During these days, Grace Gu's life was quite peaceful. Outside, however, the media was in a frenzy, calling her a music goddess, and the wave of attention surrounding her, including her association with Master Shirley Chu, was unavoidable.
What intrigued everyone was that no matter how much the media exaggerated her achievements, none of them could provide a photo of her. After all, Julian Bai had been ruthless that day. If anyone wanted to see Grace's real face, they'd have to go to the Ziyuan villa.
While people speculated about the appearance of this newly crowned music goddess, another piece of news broke through the media. Master Shirley Chu, the supreme figure in the music world, was about to take on disciples in Hong Kong, and if the list of candidates remained the same, Grace would likely be the new disciple.
Grace had no idea about the shock this news caused in Hong Kong. When she received a call from Master Chu, she was simply thinking about how she would spend the night.
Looking at the slightly hesitant expression on her face, Julian Bai shook his head lightly. "Since he's giving you this opportunity to show yourself among the big names, don't disappoint him."
Hearing him say this, Grace smiled faintly.
She didn't want to refuse Master Chu's kindness, but she was just a bit nervous. After all, as Emily Gu had said, if Master Chu wanted to put on a grand show, let him! After all, with his connections, she wouldn't suffer much. Following Emily's advice, she knew she was in a lucky position.
In the end, she calmed herself and thought that, in this unfamiliar world, she needed a powerful backer to protect her. Master Chu seemed like a good choice.
When Julian Bai saw her face relaxing, he stepped forward and gently put his arm around her, leading her outside. His slightly rough movement made Grace pout, and her purple gown made the gesture seem quite charming. However, Julian Bai didn't notice this.
When they arrived at Master Chu's evening banquet, it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into the event. As Emily had mentioned, everyone invited was either rich or influential.
People often looked at Grace, the woman who had recently appeared in the newspapers across Hong Kong. They were surprised to see how young and, indeed, quite beautiful she was.
Why had Master Chu taken her as his disciple? After all, his standards for accepting disciples were so high that many self-proclaimed geniuses had failed to meet them.
Of course, they had all heard her Chinese zither performance, and some had even attended a live performance. But these details didn't explain why Master Chu would make such an unexpected choice.
Was it some kind of hidden rule? A young and delicate girl paired with an old man in his fifties—such a combination would understandably make people sigh. But when they saw that Julian Bai was always by her side, they soon understood that this woman and the young master must have a close relationship.
Those who knew the truth simply enjoyed watching the way people exchanged glances, knowing that if anyone displeased Julian Bai, it would surely become a spectacle.
Master Chu looked at her long gown and smiled. He noticed that his new disciple seemed particularly fond of long dresses. It suited her, enhancing her classic, graceful aura.
"Are you nervous?" Master Chu asked.
Grace smiled lightly. "I didn't expect you to invite so many people. I suppose feeling nervous is inevitable."
Master Chu glanced at Julian Bai before replying, "You are my disciple, perhaps even my last one. Of course, I won't let you suffer."
"Really?" Grace was slightly suspicious. After all, Emily had told her that when Master Chu took on his previous disciples, he didn't send out invitations.
Master Chu was a very low-key person, and such a grand event didn't seem like his style. Grace hadn't expected him to break with tradition.
Even Emily had reacted with disbelief when she heard about the lavish banquet, looking at Grace with a mix of envy and disbelief.
Master Chu glanced at Julian Bai but clearly didn't want to linger on that topic. He smiled at Grace. "In a little while, I'll give a speech. You don't need to say anything. We have the capital to be proud. Just play a piece on the guqin."
He pointed to the guqin placed on the stage. "That one was a gift from your senior brother. He's abroad and couldn't come back, but the gift hasn't been forgotten."
Grace felt a sense of curiosity about her senior brother, Leon Chu, whom she had never met. She had heard that Master Chu had chosen him on sight and raised him from an orphan to a world-renowned music master. Talent was indispensable, but so was Master Chu's guidance.
Everyone understood that although Master Chu had accepted three disciples, only one person would eventually inherit his position as the supreme figure in the music world, and that person was likely to be Chu Liancheng.
Qi Yu walked over, with Emily trailing behind him.
Grace couldn't help but smile at Emily, who had recently announced her relationship. However, it seemed that her family wasn't very supportive, and Grace wasn't sure how things would develop between them.
Qi Yu handed her a simple gift: an ancient guqin score. Grace took a glance and smiled, thanking him for the thoughtful gesture.
The evening's event was rather simple, mostly consisting of speeches. The rest of the time was spent socializing. As Grace glanced at the crowd around Julian Bai, she couldn't help but click her tongue.
Although she knew it wasn't very ladylike, she couldn't resist. It seemed that Master Chu's banquet had allowed Julian Bai to steal a lot of the spotlight.
When Master Chu came down from the second floor and saw her standing still, he whispered, "He's a shining star wherever he goes. Grace, you're not jealous, are you?"
"Of course not," Grace chuckled, knowing he was teasing her. "I'm just reflecting on how power works. It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, or even your gender. Once you have power, you are the center of the world."
Having grown up in a family of power, losing her mother at a young age, Grace was more mature than most young women.
She wouldn't let such minor things trouble her.
She looked at Master Chu and added, "In a circle like this, at events like this, most people are just networking. You don't need to worry, Master. I can see through it."