43. *Adeline*

◎Sense of security◎

The two did not contact each other again after that day.

Liang Chuling flew to Shanghai twice and Hong Kong once to give lessons to piano teachers and top students at the music academy. She has been participating in these kinds of activities less and less in recent years, but some invitations are of a high level and have great significance, making it impossible for her to easily decline on the grounds that her schedule is full.

The class went smoothly, and the young students looked at her with admiration and nervousness. However, after class, she always felt tired when she returned to the hotel, a lingering fatigue from being stared at by countless eyes.

After these three matches, she has another one waiting for her in Beijing...

As the plane landed, her assistant followed behind her: "Professor Liang, let's go straight to the hotel. There's a welcome dinner tonight, and several leaders will be attending. Tomorrow's classes are scheduled for 9:00 AM, and in the afternoon there's a public masterclass with media present..."

Liang Chuling hummed in agreement, her steps uninterrupted; she was already used to this meticulously planned schedule.

At the welcome banquet, Liang Chuling smiled and shook hands with the leaders, accepting their sincere or polite compliments and responding appropriately.

A leader in charge of culture raised his glass: "Teacher Liang, I heard that besides performances, you also have a lot of personal plans during your trip back to China? Is everything alright at home?"

Liang Chuling smiled and raised her water glass: "Thank you for your concern, everything is fine."

The other party didn't press further and smiled as they clinked glasses.

When I returned to my hotel room that evening, I saw that the doorway was filled with flowers, cakes, and love letters.

Liang Chuling was efficient and immediately contacted the front desk to change rooms. Her assistant was equally efficient, going into the old room to retrieve the luggage and then placing it in the new room.

...

The masterclass the following afternoon attracted even more attendees, including some social celebrities. Liang Chuling spotted a figure in the crowd she didn't want to see.

Zhou Xu.

He sat in the third row by the aisle, his hair shorter than the last time I saw him. He wasn't wearing sunglasses or a mask, and just sat there calmly, meeting Liang Chuling's gaze and nodding.

Liang Chuling nodded at him as well.

During intermission, Liang Chuling walked backstage, and her assistant followed her in, handing her a water glass: "Teacher Liang, Teacher Zhou Xu just asked a staff member to pass on a message, asking if you have time to have a cup of coffee after the event."

Liang Chuling hesitated for a moment. She actually wanted to go back to the hotel immediately, but refusing would seem deliberate.

Over the past five years, their relationship has not been as hostile as outsiders speculated; in fact, it has been more normal than before the scandal.

After that painful experience, both of them were left in a sorry state, but they also grew stronger.

Zhou Xu experienced a major setback in his career and a long period of recovery, which smoothed out some of his rough edges.

Liang Chuling learned to handle all relationships more calmly from his embarrassing exit.

They've collaborated a few times, and occasionally bump into each other at music festivals, exchanging pleasantries but never mentioning the past.

However, the public has long lost interest in this old news and has turned to chasing newer gossip.

They both chose window seats and sat facing each other.

Liang Chuling arrived later, and the coffee had already been ordered. After she arrived, she took off her clip-on earrings and put them on the table. She didn't have her ears pierced, and the stylist lent her a pair of clip-on earrings, which had been causing her earlobes a lot of pain.

After the initial pleasantries, Zhou Xu started talking: "Why are there so few shows on this year's tour? You had thirty shows a year when you were in junior high, how come there are only twelve this year?"

Liang Chuling hummed in agreement: "I want to rest for a while and spend more time with my family."

"Is it being adjusted?"

"Right?" Liang Chuling didn't actually know what she needed to adjust... she just wasn't curious and didn't want to ask. Zhou Xu said so, so she agreed. After agreeing, she picked up her cup, using this action to avoid Zhou Xu's gaze. She didn't like the feeling of being scrutinized so closely.

“Since you’ve decided to make changes, you should just break up with him. Last night, Ivan was drinking with someone and even threw a tantrum at the staff backstage. His reputation in European circles isn’t clean either, is it? You love him that much?” Zhou Xu started quickly; in fact, this was the real reason he asked Liang Chuling to have coffee.

Liang Chuling didn't like coffee. She took a sip and put down the cup, remaining silent. Of course, she knew what kind of person Ivan was.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Zhou Xu assumed she was moved by his words and continued, "Ivan doesn't respect you enough, and he doesn't love you enough. So why are you still continuing? Break up with him. He's not worth it."

"This is my business." Liang Chuling was annoyed by others judging whether it was worth it, and her expression turned sour.

"I'm only saying this because it's your business!" Zhou Xu pressed on, "Break up with him. He's unfaithful; you deserve better."

"What's better?" Liang Chuling suddenly asked. "You?"

Zhou Xu readily admitted, "Yes, it's me. You should break up with Ivan right now."

Liang Chuling felt irritated and her rebellious streak kicked in: "I won't separate."

Zhou Xu was so angry he almost choked, but his growth over the past five years also included learning how to maintain a long-term relationship with Liang Chuling.

So Zhou Xu suddenly smiled and changed the subject: "Okay. What are your plans after that? Your last tour this year is at the end of December, right? In Norway?"

Liang Chuling frowned: "Zhou Xu."

"Um?"

"I don't think I need to report my itinerary to you, do I?"

Zhou Xu leaned back: "Sorry, it's just a habit. I always want to know more."

"However, some information doesn't need to be deliberately sought out. The concert at the end of December is a low-carbon concert in Tromsø, right?"

Liang Chuling looked up at him. The other party had done a good job keeping it a secret; how did Zhou Xu know?

Seeing through her doubts, Zhou Xu revealed: "I was also invited, and it's the day after your performance."

"When the organizing committee asked me about my schedule, I initially chose your date, and they immediately told me that day was for me. Isn't that a great coincidence?"

Liang Chuling couldn't help but say, "You really didn't do it on purpose? You could have refused the invitation."

"Of course I did it on purpose," Zhou Xu answered matter-of-factly. "How could I miss such a good opportunity? Teacher Liang, could you give me a chance to perform on the same stage, no, in the same city?"

His bluntness dispelled Liang Chuling's displeasure, leaving only helplessness, "Whatever."

“Then it’s settled,” Zhou Xu raised his coffee cup to clink glasses with her. “See you in Tromsø at the end of next month. Maybe we can even see the aurora together, if the weather is good those days.”

Liang Chuling didn't touch her glass, but simply said, "We'll see. I have something to do, so I'll be going now."

As I walked out, I noticed that behind me, partially hidden by greenery and a screen, sat Li Xun and Huang Xiao, with documents and computers spread out in front of them.

Huang Xiao looked down and drew circles on the paper script, while Li Xun looked up at Liang Chuling.

Li Xun's face remained expressionless: "What a coincidence."

Liang Chuling looked away and replied with the same two words: "What a coincidence."

After saying that, he left, and Li Xun's gaze followed her back until she disappeared through the door before slowly withdrawing it.

Li Xun's film entered post-production, with a tight schedule. As the director and editing supervisor, Li Xun worked non-stop, often leaving in the early hours of the morning and returning in the morning with bloodshot eyes and stubble on his chin.

Huang Xiao's job as a screenwriter is not easy either, and in addition to collaborating with Li Xun, she also has a film script in the works.

The editing room suddenly lost power today, so the two of them went outside to discuss work.

Remembering something, Huang Xiao lowered her voice and said, "Should we remind Teacher Liang?"

Li Xun looked up from the timeline, somewhat surprised. He and Zhou Xu had indeed overheard a few words of Liang Chuling and Zhou Xu's conversation, but Huang Xiao wasn't the type to meddle in other people's private affairs.

Huang Xiao had no choice but to continue: "The promotional song for my movie was originally going to be a collaboration with Ivan, and we were even going through the contract process, but I received a notice these past two days that we can't use him anymore."

"Why?"

"Something's not right. The higher-ups have received some material on Ivan, related to illegal activities, and it's a serious problem. Ivan has connections, so they're trying to suppress him, but it's hard to say if they can. Those in the know in the industry have already started to avoid the risks. Who would dare use him at a time like this? It's so annoying, men are really unpredictable!"

After saying all that, Huang Xiao added with a disgusted look, "Besides this... there's another rumor I don't know if it's true or not. Some people say Ivan is gay. Did Teacher Liang get fooled?"

In this industry, those within the industry are often the first to sense whether a celebrity is about to fall from grace. Tightening policies, attitudes from higher authorities, and the withdrawal of partners are all clear signals.

Li Xun hadn't witnessed many ups and downs in the entertainment industry, but he wasn't surprised by them.

but……

His mind was a bit muddled, and he didn't want to talk about it in the coffee shop, so he could only ask Huang Xiao to continue looking at the film timeline to clear his head. Huang Xiao was so angry that he also cursed Li Xun as a "scumbag"!

The next day, Li Xun saw Ivan and Liang Chuling trending side by side at the top of the search rankings, and there was more than one.

First, several marketing accounts published long articles saying that Russian genius pianist Ivan accepted numerous work invitations in China for Liang Chuling, frequently traveling between China and Russia, and was praised for his love of traveling the world.

The article goes to great lengths to depict how affectionate Ivan is, and how he subtly expresses his appreciation and love for Liang Chuling in interviews, creating a perfect image of a devoted and talented younger man.

Many netizens in the comments section exclaimed how sweet it was and how envious they were of Liang Chuling.

Mixed in with it was another video.

The scene depicts a private party, dimly lit, with a shaky camera, where Ivan is seen angrily wrestling with another man.

The video's caption was sensational: "[Shocking! Liang Chuling's new love interest exposed? Ivan fights for love late at night!]"

As a result, there was little criticism of Ivan's fight in the comments section; most of the comments mocked Ivan for wasting his affections.

This also led more people to focus on Liang Chuling, speculating that she was two-timing.

Related trending topics are also climbing, such as "[Ivan and Liang Chuling are each doing their own thing]". Clicking on it reveals more so-called insider revelations, claiming that the two have already had new lovers in private.

Such a dense mix of positive and negative trending topics is like a series of coordinated attacks. First, the "deeply affectionate" persona is used to divert attention from potential scandals, while another conflict is introduced to guide public opinion towards emotional disputes rather than character issues, dragging Liang Chuling into the fray and making her part of the topic.

Li Xun's temples throbbed.

Huang Xiao's words from yesterday are still ringing in our ears. At such a sensitive time, instead of keeping a low profile, Ivan's team is marketing a deeply affectionate image. Is they planning to garner some goodwill one last time, or are they trying to drag Liang Chuling down with them? Were those leaks accidental, or were they deliberately released to muddy the waters?

Regardless of the reason, Liang Chuling became a target for criticism.

Li Xun knew that Liang Chuling didn't care about most people's opinions, but she did care about not being used.

My head hurts even more...

--

Li Chi also encountered some difficulties.

Li Xun's assistant knocked on the door and came in: "Director, Teacher Li Chi is here."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Li Chi stormed in, his face looking rather grim.

Li Xun stood up: "What's wrong?"

Li Chi sat down on the sofa and rubbed his temples: "How's your progress going?"

"The rough cut is complete. According to the plan, the final cut will be available by the end of the month."

"The end of the month," Li Chi murmured repeatedly, his face growing even more somber.

Li Xun sensed something was wrong: "What happened?"

Li Chi took a document out of his bag and slammed it on the table: "The review process is stalled."

Li Xun picked up the document and flipped through it. It was a feedback letter from the review department after the film was submitted for review, several pages long, listing more than a dozen issues.

Some are technical, such as inconsistent color tones in individual shots.

Some are content-related, such as overemphasizing the commercial aspects of the orchestra while downplaying its artistic pursuits.

Some of these suggestions were unfounded. The other party implied that the subject matter was good, but the expression could be more positive and guiding, and it would be even better if it could better showcase the achievements of the country's music culture development.

Li Chi complained angrily to Li Xun, "What do you mean by a more positive direction? Are we filming something negative? Showing the orchestra's journey from nothing to something, and Chinese musicians gaining a place on the international stage, isn't that positive enough?"

“This is just making things difficult,” Li Xun said, putting down the documents. “The film is completely compliant with regulations, all the filing procedures are complete, and the filming content is within the scope of approval.”

“I know. But they just won’t approve it, what can you do? If they delay it for three months, all the publicity and distribution plans will be disrupted, the performance season will be over, and even if the film is released, it will have missed the best period for dissemination.”

"What do they want?" Li Xun asked directly.

Li Chi looked at him and said, "This afternoon, one of their people contacted me privately and said they had a compromise."

What plan?

“They want to make a documentary,” Li Chi said. “A documentary about Chinese pianists. In the recently concluded Chopin Competition, all ten of the top ten were Chinese pianists. Now, the status and attention of Chinese pianists internationally are unprecedented. The higher-ups want to take advantage of this opportunity to make a substantial documentary and promote it internationally, which can also be considered part of cultural export.”

Li Xun vaguely guessed what was going on: "They want you to take the lead?"

"Not only that. They specifically requested that you direct it, and asked me to use my connections and networks to ensure the high quality and international impact of this documentary. The film is to cover seven pianists, from the older generation to the new generation, to showcase the achievements of the country's piano education, and to highlight their personal struggles and artistic pursuits, blah blah blah... In short, it's a tribute film."

Li Xun remained silent. The censorship of Li Chi's band video was a way to force her to comply and accept the task. And he too would be bound to this plan.

"What if we don't answer?" Li Xun asked, standing up to pour Li Chi a cup of hot water.

“Then our film will be indefinitely stalled. And it’s not just this one; the orchestra’s future projects will likely face obstacles. You know, in this industry, there are many ways people will try to trip you up.” Li Chi accepted the drink but had no intention of drinking it.

"Who are the seven pianists?" he asked.

Li Chi named several people. They were all prominent figures in the industry, including respected seniors, pillars of society in their prime, and rising stars who had recently emerged.

Finally, she said, "And me, and Liang Chuling."

Li Xun turned around.

The room fell silent. Only the hum of the computer tower could be heard.

"They won't let this opportunity slip by. Among Chinese pianists, the ones with the highest international profile, the most buzz, and who happen to be both in China are Chu Ling and me. With the two of us on board, this documentary will get international attention. They've got a very shrewd plan."

Li Xun walked back to the table, picked up the letter of opinion, and then put it down again.

“Take it,” he finally said. “The film has to be finished eventually. This is also an opportunity, and the documentary itself… has meaning.”

"What about Chu Ling..."

“It’s a formal invitation,” Li Xun interrupted her. “Send it through official channels. Whether she accepts it or not is her business. We just need to do what we’re supposed to do.”

Li Chi got his consent and went out to meet him without stopping. Li Xun sighed deeply. She didn't drink the glass of water that she had poured for Li Chi. Instead, Li Xun picked it up and drank half of it in one gulp.

Worried, busy, tired.

I took on this task so that Li Chi's film could pass censorship smoothly, fulfilling a director's promise.

But at the same time, he also harbored selfish thoughts. Perhaps this could help Liang Chuling—if she needed this help, she would naturally accept it and be temporarily freed from the encirclement; if he was overthinking it and she didn't need the help, or was really resistant to being filmed, then he could just refuse.

--

Zhou Xu called to say that he had left the ear clips at the coffee shop that day and asked when Liang Chuling would be free so he could bring them to her.

Liang Chuling slapped her thigh! That's right, she always felt like something was missing!

Those are someone else's ear clips!

The stylist probably didn't ask because they were afraid of embarrassing her...

She told Zhou Xu to return other people's things, and that if he had time, he could deliver them to her home, where Aunt Zhang was.

Liang Chuling didn't want to meet Zhou Xu for the time being, fearing that he would keep her talking to her endlessly once they met.

Compared to the relatively manageable level of attention from Zhou Xu, the other troubles made Liang Chuling feel genuinely annoyed.

First, an old subordinate of Liang's father, who now runs his own cultural company, contacted Ms. Ma, saying he wanted to invite Liang Chuling to a casual meal to discuss potential collaborations.

Ms. Ma politely declined, but the other party persisted. They found out the email address of Liang Chuling's studio and sent a long letter with respectful wording but clear intentions. The letter revealed their admiration for Liang Chuling and their old friendship with President Liang.

Liang Chuling had her assistant send a rejection letter, but the other party started exchanging emails with the assistant, talking at length about his artistic ideals and his friendship with President Liang back then. The assistant was overwhelmed by the barrage of questions and exclaimed that this person probably had some kind of social anxiety.

The situation is even more complicated on Ivan's side. The two had originally agreed to only make public appearances together when necessary, but recently Ivan's team's actions have become increasingly uncontrollable.

Ivan's team started releasing some embarrassing details about their relationship, trying to cover up any potential storms with a sweet love story.

For example, Ivan composed a serenade overnight for Liang Chuling, Ivan turned down an important performance just to spend Liang Chuling's birthday with her, and even hinted that the two were getting married soon.

A recent trending topic is even more absurd: "[Ivan learns Chinese for love]", accompanied by a posed photo of Ivan holding a children's Chinese textbook, with the comments section full of sweetness.

Then Ivan's agent called: "Mr. Liang, if we could invite you as a surprise guest to Ivan's solo recital early next month, and have you perform a duet on the piano with Ivan during the encore, it would be a huge success."

Liang Chuling refused without saying a word.

When the agent spoke again, the enthusiasm in his tone had faded: "Ms. Liang, as you know, Ivan has been facing some unfriendly public opinion lately, which has affected his image. His mother is very worried about this, and yesterday she even went to the hospital for observation due to blood pressure problems."

“Ivan is very filial. He was very depressed after learning that his mother had been hospitalized. After Yelena woke up, her biggest concern was still her son’s future.”

“Teacher Liang, even if we don’t consider our past collaboration, please reconsider, considering Teacher Yelena’s appreciation and support for you, and her current anxiety in her illness. We really need your help.”

The autumn sun outside the window is beautiful, so beautiful that it seems to take its own life for granted.

Liang Chuling could still refuse, but she couldn't find a convincing reason to convince everyone. Those around her seemed to be all smiles, but in reality, each had their own agenda.

She has the right to refuse, but each refusal could trigger new troubles, drain her energy, and damage her image. She longs for a reason that would allow her to extricate herself from both of these unpleasant situations.

So that invitation was like a perfectly timed straw, swimming right up to her.

When the agent handed Liang Chuling a detailed documentary proposal and a list of directors, although she immediately spotted Li Xun, but—

"catch."

This is like a timely rain; by citing the upcoming filming of a national-level documentary, all other potential collaborations can be rejected.

Those who wanted to ride the wave or exert pressure had to back down. No one dared to interfere with such a politically and culturally significant undertaking at this critical juncture.

"I'll get right on it!" The agent immediately turned around to make the arrangements.

Liang Chuling was left alone in the room. She walked to the window and looked down at the deepening autumn colors in the garden. The plants were thriving, their life cycle mirroring the changing seasons.

Agreeing to participate in the documentary meant that she would inevitably have a lot of working interactions with Li Xun in the future. But between two evils, she chose the lesser, and she actually felt quite safe working with Li Xun.

Countless people, under the guise of concern, appreciation, old feelings, or cooperation, want to leech off her or use their connection with her to smooth over other relationships.

Over the past five years, she has not been stagnant; the source of this progress has been attention and love.

Liang Chuling was not lacking in love, but she never received the sense of security that Li Xun had given her again.

[Author's Note]

Chapter 46 explains everything; this story concludes with 50 chapters.

Hehe, it'll be here soon!