Chapter 61: Ji Xiao Never Could Have Imagined That Wei Qingyu Would One Day Take The Initiative To Hold Her Arm

Source: http://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5896087
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.

The bustling noises of the backstage echoed through the corridor outside, yet the spacious conference room was filled with an eerie silence.  

Liu Yue and the vice principal looked at the girl who had suddenly barged in with confusion, while Wei Qingyu swiftly withdrew her hand from Jin Nanfeng's grasp.  

"Why are you here?" Liu Yue walked to Ji Xiao's side and asked.  

Ji Xiao immediately realized what was happening.  

She knew that as an outsider, she should apologize, bow, and leave such a setting. However, when she noticed Jin Nanfeng beside Wei Qingyu, she instantly changed her mind. 

"Qingyu asked me to come," Ji Xiao calmly explained to Liu Yue. "Teacher, with such an occasion today, surely we cannot let her bear it alone."

As she spoke, the girl's eyes curved into crescents, resembling delectable cashews. Her harmless demeanor was rather beguiling. Liu Yue did not think much of verifying her claim and nodded. "Alright, since that’s the case, you can join today. But you better behave well for me."  

"Mm." Ji Xiao nodded. "Rest assured."  

"I will perform well."  

As she said this, her gaze shifted to Jin Nanfeng, who was still standing with Wei Qingyu.  

Unexpectedly, Jin Nanfeng also looked at her.  

The boy’s deep black eyes were like unfathomable black holes, making those who met his gaze feel a sense of danger.  

Yet, amidst the golden-orange tint of that danger, Ji Xiao caught a hint of friendly smile directed at her.  

Were Alphas not supposed to repel each other?  

Moreover, the two of them were both S-class Alphas.

Ji Xiao suddenly felt that Jin Nanfeng was just as the book described—deep and unfathomable. His pitch-black eyes concealed unknown calculations.  

At this thought, Ji Xiao felt a chill at the glands on the back of her neck. She quickly broke eye contact with him and turned her head away.  

Unexpectedly, this brief moment was clearly caught by Wei Qingyu, who stood nearby. This included the ambiguous smile Jin Nanfeng had directed at Ji Xiao.  

She had read in a biology magazine once that among animals, Alphas of the same rank, who were unable to assert dominance, might instead exhibit mutual attraction...  

The warm early spring breeze swept over the long staircase outside the auditorium. Led by Liu Yue, the three individuals, each with their own thoughts, arrived at the concert hall on the top floor of the auditorium.

Though not as grand as a traditional concert hall, the one on the top floor of the auditorium, had facilities on par with a professional stage.  

The lights reflected off the freshly waxed light brown floor, making the hall bright and orderly. Members of the ensemble who had just finished their performance for the school anniversary were resting inside.  

Teacher Zhao, a teacher from Hualan Private High School, noticed the grand piano placed to the side. With a thoughtful look, she approached and said, "This is a Steinway piano, isn’t it?"  

The ensemble's conductor, who was hosting everyone, nodded. "Yes, it is."  

"I heard Qingyu knows how to play the piano, right?" Teacher Zhao asked.  

Wei Qingyu slightly nodded. "Mm."  

Perhaps feeling inspired, Teacher Zhao immediately suggested, "In that case, why not have Qingyu and Nanfeng play a duet for us?"  

As soon as the words fell, Ji Xiao’s internal alarm blared.  

The piano keys were the perfect medium to foster harmony, not to mention that these two already had a certain bond in the original text.

Having Wei Qingyu and Jin Nanfeng meet again was already beyond Ji Xiao’s expectations. How could she let them perform a duet together?  

Before Wei Qingyu could speak, Ji Xiao quickly said, "Since Student Jin is here to observe and learn, how could we trouble him? Why not let me and Wei Qingyu perform for everyone instead?"  

Like many children, Ji Xiao in her original world had been forced by her parents to learn piano from a young age.  

Even though she had switched to a different body, she could still recall the sting of the cane striking her arms and shoulders.  

Back then, Ji Xiao would never have imagined that the thing she despised and thought useless would help her so much today.

Wei Qingyu did not expect Ji Xiao to volunteer and could not help but show some concern in her eyes, "When did you learn to play the piano?"  

When Ji Xiao heard Wei Qingyu's question, she realized something.  

— The original owner's hands clearly showed she had never learned the piano.  

She had been too focused on separating Wei Qingyu and Jin Nanfeng, forgetting about this detail.  

Ji Xiao lightly licked her dry lips and forced an explanation, "Well... during the years when you and I were apart... I enrolled in an interest class."  

Wei Qingyu was skeptical and asked, "But is your hand better now? Are you sure you can do it?"

"Don't worry." Ji Xiao said, while lowering the arm she had been suspended for nearly four months, "If I don't move it soon, my arm will go numb."  

Her delicate and slender fingers, like warm jade, gracefully passed through Wei Qingyu and the others' line of sight.  

Although Liu Yue didn't know what Ji Xiao was up to again, she still refused to let her precious Qingyu perform a duet with a male Alpha she wasn't very familiar with.  

After hearing Ji Xiao's conversation with Wei Qingyu, Liu Yue smoothly added, "What Student Ji Xiao said makes sense. Why not let them perform a piece? It's our way of being good hosts and welcoming everyone."  

"Teacher Zhao, is that alright?"  

Liu Yue smiled as she spoke, her smile blooming like a red, vibrant flower in front of them.

Teacher Zhao looked slightly dazed but nodded and said, "Alright."  

Thus, Wei Qingyu and Ji Xiao walked to the piano.  

It seemed like the piano had just been used, as the sheet music was still left open on it.  

Wei Qingyu tapped the keys twice to check the tuning, then asked, "What do you want to play?"  

"How about Für Elise*?" Ji Xiao replied, tapping three keys. She played the first three notes of Für Elise.  

*For Elise

The girl, with a hint of pride, tilted her chin towards Wei Qingyu, signaling her to look at the sheet music in front of her.  

Wei Qingyu saw Ji Xiao's familiarity with the piece from her gesture, and the unease she had earlier slightly eased.  

After saying "Okay," Wei Qingyu planned to sit at the left-side main position.  

But unexpectedly, a figure suddenly appeared in her line of sight.  

Ji Xiao unbuttoned her suit jacket with one hand and sat upright to her left.  

The girl gently raised her arm, her slender fingers precisely pressing on the black and white keys, and a few soft notes flowed out.

It was as if the performer was softly calling out Elise’s name. The piano notes, controlled by Ji Xiao's hand speed, became gentle and gentlemanly.

Just this brief, familiar segment of music instantly captivated everyone present, including the members of the orchestra who were resting nearby.

The sunlight that fell through the window bathed the girl playing the music, and Wei Qingyu’s gaze on Ji Xiao's eyes trembled slightly.

Her long hair, tied high at the top, cascaded down like a waterfall, thick and pitch-black, with golden highlights spreading across her back.

Grace and wildness intertwined with the music on the girl, a side of her that Wei Qingyu had never seen before in her life.

She quietly watched Ji Xiao, not knowing why she felt such a strong sense of disconnect between her and the past version of Ji Xiao at that very moment.

As the few calls of music from Ji Xiao came to an end, Wei Qingyu, like Elise, experienced a moment of trance, drifting, and then returning to her senses.

Source: http://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5896087
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.

Finally, it was as if she responded to Ji Xiao's call, lifting her hand and striking the piano keys in sync with Ji Xiao's rhythm.

The flowing music, with the cooperation of the two, gradually pushed the evolution of the piece, becoming more and more wonderful.

Each note that the piano keys produced was like the tiptoe of a ballet dancer, dancing in the hearts of the listeners under the control of Ji Xiao and Wei Qingyu.

As the music reached its conclusion, Ji Xiao's right hand, lacking strength, faltered. A slender, white hand fell early onto the piano keys she was supposed to press.

The light fell on Wei Qingyu's profile, casting a soft, ethereal beauty on her face.

She silently and calmly followed Ji Xiao’s left hand, playing the little piece, becoming Ji Xiao's right hand at that moment.

The smooth melody flowed into Ji Xiao's heart, like a gentle palm brushing against her cheek.

Perhaps because they had been in contact for so long, an unspoken understanding seemed to have formed between her and Wei Qingyu. She knew where the next note should fall, and Wei Qingyu, in sync with her, struck the keys softly or heavily, matching her rhythm.

Ji Xiao gazed at the hand that had crossed her line of sight, momentarily lost in thought.

How wonderful it would be if time could freeze at this very moment.

Frozen in the perfectly synchronized moment between her and Wei Qingyu.

The wind from the horizon seemed to be savoring the performance, gently blowing through the camphor tree outside the window, creating ripples in the green waves.

A new emotional melody began to return to its opening tune, and two pairs of hands almost simultaneously rested on their knees.

The applause in the concert hall erupted like thunder, and the vice principal’s face was filled with pride.

Wei Qingyu took a slight breath and then looked at Ji Xiao, who was still resting by the side: "How is your hand?"

Ji Xiao pursed her lips and smiled slightly: "It's very nimble."

The two sat on the same long bench. The girl's warm breath, with a hint of ambiguity, fell gently on Wei Qingyu's ear.

The scent of peach brandy mixed with a faint trace of sweat lingered around her. Wei Qingyu, watching the slender fingers in her line of sight, knew clearly that Ji Xiao had no such intention, yet her face still flushed.

"You played really well."

Jin Nanfeng's voice came from Ji Xiao’s side, interrupting Wei Qingyu's thoughts.

Perhaps due to their rival relationship, Ji Xiao didn't feel much joy from the male lead’s praise. She simply replied indifferently: "Thank you."

Jin Nanfeng, however, was not discouraged by Ji Xiao's indifference. He continued, "I read a book that says this piece was supposedly composed by Beethoven for his student, Elisabeth, when he was forty. And Elise was actually Elisabeth's alias. During that time, there was no other woman named Elise in Beethoven's life."

As soon as these words were spoken, Ji Xiao's brows, which had been smooth, furrowed into a small mountain.

She had already wanted to complain about this line, which the male lead used to widen the conversation with Wei Qingyu, when she read the original text.

For some reason, Ji Xiao's mind replayed the scene where Jin Nanfeng had held Wei Qingyu's hand, and she couldn't help but retort, "But during that time, there were other girls with different names in his life. He really was quite the passionate and unfaithful scumbag."

"I wonder if Student Jin thinks the same way?" Ji Xiao spoke with a smile that seemed to trace itself onto her face, carrying a hint of feigned amusement as she looked at Jin Nanfeng.

Jin Nanfeng was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Ji Xiao to respond this way.  

Or perhaps he should have anticipated it. At that first banquet where they met, this girl had never played by the rules.  

"You are right," Jin Nanfeng inexplicably replied.

Then he glanced around once more, leaned down, and whispered softly into Ji Xiao's ear, "But this place is not as boring as you claimed it was."  

The boy's ambiguous tone carried a deep, magnetic resonance, like a heavy iron hammer striking the bottom of Ji Xiao's heart.  

What exactly was it that he found "not boring"? Was it the surroundings or a person?  

Did his earlier gaze include Wei Qingyu, who stood nearby?  

Could it be that after circling through several exchanges, Jin Nanfeng had ended up falling for Wei Qingyu?  

The spring sunlight cast a warm golden glow over them, imbuing the scene with a faint air of ambiguity.  

Wei Qingyu clearly heard the words Jin Nanfeng had whispered to Ji Xiao. As she noticed the faint smile playing on the boy's lips, her expression involuntarily turned cold.

Wei Qingyu stood up straight from the piano bench and said to Ji Xiao in a slightly deep voice, "Ji Xiao, let's go."  

The coolness of mint accompanied her words, yet it brought a touch of grounding to Ji Xiao's previously restless heart.  

Hearing Wei Qingyu's words, Ji Xiao, regardless of the chill in her tone, immediately left the place where Jin Nanfeng was with her.  

At least for now, Wei Qingyu was on her side. 

At least Wei Qingyu had not yet developed any feelings for Jin Nanfeng...  

The main purpose of Hualan Private High School’s visit was to congratulate the Affiliated High School on its sixtieth anniversary. After touring the events related to the anniversary, they prepared to leave.  

Before leaving, as per tradition, they were to take a group photo, with the teachers in front and the students behind.  

Ji Xiao noticed Jin Nanfeng naturally positioning himself near her side at the edge of the Hualan second-year delegation. Her internal alarm instantly went off.

A strong sense of possessiveness and crisis surged within Ji Xiao, compelling her to firmly occupy Jin Nanfeng's still-vacant left side. To look presentable, she even removed the brace on her hand as instructed by the photographer.  

Wei Qingyu, standing nearby, slightly furrowed her brows.  

A snake named "jealousy" coiled itself around the girl's heart, flicking its greedy tongue.  

Wei Qingyu subtly clenched the hand hanging by her side, then quietly moved to stand between Ji Xiao and Jin Nanfeng.  

Without hesitation, she gave Jin Nanfeng a slight shove and nonchalantly inserted herself between the two. She then called out to Liu Yue at the front, "Teacher Liu."

"What is it, Qingyu?" Liu Yue quickly turned her head upon hearing Wei Qingyu's call.  

The photographer, who was about to take the picture, hurriedly reminded, "Teacher, we are about to take the photo. Could you discuss any matters later?"  

Hearing this, Liu Yue nodded and patted Wei Qingyu's hand resting on her shoulder. "Qingyu, let us talk after the photo is taken."  

With that, she set aside her doubts for now and turned back to face the camera.  

However, Ji Xiao's unease remained.  

She glanced at Wei Qingyu, who had moved to her right side, and then at Jin Nanfeng, standing behind them and towering a head above. Nervously, she asked, "Why did you come over here?"

"Can’t I stand here?" 

Wei Qingyu coldly retorted, her aloof gaze calmly fixed forward.  

The faint scent of mint brushed past Ji Xiao's nose again. Before the girl could discern the new undertone mingled within it, she felt a slight force lift her right arm.  

In her peripheral vision, she saw a wrist tied with a red string.  

The flash of a camera lit up, capturing the astonishment reflected in Ji Xiao's eyes.  

Ji Xiao never could have imagined that Wei Qingyu would one day take the initiative to hold her arm.

Author's Note:

A long, long time ago, a girl named Coward Ji Xiao was wandering through the desert wilderness when a golden, shimmering lamp caught her attention.  

Coward Ji Xiao thought it was the legendary Aladdin's magic lamp, so she rubbed it three times.  

With a puff of smoke, a stunningly beautiful woman appeared before her.  

Cold Wei: "Was it you who summoned me?"  

Coward Ji Xiao: "Yes, yes! So you are going to..."  

Cold Wei: "So you must fulfill my three wishes."  

Coward Ji Xiao: "???"  

Cold Wei: "First, you are not allowed to talk to anyone else (especially male Alphas). Second, you are not allowed to accept gifts from anyone else (especially male Alphas). Third, you must fall in love with the god you summoned and remain faithful to her forever."  

Only then did Coward Ji Xiao notice that the Aladdin's lamp she had picked up had the giant word "Vinegar" engraved on it!