Chapter 83: Chapter 83: The Piano Feels Quite Wronged
Yun Zijin nodded. She wouldn’t lie about something like this.
Hearing Yun Zijin’s confirmation, Su Mengyao’s expression became indescribable.
’Is there something wrong with Xia Jiajiao’s brain? She seems abnormally stupid.’
’How could she even think of telling a lie that was bound to be exposed?’
’Was she just trying to save face, even if it made her suffer?’
’No, that’s not it. There’s probably just something seriously wrong with her.’
"But what is she trying to accomplish by playing the piano right now?"
Su Mengyao watched Xia Jiajiao, who was still lost in her own playing, her curiosity growing about what she was really up to.
When the piece concluded, Xia Jiajiao rose from the piano bench and walked toward Old Sir Lu with a bashful expression.
"Grandpa Lu, I heard from my father that we would be coming to celebrate your birthday. I practiced this piano piece especially for you, and I hope you like it."
Lu Zhengguo thought for a long time but couldn’t recall who this person was.
But since she said it was dedicated to him, he couldn’t just give no reaction at all.
"Mm, that’s very thoughtful of you."
With that, he fell silent.
Xia Jiajiao waited for a long time, expecting Old Sir Lu to ask about her family background. Even just asking for her name would have been fine.
She never expected the old sir to say just one sentence and then nothing more.
Xia Jiajiao seethed with resentment, convinced that everyone around was laughing at her.
"Grandpa Lu, I..."
"Grandpa! I saw Grandpa Li and the others playing chess over there! Do you want to go see?"
It was Lu Zhengguo’s birthday, after all, so several old-timers from his generation had come.
But old folks can’t sit still for long. Before they knew it, they were sitting across from each other playing chess—a set they had requested from the villa’s butler.
Lu Yunfeng cut Xia Jiajiao off, pointing out the old men engrossed in their chess game in the garden pavilion for Old Sir Lu to see.
Interrupted, Xia Jiajiao looked up resentfully, about to snap at the person, but she was instantly struck dumb when she saw it was Lu Yunfeng.
"S-Second Young Master Lu..." Thinking about what she’d been about to do, Xia Jiajiao broke out in a cold sweat. ’Thank goodness I didn’t actually start yelling at him.’
"My brother bought this piano for me. It’s best if you don’t touch it, Miss Xia. If you damage it, I’ll make you pay for it."
Lu Yunfeng blocked Xia Jiajiao from Old Sir Lu’s view.
Xu Su Hua had already gone to chat with her old friends, and Lu Zhengguo seized the opportunity, while Lu Yunfeng was blocking Xia Jiajiao, to make his way toward the garden pavilion.
To Xia Jiajiao, Lu Yunfeng’s words were utterly charmless.
’Her teacher had said her talent for the piano was nearly unrivaled. She hadn’t even disdained him for being a rich playboy, yet he had the audacity to disdain her.’
’If the piano could talk, it would surely prefer to be played by her!’
"I... I understand. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have used your piano without asking you, Second Young Master Lu.
But I only did it to perform a piece for Grandpa Lu. You won’t blame me for that, will you, Second Young Master Lu?"
Xia Jiajiao was skilled in the art of playing the innocent victim, but Lu Yunfeng had seen every type of woman imaginable. Her little tricks were child’s play to him.
"It is indeed your fault. I barely dare to play this piano myself, yet you went and used it. It must feel quite aggrieved."
"I..."
Xia Jiajiao hadn’t expected Lu Yunfeng to shut her down so bluntly, and her expression turned ugly for a moment.
Lu Yunfeng, however, paid Xia Jiajiao no more mind. After instructing the staff standing guard by the piano not to let anyone else use it, he strode toward Yun Zijin and the others.
When he returned, he saw that Li Yuexing and his friends were there, as well as Li Yue Xuan and the others he’d met at Wu Zicheng’s last birthday party.
As the younger one in the group, Lu Yunfeng naturally greeted them.
"Brother Cheng, Brother Fu, Brother Sheng."
"Yunfeng, you’re here! Quite the full house today."
Li Yuexing clapped Lu Yunfeng on the shoulder.
Su Mengyao felt a little out of her element. This was the first time she was face-to-face with so many of these "Crown Princes."
’Other people would have to strain themselves just for a chance to befriend one of them, and even then, they might not succeed.’
’But ever since she started hanging around Zijin, her luck in this department seemed to have improved dramatically.’
’She used to try so hard to get into events where Sheng Yang might appear. Now, she didn’t even have to worry about it. Wherever Yun Zijin was, Sheng Yang was likely to show up.’
’It almost gave her the illusion that she had become friends with Sheng Yang herself.’
Yun Zijin, on the other hand, felt a bit helpless. ’With every single one of them flocking to her side, it’s like they’re trying to make her the public enemy of every socialite in Dijing!’
"Are you sure it’s okay for you all to keep sitting here? I just saw a lot of people looking this way. It seems like quite a few of them want to discuss things with you."
A lavish banquet like this is the perfect shortcut for everyone to expand their network.
Yun Zijin had no desire to be the reason someone’s plans were ruined, only to be resented for it later.
"It’s fine. If they can’t find me, they can find my dad. It’s all the same."
"And you? Does it not matter?"
Today was a Lu Family banquet, after all. It wasn’t good for the hosts, Lu Yunque and Lu Yunfeng, to be hiding out here the whole time.
"The people who truly need to see me will find a way, even if it’s not at a banquet.
If they want to work with the Lu Family but won’t take the initiative, am I supposed to go knocking on their door?"
In any case, Lu Yunque was not one to actively socialize.
"Exactly. Sister Yun, you’re just too approachable. You’ll end up on the losing end that way."
"I live by collecting rent. What kind of loss am I going to suffer? Someone defaulting on their payments?"
’If anyone dared to be late on rent, she would stop being so approachable.’
"Ahem!"
Li Yuexing nearly choked on his own spit. ’As expected of the woman who beat Lu Yunque. Anyone in Dijing who lives off collecting rent is a total boss.’
"I’ve always been curious, just how many properties are you collecting rent on?"
Li Yuexing finally asked the question that had been on his mind.
The others also stared at her, their eyes gleaming with curiosity. Clearly, they all wanted to know the answer.
"Not many. Right now, probably... two or three properties."
Lu Yunque raised an eyebrow at Yun Zijin’s answer.
"By ’two or three properties,’ do you mean... two or three apartments?"
"What do you think?"
’The rent from two or three apartments could never support her current spending habits.’
’A single trip to an auction could cost her billions; the rent from two or three apartments wouldn’t cover ten minutes of that.’
"Haha... I knew it! Based on your usual spending habits, you’ve got to have at least one whole building!"
Li Yuexing continued his analysis.
"And Sister Yun lives in Xingyu Mansion, don’t forget that."
Xingyu Mansion was a high-end villa community that had just recently been completed and put on the market, on par with Imperial Garden.
It was just that Imperial Garden had been built much earlier, so their families had all bought properties there.
"I only have one villa in Xingyu Mansion, I didn’t buy any others."
’The main reason was that "Randomly Spend" had rewarded her with an entire building, so there was no need to buy any others.’
"Senior Lu!"
The words had barely left Yun Zijin’s lips when a girl walked over. Her eyes were fixed on Lu Yunque, and her voice was a melodious coo as she called out, "Senior Lu."
Li Yuexing had been about to ask Yun Zijin for the specifics of her rental properties, but he was interrupted. He shot the newcomer an unfriendly look.
Cen Mulin seemed frightened by Li Yuexing’s glare and timidly took a small step back.
