Chapter 27: The Future Is Promising!

After learning that the mysterious composer ZJ was actually Chen Fan, Peng Jiaxin was first stunned, then overcome with ecstasy.

ZJ—a man who reached the pinnacle of his career the moment he debuted. To date, he has released only ten songs, from "Someone Like Me" to "Passionate Heart of a Dreamer," released just two days ago. He writes the lyrics, composes the music, and performs every track himself; he is a one-man band. Moreover, the quality of every single song is absurdly high. "Passionate Heart of a Dreamer," in particular, was not only singled out for praise by the national television station but was also adopted by universities across the country. The value of the ZJ brand continues to climb.

The only pity is that, so far, this mysterious composer has never collaborated with anyone. That’s right—ZJ hasn't even signed with a single company yet! On Weibo, countless industry titans have begged him for songs and collaborations. Although ZJ has never responded—he hasn't even registered a Weibo account—they remain tirelessly persistent.

Peng Jiaxin realized that a golden opportunity had arrived. If Xinghai could become the only entertainment company to collaborate with ZJ, would they ever have to worry about a lack of traffic again? Therefore, the immediate priority was to secure Chen Fan.

Thinking of this, Peng Jiaxin stood up and sat down next to Chen Fan, calling out sweetly:
"Honey~"

Chen Fan could roughly guess what she was after, but he just smiled and said nothing.

"Are you very close with that ZJ?"
"Not particularly close. Writing this song was purely coincidental; we mostly just play games together."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Fan felt his arm sink into something soft, and his body stiffened.

"How about now?" Peng Jiaxin asked with a reddening face.
"Uh... we're starting to get a little closer."

A coolness brushed briefly across his cheek, making Peng Jiaxin blush even more.

"How about now?"
"About the same. If you kissed somewhere else, it would be even more..."

Chen Fan didn't finish his sentence because a hand had pinched the flesh at his waist.

"That's quite enough out of you."
"Alright, alright. Actually, he and I have a bond deeper than life. I don't even know how many times I've used my Flash to block skills for him in-game. That kid even calls me 'Godfather,' you know."

"..."

Peng Jiaxin didn't quite understand the nature of male friendship, but if he was calling him "Godfather," it must be a very close relationship, right?

"Let's head to the company first."
"Okay."

With this connection to Chen Fan, their company would absolutely be the one closest to ZJ. "Confession Balloon" was just the beginning; it was by no means the end. The future of Xinghai was looking bright!

***

Back in the car, Chen Fan looked at Peng Jiaxin. "Let’s get one thing straight: even though we’re close, it’s still difficult to get him to write songs on command. Don’t get your hopes up too high."

Peng Jiaxin nodded in understanding. After all, this was ZJ. If Chen Fan truly had that much influence, she would be too stunned to speak.

"But is it really okay for us to use this 'Confession Balloon'?" Chen Fan asked casually as he helped Peng Jiaxin fasten her seatbelt.

"Of course. Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? I co-created this song with him, but since I forgot my account password, he just let me handle the release, saying all I had to do was include his name."

"Really?" If a song by ZJ could be acquired this easily, surely every entertainment company in China would jump at the chance. With ZJ’s name attached, it was essentially a guaranteed influx of traffic.

"You know how it is—the guy is popular and has plenty of songs; he really doesn't miss this one."
"..." That made sense!

The return trip was less congested, and it took about ten minutes to reach the Xinghai offices. Since all of Peng Jiaxin’s vehicles were registered at Xinghai, Chen Fan drove directly into the underground parking garage. Under her direction, he parked in the executive space. It was just a few steps from the car to the elevator—the private executive elevator, which served only Peng Jiaxin.

"Whenever you come to see me, just use this. I’ll have Xiao Ye get you a card."
"Sure."

The two took the elevator to the 15th floor, to the recording studio. He Nan had been waiting for a long time, and Zhao Wenji, who had finished recording the song, was there with his manager, Sister Hong. They all wanted to see what the person who could write such a song actually looked like.

"You, rein it in!" Having worked together for so long, Sister Hong knew exactly what was on Zhao Wenji’s mind. A second-tier star, and one who had been hand-picked and promoted by President Peng herself, actually daring to harbor feelings for his boss? Honestly, this wasn't how one repaid a debt of gratitude.

"Mm." Zhao Wenji nodded to show he understood, but from the moment Peng Jiaxin entered, his gaze had never left her.

"President Peng."
"Is the song recorded?"
"Of course. We’re just waiting for Chen Fan to show his face to finalize it." He Nan looked at Chen Fan, who was following behind Peng Jiaxin. "This must be Chen Fan, right? A pleasure to meet you." He Nan extended his right hand.

Chen Fan was flattered. Peng Jiaxin had mentioned that He Nan was the music director and producer she had hired at a high cost, a man to whom even she showed a degree of respect.

"I’m sorry to have you working overtime on a weekend."
"Oh, that’s nothing. If I can hear a song this good, I’d be willing to work overtime every day."
"Right, let me introduce you. This is Zhao Wenji. I think he’s the most suitable person to sing 'Confession Balloon'."
"You make the call; I don’t know anything about that, so I won’t interfere."

Peng Jiaxin’s mouth twitched, but she said nothing. He Nan’s smile became even more sincere. In this day and age, anyone with a bit of talent was usually full of arrogance; a composer like Chen Fan, who was both sensible and talented, was truly rare.

"Hmph, at least you have some self-awareness."

A very abrupt voice rang out in the studio. Sister Hong, who was just about to step forward to greet them, froze in place. She looked back in disbelief at the haughty-looking Zhao Wenji. *What the hell are you doing?* If you don’t speak, no one will mistake you for a mute, okay?

"Apologies, President Peng, Chen Fan. He’s probably been recording for too long, his brain isn’t quite firing right." Sister Hong apologized quickly.

"Uh... it’s fine." Chen Fan had actually sensed the hostility from Zhao Wenji the moment he walked in. The closer he got to his wife, the stronger that hostility became. It didn't take a genius to figure out that this guy was definitely into Peng Jiaxin. *Sigh, having a wife who is too outstanding is also a source of trouble.*

"Hmph." Zhao Wenji snorted coldly again, keeping his hands in his pockets to maintain his cool image. He wanted to say something more, but Sister Hong covered his mouth. *My dear ancestor, can’t you see President Peng’s face getting darker by the second? Take it easy!*

"I remember you are... Zhao Wenji, right?"

Zhao Wenji’s face lit up. He knew it—President Peng definitely remembered him! She had been single for so many years; she must have been waiting for him. There was no other reason she would recognize him at a glance!

"That’s right, Jiaxin, it’s me."

As soon as these words left his mouth, Sister Hong and He Nan both gasped. He Nan watched as Sister Hong clutched her chest, retreated a few steps in a panic, and stared at Zhao Wenji in utter disbelief. *I’ve treated you well, haven’t I? Is this how you treat me?*