Chapter 62: Serial Face-slapping

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Serial Face-slapping

However, asking Dustin Everett to praise Sienna Everett was like asking him to slap his own face. He couldn’t bring himself to say anything good, no matter what.

But Sienna Everett had indeed played very well—even better than him.

Dustin Everett stewed for a long time before forcing out two passive-aggressive words: "Not bad."

The online spectators saw right through him instantly: [Not bad??? Is he mixing in his personal grudges? That’s just being a sore loser!]

Next, the director looked at Selena Hansen.

Selena Hansen nervously wrung the hem of her clothes. ’I can’t believe Sienna Everett is this good at the guqin.’

’Her performance of "Nine Provinces" just now was on par with SG themselves.’

’No wonder Master respects her so much.’

Selena Hansen bit her lip and glanced at Winston Jarvis beside her. When she saw her master glaring at her, she immediately said with heartfelt conviction, "Martial Aunt played very well, much better than I did."

Winston Jarvis snorted heavily. ’At least this rebellious disciple of mine isn’t completely hopeless.’

’Getting to hear my Senior Sister play the guqin in person today made this whole trip worthwhile.’

The director raised a megaphone and announced:

"It’s obvious that for this guqin performance segment, Sienna Everett’s team is the winner!"

"The production team will make a charitable donation to children in remote mountain regions in the name of the winning team!"

Isabelle Sutton cheered and clapped. "Thank you, Director!"

Orion Hawthorne nudged Sienna Everett’s arm and whispered, "Not bad. I got to ride your coattails for a win."

Sienna Everett gave him a slow glance and replied in an equally low voice, "You can thank me by pole dancing."

Orion Hawthorne: "..."

’Damn it!’

’Are we ever going to move on from this?!’

There was one final segment for this episode. The production team respectfully escorted Winston Jarvis offstage to rest, and then the director raised his megaphone again.

"We have one last segment for today’s show! Since we just had a guqin performance, the production team has specially contacted a guqin collector to show our audience his collection and promote our traditional musical culture!"

After that, the six guests took a car together to the guqin collector’s residence.

The collector’s name was Dylan Donovan. He was in his seventies, with graying hair and a refined, scholarly air. It was clear from his every move that he was a man of culture and good breeding.

Dylan Donovan had been watching the show live and had just heard Sienna Everett’s performance of "Nine Provinces."

The moment the six guests arrived, he bypassed the most famous celebrities, Orion Hawthorne and Dustin Everett, and walked straight toward Sienna Everett with a beaming smile. "You must be Sienna Everett. I just heard you play the guqin, and it was absolutely wonderful!"

Sienna Everett’s lips curved into a dazzling smile. "Thank you for the compliment."

Dylan Donovan looked Sienna Everett up and down, nodding in approval.

’This young lady isn’t just stunningly beautiful; her aura is exceptionally ethereal. No wonder she’s that old fellow Winston Jarvis’s Senior Sister.’ ℴ

Dylan Donovan smiled. "Winston Jarvis often mentioned he had a Senior Sister. He said that from a young age, she had an incredible gift for the guqin and that her skills were unparalleled. I’ve always wanted to meet you, and today I finally have the chance."

Sienna Everett offered a polite smile. "You’re too kind."

"Not at all! You deserve every bit of praise!"

After chatting with Sienna Everett for a few more moments, Dylan Donovan finally turned to the other guests. "Everyone, please come with me. My guqin collection is this way."

The cameras followed, and the viewers in the livestream chat saw a wide variety of guqins.

Dylan Donovan selected a few instruments to introduce, educating the audience about them.

The director looked around and asked, "Elder Donovan, I heard you have a thousand-year-old guqin named ’Fiona’ in your collection. Would it be possible for you to show it to us?"

’Fiona?’

Hearing the name, Sienna Everett’s brows rose almost imperceptibly.

’The thousand-year-old guqin that Grandpa Forrester gave her was none other than Fiona.’

Dylan Donovan’s face twisted in pain, his heart aching. "Don’t even mention it. My thousand-year-old guqin, ’Fiona,’ was bought by someone who said he was giving it to a young girl."

"Sigh, I regret it every time I think about it. What’s the use of giving it to some young girl? Isn’t that a complete waste of a treasure? It would have been better to give it to Sienna Everett!"

Sienna Everett: "..."

Orion Hawthorne raised an eyebrow and teased with a smile, "So you’d be willing if it was given to Sienna Everett?"

At his words, a look of profound, kindred appreciation filled Dylan Donovan’s eyes.

"Of course! From her performance of ’Nine Provinces,’ I could tell that Sienna Everett doesn’t just play the guqin, she understands it. It’s like a master musician finding a true connoisseur! Giving it to her would have been perfect!"

"Sigh, but it was bought by someone else to be given to some random young girl. Such a waste of a masterpiece!"

Isabelle Sutton asked curiously, "Sir, how much did the person pay for your Fiona?"

The more Dylan Donovan thought about it, the more he regretted it. "Three hundred million. No, the money is a small matter. I want to call that person right now, give him his money back, and have him return the guqin to me!"

As he spoke, he started to pull out his phone.

Sienna Everett blinked and quietly spoke up, "Actually... your Fiona is in my possession."

Dylan Donovan, who was pulling out his phone: ???

Orion Hawthorne: ???

Dustin Everett: ???

The livestream audience: ?????

[WHAT WHAT WHAT?? Fiona is with Sienna Everett?! Someone bought it and gave it to Sienna Everett?!!]

Orion Hawthorne was stunned for several seconds before he snapped out of it. He was so shocked he didn’t even realize he’d cursed. "Holy shit, for real? Sienna Everett, you’re not kidding, are you?"

’Three hundred million! That’s three hundred million!’

Dylan Donovan was also completely astonished. "It’s in your possession? The young girl it was given to was you?"

Sienna Everett nodded. "Yes."

Dustin Everett froze for two seconds, then a sneer formed on his lips as he habitually tried to bring her down. "Sienna Everett, that’s not a funny joke. Someone spent three hundred million on a thousand-year-old guqin for you?"

Dustin Everett finished with a derisive laugh.

His scornful expression seemed to say, ’As if you’re even worthy.’

Dustin Everett’s fans had been unhappy with Sienna Everett ever since the horse racing incident where she didn’t save him, and now they seized the opportunity to tear her down.

[I’m gonna puke. Is there any point in making a joke like this?]

[Dreaming that someone would spend three hundred million on a guqin for her. She’s got some nerve!]

[OMG, how can our handsome Dustin have such a stupid sister? She’s a stain on Dustin Everett’s reputation!]

A cool indifference settled over Sienna Everett’s features. She didn’t even spare Dustin Everett a glance.

Being ignored, Dustin Everett felt a surge of resentment.

’This damn brat never dared to ignore me before, and now she’s treating me with such disdain!’

Beside them, Dylan Donovan eagerly took out his phone. "Hold on, I’ll just make a call and ask!"

With that, he dialed the buyer’s number.

After a few rings, the call connected.

Dylan Donovan put the call on speaker and asked urgently, "Old Forrester, do you remember that thousand-year-old guqin, Fiona, that you bought from me a week ago?"

A vigorous, elderly voice came from the other end. "What about it? You want it back? Let me warn you, old man Donovan, there’s no such thing as taking back something you’ve already sold!"

Dylan Donovan scoffed. "Who said I want it back? I just want to ask you, who did you give that guqin to?"

The old man on the line sounded puzzled. "Why are you asking that?"

Dylan Donovan urged him anxiously, "Just tell me, did you give it to a young lady named Sienna Everett?"