All-rounder Artist

Last month, Lin Yuan’s earnings came to about 700,000 yuan in total.

It could have been more. After all, apart from the commission, Lin Yuan now has two songs that earn him a share of the revenue.

Despite losing the boost from the New Talent chart in its second month on sale, “Life Like A Summer Flower” still brought him a considerable income.

This song has currently reached a download count of 700,000, surely reaching a million within a few months won’t be a problem.

Moreover, he had also released “Big Fish” mid-month.

But the more money he earned, the more tax was deducted. The tax on a few tens of thousands was vastly different from the tax on hundreds of thousands.

Luckily, 700,000 yuan were more than enough to solve Lin Yuan’s current predicament.

Half past nine in the evening.

Lin Yuan called his sister.

His sister, who had graduated not long ago and was still an intern at a company, was called Lin Xuan. Her work kept her late usually.

“Hello, Lin Yuan.”

The call connected, his sister Lin Xuan’s voice carried a touch of fatigue and hoarseness: “1 just got home from work.”

Lin Yuan responded, “You should eat first.”

Lin Xuan chuckled, “I’m just boiling the water. 1’11 have some instant noodles in a bit. Mom told me a few days ago that you have some good news for me?”

It seemed Mom hadn’t spilled the beans yet.

Lin Yuan chose his words carefully, “Sis, do you know Xian Yu?”

“Xian Yu?”

Lin Xuan hesitated a moment, “Yes, I listen to music often. His songs are quite nice. Why, do you know him?”

Lin Yuan told her, “I am Xian Yu.”

Lin Xuan instinctively raised her voice, “You’re what fish?”

“Xian Yu.”

“Xian what?”

“Xian Yu.”

“Wait…wait a moment…let me take a minute..” Lin Xuan, being a young woman, was naturally quicker on the uptake than their mother. However, this news left her somewhat flustered.

After a good while, Lin Xuan finally came back to her senses, “Xian… Yu?”

Lin Yuan responded, “Yes.”

“Xian Yu!”

“Mhm-mhm.”

“Xian Yu!?”

The intensity of his sister’s tone grew with each iteration. Even Lin Yuan, known for his patience, was getting a little annoyed, “Yes, I am Xian Yu…but that’s not the point. The point is I’m planning to buy you a new phone.”

“You heartless boy!”

Lin Xuan immediately grew angry, “Just a phone? Don’t you remember how I treated you before? Let alone before, the clothes and shoes you wore to school were bought with the entirety of my first month’s intern salary!”

Lin Yuan couldn’t help but laugh, “How much do you want then?”

He got along very well with his sisters, so they never put on airs with one another. In fact, he quite enjoyed this way of interacting.

“That’s more like it.”

His sister huffed, “Don’t think I don’t understand the business. Composing is quite lucrative, and your songs are so popular. Just a phone won’t be enough. Add another five thousand yuan. 1 need to pay my rent. To make it easy, give me a total of ten thousand yuan!”

Lin Yuan reassured her, “Already transferred.”

Lin Xuan chuckled, “Okay, let me just check…”

The voice on the other end of the phone suddenly went quiet.

After a long silence, Lin Xuan finally spoke up again, her voice somewhat frantic, “Did you accidentally type an extra zero?”

Lin Yuan laughed, “No, not a mistake. One hundred thousand, it’s for you.”

Lin Xuan’s voice turned serious, “Lin Yuan! I appreciate your kindness towards me, but you need to be sensible. The money you have made should go to our mother. She borrowed a lot of money from our relatives and friends for your treatment. We need to pay all of that money back. 1 will keep a few thousand and give her the rest to decide how to use. You don’t have a problem with that, do you? Regardless if you do, what I say goes.”

“That’s the plan…”

Lin Yuan could only explain the situation to her once again.

His sister’s reaction progressed from shock to delight and finally ended in her bouncing around in joy. “You sent her money in the last month? And you made that much again this month? I don’t want to work anymore, dear brother! Oh my God, 1 don’t want to strive for success anymore!”

Lin Yuan:”…”

It seemed that his sister’s ability to cope was even worse than their mother’s.

After a long bout of nonsensical babbling, Lin Xuan finally calmed down, “Okay, we do as you say. We’ll pay off the debts at home first. But you can forget about getting this money back. The one hundred thousand is mine!”

“Yes, yes, all yours.”

Lin Yuan continued, “If you don’t want to strive for success, then don’t bother. Go back and attend university. You didn’t manage to pursue your master’s degree because of me, but you still have a shot now.”

“No.”

Lin Xuan refused, “You’re my brother and yet you don’t understand me at all? Do you really think I love studying that much? The thing I’ve hated most since childhood is going to school! It was always mom who nagged at me that a good education can help you get a good job. And I thought, getting a good job means earning money to fund your treatment. That’s why I forced myself to keep studying, studying, studying… studying till my brain blew up! Now that you’re earning so much money, why do 1 need to keep it up? I’m happy to just work diligently. Besides, 1 quite like my current job. If you can’t produce any more songs in the future, at least I can still support you, so we won’t end up destitute.”

“Alright.”

Lin Yuan agreed, “Then you decide for yourself.”

Lin Xuan laughed, “From childhood, I’ve always loved reading novels. Currently, I’m an intern editor at Ice River Publishing House and have met many famous novelists. I’ve been working for several months now. My performance is average. But I’ve collected a heap of autographs from novelists.” “So, you’re an editor?”

“Yep, didn’t 1 tell you about it before? You seem not to have remembered it… Let me tell you again, your sister is working at the Ice River Publishing House, just starting my career. In a while, I’ll probably get a permanent position!” “Alright, then please eat well for dinner from now on.”

Lin Yuan thought he could probably write a book at his sister’s place in the future.

The Superstar event held by Silver Blue Books was out of his reach as they were not the same company as his sister’s.

“Absolutely!”

Lin Xuan declared triumphantly, “How can 1 not treat myself with one hundred thousand yuan at my disposal? Starting from tomorrow, I’m going to switch to bucket instant noodles, and add two sausages!”

Lin Yuan:”…”

A true Lin sibling, through and through.

The two chatted for a while longer before ending the call.

Lin Yuan checked his account balance; he had about 600,000 yuan left.

Without sparing a thought, he transferred 550,000 to his mother and sent her a message:

“You can repay the debts now.”

The total family debt was over 500,000 yuan, which could now be cleared in one go.

His mother called him immediately, shocked, “Did you earn so much this month?”

“I was lucky, I got a commission.”

Lin Yuan briefly explained the situation to her.

Mom hung up abruptly and then texted him through the contact book, “Bad signal, will repay debts tomorrow.”

Lin Yuan sent back a smiley face.

He knew why his mother hung up. She probably wanted to let out a good cry without him hearing, so she chose to avoid the situation. However, he didn’t expose her.

With this issue resolved…

He lay flat on the school’s sports field, looking up at the starry sky. His heart was filled with a warm, peaceful feeling. He felt a sense of reality and solidity that he had never experienced before.

He recalled the day he first time-traveled, when he also lay on the sports field, looking at the stars.

But back then, he was faced with threats to life, family pressures. However, that moment lacked the comfort and satisfaction he felt now—

It’s great to be alive..