Chapter 130: Don't Even Ask! The Answer is You're Just Waiting to Get Married, Hmph!
Xia Zhilan was truly ruthless!
She didn’t attack directly, but her words cut deep, like slowly slicing someone with a dull knife, hurting the internet celebrity bit by bit, until her reputation completely collapsed.
Xia Zhilan was someone with status in the music world. She wasn’t going to act like a drama queen and pull anyone’s hair.
Instead, she calmly stood up from the judge’s seat, looked at the leaders and teachers of the music academy, and said,
“Just as your student said, maybe my professional skills really aren’t that good! I’ll definitely reflect on that seriously. So, like I said before, I won’t be scoring your student, because... I’m not worthy!”
With that, she turned gracefully and walked away.
At the same time, she also avoided getting dragged into any messy favors or obligations. No need to deal with some leader’s kid, or be pressured into taking on a student just to do someone a favor.
Her leaving wasn’t a big deal for her. But for the music academy, it was a disaster!
Did people really come just to hear the music? In this country, there’s no such thing as a "pure" concert. It’s all about relationships and networking.
Even Stephen Hawking would have to stand up and offer a toast if he were here.
It’s all about saving face and knowing the right people, understand?
Many leaders and officials made time to send their kids to perform today, all hoping Xia Zhilan might take one of them as a student.
And now? Those leaders had rearranged their schedules, only for the whole thing to be ruined by some attention-seeking student livestreamer?
Down in the audience, Lin Yibai cheered for Xia Zhilan like a true gossip-loving onlooker, super excited and waving her little fists.
“Sister Xia is amazing! She’s unbeatable!”
Xia Changyu, standing next to her, gave her a side-eye and muttered quietly, ‘Why are you still calling her ‘Sister Xia’? That’s your future mother-in-law~’
Now that Xia Zhilan had taken a stand, the concert started losing its purpose. Some people got up and began to leave.
Lin Yibai and Xia Changyu stood up too. They had received a message from Xia Zhilan asking them to meet her in the back room.
But as they got close, they saw that the place was already crowded.
The music academy leaders were there, clearly upset and saying, “Don’t worry, Miss Xia, we’ll definitely deal with this kind of student seriously. If we don’t punish her, people will stay angry!”
There were also some middle-aged men they didn’t recognize, along with retired elders, all showing support and saying they’d gladly stand up for Xia Zhilan.
After all, she was a respected professional.
As for an internet celebrity?
Nobody believed she was so clean and innocent anyway. Her downfall came super fast.
They just hoped that now Xia Zhilan had let out her anger, she might finally take a look at their own music-loving children and grandchildren. If she’d take one in as a student, that would be perfect.
Lin Yibai, who had been listening carefully, quickly took out her phone to check. Sure enough, Xie Xinyi’s livestream account had already been shut down for breaking the rules or something like that.
“Whoa,” she said in surprise, “that was fast!”
Xia Changyu looked pretty calm and ordinary. He said softly, “When a group, like a circle of people, has its benefits or rules challenged, it's only natural for them to act fast.”
Lin Yibai glanced at him and teased, “Wow, you sound like you really know what you're talking about!”
Xia Changyu scratched his head and didn’t try to hide anything. “To be honest, when I first started my company, it was still shaky and unstable. But even then, some people came asking for all kinds of things, even throwing labor laws in my face. Of course, the first thing I had to do was deal with those who messed with my business.”
Lin Yibai raised an eyebrow and joked with a mischievous tone, “You don’t look like it, but turns out you’re actually a heartless boss?”
Xia Changyu quickly waved his hands and explained, “Back when the company just started, I really had no choice. But now, like you’ve seen, I provide all the proper benefits. Some of our employees are still students, and I even let them adjust their shifts when they need to.”
Honestly, there wasn’t much to criticize. It wasn’t really a dark mark on his record.
In fact, people at his company now thought he was a great boss. They were even worried that the company might close after they graduated.
And this made Lin Yibai understand her annoying "love rival" a bit better.
She thought, ‘Huh… maybe he’s actually kind of... nice?’
Her impression of Xia Changyu was definitely improving. Did her feelings get better too?
Let’s not think too hard about that for now. Because over there, Xia Zhilan had already spotted the two of them.
She could have just left with them together, but as a responsible mom, she couldn’t pass up the chance to help her son chase after a girl!
Xia Zhilan walked over happily and said, “Oh hey, you two are here!”
Lin Yibai replied cheerfully, “Yep!”
Xia Changyu said, “Mom... I mean, Sister Xia!?”
Call her “Mom,” or call her “Sister Xia”, that was the real question.
Lin Yibai, on the other hand, was thinking, ‘Now that I know who Xia Zhilan really is... how am I supposed to talk to her? Should I be super polite, or...?”
But before she could overthink it, Xia Zhilan, who had always been a matchmaker, took two tickets from her bag and whispered.
“Someone gave these to me, but as you can see, I’m a bit too busy to go.”
She glanced over at the group of leaders and officials behind her.
But... was it really a gift from someone? Most likely not!
The truth was that Xia Zhilan had bought these tickets herself in advance. She originally wanted to go with her son and future daughter-in-law.
But after thinking it over, she felt it was better not to get in the way of the young couple’s time together.
Lin Yibai took the tickets and looked, they were for the famous Glass Skywalk in the city.
She asked, “Sister Xia, you sure?”
Xia Zhilan waved her hands and said, “Go on, go have fun! You two enjoy yourselves!”
At the same time, she gave Xia Changyu a heavy pat on the shoulder, as if to say, ‘I’ve given you the chance. Don’t waste it, okay?’
Was this... a mission from his dear mom? Xia Changyu suddenly felt like the two tickets were a bit heavy.
What if he couldn’t complete the mission? Would he end up being “the disappointing son” in his mom’s eyes?
“Bye, Sister Xia.”
“I’ll message you.”
“Mm-hmm~”
“Bye~”
After saying goodbye, Lin Yibai and Xia Changyu headed straight for the well-known Glass Skywalk.
The tickets showed they would expire today. Each one cost 168 yuan.
Thinking “no reason to waste them,” Lin Yibai felt that since she’d been in this city for so long, she might as well enjoy it.
But when they got to the entrance of the Glass Skywalk, Lin Yibai was a little shocked.
The entire walkway was made of steel frames and tempered glass. It spiraled upward in circles, kind of like the Roman Colosseum. More importantly, there were two paths, one regular and one for couples.
And clearly, the couples’ path was much prettier.
Lin Yibai couldn’t help but grind her teeth and say, “So unfair! Do they look down on noble single dogs like me?”
Xia Changyu gave her a sideways look, and for some reason, agreed seriously.
“Yeah, exactly! Just because we’re not a couple, we can't walk on the nicer side? That’s not fair at all!”
Hearing this, Lin Yibai felt touched and said, “That’s what I expect from you, my stinky—uh, I mean, my good friend! I knew you’d be on my side.”
Xia Changyu nodded seriously, but then added, “I also just want to walk on the prettier path. But since we’re not a couple... why don’t we just pretend to be one for now?”
Whoa. Lin Yibai was caught off guard.
‘Your flirting game is way too direct, buddy.’
Lin Yibai was wondering whether to call him out on it. But then she thought, wouldn't that hurt that annoying rival’s feelings?
Because the truth was, she knew Xia Changyu liked her.
In this situation, Lin Yibai felt she needed outside help. Preferably someone who knew both of them.
Who else but Sister Xia, who had just left, and also gave them the tickets?
So instead of giving Xia Changyu a straight answer, Lin Yibai pulled out her phone and typed a message.
“Sister Xia, have you ever been in this kind of situation? Like, there’s a guy who likes you, and you know he does. Even though you’ve gently turned him down before, he keeps chasing you. And now you’re stuck in a situation where you’re supposed to pretend to be a couple with him… Wouldn’t that just make things more confusing between us? Should I say yes?”
Xia Zhilan nearly shouted.
Uh, sorry, wrong place! What she really meant was—
Lin Yibai coming to her for relationship advice? Was that really okay?
Did she not realize that the reason she was even in this pretend-couple situation in the first place... was because of her, the mom, who had planned it all along?
Looking at the message, Xia Zhilan’s eyes sparkled. She thought, “I’m 100% happy with this! My destined daughter-in-law! There’s no way I’m letting this chance slip away!”
She liked Lin Yibai so much that if the girl didn’t end up with her son, she’d truly regret it.
And now Lin Yibai was even asking her for advice?
Don’t ask. Just prepare to get married already!