Jing Yang lived quite comfortably in Hai Weixiu's home, to the point that he didn't want to return to the Mooney house. Hai Weixiu would also not kick him out anyways.
Hai Weixiu was not at all as hard to get along with as the rumors made him seem, at least he treated Jing Yang very well, just somewhat fond of taking liberties with him. Jing Yang felt that this person showed an icily arrogant and serious appearance, but was actually a rogue beneath the surface.
Even though Jing Yang did not want to return to the Mooney family, at noon the second day after the competition had ended, Faith personally came to pick Jing Yang up and bring him back home under his parents' orders.
The Mooney family car waited outside the school, and Jing Yang got on unwillingly and unresignedly, sitting down far away from Faith.
Faith was also unwilling to come pick him up, but he couldn't reject his parents' orders. But Jing Yang's silence during the entire drive and his obvious aversion actually made his heart very uncomfortable.
They returned to the Mooney home in silence, where Faith's parents were standing in the entrance to the hall to happily welcome him back. This was treatment that Avi had never experienced in the Mooney family after his grandfather had died.
"Avi, congratulations on getting first place." Susan walked forward and held Jing Yang's hand, her face full of smiles. "You and Corrica were both able to place, we are all really happy for you, and also very proud of you both. Tonight we prepared a congratulatory party for you two and invited many guests over. Later we'll bring the piano out and each of you can play a piece to show off your talents."
"Congratulations, Avi." Corrica stood to the side, his face revealing a gentle smile like always. Compared to yesterday's appearance of being stimulated until he forgot himself, he seemed like a completely different person. In the Mooney house, he had always concealed his emotions very well.
"Thank you." Jing Yang glanced at him expressionlessly and then turned to Susan. "Aunt, I'm a bit tired, so I'll first go up and rest."
"Good good good." Susan hurriedly agreed. "If you're tired then just first go rest a bit. When the dinner party starts you can come down, I'll let the cooks prepare lots of your favorite dishes."
Corrica slightly lowered his head. Faith walked to his side, lightly patting his back to comfort him. Corrica raised his head and smiled at him, saying that he was fine.
~
As the dinner party guests began to trickle in, Susan let a servant go upstairs to ask Jing Yang to come down. Jing Yang used his body being uncomfortable as an excuse to reject going down to participate in the dinner party.
After the guests arrived, they naturally began discussing Jing Yang becoming Hai Weixiu's student, and the matter of his receiving first place in the Dawatt Piano Skill Competition.
Having two people in the family be able to place in such an important and big competition had already made Susan extremely proud, not to mention one of them becoming Hai Weixiu's student. From the guests' envious tone, Susan received a lot of satisfaction, and fiercely showed off their accomplishments.
The guests who came this time naturally would ask why they didn't see Avi, so Susan let the servants go upstairs to invite him down several times, but Jing Yang still did not come downstairs. Susan could only explain that this child had been training and learning at Hai Weixiu's place for the previous period of time and was definitely tired to death from practicing. Once he came home he said that he felt uncomfortable, and the servant also said his complexion wasn't great, so he was resting in his room at the moment.
The guests all expressed their understanding. After all, Hai Weixiu was known for being strict and harsh, and since Avi was his first student, he would naturally have even higher expectations for him.
Everyone was discussing Avi becoming Hai Weixiu's student, and even though Corrica's smile remained gentle and appropriate, upon closer inspection, you could still tell that his mood was low.
Faith gave a look to his friends, and immediately someone opened his mouth to console him. "Performing abnormally during a competition is a common thing, he was just lucky and exceeded his limits one time. Besides, the result of one or two competitions is simply unable to prove anything, you don't need to be too disappointed."
Corrica's smile changed for a second and then immediately reverted to normal. These kinds of words did not console him at all. In his heart he was extremely clear that no matter whether or not Avi did exceed his own limits, he himself had indeed performed better than normal, but even like that, he had still not been able to get first place.
Another person continued, "He's also just won a single competition, and actually doesn't come down despite being coaxed and pleaded with. Right now he's already arrogant to this extent, this kind of person will never achieve great accomplishments in the future. You're stronger than him in all aspects, and are even more modest than him, you will definitely make more achievements than him. So you don't need to pay too much attention to the results of this competition."
Charley was just carrying his plate to get some food when he heard their conversation, disdainfully curling his lip. Right now Avi was Hai Weixiu's student, and as for whether or not he would have achievements in the future or how many accomplishments he could have, you guys don't even have the qualifications to comment.
Looking at the seemingly delicious food, he had completely lost his appetite to eat, he was nauseated by those stupid and hypocritical people. Putting down his plate, Charley decided he'd just stop eating and went upstairs to find Avi to chat.
Jing Yang opened the door for Charley and saw his bad expression, asking, "What's the matter?"
"I don't know what the brains of Faith and those friends of his were made of, making me disgusted to the point of losing my appetite." Charley's face was full of aversion.
Jing Yang immediately guessed that those people had definitely said something unpleasant again. "Wouldn't it be fine if you just didn't go pay attention to those people? Just let them say whatever they want, who can control other people's mouths?"
Charley had a straight-forward temperament, he got angry easily and also calmed down very easily. Thinking that Avi was now Hai Weixiu's student, he curiously asked, "In private what kind of person is Hai Weixiu in the end? Is he really like in the rumors, cold and arrogant, with a bad temper?"
Jing Yang thought for a bit. "I feel that those rumors were probably exaggerated. In any case, I feel like he's quite good to get along with, he also treats me very well."
"Really? Then that's really too great, I had still been worried that even though you becoming Hai Weixiu's student is an extremely good thing, you would definitely suffer quite a bit of grievance."
"Until now, he has not yet made me suffer any grievances. Being at his place is much more comfortable than being in the Mooney family." Jing Yang smiled.
"This time you got first place at the competition, Corrica was definitely angered to death. Just now downstairs even though he seemed pretty calm I could still feel that he was actually quite unhappy." Once Charley thought that Corrica was unhappy, he immediately felt happy.
~
The next day during breakfast, Susan mentioned last night's dinner party to Jing Yang and said that many people all wanted to see him and him not appearing because his body was uncomfortable was really too much of a pity.
Kurt suddenly said, "Tonight when we go to the Mikhani family dinner party, Avi will come along ba."
Corrica was immediately stunned.
The Mikhani family was an extremely prestigious family in Odyssey city, and the Mooney family had only been able to receive their invite by virtue of Old Mooney's relationship with them back when he had been alive. But their family could only receive ordinary invitations, and no more than four people could participate in the dinner party, or else they would be very rude.
In the past for important banquets like these, they would always bring Corrica with them. If Jing Yang went, Corrica would have to be left behind.
Faith glanced at Corrica and said to his parents with dissatisfaction, "Didn't we already agree to bring Corrica? How could we just change our minds all of a sudden? If Corrica doesn't go, then I also won't go. You guys can go by yourselves."
Kurt frowned at his son and was ready to criticize him when Susan saw that her son was unhappy and immediately said, "Then this time we'll still bring Corrica, and next time we will bring Avi."
Kurt saw his wife give him a wink and also didn't say anything. He thought of last night before going to bed when his wife had said Avi's personality was really too bad. They were elders after all, and he still didn't come out even after they let people go invite him down multiple times, not giving them the least bit of face.
Kurt originally wanted to take advantage of Avi's identity as Hai Weixiu's student to communicate with those people of higher status and allow him to expand the business. But once he thought of Avi's personality and that he might even offend someone, he didn't insist on it.
~
When Jing Yang reached Hai Weixiu's residence, he had still not gotten up. Jing Yang knew that he had definitely drunk some more last night, and then played piano until very late before finally going to sleep. The two people were already very familiar anyways, so Jing Yang directly entered his room through the piano practice room to wake him up.
"Teacher, teacher." Jing Yang shook his shoulder. "You should get up."
"En…" The person under the covers was shaken awake. He turned over, squinting at the person sitting next to the bed.
"Are you awake? Teacher." Jing Yang saw that his eyes were open, but he still didn't seem to be quite awake, so he leaned closer to see his expression more clearly.
When he leaned closer, Hai Weixiu suddenly reached out his hand, hugging and flipping his body, pressuring Jing Yang completely beneath his body.
Jing Yang was caught up in the covers and reached out his hand, wanting to struggle out. "Let go of me, teacher!"
Hai Weixiu tightly hugged Jing Yang, burying his head in his neck.
"Teacher, en~" Jing Yang's mouth was blocked. This kind of overbearing kiss gave him such a familiar feeling. The wet and hot tongue forcefully explored his mouth, his entire mouth was licked by him, and then he entangled his tongue, refusing to let go. Jing Yang was kissed until his mind became muddled, his soul became restless, causing him to lose all ability to resist.
He felt that pair of large and wide palms reach into his clothes, strongly stroking his body. And when they touched his sensitive parts, Jing Yang couldn't resist shrinking into his arms and shuddering. Feeling like he was pleading for it, he scolded himself for being hopeless.
"En~" Jing Yang's body had gone completely soft. He had thought that he wouldn't be able to escape today, but Hai Weixiu actually did not go further. He let go of his mouth and then fixedly stared at him.
Jing Yang forcefully blinked several times to clear the mist blocking his vision, and then looked back at him while panting.
The two people locked gazes for a very long time, their eyes entangled together. They could feel the other person's breathing, could feel the other person's heartbeat, and could even more feel the strong love in the other person's eyes.
"I heard that you are engaged to Faith Mooney?" Hai Weixiu suddenly opened his mouth and said.
Jing Yang's brain had temporarily stopped working, so he was unable to react for a bit of time, blankly looking at him.
"Immediately cancel your engagement, and if you have any problems you need to solve, just hand them over to me." Hai Weixiu said with an extremely serious expression.
Jing Yang was stunned for quite a while before finally being able to think properly. After understanding what he was saying, he responded, "My grandfather and his grandfather had decided this engagement verbally. My grandfather said that after I grew up if I was unwilling to marry him, I could just cancel it verbally."
"Then after you go back, immediately tell them that your engagement with Faith Mooney doesn't count, and you won't marry him."
"It already didn't count a long time ago, Faith has already said more than once outside that he doesn't recognize our engagement, and also would definitely not marry me."
Hai Weixiu heavily kissed him again and then stood up. "Accompany me to a banquet tonight."
Jing Yang leaned back on his elbows, watching him walk completely naked into his dressing room.
~
The banquet that Hai Weixiu wanted to bring Jing Yang to was that dinner party the Mooney family was talking about that morning. But the difference was that the Mooney family was relying on an ordinary invitation to attend the banquet and wanted to make friends with people of higher status. But Hai Weixiu was going because he had a very good relationship with the Mikhani family and was just going to see some friends, and also brought his only student to introduce to them.
The Mooney family arrived when the dinner party had just started, standing and chatting with some friends that they knew.
In this kind of dinner party, it was very easy to distinguish between the different levels of interpersonal relationships. You just needed to look at what kind of identity or status the people in the groups had and you would know.
No matter where Hai Weixiu appeared, he would always become the focus. When he walked in the hall with Jing Yang, everyone cast their gazes over at them.
"Xiu, what a surprise, you actually came to our banquet." The Mikhani family head personally brought his wife over to welcome them.
"You even sent over your invitation, I would feel ashamed if I didn't come."
"Previously you never felt ashamed, why did you suddenly feel ashamed today." The Mikhani family head smiled.
"It seems like you don't welcome me very much?" Hai Weixiu looked at him with a smile that wasn't a smile.
"We aren't even able to beg you to come, how could we not welcome you." Mrs. Mikhani looked at her husband with blame. "He finally came over once, if you make him leave in anger, you can't make me go with you to apologize."
Hai Weixiu and Mikhani had known each other for many years, the two people would often bicker and joke around like this. Mrs. Mikhani would always say that they were already so old and yet were still so childish.
"This is…" Mrs. Mikhani looked at Jing Yang and asked. Of course she had already guessed who he was, but since Hai Weixiu had brought him over, this naturally meant that he attached a lot of importance to him, so she waited for him to formally introduce him.
"This is my student, Avi." Hai Weixiu intimately hugged Jing Yang's shoulder and introduced him.
"Hello, Avi, I'm very happy to meet you." Mrs. Mikhani smiled.
"Hello madam, I am also very honored to attend today's banquet." Jing Yang also revealed an appropriate smile.
"I hear that this student of yours got first place at the Dawatt Piano Skill Competition, you're definitely very proud ba?" Mikhani said to Hai Weixiu.
"Of course." Hai Weixiu did not conceal in the least the proud expression on his face.
"You all are actually chatting so happily, and didn't even come greet us even after so long. We even had to come over ourselves."
Some of Hai Weixiu and Mikhani's mutual friends surrounded them.
The Mooney family stood in a not far yet not close place, watching the normally silent and always cold-faced Avi now standing naturally and relaxedly next to those people of honorable status and chatting with them with a smile on his face, without the least bit of timidity or lack of manners.
Corrica felt that he and Avi had suddenly once again become people of two different worlds—he stood together with those people of honorable status who were eminent and unapproachable, as if he was originally meant to be in the same group as them. And he himself, could only assume a posture looking up, in order to be able to see him.
That year when he was still in the orphanage and Faith and Avi had come to see him, he had this kind of feeling. But after he left the orphanage, many years had already passed without this kind of feeling, and he had thought he had already defeated Avi. He had never thought that in the blink of an eye, Avi had once again walked to a position out of his reach.
Corrica hid one hand behind his back, tightly clenching his fist. He was unwilling, he didn't want to lose like this. Avi, we will wait and see!
Faith saw Hai Weixiu acting like a patron saint, constantly hugging Avi's shoulder, and the two people would sometimes look at each other and smile. This kind of scene made his heart extremely uncomfortable. He suddenly drank a sip of wine, wanting to press down the gloomy feeling in his heart—he didn't even know why he would have this gloomy feeling.
Translator Notes:
[1] Mikhani – 米迦尼, pinyin mi jia ni, MTL
[2] became restless – 蠢蠢欲动, idiom, means that it began to stir
[3] what a surprise – 真是难得, means like something rare but I feel like this makes more sense conversationally
[4] silent – 沉默寡言, idiom, means reticent and uncommunicative
[5] eminent and unapproachable – 高不可攀, idiom, means too high to reach
[6] patron saint – 守护神, means protector God, I feel like this is more like a guardian angel?
Random Notes:
Took 1.5 hours: 4 pm – 4:30 pm, 5 pm – 6 pm, for 4.5k characters to 3k words. Nothing much is happening, Faith is being annoying, Corrica is being weak and annoying, MC and ML finally determine their relationship officially…everything is going according to plan.