To earn Reputation Points, I have to give. To lower the heat, I can't give.
What to choose?
No, that's not right! Why shouldn't I give? I am her friend, and I'm not ugly, am I? People only fear rumors because they think they're negative news.
But I'm so handsome; even if it came out, it wouldn't be negative news, would it?
Moreover, as long as I'm not exposed, such rumors will always exist, and the heat will always be there. Isn't that a good thing?
As I release more and more songs, these rumors will inevitably continue. In the end, faced with an author of so many works, will everyone still shun them like a plague?
Who decreed that a Singer can't have friends, or that behind-the-scenes authors must be old and ugly, or that only certain transactions can lead someone to help?
Besides, if it comes down to it, revealing our connection wouldn't be negative news either, right? After all, it's a talented man and a beautiful woman.
Maybe people were scared by stories of various coal bosses, big capitalists, hidden rules, and insider news, leading them to preemptively believe that such rumors must be negative.
This is purely scaring myself.
If, in the end, netizens find out that the person behind Diva Xu Qingqiu is actually a handsome guy, where's the negative news?
Apart from some fans, netizens would probably be more eager to enjoy the gossip. After all, we're both unmarried, aren't we?
Since that's the case, it looks like I should still offer some works to Xu Qingqiu.
First of all, doing so would allow me to earn Reputation Points through her to nourish myself. Also, Chu Tian genuinely wants to offer her some compensation.
Although I'm no longer the original Chu Tian, the things this body has gone through are undeniable facts.
The things I've faced... it's true they're related to Xu Qingqiu, but to say they're *closely* related would be a stretch.
It's just that life is unpredictable. One could blame the original Chu Tian for being too naive and unguarded, and blame the others for their arrogance and lawlessness. Xu Qingqiu is just another victim in this affair.
Neither his poisoning nor his parents' deaths were things Xu Qingqiu wanted to happen. Yet she remembered this for five long years, continuously helping him, trying to make up for the guilt in her heart, and patiently bearing with his muddled state.
Never giving up for five years—just for that, Chu Tian ought to offer the girl some compensation.
Of course, this time I won't be as naïve as the first time, handing over works without even leaving a name, only to end up with the title 'Anonymous'.
So, what name should I use? My own is out of the question; I'm not ready to reveal myself so soon.
Plus, since these are all works of masters from my previous life, it wouldn't be right to shamelessly put my own name on them. Choosing a pseudonym is more suitable, both to hide my identity and to pay tribute to the authors from that other world.
As for the pseudonym, what should it be?
After much thought, Chu Tian finally decided on the pseudonym 'Youmeng'.
I came from Earth. These days, I've been fantasizing that this is all a dream. There's also that line of poetry: 'Nightly dreams bring me back to my homeland.'
Back to my homeland... Home is everyone's obsession. No matter how good this world is, it's still a foreign land. Returning home is every wanderer's deepest longing, even if only in dreams.
Choosing this name is also a kind of ethereal solace. Another reason is that the name 'Youmeng' sounds feminine, which could reduce the media pressure on Xu Qingqiu.
"That's decided then, my pseudonym will be 'Youmeng'!"
After deciding, he extracted the two new songs he'd acquired. As for "Red Roses," I'll keep that for now; there's no rush.
Looking at the two iridescent USB drives in his hand, Chu Tian plugged them into the computer and clicked on the files, planning to add his newly chosen name to the sheet music. But he soon discovered they appeared as images and couldn't be edited.
"System, I can't modify this. How can I add a name?"
[The host may set a stage name in the system, and the name will automatically appear on the materialized item after modification.]
"I've already materialized it. So, does that mean it can't be changed?"
[Modifications can be made to system products at any time. Would you like to modify?]
"No shit! If it can be modified, why the hell did you say so much? Just hurry up and change it. The stage name is 'Youmeng'," Chu Tian muttered.
Dealing with such a dimwitted system, Chu Tian was utterly speechless.
As he was thinking, the computer screen flashed, and the files on the USB drive were instantaneously modified.
Song "In the World": Lyrics: Youmeng, Composition: Youmeng, Arrangement: Youmeng
Song "Morning Bound for Midnight"...
Looking at the two revised songs, Chu Tian nodded in satisfaction.
"That's more like it. Now, with a proper name, I am the most mysterious big shot behind Xu Qingqiu, MWAHAHAHA..."
Chu Tian's face bore a villainous smirk as he tried to emulate the scenes from novels, aiming to exude an evil vibe, but that specific evil laugh from the novels was absurdly abstract. No matter how many times he tried, he couldn't capture the feeling described in the novels; instead, he looked like a complete fool.
"Who the hell writes this crap? Are humans even capable of making that sound? Do villains really laugh like this? With that kind of syllable, aren't they afraid the other person will laugh their teeth off?"
With a look of disdain, Chu Tian waved his hand and glanced at the clock—it was already 8 p.m. Surprisingly, there were still people working overtime in the office.
Impressive! Having hope really does make a difference, huh? People are even working overtime now?
He rubbed his nearly empty stomach. This isn't a good time to deliver songs; it's too easy to be discovered.
Alright then, I'll go downstairs for a meal first.
He put the USB drives from the computer into his pocket, flicked the hair hanging over his forehead, and casually walked out of the office with his hands in his pockets.
After eating grilled meat over rice at a restaurant downstairs and watching kids skateboard in the nearby park for a while, he returned to an empty office.
He punched in the password to open the office door, tiptoed inside to make sure no one was around, then headed to Xu Qingqiu's office. After double-checking, he entered '0813' into the lock.
BEEP BEEP.
Unlock successful! The password hadn't been changed. Well, what can I say? This beautiful boss is pretty stubborn. Or maybe she didn't expect me to come back, so she didn't change it? Or was she actually hoping I'd show up again?
Seeing the messy desk, cluttered from the busy last few days with no space to even place anything, Chu Tian frowned. He hesitated for a moment before briefly tidying up, then pulled out two USB drives from his pocket.
"Which song should I give her?" he muttered. "Should I just give her both? I can't sing them myself anyway, and I don't need them for now. I can always sing them later if I want. Is she going to charge me copyright fees? Might as well give her both. How she handles them is up to her."
Why not register the copyrights myself? Chu Tian had considered it, but he honestly had no need for money at the moment. It was all about Reputation Points. After registering a copyright, he would have to sign a licensing agreement; otherwise, Xu Qingqiu wouldn't dare to sing the songs. She was currently at the center of a storm, so extreme caution was warranted. How could she dare to sing songs of unclear origin, or even copyrighted songs if the licensing wasn't perfectly clear? The licensing agreement was another hurdle. Chu Tian would either have to appear in person or find a professional agent, but either way, his real name would be required.
Why bother with such a hassle? Do I really need these two songs?
Looking at the two USB drives on the desk, Chu Tian raised an eyebrow and left unhurriedly, as if nothing had happened.