Clearly, Guo Ziyi's song failed to move Du Yuanlei. Perhaps Du Yuanlei said something after the party, because the next day, Guo Ziyi trudged into the coffee shop with a dejected look, seeking comfort: "I got dumped."
Yang Yi wore a cold expression. He wasn't good at comforting people, let alone another man.
It was Ding Xiang who stepped in kindly, bringing out a small cake she was still learning and experimenting with, using food to soothe the little fatty's wounded heart.
"Hey, this is delicious! Senior sister, when did you learn this skill? You could sell this!" Guo Ziyi's eyes lit up after eating the sweet, creamy cake, all shadows of his heartbreak swept away as he clamored for more.
His actions proved the meaning of "heart wide, body fat" and confirmed that Yang Yi was right not to comfort him...
"I can't give you any more. These ingredients were bought by Brother Yang for me to practice making pastries! If you want more later, you'll have to pay for it—it'll be on the menu!" Ding Xiang refused firmly, then asked softly with delight, "Is it really that good? I was afraid I didn't make it well."
Before, she couldn't let Xixi try her experimental batches, and Yang Yi had no sweet tooth either, only tasting a tiny bit with a small silver spoon to check the flavor. Most of the time, Ding Xiang made and tasted them herself, even keeping the failed ones instead of throwing them away... taking them home to eat as meals.
But letting Guo Ziyi be her guinea pig didn't weigh on her conscience, though he was lucky enough to taste one of Ding Xiang's successful creations.
"It's good, it's good! Talk to Brother Yang about the price later and write it on the blackboard," Guo Ziyi said, drooling with craving. "I can't wait to have another piece!"
...
After waiting a long time, Li Manman finally received an email reply from "Mu Ziang." However, Mu Ziang's response wasn't what she had hoped for; he wasn't swayed by her soft words.
"...I listened to a few of your albums. Your results improve each year, but your singing gets worse year by year. Even studio pitch correction can't hide your lack of breath support. So why bother scheming to tempt me into writing songs for you? Focus on mastering your basics and put more effort into your own abilities—that's far more practical than obsessing over shortcuts!"
The email wasn't long, but Mu Ziang's criticism was merciless, almost stripping away all her pretenses and exposing all her scars...
As she read the email, Li Manman's expression shifted through a storm of emotions—sadness, resentment, unwillingness, doubt, jealousy—all negative feelings intertwining.
Yi Qi, who had received Li Manman's call, finally arrived. The moment she pushed open the door, Li Manman put on a pitiful expression and complained without tears: "Sister Yi, take a look at how harsh this email is! I don't even know if it was really written by Mu Ziang. I suspect that bitch Murphy is deliberately hiding the real address and made up this email to provoke me!"
Yi Qi calmed Li Manman down and carefully read the email.
As an outsider, Yi Qi could see clearly. After reading it, she had a hunch that the email wasn't wrong—Li Manman did have these issues. But the problem was, Li Manman wasn't the type to humbly accept criticism!
This woman was clever, skilled at using her strengths to gain advantages. Yet she always overvalued her looks and charm, thinking her beauty and ability to manipulate men's dirty thoughts could replace all effort. Thus, Li Manman neglected her weaknesses.
Especially after she rose to fame, even if it wasn't visible on the surface, she had become inflated inside!
Her previous agent had tried to persuade her to focus on music instead of scheming, which annoyed Li Manman so much that their relationship fell apart, leading the company to assign Yi Qi to her.
Yi Qi and Li Manman shared some twisted views. Yi Qi never advised Li Manman; instead, she actively explored Li Manman's potential in certain areas, pushing her to sing fast-paced songs and perform sexy dances. It worked—Li Manman's current fame and success were closely tied to Yi Qi's management.
Yi Qi was shrewd. Even though she suspected the email was indeed from "Mu Ziang," she didn't contradict Li Manman. Instead, she gently placed a hand on Li Manman's shoulder and said softly, "Whether it is or isn't, what difference does it make to the outcome?"
"If Murphy really has that much cunning to fool us, going to confront her won't make her admit it. And if this is truly Mu Ziang's reply, given his tone, it seems hard for him to approve of you, let alone write songs for you," Yi Qi said lightly.
"So no matter what, I can't get Mu Ziang to write me a song?" Li Manman asked reluctantly.
"The company's Teacher Wu analyzed Mu Ziang's music. The few songs he has out now vary in style, but one thing is certain: Mu Ziang's songs aren't easy to sing. Unless it's a singer known for vocal skill like Chen Yijie or Murphy, others probably can't perform them well," Yi Qi sidestepped the issue.
Li Manman nodded. Smart as she was, she understood her agent's meaning. Though still unwilling deep down, she smiled sweetly and said, "Alright, since Sister Yi has made it so clear, I don't need to keep dwelling on it. It's just a Mu Ziang—I don't care anyway!"
"That's right. Trust the company. They've put so much effort into building you up, and they'll do their best to get you songs. Without Mu Ziang, we still have Er Dong Ziang, Zou Xiao Ziang... they'll definitely produce a platinum album for you!" Yi Qi said.
Li Manman smiled sweetly, but a dark glint hid in her eyes.
...
Murphy wanted to focus on recording her songs, but clearly, that wasn't easy.
She had been arranged to appear on the show *Music Express*, which hadn't aired yet, but Sister Ling had already gotten feedback from Guangdong TV station.
Naturally, this feedback wasn't what Niu Meiling wanted to see.
The effect was the complete opposite of her expectations. Murphy's performance of *Drifting Across the Ocean to See You* was wildly popular with the live audience, and it was clear how much buzz it would generate once the show aired, even hinted at in some media reports.
Niu Meiling thought it over for a few days. During that time, she didn't consult anyone, quietly calculating on her own.
Finally, that day, Niu Meiling called Murphy in. Taking advantage of Mo Xiaojuan's absence on leave, she bypassed Mo Xiaojuan and directly discussed contract renewal with Murphy.
"Murphy, you know how the company and Sister Ling have treated you. Over the years, I've protected you like a daughter. Even when you had a child and insisted on retiring from the music scene, Sister Ling didn't stop you," Niu Meiling appealed to emotion, her voice trembling and eyes reddening as she tried to persuade Murphy.
Uh... it's not that Xiaohan is cutting off the chapter here.