Demon King Guan

The rest of the afternoon was spent running around different offices with the landlord, and the paperwork wasn’t finished until nearly evening. The two of them wanted to invite the landlord and his wife to dinner, since they’d interrupted their dumpling-making. But their offer was politely declined; the couple said that having a home was hard enough, and there was no need for extra gestures.

Seizing the chance, Xu Lin explained things once more, putting Ji’s father completely at ease—and that put him at ease as well. Still, it would be a few days before they could take possession; the other party needed to move out, and once they did, the up-and-coming star would need to renovate the place.

"I'm exhausted. I never imagined spending money could be so tiring."

Xu Lin and Chu Qingchan walked along the path in the residential complex, both faces showing their fatigue. Xu Lin was fighting the urge to yawn; he just wanted to get home and sleep.

"You’ve been handling everything this afternoon. Thanks."

"No problem. But why did you put the house in my name? Giving me a gift worth hundreds of thousands—are you hoping to win my heart?"

"Heh~ I didn't want to reveal my identity; after all, real names are required."

"Alright, but this house will always be yours. Don’t think you can push it onto me."

"In your dreams."

Chu Qingchan shot him a look, and as she was about to turn away, she noticed a girl with a backpack riding toward them. There were plenty of people around, but this girl stood out—she was beautiful. Not ordinary pretty, but strikingly elegant, reminding Chu Qingchan of herself back in middle and high school.

"What is it?"

"Looking at a beautiful girl."

"Hmm? What beauty could possibly outshine you?"

Xu Lin responded absentmindedly, turning his gaze toward the girl—then his pupils widened in surprise. Damn, what a coincidence!

Under Chu Qingchan’s undisguised gaze, the girl slowed to a stop, and her first words caught them off guard.

"Xu Lin? You just got back?"

"You know her?" Chu Qingchan was incredulous. Xu Lin actually knew such a beautiful girl? On second thought, maybe his resistance to her own beauty came from familiarity—had this girl made him immune?

"Yeah. This is a friend, she wants to buy a house in Linshui, so I’m showing her around."

"I see. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Ji Yun, Xu Lin’s classmate."

Class President Ji promptly got off her bike, feeling it rude to stay seated.

"Hello, Ji Yun. You must be the class president Xu Lin talks about."

"That’s right. Sister, have you found a house yet? Our neighbor Uncle Zheng is planning to sell his."

Ji Yun nodded, but couldn’t shake the feeling that the masked, sunglasses-wearing woman before her was sizing her up.

"We just settled on his place today, so we’ll be neighbors. It was your father who introduced us."

Hearing that Xu Lin mentioned her father, Ji Yun’s mind flashed with odd scenes, and she grew embarrassed.

"Um… you didn’t say anything else, did you?"

"We didn’t talk about you—just mentioned we’re classmates. Don’t worry."

"That’s good. Now that you’re back, I can tutor you."

"No need, you’ve been studying at Zhuo Yan’s all afternoon. Go home and rest. During school, we always went home for lunch anyway, so we can study together then."

"Alright. See you tomorrow, Xu Lin. Goodbye, Sister. If you need anything, tell Xu Lin, and I’ll ask my dad to help."

"Thank you, Ji Yun."

Chu Qingchan nodded, and Ji Yun got back on her bike, flashed a smile, waved to them, and rode toward her home. But just a dozen meters away, a thought flashed through her mind—why did that sister seem so familiar?

"Your little girlfriend?" Chu Qingchan suddenly asked.

"No, she’s not interested in me."

"Haha, so you got dumped, then."

"Could you not put it so bluntly?"

When they returned to the Xu home to rest, they found an unexpected guest waiting: Qin Lang, his beard thick, sitting on the sofa with a bitter smile, surrounded by piles of gifts. Xu Lin’s parents sat opposite, eyeing him coolly, but their expressions softened a bit when the pair walked in.

"You’re here again? If you keep bothering Uncle and Auntie, I’ll call the police!" Chu Qingchan removed her mask, her face cold as she strode forward.

"Ah, Miss Chu, I’m here to apologize!"

"Even if you won’t forgive me, I have to come. My daughter knows she was wrong!"

"I don’t care; I’m used to being criticized. But you’d better not disrupt Auntie and Uncle’s lives. You went home at noon—you must’ve learned a bit about my situation."

"Yes, yes. So, Miss Chu, please be gracious. Hit me a few times if you must. My daughter truly wants to act!"

"For that, she did what she did. As parents, we failed to guide her. But I still hope she can follow her own path…"

"She’s paid so much already. Right or wrong, it can’t all be for nothing!"

Qin Lang spoke, then dropped to his knees before Chu Qingchan, who immediately stepped back.

"I can’t stand that, get up at once!" Chu Qingchan frowned, clearly uncomfortable.

Qin Lang quickly got up, bowing repeatedly.

"Miss Chu, please! Don’t blacklist Tiantian! Just give her a chance!"

"Xu Lin, Xu’s wife, I’m truly sorry for all the trouble. I’ll be going now!"

He bowed to the family, knowing not to overdo it, and headed for the door.

"Wait!" Chu Qingchan, who had been glaring, suddenly called out.

"Miss Chu, is there something else?"

"Since you’re sincerely apologizing, I’ll give you a chance. You may not have made much of yourself after all these years, but you must have some connections."

"In Linshui? No, in Evergreen City—the prefecture Linshui belongs to—I do know a few people."

"Oh? Then here’s a task for you. Is there a professional recording studio or music workshop in Linshui?"

"Um… as you know, Linshui is a small place. The entertainment industry isn’t developed, let alone proper music studios or recording facilities…"

"What’s wrong?"

"I just remembered something. Do you know Teacher Guan Mingchen?"

"Yes, Yu Feitian, King Yu, and Mr. Wan Longzhun were all her students."

"Right. But many people don’t know that Teacher Guan Mingchen’s hometown is Linshui. She’s retired from Wanhua Music and moved back home."

"You mean…?"

Chu Qingchan’s eyes lit up. If it was Guan Mingchen, it wasn’t just about borrowing a recording studio—it was much more! She was a true master, a musical genius. Her debut was her peak; she was the diva of the ’80s and ’90s, and even after retiring in 1999, she stayed at Wanhua Music.

She trained a host of powerful singers and musicians, but her greatest strength was as a songwriter and composer. Many of the hottest songs from 2000 to 2010 were hers, and over time, the nearly sixty-year-old musician earned a new nickname: "Lord Guan the Magician."

Xu Lin, though not as knowledgeable, had heard of her—her name accompanied countless classics.

What surprised him most was that Chu Qingchan really planned to pursue music. Apparently, his guidance had been helpful. If nothing unexpected happened, the queen who would dominate the music scene might emerge even sooner… He had to admit, he was looking forward to it.