The late afternoon sun bathed *Jade River Plaza* in a soft golden hue. The wooden stage near the lotus pond stood waiting, silent and untouched. Beneath the willow trees, a growing crowd gathered, murmuring with curiosity, hope, and phone screens lit in anticipation.
Today marked *Day Four*.
For three consecutive days, the mysterious veiled woman in Hanfu had captivated hearts with her guzheng performances—haunting melodies laced with emotion, tradition, and mystery. But today, the stage remained untouched. No flicker of silk, no trace of her presence.
And standing at the edge of the crowd, carefully shielded by two discreet bodyguards, was *Bai Lanyue*.
She wore an elegant pastel-blue dress, her makeup light, her lips painted with a soft rose hue. Her expression, however, was anything but soft. Her almond eyes were narrowed, scanning every inch of the plaza as if she could force the veiled musician to appear by sheer will.
"She's late," one girl whispered behind her, excitement turning to disappointment.
"Maybe she's just running late," another replied, already holding her livestream open. "She always came around this time."
But fifteen minutes passed.
Then thirty.
Then an hour.
Still—*no one came*.
Bai Lanyue's fingers clenched tightly around her designer clutch. Her gaze flicked toward the empty stage again. Her heart beat faster—not with admiration or excitement, but with something more unsettling.
*I know what I heard.*
*I know that melody.*
She couldn't explain it, but the music from that radio broadcast had stirred a memory, one buried deep in the shadow of a name she no longer spoke. And now… this absence, this silence—it felt intentional.
The moment she shifted to leave, a flash went off.
Click.
A fan nearby had just taken a photo.
Then another.
Then someone shouted, "Isn't that Bai Lanyue again?! She's here for the fourth day too?!"
More phones rose.
Another tweet went up almost immediately:
*"Bai Lanyue came back to Jade River Plaza—but the mystery musician didn't show. What's going on???"*
***
Within an hour, Weibo exploded.
*#VeiledPerformerDisappears*
*#BaiLanyueSnubbed?*
*#MysteryMusicianBreaks Streak*
*#FourthDaySilence*
Comment threads flooded in:
#"She came every day and the one day Lanyue's there again, the musician ghosts us? There's something there."#
#"The shade is so loud and silent at the same time."#
#"I'm living for this drama. Lanyue looked... pissed."#
Fan edits started surfacing. One image showed the veiled performer on stage from Day Three, overlaid with a quote: *"You should've remembered me sooner."*
Another showed Bai Lanyue standing alone in the crowd today, back to the stage—captioned: *"But she didn't."*
***
Meanwhile, across the city at Ji Yanluo's private condominium, *Bai Zhiqi* sat on the rooftop garden, phone in hand, watching the storm unfold online.
The breeze teased strands of her long hair, now unbound from its usual veil. She wore a simple grey robe, legs curled beneath her, silent satisfaction in her dark eyes.
"She waited," she murmured, almost to herself.
"She's everywhere online now," *Xiao Lin* said beside her, handing over a warm cup of tea. "People are comparing your music to hers. Some say you're better."
"She's rattled," Bai Zhiqi replied, taking a sip. "And curious. That's exactly what I need."
From behind, *Han Su* stepped onto the rooftop, his tone clipped but impressed. "She's all over the feed. The media's speculating if this is some elite rivalry. Even sponsors are curious who you are."
Bai Zhiqi's lips curved. "Let them wonder."
Han Su gave her a curious glance. "Are you planning to go tomorrow?"
She shook her head once. "No. Not yet."
"She'll come looking for you now," Xiao Lin said. "The more you hide, the harder she'll chase."
"Exactly." Bai Zhiqi stood, brushing invisible dust off her robe. "Let her search. Let the silence speak louder than the music."
"She knows the melody, doesn't she?" Han Su asked quietly.
A pause. Her gaze darkened.
"She does. But she'll try to deny it," Bai Zhiqi replied softly. "Because admitting it would mean facing the past."
And right now—*Bai Lanyue wasn't ready for that.*
But soon, she would have no choice.