Chapter 4
Editor: Princess
Tonight, the Qin family mansion was ablaze with lights, intertwining with the twinkling stars in the night sky, casting a glow over the blooming garden.
Luxury cars drove past the grand fountain, pulling up to the driveway in front of the banquet hall. Gentlemen in meticulously tailored suits and ladies in elegant evening gowns, their silhouettes perfectly accentuated, walked arm in arm into the hall.
The scene was filled with dazzling lights, fine wine, exquisite cuisine, melodious music, graceful dancing, polite small talk, and cultured conversations.
Suddenly, the lively banquet hall fell silent, followed by a burst of enthusiastic applause. The chatter gradually faded, and the applause grew even louder.
Qin Huanxi helped the old master up to the stage in the banquet hall. The old master smiled and nodded at the guests, and when Qin Huanxi felt the old man pat his hand twice lightly, he stepped back two paces, leaving the stage quietly as the old master began his speech.
He still had to prepare for the opening performance of the banquet. However as he left the hall, he suddenly felt a gaze fixed on him and turned around cautiously.
The hall was crowded with guests, and almost all eyes were on the birthday star of the evening. Occasionally, a few glanced his way, offering polite and friendly smiles, which he returned with equal courtesy.
As the most outstanding descendant of the Qin family, his presence naturally drew attention, with countless eyes falling on him. Most were curious and friendly, and he paid little mind to the occasional probing glances. However, that one gaze just now felt distinctly different.
But finding the owner of that gaze among so many guests was unrealistic, and Qin Huanxi knew it. Besides, he had more important tasks to attend to. Letting it go, he returned to his room to retrieve the violin he would use for tonight’s performance.
As he ran his hand over the antique violin, he could almost foresee the frenzy it would cause tonight. The Black Diamond, unseen for a decade, would reappear before the crowd, and he would be the one to play it. It was a dream he never dared to hope for in his past life. The violin wasn’t just a symbol of prestige and honor, it would also mark the pinnacle of his life’s achievements.
“Many of you here know that Huanxi experienced an accident some time ago. I thought I had lost this grandson, who makes me so proud, forever. But thanks to heaven’s mercy, Huanxi was returned to me. He is the treasure of the Qin family.” The old master said, his eyes slightly reddened.
As soon as he finished speaking, the banquet hall erupted in another round of thunderous applause. The old master finally smiled.
Standing by the wall outside the hall with the Black Diamond in hand, Qin Huanxi listened to the old master’s words of affection. In this complicated and sprawling family, apart from his late parents, the old master was probably the only one who genuinely cared for him. He could feel the deep love radiating from the old man’s heart.
After the old master finished his speech, Qin Huanxi took a deep breath, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips, and holding the Black Diamond firmly, he strode confidently onto the stage. Unsurprisingly, the moment he stepped into the hall, gasps rippled through the crowd.
“The Black Diamond, it really is the Black Diamond…”
“It’s really the Black Diamond…”
Qin Huanxi stopped at the center of the stage, smiling as he bowed to the guests with a perfect gentleman’s courtesy. Then straightening up, he nodded toward Qin Hongwen, who was seated at the piano. Gradually, his smile faded, replaced by a calm and dignified expression. Under the crowd’s breathless anticipation, he raised the violin confidently, and for the first time in ten years, the Black Diamond released its sacred and ancient melody to the audience.
Tonight, he would perform Beethoven’s Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24, known as the Spring Sonata. Accompanying him on the piano was his uncle, Qin Hongwen, a world-class pianist. In this family full of hidden rivalries and schemes, this uncle, who was deeply devoted to piano, seemed to harbor no hostility toward him. On the contrary, he was always kind and affable when they met.
“The Black Diamond…” Out in the sky garden beyond the banquet hall, Mo Shaoheng leaned against the railing, a glass of wine in hand. The night breeze carried the violin’s graceful melody, causing him to feel a faint sense of intoxication. He wasn’t sure if it was the richness of the wine or the beauty of the music that was getting to him.
“It seems Old Master Qin really values this grandson, just as the rumors say. The Black Diamond, huh…” Qi Fengyu chuckled lightly, taking a sip from his glass. Then with an air of importance, he pursed his lips and shook his head. “After Old Master Qin retired from the stage twenty years ago, the Black Diamond only appeared once. If I’m not mistaken, the one who played it back then was this Young Master Qin father, right?”
Mo Shaoheng glanced at him with an indifferent expression, as if doubting the accuracy of his statement, but he remained silent, sipping his wine.
Qi Fengyu gripped his wine glass, clearly annoyed. If it weren’t for the occasion, he would have lost his temper. Lowering his voice, he muttered through gritted teeth, “What kind of look is that? Just because I was lucky enough to get invited to such a fancy event doesn’t mean I can’t do my homework, okay? Besides, I do have a cultured side, you know!”
Mo Shaoheng turned away, deciding it wasn’t worth responding to him.
“Fine, fine, I’m just a simple guy, okay?” Qi Fengyu waved dismissively.
Normally, with the way he carried himself, Qi Fengyu would have been completely out of place at such a refined and art-filled event. But whether it was a prestigious family of artists, a wealthy business dynasty, or a powerful political clan, they all existed within the same social circle, so formal interactions were inevitable.
Yet at this moment, Qi Fengyu found himself deeply intrigued by the young master of the Qin family. Compared to the typical second-generation heirs of his age—those who indulged in a life of excess, partying, and idleness—the only thing they had in common with this heir of the Qin family was that neither of them lacked money.
He clearly remembered back when he was in his rebellious phase, spending all day messing around with his rowdy friends and chasing girls. His old man would drag him by the ear, fuming with frustration as he threatened to break his legs. And the most frequent “role model” brought up during those lectures was none other than the young master of the Qin family. Back then, the old man wished he could wake up the next day to see him bring home a Tchaikovsky Foundation Award.
Even though their prominent family seemed like it existed in a completely different world from the Qin family, oddly enough, the older generation got along quite well with Old Master Qin. They would visit each other occasionally, and the gossip about the younger generations’ antics would spread like wildfire among the families.
As a result, everyone knew about the Qin family’s young master, Qin Huanxi, who had been a genius since childhood. While they were still strutting around like kings of their schools, Qin Huanxi was already standing on the world stage.
By the time they finally escaped the confines of school and started living recklessly, Qin Huanxi, at just 20 years old, had already brought home numerous world-class gold awards and was constantly traveling to perform at major concerts.
Every time he heard his old man ramble on about Qin Huanxi’s genius feats, Qi Fengyu would rub his face in frustration, thinking to himself, “This isn’t just a ‘genius’, this is a cheat-code-level life.” Compared to them—this group of rich heirs wasting their lives—Qin Huanxi was the real deal, the true “young master”.
Then, just a few months ago, he heard that this young master had been in a car accident and might end up in a vegetative state. And Qin Huanxi really was unconscious for nearly three months. At the time, Qi Fengyu had sighed with genuine pity, thinking, “What a shame. This must be what they mean by ‘the heavens are jealous of talent.’”
By this time, Qin Huanxi had finished his performance. He bowed gracefully to thank the audience, humbly and politely accepting their praises. His poise was something ordinary people couldn’t hope to possess. Even Qi Fengyu, who usually thought quite highly of himself, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy and jealousy.
“Sigh, he really isn’t from the same world as us.” Qi Fengyu downed the rest of his drink in one go.
Mo Shaoheng remained silent, but his gaze unconsciously drifted to Qin Huanxi, who had returned to the banquet hall. Without a doubt, he was the most dazzling presence of the night. At the moment, he was smiling politely, engaging in conversations with the guests. And judging by the hearty laughter echoing through the hall, it was clear that the guests were thoroughly impressed and pleased with him.
A faint smile tugged at Mo Shaoheng’s lips as he took a sip from his glass, his eyes reflecting a hint of something indescribable. The scene before him seemed to awaken a long-buried memory. Back then, there had been someone else like this. Someone who, even when surrounded by crowds, radiated a light entirely their own.
“It’s actually the Black Diamond! Grandpa really gave him the Black Diamond. How could he….. how could he….. Grandpa is so biased…..”
Just as Mo Shaoheng was lost in his thoughts, a sharp voice interrupted him, snapping him out of his near-reverie. Frowning slightly, he turned his head toward the source of the sound.
The banquet hall had a unique design, with an elegant staircase connecting the rooftop garden where Mo Shaoheng stood to the main hall below. At the staircase’s entrance stood a young woman in a white evening gown. Her emotions were clearly out of control—she was trembling all over, clutching her gown so tightly that it was wrinkled from her grip.
“Siyu, don’t do this…” A young man in a black suit stepped forward, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Calm down. No matter what, today is Grandpa’s birthday banquet. If it’s ruined because of the Black Diamond, we won’t be able to handle the consequences.”
“But… Brother Cong’an, are you really okay with this? Grandpa had already promised my father that I would perform at this year’s banquet. I wasn’t even asking for Grandpa to let me use the Black Diamond. But why did he make me give up my chance the moment Qin Huanxi woke up? And now he’s even letting him use the Black Diamond! Brother Cong’an, I just can’t accept this…..”
Qin Cong’an sighed softly, patting her on the back. “I think Grandpa must have his reasons for doing this. Come on, let me take you to the lounge. Whatever you do, don’t let Grandpa see you like this. You know how much he values the family’s reputation and manners. He won’t tolerate anyone losing composure at his banquet. If you have anything to say, wait until the banquet is over. Be good and listen to your cousin, okay?”
Qin Siyu took a deep breath and forced a smile, nodding at Qin Cong’an. “Thank you, Brother Cong’an.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk…..” After the two had left, Qi Fengyu leaned forward and shot Mo Shaoheng a knowing look, smirking, “As expected, there’s not a single ordinary person in these big families.”
Mo Shaoheng’s gaze darkened. He hadn’t missed the subtle shift in Qin Cong’an’s expression when Qin Siyu mentioned the Black Diamond. If he remembered correctly, Qin Huanxi had already performed at Old Master Qin’s birthday banquet years ago. What Qin Siyu called “giving up” should probably be more accurately described as “returning”.
Mo Shaoheng didn’t even need to investigate to figure out what had happened. Old Master Qin must have assumed back then that Qin Huanxi would never wake up again, so he let Qin Siyu take his place at the banquet’s opening performance. But based on Mo Shaoheng’s limited knowledge of the Qin family, the gap between Qin Siyu and Qin Huanxi in terms of skill, reputation, and status was like heaven and earth. And naturally, Qin Huanxi was the “heaven”.
“Let’s go. We should greet Old Master Qin.” Mo Shaoheng said as he set his empty glass on the garden table. He glanced back at Qi Fengyu before heading down the stairs.
“Hey, wait up!” Qi Fengyu snapped out of his daze, only to see Mo Shaoheng already walking off without looking back. He quickly put down his glass and chased after him, muttering complaints under his breath, “Always so impulsive. Doesn’t know how to take care of people at all. He’s bound to get what’s coming to him someday…”
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