Chapter 64: A Belated Gift

There are two things in this world that can change a person: one is time, and the other is adversity.

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But before Xue Zui Ning could respond, the formerly nonchalant young man suddenly pressed the accelerator, charging straight toward the car of the man still cursing ahead. Startled, the man hastily swerved his vehicle into the roadside greenery, breaking out in a cold sweat. When he looked back, the black Land Rover had already scraped past his car, taking off a patch of paint. He wanted to curse in anger, but upon recognizing the Land Rover’s license plate, he swallowed his indignation.

In this world, those who dare to drive so recklessly in broad daylight must have their own reasons to be proud!

Through the slowly loosening gap between her fingers, Xue Zui Ning peered outside and realized that the car had left the most congested stretch of road. That scene just now made her believe she might very well be buried alongside this capricious young master today.

Su Yi, however, was unconcerned. Before the car turned onto the overpass, he comforted the pale-faced woman, “You don’t trust my driving skills? Relax. These little trees are crooked because no one has taught them properly. I’m just giving them a bit of guidance. If the roads of A City become smooth as flowing water, remember to thank me for my contribution today.”

Thank him? If she managed not to hold a grudge for him dragging her along on this death-defying ride, she would already be showing magnanimity.

Xue Zui Ning turned her head toward the window. The ring road overpass twisted above the city like a giant dragon. The car sped swiftly along, scenery rushing past, imprinting the most dazzling night views deep in her memory.

Before the car stopped at the villa, she faintly saw a figure waiting beneath the courtyard’s streetlamp. Looking closely, she recognized Xiao Yu.

“Sister, you’re finally here!”

As soon as she got out, Xue Zui Ning saw Xiao Yu’s small face flushed red from the cold. She was about to speak, but Su Yi, standing behind her, raised his hand and waved to a tall figure on the second-floor balcony. “I’ve brought her back safe and sound. It’s late, so I’ll skip the tea. Just remember to send me a few good bottles of wine another day.”

With that, he slipped into his car and vanished from sight together with the vehicle.

Xiao Yu, however, was bubbling with excitement, dragging her straight into the villa. As Xue Zui Ning looked up, she realized the man on the balcony had disappeared without a trace.

Just as she was puzzled by Xiao Yu’s uncharacteristic enthusiasm, she was pulled upstairs to the audio room, where Xiao Yu urged her excitedly, “Sister, hurry up and open the door!”

What on earth was Xiao Yu up to? Xue Zui Ning looked at her radiant smile, hesitated, and reached out her hand. The coldness of her fingers sent a slight tremor through her heart. As she paused, a warm, strong hand from behind clasped hers, guiding her to turn the handle. The door quietly swung open.

The lighting in the audio room seemed deliberately dimmed, colors shifting gently, like moonlight reflected on glass, beautifully framing the white piano at the center. It stood like a maiden in white by the banks of the Blue Danube.

“Do you like it?” Lu Huai Ning led her to the piano, lifted the lid, and drew a melody from the black and white keys with his fingers.

Xue Zui Ning, surprised by the gesture, took a moment to recover, her complex gaze lingering on the dancing notes. “Is this piano for me?”

“Of course it’s for Sister!” Xiao Yu carefully touched the lacquered surface, but quickly withdrew her hand for fear of scratching it. “Sir knew you often compose and need a piano, so he specially ordered this one from Europe—it just arrived by air yesterday. Now you won’t have to run to the music room anymore.”

Xue Zui Ning finally understood. She glanced at the man seated at the piano, who smiled gently and extended his hand to her. “May I have the honor of inviting you to play a duet?”

“You can play?” Xue Zui Ning smiled and lightly took his fingertips. With a gentle pull, he seated her beside him.

Lu Huai Ning glanced at her, “Xue Zui Ning, why do I always feel you’re looking down on me?”

“Am I?” She shrugged indifferently, lifting her arms above the keys. Her nimble fingers began to dance, light and heavy, letting the airy notes wash over the night like sea breezes. She closed her eyes, feeling the rhythm of life itself.

Suddenly, a sound not her own blended perfectly into the melody. She opened her eyes to see the man’s focused gaze following hers.

The unfamiliar yet familiar sensation between their fingers brought childhood memories flooding back to Lu Huai Ning. In his recollection, his father’s rare smiles always appeared when they played piano together, while his mother seemed to detest its sound. On his tenth birthday, the usually gentle mother lost control and smashed the piano his father treasured most. That day was the last time he and his father played four hands together.

The memory, far from beautiful, made his fingers falter, a note slipping out of rhythm. Xue Zui Ning, well-versed in music, noticed immediately, and the melody shifted, transitioning from Beethoven’s “Moonlight” to Chopin’s “Waltz.”

Drawn in by the music, Xiao Yu quietly slipped out of the audio room, leaving them alone with time and space.

The last note lingered as the man quietly held her right hand. Xue Zui Ning looked at him, her heartbeat accelerating uncontrollably. “I…”

But all her words were swallowed up in his gentle yet domineering kiss. She could not find a way to respond; her slender teeth, in her shame and fear, lightly bit his tongue, provoking him to even fiercer passion.

Her cream-colored jacket had somehow slipped silently onto the plush carpet. Amid the flickering light, she suddenly grabbed his urgent hand, her voice low and pleading, “Not here, please!”

“Alright!” Determined to see this long-delayed passion through to the end, the man swept her up, face flushed, and stormed out of the audio room like a typhoon. He kicked open the nearest guest room door, igniting the atmosphere completely. Even the air seemed aflame, almost scorching them both. It felt like a lovers’ farewell before parting, yet even more like the unveiling of bridal veils—hazy yet fervent!

In the darkness, the man gently kissed away the traces of sweat or tears from her sleeping face. His hoarse voice whispered against her lips, “Since I can no longer let go, Xue Zui Ning, let’s continue this tangled dance, contradictions and all…”