Chapter 124: After All, Still a Step Too Late

He had met her when she was nineteen. At that time, it was only because his grandfather had constantly raved in his ears about her exceptional musical talent: how effortlessly she mastered so many instruments, how intuitive her ideas were, how natural her stage presence was, and how perfectly she commanded the room. She even possessed a decisiveness and leadership ability rare in others. He had been eager to challenge her.

Later, they competed across hundreds of instruments, composed thousands of scores, participated in all sorts of music competitions, and invited world-class musical godfathers to judge them.

He lost. He lost completely. Yet, he felt only joy and excitement, for he had found someone who resonated with him, someone he could truly contend with. Although she was just a girl, in his heart, she was his master.

He had hoped that this master would guide him for a lifetime. He imagined them studying every facet of music together, spending every meaningful day in happiness and joy. He had even fantasized...

"Pigli, what's wrong?" Beside him, Kehemor, noticing him with his head bowed in deep thought, asked with concern.

"Nothing, brother," he replied with a gentle smile, though the smile lacked its usual natural ease and seemed somewhat forced.

His thoughts remained unknown to everyone; he had never voiced them, not even to his grandfather. He masked them well, but...

He habitually reached to serve her a bowl of Chinese lotus root soup, but his hand stopped mid-motion.

Because the man across from her had just served her a bowl of snow fungus soup. She lowered her head, drinking it with a submissiveness and a gentle, obedient expression he had never seen before.

She showed none of the deliberate distance she usually maintained toward others.

Polia chose that moment to voice what had been on his eldest son's mind, framing it as a question: "Is young Master Huangpu Shenqing a member of the Huangpu family? The rumored eldest heir?"

At these words, Jieliya and Pigli, who were at the head of the table, turned their attention to him.

Kehemor kept his head down, eating quietly; he had expected his father to do just that.

Huangpu Shenqing set down his chopsticks and answered formally, "I am. Does Duke Polia have something to say?"

"Nothing at all. I just thought it was quite a coincidence."

"Duke Polia is simply making a fuss over nothing."

Shangguan Renran tugged at his sleeve, hoping he would be more polite.

Polia nodded, "Indeed, I am overreacting. However, it is an honor for the Skikoway family that you could come."

Huangpu Shenqing finally understood the girl's intent. "You are too kind, Duke Polia."

Everyone fell silent, eating the meal in quiet. On the exquisite dining table, dishes stretched from one end to the other, featuring not only Chinese delicacies but also American gourmet cuisine.

***

After the meal, everyone was assigned a comfortable, clean room.

Shangguan Renran had originally intended to ask Grandfather Jieliya to arrange a separate room for Huangpu Shenqing, but he had refused.

Though she did not contradict him in public, she could no longer hold back once they were in their room.

"Mr. Huangpu, why didn't you let Grandfather Jieliya arrange a room for you?"

Huangpu Shenqing unbuttoned his coat and countered, "Why arrange another one? Can't I stay in the same room as Ranran?"

"You cannot. What are you doing?"

"Taking a bath. Even if I couldn't, I've already come in."

The man walked straight into the room's bathroom.

"You..."

"Huangpu Shenqing, you are a scoundrel!"

Shangguan Renran was flushed with anger. She hadn't even forgiven his rude behavior at the dinner table, and now he was pushing his luck.

In the bathroom, Huangpu Shenqing heard the girl's cry and found it highly amusing. There were only the women's toiletries Ye Xin had prepared for Shangguan Renran inside, so he simply used them.

Listening to the sound of splashing water and seeing the silhouette of the man's perfect physique reflected through the frosted glass door, Shangguan Renran felt extremely restless. She decided to go for a walk.

Five large, interconnected castles stood here, surrounded by winding paths lined with greenery. Each plant was illuminated by colored lights, which appeared even more dazzling against the night sky. There were park-like benches scattered throughout. Shangguan Renran sat on one, quietly watching the night bathed in moonlight.

Like China, the United States was in the cold early winter season. When she left the room, she had taken off her shawl, forgetting that the night wind was much sharper than the indoor air.

But she wasn't going back now.

Less than a minute after she sat down, a warm black shawl was draped over her shoulders. She turned in surprise. "Senior?"

Pigli's gentle voice sounded beside her. "Put this on; it's quite cold at night. It's a shawl my mother hasn't used."

Shangguan Renran turned away, feeling uneasy. "Senior, why are you not resting so late at night?"

"Junior, why are you not resting either?"

"I..." Shangguan Renran was at a loss for words.

Pigli sat beside her and said in a low voice, "Junior, does he... treat you well?"

She lowered her head. "He treats me quite well."

"Is that so? Then should I congratulate you, Junior?"

The rhetorical tone left Shangguan Renran confused. "Senior?"

"I want to congratulate you, but I..."

But he could not say it, for that was not what his heart felt.

Pigli looked at the girl beside him, his eyes filled with a seriousness she had never seen before. Even his expression was no longer his usual mild warmth, but one of solemnity.

Shangguan Renran began to fear what he might say next. She finally sensed it. "Se... Senior, I should head back. You should go get some rest early as well."

"Girl," Pigli finally uttered the term he most wanted to call her.

The word made Shangguan Renran, who had just stood up, freeze in place.

"I... I am too late, aren't I?" His voice was trembling and dejected. He seemed to sink into the darkness, never having touched the light.

His ambiguous words made her want to flee. She took off the shawl and handed it to him, her expression hurried. "Senior, I'm heading back now."

Pigli watched her fleeing figure, his refined eyes filled with sorrow. In the end, he was no longer the gentle, cultured senior he usually appeared to be.

He had been one step too late.

The girl who had once studied music with him would now have to keep her distance. He sat on the bench, the black wool shawl still retaining a hint of her warmth, yet it was no match for the bone-chilling wind. It felt like an icy blade, piercing his heart, leaving a wound before sweeping off into the distance as if nothing had happened.