Chapter Thirty-Five: "Yearning for Life" Airs, Jiang Yun's Original Piano Composition

“System, open personal panel!”

“Beep!”

Host: Jiang Yun.

Singing Ability: S-rank (enough to carry a grand concert)

Acting: D+ rank (you have more talent than a child)

Directing: D rank (capable of filming a low-budget indie movie)

Skills: Special Forces physique, masterful cooking, masterful piano, S-rank hand speed, sharp logic.

Songs Owned: “Words Betray the Heart,” “Crossing the Sea to See You,” “Fragrant Rice,” “Heartbroken Pacific,” “Getting Rich,” “One Night in Summer Capital,” “Blue and White Porcelain,” “Soaring Free,” “Little Apple,” “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky”

Piano Piece Owned: “Canon”

Items: Three S-rank Acting Experience Cards, One-time Hacker Experience Card (expired).

Popularity Points: 2,653,086

Jiang Yun noticed his popularity had increased by another million and nodded in satisfaction. The popularity provided by loyal fans was truly different from that of casual followers.

Today marked the simultaneous television and online broadcast of the first episode of the first season of “Yearning for Life.” After a week’s efforts, the promotion team had thoroughly done their job.

With concurrent promotion on both TV and the internet, a large poster was visible everywhere: six figures standing, with He Ling and Huang Kang at the center, and beside them stood a person whose face was obscured by a question mark. Then came Guan Tong, Ouyang Na, and Yue Yun.

Streaming platforms, short video apps, and TV commercials were blanketed with ads for “Yearning for Life.” After this round of anticipation-building, the slow-paced variety show had become widely known.

The show’s official social media posted a teaser, edited by the production team, featuring the mysterious figure whose face was covered by a question mark. The clip showed this person getting out of a car: “ ‘Yearning for Life’ is about to begin. Let's look forward to the surprises brought by our mysterious permanent guest.”

With half an hour left before the broadcast, netizens flooded the show’s official social media. The comment section buzzed with excitement:

“Wow! Who is this mysterious regular guest? So excited!”

“Did you guys see the poster? The mysterious guest is standing right next to the center!”

“This is so thrilling, the teaser really builds suspense. I’m dying to know what happens!”

“No way! Did the mysterious guest get into a conflict with Yue Yue? What happened? Did they make up?”

“Oh no! Teacher Huang Kang sprained his ankle, what now? Who’s going to cook? How will the show go on?!”

“Yue Yue asked the mysterious regular to write a song—what did they sing?!”

Drawn in by the intrigue, everyone waited eagerly for the official broadcast.

At exactly 7:30, Jiang Yun turned on the TV and waited quietly.

At half past seven, “Yearning for Life” aired right on time on Mango TV, and was simultaneously uploaded online. Online, members could watch immediately; non-members had to wait until the next day.

“Yearning for Life” focused on slow living and a leisurely pace. In this era, such a show stood out as refreshingly unique.

The first scene was Jiang Yun stepping out of the car.

“So cold!” Jiang Yun rubbed his shoulders.

One advantage of online streaming was the barrage of live comments.

“Who is this? I’ve never seen him before!”

“No way? It’s Jiang Yun! I can’t believe it, the mysterious guest is Jiang Yun!”

“Bro above, who is Jiang Yun?”

“You don’t know who Jiang Yun is?”

“Oh my, there’s someone here who doesn’t know Jiang Yun! Guys, come see this!”

“Who’s Jiang Yun? Is he famous?” another person chimed in.

“Well, you must know his songs, right?”

“What songs?”

“ ‘One Night in Summer Capital,’ ‘Getting Rich,’ ‘Blue and White Porcelain,’ plus ‘Words Betray the Heart’ and ‘Heartbroken Pacific.’ ”

“Actually, I’ve heard all those songs. They’re played all the time at school, practically everywhere! Just never knew who sang them.”

“Apparently, ‘Crossing the Sea to See You’ and ‘Fragrant Rice’ are also by Jiang Yun!”

“Nonsense, those two are sung by Li Mengya and Zhou Lun!”

“That’s where you’re wrong! Jiang Yun wrote and composed both those songs.”

“Really?”

“Just look it up and you’ll see!”

“Wait... aren’t we supposed to be watching the show? Why is everyone talking about Jiang Yun now?”

“Let’s get back to the show!”

Jiang Yun’s fame wasn’t yet on par with Li Mengya or Zhou Lun; people knew his songs, but not the man himself. For now, he was still a second-tier celebrity, but he had made a name for himself.

The show moved on to Jiang Yun reaching a fork in the road and getting lost for half an hour.

At this scene, viewers flooded the live comments.

“Is this what they call a directionally challenged person? Can’t tell left from right!”

“Come on, that’s not being lost, just a little confusion with left and right.”

“Jiang Yun is adorable, using the signpost to judge directions—that’s some fresh logic.”

The show went on, the viewers kept watching.

Next, Huang Kang and He Ling went to dig up radishes, leaving Jiang Yun alone to guard the house.

Ring-ring!

Jiang Yun answered the phone; someone ordered a salad steak.

Then the show cut to Jiang Yun skulking around the mushroom house.

Sneaking over to the piano, he did something that surprised everyone: he started playing.

Elegant piano music flowed out.

“Oh my god, Jiang Yun can play piano? But what piece is this? I’ve never heard it.”

“Everyone, go leave a message on the ‘Yearning for Life’ page and ask them what the piano piece is called!”

Soon, viewers swarmed the show’s official account with questions.

The show replied: “We don’t know the name either; it looks like an original composition!”

“Wow!”

Netizens were stunned by the response.

The word “original” left everyone in awe.

“Wait, an original piano piece? Can you imagine?”

As the show aired, two topics hit the trending list:

Shocking! The mysterious guest on “Yearning for Life” is him!

Shocking! An original piano composition—can you believe it?

Even Jiang Yun, watching from in front of his TV, froze for a moment. He hadn’t expected his piano performance to be captured on camera.

The show continued.

Jiang Yun answered two more calls—one for eggplant with squid, another for sizzling salad!

Accompanied by his quiet muttering: “Are these people in cahoots? One ordered salad steak, another eggplant with squid. The last one’s even more bizarre—sizzling salad. I’ve never even heard of this dish. These three guests are truly something!”

“Hahaha!”

“Hehehe!”

Viewers burst out laughing, spamming the comment feed.

“Jiang Yun, you’re not alone! I’ve never heard of sizzling salad either!”

“That’s just your lack of experience. Sizzling salad is real—I’ve had it!”

“Pfft, if that dish exists, I’ll eat my hat live!”

“+1”

“+10086”

“If it’s real, I’ll wash my hair standing on my head!”

“To those promising live hat-eating and upside-down hair washing—be ready!”