Chapter 25

Uncle’s friend Professor Alex sent someone to deliver prosthetic eyes to him!

Yang Yunran immediately got up as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, pushed the door open, and walked out of the recording studio, picking up the phone—

“Ex-husband?”

“…”

Yang Yunran’s expression froze. What did this have to do with Jiang Yi?

He couldn’t help but feel anxious. Professor Chen had promised him; he wouldn’t tell Jiang Yi. He nervously answered the phone and briskly walked outside.

Jiang Yi sounded unusual, with a hint of urgency in his voice. “Yunran, Professor Alex asked me to bring you something. Where are you in the recording studio?”

Yang Yunran was also nervous. “Why are you delivering it? Do you know what it is?”

Jiang Yi: “Isn’t it something like a sound card for your recording? The professor said you needed it urgently, so he asked me to bring it.”

How did the ex-husband turn into a delivery guy?

“Then, bring it up. I… I’ll wait for you in the bathroom!” Yang Yunran turned and went into the bathroom. He couldn’t let Jiang Yi see him like this. It was best if Jiang Yi didn’t know anything.

After he left the recording studio, Lin Wei communicated with his mother, “He’s Yang Yunran, I saw him a few days ago. He hadn’t had his eye surgery then. Maybe it’s inconvenient for him to take off his sunglasses, don’t force him.”

Lin, the manager, said, “Are you saying he had eyelid surgery?”

Zhou Kai said, “No wonder he wears such big sunglasses… can’t even see his face. Turns out he had eyelid surgery.”

Lin Wei slowly said, “I didn’t mean that. I just think it’s inconvenient for him. It’s better not to push him like this.”

Yang Yunran seemed very afraid to take off his sunglasses; there must be a reason. Either he was beaten or he really had undergone eye plastic surgery.

Lin Wei glanced outside and saw him heading to the bathroom again.

Yang Yunran hid in the cubicle, waiting for Jiang Yi to come upstairs.

Probably only waiting for about five minutes or so, Yang Yunran heard his voice.

“Yunran?”

Yang Yunran was too scared to notice the minor detail of him suddenly not calling out his full name and said, “I’m here!”

Jiang Yi’s voice was low, without obvious emotion, “I’ve brought the sound card for you.”

Yang Yunran opened the door with a crack and said, “Don’t look at me, I’m not wearing pants, give it to me quickly.”

Jiang Yi: “…Okay.” He closed his eyes and handed the box to Yang Yunran.

Like handing toilet paper to a little brother who forgot to bring it.

Yang Yunran took the box, wrapped in three layers of inner and outer packaging, and sighed with relief. He quickly closed the door and locked it.

It seemed Jiang Yi didn’t know what it was.

Jiang Yi said, “Do you need a small knife? The package needs to be opened.”

This time, Yang Yunran refused to open the door, saying, “Pass it to me from under the door crack.”

It felt like some secretive transaction… Jiang Yi squatted down and handed him a small knife.

Yang Yunran opened the package and took out a transparent box from which a prosthetic eye, similar to his previous one, was soaking in saline solution.

Yang Yunran quickly put it on. He had used prosthetic eyes made of various materials since childhood. The ones he used during his schooling were a bit scarier because they lacked motion tracking function; the eyeball didn’t move and looked lifeless, worse than not wearing one.

He tilted his head and rotated his eyeballs slightly, feeling a slight prick.

After adjusting for a while, Yang Yunran slowly opened his eyes. Saline solution flowed down from the corners of his eyes, resembling tears.

Yang Yunran opened the front camera on his phone to observe his temporary prosthetic eye.

The craftsmanship was obviously not as good as his custom-made one from the German hospital. The black eyeball had a delayed motion tracking function, it could move and had halos. There was a slight difference in the color of the irises on both sides, but from other people’s perspectives, as long as they didn’t observe closely, they probably couldn’t tell.

This was a product that Professor Alex made overnight. Yang Yunran was very grateful and finally felt relieved. With a “click,” he opened the bathroom door.

Jiang Yi was standing outside, sunlight falling on his shoulders and sides of his face as he turned to look at Yang Yunran.

Yang Yunran didn’t approach him, and said softly, “Thank you for bringing it over. I need to go record a song, but… why did you bring it? Is Professor Alex from your lab?”

“No.” Jiang Yi’s fingers trembled slightly, his voice calm. “I just happened to know. I was nearby, and it seemed the delivery was too slow. Professor Chen called me and said you needed this equipment for recording, so he asked me to hurry up and bring it. Did I delay you?”

Yang Yunran shook his head, looking at his face. “No, no, I’m going in.”

Jiang Yi asked, “Recording? Can I come in and listen? If not, I’ll wait for you outside.”

“You can come in.” Yang Yunran had just mentioned his eye surgery, so he put his sunglasses back on.

Lin Wei saw him accompanied by a tall and handsome man, quite trendy, with one black shoe and one white shoe.

Yang Yunran sought Lin Wei’s permission, “My friend wants to listen. Can I get him a pair of headphones?”

Lin Wei didn’t say anything, just nodded towards the headphones nearby, and said to Yang Yunran, “If you’re uncomfortable taking off your sunglasses, you don’t have to.”

“It’s okay.” Yang Yunran said, “I didn’t sleep well last night and I’m not in the best shape right now, but I’ve adjusted.”

“Okay.”

He opened the door of the recording studio, sat on a high stool in silence, put on headphones, and through a large glass, could see Jiang Yi, Lin Wei, and the camera sitting opposite.

Yang Yunran took off his sunglasses, closed his eyes, and made an OK gesture.

Lin Wei nodded, seeing no trace of eye bag surgery on him, his face pale and delicate. He let the recording director operate the console.

In the headphones came Yang Yunran’s own produced accompaniment music, the prelude very catchy. Jiang Yi didn’t know what song he was recording, and he didn’t listen to pop music much, so it felt unfamiliar.

Unfamiliar but pleasant.

Then at a certain point in the prelude, Yang Yunran held his headphones, opened his lips, and his voice blossomed, causing the audience to momentarily lose themselves—

Jiang Yi stared straight at Yang Yunran.

Lin Wei’s gaze became puzzled, and Yang Yunran adjusted his state too quickly and too well.

The audio track was broadcast to the office of a CEO in China.

Mr. Lin’s eyes suddenly lit up: “Yes!! That singing style!!! Hallelujah, my god!!!”

Zhou Kai stared at the screen in amazement: “Is it really Yang Yunran?”

Just now, half of his face was covered by big sunglasses, making it impossible to see his face clearly. Now that the sunglasses were removed, it was confirmed, it was him.

Mr. Lin said quickly, “Full of emotion, uniquely captivating singing style, lyrics as poetic, Zhou Kai, fly to Boston immediately and sign Yang Yunran for me!”

Listening to his singing, Zhou Kai was also moved: “But Mr. Lin, I have to remind you, Yang Yunran has a risk of being a controversial artist, and he doesn’t agree to sign a management contract…”

Mr. Lin: “Then offer him a condition he can’t refuse! With such a heavenly voice and angelic face, as long as those controversies are not criminal offenses, I can handle them.”

Zhou Kai pondered, “I think Yang Liming’s son should not lack money…”

Mr. Lin: “He wants fame, his dad can only throw money at him. Money can get him on shows, and invest in movies for him, but what if the audience doesn’t buy it? We need to promote and manage well and negotiate nicely, he may not refuse.”

Zhou Kai twitched his mouth, he had been to Hallelujah’s live studio and knew Mr. Lin was Hallelujah’s number one big brother, he said, “Alright, Mr. Lin, I will give it a try.”

Because Yang Yunran quickly adjusted back to his state, almost in one go, the recording director shouted, “Perfect!”

Yang Yunran: “Let me record it again, I didn’t handle a transition well.” He didn’t open his eyes throughout, his eyelashes quietly resting beneath his eyes, unaware of the expressions of the people outside, and that Jiang Yi had been watching him.

Previously, Jiang Yi had only heard him sing children’s songs.

He remembered them as melodious, casual, and pleasant during phone calls.

But Jiang Yi didn’t know then that his performance of pop music was an entirely different peak, like a clear spring nourishing the soul, as if time had stopped and everything was completely quiet.

Yang Yunran exuded a strong, captivating aura that held one’s gaze.

Why wasn’t he a famous singer? Instead, burdened with infamy?

Jiang Yi was slightly puzzled.

After Yang Yunran finished recording the third time, he immediately switched to another song.

After he finished singing, Lin Wei shouted, “Roy, do you want to come out and have some water and rest?”

Yang Yunran nodded and put on his sunglasses, lowering his head.

He walked out to drink water, looking at Jiang Yi through his sunglasses.

Lin Wei praised his singing, and Yang Yunran said thank you, still looking at Jiang Yi.

Jiang Yi had stayed up all night, without rest since last night, coupled with intense concentration, he now appeared slightly fatigued, albeit subtly.

His fingers were still tingling from being shocked while assembling electronic components.

“How many songs are you recording today?” Jiang Yi asked him.

Yang Yunran handed water to Jiang Yi, “Four more, we’ll finish in the morning. I’ll go in, could you hold this for me?”

Lin Wei noticed his lack of self-confidence had disappeared, replaced by composure and a smile, a change that began when this man called.

“Former husband”? Lin Wei glanced thoughtfully at the two.

Inside the recording studio, Yang Yunran took off his sunglasses, closed his eyes, and put on his headphones: “Let’s continue.”

At the other end of the live broadcast, Mr. Lin called the finance department: “Retrieve the contract and wire the payment to Hallelujah.”

Around two o’clock in the afternoon, recording finished.

Yang Yunran listened to the mixed recording himself and nodded, “It’s good.”

Lin Wei said, “You’re a very professional musician, thank you, and it’s been a pleasure working with you.”

Yang Yunran replied, “Thank you, Levi, it’s been a hard day.”

Then, he and Lin Wei shook hands again, this time without hesitation or avoidance, his confidence stemming from his physical well-being, thanks to Professor Alex and the errand boy, Jiang Yi.

Lin Wei glanced at his watch and said gently, “It’s afternoon, and we haven’t eaten yet. Would you like to join us for lunch? And you, sir?” He looked at Jiang Yi.

Without disturbing Yang Yunran’s cooperation, Jiang Yi remained silent.

Yang Yunran declined, “I have to go home to walk the dog. Sorry, Levi, maybe another day.”

He and Jiang Yi walked side by side to the elevator. Through the transparent glass of the elevator, they could see the waves

Boston Music School’s brick-and-mortar building, with towering spires and exquisite carved decorations, stood out.

Yang Yunran just asked Jiang Yi, “Are you hungry? Let me take you to Chinatown?”

Jiang Yi: “Yes.”

Jiang Yi rubbed his tingling fingertips. He hadn’t even had breakfast since last night. Then Yang Yunran said, “But I have to go home to walk the dog. How about getting a taco on the way to fill your stomach?”

Jiang Yi agreed. The two entered a nearby taco shop run by Mexicans. Yang Yunran ordered seafood, and Jiang Yi ordered chicken.

Both stood at the counter waiting for their orders, not speaking. Yang Yunran wore sunglasses, and Jiang Yi looked at him, then looked away and said, “Your singing… is very nice. The people in the recording studio said it was your original.”

“Yes.” Somehow, the two seemed a bit estranged, perhaps because they hadn’t seen each other for a few days. There was a hint of awkwardness in the air, like old flames about to be rekindled.

Yang Yunran didn’t want to reignite old flames, but he felt a bit intoxicated, every time he saw Jiang Yi’s face and figure, his mind was clouded. To be honest, this was why Yang Yunran didn’t want to go to his house for dinner or meet him.

What if he became infatuated again? Love-addled brains couldn’t be cured.

Jiang Yi’s rejection was still vivid, and he had no interest in humiliating himself.

Yang Yunran treated him to tacos, saying, “Here, consider it a favor.”

Jiang Yi drove him home, accompanied him to walk the dog in the park, and then went to Chinatown. In the car, Yang Yunran answered a call from Professor Chen, saying briefly, “I’m in Jiang Yi’s car… I treated him to a meal, he helped me out, very timely. I’m very grateful to Professor Alex. Uncle, could you ask for his email address? I want to contact him and thank him in person.”

Jiang Yi’s fingers on the steering wheel tightened imperceptibly.

Professor Chen chuckled on the other end, “Let’s talk about it later, he’s very busy.”

Yang Yunran: “Is he… so busy? Okay… Uncle, Professor Alex stayed up late to help me with this, I have to pay him, but how much is appropriate…”

He didn’t intend to let Professor Chen foot the bill for this. His dad had given him money, he could use it to patch up the holes.

Professor Chen paused. Jiang Yi had done him such a big favor, it was only right to pay him. For this kind of thing, one million was no big deal.

Professor Chen said, “I have a partnership with him, I’ll adjust the share of dividends appropriately. I’ll talk to him about the money, you don’t need to worry about it, kid…”

Jiang Yi interjected, “He doesn’t want money.”

Yang Yunran’s eyes behind the sunglasses glanced at him.

Jiang Yi was parking the car, his gaze fixed on the rearview mirror, his jawline sharp and distinct. “Professor Alex doesn’t want money.”

Yang Yunran: “Who said that?”

“I did,” Jiang Yi said, “I mean, when the professor gave me something.”

Yang Yunran “Oh” and then asked Professor Chen again, “Then how should I express my gratitude? I can’t just invite him to dinner. I can’t get away with that. I should give him something. Do foreigners not like gifts? Then what should I give? Sea cucumber, lingzhi tea…”

He muttered, and Professor Chen had no solution. “Ask Jiang Yi. He knows him anyway.”

Jiang Yi parked the car.

Yang Yunran poked him in the shoulder and said, “Hey, Jiang Yi, do you know what Professor Alex likes?”

Jiang Yi glanced at him. “I don’t know.”