Chapter 14-15

Chapter 14: A Surprise

Lin Xi’s fast response made everyone realize that there was a good show to watch tonight. Jiujiu choked on her sentence, but of course, she wouldn’t show any signs of weakness on any occasion.

Jiujiu replied, “Whatever you want to play; just play what you’re good at.”

“Sure.”

Lin Xi didn’t think about it deeply, and just went on to sit in front of the piano. She adjusted the stool, and then placed her hands over the keys.

Actually, Lin Xin hadn’t touched a piano in a long time, and her head was blank for a moment but as soon as her hands touched the piano, her fingers moved on their own.

She had heard this music a while ago with Yu Xiucheng — her former love, Debussy.

It was a pity that the music was interrupted that day as she cl*maxed in Yu Xiucheng’s arms. Her head was in shambles that time, and she couldn’t analyze the music or listen to it properly.

“This is to our flaxen-haired maiden, the birthday girl.”

Before she started, she took another look at the lady standing beside the cake with her graceful hands gripping the cake knife so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Jiujiu seemed to have realized that she made a grave mistake.

The first note of the song echoed in the room, and the atmosphere in the room heated up. The group of women didn’t know anything about the piano at all, but they were very enthusiastic about making a fool of their colleague. Their excited eyes stared at Jiujiu. The beautiful girl smashed her foot with a rock, and was now riding a tiger.

“What kind of piece is this… I’ve never heard of this one… It’s so terrible…”

All the guests were aware that Lin Xi had raised the bar so high, that eventually, Jiujiu would make a fool of herself. Jiujiu’s embarrassing remarks made a few of her sisters laugh.

Lin Xi played with emotion that even if she heard the provocative remarks from the girl, she didn’t stop playing. Her hands were moving, and she even closed her eyes, disconnecting her connection from the luxury and pomposity of the venue and the people around her, throwing them away.

“Ah…!”

The piano came to an abrupt halt as Lin Xi was jolted awake because of a girl’s scream.

“Uncle Li!?”

It was Jiujiu who screamed, her frosty face from earlier disappeared, replaced by smiles. Covering her mouth with a look of surprise on her face, she took a few steps back as she stared at the trolley at the door of the venue.

Following Jiujiu’s gaze, Lin Xi saw Manager Du instructing the waiters to push the neatly stacked champagne glasses. She counted no less than a hundred.

The whole venue boiled over with excitement.

“Wow, a hundred-glasses champagne tower! Boss Li is very generous.”

“He really spoils Jiujiu, I feel sour!”

“They said that no one has ordered the hundred-glasses champagne tower in years. Tonight will go down in history!”

The person who had just been thinking how to make Jiujiu lose face, changed her approach and put on a big smile. She even stood up and clapped, showing her respect for the hundred-glasses champagne tower.

“Uncle Li, you… you had become so naughty ah… you didn’t even tell me about this to surprise me… how did you hide this so well!”

Jiujiu covered her mouth, laughing while hitting Mr. Lu with her little fist coquettishly. She said, “I almost misunderstood you when you said I couldn’t drink champagne! I hate you!”

The pudgy man was dumbfounded. He stared at Jiujiu and then glanced at the extremely grand hundred-glasses champagne tower. Du Xin interrupted them and explained.

“Everyone, calm down. Let me explain briefly that it’s not Mr. Li who ordered this Champagne tower for Jiujiu.”

Du Xin gazed at Lin Xi who was sitting in front of the piano without moving. She paused, and cleared her throat.

“It was Mr. Yu Xiucheng who ordered it — for Lin Xi.”

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Chapter 15: A Night Visit

The whole place turned quiet as soon as the announcement was made. A laugh was heard, and no one knew who it was but it served as the catalyst. The laughter acted like the first crack on the surface of the mirror, causing the whole mirror to break into pieces.

Jiujiu’s smile froze on her face, and looked incredulously at the woman in the white dress sitting on the piano stool.

The situation was humiliating to Jiujiu. The applause and congratulations was like a slap to her face, making her cheeks flush and her eyes teary. She stood in a daze for a few moments until the pudgy man touched her. He grabbed her, but she pushed him away and ran out of the venue.

“Jiujiu! Jiujiu! Jiujiu!”

Mr. Li was very confused. He hadn’t expected the birthday party to turn out like this. He rushed after Jiujiu.

The guests were laughing so hard, and they began to surround Lin Xi who still hadn’t understood what was going on.

“Lin Xi, that trick was so good. I didn’t think that you’d do so well in playing a prank on her. Did you see the look on Jiujiu’s face? I laughed so hard!”

“You really have the skills! You hooked Yu Xiucheng so obediently. He’s in your pocket. How much is this hundred-glasses champagne tower?”

“I thought that Mr. Li was very rich. Who would have thought that Lin Xi would be the best tonight. This Yu Xiucheng is magnificent. He didn’t even show his face in the party, and all of Mr. Li’s actions to flatter him were in vain.”

Without showing interest in any of their pompous compliments, Lin Xi parted the crowd and walked to Du Xin. She asked, “Sister Xin, what happened?”

“What’s wrong with this?” Du Xin gave Lin Xi an ambiguous look. “Mr. Yu loves you.”

As she explained, she unlocked her phone and showed it to Lin Xi. “I just recorded you playing the piano and sent it to him. Girls like you shouldn’t just rely on their mouth to eat. If you have talent, you need to show it off to the crowd. Look, isn’t it effective?”

The waiters had already pushed the hundred-glasses champagne tower while Du Xin explained to the crowd. It was so tall that they had to use a ladder to fill the champagne from the first glass at the top.

With a “pop,” the champagne bottle was opened skillfully and a curve was drawn in the air. The beautiful, light gold liquid overflowed from the bottle and spilled to the first glass. While flowing, it naturally formed a small series of waterfalls mixed with bubbles and refractions of light. The light spots looked like tiny, golden sand particles.

The applause and cheers of the other girls filled Lin Xi’s ears, and they had even forgotten why they were gathered here in the first place.

Halfway through, Lin Xi found an excuse to leave and get some fresh air.

She went out and walked through the long hallway to Ye Tan’s indoor glass garden. The club had no guests tonight aside from the people in the venue, so it was as quiet as an abandoned tower.

Lin Xi leaned against the glass wall and took out her phone to check, but at the same time, she received a call from Yu Xiucheng.

“Hello?” She was a little surprised. “Mr. Yu?”

“Yes, come down.”

Yu Xiucheng’s voice was colder than Lin Xi’s, and was perfect for such a silent night. Just listening to it made Lin Xi imagine a desolate, illuminated city —

There was only light and shadow.

She didn’t bother to go back to the dressing room and change her clothes. Lin Xi went down immediately and knocked on Yu Xiucheng’s car window after she left the main entrance of Ye Tan.

The window of the backseat lowered down, and she saw Yu Xiucheng who seemed to be exhausted. He leaned against the backrest, resting his eyes.

“It’s late. Why are you here?” Lin Xi asked in a considerate, soft voice. She bent down a little as she held onto the car window.

Yu Xiucheng took a few moments to answer after hearing her question. He slowly raised his hand and pinched his nose bridge, his eyes still closed.

“Get in the car.”

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Translator notes:

Ye Tan here is the name of the club. I’ll be sticking with this one from now on.