Chapter 8: The Youth

She looks like she’s in her thirties, doesn’t she? Why does she look so familiar?

Jiang Jin frowned in thought for a moment. Unable to recall where he might have seen her, he decided not to dwell on it. Ever since he bound himself to the system, Jiang Jin’s popularity with women had skyrocketed. First, there was Wu Qingya, who could be salty or sweet with a versatile temperament; then there was Liu Sisi, with her cold, elegant aura and sweet voice. Even while catching a breeze on the balcony, he could encounter a woman of peerless beauty and exceptional grace.

In his previous life, Jiang Jin had been an ordinary man. His few relationships had all fizzled out, and despite his diligent efforts, he had achieved nothing. On his thirtieth birthday, he had gotten drunk; when he woke up, he had arrived in a parallel world and bound himself to the Zenith Technology System.

"I am still that same boy, not a single bit changed. Time is merely a test, and the faith planted in my heart has not diminished at all..."

Jiang Jin wasn’t a professional singer, but he had a good ear, hit the notes accurately, and possessed a magnetic voice, making his singing quite pleasant to listen to. By the time he finished, the woman in the white dress had actually returned to the balcony.

"Did you write this song?" Her voice was filled with pleasant surprise and a magnetic charm. For a split second, Jiang Jin had the illusion that his ears were pregnant.

He snapped back to reality and replied nervously, "Uh... yes, I wrote it." (There is no song called "Young" in this world, so this shouldn't count as plagiarism, right?)

The woman in white smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling. "Can I buy it from you?"

Jiang Jin looked at her, puzzled. "Buy it... for what?"

The woman in white chuckled softly, as if finding his question amusing. "Oh, do you not recognize me?"

Jiang Jin thought for a moment, then his eyes widened suddenly. "Yu Manli? Are you Yu Manli?"

Yu Manli had debuted as a singer fifteen years ago, sweeping numerous domestic music awards and establishing her status as a music diva within just three years. Talented in both singing and acting, she had starred in several television dramas, conquering countless audiences with her outstanding acting skills and breathtaking appearance, leading to record-breaking ratings. Later, she moved into film, winning the Best Actress award at all three major domestic film festivals. She was the nation’s triple-threat diva in film, television, and music, with countless fans. Oh, and she had an even more resounding title—the National Goddess!

Coincidentally, the original owner of this body had grown up listening to Yu Manli’s songs; he could be considered a die-hard fan.

[Ding. Host, you have a new side mission.]
[Mission: Sell a song.]
[Mission Objective: Sell the song "Young" to Yu Manli at a reasonable price.]
[Mission Reward: Mastery of Music Theory, complete unlocking of the Earth song library.]
[Note: If the system deems the selling price unreasonable, the mission will be failed; there is no penalty.]

Jiang Jin muttered to himself: *System, I have some choice words for you that I don't know if I should say! How is a layman like me, who doesn't even know basic music theory, supposed to sell a song?*

*And you’re the one judging if the price is reasonable? Isn't that just a "take-it-or-leave-it" clause where the system has the final say?*

However, the reward was indeed generous. Setting aside the mastery of music theory, the complete unlocking of Earth’s song library was simply incredible! With those classic hits from Earth, wouldn't he become the most badass music producer in this world?

Yu Manli sighed, "Well, it seems I’m still a bit famous."

Yu Manli was thirty-five years old, and having had no notable works in the past two years, her popularity had declined significantly. Jiang Jin’s performance of "Young" had caught her eye, and her intuition told her that if she sang this song, it would definitely be a massive hit.

"What, are you not satisfied with your current popularity?" Jiang Jin asked, teasing.

Yu Manli was momentarily surprised. Most men were nervous and reserved when they first met her. Not only was this handsome young man not nervous, but he actually dared to tease her? She composed herself and replied softly, "I just don't want to fade away like this."

Jiang Jin smiled slightly, looking at Yu Manli with interest before saying, "You don't intend to talk to me about this right here, do you?"

Yu Manli bit her lip slightly, a glimmer of mischief flashing in her eyes. "If it's convenient for you, you can come to my room, and we can discuss it over a drink?" After saying this, she winked playfully, leaving Jiang Jin with a mysterious smile.

Jiang Jin was momentarily stunned. It was the middle of the night; a woman, a diva no less, was inviting him, a man, to her room to talk? Wasn’t she afraid he might be a bad person? If not for the system’s mission, he would have thought this diva was a fake!

Yu Manli seemed to perceive Jiang Jin’s hesitation. She chuckled, explaining, "Someone staying in the executive suite of the Four Seasons Hotel shouldn't be a bad person, and my manager is here too."

Jiang Jin nodded. "Alright, let me go change my clothes. Please wait a moment."

Five minutes later, Jiang Jin had changed into an Armani suit jacket. Watching him prepare to leave, Wu Qingya asked hurriedly, "Where are you going?"

Jiang Jin smiled and replied, "It’s not convenient to say."

Wu Qingya speculated to herself, *Could this guy be going out to find a woman?* It wasn't entirely her fault for thinking that; she had heard too many dark stories about wealthy men.

Jiang Jin looked at Wu Qingya and said helplessly, "If I told you... Yu Manli is staying next door and she wants to talk to me, would you believe me?"

Wu Qingya said, "Do you need me to come with you?" but in her heart, she thought, *I don't believe a word of it! What the hell, Yu Manli living next door? Even if she were, she wouldn't call him to talk in the middle of the night!*

Jiang Jin sighed. "See, I tell the truth and you don't believe me. Let me ask you, do you like Yu Manli?"

Wu Qingya nodded. "I do. She’s my idol, the National Goddess. It’s not shameful to have her as an idol."

Jiang Jin smiled. "Alright, I'll get her autograph for you later. You've had a long day; get some rest."

With that, Jiang Jin waved and walked out the door. Wu Qingya watched his retreating back, thinking, "Saying it as if it were true. I’ll see where you get Yu Manli’s autograph!"

*Knock, knock.*

Jiang Jin knocked on the door next door. Soon, the door opened, and Yu Manli appeared before him at close range. She had changed into a white cheongsam.

Up close, Jiang Jin realized that Yu Manli’s face was actually very youthful, looking like a girl in her early twenties, and her beauty even surpassed that of Wu Qingya and Liu Sisi. But the mature charm ingrained in her bones was something no young girl could possess, which only added to her allure. Her skin was more supple and fair than any woman from the South, and her dark hair was pinned up in an elegant style, appearing thirty percent pure and seventy percent alluring.

The white cheongsam wrapped around her curvaceous figure, breathtakingly beautiful. Beneath the hem of the dress were a pair of flawless legs that emitted a dizzying white glow under the lights. She wore white open-toed high heels, and her toenails were painted a peach-red, as exquisite as a work of art. She was truly worthy of being called the National Goddess!

Yu Manli stood at the door with a smile on her lips and said softly, "Hello, I am Yu Manli. May I ask your surname?"

Jiang Jin looked at her and replied, "Jiang Jin."

Yu Manli nodded slightly and said politely, "Mr. Jiang, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Please, come in." She stepped aside, signaling for Jiang Jin to enter.

As Jiang Jin walked into the room, a strange feeling bubbled up in his heart. The scene before him reminded him of a low-budget movie he had once watched, something like *The Beautiful Woman Next Door* or *The Plumber's Daily Routine*.

Upon entering the living room, Jiang Jin immediately spotted Yu Manli’s manager. She was a poised woman with short, sharp hair, appearing to be in her early thirties, exuding the charm of a mature woman.

"Hello, Mr. Jiang. I’m Sun Jia, Yu’s manager." Sun Jia smiled and extended her hand to Jiang Jin, her eyes revealing a professional efficiency and warmth.

Jiang Jin shook Sun Jia’s hand and replied simply, "Ms. Sun, nice to meet you."

After the introductions, Jiang Jin was invited to sit on the sofa in the living room. After Sun Jia asked what he would like to drink, she handed him a can of soda.

"Mr. Jiang, what is the name of the song you sang earlier?"

Yu Manli sat on the opposite sofa, her legs crossed, her posture elegant. Her voice was very gentle, as if it had a magical power that made one prone to falling for her.

" 'Young.' Ms. Yu, what price do you have in mind?" Jiang Jin didn't beat around the bush. Making money wasn't anything to be ashamed of.

Yu Manli thought for a moment and said, "Before we talk about the price, Mr. Jiang, could you show me the sheet music?"

Jiang Jin frowned slightly; he hadn't brought any sheet music. He had a sudden flash of inspiration and said with a smile, "I didn't bring the score, and it’s a hassle to write out. Why don’t I sing it one more time, you record it, and then you can write the score down yourself?"

Sun Jia couldn't help but think to herself, *Is selling songs this simple and crude nowadays?*

Jiang Jin didn't seem to notice Sun Jia’s expression and continued, "If that doesn't work, then forget it. It’s getting late, you two should get some rest." He smiled and made as if to get up and leave.

Yu Manli quickly said, "Fine, that works. Mr. Jiang’s method is acceptable. Shall we begin now?" Yu Manli really wanted this song; otherwise, she would never have made such a concession.

Jiang Jin felt a sense of relief internally: *Good, good. If she had insisted on me handing over the sheet music, I would have been screwed!*

For the next while, Sun Jia used professional recording equipment to record Jiang Jin’s performance of "Young." Fortunately, Jiang Jin had specifically practiced the song, so his pitch and rhythm were decent, and he remembered the lyrics clearly; otherwise, it would have been embarrassing.

"I offer one million."