The heavy soundproof door closed.

Cut the noise of the conference center into neat slices, like slicing tofu.

The lounge was very warm, even a bit dry.

With a soft "click," the door lock closed.

Just moments ago, Ye Xi was on stage, elegant as a white swan.

In an instant, it felt as if her bones had been removed, and she collapsed limply into the fabric sofa, completely losing her composure.

She let out a long breath.

He slid down the slope and sprawled out in a pose reminiscent of Ge You, completely losing his composure.

"That scared me to death...it really scared me to death..."

Ye Xi patted his chest,

Those eyes, which were cool and noble under the spotlight, were now wide open in surprise.

"When that teacher stood up just now, I felt my heart stop for two seconds."

It felt like she might rush up at us any second.

Lin Que leaned against the door.

Seeing the internationally renowned pianist so uninhibited at this moment, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

He poured her a glass of warm water and handed it to her.

"Take a sip of water to calm your nerves."

Don't worry, Teacher Yan may be strict, but he hasn't practiced scaling walls or leaping across rooftops yet.

Ye Xi took the water and gulped down two big mouthfuls.

She looked up, her bright eyes fixed on Lin Que:

"Thanks for earlier, volunteer."

"A verbal thank you?"

Lin Que raised an eyebrow, pulled over the chair next to him, and sat down facing backwards.

He rested his hands on the back of the chair, his chin on the back of his hands, and looked at her.

"That situation just now was a high-risk operation."

According to labor market rates, you'll have to pay extra.

"Add, add, add!"

Ye Xi waved his hand with a flourish.

"For tonight's barbecue, I'll not only treat you to kidneys, but I'll also let you order two extra skewers of grilled chives!"

Lin Que: "..."

This girl's obsession with barbecue is probably even deeper than her obsession with Chopin.

Joking aside, Lin Que looked at Ye Xi with a slightly more serious expression.

"But to be honest, you're really bold."

"Aren't you afraid that Minister Zheng will turn on you on the spot by quoting 'The Ferryman' in this setting?"

Ye Xi held the water glass,

His fingertips tapped rhythmically on the cup's rim unconsciously, and his playful expression gradually faded.

"Actually... what I said just now wasn't entirely impulsive."

She stared at the sloshing water in the glass.

Do you know that feeling?

Every day, I practice piano as soon as I open my eyes, and sheet music as soon as I close them.

Sometimes when I sit on the piano bench, I feel like I'm not a person, but a precise metronome.

If you play even the slightest wrong note, the looks on the faces of those around you are as if the sky has fallen.

Ye Xi turned her head and looked at Lin Que.

There was a rare clarity and resonance in his eyes.

"When I read the chapter on 'Ghost Detective,' I cried my eyes out."

Ah Zhe is willing to forgo reincarnation for the sake of the case, and Zhao Li is willing to violate the rules of the underworld for the sake of justice.

That "I'll go even if it means facing a million men" attitude is so cool.

"I think, if I could be like them..."

Even just once, break those rules and regulations.

Play the music I want to play, live the life I want to live.

That's what it means to be alive.

Lin Que was slightly taken aback.

When he wrote "The Ferryman," he did indeed incorporate his reflections on rules and human nature.

But he never expected that this seemingly wealthy heiress, living a life of luxury...

It's amazing how accurately they were able to empathize with that suppressed longing.

She understood.

It wasn't that I understood the ghost story, but rather that I understood the free will hidden beneath the veneer of horror.

"I couldn't tell."

Lin Que smiled, his tone now carrying a hint of genuine appreciation.

"The piano goddess is still a rebellious girl at heart."

"That's right!"

Ye Xi proudly raised her chin.

"You think I used the online name 'Beethoven' for nothing?"

The focus isn't on Beethoven, it's on the word 'escape'!

Just as the atmosphere between the two was getting better.

"Thump, thump, thump."

There was a sudden knock on the door of the lounge.

It's very rhythmic, neither too fast nor too slow.

But at times like these, every sound feels like a blow to one's nerves.

The moment the knocking sounded,

Ye Xi sprang up from the sofa as if she had been electrocuted.

Keep your back straight, legs together, and hands folded on your knees.

This set of movements is so fluid and natural, it's like muscle memory etched into your DNA.

When Lin Que turned around, she already had that flawless, standard smile on her face.

The speed was so fast that Lin Que was amazed.

"Um, please come in."

Lin Que stood up and straightened his red vest.

The door handle turns.

The person who pushed open the door was Yan Fang.

The air in the lounge seemed to freeze instantly.

Ye Xi's fingers, which were resting on her knees, tightened suddenly, and she instinctively tried to stand up.

Yan Fang was still wearing those thick-rimmed glasses.

Although his face wasn't as ashen as it had been in the meeting earlier, it certainly wasn't pleasant to look at.

She was holding a thermos.

Standing at the door, he glanced at Lin Que and Ye Xi.

"Teacher Yan..."

Lin Que took half a step forward, silently blocking Ye Xi's path.

"Are you... here to inspect the work?"

Yan Fang glanced at Lin Que but ignored his banter.

She walked straight up to Ye Xi.

Ye Xi was about to speak:

"Teacher Yan..."

Yan Fang raised her hand to interrupt her.

The old lady pursed her lips, seemingly preparing herself mentally.

After a few seconds, she placed the thermos on the table.

The movement was not gentle; it even made a soft "thump" sound.

"It was quite noisy in the lobby just now."

You play the piano, so you should be used to a quiet environment.

"Teacher Yan... what are you trying to say?"

Lin Que sensed the hidden meaning in Yan Fang's words and couldn't help but ask directly.