Chapter 147: The Sound of Music Interview

"Is he doing okay?" Qin Lulu looked a little downcast.

"I have no idea either," Sister Lian replied with a bitter smile. "Although I know where he went, he has never called me. As for his business affairs, they are handled through other people. I can only gather from indirect sources that he is doing quite well and is in much better spirits than before."

"That's good then," Qin Lulu perked up and smiled. "After all, a man needs to have a career. Give him some time, and things will gradually get better. It's fortunate for him to have a confidante like you."

"I won't deny my feelings," Sister Lian said sincerely, "but I also know that there is even less possibility between us than there was between you and him. So, you really don't need to mind me so much. Aside from delivering this gift for him, I came today to meet you and speak from the heart, with no other intentions."

"It's fine, let everything take its natural course. I know the kind of person he is," Qin Lulu smiled, taking Sister Lian's hand and introducing her to Lin Qihua and Zhang Zilin. "These are Brother Dong's younger brother and sister, Lin Qihua and Zhang Zilin. This is Sister Lian. You should get acquainted."

"Hello, Sister Lian." Lin Qihua smiled and reached out to shake her hand, and the little sleepyhead followed suit with a greeting.

"Hello to you both. My name is Yu Cailian, just call me Sister Lian. I've heard your names long ago. Brother Dong has always cared about you, and today we finally meet properly," Sister Lian shook hands with them warmly.

"Me too. The matter regarding the 'Tang Dynasty' bar was thanks to Sister Lian's recommendation," Lin Qihua smiled.

"Just a small favor, and it happened to find my best friend a super vocalist—it was a case of planting willows that unexpectedly grew into shade. I've always been very proud of this recommendation. Congratulations on your success."

"Thank you for the praise."

At eleven in the morning, at the auspicious hour, Qin Lulu, accompanied by the emcee and the guests, swung the scissors. The red ribbon drifted down, signifying the official opening of the Qin Lulu Studio.

Next, the studio hosted a small cocktail party to thank the various guests. It was also a wonderful opportunity to build connections and discuss potential collaborations. As the hostess, Qin Lulu moved gracefully among the guests, her smiles radiant, showing not a trace of sorrow.

"I truly admire her," Sister Lian, who, like Lin Qihua, had not joined the main banquet area, watched Qin Lulu's performance and sighed, "Transitioning from an artist to a boss is a massive change in roles. For her to handle it like this is truly admirable."

"She had no choice but to transform, right?" Lin Qihua felt a pang of sympathy for Qin Lulu. "Life must go on. If you want to achieve something, blaming the heavens and others gets you nowhere. You just have to work harder."

"Indeed. She is able to determine her own life and future, whereas people like us have it much harder," Sister Lian sighed. "It looks beautiful on the surface, but who really knows what lies beneath."

Lin Qihua fell silent. He already had a vague guess about Sister Lian's background—likely stemming from some wealthy and prestigious family. Although times were progressing, girls like her, despite appearing infinitely glorious, found it extremely difficult to escape one constraint: autonomy in marriage. It was nearly impossible for them to marry the person they truly loved.

Regarding this tangled and chaotic love triangle among Han Dong and the two women, Lin Qihua felt powerless to intervene. The complexities of such matters could only be understood by those directly involved; outsiders could never truly comprehend them.

As the music ended and the guests gradually dispersed, Sister Lian also found an opportunity to take her leave. In the end, only Lin Qihua and Zhang Zilin remained until the very last.

Staff members were cleaning up the mess. Qin Lulu sat limply on the steps, staring blankly at the Pixiu ornament before her, her eyes filled with a dazed expression.

"Am I very foolish?" she asked, seemingly addressing Lin Qihua, yet perhaps asking herself.

"I don't think so," Lin Qihua said softly.

"No, I am very foolish," Qin Lulu laughed bitterly. "For my sake, Brother Dong ruined his future and was reduced to playing in underground bands. And what about me? I continued drifting aimlessly through the entertainment industry as an artist, gaining a bit of fame. Without much preparation, I had a falling out with my company and wanted to break away, thinking that would give me control over my own destiny. In the end, it was still Brother Dong who stepped forward to solve the problem for me. I thought I was free and could finally be with Brother Dong, but he quietly slipped away, leaving me unable to see him ever again."

"Brother Dong leaving might actually be a good thing. Besides, I know he is still active in the entertainment industry; there will always be a chance to meet again in the future. Giving him some space to think things over isn't a bad idea either," Lin Qihua persuaded gently.

"I know, but I'm just not reconciled to this. I was already prepared to let go of everything and disregard the consequences just to be with him. Yet, another woman appeared by his side—a girl even more exceptional than I am, someone who can solve his problems and grant him a new lease on life. Meanwhile, I can only continue to burden him and cause him worry," Qin Lulu covered her face with both hands, sobbing. "In front of her, I have zero confidence."

The little sleepyhead walked over, wrapped her arms around her, and offered low words of comfort.

Lin Qihua could only comfort her by saying, "No matter what, Brother Dong cares about you. He certainly wouldn't want to see you looking this weak and crying like this. He would want you to be brave, run the studio well, and show him a brand-new Sister Lulu. As for what the future holds, leave it to fate to decide. Who knows, in some city, you might accidentally cross paths again and pick up where you left off."

After a long while, Qin Lulu gradually stopped her tears and smiled at the two of them. "I'm sorry for letting you see my vulnerable side. Don't worry, after today, I'm going to work hard. I can't possibly live in the past forever. If you don't work hard, there truly is no hope."

Lin Qihua and Zhang Zilin both gave her a thumbs-up.

Seeing that her mood had improved, the two of them bid their farewells and left.

On the way back, the little sleepyhead asked worriedly, "Brother, is Sister Lulu going to be alright?"

"She'll be fine, don't worry," Lin Qihua reassured her. "She is very strong-willed and has a clear mind of her own; otherwise, she wouldn't have caused such a huge uproar back then. Just now, she was only experiencing a temporary loss of emotional control. Once that passes, she'll be fine."

"Oh."

"Now that she has her own studio and is calling the shots, her career is thriving. Brother Dong will eventually show up again; that's a matter between them that we can't interfere with. In love, there is no right or wrong, only coming too early or arriving too late."

"Alright, relationships are really troublesome," the little sleepyhead nodded vaguely.

"Haha, you'll understand when you're older."

"You make it sound like you're an expert," the little sleepyhead retorted, leaving him momentarily speechless.

The next morning, Lin Qihua arrived at a café near the company. Today, he was responding to an invitation from *The Voice of Music* to accept an exclusive interview for their digital magazine's personality column.

The warm winter sun shone down, making a person feel cozy and comfortable. Lin Qihua wore a long-sleeved white shirt and black casual trousers—a classic black-and-white combination that made him look energetic, gentle, and refined.

The interviewing journalist and photographer were already waiting in the café. Seeing Lin Qihua walk in, a flash of astonishment crossed the journalist's eyes behind her black-rimmed glasses. She quickly stood up to shake hands with him. "Hello, I'm Lan Miaochang, an editor for *The Voice of Music*, primarily in charge of the 'Personalities' section. I'm very glad you could accept our invitation."

"It should be me thanking you for the invitation. *The Voice of Music* is an authoritative media outlet and a top-selling professional magazine. Being invited as an interview guest makes me feel deeply honored," Lin Qihua flattered politely.

"Well, let's skip the mutual praise," Lan Miaochang smiled. "Let's sit down. Do you mind if our photographer takes a few photos?"

"Of course not." Lin Qihua smiled and posed a few times for the photographer.

Lan Miaochang watched as the winter sunlight streamed through the window, casting its glow upon Lin Qihua's face and wrapping him in a radiant halo. For a moment, she found herself momentarily dazed.

"Click." The photographer naturally wouldn't miss such a breathtaking scene and quickly captured the moment. After looking at the digital preview for a moment, the photographer gave both of them a thumbs-up.

Lan Miaochang leaned over to take a look and saw Lin Qihua sitting upright on the sofa in his white shirt, a slight smile lingering at the corners of his mouth, his features glowing with a mesmerizing radiance under the sunlight.

"This one can be used for the cover," Lan Miaochang praised.

"This technique is truly superb," Lin Qihua was also very satisfied and heavily praised the photographer's skill.

Following this episode, the distance between everyone quickly closed.

"We at *The Voice of Music* chose Mr. Lin as the featured personality for our first digital special edition of the new year. I suppose you must already know why?"

Lin Qihua nodded, "I have a small guess."

"Indeed," Lan Miaochang smiled brightly. "As the breakout figure of the past year, Mr. Lin's talent, strength, topic-generating ability, and future potential are all subjects of great concern to the audience. Therefore, choosing you as the cover personality for our first issue of the new year also reflects our high expectations for you to achieve even greater success in the coming year. To say nothing of the distant future, the immediate one is the upcoming breakout round. I'm sure you must be full of confidence about it."

"You can't jump to conclusions like that," Lin Qihua smiled and shook his head. "Every single singer possesses formidable strength. If I entered the breakout round holding that kind of mindset, I would likely return in defeat."

"Your mindset is very well-balanced, but I've heard a rumor—a running joke circulating online: the viewers of *The Voice of Music* owe you a ballot," Lan Miaochang said with a smile.

"Haha, I've heard that joke too," Lin Qihua clapped his hands and laughed. "It's just banter among netizens. I've always believed that on stage, you speak through music, and you can only touch the audience with your performance rather than pinning your hopes on such sentiments. Otherwise, it would show great disrespect to yourself, the audience, your opponents, and the stage itself."

"Very well. Then I wish you a successful breakthrough in the breakout round, advancing into the grand finals and bringing us even more wonderful performances."

"Thank you, I will definitely do my best. I love singing, I love performing, and I love the feeling of singing on stage. The audience is my greatest driving force, and touching the audience with my singing voice is the goal I pursue."