Chapter 7: No Emotion, Only Technique

"I'll go," Jiang Zheng suddenly spoke.

For a moment, Zhou Quanyi and the others all turned to look at him in unison.

"Fourth, what did you just say?" Zhou Quanyi asked.

"I said, I'll go sing a song," Jiang Zheng replied, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

"Fourth, are you sure you want to go?" Yang Bo looked at him, disbelief on his face.

They were all roommates, after all—everyone had heard each other sing before. Yang Bo, of course, had heard Jiang Zheng sing: his singing was not good, and he was prone to going off-key.

"I'm sure," Jiang Zheng said.

He didn’t really want to, but the system had triggered a task.

[Task: Sing a song and amaze everyone.

Temporary Skills:

Born Singer: A voice made for singing, easily mastering all kinds of tones.

I Am a Singer: Possesses professional singing techniques.]

Jiang Zheng’s breathing shifted subtly.

"Good! The fourth has courage. We must be like him—face challenges head-on. Even if we know we’ll lose, we won’t flinch!" Zhou Quanyi suddenly exclaimed.

He looked at Jiang Zheng with admiration.

Seeing someone still willing to take the stage, Qu Shoujie’s eyes flickered with surprise, but that was all—he didn’t take it too seriously.

"What song would you like to sing?" Qu Shoujie asked.

"I’ll sing 'Compendium of Materia Medica,'" Jiang Zheng replied.

That song was not an easy one; for most people, it was a challenge just to finish it, let alone sing it well.

As the prelude ended, Jiang Zheng took a deep breath and began to sing, "If Hua Tuo were alive today, even those obsessed with the West could be cured…"

The song had a strong rhythm, and soon everyone was swept up by Jiang Zheng’s singing, their bodies swaying gently with the music.

"Yam, Angelica, Goji berries—go… I dance nonchalantly, relaxed and free, moves you can’t imitate…"

When the upbeat song ended, Jiang Zheng’s throat was a bit dry and a light sheen of sweat appeared on his brow.

With the "I Am a Singer" skill, Jiang Zheng couldn’t help but use professional techniques in his singing. His breathing and pronunciation seemed as if he’d undergone countless sessions of professional training.

He sang the song without emotion, relying solely on technique.

As Jiang Zheng finished the last note, the room erupted in enthusiastic applause. Unlike Zhou Quanyi’s earlier forced clapping, this time it was heartfelt.

Compared to the applause, Qu Shoujie’s expression was ashen.

He had received professional vocal training and was naturally gifted with a good voice. Singing had always been his pride.

But in front of Jiang Zheng, his pride seemed crushed and ground into the dirt.

He had lost—completely and utterly. In terms of technique and voice, he was no match for the person before him.

"Would you like to sing another song?" Jiang Zheng asked Qu Shoujie, smiling.

Qu Shoujie’s face shifted through a range of emotions before he muttered, "I just remembered I have something to do. I won’t sing anymore."

With that, he fled in embarrassment.

A moment ago, he was so arrogant; now, he was that much more abject.

When the words "Task Complete" sounded in his mind, Jiang Zheng finally relaxed.

But as the task ended, he reverted to his usual self.

"Fourth, you’ve been hiding your talents! Who knew you could sing so well?" Zhou Quanyi exclaimed.

"Fourth, you really kept this from us, didn’t you? Not bad!" Yang Bo laughed, finally letting out a breath he’d been holding.

Jiang Zheng just smiled without explanation. There was no way to make sense of it, so if everyone wanted to believe he’d been hiding his talent, so be it.

On the other side, Tao Luna and Liu Xiao, the two girls, also looked at Jiang Zheng with sparkling eyes. Good-looking and a great singer—a combination that naturally drew attention.

In fact, talent, regardless of gender, always attracts the gaze of the opposite sex.

"Jiang Zheng, you sing so well—why not sing another one?" Tao Luna suggested.

Jiang Zheng hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no. I only know that one. If I sing again, I’ll give myself away."

Without his temporary skills, he really couldn’t sing. With his natural voice, he’d have a hard time explaining things.

Tao Luna didn’t take his refusal seriously. She smiled and didn’t press him, which allowed Jiang Zheng to breathe a sigh of relief.

He didn’t notice that Jiang Qianyu was watching him with a hint of puzzlement.

After that, everyone kept singing, but the earlier commotion with Qu Shoujie had dampened the mood.

When time was up, they all prepared to return to campus.

They called three cars: one for the three girls, one for Jiang Zheng and his three roommates, and one for Yang Bo and Li Sha.

Before they parted, Zhou Quanyi asked in a low voice, "Second, are you coming back tonight?"

Yang Bo coughed and replied, "We’ll see."

Everyone gave him a knowing look.

Without further delay, the four hailed a cab and headed back.

On the ride, Zhou Quanyi lamented, "Too bad I didn’t get Jiang Qianyu’s WeChat."

"She didn’t give it to you?" Jiang Zheng asked, surprised.

When everyone was exchanging contacts, Jiang Zheng hadn’t joined in—he wasn’t interested.

"Not exactly. I didn’t dare ask," Zhou Quanyi admitted.

Jiang Zheng laughed. "Aren’t you usually bold? How come you couldn’t ask for a WeChat?"

Zhou Quanyi replied dejectedly, "I don’t know either."

Jiang Zheng looked at the other two. "What about you? Did you add her?"

Both shook their heads—they hadn’t gotten Jiang Qianyu’s WeChat either.

Back at school, the group joked and chatted as they walked to their dormitory.

Suddenly, Jiang Zheng spoke up, "You guys go ahead. I’m going to the track for a couple of laps."

It was still early, with plenty of time before curfew.

Zhou Quanyi was puzzled. "At this hour, you’re still going for a run?"

"Yeah, sticking with exercise is what matters. Skip a day, and all the progress is lost," Jiang Zheng replied.

The system’s rewards required him to keep exercising. As long as he did, he’d receive rewards over time.

What he worried about was that missing a single day would mean forfeiting his reward.

To be safe, Jiang Zheng decided to go for a run.

Zhou Quanyi didn’t press further. "Alright, be careful."

Jiang Zheng waved and headed for the track.

There was also a reward for completing the singing task—another choice to make. He wasn’t in a rush, deciding to wait until after his run.

He already knew which reward he’d pick.

Arriving at the track, Jiang Zheng began jogging.

After half a lap, he suddenly heard someone call out, "Jiang Zheng?"

He stopped and looked back. It was Jiang Qianyu, whom he’d just parted with.

"It really is you—I thought I was seeing things," Jiang Qianyu said with a smile.

"Are you out for a run too?" Jiang Zheng asked.

"Yeah, I ate so much just now—I have to work out or I’ll gain weight," Jiang Qianyu laughed.