Chapter 351: Zhong Lingyin: No, nothing, I'm singing!
Shen Anyu's eyes looked deeply at Zhong Lingyin, his gaze profound and unwavering, and he said warmly, "That's because of love for a house and the crow on its roof."
If Ye Linyuan had heard this, he would have exploded with rage on the spot, vomiting three liters of blood.
But Zhong Lingyin was very touched. Her heart trembled slightly, feeling that Shen Anyu had considered all aspects of her life, caring for her sisters simply because he cared for her—or rather, caring for her because he cared for her sisters. It was a complicated web of affection, and her eyes, looking at Shen Anyu, were glistening with unshed emotion.
However, reality was a cold bucket of water. As soon as she thought of the fact that Shen Anyu was officially Second Senior Sister Liu Ruyan's boyfriend, Zhong Lingyin felt a sharp pang of sadness pierce her chest.
It was a guilt that gnawed at her. She was stealing. She was betraying the sisterhood.
Forcing herself to cheer up and suppress the chaotic thoughts in her mind, Zhong Lingyin took a shallow breath and softly said to Shen Anyu, "Second Brother-in-law... I need to prepare for tomorrow night's concert. I have to practice the piano and finalize the arrangement for the new songs."
As she spoke, Zhong Lingyin reached out her slender, fair hand to pull open the heavy mahogany door, clearly signaling for Shen Anyu to leave. She needed space to calm her racing heart.
Yang Luoluo, who was eavesdropping just outside the door, was startled. Due to her intense focus on the gossip, she was unable to dodge in time and nearly tumbled in.
But the next moment, a large, warm hand clamped down over Zhong Lingyin's small, trembling hand.
Bam!
Shen Anyu's hand pressed against the door, pushing it firmly back into the frame. The sound echoed in the quiet hallway.
He chuckled, a low, magnetic sound that vibrated in the small space between them. "That's perfect. I also want to listen to some music to relax. Don't you welcome me?"
Shen Anyu leaned in, his tall frame casting a shadow over her, trapping her between his body and the doorframe. The scent of his cologne—a mix of cold cedar and expensive tobacco—invaded her senses.
Zhong Lingyin gave Shen Anyu a frustrated glare. It was meant to be fierce, but with her flushed cheeks and watery eyes, it looked more like a coquettish pout. Seeing him smiling with that roguish charm, unwilling to leave easily, she knew she had lost this round.
She could only nod in agreement, but her protective instincts flared up. She raised her head, looking him in the eye, and reminded him sternly, "Shen Anyu, you can't do anything, okay? This is a serious practice session."
"Absolutely," Shen Anyu said with a smile that didn't quite reach his predatory eyes. "I won't do anything on my own initiative."
The implication hung in the air, thick and suggestive.
The guest room Zhong Lingyin was staying in was not a standard room; it was a Presidential Suite modified for her needs. It featured a separate music room, equipped with a top-of-the-line Steinway grand piano and various other handcrafted instruments. The walls were lined with acoustic panels disguised as velvet tapestries. The entire setup cost at least tens of millions of Yuan, luxurious and exquisite to the extreme.
Zhong Lingyin's beautiful eyes swept around the room. Even though she had seen it before, she was once again touched by Shen Anyu's thoughtfulness. To arrange such a professional space in a temporary residence required not just money, but care.
But on the surface, her expression remained calm, masking the turmoil within.
She kicked off her high heels, allowing her jade-like feet to step onto the plush, expensive carpet. She walked to the piano with the grace of a swan, the hem of her white dress trailing behind her, and gracefully took her seat on the bench.
She deliberately ignored Shen Anyu, who had leisurely sat on a sofa nearby. She took a few deep breaths, closed her eyes, and cleared her throat, adjusting her mental state from "conflicted lover" to "professional diva."
Then, she began to play.
Her crystal-clear jade fingers danced gracefully across the black and white keys.
Ding... Dong...
Clear and moving notes leaped forth, one after another, like pearls falling onto a jade plate. The melody was melancholic yet hopeful, a signature style of the Heavenly Queen.
After the prelude, Zhong Lingyin gently parted her red lips.
The ethereal singing voice, known to the world as the "Voice of a God," resounded from her lips. It was a voice that could cleanse the soul, pure and free of impurities, carrying a natural reverb that filled the room without the need for a microphone.
Shen Anyu sat back, crossing his long legs, and looked at Zhong Lingyin with appreciative eyes.
Although Zhong Lingyin had won major domestic and international film awards at a young age, conquering the screen with her face, it was widely acknowledged in the entertainment industry that her musical accomplishments were even greater. She was a siren.
Such musical talent... even Shen Anyu, who possessed [God-Level Musical Skills] exchanged from the System, couldn't help but admire her natural gift.
Technique could be bought, but the timbre of one's voice was a gift from the heavens.
Yang Luoluo, who had secretly snuck in through the crack of the door to peek, even forgot her desire to gossip. She stood frozen, her mouth slightly agape, immersed in the beautiful music.
Zhong Lingyin played and sang with ease, without needing any sheet music. The lyrics and notes were etched into her soul.
After more than three minutes, the song ended with a lingering high note that faded into silence.
However, instead of looking satisfied, Zhong Lingyin furrowed her delicate brows slightly.
She stared at the keys, biting her lip. She felt the effect was not quite satisfactory.
Although in the eyes of others—fans, critics, even Yang Luoluo—it was already a pinnacle performance, she always had higher demands on herself. She was a perfectionist.
Furthermore, this was a song about love.
It was a song Zhong Lingyin had composed when she had not yet experienced a relationship. She had written it based on imagination, movies, and books. But now... now that her heart was in chaos because of the man sitting behind her, she realized her previous understanding of love was too shallow.
True love wasn't just sweet; it was bitter, it was heavy, it was a mixture of guilt and desire.
Zhong Lingyin gently bit her pinkish-white lower lip, turning it pale. Her beautiful eyes complexly glanced at the smiling Shen Anyu beside her.
This self-accompanied song was a grand finale piece Zhong Lingyin had prepared for the last show of her world tour concert. It was supposed to be her masterpiece. She took it very seriously.
It had already been prepared, rehearsed a thousand times.
But after her ill-fated, tangled encounter with Shen Anyu, she had more inspiration in her mind. She understood the lyrics on a deeper level now, yet she couldn't fully express it. Her fingers felt stiff, her voice too polished. This feeling of being unable to vent her emotions was very uncomfortable.
Just as Zhong Lingyin was pondering how to play and sing to achieve that feeling—that elusive feeling that enchanted the soul and would leave the audience weeping—Shen Anyu suddenly spoke.
"How about I give it a try?"
His voice broke the silence, casual and relaxed.
Zhong Lingyin was stunned. It took her a while to react. She turned around, looking at Shen Anyu in surprise and asking, "You? You also understand music?"
In her mind, Shen Anyu was a powerful Young Master, a martial arts prodigy, a business tycoon. Music required time, patience, and a different kind of soul.
"I've only recently started learning for a while," Shen Anyu said with a slight, modest smile to Zhong Lingyin.
Zhong Lingyin found it somewhat amusing.
She had started learning music when she was barely able to walk. She had been studying for twenty years, practicing eight hours a day. Coupled with her extraordinary talent, she was universally praised as a genius.
Even in the finals of top singing competitions, she sat high on the judging panel, and old professors from major music academies had to respectfully take the back seats, completely convinced by her critique.
For a music beginner—someone who "started recently"—to perform in front of her truly felt like showing off one's axe before Lu Ban's door. It was cute, but naive.
However, Zhong Lingyin's personality was gentle and approachable; although she was proud of her art, she was not arrogant towards people.
She wouldn't mock even an ordinary person for trying, let alone Shen Anyu, the man she held dear.
"Then... you go ahead."
Zhong Lingyin elegantly rose, smoothing her dress and yielding her seat. She blinked her beautiful eyes at Shen Anyu, deciding in her heart that no matter how Shen Anyu played or sang later—even if he was terrible, even if he hit every wrong note—she would smile and encourage him. She would praise his effort.
Yang Luoluo, peeking through the crack in the door, also widened her eyes, filled with curiosity and anticipation.
'Master Brother can play the piano and sing?'
In Yang Luoluo's heart, Shen Anyu was like a celestial warrior. With such extraordinary martial arts strength that could suppress Grandmasters, he must have trained hard since childhood in the mountains of the Shen Family. Where would he have time to learn the delicate arts?
She guessed that even if he knew a little, it wouldn't be much. Certainly not more than Fifth Sister Zhong Lingyin. It was probably just enough to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
Shen Anyu walked over to the piano.
He adjusted his suit jacket, sat down on the bench, and placed his hands on his knees for a moment. The contrast was striking—the dark, aggressive aura of the Villain sitting before the elegant, white-keyed instrument.
He clasped his hands together and stretched his fingers, the joints cracking softly.
At this moment, Zhong Lingyin asked in surprise, "Don't you need sheet music and lyrics? I can write them down for you quickly."
Shen Anyu tilted his head, smiling as he looked at Zhong Lingyin. His eyes reflected the stage lights of the room.
"No need. I already memorized it when you were playing and singing just now."
Zhong Lingyin was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, but she didn't say much.
'Memorized it in one listen? Impossible.' She thought. The arrangement was complex, with intricate chord progressions she had designed herself.
Anyway, even if Shen Anyu made mistakes in playing or singing later, she would still smile.
After all, Shen Anyu didn't rely on music for a living. He ruled the world; he didn't need to entertain it.
Shen Anyu closed his eyes. He activated the [God-Level Musical Skills].
Ding-ding-ding-dong~
The next moment, clear and nimble notes leaped from Shen Anyu's fingertips, cascading from the intertwined black and white keys like a waterfall of sound.
There was no hesitation. No clumsiness.
A joyful melody, a lingering tune, instantly filled the room. It was the same song, but the feeling was entirely different.
If Zhong Lingyin's version was a pristine, untouched snowscape, Shen Anyu's version was the warm sun melting that snow.
It sounded like the angel of love descending to earth, scattering endless gentle and sweet affection. The music painted a vivid picture in the listener's mind: a pair of young lovers sitting on a park swing at dusk, the orange light filtering through the leaves. They were holding warm milk tea, secretly glancing at each other, their hearts racing with the beautiful innocence of youth.
It was pure. It was nostalgic. It was heartbreakingly sweet.
Zhong Lingyin's beautiful eyes widened instantly, looking at Shen Anyu in utter surprise. Her mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out.
Just from the prelude—just the first ten seconds of this piano piece—she knew.
She knew that Shen Anyu's skill level was extremely high. Not just "amateur good," and not just "professional good."
It was a realm she had been chasing but hadn't quite reached. It was enough to grace the stage of the Vienna Golden Hall as a soloist.
Even the world's top pianists couldn't compare to the emotion he was pouring into the keys. His technique was flawless, yes, but his expression was divine.
Yang Luoluo, peeking through the crack in the door, after her initial surprise, was filled with admiration and excitement. Her cheeks flushed red.
'As expected of Master Brother! He's so amazing! He can even play the piano, and Luo Luo can't! Is there anything he can't do?'
Shen Anyu's eyes were gentle, focusing on the keys as if they were a lover's body. A soft smile graced his handsome face as he parted his lips.
He began to sing.
He softly sang the lyrics Zhong Lingyin had just performed. His voice was deep, magnetic, and carried a narrative quality that pulled the listener into the story immediately.
Zhong Lingyin stood by the piano, trembling slightly. The music resonated with her own suppressed feelings.
Without thinking, driven by the instinct of a musician and the longing of a woman, she spontaneously joined in.
She added a high harmony, her voice weaving around his like a vine around a tree. She poured all her emotions into the song—her guilt towards her sister, her secret love for him, her fear of the future.
She fully immersed herself in it, following the emotional fluctuations of Shen Anyu's piano playing and singing. They were no longer two people in a room; they were two souls conversing through sound.
The air in the room seemed to vibrate with pink energy.
After more than three minutes, the final chord was struck. The vibration lingered in the air, heavy and sweet.
The piano music faded, and the singing ceased.
The silence that followed was louder than the music.
Zhong Lingyin hadn't yet emerged from the emotions of the song. She stood there, frozen, her chest heaving slightly from the exertion of the performance. Her beautiful eyes stared blankly at Shen Anyu before her, seeing him in a completely new light.
He wasn't just a powerful backer or a domineering Young Master. He was her soulmate in art.
After a long while, she raised a hand, her fingertips lightly touching her cheek, feeling tears.
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