Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales

  Shen Yao stayed backstage for a long time without coming out. Ms. Xu waited outside for a while and frowned while mumbling to herself.

  “Isn’t she ready yet?”

  “Sangsang.” Ms. Liu saw and smiled as she waved at the little girl, telling her to come over.

  Ye Sang heard someone calling her name and immediately jotted over, leaning her meaty little face in, “Teacher!”

  “Good girl,” Ms. Liu couldn’t help but pinch her cheeks, “Can you check on Yaoyao?”

  Ye Sang was the only one who could talk with Shen Yao.

  The little girl stayed inside for so long that they were worried.

  Ye Sang nodded obediently, “Okay.”

  She stood up from her seat slowly and leisurely headed backstage with her short legs.

  Ms. Xu couldn’t help but comment, “This child……”

  “She’s so obedient.”

  And she wondered how her parents taught her.

  Ms. Liu sighed, “Don’t ask. The answer would be because she’s other people’s child.”

  They weren’t good enough to have a child like this.

  *

  As everybody knows, Ye Sang has no sense of direction. She wandered in circles and wasted more than ten minutes, running into other classes’ backstage on the way.

  Through many difficulties, the little thing finally found their class’s backstage.

  She yawned softly and her hair stuck up from sleepiness.

  “Sister,” Ye Sang walked over in her short legs and poked her head out, glancing around with bright eyes. She saw Shen Yao’s red eyes and asked, “W-What are you doing?”

  Shen Yao closed her eyes slightly and raised an eyebrow at Ye Sang’s voice, her eyes finally regaining her pride.

  “Nothing.”

  The little girl glanced at her coldly, sounding unkind.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Ye Sang came out from behind the curtains and looked up, “The teacher asked Sangsang to come.”

  Shen Yao heard “teacher” and frowned. She moved her fingers slightly and felt heart-piercing pain.

  She bit her lips in silence.

  Ye Sang was sleepy but after running an errand, she regained some energy.

  The little thing was rather sensitive in human emotions. She pouted and looked at Shen Yao with her pretty and dark eyes, lowering her voice, “Sister, are you sad?”

  Shen Yao looked at her without speaking.

  Although she was an idiot in other areas, she was rather sensitive with emotions.

  “No.” The little girl denied coldly and pulled a fake smile, “But do you really think young ladies like us feel something such as unhappiness?”

  She needed to learn how to observe others and mask herself.

  Even if she was face slapped in front of a crowd, she still needed to smile.

  “.……” Ye Sang sank into confusion.

  “But……” The little thing slowly leaned in closer and spoke in a low voice, “A young lady can be upset and sad too.”

  She whispered in her milky voice, “Only monks don’t feel anything.”

  “.……” As expected, Shen Yao choked.

  She was slightly touched. She looked up and pushed away the little thing in disdain. Then, she pulled her lips and smiled lightly, “Not a monk.”

  “It’s just because we have different living environments. I don’t want to grow up, but I don’t have a choice either.”

  Shen Yao continued clearly:

  “My mother said everything I’m learning now is paving my future.”

  As for the future Shen Shanshan talks about, it was nothing else but to marry rich.

  In other words, she never had a choice with her life since her birth.

  As for her mother, the only thing Shen Yao could do was obedience.

  “But……” Ye Sang tilted her head to the side and stretched out her soft and white fingers, pulling her clothes lightly. Seeing that Shen Yao didn’t push her away, she plucked the courage to stand closer.

  The little thing slowly hugged her and her sweet voice sounded softer than ever as she commented in confusion, “But sister, you aren’t happy at all.”

  Ye Sang’s cat eyes were bright.

  She couldn’t understand why the first thing a child learned was to live up to people’s expectations before they learned how to grow up.

  The little thing was a soft ball and she buried her head in Shen Yao’s arms, feeling warm and healing like a little sun.

  “.……” Shen Yao was caught off guard.

  She froze slightly and looked at the little ball in her arms. She moved her mouth but she couldn’t argue back.

  ——But sister, you aren’t happy at all.

  Ye Sang’s words stirred up thoughts in Shen Yao’s mind. The little girl stared at Ye Sang and her pupils shrank.

  After a while, Shen Yao’s fingers moved slightly and the sharp pain made tears roll down her cheeks. She rested her chin on Ye Sang’s shoulder and smiled lightly through tears.

  “You are right.”

  “I’m not as excellent as all of you think, I’m human too.”

  She was forced to be obedient, to be mature, and to live up to their expectations.

  But no one asked if she was happy or not.

  She didn’t want to grow up, and she was bound to fail to live to her mother’s expectations.

  “.……”

  Ye Sang saw Shen Yao’s red and swollen fingers, she puffed her cheeks and childishly blew on it, “Sister, Sangsang will blow it for you so it doesn’t hurt.”

  The little thing softly blew on it a few times and swayed her head, obediently let Shen Yao hug her without moving.

  She understood what her sister needed right now was a hug.

  *

  As expected, Shen Yao wiped away her tears after a few minutes and laughed lightly, feeling much better than before.

  Her eyes were still red and swollen. She watched the little thing childishly blowing her fingers, and she couldn’t help but smile a little, feeling her heart soften.

  The little girl spoke in a soft manner she never showed before,

  “Don’t bother, it’s useless.”

  Shen Yao finished her sentence and smiled, leading the little thing out.

  The teachers were anxiously waiting for them and she sighed seeing that they were back. She quickly asked, “What happened? What took you so long?”

  Ye Sang’s strand of hair stood up on her head and her eyes were clear and bright, “Sister is hurt.”

  Ms. Liu was surprised, “Injured?”

  She quickly checked and saw the red marks on the little girl’s pale and thin fingertips. Some of the more severe ones were starting to seep blood.

  Ms. Liu inhaled coldly.

  How long did she spend practicing?

  “You are only six……” She mumbled, “You don’t have to do this much.”

  There was no way Shen Yao could go on the stage like this.

  But they couldn’t cancel their program like this.

  The most urgent task right now was to find someone who could replace Shen Yao’s position.

  Chapter 145: Discussion: What Should She Do When She Used To Have A Grandpa Who Was Number One in the World?

  “Be quiet, everyone.” Ms. Xu waved her hands and gestured for those chattering children to stop.

  “Does anyone know how to play the Guzheng?” She frowned slightly at the thought of it being too difficult for these children, she changed her expression, “Or, any other instruments?”

  A few children exchanged a glance with each other in confusion and shook their heads.

  Most children their age spent their time playing, no one was bored enough to practice an instrument.

  Ms. Xu looked at all the children with a headache and after a while, she suggested, “The worst scenario is that we cancel our program.”

  She couldn’t let Shen Yao go, she would be looking for death if she still went on stage like this.

  Her parents didn’t feel bad for her, but she did.

  Shen Yao didn’t speak. She looked at the sleepy little thing whose head was drooping to the ground, and the little girl leaned over slightly and let Ye Sang rest her head on her shoulder.

  But Ye Sang bumped into her shoulder and felt much more awake after shaking her head a few times.

  The little thing was naturally cute and the hair on her head stubbornly stayed up, and she looked a little silly from just waking up.

  She could melt their hearts into pools of water.

  Shen Yao half smiled and thought that this idiot could be cute sometimes.

  Ms. Xu saw the sleepy little thing and asked again without giving up, “Other than Shen Yao, is there no one else who knows how to play the guzheng in our class?”

  “Even if no one can play the guzheng, what about other instruments?”

  “.……” Her responses were still the children’s yawns.

  Ms. Xu: “.……” This is definitely the worst class she has taught.

  Ye Sang heard “guzheng” and trembled out of reflex. The strand of hair stood up on her head and she looked dumbfounded.

  Discussion: what should do when she used to have a grandpa who used to be number one in the world before?

  The little thing was so traumatized that she would be stupefied upon hearing something her grandpas were good at.

  It was nothing to look back on. Ye Sang swayed her head and pursed her lips together without speaking.

  Ms. Liu’s eyes turned and suddenly glanced at the sleepy Ye Sang. She softened her voice and smiled, “Sangsang.”

  “Can you play the guzheng for your sister on stage?”

  After a pause, she added, “Pipa works too.”

  It’s not a problem as long as she was good at it.

  Ye Sang shook her head and finally woke up for a few seconds, refusing the offer subconsciously, “No no, I don’t know how to play it.”

  Ms. Liu showed her understanding, “It’s fine, it doesn’t matter that you haven’t learned it before. Don’t be nervous, we just have to go through the procedure.”

  It was only a program and there was no need to put too much pressure on the children.

  The little thing stalled next to Shen Yao, dropping her head down.

  S-She didn’t want to go.

  Shen Yao saw the energyless little thing and raised an eyebrow.

  “You are shy?” She pondered and asked in a low voice.

  Ye Sang nodded in embarrassment.

  She has never faced a crowd alone before.

  Or in other words, even if she had learned how to play the pipa before, her grandpas thought that she was only decent at all the instruments she played.

  The little thing didn’t know that those old men who spoke harshly all boasted about her behind her back happily.

  Whenever they have a disagreement:

  “As expected, my granddaughter’s gift in music comes from me.”

  “Look at how my granddaughter writes calligraphy, it looks like my work in my younger days.”

  Of course, Ye Sang knew none of these.

  Shen Yao spoke softly, “Don’t be nervous, just think of it as playing.”

  Her sister rarely sounded so soft. Ye Sang covered her face and nodded shyly, “Okay……”

  The little thing was wearing a set of Ru skirt today anyway, there was no need to change again.

  She was taken to the makeup room. Her hair was tied up in a small flower bud bun and there was no need to put makeup on her white and delicate face. They only added two tassels on her hair as accessories.

  The teacher smiled and let Ye Sang pick between pipa and guzheng, and the little girl picked pipa without hesitation.

  “Pipa……” Her cat eyes smiled and replied in her milky voice.

  “Okay.” Ms. Liu patted her shoulder and took her backstage while encouraging her in a low voice, “Sangsang, don’t be nervous, participation is more important……”

  After a pause, she realized that children from other classes would probably all play better than her, she was afraid that they would hurt the little thing’s pride and quickly comforted her, “It doesn’t matter even if you don’t play well. You are still young and we are only playing with it this time.”

  The little thing pouted and nodded earnestly, “Okay.” ……

  It was impossible to say that she wasn’t nervous.

  The stage was set up in an empty school ground. There was a crowd of parents sitting down near the stage, and there were some parents who weren’t bothered to get down like Mu Chen. They sat in their cars where they could still see the stage from that distance.

  “What a cute child.” Someone saw the little girl on the stage and exclaimed in a low voice.

  “I want to steal her and take her home.”

  Mu Chen heard these people’s discussion from his car and looked through the window, sneering slightly at the sight of the little thing on stage.

  Cute?

  Why can’t he see it?

  These people are probably blind.

  Before Mu Chen could finish criticizing those “blind people”, he heard another girl discuss, “Whose child is that? The way she holds pipa is pretty good.”

  “Ahhhh she’s so cute, look at her! I love how she holds it with her short arms and legs!!”

  “She must’ve had a professional teacher teach her before, right?”

  Mu Chen rolled his eyes at this.

  It would be good enough if that brat doesn’t lose his face.

  Pipa?

  What does a five-year-old child know?

  The man grinded his teeth and his temples throbbed at the memories of helping her with homework last night.

  A brat who didn’t even know what was seven times eight was, what else could he expect her to know?

  Mu Chen couldn’t even figure out who her real dad was, just like Huo Yao and Shen Chuchen.

  But no matter who the dad was, their daughter’s IQ can’t possibly be this low. ……

  The little thing’s naive face was as delicate as a painting. Her curled lashes fluttered and she resembled the hazy beauty of a well-educated young lady from ancient times.

  Her grandpas had taught her how to write and how to appreciate poems and beautiful scenes.

  Sometimes, the belief that’s carved into their bones can’t be changed.

  They used to be the legends of the generation and no one loved these more than them.

  Whether it was the medicine, ancient martial arts, or instruments from the old days, only those in the older generation would remember those things that were forgotten by others.

  Because the little thing was short, the way she held the pipa made her look exceptionally cute. She looked down at the parents and shyly lowered her head, trying her best to pretend that those people were just white turnips.

  Ye Sang pursed her lips together and searched her memories, adjusting her position just like how her grandfather taught her.

  Her white and delicate fingers rested on strings and with a light strung, and an ethereal and clear chord suddenly fell into their heads and those around her sank into a moment of silence.

  Chapter 146: Sangsang and Daddy Shen’s Paternity Test Results

  Her white and delicate fingers rested on strings and with a light strung, an ethereal and clear chord suddenly fell into their heads and those around her sank into a moment of silence.

  The little girl’s long lashes hung down. White and soft fingertips strung the strings and pressed down lightly, achieving an ethereal and clear sound.

  The flat surface of her fingertips touched the strings and lightly strung across the strings, the notes left a long aftertaste behind.

  The little thing was dressed in a snow colored Ru skirt and hugged the pipa, her little fan-like lashes drooped down, making her look obedient.

  “She definitely learned it before.” Some covered their mouth, “Ahhh baby she’s too cute.”

  In a moment, they seemed to have been able to see the hazy beauty of a well-educated young lady from the ancient days playing an instrument in a long flowy dress.

  The little girl looked down at her fingers and every hand posture to play, pluck, string, and vibrato were all close to perfection.

  Mu Chen had studied music before and he was already shocked at Ye Sang’s professional way of holding the pipa.

  After all, the impression he always had of Ye Sang was that she was a child who couldn’t be taught.

  And those words that made him furious.

  She rarely acted so obedient, every single movement looked like a young lady educated from the palace; understanding the degree of how things should be done and when to advance or back off.

  “I’ve learned pipa before!! But I definitely can’t play as well as this little girl. The sound of her chords really amazed me.”

  “I’ve never even heard of that melody before. It’s really nice, I wonder who composed it!”

  “Ahhhh whose baby is this? She’s too smart.”

  “.……” Mu Chen looked up slightly at the obedient little girl on stage, then glanced at the excited crowd. He felt a sense of proudness for no reason.

  *

  It was impossible to say that she wasn’t nervous as it was Ye Sang’s first time facing so many people.

  After she left the stage, the first thing she did was to run to Ms. Liu’s arms to seek warmth while hugging her pipa.

  T-Too scary.

  Those “white turnips” are too scary.

  The little thing whimpered lightly and hugged Ms. Liu softly, as obedient as a newly born cub.

  “.……”

  Ms. Liu was shocked and couldn’t help her as she kissed Ye Sang with bright eyes, “Baby, you are the best.”

  Even as someone who didn’t know much about music, she knew that Ye Sang wasn’t only the best here, she was professional.

  She couldn’t help but take photos of Ye Sang as she was playing and sent them to Shen Chuchen and Huo Yao.

  Although she had yet figured out which one was the real dad.

  “Baby, did your dad come today?” Ms. Liu held her hand and asked.

  Ye Sang nodded, “Yes.”

  Ms. Liu then realised that it was extra of her to send photos to them.

  Since her dad was here, there was no point for her to send photos.

  *

  When Shen Chuchen received the photo, he froze for a few seconds.

  He appreciated the little thing’s photo full of interest and then lazily curved his lips up.

  “My baby is so cute.”

  No matter how he looked at her, she looked like his child.

  Her trait of having no sense of direction was exactly like him.

  As Shen Chuchen was looking at the photo with a good mood, Special Assistant Liu came in and passed the paternity test result to him.

  He leaned in anxiously, “Master, the result is out.”

  He looked like he was even more nervous than the person involved.

  Shen Chuchen glacned at him and smiled, “Look how narrow-minded you are.”

  Special Assistant Liu was looked down by his boss again. He rubbed his nose and secretly argued: I wonder who will be a good for nothing later when he sees the result.

  Shen Chuchen shifted his attention slightly and pressed down the anxiety and nervousness.

  He pursed his lips together. He had only guessed it but he wasn’t even sure whether it was real or not himself.

  The man cursed in a low voice.

  S***.

  He has never been this nervous before in his life.

  How calm was Shen Chuchen?

  He could keep his cool if a mountain collapsed in front of him, a villain who could scheme others’ deaths.

  And now he’s nervous about a paternity test result, would you believe it?

  Special Assistant Liu saw that Shen Chuchen was too hesitant. He was stalling when he said he wasn’t nervous at all.

  He couldn’t watch it anymore and ignored his admiration and reverence for Shen Chuchen and stepped forward and opened the test results for him.

  Shen Chuchen froze. Before he had the chance to even react, he looked down and saw that the blood relationship between them was as high as 99.99 percent.

  In an instant, the entire office fell into a long period of deathly stillness.

  “.……” Special Assistant Liu sighed in relief.

  Then, he heard his calm boss finding his voice after a long time of staring at the result.

  “.…… I have a daughter now?” Shen Chuchen muttered.

  He thought that he was insane.

  When he saw the result, the urge of slapping this onto that dog thing Huo Yao’s face popped up in his head for a second.

  This is his daughter!! ……

  At the same time, Huo Yao also received Ms. Liu’s WeChat message overseas.

  The man pondered.

  He didn’t even remember when he added the teacher’s WeChat.

  Huo Yao opened the photo Ms. Liu sent him without expressions and saw his silly daughter hugging a pipa while looking down quietly.

  Huo Yao: “.……”

  The man straightened his back in disbelief and looked at the photo again.

  Then confirmed it.

  Indeed, it was his silly daughter.

  “Since when was the little thing so well-behaved……” Huo Yao muttered to himself as he looked at the photo for a few more times in disbelief.

  Special Assistant Zhao, who was standing next to him, leaned in curiously.

  The little thing was in a snow coloured Ru skirt, thick and long lashes were like little fans. Her pretty round cat eyes were curved, and the small and delicate Pipa in her arms added to her cuteness.

  “I couldn’t tell that the young miss knew how to play the pipa.” Special Assistant Zhao tsked in shame.

  What a shame.

  His boss wasn’t there to see it.

  But he was also curious of how good his young miss was at it.

  When Huo Yao was still looking at the photo back and forth, he suddenly received Shen Chuchen’s “harassing” messages.

  Shen Chuchen didn’t bother to banter with him and immediately showed him the test result, then typed with an extreme speed:

  [Shen Chuchen: Don’t bother with the child’s history. The test result is real, you can ask your specialist to confirm it if you don’t believe me.]

  After a pause, Shen Chuchen continued before Huo Yao could digest the information:

  [I’ll discuss the little girl’s history with you after you are back, but I have custody of her too, right?]

  [You, old man, stay overseas and work. I’ll pick up Sangsang and take her out to play later.]

  Huo Yao could feel Shen Chuchen’s pride even through the screen.

  Before Huo Yao could snap back from a series of shocks, he saw the part of “but I have custody of her too, right?”

  “.……”