Chapter 40, "As Long As I Have You," is a sure win!

After spending two days on set, Shi Shi handed "As Long As I Have You" to Jiang Haichao. There was no need to prepare another song as a backup; this one was perfect!

Sure enough, after she presented this song, Jiang Haichao's attitude towards her changed completely. "I wasn't wrong about you; you really are talented."

Just as Shi Shi was about to exchange a few polite words, Jiang Haichao, seemingly sensing her thoughts, interrupted her again.

"It was Zhixu who asked me to go to your place to ask for a song. It was just a favor, nothing much. I didn't expect you to be so capable."

It really was Fu Zhixu. Although Shi Shi had suspected it, she was still relieved when Jiang Haichao actually said it. She didn't feign reluctance to refuse the cooperation. The original owner of this body was already dead, and now they're pulling this stunt? She accepted this small compensation without hesitation.

"I wouldn't dare not do my best, otherwise I would be too unworthy of the title of my ex-wife!" Shi Shi winked playfully.

Seeing that she, like Fu Zhixu, spoke so frankly about divorce, Jiang Haichao was somewhat bewildered. Could Shi Shi's previous declaration of divorce have been true? He had been out of the spotlight for quite some time now. The entertainment industry had finally turned into a place he no longer recognized.

After reaching an agreement, Shi Shi called Song Ming to inform her of the progress. She also booked her return flight and planned to return to Kyoto the next day. Shi Shi booked business class; since arriving, she hadn't suffered any hardship in terms of material conditions, at least not in any other aspect.

Admittedly, her current house and car have lifted her out of poverty, but in Kyoto, where land is incredibly expensive, this is her most leisurely lifestyle. The capital is a city with a huge gap between rich and poor. Some people live in dark, sunless basements, yearning to one day soar to the top, while others live in mansions worth billions, where even a single brick in the toilet costs seven figures. It has the most ruthless social pace, but also endless opportunities to transcend social classes.

Shi Shi felt her blood burning. Recalling her past life, she had seen a glimmer of hope in Shanghai when she first started working, but her family of origin dragged her back down into the mire. She once thought that returning to her small hometown would be a peaceful haven. However, everything turned out to be a huge disappointment.

The burning passion within her told her that she had never been content with her fate.

Looking at the bank notification on her phone that the money had been deposited into her account, she closed her eyes. Since she was already here, she might as well give it her all. At worst, she'd 'die' again.

While waiting for his flight, Fu Yingzhou saw Shi Shi; she was much prettier in person than on screen. Ever since hearing "Ru Yuan" (如愿), he'd been addicted, listening to it on repeat as soon as he got home. He wasn't the eldest son, and his family's expectations of him weren't as high as his older brother's. He was very smart, always ranking at the top of his class. But that didn't mean he liked textbooks; in fact, he didn't enjoy reading at all.

His childhood was mostly accompanied by some meaningless books and some vulgar music.

In the Fu family, only classics, histories, philosophical works, and literary collections were considered respectable books; only classical music was considered elegant.

It must be said that patriotic songs are very inspiring; these kinds of songs are like aphrodisiacs, putting people in a state of excitement. Once the sweet voice enters your ears, it will entice you to keep going. Just like a man's "last time," those who know, know. You think you can fall asleep to the song right away, but in reality, you've been listening to it silently all night.

Fu Yingzhou works in the Veterans Affairs Department, a department that sounds cold and unpopular, as if you'd be stuck in a dead-end job for life. But that's not the case. Modern China has many departments under the State Council. Besides sensitive departments like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of State Security, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Education are also formidable. Once you enter politics and reach the heart of the nation, your decisions are no longer entirely up to you.

Fu Yingzhou's ability to join the Veterans Service Department in his early thirties was closely related to his status as a fourth-generation member of the elite military. Apart from him and his fourth uncle, the entire Fu family had served in the military. He was representing the department on a trip to the south to inspect the implementation progress of the newly promulgated Veterans Service Regulations. Unexpectedly, he ended up on the same flight as Shi Shi on her return journey.

Even more coincidentally, the two were seated next to each other.

Shi Shi spotted Fu Yingzhou at a glance. Anyone who saw him in the crowd would take a second look.

This was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Compared to Fu Zhixu's world-weary face, Zhao Xiao's subtly arrogant face, and Gu Yanting's model-like face, the man before her was truly unattainable. There are some people who don't need to do anything; just by quietly sitting there, they are like an insurmountable peak, inspiring awe and fear. Although he didn't directly meet Shi Shi's gaze, his underlying aura alone was enough to make one feel that when this man looked at someone, his gaze would inevitably reveal a sharp, razor-sharp look.

He wore a well-tailored suit of trousers that perfectly accentuated his long, straight legs, as if every line had been meticulously sculpted. More noticeably, although his clothes lacked prominent logos, the superior fabric and exquisite workmanship clearly indicated their high value, suggesting he was a big shot in some field. Shi Shi deduced that this man must be a powerful and influential figure in his domain.

Noticing Shi Shi's gaze, Fu Yingzhou glanced back, and that single glance gave Shi Shi the feeling of being stared at by a wild beast. Shi Shi quickly pulled an eye mask from her backpack. Sleep was the most important thing! Handsome men weren't for her; she didn't need to look!

The moment the girl blindfolded herself, a faint smile quietly appeared on Fu Yingzhou's previously expressionless face. If Liang Zhan were here at that moment, he would surely have been able to keenly perceive this subtle change and immediately realize that his leader was in an unusually good mood today. Unfortunately, he was sitting in the back row and couldn't see it.

Liang Zhan: I deliberately bought a seat in the back row for the leader! Who would dare sit next to the leader? I've mastered this social skill so easily! I'm such a clever little devil!

She looked extremely tired; she had barely put on the eye mask before falling into a deep sleep. The eye mask was simply slipped over her head, leaving her once smooth, black hair somewhat disheveled. Especially on the top of her head, several strands of hair lay scattered haphazardly like runaway children. Not only that, but a few particularly mischievous strands had even gotten tangled in the eye mask straps, making Fu Yingzhou's fingers suddenly itch. He wanted to comb her long hair.

She was fast asleep, soundly enjoying her sleep. With each even, soft breath, her rosy cheeks puffed up and down like inflating balloons, a sight that made him chuckle. In her sleep, her head was tilted to one side, a posture that involuntarily reminded him of the chubby, large cat they used to keep in their yard when he was a child. That cat always looked like this when it curled up in a ball to sleep, making him want to gently stroke its tuft of fur.

Looking down her face, you could even faintly see the bluish veins beneath her slender, fair neck, through her translucent, jade-like skin. When awake, she resembled a proud little swan; when asleep, she transformed into a soft, cuddly, and endearing kitten, quiet and obedient.