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"Don't sell yourself short," a clear voice rang out.

Elder Madam Liang lifted her gaze in surprise.

Standing not far away was a young girl with an elegant demeanor and a faint smile on her fair little face.

"Little Butterfly, Dan Dan mentioned that she saw you perform once. She was very proud of how well you sang," she said.

She had seen it too.

Indeed, she had sung beautifully.

Chu Yuening waved at the elder madam before turning to head towards the exit.

Zhou Fengxu looked from the elder madam to her. "The little girl from back then?"

"Yes," Chu Yuening replied, retracting her gaze. She smiled as she watched the elderly people leave.

"Shall we go as well?"

"Little Butterfly, Little Butterfly."

Madame Liang chanted, her entire body trembling. This was… this was the affectionate nickname that Sister Dan Dan would occasionally use.

Tears streaming down her face, she yearned to chase after the girl but lacked the strength to do so.

Perhaps, Sister Dan Dan had really seen her performance.

Otherwise… how could she have used that term?

"The opera has been declining year by year," the old grandpa lamented. "As the elderly audience who love the opera pass away and more young people emerge, where will the opera go from here?"

Madame Liang smiled wistfully. "It's enough if we all do our part."

Recently, a new granddaughter had been born into the family, and from birth, she would grab at Madame Liang's opera costume. For some reason, Madame Liang always saw a hint of Guo Fengdan in the baby's face.

After their conversation, Madame Liang sighed with emotion. "At least there will be someone to carry on my legacy."

The old man laughed heartily, folding his hands in greeting. "Congratulations are in order then. My grandson is also into acting. When your granddaughter grows up, perhaps they can perform together."

"Certainly," Elder Madam Liang was helped down from the stage.

"Regardless, we must find a way to develop Cantonese opera."

In the evening, the Fang family villa was illuminated with bright lights that shimmered in the swimming pool's water. The parking lot was filled with luxury cars, and the lawn was bustling with high society figures.

Fang Jingguo was beaming with joy, circulating among the elite while holding a glass of wine.

A man dressed in a white tuxedo, with slightly tousled hair brushing against his eyebrows, caught the attention of many ladies with his elegant demeanor and handsome looks.

Even Fang Jiajia, accompanying Xu Conglu, found her mind wandering, stealing glances at him repeatedly.

Qiao Xing grabbed a plate of peanuts and sat by the pool, tossing them one by one into his mouth. Seeing his brother attract so much attention, he grumbled, "Brother, could you move aside a bit?"

"Why?" Qiao Ziyuan smiled faintly. "You should know that people have an inherent right to appreciate beauty."

Qiao Xing shivered. "They're appreciating beauty? I don't know if they're innocent or if you're naive. They could swallow a person whole in no time."

As the conversation unfolded,

Qiao Xing set down the plate of peanuts he had sneakily taken from the kitchen on the ground, gazing at the vast expanse of stars above with a sense of wonder.

"Sigh, all these mundane beauties can't hold a candle to even one finger of Sister Goddess," he lamented.

"Surely you don't think your goddess sister would bother watching?" Qiao Ziyuan was equally intrigued by Master Chu Da, who had saved his life. From his parents' and younger brother's descriptions, she was already capable of handling matters independently at a very young age, and possessed immense magical powers.

It was a shame, though.

Upon awakening, the company was already in chaos, leaving him no choice but to attend to business matters first.

Speaking of which, he had yet to personally visit Master Chu.

Qiao Ziyuan also crouched down. "Find a time, and I'll accompany you."

Just as he reached out to touch Qiao Xing's head, the boy quickly pulled away.

"She's very busy."

Qiao Xing tidied his disheveled hair, "I thought it was you. You have the leisure to stand by the poolside for others to admire. If I had known it would be like this, I'd never have come."

Qiao Xing was truly furious.

Qiao Ziyuan had asked for his help, and he had assumed it would be some significant task. Instead, he was here to fend off Qiao Ziyuan's admirers.

Qiao Ziyuan chuckled, "If not you, then who would help me?"

Just as he finished speaking, Fang Jiajia arrived with a tray of fruit, blushing profusely at Qiao Ziyuan's gaze. "M-Mr. Qiao... Please have some f-fruit."

"Thank you. The fruit is too cold; my parents have strictly forbidden me from consuming it." Qiao Ziyuan smiled politely.

Fang Jiajia's face turned even redder. Recalling the rumors, she frantically tried to pass the fruit to a servant. However, the servants were busy attending to other guests and didn't notice her gesture.

Fang Jiajia flailed about awkwardly, highly embarrassed. "S-Sorry, I forgot that you're not well... I... I shouldn't have offered."

"It's alright." Qiao Ziyuan smiled, secretly giving Qiao Xing a nudge with his foot.

Qiao Xing reluctantly stood up, took the fruit plate from Fang Jiajia, and nonchalantly grabbed a toothpick. He skewered an apple piece but frowned in disdain once he realized what it was.

Qiao Xing glanced at Fang Jiajia's subtly expectant gaze.

"Fancy, huh? I cut it myself," Fang Jiajia said with anticipation in her eyes. She was well aware of Qiao Xing's identity and couldn't help but try to win his favor. If anyone else dared to take the fruit she prepared for Qiao Ziyuan, she would surely turn sour.

Qiao Xing wore a puzzled expression.

How did cutting it himself affect the taste?

He maintained his composure and popped it into his mouth, chewing mechanically.

"Tastes decent," Qiao Xing glanced at the smiling Qiao Ziyuan and muttered under his breath, "Smiling fox, you be the good guy, I'll be the bad one."

"What did you say, Young Master Qiao?" Fang Jiajia didn't catch his words.

Qiao Xing raised his voice, "If you don't have anything important, could you please leave? My brother likes peace and quiet."

As soon as he spoke, many eyes turned towards the swimming pool.

Fang Jiajia had never been so bluntly dismissed before; she felt deeply embarrassed.

"I...my father...said," she muttered, biting her lower lip in distress. Her gaze turned to Qiao Ziyuan, revealing a pitiful expression.

She spoke softly and hesitantly.