

“Go ahead and contact her,” he said. “I know what I’m doing.” With that, Chen Fang gave his instructions.

Hearing this, Xi Yuanyuan could only call Tong Qin, passing along Chen Fang’s exact words.

On the other end of the line, Tong Qin was just as surprised. Hadn’t it only been a day? Wasn’t this a bit too fast? But then she remembered that when Chen Fang composed “Rice Fragrance,” it had taken him just a week. Somehow, this made her feel a strange sense of anticipation.

In a villa on the outskirts of the capital, Tong Qin hung up and turned to An Tinghan.

“Will you come this afternoon?” she asked.

An Tinghan was taken aback—she didn’t recall having any plans today. “Where?”

“Chen Fang said he’s got an idea for your new song. Wants to talk things over in person. I’m thinking of heading over to Future Stardom this afternoon—do you want to come with me?”

“Yes!” At those words, An Tinghan jumped to her feet.

She was practically withering away at home and never knew where to go when she did step out, slowly evolving into a bona fide homebody. What’s more, going out was risky. For a superstar like her, even a short trip outside meant being trailed by paparazzi, every outing turning into a tabloid story, sometimes even spawning ridiculous rumors.

That was one of the main reasons she preferred not to leave her house.

“It’s only been a day,” Tong Qin cautioned. “I’m worried he hasn’t really put his heart into the song.”

She was right! Anyone else would think Chen Fang was being perfunctory.

But An Tinghan didn’t mind. She just wanted Chen Fang to give it a try. If the new song didn’t satisfy her, she’d simply let it go.

—

At Future Stardom, Chen Fang finished recording the full version of “Rice Fragrance,” but didn’t upload it right away. According to the company’s policy, every new song needed a period of hype before release to maximize its impact and revenue.

Chen Fang understood this, so he left the promotional work to the company.

Soon enough, teaser clips of the full version of “Rice Fragrance,” along with Chen Fang’s promotional photos, appeared on major platforms, and the buzz began to build.

That afternoon, Chen Fang was bantering with Xi Yuanyuan when Tong Qin arrived early. Not only that, but she was accompanied by a woman bundled up like a mummy.

Tong Qin was a low-key person. The public only knew her as An Tinghan’s manager, but few had actually seen her, so she could come and go freely. An Tinghan, however, didn’t have that luxury.

Chen Fang guessed the mummy was An Tinghan, but didn’t make a fuss. Instead, he turned to Tong Qin with a warm smile, “Ms. Tong, please come in.”

Behind her sunglasses, An Tinghan’s bright, lively eyes sized up Chen Fang.

So handsome! Almost unfairly so.

He looked good enough in photos and videos online, but in person, his looks were on an entirely different level. He was the ultimate treat for anyone who appreciated good looks!

Of course, An Tinghan wasn’t really all about appearances. That was more Xi Baozi’s thing. What intrigued An Tinghan more was Chen Fang’s creative ability.

“Mr. Chen, your inspiration in just one day is truly impressive,” Tong Qin said, her tone more admiring than skeptical, though she was clearly aware of how little time had passed.

Chen Fang understood, but kept his composure, a faint smile lingering at the corner of his mouth. “Sometimes, writing a song is all about that flash of inspiration. Once it strikes, the lyrics and arrangement naturally fall into place.”

Tong Qin nodded. She could see that Chen Fang was very confident. Confidence was good, but if the song didn’t live up to expectations, that same confidence would seem laughable.

There was no need for more words. Chen Fang led Tong Qin and An Tinghan toward the recording studio.

Seeing this, Xi Yuanyuan suddenly felt nervous and whispered, “Are you sure there’s no problem?”

Chen Fang understood her concern—after all, this was An Tinghan, an industry superstar. If she wasn’t satisfied with his song, there would likely never be another chance to work together.

“Relax,” Chen Fang reassured her.

With that, Xi Yuanyuan silently cheered Chen Fang on.

Soon, the four of them entered the studio.

An Tinghan began to peel off her mummy-like disguise, revealing a face so flawless it left people breathless.

Chen Fang was momentarily startled.

An Tinghan noticed and felt secretly pleased. As she’d expected, no man could resist her charm.

Behind him, Xi Yuanyuan pinched Chen Fang’s waist, and he glanced at her in confusion—what was that for?

The real reason for his brief distraction was that An Tinghan looked a bit plumper in person than in her photos. It was like seeing the 1995 version of “Return of the Condor Heroes” online, with Li Ruotong as Little Dragon Maiden, only to find, in real life, the 2014 version with Michelle Chen as Little Dragon Maiden.

Well... Chen Fang didn’t want to judge. Maybe An Tinghan had deliberately put on weight!

“I’ve listened to your songs, Miss An,” he said. “Your voice is ethereal and airy, perfect for songs with deep imagery. So, when I was composing, I decided to set aside the love ballad style you’re best known for and go in a different direction. If you find this unsuitable, you can say so now.”

An Tinghan was known as the queen of love songs—Chen Fang had seen her profile. But honestly, when he first heard her voice, he didn’t think she was suited for love songs.

This song, “As You Wish,” was of high quality, but its theme wasn’t love, and the style was very different from An Tinghan’s previous work. If she couldn’t accept that, Chen Fang had no intention of giving her the song. After all, Future Stardom had plenty of female artists—surely one of them would have a similarly ethereal voice.

An Tinghan pondered for a moment. Tong Qin kept silent; this was a decision best left to An Tinghan herself. Besides, Tong Qin trusted her to make the right choice.

After a long pause, An Tinghan looked up and met Chen Fang’s gaze. “I can accept that.”

Reinventing oneself was risky. People preferred to stay in their comfort zones. If the change in style failed, it could even damage her reputation. Still, An Tinghan’s courage was admirable.

“I’ll sing a rough version for you,” Chen Fang said. “Let’s see how it feels. If you think it works, we can discuss the details of our collaboration.”

He moved to the piano.

The piano’s tone was gentle and smooth. Unless a song required something very specific, it was always suitable for a soft cover.

Chen Fang closed his eyes, quickly running through the melody and lyrics of “As You Wish” in his mind, and tried to capture the original prelude on the piano.

The next second, the piano notes flowed from his fingers—soft, light, as if he’d returned to the atmosphere of performing “Anhe Bridge,” yet there was a clear and distinctive difference.