And just like that, Yang Yi became Old Man Hu Songnan's new tenant, almost without knowing how it happened.
To Yang Yi's surprise, the old man only charged him a symbolic one yuan for three years' rent. The stacks of cash Yang Yi had prepared in his car trunk never got used.
Even when Yang Yi tried to slip the old man some money, feeling guilty about it, the old man scolded him instead.
"I'm not short on cash. My son runs a record company in Hong Kong—do you think he can't support his old man? You take good care of this house and look after her, that's worth more to me than any amount of money!" Hu Songnan had already pulled himself together from his melancholy, ready to leave the next day without any lingering attachment.
"How about I see you off?" Yang Yi found himself feeling inexplicably sad as he spoke.
"No need. It's not like I can't walk on my own! Take the keys. After tomorrow, this place is yours!" The old man was as stubborn as a mule.
Alright then. Yang Yi didn't make a fuss and accepted. It seemed he had taken on another person's wish.
...
That evening, to celebrate, Yang Yi prepared beer-braised ribs—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside—paired with freshly squeezed orange juice he made himself.
No need for rice. He just sat in front of the TV, eating the meat with his hands, enjoying a hearty meal.
This was the beauty of being single!
Freedom was his creed!
But just as Yang Yi raised three fingers in salute to his creed and took a happy sip of orange juice, he couldn't help thinking of his daughter.
"If Xixi were here, she'd love this orange juice, wouldn't she? And the ribs—the meat inside is so fragrant. She'd definitely enjoy eating them."
A smile crept onto Yang Yi's lips as he pictured the little girl clutching a fragrant rib and gnawing at it with all her might.
Wait a minute. Wasn't he supposed to be breathing the air of freedom?
Why was he thinking about his daughter again?
Before Yang Yi could figure out the reason, a news report on the tiny, old-fashioned TV caught his attention.
"...Recently, renowned musician Liu Shifang, who composed excellent pieces like 'Children of the Great River' and 'The Nation Stands Amidst Ruins,' caused an uproar on a talk show by accusing Mofei of being arrogant and disrespectful to her elders."
Mofei?
Yang Yi looked up in surprise at the familiar name.
Was that Xixi's mother?
The news played a clip from that talk show. In the video, the old man with a receding hairline was ranting, spittle flying.
"People must not forget their roots. Whether you're a star or a big shot, the more famous you are, the more humble you should be. You must show proper respect to your predecessors. Otherwise, you won't last long in the entertainment industry!"
"Let me give you a few typical examples. Everyone remembers Mofei, who was a sensation nationwide a few years ago, right? Before she debuted, I, as a senior, gave her plenty of guidance to help her avoid many detours. But this woman is an ingrate—once she got famous, she turned her back on me. The media says she's cold and aloof, but I think she's just too arrogant."
"I knew back then she wouldn't last long. Sure enough, what goes around comes around..." the balding old man said smugly.
Yang Yi frowned. From the man's description, he could confirm it was Xixi's mother—the icy-cold superstar. But Liu Shifang's words made him deeply uncomfortable.
On TV, the man continued grandly: "She's been trying to make a comeback lately. Wanting others to support her, she had her assistant send me her new album. She didn't even bother to visit me in person. What does she take me for? Here, I hope Mofei's fans will open their eyes and see what kind of person their idol really is!"
At that point, the host chimed in: "So, Teacher Liu, what do you think of Mofei's comeback album?"
Liu Shifang waved his hand impatiently and shouted, "The new songs are terrible! And there are plenty of old songs mixed in. I can't tell if she's releasing a new album or just old wine in a new bottle! An album with no sincerity like this—I don't recommend fans buy it!"
The rest of the news offered nothing new, just a summary and analysis of Mofei's situation. But Yang Yi's brow was deeply furrowed.
What was Liu Shifang, that old man, doing?
Though Yang Yi knew nothing about the entertainment industry in this world, he could sense a strong malice in the man's words.
"Is he deliberately smearing Mofei?" Yang Yi pondered.
...
At that moment, the TV was only airing the news. But the day before, when Liu Shifang's recorded show had aired on television, Mofei's company had already gotten wind of it.
By the time the PR department mobilized, it was too late!
In this era of underdeveloped social networks, people got their news mainly from TV and newspapers. Only a small number of hardcore netizens exchanged information on online forums.
So, after the TV show aired, Mofei's image took a major hit—one that would be hard to recover from.
"How could you turn down that schedule? Don't you know that Liu guy holds grudges? The company worked hard to arrange events for you, and you wouldn't take them. Do you still want to make a comeback? Do you realize how much trouble you've caused us?"
That afternoon, Mofei had been chewed out by Niu Meiling, the general manager of her agency, who had rushed back from Yangcheng.
Niu Meiling, known in the industry as Sister Ling, was a big shot in the agent world and Mofei's benefactor.
When Mofei first debuted, things hadn't gone smoothly. It was Sister Ling who saw her potential and pulled her out of the fire. Only after joining this agency did Mofei's luck turn and she became a hot commodity.
So Sister Ling's scolding, born of frustration, left Mofei so upset she couldn't even eat dinner.
"Mommy, don't be sad." Xixi had come with Aunt Xiao Juan to pick up her mom from work. She pouted, gently holding her mother's hand, and said, "Xixi won't talk back to Mommy anymore. Xixi will go to kindergarten obediently, okay?"
The little girl thought her mother was still upset about yesterday's argument over sending her to kindergarten, which had ended with her crying and refusing.
Mofei was in low spirits—not just because of Liu Shifang's despicable remarks, but also because her unreleased new album was now overshadowed by this mess, piling on the pressure.
She forced a smile and ruffled Xixi's head without responding, gazing gloomily out the car window.
"Ring, ring, ring..." The phone suddenly rang, snapping Mofei out of her chaotic thoughts.
Xixi curiously poked her head out to look and immediately lit up. "It's Daddy! Daddy's calling Xixi!"
Mofei was still dazed, but Xixi's words jolted her awake.
Yang Yi? Why would he call me?