He Qisi continued to say to Liu Man, “Your performance on Thursday was excellent, so we want to take advantage of this popularity and have you play the Guqin in the newest episode to attract more attention.”

Zhang Jiaojiao agreed, “Mhm. Now, everyone online can’t help liking and complimenting your Guqin performance. They try searching for your Guqin video all over the internet, but sadly, there is only your performance at the ensemble concert. If we make a second video right now, taking advantage of the attention, we will definitely become very popular and attract a large number of fans to subscribe.”

It seemed that the two of them had already discussed it before.

“Have you not considered the injury on Man Man’s finger?” Tao Zhiyao said in a hostile tone.

Jiang Chengfeng was also becoming a little upset, “Yes, her right hand is injured, so she can’t play the Guqin.”

He Qisi and Zhang Jiaojiao had just noticed the injury on Liu Man’s right hand.

The gauze used by Yu Zhan was very light, and the way he bandaged the wound is very professional and docile. When Liu Man’s palm was facing inward, outsiders couldn’t see her wound.

He Qisi was still very persistent and wanted to keep up the popularity, “Then you can sit in front of the guqin and not play it; just pretending to play will be fine.”

“Senior Qisi, forget it. We should let Liu Man focus on recovering,” Sun Weiwei spoke up to persuade him.

“We aren’t stopping you from recovering, right?” Zhang Jiaojiao said to Liu Man, smiling, “You can just be a background flower pot.”

Why did this sound so… unpleasant?

Zhang Jiaojiao always had a different perspective than others.

Liu Man thought it was fine as long as she didn’t play it. Seeing how He Qisi and Zhang Jiaojiao, on the day of her performance, supported her and helped her do makeup, Liu Man agreed.

“What other requirements do you have of me?”

Zhang Jiaojiao said, “Wear Hanfu! You are the Hanfu Goddess. Putting on Hanfu as you caress the instrument is most authentic to what you are known for.”

“But I don’t have any Hanfu.”

“You can rent one or…”

“I have Hanfu,” Tao Zhiyao interrupted Zhang Jiaojiao and said to Liu Man, “I have all styles of clothes. I can lend you whatever you want to wear.”

Zhang Jiaojiao curled her lips. Did Tao Zhiyao own a clothing store at home since she claimed she had all styles of clothes?

Until, some time into the future, when Liu Man went to Tao Zhiyao’s house as a guest and saw Tao Zhiyao’s closet was larger than her living room, she realized that Tao Zhiyao’s phrase, “I have all styles of clothes”, was not a bluff.

“Then, all you have to do tomorrow is to bring the Guqin over,” He Qisi said.

The Guqin!

Liu Man only remembered that, on Thursday, Yu Zhan hurriedly led her away, and they completely ignored the Guqin. The Guqin was left in the third concert hall and was not taken away.

Early on Sunday morning, Liu Man went back to school first. She was going to go to the concert hall to take away her Guqin.

The third concert hall seemed to be preparing to rehearse some program. Some staff moved equipment onto the stage, and others directed it in the auditorium; the atmosphere seemed quite lively.

Liu Man stopped a staff member and asked, “I left a Guqin here last Thursday’s ensemble concert. Do you know where I can get it?”

The man shook his head, “We are in charge of the graduation concert for outstanding seniors, but I don’t know about the ensemble concert you said. You can go backstage and look for it, however.”

Liu Man came backstage and saw that it was empty, much unlike that other day, when it was full of crowds.

Two girls walked out of a room.

One of them had an elegant and classic temperament, and she also had a great stature. The other one was — Wen Fangfei.

The two of them were chatting and laughing initially, but when they saw Liu Man, both of their expressions changed. Wen Fangfei subconsciously lowered her head.

While the other girl was examining Liu Man, her eyes full of curiosity.

Liu Man remembered her. She was Shen Mozhen.

She met with Shen Mozhen once. At that time, Shen Mozhen was with Tang Tu.

“Since we coincidentally bump into her, you should go and apologize to her,” Shen Mozhen smiled at Liu Man, and she whispered to persuade Wen Fangfei, “You were wrong in that matter, after all.”

The whole school knew that Wen Fangfei stopped partnering with Liu Man and Li Xiaoru right before the performance.

Wen Fangfei’s strike was to support Shen Mozhen. Her original intention was good, but as a future musician, her behavior was very offensive.

If one said something, they should fulfill their promise, just like signing a contract. There were conflicting opinions between partners, but they could’ve talked in private. With so many solutions, she just wanted to let everyone watch them become a joke on stage.

Moreover, the trio was a small team. There was not only Liu Man in the team but also Li Xiaoru. Li Xiaoru regarded Wen Fangfei as a close friend, but Wen Fangfei did not consider her at all. She only thought of Shen Mozhen! After Wen Fangfei quit, if Liu Man hadn’t kept a secret, not only would she and Li Xiaoru fail the assessment, but they would’ve become a complete joke.

How bad did Li Xiaoru feel!

If they were performing in an official symphony orchestra, Wen Fangfei would’ve offended a huge group of people.

Who still dared to cooperate with her in the future?

There was no guarantee. Maybe she would’ve quit again because of a small conflict.

Unless Wen Fangfei only performed solos; however, she didn’t have the skills to do so.

To put it bluntly, she was still too young and too arrogant!

At this moment, Wen Fangfei felt bitter and entangled.

Wen Fangfei thought that when she withdrew from the performance, Liu Man and Li Xiaoru would not complete the trio. They would’ve given up the performance. By then, Liu Man’s grades would’ve failed. Wen Fangfei wanted to use this to achieve the purpose of avenging Senior Mozhen. She was indeed angry and did not consider Li Xiaoru’s feelings at all.

However, Liu Man and Li Xiaoru created a miracle.

Even though the professor judges denied it, the trio containing only the two of them were ranked last, and they barely passed, but they left an indelible impression on everyone.

Now, the rumors of the Hanfu Goddess have been clarified, and Wen Fangfei also realized that she had misunderstood Liu Man. She was indeed incorrect. Shen Mozhen had already scolded her on the same day, saying that she shouldn’t have betrayed her promises and should’ve been loyal to her friends.

Shen Mozhen also said that she had personally told Wen Fangfei that Liu Man’s morality was okay. Liu Man had not seduced Tang Tu. Why would she still believe in the rumors on the internet?

Wen Fangfei didn’t know why. When she saw the revelations on Wei Bo, her head heated up and she could not think at all. She thought that Senior Mozhen was also deceived by Liu Man to say good things about her.

She thought that Liu Man’s usual actions and words were disguised. She only recalled those news headlines in huge letters that looked like human blood buns.

On the same day, Wen Fangfei seemed to be brainwashed, and with vengeance, she rushed to the piano room to find Liu Man to settle the account.

Later, as Wen Fangfei watched Liu Man and Li Xiaoru’s performance on the internet, she was also amazed by the scene where Liu Man played the Guqin, even though she had witnessed Liu Man playing the Guqin in Owner Li’s shop.

But obviously, Liu Man deliberately hid her skills at Owner Li’s shop.

Wen Fangfei felt very unpleasant. Was Liu Man still keeping her guard up? Was she keeping the secret because she didn’t want Wen Fangfei to know her real strength?

Translated by: Sydney