"My mother taught me… before she passed away," Gu Anran replied calmly.
Her voice was steady, but there was a faint softness hidden within.
Teacher Bai's expression changed slightly.
He had not expected that answer.
No wonder the piece carried such deep emotion.
After a brief silence, he looked at her seriously.
"Child," he said slowly, "are you willing to learn from me and become my last student?"
The words fell like thunder in the banquet hall.
Gu Yuhan nearly lost control.
Her fingers trembled violently, her nails digging into her palms once more.
His last student?
That position—
That title—
It was supposed to be hers!
Even Gu Anran was slightly surprised.
Her original intention had only been to ruin Gu Yuhan's opportunity. She never expected Teacher Bai to personally offer to accept her.
But…
This was even better.
A win-win situation.
Why would she refuse?
Gu Anran immediately stepped forward and cupped her hands respectfully, bowing slightly.
"Teacher, please guide me from now on."
Her tone was neither overly excited nor arrogant—only sincere.
Teacher Bai nodded in satisfaction.
Then he turned to face the crowd and announced clearly,
"From today onward, Gu Anran is my student—my final student. If anyone dares to bully or harm her, they will answer to me."
The declaration stunned the entire hall.
Teacher Bai rarely involved himself in worldly matters.
Yet now—
He was openly backing her.
Gu Anran slowly lifted her gaze.
Across the hall, she saw Gu Yuhan's red-rimmed eyes.
In her previous life, it had been Gu Yuhan standing proudly beside Teacher Bai, wearing a smug smile while she herself watched from below.
But now—
The tables had turned.
A faint smile bloomed on Gu Anran's beautiful face.
Gu Yuhan… this is only the beginning.
Unable to endure any longer, Gu Yuhan abruptly turned and rushed out of the banquet hall.
She ran until she reached a secluded corner of the garden.
Only then did she let out a suppressed scream.
"Yuhan, what's wrong?"
A worried voice sounded behind her.
Song Yichen hurried toward her, concern written all over his face.
When he saw her tear-streaked cheeks, his heart tightened painfully.
"Yichen…" Gu Yuhan sobbed as she threw herself into his arms. "Why does my sister hate me so much? Since childhood, she's always taken everything from me. And now… even my lifelong dream…"
Her shoulders trembled.
"What am I supposed to do now?"
Song Yichen's heart ached as he held her.
Hatred toward Gu Anran quietly grew within him.
"Don't cry," he said gently, wiping her tears. "Yuhan, I'll help you. We'll find a way to make Teacher Bai reject her."
Gu Yuhan's crying paused for a split second.
Exactly as she expected.
This was what she wanted.
With Song Yichen's involvement, things would become much easier.
She lifted her head slowly.
"Yichen… I have a plan. Do you want to hear it?"
"Yes," he replied without hesitation.
Gu Yuhan leaned closer and whispered a few words into his ear.
Song Yichen's brows furrowed.
He hesitated.
For some reason, Gu Anran's image tonight surfaced in his mind—the way she shone under the lights, confident and dazzling.
Seeing his hesitation, Gu Yuhan's eyes filled with tears again.
"Is my plan too cruel?" she asked softly.
"After all… she's still my sister. I don't want to do this. But I've been pushed to the edge."
Her voice trembled just enough.
Song Yichen immediately hardened his resolve.
"Yuhan, you're too kind," he said firmly. "If she truly treated you as her sister, she wouldn't have done this to you."
He was completely fooled.
"Then… what should we do?" Gu Yuhan asked softly.
"We'll follow your plan," Song Yichen replied decisively. "Don't worry. I'll make sure everything goes smoothly."
Gu Yuhan's lips curved slightly—though she quickly concealed it.
She threw herself into his arms again.
"Thank you, Yichen," she said sweetly.
Song Yichen's heart raced.
At that moment, he felt that no matter what it took—
It would be worth it.
Hidden in the darkness, Gu Yuhan's eyes slowly turned cold.
Gu Anran… let's see how long you can stay proud.
After formally accepting Gu Anran as his disciple, Teacher Bai personally introduced her to several influential figures present at the banquet.
"Chairman Liu, this is my student, Gu Anran."
"President Zhou, remember her name."
His tone was calm, but the meaning was clear.
Anyone Teacher Bai personally introduced was worth remembering.
Gu Anran maintained a graceful smile, neither overly enthusiastic nor timid. She responded appropriately, her posture elegant and composed.
Not far away, Lu Zhenyu and his friends observed the scene.
"This eldest Miss of the Gu family is really lucky," Xie Niangli remarked, swirling the wine in his glass before taking a sip.
Ming Lin leaned lazily against a pillar. "Luck?" he scoffed softly. "She's not as simple as she looks."
Song Qingshen's lips curved slightly. "I have a feeling… there might be more drama tonight."
Lu Zhenyu said nothing.
But his gaze never left her.
Meanwhile, Gu Anran was still socializing when suddenly—
Splash.
A glass of red wine spilled across her dress.
A collective gasp echoed.
The waitress holding the tray looked horrified, her hands trembling.
"M-Miss Gu, I'm so sorry! It wasn't intentional!" the waitress stammered, her eyes filling with tears as if she might collapse from fear.
Gu Anran looked down at the stain.
The deep red liquid spread across the pale fabric like blooming roses.
Annoyance flashed through her eyes—but only for a second.
"It's fine," she said calmly. "Be more careful next time. You may leave."
The waitress bowed repeatedly in gratitude before retreating quickly.
Gu Anran turned to Teacher Bai.
"Teacher, please excuse me for a moment."
Teacher Bai nodded kindly. "Go ahead."
Gu Anran walked toward the restroom, unaware that several eyes were quietly watching her leave.
The corridor outside the restroom was unusually quiet.
When she stepped inside, the scent of perfume lingered faintly in the air.
She paused.
Something felt… off.
A strange smell slowly drifted toward her.
It wasn't strong.
But it was unusual.
Her vision began to blur slightly.
She frowned.
This scent…
Before she could react, a wave of dizziness hit her.
The world spun.
Her fingers barely managed to grab the edge of the sink—
Then everything went black.
Her body collapsed softly to the floor.
—
Moments later, the restroom door creaked open.
The same waitress stepped inside cautiously.
"Miss, she's unconscious now," the waitress said nervously.
From behind the partition, Gu Yuhan walked out.
Her gentle mask was gone.
In its place was cold calculation.
"You may leave," Gu Yuhan said indifferently. "Someone will transfer the rest of your payment."
The waitress's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Miss!"
Without another word, she hurried away.
Silence returned.
Gu Yuhan slowly walked toward Gu Anran's unconscious body.
She crouched down, staring at her sister's pale face.
"Oh, dear sister…" she murmured softly.
"You've finally fallen into my hands."
Her lips curved into a cruel smile.
"Don't worry. I've prepared a very special gift for you tonight."
She brushed a strand of hair away from Gu Anran's face mockingly.
"I'm sure… you're going to enjoy it."
Outside, the banquet continued as if nothing had happened.
Inside the restroom—
A trap had just been set.