Chapter 11: Gift

The day before the live stream, Xi Nian arrived at Xiangtan very early. She expected to see her idol right away, but Aunt Su told her Lin Qinghe wouldn’t be out of class for a while.

She sat on the living room sofa, bored, waiting for him. Aunt Su set out some snacks, fruit, and refreshments to entertain her.

After a while, she saw Cen Han walk in, dressed in a black suit.

“Brother Cen Han.” She stood up and greeted him. “I’m here to help Brother Qinghe with his live stream.”

Ever since Lin Qinghe signed with Starlight Entertainment, Cen Han had paid little attention to the details. Chen Dong handled all the arrangements, and Cen Han rarely got involved. Only occasionally would Zhang Hua mention a few things to him, mainly to keep him informed of the progress.

Cen Han nodded. “Don’t stand on ceremony. If you run into any trouble, you can find Liang Shu.”

Liang Shu was another of Cen Han’s assistants.

Xi Nian smiled. “Alright.”

Some friends had invited Cen Han to play golf. Little Li was already waiting outside. Cen Han left Xi Nian with a casual “make yourself at home” before departing the villa.

Xi Nian didn’t have to wait long. Lin Qinghe came out with his teacher. Aunt Su walked the teacher to the door, and then Lin Qinghe turned around and met Xi Nian’s gaze.

“Brother Qinghe.” This was the second time Xi Nian had seen Lin Qinghe. The appreciation in her eyes hadn’t diminished one bit from the first time, and her smile carried a hint of sweetness.

Since Lin Qinghe had just joined Starlight Entertainment and didn’t yet have his own space, they decided he would stream from home for convenience. The villa had plenty of empty rooms, so that wasn’t an issue. Besides, compared to the company, the villa’s setup was more comprehensive. If they needed anything, Liang Shu could just arrange it. Liang Shu was well-compensated for working overtime and took care of everything meticulously.

“Relax. Tomorrow, just greet everyone first and chat casually—about food or clothes, anything works. Once the atmosphere heats up, you can get to the main topic.” Xi Nian used her phone to enter the shared live stream room and confirmed the picture on the screen looked normal. Then she continued, “Streaming for two hours is just right in the beginning. Leave them wanting more. At the end, give a preview of the next live stream’s content. That helps attract viewers.”

Xi Nian looked like a young girl, but she was meticulous and efficient in her work, never dragging her feet. Lin Qinghe witnessed the contrast in her character and deeply felt that he shouldn’t underestimate this kind of competence.

He asked, “Is there anything else I should pay attention to?”

“For now, nothing else, Brother Qinghe.” Xi Nian exited the interface. Within a single day, she had once again fallen in love with this job. When they had contacted each other on WeChat before, she had once thought Lin Qinghe was a bit aloof because all his replies were very curt.

But now she realized she had been wrong. Lin Qinghe was incredibly easy to communicate with. He probably just kept a clear boundary with people he wasn’t familiar with.

Seeing that Xi Nian had finished speaking, Lin Qinghe gave a slight nod and said slowly, “I have a question. Is a Ferrari worth a lot of money?”

Xi Nian fell into an uncharacteristic silence. Why did she hear a tone of excitement in his voice?

Though she didn’t know the exact circumstances, she figured anyone who could live in Cen Han’s house definitely wasn’t short on money. After all, Cen Han controlled such a vast commercial empire. Could he possibly let Brother Qinghe go hungry or cold?

With that in mind, she replied, “It’s alright. In a live stream, a Ferrari is worth two hundred thousand, but it’s not the most expensive gift. The most expensive one is the Yacht, which costs five times as much as a Ferrari. Since you brought it up, let me add a couple more things. It’s normal for people to send gifts. Usually, just thanking them or letting them request a song in return is fine. If they try to harass you or have other intentions, tell me, and I’ll absolutely make sure they regret it!”

No kidding. Could her idol be profaned by ordinary mortals?

Lin Qinghe nodded in agreement with Xi Nian, regardless of the specifics.

People only hear what they want to hear, and his attention lingered solely on that two hundred thousand figure.

His teacher had said that two hundred thousand was more than enough for a comfortable life for a whole year. If a single live stream could bring in two hundred thousand, he’d happily stream twenty times.

He was already thinking about those nonexistent Ferraris before the broadcast even began.

“Nice shot!”

“Not bad, Gu Yan, you’re getting better and better.”

“Right? He’s about to surpass me!”

“Get lost, you guys, stop it.”

On the golf course, a few young men from prominent families gathered together, laughing and joking. These were all Cen Han’s friends: childhood playmates, classmates from school, and compatible business partners. No matter how busy they were, they always made time to maintain their connections.

After one round of the game, they took a short break. Attendants brought over towels and drinks.

Fu Li casually wiped the sweat from his body and picked up a glass of White Peach Town. He preferred juice over alcohol.

Lazing on a recliner, he chatted idly, “Lately, that rascal of a younger brother of mine has been misbehaving again, driving the old man at home up the wall.”

Gu Yan chuckled. “Isn’t that a good thing? The worse he acts, the more it benefits you.”

Fu Li’s younger brother wasn’t his biological brother; they shared neither the same father nor the same mother. The second wife of the Fu family had brought along her child from a previous marriage when she married in—Jiang Chengcheng, five years younger than Fu Li, now renamed Fu Chengcheng.

Fu Li denied it. “What’s good about it? In the whole Fu family, no one can handle him except me. In the end, the old man makes me clean up his mess.”

Cen Han curved his lips slightly upward. “Don’t say that. Your brother actually listens to you quite well.”

Xi Yun, beside him, also smiled.

Fu Li felt he must have owed his brother something in a previous life, and now he was here to collect the debt in this one.

“You know that Yang kid, right? The one who likes playing around with men, especially male entertainers. Old Man Fu found out Fu Chengcheng was hanging around him too much and warned him that if he kept mixing with shady characters, his credit cards would be cut off.”

“Knowing your brother’s temperament, I’m guessing he talked back.”

“Yeah, he retorted, ‘So liking men is shady now?’ and got smacked on the spot by the old man with a stick.”

“Uncle Fu has it rough, at his age.”

Fu Li didn’t sound very sincere. “He deserves it. Who told him to spoil him rotten? Anyway, to get his allowance, my brother played nice in front of me and quietly let me know that Yang Xingming has his eye on a pipa master who suddenly got famous on Seven Notes. He said the guy is very good-looking and is trying to figure out how to get close.”

“When I looked up that pipa master, he really is quite good-looking. I just worry Fu Chengcheng might pick up bad habits running around with Yang Xingming.”

The words “pipa master” landed in Cen Han’s ears. He set down his wine glass and asked, “Is that so? What does he look like?”

Xi Yun raised an eyebrow and teased, “Fu Li, looks like President Cen is interested. Show him.”

“Forget it, not Cen Han. He’s only interested in work.”

Even so, Fu Li opened the chat log with his brother. For Cen Han to ask what someone looked like was a rare thing.

“Here.”

Xi Yun glanced at it, feeling nothing special—at most, he thought the melody was nice.

Gu Yan, on the other hand, had seen Lin Qinghe and knew the story of how Cen Han had found him near the big road by the villa. His mind spun, and he realized Cen Han was confirming who Yang Xingming had his eye on.

The figure on the screen was very familiar. Sure enough, with Lin Qinghe’s looks, it was only a matter of time before he caught the attention of certain people. Cen Han made no comment on his appearance.

He pushed away the phone in front of him, stood up, and grabbed his long club. He strode forward a few steps, took aim at the ball, and swung twice.

Then he spoke. “When you go back, have your brother tell Yang Xingming not to target any artists from my company.”

In the next instant, the ball shot forward like an arrow released from a bow and landed squarely in the hole.

The Western Capital, dyed red by the setting sun, took on a dreamy hue. Skyscrapers rose in tight rows, their glass walls reflecting the beautiful evening glow.

A Rolls-Royce moved through the traffic, passing a green light and turning onto East Ninth Street. Out of the corner of his eye, Zhang Hua spotted a striking sign that read: Zither Fragrance Port.

“Chen Dong mentioned Mr. Lin is starting a live stream tomorrow. He’s been practicing quite diligently lately, and he already has quite a few fans who like him.”

“Mm.” Cen Han responded absentmindedly. Living under the same roof, his chances to talk with Lin Qinghe were limited; official business was just too busy.

“My girlfriend even mentioned Mr. Lin’s videos to me. His playing is divine. It would be strange if he didn’t become popular.”

Starting tomorrow, Lin Qinghe would meet the public, marking the official start of his career. Every teacher who instructed him used words like “hardworking” and “dedicated” when reporting to Cen Han.

Sticking with it all the way through was no simple feat, especially since Lin Qinghe’s hometown wasn’t here.

Cen Han thought of something.

After a moment, his voice came out deep and slow. “Turn around. Go to Zither Fragrance Port.”

Zither Fragrance Port welcomed an honored guest. The general manager personally came out to receive him, opened a catalog, and introduced in detail the materials and prices of various instruments, then respectfully inquired about Cen Han’s requirements.

The words circled on his tongue. Cen Han changed tack. “It’s a gift… for a friend. He’s skilled at the pipa.”

A friend who could receive a wristwatch worth tens of millions was definitely wealthy and influential. The gift had to be presentable, one that would reflect both the giver’s generosity and the importance of the friend.

The manager recommended, “What do you think of this pipa? It’s the work of a master craftsman, having undergone over a hundred steps, entirely handmade. Made of red sandalwood, with a bright, clear tone, a beautiful form—truly one of a kind.”

The real-life picture in the catalog was eye-catching. Zhang Hua couldn’t help but remark, “This suits Mr. Lin perfectly.”

The manager brightened and looked at Cen Han. “What do you think?”

Cen Han didn’t deliberate for long. He tapped the picture with his index finger and made his decision. “This one.”

Because the instrument was extremely expensive, it wasn’t stored at the shop itself and needed to be transferred from another location. The entire process, from transport to packaging, took over forty minutes.

Zhang Hua drove the car back to Xiangtan, then unloaded the instrument case from the trunk and placed it on the coffee table in the first-floor hall. Aunt Su invited him to stay for tea, but he said he had to go pick up his girlfriend, who was getting off work.

“These days, men like Assistant Zhang are rare,” Aunt Su shook her head and sighed. Then she looked at Cen Han. “Is that a pipa inside? A gift for Qinghe?”

Cen Han strode deeper into the house. “It’s for him, as a gift.”

Aunt Su followed behind. “That’s quite ceremonial of you. Qinghe only went back to his room for a nap at four in the afternoon. He probably hasn’t woken up yet. He should be very happy when he receives it.”

Lin Qinghe slept until close to five-thirty.

He changed his clothes and passed through the living room, where Aunt Su was watering the pothos she had brought back.

“You’re awake. Cen Han’s back too. We’ll have dinner soon.”

Aunt Su contentedly fiddled with a pothos leaf, then turned around with a mysterious expression. “Qinghe, that box on the coffee table—open it and take a look.”

Lin Qinghe’s gaze fell on the instrument case. He stepped forward and opened it. Inside was a very beautiful pipa. His voice lifted slightly. “This is…?”

Aunt Su smiled on her face. “A gift from Mr. Cen.”

Just from the appearance, he could tell it was extremely valuable. Lin Qinghe gently touched the strings, somewhat reluctant to put it down.

Seeing how much he liked it, Aunt Su pointed upstairs. “He was on a phone call just now. If you want to thank him, you can wait a moment.”

In a corner of the attic, Lin Qinghe found Cen Han. The other man leaned against the railing by the window, his posture relaxed, his expression unreadable.

Noticing the footsteps, Cen Han looked up. He put one hand in his trouser pocket and straightened up.

“Mr. Cen, thank you for your gift.” Lin Qinghe expressed his gratitude sincerely, then followed up with, “But no reward is given without merit.”

He couldn’t earn money right now. Although he loved the instrument in his heart, if he accepted another gift, his debt would grow too large.

Two million was a trivial sum to Cen Han. Holding a high position, he had always been surrounded by people. Things he gave away were never returned. “I thought it was fitting. Don’t feel burdened.”

“I think it’s still…” Lin Qinghe’s words were cut off.

“How are the preparations? For tomorrow’s live stream.”

“Mm… no problems.” Cen Han was deliberately changing the subject. Lin Qinghe felt he might not be able to refuse this pipa after all, because those in high positions all shared a certain trait: they did not allow rebuttals.

“This pipa is a fine piece. When a gentleman gifts something one cherishes, one should naturally be deeply grateful…”

“Lin Qinghe.” Cen Han dipped his head slightly and smiled from a downward angle. “Are you playing word games with me?”

Lin Qinghe’s speech gradually slowed, and he finished his thought. “I can use the money I earn from the live stream to buy this instrument.”

“The money from the live stream?”

“Yes. Xi Nian said a Ferrari is worth two hundred thousand.”

Cen Han said, “Then you’ll have your work cut out for you. You’ll need ten Ferraris. What will you do?”

Lin Qinghe silently calculated. Ten. That was really expensive. But it wasn’t impossible, was it?

He was actually pondering it. Cen Han stepped back half a pace and said, “Don’t think too hard. Two hundred thousand, and the platform takes a cut. You’d only receive half.”

That meant twenty Ferraris.

Lin Qinghe suddenly felt it was a little difficult.

Cen Han’s mood had inexplicably improved. His tone was unhurried. “Just focus on your work. That’s more important than anything. Your worth far exceeds this single pipa.”