God-Level All-rounder Expert
Chapter 404 - 433, Deluding Oneself?

Chapter 404: Chapter 433, Deluding Oneself?

The piano notes were a bit hurried, or perhaps one could say playful, buzzing like a bee. This was Maksim’s famous piece "Flight of the Bumblebee", which required not only swift hands to play but also diligent practice.

However, for Fang Yi, this was no challenge at all. Fang Yi was a martial artist; swift hand movements were not an issue for him.

The rapid piano playing pulled Shen Binan back to the present. His gaze shifted and fell again on Fang Yi. Seeing that person expertly playing the piano, Shen Binan felt an inexplicable sense of warmth in his heart.

Since this guy had arrived, he was always by Shen Binan’s side, whether in danger or not, and always found ways to make him laugh. Shen Binan had to admit that he did indeed laugh sometimes, but it was not superficial; it was hidden deep within his heart.

---

In a corner of the Purple Vine Bay restaurant, though secluded, it was incredibly lively due to the large number of diners.

Qin Xin sat in a corner; to her right was her classmate Zhang Yue and to her left was Li Xuan. Qin Xin was no fool; she was subtly aware that these wealthy young men, along with her classmates, had intentionally placed her beside Li Xuan.

Qin Xin felt somewhat uneasy and tried to focus her attention elsewhere, trying her best not to listen to what they were discussing. She knew she was not part of their social circle and believed it was best to keep her distance from them.

Thus, Qin Xin considered herself invisible, keeping her head down and hardly reaching for any dishes.

Suddenly, a somewhat odd piano melody reached Qin Xin’s ears, compelling her to look up. When she saw the man playing the piano, she was shocked into stillness.

Was that... him?

Qin Xin had not expected to see him here, let alone playing the piano.

In her memory, the first time she met Fang Yi, he was someone who didn’t blink an eye while hitting someone, being labeled a violent person was not an exaggeration. But now, here he was playing the piano, which stirred gentle ripples in the lake of her heart and intensified her curiosity about him.

Qin Xin watched Fang Yi from a distance, unseen by others. Meanwhile, Li Xuan and a group of others were engrossed in their conversation.

At that moment, Sun Jie whispered, "Look quickly, isn’t that Shen Binan over there?"

At his words, the table fell silent. The wealthy young men quieted down and looked in the direction Sun Jie pointed, and Li Xuan’s expression froze for a moment before he turned to look as well.

When Li Xuan saw the woman by the wall, his expression was a mixture of shock, astonishment, and delight. He could feel his heart suddenly begin to pound rapidly.

"That’s Shen Binan, the university beauty from back then!"

"Really? It’s her!"

"Xuan Shao," one of the rich youths turned to Li Xuan with a smile, "the opportunity is right in front of you. Old flames reignited can burn even more fiercely. Xuan Shao, you see..."

"Excuse me, I need to go over there for a moment," Li Xuan said, standing up with a smile.

The other well-off youths casually showed they didn’t mind, some with a smirk, others as if watching an exciting play; they all anticipated Shen Binan’s reaction. Even Qin Xin couldn’t help but sneak a few glances in that direction.

Qin Xin’s classmate Zhang Yue leaned on the shoulder of a rich youth named Little Ma, cooing, "Brother Ma, who is that Shen Binan?"

Little Ma laughed heartily, "Shen Binan was the college belle of our university, crowned for four consecutive terms. You have no idea how many people wanted to pursue her. From freshman to senior year, at least ninety-nine percent of the guys secretly adored or liked her. The love letters she received could fill several baskets, and moreover..."

Here, Little Ma deliberately paused, piquing Zhang Yue’s curiosity. Seeing he stopped talking, she pressed Little Ma’s arm against her chest, rubbing it as she pleaded, "Come on, tell me~~~~"

"And moreover," continued Little Ma, "after leaving the university, Shen Binan even became the number one beauty of Moon City. Really a legendary lady. It was incredible that Xuan Shao managed to win her heart back then!"

"Oh, is that why you all call him Xuan Shao?"

"That’s right!"

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...

Li Xuan, dressed in a suit, had mostly shaken off the fatigue from his flight; his handsome features brightened by a smile as warm as a spring breeze, he emanated a pleasant warmth.

In any case, the Li Xuan of now could certainly be described as charming and elegant, upright and poised, a sight no woman could resist.

Li Xuan approached Shen Binnan’s table, and naturally, she became aware of his presence. She turned her head and their eyes met.

"Binnan," Li Xuan said with a smile.

Suddenly hearing this name, Shen Binnan’s heart trembled, her expression slightly bewildered.

But Shen Binnan was no longer the person she had been before; she quickly gathered her emotions and said indifferently, "Have a seat."

Li Xuan smiled faintly and sat down opposite Shen Binnan. Suddenly, he noticed two sets of cutlery on the table—aside from the set in front of Shen Binnan, there was another on her side.

Hence, Li Xuan started a conversation, asking, "Dining with someone?"

Shen Binnan replied indifferently, "Yes."

Li Xuan took a deep breath and asked, "How have you been these years?"

Shen Binnan replied, "Not bad."

Li Xuan clearly felt Shen Binnan’s cool attitude towards him; there was no emotional fluctuation, not the agitated response he had imagined, no sadness, and no questioning—everything seemed so utterly calm.

This made Li Xuan feel as if he was exerting force onto a bundle of cotton, where no amount of effort seemed to make an impact. It was at this moment Li Xuan suddenly realized that the woman who once so desperately relied on him seemed to have changed dramatically.

Li Xuan spoke in a casual tone, "Do you still remember the first time we met? I was reading in the park, you twisted your ankle, and I carried you back to the dormitory. It’s a time worth reminiscing."

Shen Binnan raised an eyebrow and said, "Yes, afterward you pursued me, came to see me every day, and later I became your girlfriend. Do you know why I agreed to be your girlfriend?"

Li Xuan was taken aback, then shook his head.

Shen Binnan’s expression was calm as she said in an indifferent tone, "Because rain or shine, you came; you brought my favorite food every day. I saw persistence and diligence in you—qualities that I liked. But...it’s all in the past now."

Li Xuan fell silent for a moment and said, "Aren’t you curious why I left back then?"

Shen Binnan replied, "The past is gone, why bring it up?"

...

Kong Qingci came downstairs; she wanted to see who exactly Fang Yi was with—to confirm her suspicions, Kong Qingci reached the bottom of the stairs and, upon seeing Fang Yi playing the piano, couldn’t help but smile and slowly walked over.

As Kong Qingci approached, Fang Yi’s piece came to an end. He inhaled the familiar scent of perfume and looked up to find Kong Qingci, smiling as he said, "What brings you down here?"

Kong Qingci replied, "I missed you."

Fang Yi said, "I missed you too."

Kong Qingci asked, "Is that why you’re playing the piano?"

Fang Yi was momentarily startled.

Kong Qingci let out a laugh like wind chimes, then with a shift of her gaze, she said, "It’s for Shen Binnan, isn’t it? But you’re being presumptuous; she’s deeply engrossed in a conversation with another man."

Fang Yi frowned slightly and turned his gaze towards where Shen Binnan was.

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