69: Chapter 69 Three Million? I'll Give You Three Hundred Million Back

At 6:05, Jiang Fan arrived.

The private restaurant by the Bund was hidden on the second floor of an old Republican-era western-style house.

The entrance wasn't large and had no sign, but once you pushed the door open, you realized there was a whole new world inside.

A few unknown oil paintings hung on the walls, and the lighting was adjusted just right, making it impossible to see people's faces clearly.

Su Yuyan was already sitting inside.

She had changed into a black velvet dress, her hair was done up, and she wore a pair of long, slender pearl chain earrings.

Her makeup had also been touched up, and the tear mole at the corner of her eye looked particularly striking, highlighted by sequins.

The career woman who had been discussing the Arrangement in the conference room just a moment ago had transformed into a seductress upon changing her outfit for the date.

Jiang Fan pulled out a chair and sat down, glancing at the dishes on the table.

Garlic roasted oysters, scrambled eggs with chives, mutton stewed with goji berries, and oyster tofu soup.

"Teacher Su."

"Hmm?"

"Are you treating me to dinner, or are you trying to nourish me?"

"These are just the signature dishes of this private restaurant; what are you thinking?"

Su Yuyan slowly raised her eyes to look at him.

"If you don't think you need them, you don't have to eat them."

Jiang Fan picked up the soup spoon, ladled a bowl of oyster soup, and took a big gulp.

"I didn't say I wasn't going to eat."

Su Yuyan took out her phone from her bag, turned to a page, and handed it over.

"Listen to this."

Jiang Fan took it.

On the screen was the final mix of "perfume is poisonous".

After listening to the whole song, Jiang Fan took off the headphones.

"No problems. You sang it even better than I imagined."

The corners of Su Yuyan's mouth curled up.

"I plan to release it in a couple of days."

"No rush." Jiang Fan took a sip of soup.

Su Yuyan's chopsticks paused.

"No rush? The promotional schedule is all set, and you're telling me there's no rush?"

"My own songs are being released in a batch these next few days. If you release it now, the traffic will be much lower. Wait until the data for my batch of songs passes its peak, then you release it. By then, the popularity of my songs will have receded, and your "perfume is poisonous" will fit perfectly."

Su Yuyan thought about it.

Jiang Fan's new songs had been terrifyingly popular lately, and Tencent Music was giving them all S-level recommendation spots.

Releasing at the same time would indeed cannibalize each other's traffic.

"Fine, I'll listen to you."

She picked up her wine glass and swirled it.

"By the way, there's something I want to talk to you about."

"Go ahead."

"Our company has taken on a music collaboration for a film project. The director is Director Lu Chuan. The production team is looking for someone to write the theme song, with a budget of three million."

Jiang Fan picked up a bite of food with his chopsticks.

A three-million theme song was top-tier pricing in the industry.

"What kind of film is it?"

"Campus youth. The production team originally wanted me to sing it, but I don't think my voice is necessarily suitable."

"Did you bring the script? Let me see."

"The script is at my place."

Su Yuyan's expression was perfectly normal when she said this.

She poked at the oysters on the plate with her chopsticks, "How about we go over and take a look after dinner?"

Jiang Fan put down his chopsticks and looked at her.

"Just to look at the script?"

Su Yuyan raised her eyelids and popped the oyster into her mouth.

"Of course to look at the script. It's a three-million job; aren't you planning to take it seriously?"

Her toes brushed against his calf under the table, then she pulled them back as if nothing had happened.

"What, don't want to go?"

"I'll go."

Su Yuyan chuckled and raised her plum wine glass.

"Then let's eat first."

The two clinked glasses.

The plum wine was sweet, with little alcohol taste at first, but the aftereffect was hard to say.

Dinner lasted until 8:30.

The conversation drifted from the film theme song to the progress of the Arrangement for "the great wind blows", and then circled back to the preparations for Shen Nian to appear on "The Sound of Nature".

"Director Fang Yiming has a stubborn temper; if he says he won't cut it, he won't." Su Yuyan rested her chin on the back of her hand, "Are you really confident about Shen Nian's mental state?"

"No problem."

Su Yuyan hummed in acknowledgment and didn't press further.

"Let's go." Su Yuyan stood up, grabbed her bag, and put on her hat and mask.

It wasn't far from the private hotel by the Bund from last time, and the two walked along the river.

Su Yuyan walked on his right side, her shoulder occasionally brushing against his arm.

Ten minutes later, they went upstairs.

That Steinway was still sitting in the center of the living room, its black lacquered surface reflecting the lights of the river view outside the window.

Su Yuyan dug out a kraft paper document from the desk drawer, pulled out the printed manuscript, and handed it to Jiang Fan.

Jiang Fan took it and sat down on the sofa.

Su Yuyan went to the wine cabinet, opened a bottle of red wine, poured two glasses, and placed one on the coffee table beside him.

She kicked off her high heels, walked barefoot on the carpet to the piano, sat down, and let her fingertips fall onto the keys, playing a random tune.

Jiang Fan opened the script outline.

The skeleton of the story was very familiar—in their high school days, the male and female leads fell in love and spent a simple, beautiful time together.

Entering university, tests of love and friendship followed one after another.

In between, they experienced misunderstandings and quarrels, eventually breaking up on a rainy day.

Years later, at a friend's wedding, everyone gathered again, and they were already each other's lovers with other people.

When Jiang Fan turned to the last page, the piano music stopped.

Su Yuyan walked over with a red wine glass and sat down at the other end of the sofa.

"Finished reading?"

"Finished."

"How is it?"

"The entry point for the theme song could start with regret and remorse. Write about the things that are irreversible after a choice is made."

Su Yuyan held her glass and looked at him.

"You can tell all that from a few pages of an outline?"

"The emotional thread is clear; the rest is a matter of film production and has nothing to do with the song."

Su Yuyan took a sip of wine.

"Three million, are you taking it?"

"Of course I am. But I have a condition."

"What condition?"

"Who sings it, I decide."

Su Yuyan frowned.

"After the song is written, who has the most suitable voice—that decision power is in my hands. If an unsuitable person sings it, even the best song will be discounted."

Su Yuyan looked at him.

After three or four seconds, she put down the glass.

"Fine. I'll go talk to the production team."

She leaned against the sofa armrest, her body tilting towards Jiang Fan.

"The script has been looked at, and the conditions have been discussed."

"Hmm."

"Then let me ask you—" Su Yuyan's voice lowered by half a degree, "Do you really believe I only called you here tonight to look at the script?"

Jiang Fan turned his head.

Su Yuyan was looking at him, the tear mole at the corner of her eye distinct under the warm light.

"I believe you," Jiang Fan said.

Su Yuyan froze for a moment.

She probably hadn't expected Jiang Fan to give this answer.

The next sentence she had prepared was stuck in her throat, leaving her in a dilemma.

Silence for two seconds.

Su Yuyan got up and straddled Jiang Fan's lap, snatched the script from his hand, and tossed it onto the coffee table.

"Then you believed wrong."

The scent of red wine mixed with that rose perfume wafted over.

"The script has been read." Su Yuyan's knees pressed onto the sofa cushion, facing him directly, "It's time to discuss business."

Jiang Fan didn't move.

Su Yuyan lowered her head, her lips brushing against his earlobe.

"Three million, you have to show some sincerity, right?"

Jiang Fan reached out and clasped her waist.

Su Yuyan let out a muffled groan.

The next second, she was flipped over, her back pressed into the sofa cushion.

Jiang Fan's hands braced on both sides of her head, her hair fanning out, covering half the cushion.

"Three million is too little. How about I pay you back three hundred million?" Jiang Fan looked down at her.

Su Yuyan's smile froze for a second—then she realized what Jiang Fan was talking about, and her cheeks instantly turned red.

"You rogue."

—

Su Yuyan later was carried horizontally into the bedroom.

Her velvet dress was crumpled in a ball at the foot of the bed.

At one moment, she bit Jiang Fan's shoulder, her voice squeezed out from her throat, laced with a crying tone.

"Jiang Fan—are you... really not human..."

Jiang Fan brushed her scattered hair aside.

"Teacher Su, speak nicely if you have something to say."

Su Yuyan didn't even have the strength to glare at him anymore.

—

1:00 AM.

The system panel floated into Jiang Fan's field of vision.

[Total Lifespan Value gained: 3000 points] (Deep Compatibility × 3)

[Current Lifespan Value: 24500 points]

[Remaining Lifespan: 13 days 5 hours]

Jiang Fan directly exchanged for 45 days of lifespan.

Su Yuyan lay on the pillow, one hand resting on Jiang Fan's arm, her thumb unconsciously rubbing the patek philippe on his wrist.

"Who gave you this watch?"

"A friend."

"Xu Qingya?"

Jiang Fan didn't speak.

Su Yuyan hummed.

"Nautilus, one point two million and up. She's certainly generous."