Chapter 30: She’s About to Shatter

“Ah? I’ve already tidied up the dorm over there pretty much. You don’t need to wear yourself out like that.” Ji Zhenshi hooked her pinky around Li Yunli’s and led her toward the exit together.

Someone nearby was playing the piano again, and with so many people around, the noise was starting to grate on the ears.

Ji Zhenshi frowned slightly, covered her ears, and raised her voice. “If you don’t want to hang out with us, I can walk you to the school gate. I’ll come find you tonight, and we can have dinner together, okay?”

She still wanted to celebrate with Li Yunli today.

It was a special day, but she wasn’t going to drink anymore. The incident last time had left an indelible shadow on her, triggering a stress response whenever alcohol was involved.

Just thinking about drinking brought back memories of embarrassing herself in front of Li Yunli. Crucially, she didn’t even fully remember what had happened, which only made her feel more guilty.

“Mm, come whenever you want. I’ll make braised carp for you. If you’re group dining, drink less—it’s not good for your health.” Li Yunli’s eyes softened completely. She didn’t push, simply following Ji Zhenshi’s slow pace toward the door.

The two walked side by side, looking perfectly matched.

“Yes, ma’am. I swear off alcohol completely.” Ji Zhenshi blinked and made a salute gesture, looking utterly compliant.

Li Yunli shot her a pretend glare for the silliness. “Don’t fool around.”

After a pause, she asked, “With all your stuff, do you really not need help packing? Is the bed made? So you can just crash when you get back tonight?”

“Nah, I can handle it. No big deal. I’ve got a meeting with my teacher this afternoon, so I got everything sorted early to make a great first impression.” Ji Zhenshi lit up with excitement at the mention of her new teacher, her mouth splitting into a wide grin.

She was really looking forward to meeting her. She’d already scoured the internet for info on the teacher multiple times—that impressive string of credentials had thoroughly piqued her curiosity.

Ji Zhenshi’s excitement was plain as day. Li Yunli’s gaze flickered, and for once, she followed up. “What kind of teacher?”

“A violin teacher. The company set me up with an amazing one. She’s supposed to be incredible, super picky too—doesn’t take just anyone.”

“You’re indirectly bragging about how great you are, aren’t you?”

“Kinda. Am I not?”

“…”

A gentle smile bloomed on her lips as Li Yunli fixed her gaze on Ji Zhenshi. After a long moment, she asked, “When did you learn that?”

First sign language, now piano. Li Yunli felt like she didn’t know Ji Zhenshi as well as she thought.

Whenever Ji Zhenshi didn’t want to talk about something, Li Yunli remained in the dark.

“What? The piano? Just picked it up casually. As long as I didn’t screw up, mission accomplished.” Ji Zhenshi held out her palm for Li Yunli to see. “Look, my hands are still a bit sweaty. I wasn’t confident at all—afraid I’d mess up from nerves.”

The mindset before and after performing was night and day.

Unlike her total command of the violin, piano was a real challenge for her, full of unknowns, so of course she got tense.

“But it sounded great. Play it for me again sometime?” Li Yunli ruffled Ji Zhenshi’s hair. They’d just reached the car, and she turned back to look at her.

The way Ji Zhenshi played with such focus was beautiful. Li Yunli greedily wanted to see it once more.

“Sure thing,” Ji Zhenshi agreed readily. “But next time, it’ll cost you.”

“How much?”

“One piece for a cup of coffee, Manager Li.”

Li Yunli laughed indulgently and opened the car door. “Alright, go eat with your friends. I’ll head out first.”

“Wait, Sister A-Yun, what did you think of the piece?” Ji Zhenshi grabbed the door one last time, probing cautiously.

She watched Li Yunli’s expression closely, but it held only calm composure—nothing more.

“It was lovely. You’ve asked a bunch of times already. So unconfident?” Li Yunli teased her.

Ji Zhenshi let out a disappointed “oh” and waved. “Nah, just asking offhand. Drive safe.”

Li Yunli buckled her seatbelt, her soft gaze lingering on Ji Zhenshi for two seconds before handing over a small gift box. “Xiao Zhen, your graduation gift. Congrats on graduating.”

Did her parents even know she graduated today?

Probably no one had paid attention to Ji Zhenshi’s milestones. Even if they knew, they wouldn’t clear their schedules for something so formal—they simply didn’t care.

But Li Yunli cared. She was by Ji Zhenshi’s side for every important moment, filling the voids around her.

The box revealed an exquisitely crafted brooch, patterned after a violin base. It was stunning.

Thanks, Sister A-Yun. I love it.

Ji Zhenshi stared dazedly at the brooch in her hand.

“You’re gazing so longingly—why not just go with Yunli-sis? Looks like you haven’t got the heart for meeting your teacher this afternoon anyway. Your mind’s flown off with her. Forget dinner or teachers.” Hands clasped behind her back, Xia Siyuan sauntered up from behind in a dramatic, poetic pose. Her gaze followed Ji Zhenshi’s far into the distance, where Li Yunli had already vanished.

She’d tactfully disappeared earlier. Now that Li Yunli was gone, Xia Siyuan popped up from who-knows-where, smug because she’d seen right through it.

“I’ll see you off~ to a land far away~” Trailing into song, Xia Siyuan hummed a perfectly fitting tune.

Ji Zhenshi pocketed her things and shot a sidelong glare at the peanut gallery, her face stiff. She said nothing.

It was the expected outcome, but when Li Yunli truly missed the hint, the disappointment still stung.

Ji Zhenshi was a bundle of contradictions.

“Ji Zhenshi, crushing on your own sister-in-law? Wait, ex-sister-in-law? You’re playing with fire.” Xia Siyuan slung an arm over Ji Zhenshi’s shoulder, her tone lazy.

That explained why Ji Zhenshi obsessively corrected everyone that Li Yunli wasn’t her sister-in-law. So this was her game.

Ji Zhenshi’s lips curved, but there was no mirth in it. A fierce glint flashed in her eyes. “Xia Siyuan.”

“Yeah?”

“Get lost.”

She shook off the arm on her shoulder, stowed Li Yunli’s gift, and turned to leave.

“Hey!” Xia Siyuan hurried after her, chattering nonstop. “A violinist grinding away at a piano confession piece—Ji Zhenshi, you’re hopelessly romantic. But I don’t think Yunli-sis got the subtext. All that effort wasted?”

The revelation was so shocking, Xia Siyuan buzzed like she’d uncovered a massive secret.

Too excited to notice, her last words rubbed salt in Ji Zhenshi’s wound.

She was already moping about it.

Ji Zhenshi lowered her eyes, clutching the tiny brooch tightly in secret. “It doesn’t matter. Confessing is about showing my heart, not demanding a relationship. Maybe she’ll never know, but at least I declared my feelings in front of everyone.”

Li Yunli, see? Even Xia Siyuan figured it out. My acting’s terrible.

I’m really bad at pretending not to love you.

A young person’s love is so open and pure—it can’t be hidden at all.

Xia Siyuan was stunned by Ji Zhenshi’s words. She was so earnest; her profound feelings shone through unmistakably. “A pure love warrior! So moving. How many years has Yunli-sis been around your family? Xiao Ji, you’ve been plotting for ages.”

Ji Zhenshi had known Li Yunli since she was sixteen—six full years. She was steady about it.

Secretly pining for her nominal sister-in-law was utterly taboo.

Ji Zhenshi didn’t want to entertain Xia Siyuan’s teasing, but she halted at those words. “I’ve been in love with her for six years. But from start to finish, she and my brother never had anything. They’ve barely met a few times. I’ve spent way more time with her than he ever has. Yeah, I’m despicable, but I’ve never done anything against my conscience.”

For six years, she hadn’t dared show a hint of her feelings, terrified of scaring Li Yunli away. That love made everything complicated.

“I didn’t say anything bad,” Xia Siyuan said, unnerved by Ji Zhenshi’s piercing stare. “Just marveling at how steadfast you are. Six years isn’t six days—true loyalty is rare.”

Ji Zhenshi’s sensitivity to the topic was beyond imagining.

Deep down, she must be full of anxiety too, right?

Reluctant to keep it bottled forever, yet terrified that confessing would ruin everything with Li Yunli.

That’s why her piano piece felt so brave and fearless.

She’d told everyone—but kept it from Li Yunli.

Desolation crept into Ji Zhenshi’s eyes. Her guard down, she confided in Xia Siyuan too. “I can never love anyone else. I’m content to struggle in this trap forever.”

“Will Yunli-sis like you back? Or is she even into women? Don’t forget, she almost married your brother.” Xia Siyuan cut straight to the heart.

Wasn’t Li Yunli’s stance the real issue?

Niche orientations came with plenty of regrets, even in their circles.

Ji Zhenshi fell silent, shaking her head.

She didn’t know.

Xia Siyuan pressed. “You’ve been around her so long—haven’t you picked up any vibes? There must be signs, right?”

“She says she sees me as a little sister.” Ji Zhenshi’s answer was weak.

Xia Siyuan laughed at her pitiful expression. “Then you’re out of luck. No biggie—take it slow. I’ll keep your secret, but be nice to me, Xiao Zhen.”

This girl was about to shatter.

Ji Zhenshi was doomed to tangle with romance forever.

“Who said you could call me Xiao Zhen?”

“Then who can?”

“Not you.”

“You! I don’t talk to sister-complex weirdos.”

“Say what you want.”

Company Practice Room

Ji Zhenshi arrived a full hour early, mentally rehearsing her words countless times to nail that first impression.

Humming softly, she stood before the practice room’s massive glass wall, gazing at her reflection. Her left hand’s veins stood out prominently; slowly, she clenched it.

She was one step closer to her dream.

Grow up faster, Ji Zhenshi. Then you can be Sister A-Yun’s rock.

Her earbuds looped the confession piano piece she’d played for Li Yunli. Ji Zhenshi idly swung the little lucky bag Li Yunli had made her from her fingertips.

What would the teacher’s style be like?

She’d just watched the fuzzy video Zheng Siqi sent. Even blurry, it was clear this teacher was strikingly attractive too.

She thought she was prepared, but when the teacher actually walked in, Ji Zhenshi froze for a long moment. Instinctively, she blurted, “Teacher… hi, I’m Ji Zhenshi.”

Whoa, what an aura.

The teacher looked barely over thirty, with impeccable makeup and an air of elegance that hit like a wave. She pushed open the door in professional attire, a slim-framed glasses perched on her nose.

Those dark eyes exuded intense pressure; locking gazes felt suffocating.

She was beautiful—seductively mature beauty.

She appeared young, but her bio listed thirty-six.

Tang Xien: Studied abroad at sixteen, entered the world’s top music academy at eighteen, swept top violin awards in her early twenties, selected at thirty to perform for national leaders’ meetings. She held a true protagonist script—a violin virtuoso exemplar.

Yet in real life, she kept a low profile, rarely appearing outside recitals.

She’d been a judge for a violin association abroad until recently returning home.

“Nice to meet you, Teacher Tang. Let me introduce myself. I’m the student the company assigned to you. Ji Zhenshi, graduated from…” Ji Zhenshi stumbled forward, nearly tripping over herself, then extended a hand to Tang Xien.

Damn…

She’d already introduced herself. Why repeat?

Tang Xien’s right hand still rested on the doorknob. Watching Ji Zhenshi’s flustered flurry—like she was busy with nothing in particular—Tang Xien arched a brow slightly. “Aren’t you going to let me in first?”

Ji Zhenshi was completely blocking the doorway.

Their brief fingertip clasp revealed Ji Zhenshi’s hand was ice-cold.

That nervous?

“Ah? Teacher Tang, please, come in.” Ji Zhenshi scrambled back, mouth opening and closing without forming a coherent sentence. In the end, she ducked her head and silently stepped aside for Tang Xien.

Perhaps out of respect for her teacher, or more likely because Tang Xien’s presence was overwhelmingly commanding, Ji Zhenshi felt pinned in place, every nerve taut.

The little troublemaker who threw tantrums shamelessly before Li Yunli was now a total mess. Ji Zhenshi inwardly mocked her own fragility.

Tang Xien entered the practice room and casually perched on a high stool, turning to regard the obviously awkward girl with a cool gaze.

Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. “If I’m not mistaken, Ji Zhenshi, age twenty-two. I saw your video online—the viral one the company boosted. Pretty cool.”

Nice name. And the person was even more striking in real life.

Though today she wasn’t as flashy as in the video—no hat either? Wait, she had a baseball cap pulled low, shadowing her brows. Clean white tee and jeans gave off “good girl” vibes.

Strong suspicion of playing innocent.

“Is that so? That’s old news. I’m usually pretty serious about violin. It was the school celebration, so I thought I’d loosen up a bit. Didn’t expect to get filmed.” Ji Zhenshi tugged her cap brim guiltily lower.

Shouldn’t have gone so wild.

Tang Xien noted her voice shrinking, tinged with guilt by the end, and chuckled softly. “Then play something serious for me. Any piece you’re good at. I want to hear my student’s level.”

Was she that intimidating?

This girl had been so bold and wild in the video.

Why so timid around her?

Tang Xien prided herself on maintaining proper teacher demeanor—no joking around. But to Ji Zhenshi, it looked like a stern, critical poker face.

She had the skills to back it up, so a bit of arrogance was fair.

“Okay.” Ji Zhenshi picked up her violin, turned sideways, and drew the bow across the strings. The soaring melody flowed between them.

Tang Xien listened quietly, her expression growing increasingly casual.

When Ji Zhenshi finished the full piece, Tang Xien said flatly, “Not bad.”

Her light tone made it seem like she hadn’t paid attention at all.

“Teacher Tang, any spots I should adjust?” Ji Zhenshi asked eagerly.