"I ca across so juicy gossip involving you and soone nad South Fletcher..."
Julian Linfield, who was leisurely sipping tea, spit it out upon hearing this. He blinked, looking at Nora Scott like he’d seen a ghost.
Nora turned her head over, "Lunch hasn’t arrived yet, let indulge in so gossip."
Julian stared wide-eyed.
A few minutes later, a few plates of snacks were placed under the eaves. Each of them had a cup of oolong tea and sat cross-legged on the wooden floor.
Though it was November and the weather was cooling down, it was noon, and the sun was shining bright. A gentle breeze made the warmth comfortable, as lush bamboo leaves swayed gently in the courtyard. The bamboo house separated them from all the hustle and chaos outside.
"Where did you hear this gossip?"
Julian took a sip of tea. His tone was casual and quite calm.
"I don’t like the Sullivan Clan in Xiangel City, so I did a little digging into their social connections, and in following the trail, I found you." Nora answered truthfully, then gave him a glance and said earnestly, "My people are diligent and even found reports from decades ago. To be honest, you were quite handso in your youth."
Julian was rather smug, "Do you need to say it?"
Nora couldn’t stand his smugness and sneered, "Not nearly as good as my husband."
Julian: "..."
"Not as wealthy as him either." Nora added seriously.
"So superficial!"
"Hmm."
Sipping tea, Nora completely ignored his anger.
Julian stared wide-eyed, "And then what?"
Nora said nonchalantly, "I just read a few reports from back then, heard so gossip news from those years..."
Julian was born into a wealthy family. Though he didn’t enjoy prosperity for long, as a teenager his family fell on hard tis, but he had never been deprived of food, clothing, or a good education, and even studied under a famous master recognized in the Chinese music scene. Even though his family declined, he never suffered much hardship.
He beca famous at a young age, and without much struggle, he entered the National Music Group due to his solid ability and recomndations from celebrities. He continued to progress smoothly, becoming famous worldwide in just a couple of years.
By the ti he was under thirty, he was representing the country in various international competitions and performances. Many of his works beca well-known through film and television drama. He collaborated with nurous musicians, creating many golden hits for the country, which are still used today.
At that ti, his stage was the entire world.
With talent, works, status, and good looks, everyti he appeared in the newspaper, he captured the hearts of countless teenage girls. Occasionally when he appeared on television, girls would wait to watch him, boosting viewership ratings.
Even if this guy wasn’t a star, just his identity as a musician made him beloved by audiences nationwide. He was a hot figure at the ti.
But Julian beca famous too early, and fa and fortune weren’t attractive to him. After thirty, he faded from the public eye, dedicating himself to teaching at the National Academy of Music. Over ti, he was forgotten, only being occasionally rembered by those who admired him when they heard his works.
Yet, during those years when he was in the lilight, he was involved in so romantic gossip—
He was seen frequently with a young man nad South Fletcher, acting intimately. The news at the ti was very open and questioned Julian’s sexual orientation, speculating that the two were in a relationship.
"...That’s it."
Nora briefly recounted the gossip.
Julian rolled up his sleeves, and after listening, he didn’t show any change in emotion, just smiled and asked her, "Curious?"
"Curious."
Nora nodded frankly.
As far as she knew, Julian had always been single, never married or had children, though he was not committed to being single.
"Oh," Julian remained quite calm, nodding slightly, and as he raised his cup to drink tea, his gaze fell on the courtyard, "The reports are true."
"Oh."
Nora picked up a chestnut cake and took a bite.
A few seconds later, it was Julian who couldn’t sit still. He turned to observe Nora quietly eating her chestnut cake and frowned, "That’s it?"
"Ah?"
Nora looked confused.
"..."
Julian was bewildered.
After all these years, it was the first ti he told soone about this, and the person wasn’t responding?!
Nora ca to her senses and said, "I’m thinking about how to move on to the next topic."
"..."
Julian was about to be driven crazy by her.
Luckily, Nora quickly thought of what to say next, so she asked, "What kind of person was he?"
Julian sneered, smoothed his beard, and said with pride, "The greatest person in the world."
Nora nodded, "Just like my husband."
"..."
Julian Linfield glared at her angrily.
Nora Scott decided not to argue with him and after a mont, she added, "Okay, my husband does have so flaws, like loving too much."
"Do you believe I’ll grab a broom and chase you out?" Julian Linfield rolled up his sleeves, not in the best mood.
"Yet you still can’t beat ." Nora Scott was utterly unafraid and said lightly, "Still hasn’t gone public?"
"If it went public, you’d only find those rumor reports?" Julian Linfield frowned and questioned back, but soon his expression relaxed as he said, "He said he’d wait until I retired."
South Fletcher was a few years older than him.
Born in Xiangel City, a noble young master, gentle as jade. He ranked second in the family, but since the eldest died young, he had to take over the family business, carrying high expectations from a young age, thus developing a steady and cautious personality. When Julian Linfield first t him, he was truly fed up with this uninteresting dull person.
Whenever they t, sparks would fly.
But South Fletcher tolerated and gave way, for he loved Julian Linfield’s music deeply, treating him with respect everywhere.
Over ti, they learned that his steadiness and caution were just a shell; beneath it lay warmth and humor. The two clicked, and over ti, they could talk all night; sotis, becoming so engrossed that they didn’t realize it was already dawn.
South Fletcher said that tis would get better. When Julian Linfield retired, they would find a secluded place to live like carefree animals, free and easy.
Unfortunately, South Fletcher left before he could retire.
Twenty years ago, an accident.
For these twenty years, it felt like a dream, and now counting the ti, Julian Linfield suddenly realized so much ti had passed.
"I see."
Nora Scott, with a bland emotion, cradled her teacup and finished the last sip of tea.
Julian Linfield looked at her, hesitating for a while, then said, "If there’s one flaw of his, it’s that he loved music but didn’t have the talent for it."
"Don’t look at ," Nora Scott moved aside, "I play the erhu."
"..."
Nora Scott added, "I’ve dabbled in guitar, electronic music, drum kits, and such."
"..." Julian Linfield’s mouth twitched, "Quite proud of yourself?"
Thinking carefully, Nora Scott said slowly, "Depends on who I’m compared to."
In various fields, if compared to the few top-notch talents, it would only lead to inferiority and frustration. Nora Scott never felt inferior, so she could always find a good balance.
"..."
Julian Linfield grinded his teeth, wondering if he should expel her from the sect.
However, within seconds, Nora Scott moved over again, picked up a piece of chestnut cake, and handed it to him, "Want so?"
Julian Linfield glared at her, but the next mont, he snatched the chestnut cake and took a bite.
"I’ve finished gossiping." Nora Scott said, "Do you want so comfort?"
"You can comfort people?" Julian Linfield found it rare.
"I can’t..." Nora Scott was quite honest, but then she shifted the conversation, "But I think, you’ll probably enjoy listening to play the bamboo flute."
Julian Linfield glanced at her, his eyelids drooping, seemingly consenting.
Nora Scott then went to get the bamboo flute, sat back under the eaves, showcasing what she’d learned over the past months, and began to play.
Julian Linfield lay on the ground, with his legs crossed, one hand beneath his head, covered his face with a straw hat from sowhere, and closed his eyes comfortably.
The sound of the flute, which was noise-polluting, echoed in the bamboo house for a long, long ti.
*
Driving back, Rosa Sullivan’s thoughts were restless; thinking about the humiliating mont of making a mistake that Nora Scott witnessed made her frown uncontrollably, feeling agitated.
Things weren’t resolved with Julian Linfield, so she still had to find a way to guide public opinion...
Rosa Sullivan bit her lip in frustration.
If it weren’t for Nora Scott, the relationship between her and Julian Linfield wouldn’t have been exposed during yesterday’s live broadcast.
At this mont, her phone rang, and Rosa Sullivan glanced at the screen; it was Adrian Sullivan. She didn’t stop the car and picked up the phone to answer.
Without waiting for Adrian Sullivan to speak, Rosa Sullivan voiced first, "Brother, Julian Linfield didn’t agree, so we can only implent the second plan. Guide the public opinion to say that Julian Linfield was instigated by Nora Scott, ignoring , his top disciple, denying my existence, aiming not to let and Nora Scott shine together..."
"Bella!"
Adrian Sullivan interrupted her impatiently before she finished.
Rosa Sullivan was taken aback, "What?"
"There’s no way now!" Adrian Sullivan said anxiously, "Your conversation with Julian Linfield has been broadcasted. Nora Scott was live streaming all morning, and when she went in, the stream was still on, capturing your conversation with Julian Linfield—"
Before Adrian Sullivan could finish, Rosa Sullivan suddenly felt a blackout in front of her eyes, unable to hear anything anymore.
She held the phone in a daze; just ahead was a bend, and she remained motionless, watching the car veer off the road and tumble into the fields below.
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