Chapter 119: The Prodigy

Not only was the opening line frightening, but the rest of the song was equally eerie, especially since these lyrics were sung by a chubby little boy with a tender voice:

“Though I resent you deeply / I remain obsessed / Carrying another man’s child / Yet I have no temper to show.”

“Though I fear you greatly / I still follow you / Begging you not to leave lightly / For kindred souls are rare to find…”

Huang Guolun’s heartbeat slowed as he listened.

The scene was unbearably awkward. In front of a group of adults and children, Huang Tao was singing such a song… Today, Old Lady Zhou’s reputation was surely going to be ruined!

Yet, contrary to Huang Guolun’s expectations, no one else had ever heard of “Kindred Souls Are Rare to Find.” None of them caught the meaning behind Huang Tao’s singing. Instead, they all admired how stylish he looked playing and singing by himself.

Everyone was amazed at how talented Teacher Zhou’s grandson was! He played the piano well, and his singing had a somewhat mature feel—truly a prodigy!

Old Lady Zhou didn’t catch the parts about “castration” or “carrying another man’s child” in the lyrics. Even if she had, she wouldn’t have thought a child could sing such words. Surely, the child must have been singing something else.

Seeing that all the children and adults around were captivated by Huang Tao’s performance, Old Lady Zhou was immensely proud. She whispered to Huang Guolun on the video call, “My grandson will definitely become a great singer someday!”

Huang Guolun could not deny it. Just looking at Huang Tao’s musical talent, it was off the charts. If the boy set his mind to it, he could become a star—a cross-generational superstar!

But Huang Guolun still worried the boy would get into serious trouble in the future. Just listen to the songs he’s singing now—they’re almost too mature for his age.

What ideas constantly filled this boy’s mind, Huang Guolun increasingly found himself unable to understand.

Huang Tao’s growth was far outpacing Huang Guolun’s ability to keep up.

He was beginning to feel that, with his strength alone, he could no longer manage this wild child.

It was time to find him a new mother.

Hopefully, with the combined efforts of two adults, they could reclaim the child’s childhood and guide him onto the healthiest path forward.

At the electronic keyboard, Huang Tao continued to sing with genuine feeling:

“Though I love you deeply / I do not cherish you / Letting time slip away / You regret it too late.”

“Though I miss you dearly / Hesitant to reach out / Our destined meeting / Slipped through our fingers.”

“Though I have lost you / You still appear in my dreams / Begging you not to leave lightly / For kindred souls are rare to find.”

“Begging you not to leave lightly / For kindred souls are rare to find…”

…

“Ah, kindred souls are so rare to find, truly rare to find!”

Huang Tao’s song expressed Huang Guolun’s own feelings.

Not wanting to watch the performance any longer for fear his heart couldn’t take it, Huang Guolun ended the video call with Old Lady Zhou.

Only then did he notice a missed call from Zhao Jing and a message from Shen Yumeng.

After putting down his phone to rest his eyes for a moment, Huang Guolun called Zhao Jing back.

He learned that Shen Yumeng had recommended him to their radio program team, and that a radio host would be coming to the duck restaurant that evening to watch his special session. Huang Guolun felt a small thrill of surprise.

He himself wasn’t particularly interested in appearing on the radio show, but realizing it would be excellent publicity for “You Were a Beautiful Corpse,” he decided to take it seriously.

That morning, he practiced singing briefly with Bai Yao again. Approaching noon, Huang Guolun sent Zhao Yan the restaurant’s address, planning to have lunch with her alone.

Before leaving, he told Bai Yao kindly, “Xiao Bai, I have a lunch appointment today.”

Bai Yao understood immediately and said, “You go ahead. Don’t worry about me; I’ll handle lunch myself.”

“You don’t have to worry about lunch. I’ve already ordered something light for you. The property manager will bring it over. Remember to open the door for them.”

Bai Yao smiled sweetly and thanked him, thinking to herself, How lucky would it be to be Teacher Huang’s child! Just like Taozi, carefree every day with good food and happiness!

Huang Guolun advised, “After you eat, take a nap. Rest well and build up your energy for the special session tonight.”

“Okay. When will you be back? Should I go to the duck restaurant and wait for you myself?”

“I’ll come get you this afternoon. We’ll go together.”

Huang Guolun glanced at his watch. “Alright, I’m off now. Don’t forget to open the door for the manager. Call me if you need anything.”

“Okay, drive safely.”

Bai Yao politely saw him to the entrance.

Taking the elevator down alone, Huang Guolun felt a slight flutter of excitement. He wasn’t sure if it was anticipation or something else.

In any case, this formal meeting with Zhao Yan—an introduction for potential romance—felt like a step toward embracing new happiness.

He had been introduced to many women before, but none matched him in so many ways like Zhao Yan did.

If things went well, Huang Guolun was very willing to take the relationship further.

His own personal needs were not urgent, but he truly wanted to find a new mother for Taozi—someone who could love the child as much as he did, to provide a more complete environment for the boy’s growth, rather than letting Taozi grow recklessly at such a wild pace.

That noon, Huang Guolun took Zhao Yan to Liyuan on Jinbao Street, a famous Cantonese restaurant.

When they’d talked before, Zhao Yan had mentioned she liked Cantonese cuisine, so Huang Guolun booked Liyuan.

Receiving the invitation warmed Zhao Yan’s heart. Such thoughtful details showed that Huang Guolun was the kind of warm-hearted, mature man she liked.

After receiving the invitation, Zhao Yan left the store. Rather than going straight to the restaurant, she drove home first to change and dress up properly.

At home, she unexpectedly ran into Zhao Jing, who hadn’t yet left.

As soon as she entered, she saw Zhao Jing in the living room, putting little panties on Ollie’s head for a photo shoot.

“Oh, you’re up already?”

Zhao Yan was surprised to see Zhao Jing so early and felt a bit guilty.

Zhao Jing was also caught off guard by Zhao Yan’s sudden return and felt similarly uneasy—her washing machine was still running, cleaning evidence of her bedwetting.

Quickly tossing Ollie aside, Zhao Jing straightened up nervously and asked Zhao Yan, “Why are you back, sis?”

Zhao Yan pointed at Ollie and asked Zhao Jing in confusion, “What are you doing? You’re not abusing Ollie, are you?”

“No, I’m putting panties on him. Isn’t his talent show about underwear? There’s a livestream today, and I’m planning to have him showcase his talent. Hee hee.”

“Stop messing around!”

Zhao Yan stomped her foot in frustration but was focused on her appointment and didn’t have time for an argument. She hurried to her room and warned Zhao Jing, “Don’t mess around at home. If you’re free, go help out at the store. There are a lot of customers today, and Xiao Wei and Lingzi are nearly overwhelmed… Boom.” With that, Zhao Yan slammed her bedroom door shut.

Zhao Jing was stunned by Zhao Yan’s sudden urgency. Her bright eyes flickered with intuition—her sister must have something going on!

Quietly, she pushed Zhao Yan’s door open halfway and peeked inside. She saw Zhao Yan rummaging through her wardrobe.

Zhao Jing grinned cheekily and asked, “Sis, the store is so busy, how do you have time to come home and change? Are you going on a date?”

“Mind your own business. Do what you need to do.”

“Hee hee, you’re definitely going on a date!”

Zhao Jing shamelessly barged in, flopping on Zhao Yan’s bed in a starfish pose, chattering, “Who are you going with? Why a lunch date? That’s so unromantic… Wait, don’t tell me you’re meeting that scumbag painter!”

“No. Don’t worry about me. That’s all in the past. I’m starting a new life.” Zhao Yan said brightly, full of confidence. She was holding up a vibrant orange cotton dress in front of the mirror. Her love for beauty made her seem rejuvenated.

“Sis, it’s great that you’re vain again! But that dress doesn’t suit you. Your figure isn’t right for dresses. You’re already a bit chubby, and if you wear a base layer underneath plus a cotton dress, you’ll look like a walking Michelin man.”

Zhao Yan, feeling deflated, hung the dress back in the wardrobe and scolded Zhao Jing, “Can you stop being so cruel? I’ve lost six pounds this month, okay? I’m getting thinner.”

Zhao Jing rolled her eyes. “Losing six pounds out of fifty is noticeable. But you weigh 110 pounds; losing six pounds doesn’t make much difference.”

“Enough with the nonsense. How about this?”

Zhao Yan held up a tasteful beige trench coat for Zhao Jing’s opinion.

“That’s good. You look elegant, capable, and slimmer in a trench coat.”

“Then it’s settled. What about pants?”

Zhao Jing tapped her chin, scrutinizing Zhao Yan. “A trench coat goes best with a midi or mini skirt, but you’re not suited for skirts right now. Just wear a white base shirt with light blue jeans. Pair that with your new camel-colored heels. It’ll make you look tall, youthful, and vibrant.”

Zhao Yan frowned. “Jeans with heels? That’s... too mismatched.”

Zhao Jing said bluntly, “With your height, not wearing heels with a trench coat makes you look stubby. Jeans with heels are super cool. Roll up the cuffs a bit to show your ankles—it’s very casual. I dress like that all the time.”

“You have long legs, so it works for you,” Zhao Yan admitted. “I’ll just wear regular pants with heels. I can’t pull off jeans and heels.”

“Sis, you actually don’t have short legs, just a bit thick... Haha, I told you to come practice yoga with me, but you refused.”

“Stop talking nonsense and get out. I need to change.” Zhao Yan took off her jacket and casually tossed her phone onto the bed.

“Ding.”

Huang Guolun had just sent her a WeChat message, notifying her that the reservation was confirmed and she could head straight there.

Zhao Jing was quick to grab Zhao Yan’s phone as she rolled on the bed.

Seeing the message from Teacher Huang, Zhao Jing was stunned. She pointed at Zhao Yan, then at the phone, and asked, “You’re going on a date with... Teacher Huang?!”