Chapter 1642

When the two returned to the private room, Xiao Qingqing was curled up beside Samuel, quietly sipping her corn juice with an air of docile serenity. Throughout the entire time, though Samuel appeared to be listening to others, his gaze had scarcely left Xiao Qingqing's face. Sensing his attention, she turned to meet his eyes, her lips curving into a soft smile. "Is it good?" Samuel asked gently. "Mhm, it's sweet with a rich corn flavor. Would you like to try some, Third Uncle?" She was certain he wouldn’t share a straw with anyone, nor would he take a sip—her offer was merely politeness. Yet to her surprise, Samuel naturally grasped her hand holding the cup, drew it toward himself, and took a sip. Not just Xiao Qingqing, but even those nearby who witnessed the scene couldn’t help but stare in astonishment. Rumors had it that Samuel was notoriously guarded, never consuming anything others had touched. So… how could this be…? And just then, Su Jiaojiao, who had just returned, caught sight of the moment. Fury burned in her chest. If not for that inexplicable mishap that night, it should have been *her* sitting beside Samuel right now! Damn that Xiao Qingqing, stealing everything that rightfully belonged to her. She wouldn’t let her get away with it! Noticing the sudden hush in the room, one of the women spoke up, "Why so quiet? Let me call in the pianist to play something and lighten the mood." Hearing this, Su Jiaojiao’s brow arched slightly as she settled into a corner of the sofa, biding her time. No one objected. The pianist was ushered in by a waiter. After bowing to the guests, he made his way to the grand piano in the corner of the spacious private room and began to play a soothing melody, his fingers gliding gracefully over the keys. Xiao Qingqing turned her gaze toward the pianist’s retreating figure, lost in thought, as if something had stirred in her mind. Just as everyone was enjoying the music, the woman who had summoned the pianist suddenly snapped, "Stop! That’s enough!" The music came to an abrupt halt. The pianist turned around, confusion written across his face as he glanced nervously at the guests. The woman scowled. "We have a very important guest here tonight! Even someone like me, who barely knows anything about piano, can tell you’re playing like an amateur. Are you trying to ruin the mood on purpose?" The pianist stood up, humiliation burning in his chest, but knowing he was here to earn a living, he could only bow in apology. Xiao Qingqing frowned, about to speak up in his defense, when the woman waved dismissively. "Enough. Just get out." After the pianist bowed and left, the woman turned to Su Jiaojiao with an ingratiating smile. "Jiaojiao, I’ve heard you play the piano beautifully. Why don’t you grace us with a piece to liven up the evening for Third Master?" Su Jiaojiao blushed, casting a coy glance at Samuel before murmuring, "Oh, I’m not that good. Maybe Qingqing should play instead. She studied piano before she came to our family." Her words only confirmed the whispers among the guests—this was indeed the stepdaughter of the Su family. Seizing the opportunity, the woman clapped her hands. "Oh, that makes it even more interesting! Third Master, would you allow your girlfriend to have a little piano duel with Jiaojiao? I bet it’ll be quite entertaining." Before the woman could finish, Samuel lifted his gaze, his piercing eyes like shards of ice cutting through the air. The woman faltered under his stare, a chill creeping down her spine. No matter how influential her family was, she knew better than to cross Samuel. She forced a smile and was about to retract her earlier words when Xiao Qingqing spoke up in a calm, detached tone, "Playing a piece for Miss Su isn’t particularly difficult. But since you framed it as a competition, there must be stakes—what does the winner get?" This was the first time Xiao Qingqing had addressed anyone since entering the private room, and her intent was startlingly direct. The woman raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And what would you want?" "The loser fulfills one condition set by the winner. As for you, Miss Song—if I win, you’ll publicly apologize to the pianist you just insulted for your ignorance." At this, Su Jiaojiao’s eyes lit up. Back in their childhood, Xiao Qingqing had indeed played the piano, and even her teachers had praised her natural talent. But years had passed since she last touched a keyboard. No matter how gifted she once was, there was no way she could outperform Jiaojiao now. A thrill of anticipation ran through her. What condition should she demand when she won? Make Xiao Qingqing leave Mr. Lu’s side? Force her to beg Mr. Lu to save the Su family? Or better yet—make her confess to drugging Jiaojiao that night? Miss Song had initially bristled at the audacity of the demand, but the confidence gleaming in Jiaojiao’s eyes reassured her. She crossed her arms and smirked. "Fine by me. What do you think, Jiaojiao?" Su Jiaojiao knew she would win in a piano contest—but still, she hesitated. After a fleeting glance at Samuel, she demurred, "It’s just a bit of music—no need to take it so seriously. Besides, Qingqing is under Third Master’s protection. We shouldn’t embarrass him. Let’s just call it my loss, alright?" Miss Song immediately caught on. Of course—who would dare offend Samuel? Everyone would simply declare the Su family’s stepdaughter the better player, regardless. Meanwhile, the very man they feared to provoke watched with quiet amusement. Seeing his little protégée so unusually invested, he was more than happy to indulge her. With a derisive chuckle, he interjected, "Simple. Record both performances and send the audio to professional pianists for blind judging. Three votes—majority wins." At this moment, Su Jiaojiao finally felt completely at ease—she was certain to win! Xiao Qingqing ignored Su Jiaojiao and instead turned to Mrs. Song, asking, "Any more concerns? Then, who’s going first?" Su Jiaojiao chimed in with a sweet smile, "If we're really doing this, as the elder sister, perhaps I should take the lead." Her plan was simple: to crush that wretched girl with her superior piano skills before she even dared to approach the instrument. Xiao Qingqing simply shrugged in response. Su Jiaojiao strode confidently to the piano. After a deep breath, her fingers danced effortlessly across the keys, flawlessly performing *Croatian Rhapsody*—even without sheet music. The audience listened in hushed admiration, murmuring occasional praises. "That was beautifully played." Meanwhile, Mrs. Song recorded the performance. As the final notes faded, Su Jiaojiao’s heart swelled with triumph. Despite her initial nerves, she hadn’t missed a single note—victory was undeniably hers! When Su Jiaojiao returned, Xiao Qingqing handed her half-finished cup of corn juice to Samuel, whispering, "Uncle, don’t drink it all. Save some for me." Samuel affectionately ruffled her hair. "You little glutton. Go have your fun—I’ll leave every last drop for you." *Fun?* Xiao Qingqing smirked. He truly wasn’t the least bit worried about her. But it didn’t matter. This was just child’s play—hardly worth taking seriously.