The banquet would start 2 hours later.
Zhang Qingrui was busy greeting the guests that came early.
Gu Yue Zhai might be a famous place in antique circles, but the other industries of the Zhang Family were what those fat cats had to hold in awe and veneration.
"Manager, the Zhong’s family members are coming."
s.h.i.+ s.h.i.+jie now noticed Zhang Qingrui in a soft voice.
Zhang Qingrui nodded, "Uncle s.h.i.+jie, can you please greet other guests here please? I’ll receive the Zhong Family on my own."
s.h.i.+ s.h.i.+jie suddenly told, "Manager, Old master said if Old Zhong comes, take him to her."
Zhang Qingrui gave a start, nodding and leaving gracefully. Today she wore a full dress with light make-up, but could be referred as a Triton among the minnows in the banquet site.
"Hi, Manager s.h.i.+! Long time no see!"
Suddenly someone called s.h.i.+ s.h.i.+jie at back, so he turned about, faking a smile at once and looking at him, "Mr. Wu, we’ve really not seen each other in a while."
The coming Wu Qiubin asked his secretary to pa.s.s the birthday present for him, before pulling s.h.i.+ s.h.i.+jie aside to chat. Wu Qiubin had a quick view of the visitor’s book, asking confusedly, "Manager s.h.i.+, we’ve known for dozens of years. Mrs. Zhang likes the quiet. It’s the truth that today is her birthday… but inviting so many big shots, can you tell me if Mrs. Zhang has no other meaning?"
s.h.i.+ s.h.i.+jie took it easy, "Yes, she does. But I’ll keep secret for the moment, Mr. Wu will know it later."
"Fine! I’ll wait to see what good news it will be." Wu Qiubin smiled, "You must be busy, I’ll talk with the others."
"Have a nice time."
…
"Switch off all your cellphones."
Fang Ruchang ordered in the dressing room. Before the performance of a band, especially cla.s.sical music performance, fully rigorous preparations were a must.
And also, cutting off contact with the outside for now, so that members could settle to adjust the emotion for performance, was definitely vitally important.
Fang Ruchang now walked to Fang Jiping who had a haggard expression, sitting down and saying coolly, "The guests outside are all with fame and prestige, your looks will give a bad impression."
So, Fang Jiping then forced a slight hint of a smile.
Fang Ruchang added, "Listen, a minute on the stage takes ten-year practice. No matter how wonderful you used to be, but one mistake on the stage means all those years of efforts are wasted. You can be confused or whine, but once you pick up the violin, you are only a violinist, rather than any other role."
Fang Jiping deeply breathed, patting Fang Ruchang’s hand back, "Dad, don’t worry, I know what I should do."
He lowered his head, applying rosin to the violin fiddlestick, little by little, very carefully.
Since she left because of money one more time… he didn’t have to be concerned.
Fang Jiping started to adjust his emotion. He turned off the cellphone, closing eyes and didn’t think about anything else.
…
…
"Baby Tiger… Baby Tiger…"
Manman woke up by the voice, but what she saw was the aunt talking in her dream on the sickbed.
She ma.s.saged her shoulders and found that she had stayed in the hospital for a whole day and night. The doctor said this aunt was in bad condition and had acc.u.mulated many diseases year in year out, along with phthisis.
The aunt had tightly kept the sack closed even while drowned. Manman didn’t find anything useful in it, even the ID card was the first version and overdue, which could not be used any longer.
She merely knew her name is Yang Ping. However, she found some flyers in the sack---the same as what she got from a man that posted flyers under her home.
Was that a predestined relations.h.i.+p?
Manman interestingly thought that her tumble allowed her to meet this aunt looking for her son.
2o years, she had walked through more than half of this country.
Manman subconsciously grabbed the aunt’s hand. It was injured here, the doctor said it was a new wound, but her fingers were already shattered. Manman couldn’t imagine why she got so serious wounds.
"Aunt, you’ll definitely find your Baby Tiger." Manman said softly.
It seemed like she heard Manman’s voice, the aunt in sickbed stopped her talking in the dream. Manman’s hand pressed on her forehead and couldn’t help saying happily, "The fever seems to have come down!"
Suddenly, her mood improved drastically!
Manman unwittingly looked at the time, thinking about making a phone call to her boyfriend… ‘The number you dialed is not available.
Many concert performers would be like this; while working in the theater, Manman saw a lot of people like him… She felt depressed to some degree.
Stretching herself, she started to browse the current situation in her friend circles.
A weird public account.
"Gee, when did I add this account?" the puzzled Manman watched the renewed current situation of this public account.
---It went viral in her friend circles, ‘A sc.u.mbag middle-aged man maltreating a vagrant aunt.’
Manman unconsciously clicked on the video--- it seemed to be at a river bank.
"Your son is over there!"
"Baby Tiger, Baby Tiger, mum is coming to save you!"
Manman gaped, she watched every scene in the video in rage… She didn’t know who shot this video but it was too clear! To the extent she could see the look of the middle-aged man and the aunt!
The aunt in the video was definitely the one lying in sickbed!
But the important thing was, Manman recognized the middle-aged man in the video. She felt panic and disbelief, "This… looks like Jiping’s father?"
The river view… she had seen it. That was where Fang Jiping and her usually walked.
"This…"
…
…
He looked up at this soaring hotel.
Luo Qiu couldn’t help frowning… He explicitly sensed the aura of Black Soul Envoy. Furthermore, it was Black Soul Envoy No. 9 that he rarely saw.
Luo Qiu was aware this place was the birthday banquet site for the old lady of the Zhang Family and he had come here stealthily several times before to observe Fang Jiping; however, he didn’t feel the existence of No.9 during those days.
Luo Qiu himself sat down at a quiet place in the hall of the hotel… Of course, n.o.body would notice him.
Before long, a cloud of black vapor emerged near Luo Qiu, which couldn’t be seen either.
"Black Soul No.9 greets the master."
Hearing the voice of Black Soul No.9, Luo Qiu raised his head, laughing suddenly, "I planned to go see you the other day, but was held up by something later. I never expected to see you here."
"Subordinate didn’t expect to meet master here either." Black Soul No.9 said calmly.
Luo Qiu asked curiously, "Are you following some new potential customer?"
Black Soul No.9 fell silent for a moment, saying suddenly, "Master, is my performance all these years enough for me to obtain those lost memories of mine?"
Luo Qiu didn’t say anything right now but stared ahead, looking at Ms. Zhang that walked out of the lift, and arrived at the hall.
At that moment, several people came into the hotel.
Zhong Luochen held Old Zhong, Cheng Yun came after them, and Old Luo, who had been following Old Zhong for dozens of years, was now beside him.
Luo Qiu gazed at Black Soul No.9, asking indifferently, "You want to get back the memories you had before you became a Black Soul Envoy. What is the reason?"