Chapter 31: A Ballad of Beauty

The outside world quickly quieted down.

Jiang Qin was meticulously applying her makeup. Tonight, she had acquired a new instrument: a guzheng. Because of this, she had specifically prepared a song with a classical flair and dressed herself in a matching style. Beneath her willow-leaf eyebrows, her watery phoenix eyes seemed to brim with a profound, lingering melancholy.

***

Inside the bar, many patrons had already started their livestreams. It was clear that most people were not there for the soothing services tonight; they were there for Jiang Qin. Some were fans, some were purely looking to ride the wave of her popularity, and others were coveting the position of her romantic partner.

As the clock struck eight, Jiang Qin, dressed in a pure black qipao, sat before the guzheng and rose onto the stage. Mist began to spill out, enveloping the entire platform until the scene felt as if it were nestled deep within a mountain valley. The holographic background displayed artificial rockeries, flowing streams, and a quiet pavilion. Jiang Qin had originally wanted a traditional costume, but such garments could not be found in the Interstellar era; this qipao was a last-minute commission. It had been simply cut and stitched, without even a single flower embroidered on it. Yet, despite the simplicity of the style, she wore it with a sense of fated elegance. Her hair, swept up in a bun, had stray strands that danced wildly around her ears in the circulating breeze of the bar.

"Jiang Qin!"

Amidst the noisy bar, a standout fan excitedly shouted her name. Following the sound, Jiang Qin spotted a bright, multicolored cheering sign bearing her name. The one shouting was a girl in a long pink dress, adorned with diamonds so bright they nearly dazzled the eyes. Beside her were two handsome men who watched her with a mixture of helplessness and doting indulgence.

Ever since watching the livestream, Wen Xueli had become a devoted fan of Jiang Qin. Knowing she would be performing tonight, the group had taken a spaceship directly from a neighboring second-tier planet. Upon arrival, they had even rushed to have the cheering sign custom-made. Wen Xueli insisted that whatever other singers had, Jiang Qin must have, too. Starting today, she was officially a "stans" fan—she was Jiang Qin’s first major supporter. Her partners were already accustomed to her sudden, intense obsessions. To keep her happy, they had even arranged for two escorts to accompany her across the galaxy. Fortunately, regardless of which celebrity, singer, or streamer Wen Xueli grew fond of, it was always out of pure admiration.

She had no desire to develop any private romantic entanglements, which was why her partners never restricted her interests. Even now, under the gaze of the crowd, although it was a bit embarrassing, neither man had any intention of scolding her.

Jiang Qin had always been good-natured toward those who liked her, so she smiled and waved in response.

"My god, today’s Jiang Qin looks a bit different from yesterday’s stream. She’s... she’s actually quite beautiful."

"She was beautiful yesterday too, she just looked too pale."

"Qi Yang, I love that dress she’s wearing. Look into where it was bought and get me a few."

The man readily agreed with a good-natured smile. He then looked at the female on stage with a complex expression, though he quickly averted his gaze. The females sitting in the front-row booths were all stunned by Jiang Qin’s styling, busy asking around about where she bought her clothes, who did her hair, and how she achieved that makeup look. Why did those thin eyebrows not look ridiculous, but instead possessed an indescribable charm?

"The first song today is 'Ode to a Beauty'."

The lights dimmed, leaving only the hazy, glowing projection of the holographic background on stage.

*“The sky is blue with white clouds,*
*The water flows leisurely by.*
*A jade hand lifts the whip as the horse trots,*
*The moon rises above the willow branches...”*

Her hands, slender as scallion stalks, gracefully flipped and plucked at the guzheng strings, producing a melodic sound. The two thousand people in the bar were left stunned. In that moment, they felt as if they were looking at a woman from ancient times. There was a painting in the museum that looked just like this. So, the woman in that painting was playing this instrument called a guzheng? So, this was what a guzheng sounded like...

*“Since ancient times, beauties have loved heroes,*
*A promise worth a thousand gold pieces kept until the end.*
*The wind howls, the thunder roars...”*

With the melodious singing, the ancient and realistic scene projection, and the ethereal beauty, they felt as if they had traveled through a thousand years. While everyone was immersed in this wonderful experience, they didn't notice that their spiritual bodies within their spiritual seas were also listening, motionless. The female who had initially dismissed the Moonlight bar as shabby and small was now staring blankly at Jiang Qin. All her recent irritation seemed to have been smoothed away by a gentle breeze.

She suddenly had an urge—an urge to see those talented scholars and beautiful women of ancient times for herself. Were all the females of that era like Jiang Qin? Possessing both a face of melancholy and a voice like a heavenly melody.

*“Since ancient times, beauties have met tragic fates,*
*A jade shattered, a roof tile left whole, ascending the western tower...”*

***

"The lyrics are so beautiful. There are a few lines I don't quite understand; I’ll have to go back and ask my grandfather."

"Hiss, I thought the livestream was just a recording. I didn't expect her to sound even better live."

"I think so too. It feels more impactful listening to her live; that crappy livestreaming device must have distorted the sound."

"She probably didn't use a streaming device; she's likely using the built-in camera and audio transmission of her optical computer."

"Wuwuwu, this is amazing! Just thinking about how I can't come to listen live often makes life feel meaningless!"

Netizens who couldn't make it to the venue were equally curious about what would happen next. After all, when it comes to gossip, many people continue to follow the subject in hopes of seeing more explosive developments. It was precisely for this traffic that the nearby streamers had decided to rush to the Moonlight bar without hesitation. Otherwise, who would be bored enough to travel so far just to drink a suppression potion? It wasn't as if there weren't bars nearby, and even if there weren't, they could just order online. Consequently, the dozen or so streamers currently broadcasting from the scene had very lively chat rooms.

[Another new song. Is there any genre Jiang Qin doesn't know?]

[What are those entertainment companies doing? They don't quickly sign such talent to shine in the music industry, but leave her singing in this dump of a bar? It’s a total waste.]

[Exactly. You all know what the Federation's music scene is like; you really have no clue!]

[It’s not like you don't know—our music industry has this mysterious, misplaced confidence in itself. They probably look down on a big shot like Jiang Qin.]

Lan Yuyan: ...Is it because I don't want to? It's because I can't even add her optical computer ID...

[But don't you guys think Jiang Qin is being excessive? Is the males' star-credit money really that easy to earn? Why should she stop doing soothing services just because she can sing? If she wants to sing, she should get lost and become a singer in the entertainment industry. Working in a bar, she should honestly act as a Soother. She's just looking for attention.]