Ji Zhenshi settled into the seat by the window, suddenly realizing she’d forgotten something. Only when she glanced at the phone in Xia Siyuan’s hand did it come back to her.
She pulled out her own phone and, before takeoff, quickly replied to the message from the buyer on the second-hand platform.
Xia Siyuan, who had sat down right behind her, assumed Ji Zhenshi was messaging Li Yunli again. She was just about to tease her when she caught sight of the violin photo on the screen out of the corner of her eye. “What’s this? Has our Ji Genius got her eye on some fancy violin?”
She paused for a moment, then smacked her thigh. “Right, I almost forgot—I still owe you that five thousand you asked to borrow. I just transferred it out of my fixed deposit. Want me to send it to your bank card now? The account you gave me?”
“Mm,” Ji Zhenshi replied without hesitation, her attention fixed on replying to the buyer.
They’d been haggling for two or three days now. The buyer had sensed her desperation for cash and kept driving the price down to an unacceptably low level.
So she’d switched to another one. This new buyer wasn’t as ruthless, but still no pushover. Ji Zhenshi refused to budge, leaving them at a standoff.
Once the transfer was done, Xia Siyuan looked up and waved her phone in front of Ji Zhenshi. “Sent it. Check your account—five thousand bucks. I’ve poured every penny of my savings into you.”
“Got it,” Ji Zhenshi said with a nod.
Xia Siyuan pressed on. “You’re not scrambling for cash just to buy a new violin, are you? Wasn’t your old one working fine?”
Ji Zhenshi wasn’t the type to chase material things. She never splurged beyond her means, and borrowing money was a first for her—let alone to buy a violin.
She bit her lip, her head throbbing from the negotiations, a flicker of irritation creasing her brow.
Without looking up at Xia Siyuan’s voice, she answered, “I’m not borrowing to buy a violin.”
“Then what? What’s got you needing so much money, Ji Genius? Don’t tell me you’re up to something illegal. I’d have to turn you in for the greater good.” Xia Siyuan buckled her seatbelt. She’d had zero curiosity at first, but Ji Zhenshi’s fixation on her phone piqued her interest, so she leaned over to peek.
She discovered Ji Zhenshi wasn’t buying a violin—she was selling one.
Xia Siyuan gasped in shock. “Ji Zhenshi? Am I seeing this right? You’re selling your violin? The one you’ve been using all this time?”
Unable to control her volume, she startled Ji Zhenshi, who was sitting so close. Ji Zhenshi flinched, her neck shrinking back as she quickly shut off her phone. “Keep it down! You’re gonna deafen me.”
“Fine, fine—but you’re really selling it?”
“Yeah, I am. I’ve hit some trouble lately and need money fast. Otherwise, would I be hitting you up for a loan?”
Borrowing from Xia Siyuan turned her into a creditor. Ji Zhenshi wouldn’t do it unless she had no choice.
When you’re under someone else’s roof, you bow your head.
With Ji Zhenshi’s confirmation, Xia Siyuan frowned. “Then what will you use from now on? You need it for your graduation exam, daily practice—how are you going to manage? What kind of mess is this urgent? You’ve gone and sold your violin?”
Ji Zhenshi was just a college student not yet out in the real world. Why would she suddenly need so much cash?
“It’s about the sixty thousand from before—my brother and Sister A-Yun. He’s out of prison now and pressuring Sister A-Yun to marry him. She doesn’t want to, but the bastard won’t back off without twenty thousand. Sister A-Yun just wants to pay him off and be done with it for good.” Ji Zhenshi explained, not forgetting to curse Ji Tingjun at the end. “He never should’ve gotten out. You have no idea how infuriating that mouth of his is. One flip of his lips and it’s two hundred thousand. Why doesn’t he just rob a bank? Sixty thousand ballooning to twenty with interest over six years? Sharing a last name with him is embarrassing!”
Li Yunli had agreed so readily because she’d lived with their family for years, and Grandma had always treated her well. She felt grateful and didn’t want to waste time tangling with Ji Tingjun.
“But what will you use after selling it?” Xia Siyuan circled back, still worried about that.
Ji Zhenshi relied on it for her livelihood. Without her violin, she’d face all sorts of restrictions, and training would be a hassle.
Ji Zhenshi shrugged indifferently and opened the photo for Xia Siyuan to see. “Here—I’ve got a cheaper one now. A few thousand bucks, good enough. I don’t chase perfection. Once I make money, I’ll buy a better one. Right now, learning useful skills is what matters.”
She wasn’t sure if she was convincing Xia Siyuan or herself.
How could a violin costing tens of thousands differ from one for a few thousand?
Xia Siyuan’s jaw dropped. “You’re insane! The price difference means worlds in feel and playability. Even I, a pianist, know touch matters in performance. And you’ve had this one for years—how do you just sell it? No other options?”
Li Yunli definitely didn’t know about the sale. She wouldn’t let Ji Zhenshi do this.
And Ji Zhenshi was bold enough—cherishing it like a baby one day, selling it the next.
Hearing that, Ji Zhenshi warned Xia Siyuan ahead of time. “She doesn’t know, and don’t tell her. I’ll say it was a loan.”
“You’re crazy!”
“I have no income right now. What else can I do? Busk on the street? Take out a loan shark? That’d be the real madness. And stop startling me—you’ll give me a heart attack. Careful, or we’ll get complaints.”
Ji Zhenshi slipped on her eye mask, ignoring Xia Siyuan’s shock.
She was sleep-deprived and planned to nap on the flight. Otherwise, upon arrival, she’d have to prep for the competition, and poor sleep would tank her performance.
Xia Siyuan blinked, nearly getting sidetracked. “Hold on—the real issue is, can Yunli Sis even accept that much money from you all at once?”
Ji Zhenshi didn’t remove her mask, replying calmly. “She can’t, but her car’s still under loan payments. She has no choice but to agree. Besides, Sister A-Yun chipped in for that violin originally.”
Ji Zhenshi never forgot Li Yunli’s kindness—and she gave back without reservation.
She silently gripped the small fortune pouch Li Yunli had made her, then added, “I’ll have chances for pricier, better violins later.”
But Li Yunli was one of a kind. Ji Zhenshi willingly traded her violin for Li Yunli’s freedom.
“You…” Xia Siyuan trailed off, defeated by Ji Zhenshi.
Knowing she couldn’t sway her, she dropped it.
As the plane entered the clouds, Ji Zhenshi lifted her eye mask and secretly pulled up a photo of herself performing on stage with her violin. Her eyes reddened.
She truly hated to part with it. She’d scrimped and saved in secret to buy it. When Li Yunli found out, she’d gone with her on Ji Zhenshi’s birthday to purchase it—her first gift to her.
Li Yunli had wanted to cover the full cost. It was pricey for her, but seeing Ji Zhenshi’s love for it, and with the coffee shop stabilizing, she’d gritted her teeth.
Ji Zhenshi refused, so they compromised: Ji Zhenshi paid what she had, and Li Yunli covered the rest.
Thus, Ji Zhenshi owned her second violin in life.
For years, she’d treasured it, carrying it everywhere, polishing it endlessly each day.
Selling it now left an ache in her heart.
She stared at the photo over and over before finally pulling down the eye mask. Out of sight, out of mind.
Deal sealed: thirty thousand for her baby.
With her own savings and loans from friends, she had sixty or seventy thousand. The rest, she had plans for.
Li Yunli, your freedom is worth more than a fortune.
—
At the Coffee Shop
It was a drizzly day, fine rain drifting outside.
Business was steady as usual, though online orders had kept them busy past noon before a lull.
“Yunli Sis, it’s been days without Xiao Ji. She was like our shop mascot sitting there. Now it’s weird without her—I kinda miss it.” Xiao Ning wiped a glass while speaking to Li Yunli, who was brewing coffee.
Ji Zhenshi really did feel like a mascot—present but unobtrusive, no real help, just sitting. Yet her absence felt oddly empty.
Li Yunli looked up with a gentle smile and wrote in her notebook.
—She’s at the competition. It was supposed to be three days, but the organizers delayed it. She’s coming back soon, any day now.
Xiao Ning leaned over to read, then said, “Oh, competition. Did she win anything?”
“Second prize—impressive. She said the competition was tough, and she was nervous. It’s a high-caliber event; that result is already great progress from before.”
Li Yunli beamed with pride, signing it in sign language instead of writing—too excited for words.
So proud of the treasure she’d nurtured shining so brightly.
Noticing Xiao Ning’s fleeting awkwardness, Li Yunli realized too late that she didn’t understand sign language well. Xiao Ning had been polite but lost.
Not everyone was like Ji Zhenshi, who claimed ignorance yet communicated flawlessly.
It was fine; Xiao Ning was already respectful.
“Ah… Xiao Ji’s always been amazing. Last time she was here, I saw her honor certificates just tossed in her bag. She said everyone who enters school comps places—super talented.” Xiao Ning, hopeless with sign language, read Li Yunli’s joy and gave a vague but fitting response.
Anyway, Ji Zhenshi must’ve done well.
Li Yunli smiled faintly, rewriting it in the notebook with a cute doodle of praise at the end—gentle and playful.
—Xiao Zhen is outstanding!
Everyone at home opposed Ji Zhenshi studying violin—too expensive, poor job prospects. Yet she shone brightest.
Xiao Zhen, her brightest star, destined to be a dazzling violinist.
Xiao Ning got it this time and thumbs-upped. “See? Xiao Ji seems laid-back, but when it counts, she’s killer. She’ll be a top violinist, and our shop’ll bask in the glory.”
Mainly Li Yunli would.
After all, she’d practically raised Ji Zhenshi into who she was.
“She is,” Li Yunli wrote slowly, lips curving without pausing her work, her soft eyes smiling like spring breeze.
Quietly thrilled for Ji Zhenshi.
She didn’t care about the glory. She just wanted her to keep walking her passion.
Sticking to what you love? That’s cool.
“Yunli Sis, Xiao Ji’s got real talent—even I can tell as an outsider. Scores like that without much practice? But she’s no fun—not sharing in the group chat first so we could celebrate.” Xiao Ning chatted on.
Unaware of Ji Zhenshi’s private efforts, she only saw the lazy vibe.
At Xiao Ning’s words, Li Yunli checked her phone—no message from Ji Zhenshi.
The shop had a group chat with just four members, including her.
Ji Zhenshi had begged to join, arguing she wasn’t staff but spiritually one.
Li Yunli said it was just for shifts and inventory, no need—but Ji Zhenshi wheedled until she relented.
“No fun,” Xiao Ning muttered.
Li Yunli defended her. “She’s low-key, only told me. Probably celebrating with friends—young and full of energy, forgets everything when having fun. It’s okay; she’s back soon.”
Ji Zhenshi had shared her win immediately, showing the certificate. Thrilled, she’d joked it brought her closer to “redeeming” her.
Pure jest—the prize money was meager, a few hundred for second place at most.
Ji Zhenshi laughed it off; Li Yunli played along, warmed inside.
Watching Li Yunli’s serene profile, Xiao Ning recalled Ji Tingjun’s recent scene involving Ji Zhenshi. She set down her glass and asked cautiously, “But isn’t Xiao Ji your ex-fiancé’s sister? With the fallout, how do you two get along?”
How would Ji Zhenshi face her near-sister-in-law?
—Not fiancé. No relation to him. The past is complicated—not easily summed up.
Li Yunli corrected firmly, ending it vaguely to signal no more prying.
She and Ji Tingjun shared no romance—neither fiancé nor husband.
Once Xiao Ning read it, Li Yunli added.
—Nothing changes between Xiao Zhen and me, no matter who.
In a way, Li Yunli had embraced the rebellious teen at odds with her family, while Ji Zhenshi warmed her shadowed life.
Born of Ji Tingjun, but long independent—nor ending with him.
The sunlight in her darkest hour—she wouldn’t let go.
“Oh, got it. Xiao Ji knows what’s what.” Xiao Ning hit a soft wall, wrapping it up politely.
Better not gossip about the boss’s private life—even sweet-tempered Li Yunli drew a firm line on privacy.
“And? That’s all? No compliments on my looks from Sis Xiao Ning?”
The familiar voice approached. Ji Zhenshi, single-shoulder bag on, hands in pockets, eyebrow cocked at Xiao Ning to continue.
“Back and already catching Sis Xiao Ning praising me. Nice—very happy. Shame it was so short; I wasn’t done listening.” Ji Zhenshi half-smiled, eyes crinkling attractively.
Xiao Ning felt guilty for gossiping and laughed along. “Xiao Ji! We were just talking— Yunli Sis said you won again at the comp. Awesome.”
Li Yunli looked up at the voice.
Ji Zhenshi pulled the trophy from her bag, setting it on the counter with a smug grin. “This timing—perfect, huh?”
Dangling the trophy, the young woman’s enthusiasm drew every eye.
Just standing there was captivating.
