Chapter 317: Chapter 317

"Shen, are you joking?"

Liu Runxi and Gu Bichen both frowned and looked at Shen You’an.

She wasn’t the type to make reckless boasts—had Qin Xiangge really provoked her competitive streak?

Shen You’an had already mentioned she came from a modest background; where would she have found the time or resources to learn piano? To perform solo, she’d need at least ten years of practice. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ N0velFire.ɴet

She must be out of her mind.

This thought appeared in the minds of almost everyone in the class.

Facing countless complex gazes, Shen You’an spoke with remarkable calmness: "Didn’t you say it yourself? I have strong learning capabilities. Hmm, starting now, there are more than thirty days left—it should be enough."

She was planning to start learning piano now?

This wasn’t what people meant by a last-minute effort.

Shen You’an was overly confident, almost to the point of foolishness.

Qin Xiangge hadn’t expected Shen You’an to take the bait so easily. Worried she might back out, Qin immediately said, "Alright, I’ll sign you up then. If you need any guidance, you can always come to me—I’d be very happy to help."

Internally, Qin Xiangge could hardly suppress her laughter. What a joke—this so-called school beauty was nothing more than an arrogant fool. Just wait until the embarrassment unfolds. Let President Lan and all her supporters see what kind of "face" they had chosen to represent Lanya High School.

Qin Xiangge glanced instinctively toward Leng Yunyang, who had been dozing off the entire time, as if he hadn’t heard any of this.

Even Leng Yunyang would probably feel disappointed.

Qin Xiangge stepped down from the podium, strolling over to Gu Bichen’s side. Her gaze seemed to drift casually across his face as she extracted a sign-up sheet and handed it to Shen You’an, her expression a picture of elegant composure.

"Shen, please fill out this sign-up form."

Shen You’an held the sheet between two slender fingers and swiftly wrote down her name. When she reached the "piece selection" section, she paused, looked up, and smiled, asking, "What piano piece did you choose, Qin?"

Qin Xiangge almost burst into laughter. Was Shen You’an insane? Was she seriously planning to play the same piece as her?

This was blatant provocation.

After a flash of anger, Qin Xiangge quickly regained her smile—a very pleased smile.

"’Phantom of the Night.’"

This was a piece Qin Xiangge had been polishing for years.

The Phantom style, mysterious and enchanting, was particularly favored by Master Ferna. Qin had devoted endless effort to mastering it, and among the three movements, Phantom was her strongest.

Then she watched as Shen You’an, in the "piece selection" section, wrote down: "Phantom of the Night."

Qin Xiangge’s pupils contracted sharply, then she shook her head and chuckled.

"Shen You’an, let me give you some heartfelt advice: Don’t be so impulsive just to compete with me—you’ll be the one humiliated in the end."

After a brief pause, she said, "I seem to remember your singing was quite nice back at the karaoke place. Why not register for a vocal solo instead? I’m genuinely thinking of your best interests."

Shen You’an handed the form back to her, smiling brightly as she looked up and said, "Thank you for your kindness. But if I don’t embarrass myself, you’ll likely come back to nag me over and over. I’m the sort of person who prefers to handle things once and for all."

Shen You’an certainly knew how to throw shade. Qin Xiangge sneered coldly and took back the form.

If she wanted to be so stubborn, she couldn’t blame anyone else for what would happen.

"If you insist on a piano solo, then why not pick another piece? How about ’Ode to Joy’? Simple and straightforward, quite suitable for beginners."

Her eyes looked full of sincerity, as if she meant it.

Shen You’an yawned lazily and replied, "Wouldn’t that suit your purpose perfectly?"

Qin Xiangge laughed and shook her head. "Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Shen You’an."

Shen You’an waved her hand dismissively and slumped back onto her desk.

Qin Xiangge nodded politely towards Gu Bichen before turning away.

Class A erupted into a frenzy of speculation. They assumed Shen You’an must have been provoked, sure that she would get eliminated in the first round.

If word got out, the humiliation would be enormous. Her reputation as the school beauty would be ruined.

After all, Qin Xiangge had been studying piano for over a decade under renowned teachers, claiming numerous awards. To play the same piece as her—it was like a novice trying to teach an expert, utterly laughable.

Why hadn’t they noticed before that Shen You’an was so full of herself?

Everyone shook their heads, as if they could already envision Shen You’an’s disgraceful failure.

Gu Bichen’s fingers twitched slightly; he glanced sideways at her.

His lips moved briefly, but he ultimately remained silent.

Still, he kept pondering: What exactly was Shen You’an’s intention behind all this?

She wasn’t the type to act without reason. Qin Xiangge was aggressive and domineering, but based on Shen You’an’s personality, at most she’d return a few sarcastic remarks—not make such a rash move.

Piano wasn’t something one could master overnight. Even to play a beginner’s piece in a month would be an extraordinary feat.