Chapter 150 - 149: Such Tit for Tat, Each Showing Off
Chapter 150: Chapter 149: Such Tit for Tat, Each Showing Off
Principal Ning froze on the spot. "Wh—what?"
"Shi Changying, you’re bluffing without even thinking! Aren’t you afraid of choking on your own words?" Meng Shuyan’s expression was full of mockery. "Do you even know who Xie Lin is? Call him and invite him over? Who do you think you are? You’re nothing!"
"Meng Shuyan!" Principal Ning’s expression turned cold as he sharply rebuked him. "If you dare to speak like this right in front of me, how exactly do you bully Changying on a normal basis?"
Meng Shuyan’s jaw dropped in sheer disbelief. "Principal, I bully her? It’s completely obvious that she’s the one bullying my family!"
The day before yesterday, when Xu Zhao Yu returned to the Meng Family from the Old Xu Mansion, she had come back crying. He didn’t even need to ask for the details to know that Shi Changying must have been pulling strings behind the scenes. Ever since the father-daughter pair of Ming Chengli and Shi Changying returned, the number of times Xu Zhao Yu cried was more than in the past ten-plus years combined.
Principal Ning was inherently biased toward Ming Chengli; he admitted that. But even from the perspective of a complete stranger, hearing these words made his anger boil over. "Bullying your family? You stole the life that rightfully belonged to her and her father, yet you have the nerve to say something like that?"
As if he had been punched squarely in the face, all the color drained from Meng Shuyan’s face, and his lips trembled.
More and more students gathered around, all looking somewhat surprised.
"I haven’t actually seen Shi Changying do anything, but whenever Meng Shuyan sees her, he’s always so aggressive. It’s like he wishes she would just disappear."
"Logically speaking, if you’ve already taken advantage of someone, you should just keep your head down and stay quiet. How can he be so relentless when he’s completely in the wrong?"
"Honestly, for Meng Shuyan to think this way, his family must have taught him that. Yikes... I don’t even want to think about it."
Meng Shuyan stood frozen in place. The blood rushed straight to his head, turning his face beetroot red as his mind buzzed in a daze.
Principal Ning adjusted his glasses and said, "Changying, come with me to the office."
Shi Changying hummed in acknowledgment. As she walked, she sent a message to the "Loving Family" group chat.
[Only I am the first]: @Xie Qingshi, thanks. Are you free? Come to Jianghuai High School to give a lecture; the principal has helped me out before.
[Xie Qingshi]: Your subject obeys the decree.
[Qingyuan]: What is the meaning of this? Why is the principal inviting you and not me? Is your reputation really that much bigger than mine?
[Ning Liuyu]: I think someone from the scientific field is more suited to give a lecture to high school students.
In the office, after Principal Ning had his assistant close the door, he finally asked tentatively, "Changying, you can really invite Xie Lin?"
Shi Changying nodded. "We met by chance. I’ve already reached out to him, and he said he’ll be over in a bit."
This "in a bit" was so fast that it nearly made Principal Ning’s jaw drop. Exactly fifteen minutes later, he was face to face with the person he had been hoping to see. He hadn’t even mentally prepared himself, startled to the point that he hugged his teacup tightly.
Xie Qingshi took off his mask and smiled faintly. "Principal Ning, hello."
"H-hello..." Principal Ning was stunned. For a moment, he couldn’t process the situation, his brain effectively going on strike.
To think that there was actually someone in this world who had Xie Lin completely at their beck and call?!
By the time Principal Ning snapped back to reality, he had already finalized the lecture schedule with Xie Qingshi.
Seeing the matter perfectly resolved, Shi Changying waved at Xie Qingshi. "I’m going to the arts building to rehearse our performance. Come find me later."
Xie Qingshi agreed with a smile, "Alright."
Once the door closed behind her, Principal Ning let out a long breath. The hand gripping his pen was still trembling slightly. He had countless questions in his heart but didn’t even know where to begin. Principal Ning knew Ming Chengli well; the man hardly knew anyone outside the field of history. So, what kind of relationship did Xie Lin have with Shi Changying?
Xie Qingshi suddenly spoke. "Please do not tell Pei Xuan about this matter. He has deep-seated prejudices against me, and I’d rather avoid the trouble."
Principal Ning froze for three seconds before immediately catching his drift. "I absolutely won’t tell him. Mr. Xie, please rest assured."
He had heard from the vice principal that Pei Xuan was likely jealous of Xie Lin’s good looks. Although he felt this reason was utterly absurd, precisely because it was so absurd that no one could have made it up, he chose to believe it.
"Principal Ning, until next time." Xie Qingshi nodded in farewell. He put on his mask and hat, left the principal’s office, and headed straight for the arts building.
His arrival made Senior Class 17 instantly explode with excitement. Although they had watched Xie Qingshi and Qingyuan’s performance that night, they had been far from the stage. Now, seeing him up close brought a tremendous visual impact.
Xie Qingshi truly disliked crowded places, but it all depended on whether Shi Changying was there. If she was, he wouldn’t mind staying indefinitely. After signing autographs for all the students, Xie Qingshi offered some pointers to the students in charge of the accompaniment.
The class vice-president gasped. "Oh my god, s-so the piece we’ve been rehearsing was composed by Brother Xie? Senior Sister, you’re amazing!"
Shi Changying rested her chin in her hand and lazily snapped her fingers. "Of course. We’re aiming for first place, so we must have the best."
"You all played quite well," Xie Qingshi said with another smile. "If an ancient zither could be added to the mix, this piece would be even more perfect."
Lu Mi complained mournfully, "But none of us know how to play the ancient zither. We’ve already done our best just scrounging up a few accompanists."
Because this was Shi Changying’s performance, Xie Qingshi didn’t even hesitate before saying, "I can help you."
Song Qingmu was so excited he twisted his body like a snake. "Brother Xie is going to join us? Really?"
The other students’ eyes also lit up as they chattered all at once.
"If the other classes find out, they’ll die of envy!"
"Brother Xie, you treat Senior Sister too well!"
Shaoyuan had not participated in this rehearsal; he had only come to act as a spectator under the strong demand of all the students. Listening to the classmates chiming in one after another, his eyelashes drooped slightly. He tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, lost in thought.
A few seconds later, he spoke indifferently, "Outside helpers cannot take the stage."
These six words were like a basin of cold water being poured over them, instantly quieting the restless room.
The vice-president smacked his forehead, utterly frustrated. "Right, no one outside our class is allowed on stage. We’re doomed now."
"We’re not doomed." Shaoyuan slowly stood up, walked over to the ancient zither, and gently plucked the strings a few times. It seemed completely casual, yet beautiful music flowed out.
"..."
A dead silence filled the dance studio.
The vice-president was flabbergasted. "The Young Master actually knows how to play the ancient zither?!"
"This is even better! The Young Master plays the zither, Senior Sister performs the sword dance, and we sing the chorus." Song Qingmu grew even more thrilled. "Now I’m confident we’ll take first place."
This was Shaoyuan’s first time participating in such a public activity, leaving the entirety of Senior Class 17 seething with excitement.
Shaoyuan felt a gaze on him. Turning his head, he saw Shi Changying staring at him. Finding it somewhat amusing, he raised an eyebrow. "Eldest Miss, what is it?"
"How do you know how to play the zither?"
"I know a thing or two."
Shi Changying did not understand music, but how could Xie Qingshi not? Judging by his casual strumming motion, it was absolutely not just knowing "a thing or two," but true mastery. Xie Qingshi’s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression unreadable.
With Shaoyuan’s addition, the rehearsal went even more smoothly. After it ended, Xie Qingshi left first and headed to the reserved restaurant.
Tonight, the monarch and her three subjects had a private gathering. A short while later, Qingyuan arrived as well.
Noticing that Xie Qingshi’s expression was off, she raised an eyebrow. "What’s wrong, Lord Xie? You were clearly invited by Sister Ying to give a lecture, so why are you in a bad mood?"
Xie Qingshi’s voice was faint. "I am feeling fortunate."
Qingyuan looked surprised. "Fortunate?"
"Fortunate because if he had been born in the same era as me four hundred years ago, who knows to whom Your Majesty would have given the position of Minister of the Ministry of Rites." Xie Qingshi recounted the events of the day before adding faintly, "If that had happened, how would I have been able to serve Da Xuan?"
Qingyuan’s eyes also narrowed. "He really is a formidable rival. Since he understands music, Lord Xie, you’d better be careful not to be replaced."
Xie Qingshi’s brow twitched. "That won’t require Lord Qingyuan’s concern. I have my own plans."
As the two were talking, Shi Changying and Ning Liuyu arrived.
"Lord Ning," Qingyuan greeted her with a beaming smile. "Come sit. You’re the third person to recognize Your Majesty. That’s quite impressive."
No matter what, she was the first person to recognize Shi Changying; no one could ever surpass her in that regard.
Ning Liuyu smiled faintly and said, "Actually, I’m not impressive at all. Your Majesty is the impressive one, because she was the one who recognized me first."
Trying to show off to her?
Bring it on.