"Sorry to keep you waiting." Luo Xikui came out after changing into her dress, and smiled up at Xu Ziyu.

She was a little late; after changing into her dress, she touched up her makeup and braided her hair.

"This time was well spent." Xu Ziyu's gaze slowly moved down from her face. She looked beautiful in the light pink fishtail dress, exuding a pure and sexy charm.

Luo Xikui blushed under his gaze. Since it was a charity gala, she hadn't dressed up extravagantly. She had worn the dress several times for performances, and she was worried that pink would make her look too young. She didn't expect him to like it.

"I also donated some items for auction today, so you have to win them back for me later," Luo Xikui said with a smile, linking her arm with Xu Ziyu's.

"What did you donate?" Xu Ziyu asked.

"That's the violin I'm going to play in a little while. It's my first violin. I specially dug it out a few days ago and even took it to the music store for maintenance. The shop assistant said in the car that it had already been sent here and should have arrived by now," Luo Xikui said to him as they walked.

"Why did you donate such a meaningful instrument?"

"Because I know you'll definitely bid it back for me, it's all about doing good deeds anyway," Luo Xikui said with a sly smile. Actually, the violin itself wasn't worth much money, it was the kind that even a beginner violinist could have, but it was branded with her name, so the auction price would definitely be high.

Xu Ziyu smiled and tapped the tip of her nose; he was used to taking care of her anyway.

"There will be a reward if you take the photos." Luo Xikui smiled at him with narrowed eyes.

"Is this a reward for me, or a reward for myself?"

"Well, it's a mutual reward." Luo Xikui wanted to take advantage of him legitimately, but he saw through her and her eyes narrowed into slits with laughter.

Xu Ziyu smiled faintly and stepped into the banquet hall with her.

By this time, many people had already arrived in the hall, their elegant attire and the aroma of wine filling the air.

The large hall was furnished with fifty small round tables, spaced quite far apart. Each table was set up with three people, all of whom had names and number tags for easy access during the auction.

This charity auction gala has been held for eighteen consecutive years, and the philanthropists who attend are all prominent figures in Yihai City, including celebrities and media reporters.

Xu Ziyu walked to the left side of the first row, where Ni Sitian and Xu Tingchuan were already seated.

After greeting them with a smile, Luo Xikui said, "It's about to start, I'll go backstage to prepare."

"Go ahead, we'll be watching your performance later." Ni Sitian smiled gently, becoming more and more satisfied with her prospective daughter-in-law.

Xu Ziyu squeezed Luo Xikui's palm before letting go. Luo Xikui smiled at him and turned to walk towards the backstage storage room.

Upon entering the room, she saw several staff members preparing for the event. She noticed her violin case on the table, so she went over and opened it to check it.

"Ms. Luo, you have ten minutes left. Please get ready to go on stage," a staff member ran over to inform her.

Luo Xikui smiled and nodded, but after the staff left, her brows furrowed slightly, and she looked down at the zither again.

She picked up the bow, closed her eyes, and tried playing a short piece. Her brows furrowed even more. After putting down the bow, she carefully examined the instrument and noticed a small notch at the joint of the strings.

If this were to happen on stage, the strings would definitely snap during the climax of the performance.

The music stores she took her to for repair and maintenance were all run by experienced technicians she had worked with for years, and they had never encountered anything like this before. The chip was so obvious that it was already affecting the tone.

Although most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference, it's quite easy for someone with an absolute ear for music like her to discern it.