Finding a Master for the White Rose Conquer Gu Lingfei

"Not bad! Qiangwei, my dear, you're so smart. Your talent for the piano is no less than mine!"

Jiang Che kissed Qiangwei's cheek, genuinely surprised.

He had only taught her once... just once, and the girl had already grasped the basics of playing the piano, even memorizing most of the keys and their corresponding notes.

Qiangwei blushed and lowered her head. "Jiang Che, it's because you taught me so well."

Jiang Che burst into laughter. Who knew this little girl could be so shy?

"Meow~~~"

[Oh my god, this girl is actually a piano prodigy! It took me three days just to get familiar with the piano, but Qiangwei learned it so quickly? Is she born with a natural gift for the piano?]

[A natural piano prodigy is terrifying!]

Su Mianmian, already captivated by the music, had climbed out of the wardrobe and onto the piano lid, enjoying the melody up close. Though she was tiny, she still harbored dreams of becoming a pianist.

Jiang Che gently patted Qiangwei's head. "You can't let your piano talent go to waste. With your gift... you're destined to shine on the world stage."

"In the future, you'll be wearing a stunning evening gown, performing solo in the grandest concert halls, becoming the most celebrated top-tier pianist."

It had to be said, the bright future Jiang Che painted made Qiangwei's heart flutter with longing.

But at the same time, it also made her feel insecure. She had once been a mercenary with bloodstained hands, after all. In places like the Middle East... if she didn't kill, she'd be killed.

How could someone with hands stained in blood... deserve to touch such pristine, white keys?

Yet, the future Jiang Che described was something she yearned for deeply.

"Jiang Che... can I... really do it?" The girl looked up at him, her eyes sparkling like a sky full of stars.

But before Jiang Che could answer—

"Of course you can!!!"

An excited voice rang out from the doorway, followed by a loud *bang* as the door was kicked open!

Gu Lingfei stormed in!

"Lingfei, why are you home so early?" Jiang Che feigned surprise.

With his mind-reading skills, Jiang Che had already sensed Gu Lingfei eavesdropping outside the door.

Gu Lingfei quickly walked up to Bai Qiangwei.

She examined the girl closely, nodding repeatedly.

Then she turned to Jiang Che. "Che, this girl's piano talent is extraordinary. We can't let it go to waste."

"When I was studying in the U.S., I met an Austrian pianist—ranked second in the world. She's incredibly picky... I once tried to become her student but was rejected. But Qiangwei's talent would definitely impress her."

Gu Lingfei excitedly took Qiangwei's hand. "Look at these fingers... slender, delicate, and perfectly shaped. They're made for playing the piano!"

Qiangwei glanced at Jiang Che for help, but he just smiled and nodded.

"Che, I know your piano skills are impressive too, but you can't teach her every day, right? And with all the competitions and such... she'll need a professional mentor."

Gu Lingfei continued without waiting for a response.

"If it's okay, I can call her right now and have her fly over from Austria. She's nearly 60 and still hasn't taken on a student. She's been eager lately... one call from me, and she'll be here."

"Hepman—you can look her up. A true world-class master!"

Jiang Che shrugged. He hadn't planned on teaching Qiangwei piano himself anyway—it was too time-consuming.

He'd rather spend that time dealing with those so-called "chosen ones" or cozying up with the ladies in bed.

...

Gu Lingfei, being the impatient type, immediately made an international call.

"Gu, what brings you to call me so late?"

The voice on the other end spoke in fluent Chinese, surprisingly articulate.

"Ms. Hepman, I've found a girl in China with a piano talent a hundred times greater than mine. She's only 19. Wouldn't that spark your interest in taking on a disciple?"

The woman on the other end was stunned.

"Gu! Are you joking? A talent a hundred times greater than yours?"

"Do I sound like I'm joking?"

The other end fell silent for a moment, then the call was abruptly ended.

Meanwhile, in another part of the world...

A woman with graying temples sat in front of a black piano, lost in thought. Her posture was upright, and though her face bore the marks of age, her inner grace was undeniable. As the saying goes, "A mind enriched by poetry exudes elegance," and the same applies to the piano.

This was Hepman, Austria's national treasure of a pianist!

Gu Lingfei had met her by chance, but the Austrian had been deeply impressed by the Chinese girl. Gu Lingfei was proud and talented, but not enough to meet Hepman's standards for a disciple. Her students had to surpass her, and Gu Lingfei didn't fit the bill.

But Gu Lingfei wasn't one to exaggerate. If she said she'd found a gem, it had to be true.

Thinking this, Hepman was overjoyed. She immediately called her assistant.

"Prepare a flight to China for tomorrow. Get my visa sorted. I'm going to China."

"Uh... Ms. Hepman, you have a piano recital tomorrow..."

"Cancel it!"

Hepman's tone was firm. Nothing would stop her from taking on this disciple.

......

As night deepened, Qiangwei tentatively played a few more pieces before heading to bed.

Meanwhile, Gu Lingfei cornered Jiang Che by the piano.

"Well, well, you've been hiding your skills from me, huh? Since when did you become such a good pianist?"

Gu Lingfei was dressed in a casual white nightgown, fresh out of the shower. Her hair was still damp, and her collarbone bore a faint blush from the steam.

No need to spell it out—you get the picture.

Her figure was curvaceous, and as she leaned against the piano lid, she exuded a unique allure.

"My piano skills have always been good. I just never had the chance to show them off before~"

Jiang Che couldn't help but glance at Gu Lingfei. Who could resist this?

His smirk was harder to suppress than his AK. "How about... I show you tonight?"

Gu Lingfei chuckled, covering her mouth. She quite enjoyed teasing her silly little brother.

"Tsk tsk tsk~ Lingfei, you really have the makings of a femme fatale!"

Gu Lingfei laughed softly, then pointed at herself. "Really? I'm usually ice-cold around others. I barely even speak."

In an instant, her smile vanished, replaced by a cold, disdainful glare. She transformed into the aloof, icy CEO, and if she had a pair of half-rimmed gold glasses, it would have been perfect.

She glanced sideways at Jiang Che, her eyes as if looking at garbage, and coldly commanded:

"Kneel!"

The actress in her came out, but she couldn't hold the act for long and burst into laughter.

Jiang Che was speechless. Who would've thought that beneath Gu Lingfei's icy CEO facade lay the heart of a goofball?

But hey... you dared to tell me to kneel?

I can't take this anymore. Today, I'll show you what it means to be a fiery goblin!

Wait, no... with Jiang Che's 6-foot frame, he's more like a fiery troll.