Residents gathered, pedestrians stopped, children, young people, and the elderly, all ages were present.
Surrounded by the crowd was a woman.
She appeared to be about forty, elegant and beautiful, with a gentle deanor and enduring charm. Well-maintained, her skin was in excellent condition, and she was in high spirits. Her curly hair draped over one side as she wore a black long dress, her figure enviably good, as the evening breeze lifted her skirt, accompanied by the lodious flute sound, a beauty that took the audience’s breath away.
She held a bamboo flute, positioned horizontally, her slender fingers moving lightly, playing a lody that was smooth and brisk with her breath.
Every movent exuded an intellectual aura.
She was smiling, her eyes filled with gentle warmth, the sunset’s afterglow casting into her eyes, making her pupils seem to glow.
A beautiful scene that made people want to linger.
Moreover, a tune so challenging that even a layperson could perceive its difficulty, yet she perford it with ease, as if it was the simplest thing.
"Mom, I want to learn to play the bamboo flute, I want to enroll in a class for this."
A little girl of about six or seven tugged at her parent’s hand, making her request in a bright voice, her large, bright eyes full of excitent, enthusiasm, and admiration.
"Learn, learn, learn."
The young mother couldn’t stop smiling.
The previously quiet crowd suddenly broke into discussion because of this mother and daughter’s words—
"Listening to this makes want to learn too."
"Which arts college is she from? She must be a professional."
"It takes at least ten or twenty years of skill to reach this level."
...
"Recently, in my building, you can faintly hear soone playing the flute in the morning, not sure which kid is learning, it’s annoyingly bad. Luckily, the soundproofing is good, you can’t hear it with the doors and windows closed; otherwise, I’d have to complain to the property managent."
...
"Complain."
Henry Chapman echoed the word with a bit of mischievous intent.
Nora Scott gave him a cool glance.
Henry Chapman fell silent.
Then, the middle-aged lady used a flutter-tonguing technique, without a single breath interruption, playing sothing that made everything around go silent, ending their brief exchange.
A feast for the ears, an ecstasy within the mind, a sensation overwhelming the senses.
Watching as she naturally beca the center of attention, Nora Scott suddenly felt the charm that this bamboo flute possessed.
The air remained silent for about a minute.
With the end of the piece.
Applause, applause, applause, applause.
Enthusiastic clapping and cheering erupted from the crowd, so even approached and started talking to the lady playing the flute.
The lady glanced around the entire scene, her gaze lingering slightly on Nora Scott and Henry Chapman, then nodded gently to everyone before patiently engaging in conversation with them.
Slightly leaning towards Henry Chapman’s direction, Nora Scott asked softly, "Did she just look at ?"
Henry Chapman said, "She looked at too."
He felt the lady looked familiar, but couldn’t recall where he’d seen her before.
Nora Scott asked, "With a face like mine, could I make a lasting impression on her?"
Turning his head, Henry Chapman scrutinized Nora Scott’s enchanting face and confidently said, "Absolutely."
"Oh."
Nora Scott turned and left.
Everyone prepared to witness Nora Scott charm bystanders and win the artist’s favor, but within re seconds, they saw Nora Scott ’flee in panic,’ leaving Henry Chapman frowning in confusion as he trailed behind her.
He asked, "You’re not going to hit on her?"
Nora Scott gave him a sidelong glance, "Can’t you speak properly?"
"...Flirt," Henry Chapman corrected himself helplessly.
Nora Scott had often engaged in roadside flirting... or rather, striking up conversations. Moreover, with her face, she always succeeded with people of all ages and genders.
Nora Scott said, "One step at a ti, otherwise it looks too deliberate."
Henry Chapman: "..." It’s just learning the bamboo flute.
No one can even be sure if she’ll be back tomorrow.
*
After the crowd dispersed, Flora Loughton put away the bamboo flute, gazing sadly in the direction Nora Scott and Henry Chapman had left.
Turning around, Flora Loughton pulled out her phone and made a call to Pedro Langley.
Flora Loughton bluntly asked, "Have you gotten your wife’s forgiveness?"
"No," Pedro Langley replied.
"She was just strolling around the neighborhood with Henry Chapman, did you know?" Flora Loughton asked.
Pedro Langley was slightly taken aback, "I didn’t know."
However, Nora Scott had briefly ntioned to him that Henry Chapman was visiting her ho to teach her acting and coach her in scenes today.
Flora Loughton reminded him, "I’ve already warned you, she’s beautiful, talented, powerful, and wealthy, and she’s not after anything from you. Shouldn’t you treat her well, pamper her, and keep a constant eye on her? Even if you two are just dating now, let alone married, there’s still a line of quality n waiting to break you two apart."
"...Mm."
Pedro Langley didn’t deny this.
Seeing he wasn’t anxious at all, Flora Loughton grew impatient, "Aren’t you going to appease her yet?"
Pedro Langley didn’t rush to comfort her but instead asked, "Why are you at Cloudwater Haven?"
"Here to spend a few days with your father."
"Where are you staying?"
"Isn’t Katherine not living here? Staying at her place for now."
Flora Loughton answered offhandedly, paused, then thought about the charming Henry Chapman and couldn’t help but worry again, "Henry Chapman and Nora Scott are going to the supermarket together, strolling through the neighborhood; they look just like a couple in love. Be honest with , is she with you just to spite Henry Chapman?"
Pedro Langley got roasted by his own mom, his stomach hurt, "I really look like a backup?"
"Henry Chapman is talented, he matches with her! They’re both actors, they have sothing in common!"
"And I don’t match?"
Pedro’s head ached with anger.
"What can you do besides having money?" Flora Loughton retorted, then complained, "You can’t even play a bamboo flute."
"..."
Pedro was speechless.
In the light of Nora Scott, he had lost all his shine in Flora’s eyes.
"When can you invite her to the neighborhood for a walk?" Flora asked.
"Right away."
Flora was skeptical, "Can you manage that?"
"...I’ll try."
Pedro hung up the phone feeling gloomy.
*
Nora and Henry ran into Pedro, who had been waiting for a long ti, before entering the building.
The sky darkened.
The lights ca on, dim and yellow, casting a long shadow behind him.
Nora stopped, frowned at Pedro, "Didn’t I tell you not to co back to Cloudwater Haven?"
Dinner ti was nearing for Rose, and Henry was worried about her being left at ho. Seeing Pedro blocking the way, yet being unable to leave Nora behind due to social etiquette, he could only frown secretly.
This little gesture was seen by Pedro, and he took it as Henry resenting him for ruining their "alone ti."
Pedro suddenly felt a surge of jealousy.
This clueless movie star, didn’t he know how to avoid suspicion?
Retracting his gaze, Pedro fixed his eyes on Nora, their eyes t.
After a slight pause, he lifted the paper bag in his hand and said, "I saw so snacks from the Green Osmanthus Pavilion on the way, and suddenly thought of you."
Nora’s brow furrowed.
Was that how he was trying to appease her?
After a brief pause, Pedro slightly lifted his eyelids. His dark, deep eyes glinted with a hint of starlight, and he added, "I’ll leave after delivering this."
"..."
Even though she knew Pedro was using a soft approach, the way he looked at her made Nora’s heart imdiately lt.
Even if Pedro had been a bit more forceful, Nora could have easily ignored him for a few weeks.
But——
Pedro knew her weakness, that she was swayed by gentleness over force.
"Oh."
This mood-killer Henry, whose emotional intelligence suddenly plunged, naturally reached out to take the snacks from Pedro.
Pedro: "..."
Nora: "..."
After a while, Nora looked at Pedro’s darkened face, and couldn’t help but burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking with amusent.
Pedro took a deep breath, lightly gritted his teeth, shot a cold glance at Henry, but when he saw Nora’s smiling face, his expression softened.
He asked, "Has he been single since birth?"
"What’s it to you?"
Henry was baffled.
Nora collected her smile, handed the shopping bag to Henry, and said, "You go up first."
Henry took the shopping bag.
Pedro, seemingly intent, fulfilled his wish and also handed over the snack bag to him.
Holding two bags, Henry thought of the cold look Pedro gave him earlier, turned back, and told Nora, "Hope you two break up soon."
Pedro Nora: "..."
After leaving his "blessing," Henry walked into the building without bothering about them.
Seeing Pedro’s gloomy face, Nora couldn’t help but want to laugh.
Pedro lifted his hands, pinched her cheeks, "He hopes we break up, and you still laugh?"
Slapping his hand away, Nora’s lips curved slightly upward, "Weren’t you the one who attacked first?"
Pedro frowned, "Wasn’t he the one who started it?"
"Weren’t you the one who said ’I’ll leave after delivering’?" Nora countered.
"...You’re siding with him?"
Thinking of Flora’s words, Pedro’s jealousy bubbled up again and again.
Nora gave him a sidelong glance, "You let a strange woman into your car, and you think you’re in the right?"
"Not in the right." Pedro didn’t even blink, "Classmate Flora criticized herself for half an hour, then criticized for another half hour."
"You’re bluffing." Nora didn’t believe him, but her anger dissipated entirely. She smiled, "We’re having hotpot tonight. Marcus won’t be back until later. Want to take a walk?"
"Let’s walk."
Pedro chuckled softly, all traces of jealousy gone, and held her hand.
Nora didn’t shake him off.
*
Five minutes later——
Holding a bamboo flute and a bag, waiting by the roadside for her husband, Flora caught sight of two figures out of the corner of her eye and was startled. She then hurriedly turned her back in a slight panic.
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