Fearing that Zhou Yang's expectations were too high, she quickly added an explanation in a low voice.

"Each order only earns a couple hundred yuan, and I'm not really good at playing those kinds of complex roles that require a lot of emotional shifts."

"Usually, it's just reading stories to audiobooks, or reciting ancient poems or classical Chinese texts, which is quite simple."

"That's still amazing!"

Zhou Yang praised him generously, his tone encouraging.

"These days, it's so rare to find a part-time job that you can do from home! Hurry, find one for me to see!"

With Zhou Yang's affirmation, Xu Yao felt much more at ease.

She took out her old smartphone with a slightly cracked screen edge, skillfully swiped her finger across the screen, and opened a simple voice-over job app.

The task list scrolls through various requirements.

Her eyes quickly scanned the area and soon locked onto a task that had just been posted.

"Look, Mr. Zhou, this is an order—a recitation of an excerpt from 'Shanglin Fu,' with soothing and elegant ancient-style background music. The finished product should be about eight to ten minutes long. The settlement will be 180 yuan upon completion."

"The Shanglin Fu? That's not easy to read, there must be a lot of uncommon characters in it, right?"

Zhou Yang was slightly surprised; this was much more difficult than reading a bedtime story.

Xu Yao nodded slightly, a hint of confidence on her face: "Yes, it is a bit difficult, but I used to like classical Chinese when I was in school, and I happen to be quite familiar with this one."

As she spoke, she decisively clicked "Accept Order".

The system showed it was under review, and half a minute later, the order was successfully accepted.

After accepting the task, Xu Yao did not delay at all.

She took out a plain white wired earphone from her small bag. It looked like it had been used for a long time.

She gently inserted the earpiece into her ear, and the small, unassuming microphone hovered near her lips.

In the afternoon, the old residential building, devoid of the daytime hustle and bustle, was exceptionally quiet, with only the occasional chirping of sparrows outside the window, further emphasizing the tranquility inside.

Xu Yao opened the music player on her phone and, as requested by the client, selected a melodious and ethereal guqin piece as background music. She lowered the volume, letting the music linger like mist over distant mountains.

Then, holding her phone, with the text of "Shanglin Fu" displayed on the screen, she lowered her eyes slightly and read it silently several times.

Throughout the process, she remained focused and serious, as if everything around her had ceased to exist.

Zhou Yang stood with his arms crossed, watching her prepare with great interest.

He had expected to see some chaos or at least some nervousness, but Xu Yao appeared unusually calm.

Only a faint pink tinge at the base of her ears revealed a hint of shyness in her heart.

A few minutes later, Xu Yao raised her head and smiled faintly at Zhou Yang.

"Mr. Zhou, I'm afraid I've made a fool of myself!"

She adjusted her breathing slightly, and spoke softly into the simple earphone microphone—

"The man named Master Zixu Wuyou was a native of Chu. When Chu sent an envoy to Qi, the king mobilized all his chariots and cavalry to go hunting with the envoy..."

The smile on Zhou Yang's face froze instantly after just a few words at the beginning!

An indescribable sense of shock surged through his body like an electric current!

That sound...

She was completely different from the Xu Yao he had heard about before—a woman who was slightly timid, gentle, and even choked up when crying!

Clear and smooth, yet possessing a composure and grandeur completely different from her appearance!

The pronunciation of each word is like pearls falling onto a plate, precise and full of texture.

What's even more remarkable is that her voice seems to naturally possess a classical charm and a touch of scholarly refinement.

Accompanied by the faint background sound of the guqin, almost the instant the song begins, it pulls the listener into the magnificent scene of that grand hunt more than two thousand years ago!

"...and so the games were neglected, wine was served on the Haotian Terrace, and music was played in the Jiao Ge Yu..."

Xu Yao spoke at a steady pace, with long, stable breaths, and enunciated words with an astonishing clarity.

Those ancient Chinese words that ordinary people might stumble over or even need to consult a dictionary to read become fluent and natural in her mouth, full of musical beauty with ups and downs.

Sometimes the narrative unfolds gently, depicting the magnificent landscape.

At times, he would speak with great joy, recounting rare and exotic animals.

At other times, it is solemn and elegant, displaying royal grandeur...

Her voice seemed to possess a magical power, awakening those words that had been sleeping in the dusty archives, giving them vibrant life and moving imagery.

Zhou Yang, who had initially just been there to watch the spectacle, was now holding his breath, leaning forward slightly, completely captivated by her voice and immersed in the world of her beautifully written and magnificent prose.

"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!"

Zhou Yang's mind was racing.

What an amazing voice!

This level of skill completely blows away those radio hosts and many so-called professional voice actors, okay?!

These crappy headphones? This environment? If you gave her a set of professional equipment... she'd be flying high!

He looked at Xu Yao, her eyes slightly closed, her long eyelashes casting two light shadows on her fair cheeks. Her profile, completely absorbed in reciting, exuded a serene and focused beauty.

She recited a lengthy excerpt from "Shanglin Fu" in a gentle and flowing manner.

I couldn't find a single slip of the tongue, pause, or difficulty breathing.

Its fluency and professionalism are simply beyond what an amateur or part-time worker could achieve!

Wow... I've really struck gold...

Zhou Yang was once again amazed, and his gaze towards Xu Yao became complicated.

If this girl had had the opportunity to study hard back then, I dare not say anything else, just based on that voice and her ability to control words.

Becoming an excellent Chinese language teacher, or a superb host or voice actor, is absolutely more than enough!

Ten minutes later, Xu Yao slowly finished.

She pressed the pause button, and when she looked up again, her previous elegance and composure were gone, and she had returned to being that shy and reserved young girl.

"Mr. Zhou, this one is finished... What do you think of my reading?"

Xu Yao's cheeks flushed slightly, like a primary school student seeking approval from her teacher, her eyes darting away.

Seeing her like this, Zhou Yang patted her on the shoulder without hesitation.

"Xu Yao, you've really surprised me today. With skills like this, why are you even setting up a stall? Just take on a few part-time jobs at home, and earning tens of thousands or even more a month wouldn't be a problem!"

Upon receiving the praise, a hint of excitement flashed in Xu Yao's eyes.

She said helplessly, "I know, but there aren't many orders like this. It might take several days to find a suitable one."

"Moreover, the environment in the house I rented was not good, there was always a lot of noise, and many tasks required professional equipment."

"Poor sound reception affects quality, while excellent sound reception can ruin a manuscript if the surrounding decibels are high."

She scratched her head awkwardly, "Besides, I'm not very good at editing, so I can only make sure there are no mistakes throughout, without cutting anything..."