{Chapter: 290 I will play with you and shocked Chen family}
Lin Yuan listened attentively, already sensing where this might be going.
"But," Chi Qian continued, a faint frown forming, "she told me she wants to perform with her… wife instead. The rules allow us to find partners outside of school, so I thought… maybe I could ask you. Would you be willing to be my ensemble partner? That is, if you have the time."
As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Yuan could already guess what was behind this.
It had Yu Shanshan's fingerprints all over it.
She must've intentionally created this situation, giving Lin Yuan and Chi Qian another opportunity to grow closer. After all, Yu Shanshan knew how difficult it was for Chi Qian to connect with people—especially when it came to close contact.
But Lin Yuan and Chi Qian had already played together before, and their chemistry had been outstanding. If she couldn't pair with Yu Shanshan, then the only person Chi Qian could trust to stand on stage beside her was Lin Yuan.
And from the look in her eyes, it was clear that this wasn't just about convenience. She wanted to share the stage with him.
Lin Yuan felt that taking care of this mischievous little fox kid, Yu Shanshan, was well worth the effort.
Nodding with a calm smile, he said, "Alright, I'll head home and check my schedule. But even if it's tight, I'll definitely make time to be your ensemble partner."
Of course, Lin Yuan wasn't about to decline such a thoughtful setup orchestrated by Yu Shanshan.
In relationships, especially those built on mutual admiration and curiosity, it often takes time and repeated interactions to nurture a deeper bond. One connection after another—simple yet meaningful—would begin to weave an invisible thread between two people.
An appointment to play chess? That was one such thread.
An invitation to perform as her musical partner? Another.
These shared moments were like gentle silken strands, slowly entwining Chi Qian and Lin Yuan's lives together in a way that felt natural and unforced.
Naturally, Chi Qian was aware of what Yu Shanshan was trying to do.
But between Lin Yuan and Yu Shanshan, there was no one else in her heart she would even consider partnering with. If she really wanted to pick someone at random from school, there would be a long line of willing volunteers stretching from the base of her dormitory all the way to the school gates—eager faces, outstretched hands, and all.
Yet, Chi Qian wasn't the type to let just anyone get close to her.
On the contrary, the feeling she got when performing with Lin Yuan was genuinely warm and comforting—almost rare, in a way. She not only felt relaxed around him, but she also enjoyed the experience.
So, her invitation wasn't simply because Yu Shanshan backed out. It was also because she wanted to be around Lin Yuan again.
After hearing Lin Yuan's promise, Chi Qian gave him a graceful, brilliant smile that could brighten even the dullest day. "Thank you, Brother Lin Yuan. I hope it's not too much of a trouble for you."
"Actually," she added playfully, her eyes slightly curving, "I felt really at ease performing with you last time. So I wanted to do it again—and this time, I've got a legitimate excuse."
Lin Yuan chuckled softly and nodded. "I feel the same, Chi Qian. We make a great duo—just like Boya and Ziqi. Let's play High Mountains and Flowing Water again."
(T/N: Boya and Ziqi are legendary Chinese figures symbolizing perfect understanding and musical friendship. The song "High Mountains and Flowing Water" represents the spirit of true connection.)
"Great!" Chi Qian's eyes lit up as she responded. "Then I'll thank you in advance with a meal after the performance."
"You're inviting me to dinner again?" Lin Yuan teased, raising an eyebrow with a smile.
"Uh…" Chi Qian paused, recalling the previous times she'd done the same. Counting today, this would be the third time.
Although Chi Qian usually seemed aloof and hard to read, her actions were often sincere and straightforward. She wasn't someone who relied on charm or manipulation; she simply wanted to show gratitude in a way she knew how.
And that usually meant food.
Lin Yuan looked at her lovely face—so refined and elegant—and said gently, "Let's talk about dinner later. I haven't helped you yet, so how could I accept a reward in advance? Besides, it's no big deal. We'll figure it out later."
"Alright then. Goodbye, Brother Lin Yuan."
Chi Qian's mood clearly lightened after hearing his response. She didn't press the matter further. But in her gaze, Lin Yuan could sense that she might already be thinking of other ways to express her appreciation in the future.
With a polite wave and another soft smile, Chi Qian turned and headed upstairs.
Lin Yuan also smiled and called out after her, "Goodbye, Qian Qian."
Then, with an unhurried pace, he began to walk away. But the moment he spotted the dorm matron stepping out of the duty room with her strict gaze scanning the grounds, Lin Yuan subtly picked up his speed.
He made his way back to his parked car and drove off into the quiet evening.
As he guided the vehicle smoothly through the dimly lit streets, Lin Yuan's thoughts drifted toward the Chen family.
While the engine hummed softly beneath his fingers, his mind was already piecing together a strategic outline—a plan he would polish and finalize after speaking with Mei Yuxian tomorrow.
Mei Yuxian had a sharp mind and a unique perspective. Her insight could be the key to ensuring the next steps went smoothly.
---
Meanwhile, in a sprawling, opulent estate in the heart of Jiangbei, a sharp, unsettling clatter echoed through a marble-floored hallway.
At the grand entrance, large bronze characters gleamed under the mansion lights: The Chen Family.
This was the ancestral home and stronghold of the Chen family, one of Jiangbei's most prominent and influential clans.
Inside the vast main hall, the mood was tense and stormy. A man in his fifties sat stiffly on a high-backed chair, dressed in a traditional dark-blue robe. His expression was twisted in barely contained rage.
This was Chen Meng, the current head of the Chen family.
He clenched a delicate porcelain teacup in his hand as one of his subordinates knelt respectfully before him, relaying the news.
After listening in silence, Chen Meng's face darkened further, his fingers visibly tightening.
"You're telling me... Chen Qu, who spent over ten years undercover in the Lin family, has been exposed by Lin Yuan and... killed?"
The subordinate lowered his head even more, his voice almost a whisper. "Yes, sir. Word has it... that he was thrown to the sharks."
CRASH!
With a sudden roar of fury, Chen Meng hurled the teacup to the marble floor, where it shattered into pieces with a deafening sound.
His chest heaved with anger as he stood, eyes glinting with dangerous malice.
This was no ordinary loss.
Chen Qu had been planted within the Lin family as a deep mole for over a decade. His death wasn't just a loss—it was a slap across the face of the Chen family. A declaration of defiance.
The fact that the one who exposed and eliminated him was none other than the young Lin Yuan made it even worse.
"Lin Yuan…" Chen Meng growled through gritted teeth, his voice laced with venom.
A storm was brewing.
And the Chen family would not sit quietly.
---
Chen Qu had been a deeply embedded agent—a carefully placed pawn that the Chen family had hidden within the Lin family for more than a decade.
Ever since the Chen family relocated from Yanjing to Jiangbei, they had begun laying out their influence in secret, setting up a web of informants and agents within the most influential families of the region. It had been a painstaking process, filled with countless challenges and dangers.
Many of those covert operatives had eventually been discovered and exposed due to their carelessness or lack of foresight.
But among all of them, Chen Qu stood out as the most promising.
Unlike others who never made it past the surface, Chen Qu had managed to infiltrate the very core of the Lin Group—something previously thought impossible.
He wasn't just another spy. He had become a key component in the long-term strategic blueprint of the Chen family. His position in the Lin family had been vital for their ambitions, serving as both a source of information and a potential catalyst for disruption.
But now… all that effort, all those years of silent cultivation, had been shattered.
Chen Qu was discovered. Worse yet, he wasn't merely dismissed or imprisoned.
He was executed—and in a brutal, humiliating fashion.
According to the report, Chen Qu had been fed to sharks, an act that carried not only physical cruelty but a clear message: a warning, a threat, and an insult all wrapped into one.
To Chen Meng, the patriarch of the Chen family, this felt like watching a duck that was already inside the pot suddenly flap its wings and fly away. (T/N: Chinese idiom meaning to lose a sure thing at the last moment.)
The fury in Chen Meng's chest surged like a wildfire.
The subordinate who had reported the incident lowered his head, his body tense, fearful of the eruption he had just witnessed.
Chen Meng's hand trembled as he clenched the teacup tightly. With a sharp crack, porcelain shattered across the expensive hardwood floor.
"Chen Qu… fed to the sharks?" he growled through gritted teeth, voice heavy with disbelief and rage.
The subordinate nodded wordlessly.
"Get out," Chen Meng commanded after a long pause.
The man bowed and hurriedly fled the room, visibly relieved to escape further wrath.
Left alone in the vast, dimly lit hall, Chen Meng stood still for a moment, eyes cold and calculating. The fury slowly faded from his face, replaced by the calm, deliberate composure of a man used to playing long games.
He turned toward a figure seated in the shadows nearby. "Xiao Feng," he said in a low, measured tone, "Chen Qu is gone. My first plan has failed—completely scrapped. We'll have to abandon that path. What do you suggest we do next regarding the Lin family?"
The man he addressed was Ye Feng.
Ye Feng now sat silently in a custom-designed wheelchair, the faint clicking of IV drips beside him creating a rhythmic, almost morbid accompaniment to the atmosphere.
His condition was far from what it had once been.
Although Ye Feng could technically walk, his injuries made every movement painful and risky. The doctors had advised absolute rest. Thus, the wheelchair.
His head was mostly wrapped in white gauze, hiding the grotesque aftermath of a bullet wound that had changed the course of his life.
A bandage covered where his left ear used to be. His left eye was patched over with gauze. The symmetry of his once-handsome face had been annihilated. What remained was a shadow of the man who used to take pride in his looks...
*****
You can support me by joining my Patreon and get upto 60 chapters in advance.
patreon.com/Eden_Translation