Sunlight filtered lazily through the floor-length windows of Ji Yanluo's penthouse, casting a golden hue across the tastefully minimalist interior. The air smelled faintly of jasmine and old books, drifting in from the rooftop garden above.
Bai Zhiqi sat cross-legged on the velvet couch, a steaming cup of tea between her hands. She wore a soft cream robe, her hair tied in a simple bun. Beside her, *Xiao Lin* quietly checked social media on her tablet, occasionally glancing at Zhiqi to gauge her mood.
Across the room, *Ji Yanluo* stood by the fireplace, dressed as if he were heading to a business meeting—black turtleneck, charcoal slacks, every line crisp and exact. He was flipping through a folder Han Su had left earlier, but his eyes kept returning to the woman on the couch.
Then the chime of the elevator echoed.
"Miss Ji Lanxue has arrived," the system announced.
Before anyone could respond, *Ji Lanxue* burst in like a whirlwind, her coat barely hanging on her shoulders and her phone clutched tightly in her hand.
"You will *not* believe what happened this morning!" she announced dramatically.
Bai Zhiqi looked up slowly, lifting a brow. Ji Yanluo glanced at Xiao Lin, who merely shook her head as if to say *she's always like this*.
Lanxue threw her purse down and flopped onto the armchair, her cheeks flushed with either excitement or anger—possibly both.
"Bai Lanyue came to see me."
At the name, Bai Zhiqi's fingers tightened subtly around her teacup. She said nothing, her gaze sharp but unreadable.
"She came to see me," Lanxue continued, her voice dropping into a dramatic whisper. "*Me*, can you believe it? Of all people?"
"About the veiled musician?" Ji Yanluo asked, voice calm but edged with curiosity.
"Of course! What else? She practically came to me at the Ji Mansion. Asked me if I knew who the veiled musician was—acting all innocent, but her tone?" Lanxue rolled her eyes. "She's threatened. She knows something's up."
Ji Yanluo shut the folder and walked toward her. "And what did you say?"
Lanxue smirked. "I played dumb, obviously. I said I was just a fan, and I was lucky to invite her to the gala. I didn't even say it was a 'her.' She looked so frustrated, I thought she might burst into tears."
Xiao Lin chuckled, stealing a quick glance at Bai Zhiqi, who hadn't spoken yet.
Ji Yanluo folded his arms. "You didn't reveal anything?"
"I'm not an idiot, ge," she scoffed. "I know this game. I just thought you should know she's sniffing around. Hard."
A tense silence followed.
Zhiqi finally placed her teacup on the table and looked directly at Lanxue. "Did she ask *why* you invited the veiled musician?"
Lanxue blinked. "Yeah. I said I thought she deserved a real stage. That the world had spent too long pretending talent only came in familiar packages."
Ji Yanluo raised a brow at that, slightly amused. "Poetic."
"Truthful," Lanxue said, tossing her hair back.
Zhiqi's lips twitched. "You did well."
The praise was soft, but it lit something warm in Lanxue's expression.
"I think she suspects," Xiao Lin said cautiously. "She may not know for sure, but that melody at the gala... it's too distinct. If she heard it as a child..."
"She did," Bai Zhiqi murmured.
Everyone turned to her.
"She was there when our mother used to play it," she added quietly, brushing invisible lint off her sleeve. "I knew she would recognize it."
Lanxue straightened. "Wait. You *wanted* her to?"
Bai Zhiqi nodded once. "It's time. She needed to remember before she could believe."
Ji Yanluo's gaze lingered on her. "And now that she remembers?"
Zhiqi looked out the window, where the city stretched endlessly into winter haze. "Now... we watch."
Lanxue exhaled a dramatic sigh. "Well, she definitely remembers something. She left looking like she'd seen a ghost."
Xiao Lin leaned forward. "What if she tells the Bai family?"
Zhiqi tilted her head. "Let them talk. The storm is already brewing."
Ji Yanluo's lips curved faintly. "So what's next?"
Zhiqi looked back at them—her new-found allies, each holding a piece of her scattered puzzle.
"We let her chase shadows for a while longer," she said. "Then we show her the light she tried to bury."