Qing Ye followed the DJ downstairs and walked directly to the center stage. Many eyes focused on them, with numerous VIP room patrons leaning against the railings. While singing and dancing performances were daily occurrences here, they had never witnessed a piano performance.

Such a high-end performance didn’t quite fit the atmosphere of this place, and in this small county town, one could hardly find anyone skilled at piano. If it weren’t for that pretentious Boss Jia trying to show off today, they would never have seen a live piano performance.

Qing Ye approached the piano but didn’t sit down immediately. She looked around as the entire venue dimmed. The DJ stopped mixing and leaned on his console, watching her intently.

The spotlight suddenly illuminated Qing Ye, making her long white wool dress with its high collar shine brilliantly. A thin black belt at her waist accentuated her perfect proportions. Her slightly curled long hair fell naturally beside her delicate face, gleaming black and lustrous under the light beam.

Her brilliant eyes seemed washed by rain, radiating pure clarity. As her eyelashes flickered, her gaze remained calm and composed. Though her figure appeared so slight, when she stood alone on stage, she exuded a unique presence that made it difficult to look away.

Qing Ye turned slightly to face the exclusive VIP room upstairs, nodding with a smile in acknowledgment, giving proper respect to Boss Jiang’s status.

She then sat down gracefully, opened the piano lid, and lightly touched the black and white keys, suddenly experiencing a long-forgotten feeling.

For someone like her who had achieved Grade 10 before elementary school and began competing everywhere afterward, piano was just one of the necessary skills in her competitive upbringing, nothing extraordinary. Almost any of her former classmates could play several instruments.

So Mozart’s classic pieces were second nature to her, though she hadn’t touched the piano since her mother’s passing. It had been a long time since she’d touched these black and white keys.

Her finger landed on a key, producing an abrupt “ding.” Then she placed her left hand and pressed another key. Boss Jiang anxiously glanced back at Xing Wu: “Wu, does your friend know how to play?”

Xing Wu leaned against the second-floor railing, calmly watching below.

Just as Boss Jiang finished speaking, a series of lively, fluid melodies suddenly burst forth from below. Qing Ye opened with Mozart’s universally familiar “Turkish March.” The eighth notes flowed seamlessly, with variations that were sprightly and graceful. The fast-paced piece instantly captured everyone’s attention. Her hands moved swiftly and skillfully across the black and white keys, as if in a transcendent state. In the second movement, as the sixteenth notes accelerated, Qing Ye’s hand speed increased, like an unstoppable torrent rushing forward, continuously building to a climax before directly transitioning into another Mozart piece, “Sonata in C Major.”

Since Qing Ye didn’t know exactly which Mozart piece Boss Jia wanted to hear, she simply performed a medley. As she continued playing, she became increasingly fluid. Although the piano was terrible, apparently sourced from who knows where, her feel for the music gradually returned, making her play with increasing passion.

Without sheet music and no time to prepare online, she could only play from memory. For parts she couldn’t quite remember, she improvised freely. To the audience, there was no sense of discontinuity; rather, her elegant posture and flowing music created a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Xing Wu lit a cigarette, his figure standing in the shadows, the light in his eyes intensifying. He remembered when Da Hei got a girlfriend last year from the vocational high school – she was painful to look at. When Flower Arm and the others saw Da Hei, they would tease him about not being picky, saying he must have closed his eyes and imagined Diao Chan. Eventually, Da Hei became too embarrassed to bring his girlfriend out, feeling she wasn’t presentable.

Xing Wu had always believed that when it came to choosing women, personal preference was all that mattered. But at this moment, he finally understood the pride of having a girlfriend one could show off. As the graceful music flowed from Qing Ye’s fingertips to every corner of the room, Xing Wu felt proud of her.

Finally, Qing Ye ended with the melody from Mozart’s opera “The Pretense of Kindness.” She couldn’t remember the exact score anymore, but she was certain that nobody in this venue could tell whether what she was playing was Mozart or their elementary school music teacher’s composition. So she improvised based on the fragments of melody she remembered. As for why she chose “The Pretense of Kindness” as the finale, she struck the last note, raised her hand, and looked toward Boss Jiang with a satirical smile.

Thunderous applause erupted. She stood up with natural grace, bowed, and walked back to the VIP room entrance with composed dignity. As soon as she entered, Boss Jiang enthusiastically said, “Wu, your friend saved the day. Let me introduce myself.”

Xing Wu stood up, took his coat, walked behind Qing Ye, draped it over her shoulders, and took her hand, leading her to Boss Jiang: “Qing Ye, this is Boss Jiang.”

Qing Ye addressed him with neither servility nor arrogance: “Boss Jiang.”

Boss Jiang’s gaze lingered on Xing Wu holding Qing Ye’s hand, and he suddenly said with amusement: “Oh? When did Wu get a girlfriend?”

Xing Wu didn’t respond, simply pulling Qing Ye closer to his side. Shu Han looked up at them, her expression heavy with concern. She hadn’t expected Xing Wu to impulsively get involved with this girl. Having known him for so many years, though Xing Wu was younger than her, he was much more mature mentally.

While he appeared indifferent to everyone on the surface, Shu Han knew very well that he was more sensitive than anyone, careful and thoughtful in his dealings with people. Perhaps that little girl had some attraction for him, but Shu Han never thought Xing Wu would be so irrationally impulsive as to risk everything for her. It wasn’t like his usual style. Yet now, seeing how Xing Wu protected her by his side, Shu Han suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable.

She took out a cigarette and lit it. Her hand holding the cigarette trembled, either from drinking too much or some other reason. Quan Ya’s hand pressed heavily on her shoulder.

Qing Ye wasn’t someone who liked to cause trouble. The reason she had helped was something Xing Wu understood well. He immediately spoke up: “As for saving the day, it’s not like this is the first or second time I’ve helped Boss Jiang.”

Boss Jiang immediately understood – Xing Wu’s people had just helped him out of a tight spot, so making things difficult for them now would be inappropriate.

The reason Boss Jiang’s business kept growing was primarily because he knew how to handle people. When a face needed to be given, he would naturally give it.

Perhaps earlier Boss Jiang had mistakenly thought Xing Wu was standing up for Shu Han with other intentions, but with Qing Ye’s appearance, Boss Jiang suddenly dropped his guard and resumed his brotherly manner with Xing Wu.

Qing Ye sat quietly beside Xing Wu, listening. She could sense that Boss Jiang genuinely appreciated Xing Wu, even inviting him to come work as a leader in his organization after graduation, promising to treat him well, and so on. Xing Wu didn’t take it too seriously, saying graduation was still far off and they could discuss it later.

After sharing a couple of drinks with Xing Wu, Boss Jiang didn’t pressure them further. Xing Wu soon stood up, saying he had matters to attend to and needed to leave.

As they were leaving, Boss Jiang suddenly remembered something and mentioned: “Wu, did you beat up Little Cao from the shooting range this morning?”

Xing Wu frowned slightly. Boss Jiang sat on the sofa and said meaningfully: “An Tong’s people came asking around here. Find a chance to settle things with Little Cao.”

Xing Wu nodded without speaking and turned to leave. Quan Ya and Shu Han also stood up and followed him out.

Outside Le Zhi Xing, the sky had completely darkened. Though it was only evening, the wild wind made it seem like night, kicking up dust from the ground in the distance and getting in their eyes. Qing Ye immediately covered her nose and mouth.

Shu Han, wearing over-the-knee boots, lit a cigarette against the wind and stared at Xing Wu. Xing Wu turned to Qing Ye and said, “The wind is strong. Wait inside with Quan Ya. I need to talk with Sister Shu.”

Qing Ye glanced at Shu Han’s empty gaze and nodded to Xing Wu without saying anything.

She and Quan Ya returned to Le Zhi Xing’s lobby. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, they could see Xing Wu and Shu Han talking at the alley entrance nearby. Even the hem of Xing Wu’s leather jacket was lifted by the wind. He didn’t wear much in winter and was never heard complaining about the cold. Against the fierce wind, his lean figure stood sharp and clear.

Qing Ye watched them for a moment, then suddenly asked Quan Ya, “What exactly was the county sports meet that Da Cao mentioned last time?”

Quan Ya casually took out a cigarette and said flatly, “It’s the county youth sports meet held every March.”

“Why did he want Xing Wu to participate?”

Quan Ya turned to look at Qing Ye: “Their grudge goes back many years. Since Da Cao wants him to participate, it can’t be that simple.”

Qing Ye suddenly frowned, her gaze falling on Xing Wu: “Will he go?”

Quan Ya blew smoke against the glass, his gaze cold: “Some things are beyond our control. It’s not like everything will be fine if he doesn’t go. His beef with the An Zhi crowd started in middle school. Da Cao grew up at the shooting range with An Tong’s people backing him. Wu has known Boss Jiang since childhood, and An Tong’s people need money too, so they won’t easily offend Boss Jiang.

But Boss Jiang’s words just now weren’t without reason. He’ll have to settle things with Da Cao sooner or later. After all, two tigers can’t share the same mountain. If Wu doesn’t plan to work for Boss Jiang after graduation, then Boss Jiang won’t protect him anymore. Many things are just that realistic.”

Qing Ye suddenly understood the earlier conversation between Boss Jiang and Xing Wu – inviting him to work there after graduation, and telling him to quickly settle things with Da Cao. What seemed like a casual conversation was actually Boss Jiang sending Xing Wu clear messages.

So perhaps Qing Ye had been too naive before. She thought Xing Wu could walk tall in Zha Zha Ting because he could fight, was fierce, and no one dared provoke him. But today she realized this was only part of the reason. As one grows older, fists carry less weight in the adult world, replaced by the influence that gives you a voice.

The influence behind Xing Wu was Boss Jiang. However, while this mountain could protect his peace temporarily, it could also vanish if he chose the wrong path. Just as Quan Ya said, many things were just that realistic. Qing Ye suddenly felt an inescapable worry clouding her heart.

At that moment, through the glass, she saw Shu Han getting into an argument with Xing Wu. She suddenly threw down her cigarette and roughly pushed Xing Wu’s injured arm. Xing Wu’s face tensed, but he didn’t move. Qing Ye’s face instantly went pale, and she rushed outside.