I was exposed for adding my female boss to my group of female friends.

I've already finished half a chapter today. Considering everyone's reading experience, I'll post it in two chapters at a time. Today's update will probably be around 2 or 3 pm.

Finally, thank you everyone for your support. Love you all, mua~ (Those who read this far have all received a mua from me!)

Chapter 126 Feeling Unbalanced

Between the end of 2011 and 2012, a cultural phenomenon became popular across the country, known as "Knife Wolf".

During this period, it seems that taxi drivers across the country are using the same playlist.

As soon as I got in the car, the car stereo was playing either "You are my lover, a woman like a rose" or "I'm sure I'm the wolf in sheep's clothing".

The azure waters of Qinghai Lake are dotted with trucks carrying refined salt, and the strains of "West Sea Love Song" drift from their open windows.

The voice of this rough man flew into the flocks of white sheep on the green hills, spreading along every road in this country from over 4000 meters above sea level to over 30 meters above sea level.

Parents called the education department to complain that their children were singing "vulgar and unhealthy songs" and demanded that schools strictly regulate such behavior.

As a result, a certain school conducted a comprehensive investigation into unhealthy popular music. In the end, they found more than 370 portable music players in a dormitory with 1000 students who were "spreading bad songs". All of them had "The Punishment of Impulsiveness" downloaded on them.

In the evening, the parents went to the disco to sing and dance, and the resident singers sang, "If you didn't know how many drinks I had that day, you wouldn't understand how beautiful you really are."

At the annual meeting of Baida Company, a well-known domestic real estate giant, the company's CEO, Wang Jinlin, wearing a suit and holding a microphone with a serious expression, sang on stage, "I still remember you promised you wouldn't let me lose you / But you flew so far away with the migratory birds returning south..." The audience applauded thunderously.

Dao Lang's songs have achieved widespread popularity throughout China; almost everyone can hum a few lines of his songs.

Jiang Xinhai had also heard of this name, but she never expected that this newly popular celebrity who became an overnight sensation would look like this.

She actually cried so hard in the arms of an 18-year-old boy.

She blinked in surprise as she stared at Luo Ling. She could tell that Luo Ling's admiration for Chen Ya was genuine and not deliberate flattery.

"Don't you write and compose all your own songs?" Jiang Xinhai asked.

She couldn't understand how Chen Ya, as a lyricist and composer, could possibly help Dao Lang.

“Chen Ya provided me with inspiration, and he also taught me how to compose music,” Dao Lang said. “If it weren’t for Chen Ya, I would still be working as a security guard in a nightclub.”

"Gold will always shine," Chen Ya said.

Jiang Xinhai glanced at Chen Ya twice.

Although his face still had the youthful innocence of an 18-year-old, his aura was domineering and arrogant, like that of a great man.

"How did you meet Chen Ya?" Jiang Xinhai asked.

Luo Ling said, "I dropped out of high school when I was a teenager, and then went to work in the northern desert and Sichuan areas. Later, I learned keyboard from a master in a concert hall, and that's how I embarked on my musical journey."

"Actually, at first I was just singing randomly and didn't know anything. I finally saved up some money and made an album out of my own pocket, but it only sold 2000 copies and I lost a lot of money, so I went to work in a nightclub again."

"The reason I chose the nightclub was because I could sing a couple of songs on the dance floor when it was almost over. Then one time, Chen Ya heard me singing and said I could become famous. He helped me revise and write songs, and that's how it ended up like this."

"It's fair to say that my rise to fame was entirely due to Chen Ya's discovery of me."

Jiang Xinhai opened his mouth slightly.

She began to understand why Dao Lang, a thirty-year-old man, was so respectful to Chen Ya, who was eighteen years old.

She looked at Chen Ya with a hint of surprise: "Why didn't you mention this to me?"

Chen Ya said, "I've done so many awesome things, do I have to tell you about every single one of them?"

"...You're amazing."

After saying that, Jiang Xinhai turned his face away, not wanting to pay any more attention to Chen Ya.

His pride was a bit too much for Jiang Xinhai.

Based on Chen Ya's self-introduction at the beginning, she thought that she was not far behind Chen Ya.

But now that Chen Ya has added the discovery of Dao Lang to his resume, the scales have tipped completely in his favor.

From childhood to adulthood, she had never felt this level of gap among her peers.

So, she was a little annoyed.

She decided that unless Chen Ya brought it up himself, she would never ask how she had made Daolang famous nationwide.

Now that they were officially acquainted, Luo Ling was no longer upset. She pulled a plastic bag from her bag and said:

"I just came back from Qinghai-Tibet and brought back a lot of yak jerky. It's delicious, so I'm giving it to you."

Jiang Xinhai took the heavy jerky he was handed over, feeling that it was as hard as a brick, and his hand hurt from the hardness.

Luo Ling pointed to the dried meat and said, "This is a good thing. It's high in calcium and protein and low in fat. It can also replenish collagen. Eat it directly and taste this treasure from the plateau."

Out of politeness, Jiang Xinhai removed the plastic bag, opened his small lips, and took a bite of the yak jerky.

A sharp, intense pain shot straight up from the nerve in my tooth root to the top of my head, just like when I tripped and fell flat on my face and hit my tooth on the curb – the feeling was extremely similar.

Jiang Xinhai mechanically removed his lips from the jerky, his lips tightly closed, and even pretended to wriggle a couple of times to cover up the fact that he hadn't actually bitten off a single piece of meat.

"Is it good?"

"Well, it's delicious."

Jiang Xinhai quickly put the plastic bag over the beef jerky to cover the small teeth mark—which still had a little bit of glistening saliva on it.

"If it's delicious, you can have it all."

"Thank you," Jiang Xinhai said, trying to sound sincere.

As the other party is a senior in the music industry, I must be polite to them, even if I may never touch these jerky again.

Luo Ling waved his hand regretfully and said, "If I didn't only have 50 yuan left, I would definitely treat you to a big meal."

Chen Ya twirled a drumstick in his hand and said, "Come on, why are we still talking about this? You should focus on preparing for your concert and new album, and try to prove those people wrong."

Dao Lang nodded like a primary school student: "Mm!"

Then it was time to say goodbye. Chen Ya and Jiang Xinhai saw him to the door. He was carrying a dirty travel bag and said:

"No need to send them any further. I'll walk the rest of the way myself."

Chen Ya said, "Ignore the rumors and gossip, just be yourself."

Dao Lang said, "I've always considered you my master."

"No, you should just call me the guide, it makes me uncomfortable."

"I am leaving."

Dao Lang walked a few meters away, then suddenly turned back and said loudly, "You know what? I was thinking, how great would it be if you had met Jiang Xinhai first, and then met this unlucky guy like me?"

Jiang Xinhai asked in a daze, "What do you mean?"

Daolang didn't answer and walked away.

Chen Ya silently went back to his room.

Although the person is gone, the passion left in the room seems to still linger.

Jiang Xinhai grabbed his clothes and shook him twice: "Hey, what did he mean just now?"

Chen Ya opened the window, intending to let the smell in the air dissipate.

"He probably thought that if I met you first, I would become famous and become a higher-ranking celebrity, and then those big shots wouldn't dare to bully us."

Jiang Xinhai blinked her bright eyes: "Is a big shot bullying you? Who is it?"

Chen Ya sighed, turned to look at Jiang Xinhai, and said helplessly, "The entire Chinese music scene."

"It's not just one or two people; Dao Lang and I have offended almost the entire Chinese music scene."

Chapter 127 Snack Street

Chen Ya didn't want to talk about the boycott he faced from the entire Chinese music scene. He asked Jiang Xinhai, "Have you had dinner yet?"

"Not yet."

"Let's go eat together then."

Jiang Xinhai stared at him suspiciously: "You could have just asked me to treat you to dinner. I know you don't have any money."

"Hey, you figured that out. You're incredibly clever."

After being praised, Jiang Xinhai turned around proudly, remaining silent and aloof like ice and snow, before walking away, her skirt swaying like a princess.

Before leaving the house, Chen Ya finally changed out of his suit after being repeatedly persuaded by Jiang Xinhai.

He was now wearing a plain white short-sleeved T-shirt and finally looked like a big boy, befitting his age.

When he came out after changing his clothes, Jiang Xinhai tilted his head and stared at him for a long time. His previous formal attire and travel-worn face made him look like an insurance salesman.

After changing into normal clothes, he transformed into a clean-cut young man.

His skin wasn't dark to begin with, and the pure white T-shirt made him look even more energetic. The slightly bulging muscles visible under the short sleeves attracted Jiang Xinhai's attention for a long time.

"How do I look? Am I handsome?" Chen Ya asked her.

“I think…” Jiang Xinhai looked away and blinked, “He’s just an ordinary big boy.”

"Normal? You're being arrogant again."

"This isn't being tsundere, you narcissist. I'm not a looks-obsessed person, how could I like you like that?"

She knew what "tsundere" meant. "Tsundere" meant "using a seemingly tough attitude to hide one's true feelings," Chen Ya had told her.

Chen Ya, on the other hand, completely forgot the meaning of the word "tsundere" that he had instilled in her, which caused her to have a subtle misunderstanding. When she heard her mention things like or dislike, she felt a little confused.

Binhai University has two gates, with the main gate being the North Gate. However, in the minds of most students, "the main gate is just for decoration; those people upstairs wouldn't understand it."

The main gate is impressive, with several white marble pillars that gleam brightly at sunrise. Whenever the school needs to welcome visiting groups or distinguished guests, the gate is wide open and ready for action.

The main gate is usually kept open with a small side door, and not many people go in or out. Students usually use the south gate after class.

The south gate faces East Lake directly. In summer, the lake shimmers with light, and willows sway along the long embankment. Dense residential buildings and housing areas surround East Lake. Spring Garden is also located in this area.

The dense flow of people has given rise to a dense concentration of shops. On the street directly opposite the south gate of Binhai University, one can see all kinds of vendors selling all kinds of delicacies from all over the country.

Cold skin noodles, cold rice noodles, stir-fried rice noodles, braised noodles, grilled cold noodles, Qishan saozi noodles, roti, pancakes, egg pancakes... Blue, green and yellow signs, after the sun gradually sets, exude warmth, highlighting the cyberpunk feel of the dimly lit streets.

The small spatula used for teppanyaki fried rice danced in the air, an egg was gently cracked open with one hand, and the egg white and yolk flowed onto the hot plate, quickly turning from snow-white to golden yellow. The vendor then quickly scraped the egg a few times with the spatula, making a harsh scraping sound, and then "thump, thump, thump," chopped the solidified egg into pieces, at which point a wonderfully fragrant aroma of eggs burst forth.

Pour the leftover rice onto the hot plate, crush it with a spatula, stir-fry it a few times, and the egg will coat the rice. Hot smoke billows out, and the rice grains sizzle on the hot plate. Squeeze three circles of soy sauce onto the rice, mix it together, stir-fry it a few times, and it will turn into an enticing golden yellow, making people's appetites soar.

There are also vendors selling handmade milk tea on the street, and they usually also sell grilled sausages next to them. The sausage grilling machine is illuminated by warm light, and through the glass window, rows of red sausages roll with the heating rollers, making a "sizzling" sound, glistening with oil. Some of them will even suddenly burst open, revealing the bright red tender meat inside the casing.

In the center are two large iron woks, the bottoms of which are wrapped in cotton coats to keep them warm. The larger one is for milk, and the smaller one is for tea. When you open the lid, a wonderful aroma wafts out. The small box in the very center is divided into more than a dozen compartments, containing toppings such as pearls, taro balls, herbal jelly, and grass jelly, which can be added according to your preference.

There's also lotus leaf sticky rice chicken. If you want to buy one, the lotus leaf is already softened and covered in steam, turning black on the outside. When you peel it open, you'll see a thick layer of sticky rice wrapped around boneless chicken, accompanied by the fragrance of lotus leaves. It looks oily, but it's not greasy at all. It's just very filling.

Chen Ya and Jiang Xinhai were walking on the road. Jiang Xinhai was wearing a mask and a khaki baseball cap, and her hair was loose, making her look like a sporty girl.

The two are a perfect match and look very much like a couple.

Jiang Xinhai bought grilled cold noodles, and Chen Ya bought a set of jianbing guozi (Chinese crepes). The two sat down in the shop. Jiang Xinhai looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, then quickly took off his mask, stuffed a bite into his mouth, and almost choked on the chili seeds.

"Have you ever eaten these street foods before?" Chen Ya asked.

"Of course I've eaten it. What kind of person do you think I am?" Jiang Xinhai wrinkled her nose. "When I was in school, I used to walk around with my best friend every day. What haven't I eaten?"

"Oh."

Chen Ya took a bite of the pancake and said, "I thought you were the kind of person who lived in a secluded villa, served by maids every day, and ate French or kaiseki cuisine every day."

Jiang Xinhai scoffed: "What kind of person would do that? What kind of misunderstanding do you have about rich people?"

"So, what's your daily life like, you're a wealthy woman like this?"

Jiang Xinhai was very unhappy with the nickname "little rich woman" and kicked him under the table.

At that time, the term "rich woman" was not yet as widely used as it would become in the future. The addition of the word "woman" made Jiang Xinhai, who still considered herself a young girl, frown.

"Don't call me a rich woman. I earned all my money through my own hard work," Jiang Xinhai protested.

"Oh, so what should I call you?"

"Just call me Xinhai."

"Oh, my heart."

Jiang Xinhai regretted it instantly after Chen Ya shouted.

"Never mind, just call me by my full name. It's weird to call me by this name; only my best friend calls me that."