Chapter 3: A Fleeting Glimpse

“Why bother calling her?” Liang Jinlan shook her head in disgust.

“She is my sister, after all…”

“She never treated you like a sister. Remember, from now on, you are the only daughter of the Jiang family! Don’t think too much about it. You have a piano competition coming up, so focus your time on that. If you can get Master Yue to take you on as a student this time, your future will be secure.” Liang Jinlan patted the back of Jiang Fanyue’s hand.

Master Yue was a celebrity in the piano world, a prominent figure in the music industry. He was not only renowned in Jincheng but also had extremely extensive connections in the capital.

If the Jiang family wanted to expand their business, they had to climb the social ladder in the capital, and Jiang Fanyue was the best bridge for that.

Hearing Master Yue’s name, even Han Jiayan and Gu Jiaheng couldn’t help but look at Jiang Fanyue with more regard.

Speaking of the piano, Jiang Fanyue seemed to remember something. “Sister forgot to take her piano.”

Jiang Zhe didn’t have many personal belongings, and they were all packed in her backpack.

But a large item like a piano was indeed not easy to pack and take away.

Liang Jinlan shook her head and said, “How many times have you seen her practice? The scandal at the last piano competition—she didn’t spare our Jiang family any embarrassment…”

Thinking that there were outsiders present, Liang Jinlan didn’t continue to air the dirty laundry.

Jiang Fanyue masked the joy in her heart. “Then I’ll give it to her if there’s a chance in the future.”

It was just an ordinary piano anyway, far inferior to the professional-grade instrument she used for competitions; it was just taking up space at home.

Liang Jinlan hummed noncommittally, only hoping that Jiang Zhe wouldn’t regret leaving the Jiang family.

Jiang Fanyue looked at the empty doorway, then turned back to look at Gu Jiaheng and Han Jiayan.

Han Jiayan smiled and comforted her, “Sigh, this was Jiang Zhe’s own choice, so there’s no need for you to worry. Jiaheng, let’s find a time for our two families to have a meal together. You should also take good care of Fanyue and accompany her while she practices; this competition is too important.”

“Auntie, Brother Heng has always taken great care of me.” Jiang Fanyue lowered her head shyly. Today, Han Jiayan and Gu Jiaheng coming to witness this matter was an implicit acknowledgment of her future with Gu Jiaheng.

Once Jiang Zhe left, many things were completely settled.

“A good girl deserves more care,” Gu Jiaheng said in a gentle, refined voice.

Jiang Fanyue took a step closer to him to feel his presence.

Gu Jiaheng subconsciously glanced at the doorway, which was already empty, and recalled the figure of Jiang Zhe that had left such an impression on him… It was a pity. She had a beautiful appearance, but she lacked the talent and grace of Jiang Fanyue.

If only Jiang Zhe had half of Jiang Fanyue’s… Before he could think further, Jiang Fanyue’s fingers slipped into his palm, and all of Gu Jiaheng’s thoughts were pulled back.

……

Jiang Zhe followed the old man out and boarded a bus heading to the suburbs.

Just as they got on, the bus slammed on the brakes.

The passengers swayed backward, causing a commotion.

Only Jiang Zhe stood straight. She caught a glimpse of Jiang Yaowang and noticed that he also stood perfectly upright, completely unaffected by the sudden stop.

Noticing Jiang Zhe looking at him, Jiang Yaowang tilted his body slightly and sighed about his old arms and legs.

Jiang Zhe withdrew her gaze and looked out the window. It turned out to be a limited-edition Lincoln that had almost scraped against the bus.

The driver of the Lincoln didn’t act arrogant at all; he raised his hand in an apologetic gesture and turned back to apologize to the man in the back seat: “Sorry, Brother Chen.”

The man sitting in the back seat revealed a stunning profile. His sharp, angular features looked like an artist’s masterpiece, and his prominent Adam’s apple was hidden beneath the tightly buttoned collar of a white Chinese-style shirt.

His eyes were closed, and a tear mole beneath the corner of his eye was striking and bewitching. He held a string of Buddhist prayer beads in his hand, and his eyelashes were so long that even from this distance, each one was clearly visible.

His temperament was as calm as water. Jiang Zhe thought that water was calm and peaceful, seemingly harmless, but it hid an unknown, surging power within. It was the most dangerous thing, with all things under its control.

It all depended on his mood.

Seeming to sense Jiang Zhe’s gaze, he suddenly opened his eyes. Within his line of sight were the girl’s slender, long legs.

The bus and the Lincoln moved past each other, blocking their view.

Feng Ye, sitting beside him, saw that this ancestor had finally opened his eyes and immediately started chattering: “I’m telling you, Brother Chen, it’s easy to find something physical, but how are we supposed to find a sound that has no physical form? Can this even be found?”

“If it can’t be found, do we just stop looking?” Qin Jingchen spoke, his voice light and indifferent. As he opened his eyes, the tear mole became even more bewitching and prominent.

The prayer beads in his hand softened the stunning, sharp features of his face, adding a touch of serenity.

“Of course we can’t stop. Grandma Qin has been troubled by insomnia for over twenty years. It was only by chance a few years ago when she visited Jincheng and heard a piece of piano music that she recorded, that she was finally able to sleep soundly for these past few years. Now that this music is gone, she hasn’t been sleeping well and has lost so much weight. Of course, we have to find it. It’s all that stupid phone’s fault—it broke, and there wasn’t even a backup…”

Feng Ye talked for a long time, only to find that Qin Jingchen had closed his eyes again.

He asked, “Brother Chen, do you really think this piano music can alleviate insomnia? Could it be a psychological effect?”

“No,” Qin Jingchen said with certainty.

“How are you so sure?” Feng Ye asked, puzzled.

Qin Jingchen didn’t speak again.

……

After getting off the bus.

Jiang Yaowang rubbed his hands together, worried that Jiang Zhe wouldn’t be used to things, and spent the whole way introducing the situation at home.

“Hanwen and Zhiqing, your parents, passed away early…” The old man lowered his head and murmured, “I took you and Fanyue to the hospital, but who knew that when I turned around, you were both gone. I’ve been looking for you all these years.”

Jiang Zhe listened vaguely, her eyes lowered, hiding the expression behind her black-rimmed glasses.

She was fiddling with an ordinary mobile phone in her hand, chatting with someone on the interface.

*Yang Feiliu Won’t Fly: Little Zhe, did you really move out of the Jiang family? What’s your own family situation like?*

*J: It’s a pretty good situation.*

Jiang Zhe looked up at the guilt-ridden old man.

*Yang Feiliu Won’t Fly: That’s true, it couldn’t be worse than that bunch of ungrateful dogs in the Jiang family. They relied on you to build their business to this point, yet they never treated you like a human being.*

Jiang Zhe replied casually and put away her phone.

The old man was still rambling: “It’s a good thing the Jiang family treated you reasonably well. It’s such a coincidence that our family happens to be surnamed Jiang too…”

The two walked one after the other into a simple street.

On both sides of the street were scattered, uneven houses, which looked much more desolate compared to the prosperous area of Jincheng where the Jiang family lived.

“Is this Little Zhe? You’ve finally returned! I’m your aunt. From now on, just treat this place as your own home.” A gentle female voice rang out.