Chapter 562: 223 Bai Lian: Who really is he/him?_1

Director Jian paused at the door.

Gao Yan noticed this, and just as she was about to ask a question, Director Jian continued inside as if nothing had happened.

The Bamboo Room was spacious, furnished with places for musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, painting, as well as board games for entertainment.

Xu Nanjing noticed their entry from the corner of his eye, put down his teacup, stood up, and whispered to Bai Lian, “Alian, my mom is introducing you to an elderly gentleman, he has arrived.”

Bai Lian tilted her head and politely stood up along with Xu Nanjing.

Gao Yan, leading Director Jian through the screen, entered; she was dressed in a well-tailored cheongsam that highlighted her unique demeanor, with a black jade fan resting elegantly in her palm.

Uncle Lin followed behind Director Jian, pulling out the main seat’s chair for him.

Gao Yan slightly leaned forward to introduce Bai Lian to Director Jian, “Director Jian, this is the junior I mentioned to you.”

After she finished speaking, she noticed that Director Jian was just standing there quietly, his gaze lightly resting on Bai Lian, expressionless and motionless.

Gao Yan felt a momentary pause in her heart, then turned to Bai Lian, “Lian, this is Director Jian.”

Bai Lian remained silent as well.

…

Do they just not click?

Gao Yan clenched her fan, glancing instinctively at Xu Nanjing, who was also clueless.

Jiang Fulai sat quietly next to Bai Lian, leisurely pouring himself a cup of tea with grace and nonchalance.

The sound of tea being poured was the only noise in the otherwise silent private room.

The atmosphere grew tense.

Gao Yan, looking at Director Jian’s expressionless face, started to think she had been too rash and might have just botched things.

Bai Lian likely hadn’t heard of Director Jian.

She put down her fan, and Uncle Lin quickly came over to pour tea for Director Jian, trying to ease the tension, “Miss Bai, this gentleman is Mr. Jian, a master zither player as well.”

He then said to Director Jian, “Director Jian, this is Miss Bai, Bai Lian, a distinguished guest of the Xu family.”

After Uncle Lin spoke, Director Jian coldly took his seat, glancing over, “She is Bai Lian? Who then is that person diligently studying in the library?”

Jiang Fulai’s hand, lifting a teacup for a sip, paused briefly.

“I came out to buy books,” Bai Lian nodded slightly to Gao Yan, then with a vague gesture, pointed toward the modern music theory book next to Jiang Fulai.

Director Jian, his hand resting on the armrest, looked over, “Don’t try to fool me.”

“I’ve finished viewing the performance you sent me, and they failed to control the intensity of their strumming,” Bai Lian spoke calmly, “The second bar lacked vigor in its tonality.”

As soon as the discussion turned to his specialty, Director Jian immediately sat up straight, “That’s your impression too, right? Their fingers were all floppy, they couldn’t bring out any strength at all…”

As he spoke, his face lost its earlier master-like depth, his fingers rhythmically tapping the armrest, he appeared quite at ease.

His eyes softened, and when the conversation turned to something of interest, his cloudy eyes shone brightly.

The two had already commenced a conversation.

Gao Yan, after slightly being stunned, realized what was happening and looked at Xu Nanjing.

These two clearly knew each other, and not only that, they seemed very familiar?

Xu Nanjing was also quite puzzled, watching them move from one topic to another until he finally asked Bai Lian, “Alian, do you know Director Jian?”

Director Jian was someone even Gao Yan couldn’t easily invite without leveraging Old Master Chen’s influence.

Was he someone you could just meet if you wanted to?

“Yes,” Bai Lian nodded at him slightly.

It was all very nonchalant.

How was she able to be so detached?

Didn’t he see that Director Jian’s other two disciples, Lou Jiu and Leng Shuhe, were both rising stars helped by Director Jian’s support?

Xu Nanjing: “…”

Gao Yan shot him a glance, signaling that he was of no help.

She and Xu Nanjing took their seats again, not disturbing the conversation between Bai Lian and the director.

Their discussion of playing techniques was beyond Gao Yan as an outsider; she just watched Bai Lian.

Bai Lian sat in her chair, her back straight, her left hand resting lightly on the table, a posture of proper decorum yet distinctly relaxed—a composure that even the formally trained heirs of Jiangjing’s elite families might not possess.

And listening to Bai Lian’s comments, Director Jian was able to join in no matter the subject, her few words revealing her cultured background.

It permeated her manner of speaking and temperament.

If it were another setting and she didn’t know Bai Lian, she would certainly think that Bai Lian was from some noble family.

Only…

Gao Yan exhaled, remembering Xu Nanjing had said that Bai Lian was from Xiangcheng, a place that had not seen much development until it had a huge shift in the last year.

**

After finishing the meal.

Bai Lian and Director Jian were still together, chatting absentmindedly.

“When you come to Jiangjing next time, pay homage to your ancestor,” Director Jian spoke with Bai Lian, referring naturally to Mr. Qin Jiu.

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