"Ian, what are you doing here?" Aunt Yvonne Yang asked suspiciously.
It would be hard to keep the piano competition a secret.
So Ian replied calmly, "Aunt Yvonne, I'm here to take part in the piano competition auditions."
"When did you learn to play piano? How come I never knew?" Yvonne Yang's expression shifted to surprise.
Ian had already prepared an answer, so he said, "I learned some piano in vocal music class, got interested, and then kept practicing privately. When I heard about the competition, I thought I'd join in for fun."
At this, Ian looked at Shelly Song and asked, "Shelly, you must've passed the audition, right?"
Ian's explanation was reasonable, and Yvonne Yang didn't think much more of it. Hearing him shift the topic to Shelly, she couldn't help but show a proud look: "With Shelly's skill, passing the audition is a given. Besides, she's aiming for the championship."
"Mom, can't you be a little more modest? There's an outsider here," Shelly Song said, shooting Yvonne Yang a dissatisfied look.
Yvonne Yang just smiled, unconcerned: "I'm not wrong, am I? You're a level-nine pro—who can compare to you? By the way, Ian, who is this?"
"His name is Evan Xia. I just met him—he's also competing in the piano contest," Ian introduced.
"Hello, Auntie, here's my business card. Please take care of me." Evan Xia took out his card and handed one each to Yvonne Yang and Shelly Song.
"You're quite the polite young man," Yvonne Yang said with a smile as she accepted the card. Shelly hesitated before taking hers, but said nothing.
As they talked, the four of them headed downstairs. Shelly Song deliberately fell behind and quietly asked Ian, "When did you get to know Fiona Xiang?"
Ian didn't expect Shelly to ask about this. He thought to himself that Fiona and Shelly were close, and since she hadn't mentioned the alley incident, he couldn't bring it up either. At a loss for words, he just brushed it off: "It was just by chance."
Shelly's elegant brows furrowed—clearly dissatisfied with his answer. Her tone turned colder: "Let me give you some advice. Don't have any delusions about Fiona. You're nowhere near her level."
Ian was used to Shelly looking down on him, so he just smiled and said, "You've got it wrong. I don't have any delusions about her."
"That's good," Shelly nodded lightly. "I know you've been getting a lot of attention at school lately, but listen—my dad is at a critical moment in his career. Don't cause trouble for him, or I'll make sure you regret it."
"I know," Ian said seriously, though inwardly he sighed. Clearly, Shelly still had a terrible impression of him.
"And you'd better focus more on your studies. One good monthly exam doesn't mean much," Shelly continued, her tone still cold but with a hint of concern.
"I will," Ian nodded again.
It wasn't until they reached the school gate that Yvonne Yang remembered to ask Ian if he'd passed the audition.
When Ian confirmed he had, Yvonne was visibly shocked. Shelly Song's eyelids twitched as she gave Ian a deep look. Though they went to the same school and she hadn't deliberately asked around, she'd still heard plenty of rumors about Ian.
In the past month, he'd gone from invisible to high-profile: first fighting Victor Xue and getting reprimanded, then helping police catch an A-level fugitive, then rumors with Fiona Xiang, and finally scoring a perfect mark in the monthly Chinese exam.
Later, he rescued Teacher Hannah Han from the top campus punk at the school gate, and not long after, openly opposed William Yan in class—leading students into the hallway for a lesson. That same day, William Yan was reassigned to the junior-high division.
"How could he have changed so much?" Shelly wondered, especially now that he'd passed the strict piano competition audition. Over 800 contestants, with at least two-thirds eliminated—passing meant Ian had real skill.
"Looks like you're lucky. Work hard now and try to make it to the semifinals," Yvonne Yang said, encouraging Ian after her initial surprise. Still, her tone made it clear she didn't expect him to reach the finals.
"Thanks for your concern, Aunt Yvonne. I'll do my best," Ian replied earnestly, feeling gratified—her attitude was changing, no longer just mocking him like before.
Watching his aunt and Shelly leave, Ian quietly clenched his fist.
"Come on, Ian, let me treat you to a meal," Evan Xia said enthusiastically.
"Then I'll take you up on that," Ian laughed. Since they'd both passed the audition, they'd surely meet again—Evan could treat this time, and next time, Ian would return the favor.
That afternoon, Ian got another call from Zhen Yun, telling him that his audition performance hadn't been cut and would be broadcast tonight at 8 p.m. on Riverstone City TV Channel 4.
Nowadays, with the internet so widespread, most young people watch shows and movies on their computers, so TV stations' ratings aren't what they used to be—especially for a local channel like Riverstone TV, which has very low viewership.
Channel 4 isn't even a main channel, so even fewer people tune in.
After school, Ian got a message from Hannah Han, telling him to wait for her outside.
About ten minutes later, the beautiful Teacher Hannah Han arrived gracefully. "Come on, let's go to the market," she said.
"What are we going to the market for?" Ian asked, puzzled.
"To celebrate you passing the audition, I'm personally going to cook a delicious meal for you," Hannah Han declared.
"Wow, that's awesome!" Ian was thrilled. "So if I pass the prelims and the PK round, do I get more treats?"
"Dream on! Do you think just anyone gets to taste my cooking?" Hannah Han puffed up with mock pride.
The market was just a few hundred meters from the school.
Once inside the market, Hannah Han suddenly asked, "By the way, what do you like to eat?"
Ian started counting on his fingers: "Fried chicken, spicy crayfish, beef stew with potatoes, boiled fish, shredded pork in garlic sauce, tofu skin with cucumber..."
Hearing Ian rattle off dish after dish, Hannah's face darkened. She cut him off: "Three dishes, max! If you want more, I'm not cooking!"
Ian just grinned and finally picked his three favorites.
While shopping, Hannah Han bargained fiercely, her voice sharp but playful as she haggled with the vendor over mere pennies. Watching her stand her ground, Ian felt no trace of pettiness—if anything, he found her frugal seriousness utterly endearing.
"What are you standing there for? Carry these," Hannah said, shoving the groceries into Ian's hands when she saw him just standing there smiling.
After buying the groceries, Hannah Han dragged Ian to a nearby supermarket to pick up a pair of men's slippers.
When they arrived at Hannah's apartment, Ian finally realized the slippers were bought just for him. A gentle warmth spread through his chest—a feeling of being cared for, quietly but unmistakably.
"Change your shoes," she said.
Hannah slipped into her own slippers first, then gracefully bent down to set Ian's pair at his feet. As she rose, he caught a brief, intoxicating glimpse of her figure—his breath caught, and his heart thudded, the air between them suddenly charged with a subtle, electric tension.