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nTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

nQin Hanqiu was shocked that Qin Ran had called him “Dad” so naturally.

nHis back suddenly stiffened.

nStunned, he stood there and didn’t dare to look back. Sweat slid down his forehead and even brought some fine dust. “Ran Ran, leave quickly. I will come to see you later.”

nQin Ran took two steps forward, and when she saw Qin Hanqiu’s expression, she narrowed her eyes and smiled angrily. “You met Qin Yu just now?”

nQin Hanqiu didn’t reply and just looked panicked and embarrassed.

nQin Ran already knew without his reply.

nShe tucked her phone in her pocket, turned her head to the side, and smiled angrily. “She’s the same as Ning Qing, equally impressive.”

n“Ran Ran…” Qin Hanqiu looked at the dust on his body and pursed his lips.

nYun Cheng was different from Ninghai Village. Qin Hanqiu had seen many rich people in Yun Cheng and everyone in First Middle School seemed to have good family backgrounds.

nQin Hanqiu also knew what his presence would bring to his daughter.

nSo, he subconsciously wanted to escape.

nQin Ran wasn’t bothered. She lifted her chin slightly and said to Qiao Sheng and the rest, “This is my dad.”

nShe was facing Qin Hanqiu with the cap on her head. Because of the light against her, Qin Hanqiu couldn’t see her expression clearly but could hear the coldness in her voice.

nQin Hanqiu froze directly.

nA drop of sweat fell from his forehead and he completely forgot how to react.

nEverything in front of his eyes slowed down, and there was only the girl’s indifferent but clear sentence ringing in his ears—”My dad”.

nThe originally noisy school campus was suddenly quiet.

nQiao Sheng and Lin Siran didn’t expect this scene.

nAlthough Qin Hanqiu was a little tanned, his eyes were very similar to Qin Ran’s.

n“Oh, it’s Uncle.” Qiao Sheng stood upright immediately and greeted Qin Hanqiu very respectfully and politely. He straightened his clothes and seemed quite helpless. “I’m Qin Ran’s classmate, Qiao Sheng.”

nLin Siran also blushed. “Uncle, I’m Ran Ran’s student. You can call me Siran.”

n“Uncle, I’m Xia Fei…”

n“Uncle…”

nQin Hanqiu was a little surprised at being called uncle.

nHe responded lightly again and again.

n“Uncle, this is your first time here, right? We can bring you around the campus. By the way, have you eaten?” Lin Siran was very enthusiastic.

nQin Hanqiu nodded stiffly.

n“There’s a performance for today’s celebration.” Lin Siran thought about it and then looked at Qiao Sheng. “Young Master Qiao, I’m not from the student union and I don’t have a ticket. Do you still have any?”

nQiao Sheng waved his hand. “Just come with us, Uncle. I will definitely get you a ticket. Sister Ran, what do you think?”

nQin Ran pressed her hat down further and frowned lightly, indifferent. “You can ask him.”

nQiao Sheng looked at Qin Hanqiu earnestly again.

nQiao Sheng was well-dressed and the others even called him Young Master Qiao. When asked by him, Qin Hanqiu was really at a loss. “Oh, no, no, I’m leaving after I’ve seen Ran Ran. I still have matters to attend to and can’t be away for too long.”

n“You’re not looking around?” Qin Ran put her hands in her pocket, raised an eyebrow at him, and nodded. “Okay, then I’ll send you away.”

nWhen Qin Hanqiu was sent out by Qin Ran and the other people, he felt like his whole body was floating.

nQiao Sheng was especially extra careful and even asked people to buy two bottles of iced water for him.

nQin Hanqiu took the two bottles of water and got on the bus.

nHis phone rang.

nIt was Qin Yu, probably calling to ask if he had gotten on the bus.

nQin Hanqiu didn’t look at it and just looked at Qin Ran and the others’ back as the bus left, his eyes a little sour.

n**

nThe celebration was crowded.

nQin Ran, Qiao Sheng, and the others scanned their tickets and went in. They could see in the beginning, but in the end, there were more people talking and they could only hear their incessant chatter.

nThe air was stuffy and dry.

nThe chorus of class 3.9 was the second last performance, so Lin Siran went backstage to prepare. Qin Ran followed her to get a breath of air.

n“Yu’er, don’t be nervous about the performance later. I’ll be watching from the auditorium.” Ning Qing’s soft voice sounded from the mirror opposite. “I’ll record a video for you later and then send it to your father, brother, and your aunt.”

nQin Yu responded softly.

nBoom—

nAn ear-piercing sound.

nQin Yu and Ning Qing noticed.

n“This is the backstage, random people can’t just enter.” The babyface beside Qin Yu glanced at Qin Ran. “How did you get in?”

nNing Qing also saw Qin Ran and pursed her lips. She was about to say something but swallowed her words instead.

nShe was thinking of something.

nQin Yu was busy with her violin and only glanced at Qin Ran and then looked away. She seemed quite disdainful and didn’t pay attention to Qin Ran.

nQin Ran slowly plugged her headphones in her ears, ignored everyone, and left.

nQiao Sheng was waiting for her outside.

nThis performance was Lin Siran’s chorus.

nThe song for the chorus was very old and Qin Ran was prepared to leave after listening to it.

nEveryone in the auditorium was basically waiting for Qin Yu’s finale performance and didn’t leave, so it was just right to leave now.

n“We’ll have a celebration later, aren’t you coming?” Qiao Sheng had paid attention to Qin Ran and could see that she was leaving, so he couldn’t help but ask.

nQin Ran took out her headphones and saw Qin Yu pick up her violin and head up the stage.

nScreams and applause sounded.

nQin Ran’s eyebrows throbbed and she held the pendant that Lin Siran had given her on her neck. She didn’t speak and waved at Qiao Sheng with her back turned to him. Then, she took a deep breath and passed through the crowd.

nIt was just five o’clock.

nShe took out her phone with her left hand and very skillfully pressed a number and called Cheng Juan.

n**

nNing Qing came out of the backstage and returned to her seat.

nShe had a special invitation seat in the second row. The position was very good and the video she took was naturally very clear.

nFor Qin Yu’s finale performance, the school naturally gave her special treatment. All the lights in the auditorium were turned off and only a spotlight hit her.

nHer dress wasn’t the uniform that the school usually arranged, but a dress that Ning Qing had specially tailored for her.

nQin Yu bowed, then sat down and started playing the violin.

nThere was almost no sound in the auditorium, and the reporter’s camera was also aimed at her.

nQin Yu played a few notes and smiled.

nSuddenly, there was a sharp voice—

nQin Yu bowed her head stiffly and saw that a string had broken on her violin.

nHer mind went blank.

nThis was a school-wide occasion, even she didn’t expect to make such a big mistake on such an occasion!

nThe auditorium was also silent.

nThen, there was a burst of noise.

nQin Yu could hear someone whistling.

nThe headlights were turned on one by one.

nQin Yu looked up in a daze. The audience was whispering to one another and looking at her from time to time.

nQin Yu had never felt so ashamed before.

nThe host went on stage to save the scene, and the program was canceled.

nQin Yu had always done a good job as a prestigious lady in Yun Cheng and had never made any mistake before, but today…

nBackstage, some people looked at her strangely.

nQin Yu’s hands were shaking.

n“Chairman.” The back door was pushed open and Xu Yaoguang entered.

nHe glanced at the violin set aside by Qin Yu and then asked heavily, “What happened? Why did the strings break?”

nQin Yu’s chest undulated and she didn’t speak.

nThe babyface next to her was filled with indignation. “Yu’er’s violin is customized, how could it be so easily broken? Someone must have done it deliberately!”

n“Deliberately?” Xu Yaoguang glanced at her. “Do you know who?”

n“It must be Qin Ran from class 3.9.” The babyface answered without thinking. “Yu’er has always been very popular, but Qin Ran doesn’t like her. She happened to be backstage just now, and I was thinking it was strange. Why did she come backstage when she didn’t have a program!”

nXu Yaoguang narrowed his eyes. “Was there anyone else backstage? Let’s check the CCTV.”

nQin Yu pinched her palm and cleared her throat. “All of you can go out.”

nEveryone else went out.

nThey left Xu Yaoguang and her alone in the room.

nShe had just made a big mistake in front of the whole school. She knew without thinking that rumors about her would spread soon.

nQin Yu sneered with red eyes and said slowly, “Young Master Xu, you and Qiao Sheng are always protecting Qin Ran and I have no opinion about that, but you also know how important the violin is to me. The backstage is such an important place. Both you and Qiao Sheng closed one eye when she came in, but now my violin has broken and ruined my performance. Have you ever thought that I would lose my face in front of the whole school because of her?”

nXu Yaoguang was silent for a while, then he said, “She has no reason to do this.”

nQin Yu closed her eyes and seemed very tired. “No reason? How do you know that? When my mom brought me to the Lin family and not her, she has always hated me out of jealousy. Isn’t that reason enough?”

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