Professor Zheng, who hadn't even stepped out the door yet, was already starting to panic.

He still didn't believe that the person who made the call was Li Changyuan.

But clearly, Principal Zhou believed it.

His face was full of surprise and excitement.

Professor Zheng was panicked because Xinghai Conservatory of Music had never invited him; he was just using this as leverage to demand a higher salary. If Principal Zhou could just raise his salary, he wouldn't have left.

But the current situation seems like I have no choice but to leave...

Sure enough, Principal Zhou looked at him and said thoughtfully, "Professor Zheng, you heard it just now, it is indeed Professor Li Changyuan who is coming to teach. Although I don't know how Chu Yang persuaded her, the situation is what it is..."

Professor Zheng grew anxious: "Principal Zhou, it can't be Li Changyuan..."

“Hey.” Principal Zhou interrupted him, saying, “I believe in Chu Yang. This child is mature and steady; he wouldn’t joke about something like this.”

"It's quite a coincidence, isn't it? Xinghai Conservatory of Music invited you, and I was just wondering what to do. Now it's a win-win situation, Professor Zheng. I won't keep you any longer. Let's get the formalities done. I wish you even greater success in Xinghai!"

"This..." Professor Zheng was a little dumbfounded.

This wasn't his intention. He didn't want to leave; he just wanted more money!

Now look what's happened... I didn't get a raise, and I've lost my job too. What kind of mess is this...?

It was all because of this kid surnamed Chu that everything went wrong!

And he finally understood why this kid had said it would make him feel bad...

What the hell have I ever done to you?!

"Professor Zheng, please go back first. Come back at four o'clock this afternoon to complete the final handover with me," Principal Zhou said.

After saying that, he ignored Professor Zheng, who was walking away looking somewhat lost, and quickly asked Chu Yang, "You just said that Professor Li wanted to take your girlfriend as his disciple, is that Xiao Yang?"

Chu Yang opened his mouth, then forced himself to say, "...Yes!"

Principal Zhou beamed with joy: "I never expected it, I never expected it! Xiao Yang actually has such talent, and she was even noticed by Master Li Changyuan! It's all my fault for being too busy with work and not paying enough attention to her. If I had discovered her extraordinary talent earlier and nurtured her... I, as her father, have delayed her. It's all my fault, it's all my fault!"

Old Zhou was immersed in surprise and self-blame, while Chu Yang felt a sense of helplessness.

After leaving the office, he immediately called Zhou Yang.

"Hey, Xiaoyang, have you noticed that you actually have a real talent for playing the guzheng?"

"……ah?"

Then he called Li Changyuan again.

“Teacher Li, would you mind taking on another disciple? I can pay more.”

"……ah?"

…

"Oh, why do you suddenly want me to learn the guzheng?"

In the apartment, Zhou Yang had just taken a shower and was wearing a bathrobe, drying her hair with a towel.

Chu Yang withdrew his gaze from her long legs exposed outside her bathrobe and said with a smile, "Because you have extraordinary talent, you are a guzheng prodigy who is rare in a hundred years. Coupled with your stunning appearance and temperament, it would be a waste not to play the guzheng!"

“Speak like a human being,” Zhou Yang interrupted impatiently.

Chu Yang's smile vanished: "Alright, actually, it's like this..."

He recounted the whole story.

"...That's how it is. Now that your dad knows we're dating, I had no choice but to resort to this in order to keep him from finding out that Shuer is also my girlfriend."

Then he pointed at her and said, "So, you are now Master Li Changyuan's beloved disciple. Are you happy?"

Zhou Yang was speechless for a moment, then said fiercely, "You, Chu Yang, are you trying to play me like this?!"

Chu Yang quickly smiled apologetically, "This isn't a joke, dear sister. I had good intentions and it just happened to work out. Look at Old Zhou, he's so happy about this. With a super folk music master joining him and his daughter becoming the master's beloved student, he'll probably be laughing in his dreams tonight."

"But that's not true! They say I'm exceptionally talented, but I've never even touched a guzheng!"

"You can play the guitar, right? They're all stringed instruments. With your ability, you'll definitely pick it up quickly."

"They're not the same, okay? A guitar only has six strings, while a guzheng has a full 21. The guzheng is much more difficult, okay!"

"Look at you, you actually know that the guzheng has 21 strings, and you still say you're not exceptionally talented!"

"..."

Zhou Yang was completely baffled by him, so she threw a towel at him and said, "Anyway, if you keep doing this, you'll be exposed sooner or later!"

Chu Yang took the towel, smelled it, and said, "Mmm, it smells really good."

Then I pulled her to sit down, got a hairdryer, and gently dried her hair.

"So, I absolutely have to learn the guzheng?" Zhou Yang asked.

Chu Yang lifted her hair and said while blowing on it, "Just treat it as entertainment and learn with Shu'er. Maybe when your bloodline awakens and you open up your Ren and Du meridians, and your Guzheng soul is revived, you'll be even more powerful than Shu'er."

Zhou Yang was amused by him: "Just keep bragging!"

"I'm blow-drying it for you right now, sis. Your hair's gotten so long. When are you coming over to my place so Tony's mom can fix it up for you?" Chu Yang said with a smile.

Zhou Yang's expression softened: "Yes, Auntie's cooking is indeed excellent. ...No, don't change the subject, what if we give ourselves away?"

“I’ve been caught, so I’ll just tell Lao Zhou the truth. It’s not the first time anyway,” Chu Yang said.

"Not the first time?" Zhou Yang was taken aback.

"Yes, I told my older brother, and he's agreed to our relationship. I'm referring to you, Shu'er, Xiao Li, and Sister Chun Yue." Chu Yang turned off the hairdryer and styled her hair with his hands.

Then he talked about how he had confronted Shen Nansheng at the end of the year.

Zhou Yang was stunned: "You're really something!"

"Right?" Chu Yang chuckled and said, "The main reason I invited Teacher Li Changyuan here this time is for Shu'er. By the way, it's also to make your dad happy. Your dad is incredibly grateful to me for inviting this master. Just give him plenty of benefits. When things come to light later, he'll think of my kindness first before he gets angry."

"So, this is related to our future happiness. Sister Xiaoyang, please bear with it for a moment and learn the guzheng with Shuer. Just consider it as cultivating your mind, okay?"

"...Alright then."

Since things had come to this point, Zhou Yang hadn't originally intended to refuse, so she reluctantly went along with it.

"Sister Xiaoyang is the most understanding." Chu Yang picked her up and lifted her high, then let her hang on him.

Zhou Yang let out a soft sigh, patted him, and said irritably, "Don't get too cocky. I can't guarantee I'll learn it well; I can only do my best."

Chu Yang hugged her tightly to his chest and said softly, "It's okay. I already said, just treat it as entertainment and a way to cultivate your mind."

"Mm," Zhou Yang responded, meeting his gaze.

Their eyes met, and tenderness welled up between them.

Chu Yang wanted to kiss her as soon as he got close.

Then came the sound of a key being used to open the door.

Lou Chunyue pushed open the door and entered. Seeing the two of them, she blinked and said, "Oh, we made it?"