Chapter Sixty-Six: A Musical Challenge for Bettia

Liu Yunfei was deliberately provoking Betia, wanting to rile her up. This tall, proud beauty, with her haughty gaze and imperious tone, irritated him to no end. If he didn’t take her down a notch, she’d walk all over him. But to his surprise, Betia showed no embarrassment or anger. She straightened her back, took two steps forward, nearly pressing her chest against him before stopping.

“Do you like what you see?” Betia’s eyes invited mischief.

“I do,” Liu Yunfei replied honestly, nodding. He hadn’t expected this reaction from her; his mind raced. Was it his piano playing that moved this model’s heart? His charms truly knew no bounds.

“Do you want to touch?” Betia’s words left Liu Yunfei dumbfounded. He stood there, mouth agape, thoughts spinning—wasn’t this a bit fast? They’d hardly just met and barely exchanged a few words.

“Shall we go over to the sand and let you touch?” Betia said, already heading toward the beach. Today she was furious; this so-called piano prince was nothing more than an insipid, lecherous scoundrel. Determined to teach him a lesson, she decided to seduce him, intending to toss him into the sand and deliver a few well-deserved punches to vent her anger. Her grandfather, having studied martial arts since childhood in Norway’s Aurora Castle and later trained in free fighting all over, had passed on his skills to Betia. She’d been a martial arts kid since she was little—many a ruffian had suffered at her hands.

As Liu Yunfei followed her to the sand, a sense of danger flashed. Suddenly, Betia’s long leg blocked his, halting his advance; at the same time, she shoved his head forward with her elbow while twisting his wrist behind his back. If the move succeeded, she’d have him pinned in the sand.

Liu Yunfei realized things were not going well; his balance was lost. He hadn’t expected Betia to be so skilled and had let his guard down. But he wasn’t going down alone—if she grabbed his wrist, he’d grab hers. With a twist, Betia found her wrist caught in his grasp—her strength no match for his. Wearing high heels, attempting such a maneuver, and with her wrist seized, she fell with him, landing atop his back.

Liu Yunfei felt only a twinge of regret—if only he’d managed to turn around, since she’d invited him to touch her, how could he do it like this? Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door. Seizing the opportunity, he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Help! I’m being assaulted!”

It was truly a case of the villain accusing first. Betia was too angry for words. Though it may have looked like she was on top of Liu Yunfei, it was only because her wrist was trapped by his. Hearing someone enter, she blushed in shame and panic. Over the years, countless handsome men had pursued her, but her pride kept her aloof—never meeting one who stirred her heart. In the free-spirited atmosphere of Europe, being a virgin at her age was a source of pride. Yet today, she had utterly disgraced herself—making it look as if she were trying to assault a rascal. Turning around, she saw that the newcomer was none other than this scoundrel’s girlfriend, catching them in a compromising position. Flushed and flustered, she said repeatedly, “He’s lying, it’s not what it looks like!”

Liu Yunfei recognized Yu Qing’s voice but felt not the slightest guilt. Why should he, when this woman never loved him? The idea that she might be jealous was laughable. Releasing Betia’s hand, he stood up and smiled kindly at Yu Qing.

Yu Qing had suspected ever since returning that Liu Yunfei had discovered her betrayal. The whole way, she was anxious, unsure what to say or how to face him now that he knew the truth. When she entered the Knights’ Castle and saw the scene before her, she felt a pang of jealousy—was he already bringing other women home in her absence? But then she reminded herself: what right did she have? Was she really his girlfriend? No, she was just a deceiver. Seeing Liu Yunfei’s guiltless smile, her heart trembled.

Yu Qing’s evasive gaze softened Liu Yunfei’s heart. Ignoring Betia, who still blushed as if caught red-handed, he walked up to Yu Qing and sighed softly. She was, after all, a woman he had once loved. He reached out and embraced her as he used to whenever she returned home, but this hug held no love or desire—just a light, courteous gesture. He brushed her cheek and said, “May God bless you.”

For reasons she couldn’t explain, Yu Qing suddenly wanted to bury her face in his shoulder and weep, but she held back, nodded, and hurried upstairs without so much as a glance at Betia.

Betia was puzzled. She’d prepared all her explanations, rehearsed what to say, but Yu Qing’s reaction was unexpected—she acted as if nothing had happened. “What did you do to her?” Betia asked.

Liu Yunfei noticed Betia standing uncomfortably close and quickly took a step back, wary of further tricks. “I didn’t do anything to her,” he replied, bemused by her question.

“Did you hit her? Are you abusive at home?” Betia pressed.

“No! I never hit women—or men, for that matter. I don’t go around hitting people at all!” Liu Yunfei protested his innocence.

“Then why does she look so afraid of you, like a bullied little wife?” Betia wouldn’t let up.

“Enough already, just leave me alone,” Liu Yunfei said, seeing Yu Qing’s expression. He hated her for deceiving him, yet pitied her fate, and felt a pang of heartache. He suddenly craved a cigarette, remembering he’d finished his pack that afternoon. If only he’d bought a whole carton and stashed it in his storage ring. “Do you have a cigarette?”

Seeing his face cloud over, Betia, not knowing what had happened, turned to fetch a slim lady’s cigarette from her bag and handed it to him.

“Come with me.” Liu Yunfei lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply, needing an outlet. He led Betia to the back hall—a vast, seldom-used lounge reserved for grand banquets or balls. He’d already noticed the white grand piano there.

Lifting the cover, Liu Yunfei sat on the leather bench. The moment his slender fingers touched the keys, it was as if a fish had found the ocean, a bird the sky—he could finally pour out his soul. Sometimes, music is the best way to vent, a way to soothe the troubles, worries, frustration, and sadness within.

He knew no other piece but Beethoven’s Symphony of Fate, playing it over and over. Betia thought it was heaven itself—no one, she felt, had ever played it so movingly. The scoundrel before her was transformed at the piano, as if possessed by a celestial spirit, his face radiant with a sacred light, like an angel fallen to earth, telling of endless sorrow. The music danced from his fingertips, welling up and filling the vast hall.

Betia was entranced. The man before her was not the degenerate she had imagined; there must be deep, unspoken troubles in his heart. Unconsciously, she sat beside him, watching as tears welled in his eyes, unable to resist the urge to comfort him—gently resting her head on his shoulder.

When Liu Yunfei finally finished, a weight seemed lifted from his heart. Seeing Betia nestled against him, he slipped an arm around her slender waist, lowered his head, and brushed her ear with his lips. Betia, lost in a gentle dream, felt as if a prince were kissing a sleeping beauty; she couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh. Liu Yunfei could no longer restrain himself; his lips trailed down her cheek to meet her soft lips. Betia responded awkwardly at first, but soon grew more adept, the two lost in a lingering French kiss.