The Master's Mask Unveiled Again

Chapter 410: Chapter 409: The Person Chu Kong Wants to Meet Has Arrived Chapter 410: Chapter 409: The Person Chu Kong Wants to Meet Has Arrived Their family was not aware of the kidnapping incident that had taken place two years ago, and they did not concern themselves with it.

After so many years, every time Weng Xia thought of that name, a chill ran down her spine.

Fu Yao wasn’t so resistant; he took the head seat at the dining table, poured himself a small glass of wine, and sipped it.

Just then, Fu Binbin came out of his room, shuffling his slippers as he approached and made a tsk sound: “Lu Mian, isn’t that the girl who stole someone else’s electronic keyboard before?”

He was Fu Shuangshuang’s younger brother, two years younger than Lu Mian.

When Lu Mian stayed at their house, he was only four years old.

He didn’t remember the details very clearly, but he overheard the casual conversations between the adults, which he remembered over time.

Fu Yao set down his wine glass and scolded with a comment.

“What stealing?

That was just discarded equipment from her workplace that Lu Mian picked up,” Fu Yao said, “And besides, she’s older than you; you should call her Elder Sister.”

Fu Binbin grumbled and sat down, while Fu Shuangshuang also put away her phone, and the family of four gathered around the dining table for their meal.

But this meal just didn’t sit right with Weng Xia.

“I know she’s your niece, and you’re preserving her dignity.

But have you forgotten what our house was like when she lived with us?

I asked her to help with chores, and she wouldn’t.

I asked her to wash dishes and mop the floor, and she made a mess of it.

I asked her to clean shoes for Shuangshuang and Binbin, and she was nowhere to be found.

I’m telling you, that year was not at all pleasant for me!”

“Oh, it’s all in the past, why bring that up?”

“Right, it’s all in the past, so I won’t mention it.

But I want to know, what is she doing in Jinjing now?

She wouldn’t be planning to rely on our family again, would she?”

Thinking this, Weng Xia felt as if facing a formidable foe, and immediately emphasized, “We live in an apartment now, not like in those bungalows; we have three bedrooms and a study room for a family of four.

Where would there be space for her?”

She was as reluctant as if she were warding off some flood or ferocious beast, every hair on her body spelled refusal.

Fu Yao sighed, “She didn’t say she was coming!”

“But I’m still uneasy.

Shuangshuang, did Yunxuan tell you what Lu Mian is doing in Jinjing?”

Fu Shuangshuang shoveled a mouthful of rice, shaking her head, “I don’t know, Yunxuan said she came for training, who knows if that’s true or not.”

“Training?

That kind of talk, you just listen and let it pass.

That child never speaks a word of truth.”

Weng Xia had a lackluster meal, irritable at heart, and after heaving several sighs, she instructed Fu Shuangshuang, “Shuangshuang, don’t contact her yet.

If she doesn’t come to us, we’ll pretend we don’t know about it.

It’s so nice for our family to enjoy the New Year, why should we include outsiders!”

Weng Xia’s words made both Fu Shuangshuang and Fu Binbin nod in agreement.

Only Fu Yao retained some decency, shaking his head, “That’s not good.

The girl has come all this way, all alone without relatives; as her uncle, I should lend a hand.

Now that I know, how could I not care for her?”

After saying this, he cut short his drinking and looked toward his elder daughter, “When you have time, contact her to see if she wants to come over for a meal.”

Fu Shuangshuang acknowledged.

“A meal is fine,” Weng Xia pursed her lips, “I can endure one meal.

What I’m afraid of is that she might find our home too comfortable and refuse to leave…”

But despite saying so much, she couldn’t sway Fu Yao’s determination; she could only suppress the sullenness in her heart.

Still, she made a special point to caution Fu Shuangshuang to wait a few days before contacting Lu Mian, to give her the cold shoulder for a while.

The meal was eaten despondently.

Before Fu Shuangshuang returned to her room, she suddenly remembered something and turned back to say, “Dad, I saw a man downstairs today asking about you.”

“Who was it?”

“`

“I don’t recognize them, but from their attire, they seem to be a cultured person.”

Fu Yao “hmm” in response, not taking it seriously.

——

The main building of Yangfan Hotel.

In the quiet and elegant piano room, there is a grand Steinway piano at the center.

A few meters away from the piano, sitting on the sofa, was Chu Kong, quietly, his hands resting on either side of the sofa, gazing at the piano and subconsciously moving his fingers.

His fingers trembled slightly, and his movements were somewhat slow.

His assistant, Mei Qin, a middle-aged man about his age, brought over a glass of water and several pills with reverence and placed them in front of him.

“Sir, it’s time for your medicine.”

Chu Kong glanced at the variously sized pills, took a deep breath, and hid his shaking hands under his clothes.

Closing his eyes, he took the medicine with the warm water, swallowing the bitterness along with the pills.

Mei Qin saw that he had taken his medicine and breathed a sigh of relief.

His master was stubborn and had not been willing to seek proper treatment for his illness; he wouldn’t take his medicine or go to the hospital, focused instead on finding a suitable successor.

The fact that his master had taken his medicine so readily this time must be because of the guest who was about to arrive.

Mei Qin glanced at the time, “Sir, they should be arriving soon.”

Chu Kong’s closed eyes suddenly lit up.

“Good, good if they have come,” he said, rubbing his hands, clearly full of anticipation.

He was not an easy person to get along with ordinarily, and his temper had grown even more erratic since he became ill.

But at this moment, knowing the other party was about to arrive, he consciously suppressed his idiosyncratic temperament and even pulled a warm smile, asking Mei Qin, “Do I look alright?

Do I seem fierce?”

Mei Qin gave a laugh, having never seen him so nervous before.

“Sir, you are a master pianist, an artist.

Technically, it is they who are climbing to reach you.

Why are you so anxious?

After all, hasn’t this been settled already?”

Chu Kong reminisced for a moment.

Speaking of which, he had to trace back a few days when he first heard that unforgettable piece at the school.

A few days later, the principal replied to him, saying it was an art student from their school who had gone to the art building to retrieve something and had casually played a piece.

Then he got all of Shao Yunxuan’s details and looked them over carefully.

The girl’s resume was unremarkable; she had studied piano since she was a child for many years.

She had retaken the school year because she had not been admitted to the school of her preference last year.

He was excited at that time, feeling that this was the successor he was looking for, and he didn’t hesitate to arrange a meeting with Shao Yunxuan.

But due to his own health reasons, he had to return to Jinjing for treatment and eventually scheduled the meeting at the Yangfan Hotel.

He sincerely hoped to find a successor with spirit and strength.

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He did not want the Starlight Symphony Orchestra to dissolve because of him, nor did he want his dream of playing the piano to come to an abrupt end because of this illness.

Mei Qin, who was by his side, could tell that he was placing all his hopes on the soon-to-arrive Shao Yunxuan, and felt somewhat obliged to remind him.

“Sir, aren’t we being too hasty in inviting them over?

After all, you haven’t seen Miss Shao in person, nor have you verified her capabilities…”

“`