As that passerby spoke, he suddenly felt the man before him looked somewhat familiar.
After a moment’s thought, he was completely stunned!
“Damn, aren’t you that bastard who ruined Young Master Bai’s wedding?”
Chen Lin nearly lost control and attacked in fury.
Bastard? Damn it, he was the bastard!
And who ruined whose wedding? Taking back his own woman, was that wrong?
That single sentence pulled all the attention in the room towards Chen Lin.
Chen Lin, in a very real sense, achieved the “center of attention” status he had desired.
“Smirking crookedly, wearing that hooligan-looking outfit… it really is him, huh?”
“It’s been days, why is he still wearing the same set? So sloppy and unkempt!”
“How does this guy have the nerve to show his face here?”
Someone even asked Fan Xiangming, “Old Fan, inviting this punk, aren’t you clearly trying to make Young Master Bai lose face?”
“Hardly anyone was paying attention to the wedding incident anymore, and now you let this punk come, it’s like dredging up old business!”
“Sigh, even if Young Master Bai had intentions of coming back, seeing this would probably make him change his mind!”
Fan Xiangming was still basking in the joy of Bai Jinghong’s performance at his birthday celebration.
Hearing these questions was like swallowing shit.
The smile on his face instantly froze, and his right eyelid twitched incessantly.
Fan Xiangming was instantly furious. He had never, ever invited this Soldier Ruffian.
Only someone with shit for brains would invite Chen Lin to such an occasion.
That left only one possibility!
Fan Xiangming shot a glare towards Fan Ning’er.
Fan Ning’er over there naturally saw it too, and she was infuriated!
She had warned and pleaded with Chen Lin not to show up, and this man completely ignored it.
And he was dressed so sloppily. Was it to show he was carefree and unconcerned with trifles? Being carefree wasn’t an excuse for being slovenly!
Fan Ning’er was bewildered. She shared the exact same thought as Fan Xiangming—how could she possibly have invited Chen Lin?
This Chen Lin was simply an uninvited guest, shameless beyond belief!
But now that the whole room was bringing up old matters, with Bai Jinghong also watching,
even if she tried to explain, it would be utterly powerless.
Only a ghost would believe her.
“A clown like this just comes looking for attention.”
“Yeah, just a moment ago he was arrogantly mocking Young Master Bai’s piano piece. Where does he get the confidence?”
“What, he mocked Young Master Bai too? He’s that ‘skilled’?”
“If you’re so good, go compete with Young Master Bai!”
Chen Lin, being a War God after all, was battle-hardened and not the least bit flustered by these scenes.
He smirked. Being looked down upon, why not go along with their words and give a performance?
He understood showing off well enough. Besides, being new here, he needed to quickly build his reputation.
And it absolutely couldn’t be a bad reputation.
Bai Jinghong had great fame. Beating him would naturally make Chen Lin famous, and simultaneously slap Bai Jinghong’s face.
Killing two birds with one stone.
Moreover, things like piano, he was very skilled at them too.
Once, while on missions abroad, relying on his piano skills and melancholy demeanor, he’d go somewhere and play a piece.
That was how he’d bedded quite a few women back then.
So he was completely confident.
Seeing Chen Lin actually walk towards the piano and sit down,
those who had been mocking him were all astonished.
This kid, was he serious?
Bai Jinghong naturally saw it too but felt absolutely no pressure.
Chen Lin understood music theory; otherwise, in the original story, he wouldn’t have become Cross-Generational Friends with Yuan Daoqi.
It was precisely because the two shared a common interest.
But as for right now… heh heh…
“Who allowed you to play? You barged into my Fan family home uninvited! What are your intentions? Get the hell out right now!”
Fan Xiangming was not one to indulge him.
This Soldier Ruffian had repeatedly disrupted his Fan family’s affairs. Not having him beaten was already merciful.
“Ah, Family Head Fan, let him try. What’s the harm? I’d also like to see!”
Bai Jinghong, his back to the crowd, spoke up from over there.
Since Bai Jinghong had spoken, Fan Xiangming couldn’t say much more, but his eyes looking at Chen Lin still burned with fury.
Chen Lin glanced disdainfully at Bai Jinghong. So he actually wanted to see? He’d never seen someone so eager to humiliate themselves.
After sitting down, he uttered a pretentious line with flair: “A single tune severs the heartstrings; where in this vast world can one find a kindred soul?”
As his voice fell, the piano music began.
The melody flowed, not bad at all. His fundamental skills were solid.
“…”
A long while later, the piece ended. Chen Lin stood up, his eyes filled with tender affection, looking towards Fan Ning’er.
Her expression didn’t change in the slightest, her delicate brows tightly furrowed.
Chen Lin felt great about himself, smugness rising in his heart.
With this melancholic pose, this piece, how could you not be utterly enchanted by me?
“Tch, I was wondering how amazing he’d be. Isn’t this just something anyone can do?”
“Put a sausage on the keys, a dog could play it like that.”
Voices of disdain were plentiful at the scene.
But most hadn’t really heard any profound difference; they just felt it wasn’t as good as Bai Jinghong’s, so they seized the chance to trample on him.
To this, Chen Lin was very disdainful. These people were nothing but sycophants who fawned over the high and trampled the low.
“Clap clap clap…”
From within the crowd, isolated applause rang out, lasting only a few beats.
The one applauding was, naturally, Yuan Daoqi.
This single sound drew the entire room’s attention to that unremarkable man.
Chen Lin looked over, his eyes immediately brightening. This man dared to applaud for him, so he wasn’t from Bai Jinghong’s camp.
And although he looked very plain, utterly average, the aura of a superior person couldn’t be hidden from Chen Lin.
This man’s identity was certainly not simple.
Seizing the opportunity, Chen Lin cupped his hands in greeting: “Sir, you must understand the meaning within my music.”
“I humbly seek your guidance!”
Bai Jinghong suppressed a laugh. This Chen Lin really did have good eyes.
He could see through the facade to perceive Yuan Daoqi’s extraordinariness.
If he, Bai Jinghong, hadn’t performed that piece earlier, Chen Lin might really have befriended Yuan Daoqi.
“I wouldn’t dare claim to offer guidance, but your piece, young friend, was indeed not bad.”
Yuan Daoqi stated very tactfully.
In Yuan Daoqi’s understanding, Chen Lin’s piece was indeed decent, but still lacking in perfection.
A bit rash, somewhat petty, more than anything it carried the specific feeling of music meant to please women.
But not completely so.
Still, he was a promising sprout, though compared to Bai Jinghong, the gap was vast.
“Thank you for your evaluation, sir. Since you are also an expert in this field, might I ask you to judge who is more outstanding, me or Bai Jinghong?”
Chen Lin was extremely confident in himself.
Bai Jinghong’s piece? A hodgepodge mixed together; starting melodious and lingering, then overly forceful later on. How could it compare to his?
Yuan Daoqi didn’t say much, only smiled: “If you diligently hone your skills, you could still become a very excellent pianist.”
Everyone here was shrewd. Such a direct statement said it all.
Chen Lin was immediately displeased.
This old man, he had shown him respect by addressing him as ‘Sir,’ and he thought Chen Lin was inferior to Bai Jinghong?
Seems like he was just another fraud with a reputation but no substance.
“Heh heh…” Chen Lin merely chuckled lightly, not responding.
But that chuckle, in Yuan Daoqi’s eyes, was no different from an insult.
He was disdaining his evaluation.
So arrogant. How could such a person ever be mentioned in the same breath as Bai Jinghong?
Yuan Daoqi wouldn’t bother with such a person. He shook his head, said no more, and returned to his original seat to sit down.
Bai Jinghong almost laughed out loud.
This idiot, and he’s supposed to be a War God? When your own position is unstable and your reputation insufficient, social grace and understanding human relationships are critically important.
Even if he couldn’t make a connection, he shouldn’t have gone so far as to offend.
But this suited Bai Jinghong perfectly!
Thinking this, Bai Jinghong turned his head, his gaze falling on Shen Yaoyao, who was in a daze in the corner.
Ever since his performance began, Shen Yaoyao had been in a daze.
She didn’t even seem to notice Chen Lin’s arrival.
One had to know, Chen Lin was Hades, her superior.
And according to the current plot progression, Shen Yaoyao should be developing feelings for Chen Lin.
How could she not even glance at him?
