The moon hung high over the city, casting silver light across the quiet rooftop garden. A soft breeze rustled the leaves of the potted jasmine plants as *Bai Zhiqi* sat cross-legged beside her guzheng, dressed in a *smoky lilac hanfu* embroidered with delicate plum blossoms. A soft veil covered the lower half of her face, her eyes calm and poised.
Tonight wasn't a stage.
It wasn't a plaza.
It was a *livestream*.
The moment she pressed "Go Live" on the carefully prepared streaming account, the numbers began to rise. A few curious netizens tuned in. Then a few more. And within ten minutes, the viewer count had exploded past *ten thousand*.
All that greeted them was an elegant figure beneath the moonlight, framed by candlelight and drifting incense, fingers brushing across the strings like water over stone.
*The music began.*
It wasn't loud or flamboyant.
It was haunting.
A slow, nostalgic melody that carried sorrow, pride, and something deeper—an emotion no one could name but everyone could feel.
Comments flooded in instantly:
#"it's her again!!"#
#"Who is she? This isn't at Jade River!"#
screen went black.
And the internet *exploded*.
---
*Weibo Trends*:
- *#MoonlightMusicianLive*
- *#MaskedPerformerReturns*
- *#BaiLanyueMysteryLink*
- *#GuzhengQueenUnveiled?*
Netizens swarmed to dissect the stream.
#"Same energy as the Jade Pavilion and Jade River Plaza performer!"#
#"Her music tonight… it had a message. I felt it."#
#WHO IS SHE??"#
#"Was it a love story? A warning? Or revenge?"#
#"I think she's playing for someone who wronged her…"#
Someone clipped the final shot—the veil in the moonlight, the way her eyes lingered on the camera—as if staring into the soul of someone watching.
Speculations ran wild.
Fan theories spun faster than wildfire.
Meanwhile, back at the condominium, Bai Zhiqi removed her veil in silence. Her expression was unreadable, but *Xiao Lin*, who had assisted with the lighting and setup, clapped softly.
"You've started something big tonight," she whispered.
"Let it grow," Bai Zhiqi replied calmly, placing a silk cloth over the guzheng. "The more they talk, the more curious she'll become."
"Do you think… she watched?"
"I know she did."
At the same time, across the city, *Bai Lanyue* sat frozen.
She hadn't even realized she was crying until a tear dropped onto her screen.
Was it from recognition?
Fear?
Or guilt?
#"OMG this feels ancient and beautiful."#
#"It's even more emotional than before."#
#"She looks like a ghost from the past."#
#"I swear I've heard this piece before…"#
In a penthouse apartment miles away, *Bai Lanyue* sat upright in bed, clutching her tablet. Her social feed had exploded with reposts of the livestream, so she'd clicked it out of idle curiosity.
Now she stared at the screen, frozen.
The music.
That same style again.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she turned up the volume, eyes narrowing at the mysterious figure onscreen.
"Why does it feel like she's playing for me?" she whispered.
She couldn't tear her gaze away.
The camera panned slightly to show the moonlight catching the performer's veil and the gentle rise of her chest as she poured her soul into every note. Her fingers danced, not with showmanship—but with purpose.
*Something about this woman unnerved Bai Lanyue.*
And yet… it felt *familiar*.
Her stomach twisted, and her thoughts scattered.
"Who are you?" she whispered to herself.
And then—
The music stopped.
The guzheng's final note rang out like a whisper into the night.
Bai Zhiqi lifted her hand, pressed it softly to her heart, and nodded once to the camera before ending the stream.
No words.
No name.
Only silence.
She didn't know.
But one thing was certain:
She wouldn't rest until she uncovered the truth.
And Bai Zhiqi would be waiting.