A flash of black sword light—then, with a sickening squelch, blood splattered as an arm and a longsword soared into the air before dropping rapidly to the ground...
Leon Huang laughed lightly. "You’ve got it wrong, Senior Sister Murong. Honestly, I feel a natural closeness to you, so I never thought of you as a guest."
Serena was stunned—then gave Leon Huang a thumbs-up. "Fairy Gu almost never compliments anyone. Quick, play another to thank her!"
"Greetings, Young Master Huang!"
Leon Huang plucked the guqin again, and another beautiful melody flowed from his fingers to the two women’s ears.
Serena kept finding reasons for Leon Huang to play, only stopping after five more songs.
Suddenly, Serena challenged Leon Huang, "Junior Brother Huang, you’re so talented—can you invent a toy that would interest Fairy Gu?"
Leon Huang glanced at Harriet Gu, then had an idea. "I made a set of game pieces yesterday—maybe Senior Sister Gu will be interested!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Leon Huang put away the guqin and brought out the Go set he’d made the day before.
As he spoke, Leon Huang took out his guqin from the masterwork storage ring and placed it on the table.
Tyson and Wes had already prepared lunch.
Leon Huang quickly tuned the strings, then began plucking them with his fingers.
Leon Huang began explaining. At first, Harriet Gu didn’t pay much attention, but after a while, she started to look interested.
When he finished, Leon Huang looked at Harriet’s beautiful, icy face. "Senior Sister Gu, would you like to play a round?"
Aside from Leon Huang’s greeting, Harriet Gu hadn’t said another word. Her stunning face was as cold and expressionless as ever—like eternal ice, radiating chill even from a distance.
But as Leon Huang played, her eyelids twitched twice, and then she clearly settled into a listening state.
"Senior Sister Gu is a beginner, so you go first!" Leon Huang said.
"Mm."
Leon Huang smiled and picked up a black stone, following with his own move.
"You flatter me, Senior Sister." Leon Huang replied modestly.
Leon Huang, on the other hand, always placed his stone immediately after Harriet made her move.
Ian laughed lightly. "You’ve got it wrong, Senior Sister Murong. Honestly, I feel a natural closeness to you, so I never thought of you as a guest."
In the second round, Harriet’s skills clearly improved, but she was still far behind Leon Huang.
"Senior Sister Murong is so generous—your little brother is truly grateful!"
"Junior Brother Huang, I actually came today to ask a favor." Serena suddenly looked serious as she addressed Ian.
Leon Huang reminded the two women that it was getting late.
"Can I borrow this Go set for a night to study?" Harriet looked at Leon Huang with longing.
Yesterday, after hearing Ian play here, Serena had the idea—so when the tournament ended today, she dragged Harriet straight to Ian’s courtyard.
"Is that all? Just a couple songs? No problem at all."
As he spoke, Ian took out his guqin from the masterwork storage ring and placed it on the table.
Serena couldn’t help showing a flash of envy—masterwork storage rings were incredibly rare.
Ian quickly tuned the strings, then began plucking them with his fingers.
"Ding dong dong!"
At once, a beautiful melody flowed from his hands.
Aside from Ian’s greeting, Harriet Gu hadn’t said another word. Her stunning face was as cold and expressionless as ever—like eternal ice, radiating chill even from a distance.
But as Ian played, her eyelids twitched twice, and then she clearly settled into a listening state.
When the piece ended, Serena applauded, "What’s that song called?"
"High Mountains and Flowing Water."
Serena savored the melody, finding the name perfectly fitting. She nodded, "Junior Brother Huang, you’re a real genius!"
"You flatter me, Senior Sister." Ian replied modestly.
"Fairy Gu, what did you think of that piece?" Serena turned and asked Harriet Gu.
"Pretty good," Harriet replied coolly.
Serena was stunned—then gave Ian a thumbs-up. "Fairy Gu almost never compliments anyone. Quick, play another to thank her!"
"Of course, no problem!"
Ian plucked the guqin again, and another beautiful melody flowed from his fingers to the two women’s ears.
After that, Serena kept coming up with excuses for Ian to play five more pieces before she was satisfied.
Suddenly, Serena challenged Ian, "Junior Brother Huang, you’re so talented—can you invent a toy that would interest Fairy Gu?"
Ian glanced at Harriet Gu, then had an idea. "I made a set of game pieces yesterday—maybe Senior Sister Gu will be interested!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Ian put away the guqin and brought out the Go set he’d made the day before.
"What’s this?"
Serena stared in confusion at the board and the two jars of black and white stones.
"This is called Go. The rules are..."
Ian began explaining. At first, Harriet Gu didn’t pay much attention, but after a while, she started to look interested.
When he finished, Ian looked at Harriet’s beautiful, icy face. "Senior Sister Gu, would you like to play a round?"
"Alright!"
Harriet Gu nodded lightly.
"Senior Sister Gu is a beginner, so you go first!" Ian said.
Harriet didn’t hesitate—she picked up a white stone and made the first move.
Ian smiled and picked up a black stone, following with his own move.
At first, Harriet played quickly, but as the board filled with black and white stones, she slowed down, sometimes thinking for several minutes before each move.
Ian, on the other hand, always placed his stone immediately after Harriet made her move.
Finally, after half an hour, Harriet couldn’t make another move. Yet she showed no sign of defeat—she simply said, "Let’s play again!"
In the second round, Harriet’s skills clearly improved, but she was still far behind Ian.
Serena was also drawn in by the game, occasionally offering Harriet advice—though her skills were even worse than Harriet’s.
Unnoticed, evening had arrived.
Ian reminded the two women that it was getting late.
"Can I borrow this Go set for a night to study?" Harriet looked at Ian with longing.
"Of course! If you don’t mind, Senior Sister, I’ll just give it to you!"