Chapter 121: Isn't That Also What Mr. Di Deserves?

Di Jiuzhuo’s ash-gray hair partially obscured his brow and eyes, yet it could not hide the playful glint in his grayish-blue pupils.

The handkerchief was spotless; even when dropped to the floor, it showed no trace of dirt. This was clearly a deliberate attempt to make things difficult.

Shangguan Renran walked down from the stage toward Senior Piggy. With her slender heel, she stepped on the handkerchief—whether inadvertently or intentionally, it was hard to tell. She looked directly at the man sitting before her, her voice cool and detached. "My apologies, I wasn't paying attention."

The crowd widened their eyes in sheer terror, unsure of how to react to such a scene.

Di Xing moved to step forward, ready to teach this woman who did not know the height of the sky or the depth of the earth a lesson.

At that moment, Mo Jiu and Mo Shi re-entered the hall. Seeing the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere, they quickly walked over and blocked Di Xing’s path.

Mo Jiu faced Di Xing without a hint of fear. "Our young lady is not someone you can touch."

Di Jiuzhuo made a gesture, and Di Xing respectfully retreated.

His playful gaze swept wantonly between Shangguan Renran and her two guards. A wicked smile curled at the corners of his mouth. "So, you are the one Massacre is worried about. Heh, this trip was worth it after all."

"Enough. Wasn't this supposed to be a lecture? Let us begin." He turned his gaze toward Wunini Na.

Wunini Na wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and gave a dry laugh. "Professor Jiliya, please take your seat. And dear Miss Shangguan Renran, you may begin your lecture now."

Jiliya looked at Shangguan Renran with an aged face full of uncontrollable worry, and the once-gentle eyes of Piggy beside him were similarly filled with concern.

Shangguan Renran flashed them a smile, signaling that she was fine.

She ascended the stage with elegance and began her speech, with Mo Jiu and Mo Shi standing guard around her.

The discarded handkerchief lay to the side, now bearing a ring of dirt, but no one bothered to look at it again.

"Good afternoon, everyone. I am Shangguan Renran. It is a great honor to stand on the podium at Christine University to share my thoughts and experiences with you all."

"Let me start by speaking about what you perceive to be the divide between modern pop music and classical music."

"As we all know, current society is driven by the trends of pop instruments, pop songs, and pop dances. Few people take the time to learn ancient, elegant, and solemn instruments. This is not to say that pop music is bad; rather, it is that as more and more people learn, they lose the original intention they had when they started."

"Back then, you and I were drawn to the beautiful, harmonious melodies; we were captivated by the melodious, enchanting sounds they produced. We vowed to experience this beauty ourselves, to play it ourselves. But in the end, it turned into an inexplicable competition, a senseless vanity, and a mere talent to show off. This is not what I hoped to see from those of you sitting here. The study of ancient instruments has somehow been turned into a boastful virtue. Such a scene and such a result, I believe, is not..."

***

Shangguan Renran spoke until four o'clock; the entire session lasted no more than forty minutes. She bowed gracefully to conclude her speech.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience. If not for Di Jiuzhuo’s presence, they might have cheered so loudly they would have nearly lifted the roof off.

The crowd filed out in an orderly fashion, not daring to linger and risk witnessing another confrontation.

Di Jiuzhuo rested his arm on the back of his chair, leaning back as he stared at the woman coming off the stage. "Massacre should be arriving soon, shouldn't he?"

Ignoring him, Shangguan Renran walked to Jiliya and Piggy. "Grandpa Jiliya, you should head back first."

"How can that be? How can I rest easy leaving you here alone, girl? Come with us."

"That's right, junior sister, let's go back together."

Shangguan Renran shook her head. Her intuition told her this man was dangerous. Last time, he had tried to kill her, and she had managed to escape, but what about this time? Regardless, she did not want to implicate anyone else.

"Grandpa Jiliya, please go back with Senior Piggy. I promise I will arrive safely at the Skikowei Castle tonight."

"Girl, I am still worried! I am not leaving; I am leaving with you." Jiliya held Shangguan Renran’s hand tightly, his slightly hunched frame radiating deep concern.

Shangguan Renran embraced the old man and whispered in his ear, "Grandpa Jiliya, I am truly fine. I am a member of the Shangguan family; he dare not touch me."

Jiliya looked up in astonishment. He had not expected Shangguan Renran’s identity to be that of the Shangguan family from Z Country. No wonder she had said that her studies were not just to help her father with finance, but also to accompany her grandfather.

Piggy was also filled with confusion. What exactly had his junior sister said?

His grandfather finally left, reassured. He started the car and drove away from Christine University.

Inside the hall of the Saint Machine Castle, Di Jiuzhuo remained in his previous posture, though the interest in his eyes had deepened.

Shangguan Renran’s beautiful eyes finally turned toward the man left in the hall. "What is Mr. Di’s goal?"

Di Jiuzhuo sat upright and scoffed. "You are the first person to address me like that. I want to know where you get your confidence from, Massacre?"

Mo Jiu and Mo Shi stood on either side of Shangguan Renran, remaining alert to the man’s movements.

"Massacre? I do not know the person you speak of, and my confidence does not need to be granted by anyone else," she said coldly.

"Oh? You don't know him? Then you surely know Huangpu Shenqing, don't you?"

Hearing that name, a sharp pain flickered in Shangguan Renran's eyes. She walked to a nearby chair and sat down, separated from Di Jiuzhuo by an aisle.

"What exactly does Mr. Di want to say?"

Di Jiuzhuo’s gaze could only catch her white, flushed side profile. The white wool shawl seemed to make her look even more untouchable.

He curled his lips into a devilish smile. "I don’t want to say anything. I just want to know how we should settle the score for you eavesdropping on me last time."

"Is Mr. Di a man who holds grudges? Have you come here today to settle a score?"

Mo Jiu and Mo Shi quietly took out their phones to contact Huangpu Shenqing.

"No, I only came today for your lecture. But the result was eye-opening, wasn't it? So, you are the one called Shangguan Renran."

She replied with sarcasm, "There are many unpredictable things in this world. Does Mr. Di intend to lament over every single one of them?"

"If Mr. Di has nothing else to say, we will be taking our leave. Regarding the time Mr. Di rudely fired a gun at me, I hope you will remember that well, too."

He brushed his right cheek, where a bullet had grazed him last time. "He repaid it for you, didn't he?"

Shangguan Renran cast an inquiring glance at Mo Jiu and Mo Shi. So, the gunshot she heard at the banquet last time had been fired by Huangpu Shenqing.

Mo Jiu nodded; it was true.

She stood up and looked down at him. "That was something Mr. Di deserved, wasn't it?"