“If you’re just going to spend the next hour wallowing in your doubts, you might as well go and look for candidates you think are worthy to join us. You can’t dump this all on Yao Tang and blame her later when it doesn’t pan out.”
Fang Hui’s tone turned sharper as he added, “Besides, what does it matter that she’s President Tan’s apprentice? We should all be grateful that she’s going to great lengths for our sake, even when she doesn’t have to.
“Don’t forget who the real participants of this assessment are, and why we’re doing it in the first place.”
The others couldn’t help but lower their heads in shame.
“Well?” Fang Huisnapped when no one said anything. “What are you guys still doing here? Go and look for suitable substitutes!”
To their credit, everyone scrambled out of their seats and did as they were told.
Meanwhile, Yao TangunblockedXiao Jing’s number from her blacklist and tapped the call button.
The call connected after a couple of rings.
“I want to ask you for a favor,” Yao Tangsaid without preamble.
At first, Xiao Jingwas pleasantly surprised when he sawYao Tang’s name flashing on his screen.
However, she spoke, and he was tempted to throw a fit.
This Yao Tangnever changed.
She still sounded arrogant, as if she wasn’t asking for a favor at all.
She could have at least exchanged a few pleasantries with him before going in for the kill.
But Yao Tangwouldn’t do that, of course.
To think that she had unblocked him just to ask for a favor…
Xiao Jing wouldn’t be surprised if she left him in the dust again once she got what she needed for him.
“How can you do this to me, Yao Tang?” he said.
“I helped you last time, too, but you went ahead and blacklisted me. And now, here you are again, asking for my help. What do you take me for? Am I some dish rag you can just throw away after use?”
His voice was filled with grievance and indignation, though he took care not to mention anything about giving her a tombstone.
That incident ended terrifyingly with another tombstone being placed in his house without his knowledge.
Xiao Jing could barely sleep that night.
He just opened his front door and saw it in the middle of his courtyard, a beam of moonlight casting it in a sinister light.
He still had no idea why Yao Tanghad come looking for a tombstone during that time.
Thinking about it now, Xiao Jing couldn’t shake off the feeling that something wasn’t right about that situation, and he soon got caught up in his presumptions.
It wasn’t until Yao Tangspoke again that he returned to his senses.
“Do you still have your network? I need a few musicians to stand in for our orchestra…”
She explained everything to him, and even Xiao Jingthought that they were in quite a pickle.
“Why are you asking me to recommend someone else, huh? Didn’t I ever cross your mind? Are you so unimpressed by my skills that you didn’t even think to consider me as a substitute?”
Xiao Jing sounded very much like a jilted lover when he said this.
On her end, Yao Tangraised an eyebrow and took a deep breath.
“I don’t need you here. Regular musicians will do, as long as they can perform well.”
Xiao Jing harrumphed, clearly unhappy.
“Fine. How many people do you need? Are you sure you don’t want us to step in?”
“That won’t be necessary. We’re just short of some people for tomorrow’s assessment, that’s all.”
“Assessment? Do you mean the Annual Music AssociationAssessment? I can’t believe you’re bothering with something like this, Captain Yao.”
In fact, Xiao Jingcouldn’t believe thatYao Tangwould want to join theMusic Association, to begin with.
He never thought that she cared about such things, so his orchestra didn’t entertain the idea of joining as the Music Association, either.
They were famous and accomplished enough, anyway. They didn’t need to be affiliated with the organization to prove themselves.
Everyone in Xiao Jing’s orchestra was personally trained byYao Tang. In the beginning, they were more or less the same—lazy and carefree.
If they learned that the most indifferent among them all was planning to participate in the Music Association’s assessment, they would definitely kick up a fuss.
It was too unexpected.
“Is it really that surprising?”
Yao Tang drawled over the phone.
Sensing the underlying threat in her tone, Xiao Jingwas quick to deny it. “No, no, of course not! I’m not surprised at all.”
He cleared his throat and changed the subject. “How many people do you need?”
“A violin concertmaster, a cellist, and two violinists.”
“I see.” Xiao Jing’s sounded careful as he asked, “And may I know what your position is?”
