Chapter 184 - 178: Adelina by the Water

Chapter 184: Chapter 178: Adelina by the Water

TING, TING, TING~

Lilia’s fingers danced across the keys, the melodious music flowing smoothly like a gentle stream. She closed her eyes, fully immersed in the melody.

The eyes of the guests in the small courtyard were immediately drawn over, especially when they realized the musician was a foreign beauty with an hourglass figure.

"Wow, so pretty!"

"That figure, those breasts, that waist—with a body like that, I’d gladly let her crush me to death!"

"In your dreams! She wouldn’t even look twice at a guy like you," someone retorted.

The first man was average-looking, but his thick skin was beyond compare. Smooth-talking and brash, he replied, "Bro, haven’t you heard that foreigners have different aesthetic standards than we do?

"The beauties we find attractive aren’t necessarily pretty in their eyes, and vice versa. You might think I look average, but who knows? In this foreign beauty’s heart, I might just be a handsome prince."

"Bro, you’ve got no chance! She’s got company!" his friend interrupted.

"Tch. He’s just acting tough with that face mask and sunglasses. Take them off, and he probably looks even worse than me!" the first man scoffed.

In the nearby bookstore, Su Yunzhou walked straight over and sat on the chair in front of the piano.

Lilia paused for a brief moment. Once she realized his intentions, a sweet smile bloomed on her face.

At that moment, the piece had just entered its second movement.

Su Yunzhou placed his long, slender fingers on the keys.

TING.

Clear, pleasant notes flowed from his fingertips. A unique brilliance flickered in Lilia’s deep eyes as her fingers began to move again.

As the two played together, the layers of the music instantly became rich and complex. The heavenly melody drifted through the small courtyard, as soothing and comfortable as a babbling brook.

The owner of this shop, having placed a piano here, was naturally well-versed in music. He would often gather with like-minded friends for impromptu, livehouse-style performances right here.

When the foreign beauty first started playing, he had thought it was excellent. He had even started a video call to let a few friends watch along. But once the man wearing the sunglasses and mask joined in, the performance was elevated to a virtuoso level.

As the melodious piano notes filled the air, his music-loving friends were left in absolute shock.

"This is the best live version of Adelina by the Water I’ve ever heard!"

"Agreed, bar none. It’s a god-tier performance! It’s such a pity I couldn’t be there to see it in person!"

"Zheng, that’s not cool! How could you not tell us about a performance like this?"

"This is too much! Where did you even hire such a piano god?"

The shock on the owner Zheng’s face was even greater than theirs. His friends all worked in music education, so for them to give such high praise meant that the man’s skill level was far beyond what Zheng had imagined.

"Guys, if I knew a performance like this was happening, I definitely would have told you!

"I don’t even know these two! I just suddenly heard the music earlier and wanted to share it with you.

"I was caught off guard too!

"You guys keep listening; I need to go maintain order!"

Seeing more and more customers flooding into the courtyard, Zheng handed his phone to another employee and went downstairs for crowd control.

The guests spontaneously formed a circle around the bookstore. With their attention entirely captivated by the two musicians immersed in their playing, they listened in quiet appreciation.

Not far away, a handsome boy was telling the girl beside him—whose eyes sparkled like stars—the romantic love story behind the piece, Adelina by the Water.

"Once upon a time, there was a king named Pygmalion. He was deeply lonely and yearned for love, yet could never find it.

"One day, the melancholic king was walking along a beautiful riverbank with azure waters when he suddenly caught sight of an exquisite woman. She possessed a stunning face and graceful poise. Her long silk dress trailed across the ground, shimmering beautifully in the morning light. Her eyes were as bright as pearls, and her slightly upturned lips and lightly curled blonde hair were utterly intoxicating.

"But when he looked again, she had vanished without a trace. The king and his attendants searched all along the riverbank but found nothing. In truth, the attendant hadn’t seen anyone at all and didn’t know if he should speak up, leaving only the lonely king gazing out at the water.

"Yet, from that single glance, the king fell hopelessly in love with the woman. To ease his lovesickness, he sculpted a beautiful maiden based on his memory and named her Adelina. He gazed at this statue every day, watching the world spring back to life with her, watching the heavy snows fall with her...

"Finally, his sincerity moved the Goddess of Love Aphrodite, and she bestowed life upon the statue.

"One early morning, the king woke up and instinctively looked toward the maiden. To his absolute joy, he found Adelina leaning against the bed, gazing back at him with eyes like stars.

"From then on, King Pygmalion and the beautiful Adelina lived happily ever after, and the maiden Adelina became a symbol of love and happiness."

The handsome boy finished his story. The girl leaned against his shoulder, having listened in absolute silence. They looked toward the two playing the piano, as if they were seeing the king and the maiden from the tale.

The story told by the musical notes was drawing to a close.

TING, TING, TING—

As the final note faded away, the entire courtyard erupted into enthusiastic applause. Waves of awe and admiration followed.

"Whoa! That was amazing!"

"This live performance was absolutely mind-blowing!"

"It would be even better if it was one of those risqué piano performances on B Station!"

"Encore! Encore!"

Lilia bowed slightly to show her gratitude, then took Su Yunzhou’s hand and led him back to their seats. The meaning behind this piece had taken on a special significance for her today.

The other guests gradually dispersed. However, the gazes directed at the two were filled with respect, as well as a restless excitement.

With a bright gleam in her eyes, Lilia said, "Zhou, thank you!"

Su Yunzhou took off his mask, revealing his handsome face. In their duet just now, he had played a guiding role, helping Lilia gain a deeper understanding of the piece and its nuanced details.

He said softly, "We were just exploring and communicating with each other. There’s no need for thanks!"

Feeling his gentleness, a strange, profound affection welled up in Lilia’s heart. Their conversation grew increasingly intuitive and flirtatious.

After chatting for a little while longer, Su Yunzhou got up to pay the bill, only to be told by the waiter that it was on the house.

At this moment, the owner, Zheng, finally came over to speak with them. "Sir, thank you for bringing such a spectacular performance today. I hope you’ll come back again if you have the chance."

Su Yunzhou felt a certain appreciation for the owner’s charitable gesture. Smiling, he replied, "Yeah! I’ll definitely visit again when I get the chance!"

After a brief chat, Su Yunzhou and Lilia left together and continued strolling through Kuanzhai Alley.

As the evening drew in, Lilia thought for a moment and suggested they go eat hotpot. Su Yunzhou naturally agreed.

Soon after, they found a nearby restaurant with rather upscale decor. There, they had a mildly spicy hotpot tailored specifically for tourists. The taste was neither good nor bad, but the prices were very much "tourist trap" rates.

Night completely fell. Sitting in a taxi, the two exchanged endless sweet nothings.

Upon arriving at their destination, Su Yunzhou played the gentleman and carried her bags out of the car.

Just as he was about to leave, Lilia’s face flushed hot. Lowering her eyes, she whispered, "Zhou, do you want to come up... and sit for a bit...?"