Jiang Xun ate his meal in silence, deciding to strike the word "initiative" from his dictionary.
Compared to the women in this world, his own thoughts were as pure as a blank sheet of paper.
After lunch, Jiang Xun found an excuse to politely decline Wen Lan's "kind offer" of a driver and bodyguards, and left the villa alone.
He needed a place to verify the true level of his [Piano Mastery]... Jinling University's College of Music.
As soon as he stepped into the College of Music's grounds, the scent in the air changed.
It was no longer the wild aroma of hormones and grass mixed with the horse stables, but clean and clear, as if washed by rain.
The teaching building was an old-fashioned red brick structure, its walls covered with lush green ivy. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled light and shadow on the ground.
It was very quiet all around, with only occasional, intermittent sounds of instruments drifting from different windows.
There were the melodious sounds of a violin, the crisp notes of a piano, and the graceful tunes of a flute.
Just as Jiang Xun was contemplating finding an empty practice room, a clear and ethereal melody drifted into his ears without warning.
The sound was not as passionate as a piano, nor as lingering as a violin.
It was like a clear spring flowing in a mountain stream, tinkling, carrying a hint of otherworldly coolness.
It was also like the tolling of a bell in an ancient temple on a moonlit night, serene and distant, capable of washing away the restlessness and distracting thoughts in one's heart, little by little.
"Somewhat interesting."
Jiang Xun muttered to himself, changed direction, and followed the sound of the music.
The source of the sound was a detached two-story building at the deepest part of the college, with an antique wooden plaque hanging above the doorway – [Elegant Sound Pavilion].
The music was coming from a slightly ajar room on the second floor.
Jiang Xun lightened his steps and quietly approached, peeking through the crack in the door.
With just one glance, he was slightly taken aback.
The room's decor was extremely elegant.
There were no modern electronic devices; several freehand landscape paintings on bamboo scrolls hung on the walls, and a bronze crane incense burner stood in a corner, with wisps of white smoke spiraling upwards, emitting a clear sandalwood fragrance.
The afternoon sun shone through a carved wooden window, casting a bright strip of light across the floor, where tiny dust particles danced slowly in the beam.
And in the center of that light strip sat a woman.
She wore a simple, plain white long dress, its style utterly minimalist, without any superfluous embellishments. The flowing fabric outlined her slender and graceful figure.
Her long, raven-black hair, like a waterfall, was loosely tied back with a simple wooden hairpin, revealing a smooth, jade-like nape, its curve elegant, like a proud and solitary white swan.
Her skin was a cold white, almost transparent, seemingly glowing in the sunlight. Her features were as exquisite as if meticulously carved from the finest mutton-fat jade: eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn water, a delicate nose bridge, and elegant, pale lips.
Her beauty was different from Mu Qingxue's aggressive sharpness, and also different from Su Qingyu's passionate and unrestrained allure.
It was a deep, ethereal beauty, untouched by worldly concerns.
She was like a celestial maiden descended from an ancient painting of court ladies, enveloped in a cool, hazy moonlight, making one only dare to admire from afar, not daring to approach, fearing that one's own worldly presence might defile this purity.
At this moment, she had her eyes closed, her slender, pale fingers gently plucking the ancient guqin before her.
The music flowed from her fingertips, clear and ethereal.
Jiang Xun's intrusion was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.
He didn't even knock, simply pushed open the slightly ajar wooden door.
"Creak—"
A soft sound.
The music stopped abruptly.
The ethereal atmosphere was instantly shattered, and the room fell into a dead silence.
The woman slowly opened her eyes.
What kind of eyes were those?
They were as clear as a cold pond, without the slightest ripple, so calm they were almost indifferent.
She looked at Jiang Xun by the door, her gaze devoid of surprise or curiosity, as if she were merely looking at a tree, a stone, an insignificant presence that had inadvertently trespassed into her territory.
"This place is tranquil; entry is by invitation only."
Her crimson lips parted slightly, her voice, like her music, was cool and pleasant, yet carried a sense of aloofness that kept people at a distance.
"Student, please leave."
Instead of leaving, Jiang Xun boldly walked in, casually closing the door behind him.
"Good heavens, do people still talk like this these days? Are we filming an ancient costume drama here?"
He grumbled inwardly, his gaze, however, fell on the ancient seven-stringed guqin in front of the woman, and he spoke languidly.
"This thing is quite interesting."
His tone was as casual as if he were commenting on a skewer at a street stall.
The woman's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
This was the first expression to appear on her face; that perfect, otherworldly painting finally showed a subtle crack.
She re-examined Jiang Xun.
The man before her wore simple casual clothes, his hands in his pockets, his posture lazy and relaxed, his eyes carrying a hint of playfulness, and his entire being exuded a modern aura that was completely out of place here.
He didn't look like a student; most students showed reverence and restraint when they saw her.
He didn't look like a school leader either; leaders all carried an air of bureaucracy.
He was like an anomaly that had appeared out of nowhere, disrupting all the rules and tranquility of this place.
"This is a guqin, Yaoguang."
The woman patiently explained, her voice still cool, but the subtle furrowing of her brow still betrayed her displeasure at being disturbed.
"If the student is interested in traditional music, you can register at the large classroom on the first floor; there are introductory classes there."
This was already a dismissal.
The implication was, "An amateur like you doesn't belong here."
Jiang Xun seemed not to understand her unspoken meaning, and simply sat down on a bamboo chair nearby, crossing his legs.
"Register? Too much trouble."
He looked at the woman's cool and exceptionally beautiful face, a playful smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"I prefer one-on-one lessons."
The woman's expression finally darkened.
For the first time, a hint of slight anger tinged her calm, unruffled eyes.
"Student, please show some respect."
"I am very respectful." Jiang Xun spread his hands with an innocent expression, "Am I not about to ask the teacher for guidance?"
He pointed to the guqin.
"How does this thing make a sound?"
The woman was so exasperated by his brazen attitude that she was momentarily speechless.
She took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the anger in her heart.
As the youngest associate professor at Jinling University's College of Music, Wen Wan had never encountered such... a rogue student.
All the students she had taught treated her with utmost respect.
She was also accustomed to setting all the rules in her own world.
But today, this man had barged in so unreasonably, and with the most nonchalant attitude, he had utterly shattered the tranquil ambiance she had meticulously constructed.
Wen Wan looked at Jiang Xun's excessively handsome face and his playful eyes that seemed to see through everything, and an inexplicable competitive spirit rose within her.
She suddenly didn't want to just send him away.
She wanted to see just how capable this seemingly cynical man truly was.
Wen Wan's gaze shifted, passing over Jiang Xun and landing on the room next door.
It was a private piano room, and through the large floor-to-ceiling glass window, the black Steinway grand piano inside was clearly visible.
She withdrew her gaze and looked back at Jiang Xun, a faint, challenging smile suddenly appearing on her cool face.
"Seeing the student's extraordinary demeanor, I presume you also understand music?"
"I can play a little bit of cotton." Jiang Xun blurted out a random answer.
Wen Wan directly ignored his flippant reply.
She stood up, her plain white skirt swirling in an elegant arc with her movement.
She walked to the door, pointed to the piano room next door, her voice cool, yet carrying an undeniable hint of challenge.
"If the student also understands music, why not give it a try?"
"The room next door is a piano room."
"It would also be an eye-opener for a common person like me."