Chapter 37
All the videos online were instantly wiped clean.
Of course, that was to be expected. Illegally leaked private videos and statements were subject to deletion by regulation. But this was the first time it had happened so quickly… The original Weibo post hadn’t even had a chance to gain traction. It barely reached a few hundred shares before disappearing entirely.
Information that couldn’t spread online meant that most people wouldn’t even know it existed.
Even so, that didn’t stop people from discussing it privately.
The theme song for Frost was a highly sought-after opportunity. With filming about to begin, not a single member of the core production team for the song had been confirmed yet. The tighter the schedule, the more anxious Lin Shengyun would become. At that point, it was anyone’s guess who might end up seizing the chance.
If Fang Huai really couldn’t sing or compose, then that would be perfect.
Many had been eyeing this role for a long time, eager to take his place. The rumor that Fang Huai had “run out of talent” was an incredible piece of news for them. It gave them a legitimate excuse to attack both him and Lin Shengyun, forcing them to relinquish the position.
The AI worked efficiently. In just a few minutes, it traced the source of the video—it was a hacker. He had infiltrated the surveillance system of that psychologist’s clinic, stolen the audio and video recordings, and sold them.
“The account that transferred money to him belongs to this person,” the AI reported. “Zhang Qiao, a singer. How should we proceed?”
A second-tier singer—neither famous nor entirely unknown. He must have had his sights set on this opportunity and, in desperation, resorted to such measures.
“Do whatever you want.”
Ye Yuyuan remained silent.
Night had fallen. The sunset faded into moonlight, gradually spilling across the tiles at his feet. The bathroom door was half open, steam drifting out as Fang Huai adjusted the water temperature inside.
Handling Zhang Qiao wasn’t difficult.
It didn’t even require any special methods. Just the fact that he had hired a hacker to leak someone’s private information was enough to ruin him through official legal channels alone.
The real problem was…
From the very beginning, Ye Yuyuan hadn’t wanted Fang Huai to be part of the Frost project.
The situation was complicated—deeply entangled. Tugging on one thread could unravel everything.
Who knew they’d act so fast? The official announcement that Fang Huai was composing the theme song had already been made. Now, there was no way to change it.
“The water’s ready,” Fang Huai emerged from the bathroom, his damp hair clinging to his forehead. He nodded toward Ye Yuyuan. “I’ll go make dinner. Any dietary restrictions?”
Ye Yuyuan stared at him for a moment, his dark eyes carrying a faintly brooding expression. He shook his head.
Then he turned and stepped into the bathroom.
He was tall, so he had to duck slightly to enter. The bathroom was small but well-stocked. Steam curled through the air, and on the storage rack, neatly folded clothes and towels were placed beside the shower essentials.
The scent of the body wash was light and clean—soapwood and bamboo leaves, with a faint hint of milk.
“…”
Something flickered through Ye Yuyuan’s mind, making the tips of his ears heat up. He shifted his gaze uncomfortably.
Water cascaded from the showerhead, sliding down from his forehead, tracing the firm, sculpted lines of his shoulders and abdomen. His skin had a cool undertone, pale to the point of resembling jade from a distance. Where the water streamed over him, faint silver scales flickered under the light, reflecting a subtle shimmer.
He closed his eyes.
*
Meanwhile.
Zhang Qiao wasn’t the only one eyeing Frost’s theme song.
In recent years, as awareness of digital copyrights increased, singer-songwriters had seen a resurgence in popularity. Singers no longer had to break into the film industry to make a name for themselves. As a result, competition within the singer-songwriter community had grown fiercer by the day.
One needed experience, achievements, and undeniable talent.
Many had set their sights on Frost for a long time. To them, Fang Huai was an unexpected intruder—a dark horse disrupting their plans. The project had started scouting for a music team even before Stellar Light began production. Back then, Fang Huai had been a nobody.
Zhang Qiao was one of those competitors. He wasn’t young anymore and had spent years singing generic, forgettable songs just to make a living. He had long since targeted Frost as his breakthrough opportunity. Missing out on it meant he might never get another chance. In desperation, he resorted to underhanded methods.
It didn’t take long for the police to track him down and bring him in for questioning. With reporters’ cameras flashing in his face, Zhang Qiao knew there was no hope of salvaging his career. Still, he tried to maintain his composure as he said:
“Let’s wait for the results of the investigation… Yes, I hope justice will prevail and that I won’t be falsely accused.”
He then looked directly into the camera and added, “That being said, there’s one thing I’d really like to ask Director Lin Shengyun.”
“Just how powerful is Fang Huai’s background?” Zhang Qiao let out a dry laugh, his tone becoming increasingly agitated. “He’s a useless hack who can’t sing or write a single song, yet you’re making him responsible for Frost?”
Similar accusations spread like wildfire.
Zhang Qiao had never been the only one aiming for Frost. Many others had been lurking in the shadows, maintaining a delicate balance. But Fang Huai’s sudden arrival shattered that balance, making him the target of widespread hostility.
[Director Lin, please reconsider. So many people have poured their hearts into Frost—is it really worth it?]
[Wow, they deleted the video so fast. Must have connections, huh?]
[His fans are still making excuses. If your golden boy is so talented, why doesn’t he prove it? Sing a few lines, write a melody—oh, he can’t? Thought so.]
[This guy has always had strong backing. Stellar Light was obviously rigged—who actually believes he won fair and square? And now he’s miraculously landing Frost? I’d love to know which rich patron is pulling the strings. Even Lin Shengyun is in their pocket.]
Videos could be deleted. Discussions could be suppressed. But it was impossible to silence everyone. Some of the comments were downright vicious, and a few people even resorted to extreme actions.
And it wasn’t just one or two people.
Some overzealous fans of rival singers went so far as to throw animal blood at Lin Shengyun and Wang An’s homes. If Fang Huai’s private address had been public knowledge, he likely wouldn’t have been spared either.
When Wang An called, Fang Huai was in the middle of slicing radish strips.
He was taking this meal very seriously. His movements were careful and precise. It had been a while since he last cooked properly, and worried that he might be out of practice, he had even done some prep work in the past few days.
The gift for Ye Yuyuan was already prepared and placed in the cabinet. Last night, he had clumsily wrapped it and put it in a box. Fang Huai didn’t have much money. The prize money from Stellar Light hadn’t been paid out yet, and for now, he was surviving on the stipend from Starlight Entertainment.
After buying the gift, he barely had anything left.
But Ye Yuyuan had helped him with so much. No matter how small the gesture, it was worth it.
The phone rang.
“Hello?” Fang Huai paused his chopping and picked up the call.
“Fang Huai, hello. This is Wang An, Frost’s music director.”
Wang An had previously tried to manipulate Fang Huai into working on Frost for free. Now, he sounded a bit awkward.
“Are you free right now?”
Fang Huai was slightly taken aback. He turned on the faucet, rinsed his hands, and gave a soft “Yeah.”
“If possible, can you come over tonight? It’s just in the neighboring city. Everything is ready—the study and recording studio are fully equipped.”
He was referring to the songwriting process.
Frost hadn’t started filming yet, but the set locations were already prepared, and the crew was steadily getting things in order. They wanted Fang Huai to experience the atmosphere, familiarize himself with Frost’s background and story, and begin composing as soon as possible. By tomorrow, they hoped he could at least establish a rough melody and structure.
They hadn’t originally planned to rush things like this, but the public backlash was getting out of hand.
This wasn’t just an ordinary controversy.
If Frost was already embroiled in drama before shooting even began, the damage to its reputation could be irreversible.
They were desperate for Fang Huai to return to normal in the very next second and write the song.
And… Wang An thought, if Fang Huai truly couldn’t produce anything, he wouldn’t mind replacing the composer again. Fang Huai’s appointment had already been controversial from the start, and now he was bringing them so much trouble. They had already gone back on their decision once—what difference would a second time make?
Of course, he wouldn’t say any of this out loud.
And it wasn’t as if he could be blamed for being cold-hearted—this was just how things worked. Fang Huai had chosen the worst possible time to lose his inspiration. Compared to an artist, Wang An was more like a businessman, and that was precisely what Lin Shengyun disliked most about him.
Lin Shengyun was an artist. Wang An was not.
Coming from a production background, Wang An had always understood how to maximize benefits and extract the greatest value with the lowest cost. He wasn’t a terrible person—he simply put profits first.
Speaking of which, Wang An still didn’t understand why Lin Shengyun had suddenly announced the composer before. It had come out of nowhere, and to this day, the reason remained a secret.
Shaking off his thoughts, Wang An refocused on the conversation.
“Yeah,” the young man curled his index finger and lightly touched his nose. His light brown eyes were clear yet unfocused. The curtain was half-drawn, veiling part of the night sky, and faint sounds of rain drifted in from afar. “You mean I have to go there tonight?”
“Do you have other plans?”
“I do.” Fang Huai replied seriously, “Watching the stars.”
It was a promise.
“It’d be best if you came,” Wang An hesitated for a moment, then added meaningfully, “You can watch the stars anytime, but songs don’t get written just whenever you want.”
If Fang Huai wasn’t a fool, he should understand the underlying message.
Fang Huai didn’t respond.
At some point, the call had already ended.
Outside the kitchen, the man standing there remained silent.
When he heard the words “watching the stars,” his breath suddenly caught.—He had thought Fang Huai had forgotten, or maybe subtly declined. But no, he hadn’t.
Ye Yuyuan’s damp bangs clung to his forehead as he paused mid-motion, towel in hand. His gaze softened.
The living room was dimly lit, with only the warm glow of the kitchen light spilling through the half-open door, casting a romantic and gentle hue. A breeze swept through the hallway—though it was raining tonight, the starlight remained brilliant.
*
A few minutes later.
Fang Huai had finished cutting up some fruit. As he stepped out with the plate in hand, his eyes met the man standing by the door.
The night was gentle, the evening still young, and the glow of the lights mingled with the lingering warmth of the air.
After a moment of silence, Ye Yuyuan asked in a low voice, “Do you want to write it?”
Do you want to write Frost’s theme song?
It took Fang Huai a few seconds to realize what he meant. He was stunned for a moment before nodding.
He really liked Frost’s story—it had deeply moved him. If he hadn’t lost his inspiration, he might have already written it by now.
Ye Yuyuan was silent for a moment.
His gaze fell on the desk calendar—On the calendar, there were a line and a half of musical notes scribbled hastily. The handwriting was somewhat messy, clearly written in a rush. The first line was crammed with notes, only slowing down midway through the second.
That short line and a half of notes felt like a small burst of fireworks, igniting suddenly and catching one off guard, bringing both surprise and brilliance.
Vibrant, brimming with life and inspiration.
