Time ticked by. Soon, half an hour had passed, but Chu Xiangxue still hadn't shown up.

Pei Yanzi, however, was perfectly calm. Zhao Qingzhi, on the other hand, was growing restless. He stared at Lin Xiao, his expression full of arrogance.

"Hey, you stinking beggar, didn't you say Chu Xiangxue would be here any minute? Well? Where is she?"

"Are you in a hurry to get on your knees and kowtow to me?" Lin Xiao asked with a cold smile.

"Damn it, you stinking beggar, can you drop the act? Heavenly Immortal Chu has already agreed to have dinner with Young Master Bai at Chunyu Pavilion tonight. I was sparing Yanzi's feelings by not exposing you earlier, but you just couldn't get enough of this charade, could you!"

Just as Lin Xiao was about to speak, the door to the security room was pushed open, and a young woman in a white dress strode inside.

Her face was partially hidden by sunglasses, but the glimpse of her features was enough to tell she was a great beauty—an exceedingly stunning one at that. After entering the security room, she took off the sunglasses, revealing a pair of captivating eyes. Those eyes seemed to bring her entire face to life, making her breathtakingly beautiful. It could be none other than Chu Xiangxue.

Pei Yanzi recognized her at once. Her breath hitched in her throat. This was the idol she had worshipped for two years, standing right here, in the flesh. How could she not be beside herself with excitement?

Zhao Qingzhi, however, was completely dumbstruck, his eyes bulging like a bull's. He stared blankly at Chu Xiangxue, unable to believe this was real, not even in his wildest dreams.

Lin Xiao remained incredibly calm.

"I'm sorry, the traffic was a bit heavy, so I'm a little late," Chu Xiangxue said apologetically.

Lin Xiao smiled. "No problem. Come, let me introduce you to a fan!"

Chu Xiangxue gave a gentle smile, her gaze falling on Pei Yanzi's face.

"Is this lovely young woman the fan you were telling me about?" Chu Xiangxue asked with a warm smile.

Lin Xiao nodded.

Chu Xiangxue took Pei Yanzi's delicate hand in hers.

The simple gesture stunned Pei Yanzi. Her lovely face flushed a deep crimson, like the clouds at sunset. Pei Yanzi tried to say something, but the words came out as a jumbled mess. She struggled to form a single coherent sentence, and in her distress, her eyes began to well up.

"Don't be nervous," Chu Xiangxue said gently. "You're so beautiful, I should be the one who's star-struck!"

That single sentence instantly dissolved Pei Yanzi's anxiety. She shot Chu Xiangxue a grateful look.

"No, no, no, you're the one who's beautiful! Truly beautiful! You're my goddess!" she said quickly.

Chu Xiangxue gave a playful smile. "Is that so? I'm so flattered to be praised by such a beauty. But don't you think 'goddess' is laying it on a bit thick?"

Pei Yanzi thought Chu Xiangxue didn't believe her and argued excitedly, "No, it's true! You really are my goddess! You don't understand. I had a very difficult time in high school. One day, I happened to hear one of your songs and was instantly captivated. I felt your songs were so rational and calming, like a beacon in the darkness that lit the way forward for me."

Lin Xiao was taken aback. He had assumed Pei Yanzi was just another star-struck fan like most teenagers. He never would have guessed this was the reason she idolized Chu Xiangxue. Lin Xiao knew how difficult Pei Yanzi's past had been. To think she had been healed by Chu Xiangxue's music… no wonder she saw her as a goddess.

Chu Xiangxue was also surprised. She hadn't expected to hear such words from this impossibly beautiful and heart-achingly pure girl. She never imagined her music could have such a profound impact on someone.

For a moment, Chu Xiangxue was quite moved herself. She squeezed Pei Yanzi's hand tightly and said softly, "Thank you. What you just said... it makes me feel like what I'm doing is truly meaningful."

Pei Yanzi, thrilled, was about to speak again.

Just then, Zhao Qingzhi finally snapped out of his daze.

He said excitedly, "Heavenly Immortal Chu, I... I-I'm your fan! Could you... could you please give me an autograph?"

"Of course!" Chu Xiangxue said with a smile. She assumed the well-dressed young man was one of Lin Xiao's friends.

But Lin Xiao just laughed.

"You want an autograph? Sure. Kneel and kowtow first."

Zhao Qingzhi was instantly reminded of his bet with Lin Xiao. To be honest, he hadn't taken it seriously at all. He was the direct heir of a first-tier family in Jinling City, while this man was just a filthy beggar. But for Lin Xiao to say this in front of Heavenly Immortal Chu... Zhao Qingzhi's anger flared. He felt Lin Xiao was deliberately slapping him in the face, trying to humiliate him in front of his idol. A man's pride is a fragile thing, especially for the scion of a great family like Zhao Qingzhi, who valued his face more than his own life.

"You filthy beggar, are you looking to die?" Zhao Qingzhi roared. "Who the hell do you think you are, telling me to kneel to you? I'll have you know, I'm the direct heir of the Zhao Family of Jinling City, a first-tier family!"

Before Lin Xiao could respond, Chu Xiangxue suddenly smiled. "Oh? The heir of a first-tier family in Jinling City can be this arrogant? I guess that means I, the young lady of Shengjing's number one family, should be starting a rebellion, then?"

Though her tone was gentle, the chilling pride in her words made Zhao Qingzhi shudder. The Zhao Family certainly had some clout in Jinling City, but compared to Shengjing's top family, the Chu Family, the gap was as wide as heaven and earth. Forget Shengjing's number one family; even a second-tier family from there could crush the Zhaos without breaking a sweat.

"Heavenly Immortal Chu, I-I wasn't talking about you! It's this filthy beggar who's going too far! Please, don't take it to heart!" Zhao Qingzhi stammered, a look of sheer panic on his face. He was terrified that offending Chu Xiangxue would bring disaster upon his family.

Chu Xiangxue's smile remained, but her voice was cool. "Whether I take it to heart is unimportant. What *is* important is that Lin Xiao is my friend. Your disrespect toward him is disrespect toward me, Chu Xiangxue. So, will you be kneeling to apologize, or should I call my family and have the Chus schedule a little 'chat' with the Zhaos?"

Lin Xiao was stunned. He hadn't expected this unbelievably gentle young woman to wield such veiled threats with masterful skill. She truly was a product of a great family—one of a kind.

Zhao Qingzhi nearly wet himself in fear. Chu Xiangxue was actually threatening his entire family over a filthy beggar. All his earlier arrogance vanished in an instant. He scrambled to his knees and began knocking his head on the floor repeatedly.

"Stinking... Mr. Lin, I-I was wrong! I shouldn't have insulted you or been so rude! Please, just treat me like I'm nothing and spare me!"

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