If he accepts this three million, it will eventually be exposed. It’s a ticking time bomb that will blow him to pieces sooner or later.

Mu Wan was startled by the sudden turn of the car. Seeing Kuang Ye react so emotionally, she thought maybe it was because he felt embarrassed being seen in such an awkward situation, feeling ashamed. So, she immediately tried to smooth things over, saying, “We’re engaged, no need to be so polite with me. If you want to treat it as a loan, just pay me back later.”

Then she changed the subject. “By the way, I’m participating in a violin competition soon, and it’s not convenient for me to stay at home. Do you know if there are any apartments for rent near the First Music Hall?”

Kuang Ye almost started to explain, but stopped himself, then asked, “The First Music Hall in Pudong?”

Mu Wan nodded.

Kuang Ye tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, his gaze darkening for a moment. That place was quite close to the ST base.

“You don’t need to rent a place. I have an apartment there, it’s usually empty, and I rarely go there since I stay at the dorm.”

Mu Wan didn’t expect this coincidence. She nodded. “That works.” Then, secretly, she put the bank card in the box near his driver’s seat and winked at him. “So this can count as the rent?”

Kuang Ye chuckled. “Miss, that’s quite a high rent. People might think I’m scamming you. Take your money back. I was just joking. The team isn’t that dirt poor.”

Mu Wan thought, You can’t even afford a meal but you say your team is not that poor? She pretended to be angry. “You’re acting all coy. Are you afraid you can’t pay me back?”

Kuang Ye: “…”

The little girl was using reverse psychology on him now. He saw the nervousness and worry in her eyes and, with a sudden warmth in his chest, changed his mind and nodded. “Alright!” Forget about the bomb for now; he’ll figure it out later and get the girl home first.

—

After sending Mu Wan home, Kuang Ye drove back to the team. On the way, he opened his phone’s contact list and dialed a number.

“Yo, what’s up, Young Master Kuang? Didn’t expect you’d be calling me,” came the voice on the other end.

The person was Fu Zeyuan, Kuang Ye’s only friend since returning to the Kuang family. Fu was a rebellious teenager in his younger days. After learning that Kuang Ye was an esports player, he was fearless enough to challenge him to a solo game. He lost badly, went into a shell for a while, but eventually, their friendship grew from there.

Kuang Ye: “Can you help me find a good apartment near the First Music District in Pudong? A place with good surroundings and security?”

Fu Zeyuan’s family was in real estate, so he was curious. “Are you buying a house? I told you before, you didn’t want to buy one because the base was enough.”

Kuang Ye: “It’s not enough anymore.”

Fu Zeyuan: “…Alright, I’ll help you find one. I’ll have my people handle the paperwork, and they’ll send the keys directly to the base.”

Kuang Ye: “Thanks.”

Fu Zeyuan: “Don’t mention it.” His voice turned gossipy. “When are you coming out for drinks? You owe me an explanation about you and Miss Mu from the Mu family getting engaged. You really didn’t invite me. You always had me help you inquire about her, but when you got engaged, you didn’t even tell me!”

Kuang Ye: “…”

Fu Zeyuan: “Damn, I just helped you out, and now you’re acting like this?!”

Beep beep beep — the call ended.

The phone was hung up.

Fu Zeyuan, who had been discarded after being used, muttered, “…Bastard, all esports players are bastards!”

—

On the other side, Mu Wan had no idea that the ‘poor thing’ who couldn’t even afford a meal had just bought a multi-million dollar apartment with a single phone call. She thought the apartment was bought by Old Master Kuang, since, despite the disapproval of Kuang Ye’s parents, Old Master Kuang still valued him. As for money, with Kuang Ye’s personality, there was no way he’d ask the Kuang family for it, let alone sell a house given by Old Master Kuang.

When she got home, Mu Wan, after a long time, pushed open the door to her music room and took out the violin that she hadn’t touched for a long while. Mu Wan had started learning the violin at six years old, and it was also her major in college. But after college, she had never played it again. In her past life, when the kidnappers had chopped off her fingers, besides the intense pain, the only thought in her mind was—she could never play the violin again.

It was only then that she realized she hadn’t been as carefree as she thought. She loved the violin, even though people said all her awards came from family connections, that all her achievements were because she was the daughter of the Mu family. Still, she loved it.

“Zheng——” After a simple tuning, the pleasant sound of the violin echoed in the room. The music was at times melodious, at times passionate, at times low and mournful, at times joyful and lively, and eventually returned to calm, leaving the listener with the same soothing feeling as watching a calm, deep blue sea. It was the C minor 5th Symphony, also known by its more famous name — Symphony of Fate.

Mu Wan had mentioned to Kuang Ye earlier that she was going to participate in a violin competition, but that wasn’t just to give him an excuse. She had genuinely signed up for a local classical music competition. Since fate had given her the gift of a second chance, she was determined to live this life without regrets.

Outside the door, Wang Lan covered her mouth, her eyes brimming with tears. It had been a long time since she had heard her daughter play the violin. It all began a year ago when an opponent of Mu Wan, who had lost to her, shouted about unfairness on the competition stage and, right in front of her, cut her own wrist with a violin string.