Volume One, Chapter 25: What If You Reach the Seventh Ring? You Have Two More Rings Than the Fifth Ring

Li Huangene sat in the luxury business car, unable to stop herself from clutching her head.

Xiao Long, who had been her driver for three years, couldn't help but ask with concern, "Are you tired, Sister Huange?"

"It's not that I'm tired..." Li Huange said weakly.

"Then shall we head home or back to the office?"

Li Huange opened her eyes and looked ahead. "Aotian... did you watch the livestream today too?"

Long Aotian paused, pursing his lips to hide a smile. "Yes..."

Li Huange sighed.

Long Aotian hesitated for a moment before suddenly saying, "Sister Huange, to be honest, sometimes you are just too serious. I saw you looking a bit flustered on the show today... it was actually quite interesting."

Li Huange was taken aback.

"You're too exhausted. A show like this lets you stop thinking about the drudgery of work at the company and shows a side of you that people rarely get to see... It’s really quite good. You don't know this, but the employees at our company used to be terrified of you, but today... they all said you were... very cute!"

Li Huange felt a sudden conflict. Had she worn the mask of pressure for too long?

"Then tell me, should I ask Shen Qi to teach me... 'Ah-Kei-Ku... Hou-Hei'?"

"Pfft..."

...

When she opened the door upon returning home, Li Huange suddenly felt a sense of trepidation.

Shen Qi looked toward the door at Li Huange and raised an eyebrow.

Li Huange’s expression darkened. *Fine, fine. It’s my fault for not noticing the details of your little expressions before. Only today did I realize you’ve been putting on an act all this time! You are clearly head over heels in love with me, so why play it cool? Seeing me now, your heart must be ready to jump out of your chest, right?*

Shen Qi gently set down the teapot in his hand, his voice gentle and magnetic. "It's 11 o'clock. Would you like a late-night snack?"

*Still pretending? You bad man who sings about beating monkeys!*

"No!" Li Huange said, her tone sharp.

Shen Qi was slightly startled. *Tired? Sleepy? Stressed from work?*

"Then I'll go run a bath for you."

As Shen Qi got up to head toward the bathroom, Li Huange suddenly called out to him. "Sit down."

Shen Qi sat down obediently. "Everything went well at home today. Xiao Kun practiced piano and guitar, did some calligraphy, and ate quite a bit..."

Li Huange sneered inwardly. *Still keeping up this act of being gentle, intellectual, and caring?*

"It's July already, and I haven't released any songs this year..." Li Huange said.

Li Huange never discussed work with Shen Qi. What was the meaning of this abrupt, aimless statement?

"Then why don't you release one?" Shen Qi blinked his innocent eyes at her. Li Huange sighed powerlessly.

"Do you think I should sing a song that is a complete departure from my usual style?"

Shen Qi was puzzled, but adhering to his "customer-first" principle, he thought about it seriously. "I must state first that I really don't understand music! If you want to try a different style... Rap? Hip-hop? Or perhaps... 'Heipu-Haopu'?"

For three years, Shen Qi had always been this gentle. Whenever Li Huange had questions, he would provide suggestions but never make decisions for her, letting her find inspiration within his options. Now that she knew everything, Li Huange felt like a fool.

A problem suddenly occurred to her! She had to go to the TV station studio building for the show early tomorrow morning, and the day after that too. When would she have time to learn "monkey-beating"? That meant she only had tonight, tomorrow night, and the night after to learn. Based on her first day on *Mom’s Business Trip* and her knowledge of the chief director, Hong Tao, Li Huange was certain of one thing: if she didn't complete the task, the punishment would definitely be worse than learning to beat monkeys.

"Can you sing?"

Shen Qi felt Li Huange was being truly strange. "I just said, I don't understand music."

Li Huange’s expression visibly darkened, and Shen Qi’s heart sank as well. *What now? Our contract doesn't require me to be multi-talented, does it?*

"You hum a few tunes occasionally when you're at home; I'm a bit interested... So... sing some of the melodies you usually hum for me to hear."

At this moment, Li Huange felt she was truly clever. This reason was airtight!

Shen Qi asked skeptically, "Are you... sure?"

"Sure!" Li Huange felt as though she was about to achieve her goal. As long as Shen Qi sang the "monkey-beating" song, she would ask him to teach her a few lines. It didn't matter if she learned it or not; her phone was already recording. She could just sneak off and learn it later. Even if the production team demanded a live demonstration, she wouldn't be afraid. She was a diva; she had a great sense of rhythm and a talent for absorbing music. One lesson and she’d have it down—no problem!

Although Shen Qi didn't know why Li Huange was acting so strangely, the rules of being a "kept man" had to be followed. He had to be obedient.

"Then shall I... give you a couple of lines?"

"Go ahead!"

Shen Qi thought for a moment and, amidst Li Huange’s anticipation, finally opened his mouth.

"Ah~ ah-ah~ ah~ ah-ah~ Five Rings~~~"

"You have one more ring than the Four Rings!"

...

Shen Qi’s voice was even a bit effeminate, somewhat sharp. Li Huange couldn't react in time. Clearly, Shen Qi was singing with great flair, but the lyrics were truly beyond her understanding. Five Rings? The Olympic rings? Four Rings? The Audi logo?

...

"Ah~ ah-ah~ ah~ ah-ah~ Five Rings~~~"

"You have one less ring than the Six Rings!"

Shen Qi was incredibly vivid in his delivery. Li Huange felt her brain couldn't keep up. What on earth was a Six Ring?

...

"Finally one day~~~ you build to the Seven Rings~~~"

"If you build to the Seven Rings~~~ what will you do~~~"

Li Huange stared blankly at Shen Qi, her mind full of question marks. *What will you do?*

Shen Qi held up five fingers toward Li Huange.

"You~ are~ more~ than~ five~ rings~~~"

Then he retracted three fingers.

"By~ two~ rings~~~!"

Li Huange: "???"

Shen Qi seemed very satisfied, looking at Li Huange as if expecting praise.

Li Huange finally realized what was happening. *What kind of crappy Five Rings is this? I asked you to sing a little tune, and you're here doing addition and subtraction with me?*