At midnight, Lu Xiaohan’s video grew wildly popular.
The next morning.
Several students from Class 15 gathered together, excitedly discussing this matter.
When Bai Lian arrived, she was still replying to Jiang Fuli’s message.
Teacher Jiang: [Picture]
It was a photo of him sitting in a car, capturing the sun rising over the mountains. His composition was as soulless as his paintings—
Bai Lian: [Leave it there, I’ll take photos for you next time]
Teacher Jiang: […]
When Bai Lian sat down, Lu Xiaohan was talking with Wen Qi and others, “I don’t know either, someone suddenly invested 100,000 yuan to boost the video…”
“Wow,” Wen Qi looked at Lu Xiaohan in shock, “Your fans are that rich?”
Bai Lian lifted her head briefly, observing Wen Qi and Lu Xiaohan’s demeanor, knowing this matter was mostly resolved.
She contentedly took out her chemistry workbook and started solving problems.
Meanwhile.
At Ji Heng’s house.
Jian Zhongyou had been deeply engaged in conversations with Ji Heng these past two days and hadn’t paid attention to online matters. His phone was on Do Not Disturb. Only when he received a call from his student this morning did he learn about a sudden “future successor” appearing online—
Bai Shaoqi.
He put on his glasses and opened his account, finding a flood of mentions, all tagging him under Bai Shaoqi’s videos, asking him to check out this content creator.
The latest trending comment—
Liuxiang ll: [Dean Jian, did you go to Xiangcheng to find @Bai Shaoqi?]
Jian Zhongyou clicked through the tag to Bai Shaoqi’s video account. Her videos had similar trending comments—
[Creator, are you really in Xiangcheng? Did Dean Jian come to find you?]
Bai Shaoqi hadn’t responded, but her silence seemed telling.
“Teacher,” on the phone, Dean Jian’s student was also surprised, “She’s trying to play mind games with you?”
Using public opinion to push herself in front of Dean Jian – admittedly, Bai Shaoqi had played this move well. If Dean Jian really had such intentions, he might have impulsively taken Bai Shaoqi as his last disciple under public pressure.
But Dean Jian was clear-headed.
He looked through Bai Shaoqi’s videos, seeing her controversy with Lu Xiaohan.
Dean Jian gave a cold laugh, “I’ve seen many people like this.”
If it were someone else, they might have let it go – after all, at his age, how could he quarrel with a child? But this was Dean Jian, who had left the Jian family with his mother, risking everything.
He directly replied to “Liuxiang ll”—
[I have no connection with her. I don’t know her.]
Then he clicked into Lu Xiaohan’s videos from his following list. Lu Xiaohan’s recent face-changing video now had many newcomers with friendly comments.
Dean Jian saw a comment under Lu Xiaohan’s video: [Fun fact, Bai Shaoqi will be Dean Jian’s student~]
He screenshot this comment and posted a public update: [Picture. Absolute nonsense. I only have three students, and will only ever have three!]
He had never thought about taking her as a student. Bai Lian already had a teacher.
**
Dean Jian, a classical music master, had gone viral in Xiangcheng because of one video and was now in the spotlight.
The Bai family was willing to spend money. Many people followed Bai Shaoqi’s private life – a wealthy female top student who posted videos of studying at Jianjing Music Academy, a level ordinary people couldn’t reach…
Most were just curious.
Plus her “Betting on Wine” had gone viral.
Everything seemed to push her towards becoming Dean Jian’s last disciple, and Bai Shaoqi’s sudden arrival in Xiangcheng seemed to confirm this.
Until now—
Jian Zhongyou’s “I don’t know her” directly swept through the trending topics!
Netizens clicking through found Dean Jian’s response. So Dean Jian never intended to take Bai Shaoqi at all?
Then what was the point of Bai Shaoqi’s recent online behavior? Posting updates about arriving in Xiangcheng, deliberately mentioning “Dean Jian” in livestreams, even yesterday’s trending comment about “understanding ‘Betting on Wine’s’ style better than her”…
With this reversal, looking back at her response yesterday and previous updates—
She looked like a clown.
A flood of netizens commented under Bai Shaoqi’s videos:
“You accused others of riding your popularity, but you’re quite skilled at riding Dean Jian’s popularity (laughing)”
“The other side responded – your understanding that ‘Betting on Wine’ needs drums for impact is wrong. What do you say?”
“Guzheng and pipa are two killing weapons. Miss Bai, do you know ancient people used guzheng music to kill?”
“…”
Such comments kept appearing.
Netizens were like this – following wherever the wind blew.
In Xiangcheng, at the mansion.
Bai Shaoqi read these comments in her room, her expression dark. She repeatedly listened to the new video many times, unable to argue.
Her understanding was indeed wrong.
For Bai Shaoqi, being wrong in understanding wasn’t a big deal – it could even be good.
But what Bai Shaoqi hadn’t expected was Jian Zhongyou’s answer—
[I don’t know her]
[I will only ever have three disciples]
These two sentences hit Bai Shaoqi hard. For half a year, she had put all her energy into guzheng, barely studying her regular subjects…
And now this response from Jian Zhongyou?
Bai Shaoqi’s chest heaved violently.
Her phone rang – it was Bai Shaoke. She tried to calm herself and answered, “Brother.”
“Shaoqi,” Bai Shaoke’s voice was steady, “Jian Rong told me about Dean Jian. Return to North City immediately, don’t delay your studies. I’ve sent you some Jianjing practice problems, they’ll arrive in North City in three days.”
“Okay,” Bai Shaoqi took a deep breath, still confused, “I thought he really valued me…”
Now there were only two possibilities. First, he never valued her.
Second…
The incident revealed her shortcomings in guzheng, which Dean Jian saw.
Now everyone online knew Bai Shaoqi’s guzheng skills weren’t even as good as someone casually invited by a content creator.
“You’re too impetuous,” Bai Shaoke’s voice was like ice water poured over Bai Shaoqi’s head, “Forgotten what I told you before?”
Bai Shaoqi trembled inside. From the moment she saw Bai Lian in Jianjing, her attitude had changed.
Her confidence and pride were shaken by Bai Lian.
“I’m returning to North City now,” Bai Shaoqi calmed down, “I’ll focus on preparing for college entrance exams and make up for lost time.”
**
The Bai Shaoqi incident was like a farce.
She arrived with great fanfare but left with only an awkward Jian Rong seeing her off.
That afternoon, after school at Xiangcheng First High.
The nearby milk tea shop had two extra people today. Besides Bai Lian and Ning Xiao’s group, Jian Zhe and Lu Xiaohan also sat nearby with their books.
“My grandfather previously said she was Grand Uncle’s disciple,” Jian Zhe told the three at the next table, “I thought it was true, now this is really awkward. Heard her car hit a guardrail on the way back, she hurt her head, almost flipped over…”
Since Bai Lian didn’t seem interested in gossip, Jian Zhe talked to Lu Xiaohan instead. Jiang He sat beside Lu Xiaohan reading.
“Such bad luck?” Lu Xiaohan was somewhat surprised.
She had heard Bai Shaoqi was from a rich family and had even brought bodyguards to Xiangcheng, yet somehow had an accident on the way back.
Yang Lin brought over their milk tea orders.
She wore her school uniform, still with long bangs and glasses that almost hid her eyes. But her arms weren’t completely covered anymore – to carry the milk tea, she had rolled up her sleeves, revealing thin, pale wrists.
“Thank you,” Bai Lian sat by the window on the sofa, thanking her.
The black phone on the table vibrated. She picked it up – it was Xu En.
Bai Lian still held her pen, casually answering with her other hand.
On the other end, Xu En stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows in the Xu office, overlooking Yunxiao District. He now contacted Bai Lian directly for matters: “Ah Lian, does your grandfather have enemies in Jianjing?”
“What do you mean?” Bai Lian’s pen stopped on her homework, sitting up straight.
“Someone’s asking about your grandfather at Yunxiao Hotel.” Xu En pressed his brow, very worried.
Bai Lian’s eyes narrowed, “Who?”
Leave a Reply