Can't afford to pay for the takeout? Stunning CEO: Then pay with your body!

Chapter 16: Should we eat before going on stage to perform?

The air in the dormitory still seemed to carry the lingering smell of gunpowder from when Zhao Yu left.

Wang Hao was so angry that he spun around in circles, like a bull trapped in a cage.

"Brother Yan, that bastard is definitely up to no good! The whole school is watching the welcome party; he'll definitely embarrass you in front of everyone!"

Zhang Yan seemed not to hear, his fingers lightly tracing the pages of the book, his gaze focused, as if the dry economic theory were some kind of unparalleled martial arts technique.

"Calm down." He turned a page, his tone flat. "If a dog bites you, you can't bite it back."

Wang Hao plopped down on a stool, looking worried: "That makes sense, but if he really uses underhanded tactics, it's impossible to guard against!"

Zhang Yan didn't say anything more.

Are you trying to cause trouble?

He was rather curious about what kind of tricks this young master Zhao could pull.

……

The next afternoon.

As soon as the professional class ended, class monitor Liu Fei jogged up to catch up with Zhang Yan.

Liu Fei was a typical "nice guy" in the class. He smiled at everyone and wore black-rimmed glasses, making him look refined and cultured.

"Zhang Yan, Zhang Yan, wait a minute!"

Zhang Yan stopped in his tracks, and Wang Hao looked at him warily.

"Squad leader, is something the matter?"

Liu Fei adjusted his glasses, a warm smile plastered on his face, though the smile looked somewhat stiff.

"Great news! Excellent news!"

He pulled out a program application form from behind him and handed it over like a treasure, "Every class needs to put on a program for the welcome party in two days."

"Our class discussed it and unanimously recommended you!"

Upon hearing the words "welcome party," Wang Hao immediately bristled: "Recommend my brother Yan? What can he do? Perform on stage and eat?"

Liu Fei's smile became even more awkward. He nudged Wang Hao, "Stop messing around, we signed up for... piano solo!"

"A piano solo?!"

Wang Hao's voice suddenly rose, drawing stares from passing students. "Are you crazy or am I?"

"Yan-ge has almost forgotten what a piano looks like, and you want him to play a solo?"

"Do you want him to go up and play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?"

Liu Fei shrank back, looking at Zhang Yan for help, his voice low: "Zhang Yan, please help me... This is the honor of the class."

"And...and the name has already been submitted, it can't be changed."

Zhang Yan finally frowned.

He glanced at Liu Fei's evasive gaze, then at Zhao Yu, who was leaning against a sports car not far away, chatting and laughing with a few friends, occasionally casting a mocking glance in their direction.

I understood everything instantly.

This is an open conspiracy.

By using "class honor" to blackmail him, he was put in a difficult position.

If he refuses, he will be disregarding the collective and acting selfishly.

If he agreed, a poor student who couldn't even read sheet music would become the biggest joke in the whole school if he sat in front of that expensive Steinway piano.

At that time, Zhao Yu only needs to casually say from below the stage, "Look, that's the guy in our class who lives off a rich woman and still tries to act like an artist," and he'll be nailed to the pillar of shame.

Well thought out.

"I can't play the piano," Zhang Yan stated the fact, his voice devoid of emotion. "You should find someone else."

Liu Fei was almost in tears: "Yan-ge, please don't! If it's reported, there's no way to change it, and the counselor will kill me! Just go up and play a couple of notes casually, that'll do!"

"Just a couple of casual notes?" Wang Hao laughed angrily. "Do you know the welcome party is broadcast live to the whole school? It won't just be him who's embarrassed; it'll be the entire class!"

Just as the three were at an impasse.

【Ding! 】

The long-lost mechanical voice echoed in Zhang Yan's mind.

[A public challenge has been detected facing the host, triggering the main quest: First Glimpse of Talent.]

[Mission Description: True strength fears no stage. Turn slander and ridicule into stepping stones to your summit.]

[Task requirement: Perform a stunning piano solo at the Jiangzhou University welcome party.]

[Mission Reward: Mastery of Piano (Top-Tier)]

A golden light curtain unfolded before Zhang Yan's eyes.

A thick sheet of music, seemingly made of starlight, appeared out of thin air, slowly turning open and transforming into countless leaping musical notes that flooded into his brain like a torrent.

Chopin's Nocturnes, Liszt's Rhapsodies, Beethoven's Sonatas...

Fingering, music theory, emotional expression...

In that instant, Zhang Yan felt as if his ten fingers had established some kind of mysterious connection with all the black and white piano keys in the world.

He became the piano itself.

The whole process took less than a second.

Zhang Yan looked up, and the noise from the outside world seemed to return.

This system is interesting; it gives rewards first, then asks you to complete tasks. It knows how to get things done.

He looked at the squad leader in front of him, who was sweating profusely with anxiety, and Zhao Yu, who looked confident of victory, not far away.

Then, he reached out and took the program application form.

"OK."

In a word, it's light and airy.

Liu Fei felt as if he had been granted a pardon. After thanking him repeatedly, he ran away as if fleeing.

Wang Hao was dumbfounded. He shook Zhang Yan's shoulder forcefully: "Brother Yan! Are you crazy?! You really want to go up there and embarrass yourself?!"

Zhang Yan casually stuffed the application form into his pocket and patted Wang Hao on the shoulder.

"rest assured."

He glanced at the flashy Porsche in the distance, a subtle, unnoticed smile playing on his lips.

"The stage is already set; if we don't go up and put on a great show, wouldn't we be letting down the audience?"

……

At the same time.

The top floor of the CEO's office at Qingcheng Group.

Linda stood in front of the huge desk, reporting on today's schedule.

"...That concludes today's work."

"Also, Mr. Nie, there have been some new developments regarding the investigation you instructed us to conduct."

Nie Qingcheng was reviewing documents with her head down, and upon hearing this, she didn't even look up.

"explain."

"Mr. Zhang Yan was forced to register for the freshman welcome party the day after tomorrow at school today."

Linda carefully chose her words: "The program is a piano solo."

Nie Qingcheng paused as she signed the document.

She looked up, a hint of doubt flashing in her fox-like eyes.

piano?

That kid who can't even dress himself properly can play the piano?

"According to our investigation, Mr. Zhang Yan grew up in an orphanage and has never been exposed to any musical instruments."

Linda added, "Moreover, it seems that Zhao Yu, the young master of the Zhao Group, is behind this registration."

The temperature in the office suddenly dropped several degrees.

Nie Qingcheng gently placed the pen on the table, making a crisp sound.

"Zhao Yu?"

She repeated the name, her tone soft but carrying a chilling undertone, "That nouveau riche whose family got rich through land expropriation?"

"Yes, Mr. Nie, it seems that he has been targeting Mr. Zhang Yan for some...personal reasons."

Nie Qingcheng leaned back into the large leather seat, her fingers interlaced in front of her.

She didn't speak, but simply tapped her fingertips together rhythmically.

Linda kept her head down, barely daring to breathe.

She knew this was a sign that her boss was about to get angry.

How dare the son of some lowly nouveau riche touch Nie Qingcheng's people?

"A school's welcome party," Nie Qingcheng finally spoke, her voice languid, as if she were talking about some trivial matter, "utterly boring."

Linda chimed in, "Yes, Mr. Nie, it's a complete waste of your time."

"However..." Nie Qingcheng changed the subject, a dangerous yet alluring smile curving her lips, "Didn't I just donate a building to their school a few days ago?"

Linda's heart skipped a beat: "Yes, it's a library donated in your personal name."

"Let's go take a look."

Nie Qingcheng stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the city below.

"Tell the principal that I want to personally 'inspect' the progress of my charity project the day after tomorrow night."

She looked at her reflection in the glass, her red lips slightly upturned, a strong sense of interest flashing in her eyes.

She wants to see.

How will that stubborn boy handle this situation in front of the entire school?

Will he panic and mess everything up, then come to her for help with red eyes?

Or... will it bring her some unexpected surprise?

Just thinking about that scene made Nie Qingcheng feel inexplicably better.

She was even somewhat... looking forward to it.