The Billion-Value Lands Are Just For Farming

Chapter 421 - There Were a Lot of Onlookers

Su Ming promptly called the owner of the 4S store, instructing him to select several cars for the traffic police without worrying about the cost. The 4S store owner agreed enthusiastically, and the deal was settled in under ten minutes.

The driver, having been caught speeding, had 12 points deducted from his license on the spot. Luckily, it wasn't a more serious issue, or he would have faced detention. He stayed put, awaiting the arrival of the insurance agent.

Su Ming and Cui Pingzhang hailed a cab and headed straight to the hotel where Cui Pingzhang was staying. Despite being the dean of an academy, Cui Pingzhang was remarkably frugal. He opted not to stay in a luxurious five-star hotel, but rather in a very modest one. As they exited the taxi, Su Ming and Cui Pingzhang chatted while entering the hotel, just in time to see a young man and woman descending the stairs.

The pair appeared to be in their twenties. The woman was quite attractive with a good figure, standing out in a crowd. However, she paled in comparison to Xiao Ke'er, who was of noble lineage and possessed an innate elegance that money simply couldn't buy. Few women in the entire imperial court could match her grace.

The man was quite average-looking, somewhat short and slightly overweight, with his hair thinning prematurely.

“Hubby, with all your wealth, why stay in this hotel?” the woman clung to the man.

”Darling, you just don't understand,” he replied. “Even with my billion-dollar business, it's important not to be extravagant. We should live modestly.”

He had clearly prepared his rationale.

He was reluctant to spend on a fancy hotel and sought a plausible excuse.

”You're absolutely right!” the woman said with admiration. “Hubby, which hotel should we book for our wedding?”

“Don't worry. With my family and connections in Eastsea, I'll ensure we book a fantastic hotel,” the man boasted confidently.

The woman nodded, her mood instantly brightening.

Su Ming observed the scene and couldn't suppress a chuckle. Clearly, she was yet another young woman taken in by deception. The man was far from as wealthy as he claimed, his fortune likely just scraping a billion, and he was evidently quite miserly. But to Su Ming, this was none of his concern; the man and woman were willing participants in their own narrative. Young women often fell prey to the wiles of unscrupulous men.

Su Ming and Cui Pingzhang continued upstairs, where the equipment was even more comprehensive. Clearly, Cui Pingzhang had come thoroughly prepared this time.

“Mr. Su.”

”I'm terribly sorry,” Cui Pingzhang said as he quickly poured a glass of water for Su Ming.

Su Ming just smiled, unfazed by the situation. He held a deep respect for such genuine scholars.

If he could use his abilities to help such scholars overcome challenges or clarify their doubts, it would benefit the music scene of the imperial court greatly.

Cui Pingzhang handed Su Ming a piece of sheet music and began to pose some questions.

With his mastery of a divine-level instrument, Su Ming found even the most complex and daunting questions to be quite straightforward.

Cui Pingzhang grew increasingly astounded and amazed as he listened. He was so impressed that he briefly entertained the notion of whisking Su Ming away to the capital and confining him to the Music Academy.

To him, Su Ming was an authentic genius! Simultaneously, he felt a profound sense of remorse for his past arrogance. He had believed that he was in pursuit of “higher music” and only interacted with “higher musicians.” Now, he realized that true genius could be found among the common folk.

He questioned Su Ming the entire afternoon until Su Ming was practically parched.

Eventually, Cui Pingzhang closed the music score, his mind still reeling from the encounter.

He even believed that if Su Ming were to perform at the music hall, he would undoubtedly gain international acclaim.

However, he understood that Mr. Su was a modest man who preferred not to seek the limelight.

“This is what a truly great person is like—so humble. I have much to learn from Mr. Su,” he reflected.

“Mr. Su.”

“I have yet another bold request.”

“Our school has an anthem, but I've never been satisfied with the arrangement. Could I possibly trouble Mr. Su…”

Cui Pingzhang felt embarrassed by his own audacity. After an entire afternoon of inquiries, he was now asking for another favor.

But Su Ming was not bothered. With practiced ease, he pulled a green leaf from his pocket and gently blew across it.

The music swelled once more, filling the room with its lilting melody. Cui Pingzhang, in a flurry, switched on the recording device before sitting down, utterly captivated by the sound.

Five minutes later, the piece drew to a close. Su Ming set aside the leaf he'd been using as an instrument, and Cui Pingzhang quickly shut off the recorder.

“Mr. Su, you've been so gracious with your time today. You must be starving. How about we go out for a meal? My treat this time!” Cui Pingzhang offered.

Hearing the suggestion, Su Ming nodded in agreement, his hunger evident.

Leading the way, Cui Pingzhang opened the door only to be startled by a sea of faces crowding the entrance. The corridor was packed with people, yet eerily silent.

“What's going on here?” Cui Pingzhang asked, instinctively stepping back.

“Who was playing that last piece? It was incredible!” a young man clutching a guitar asked, his expression one of awe.

Cui Pingzhang breathed a sigh of relief. “Haha! That was Mr. Su's performance!” he said, gesturing towards Su Ming with a proud smile.

It seemed Su Ming's music had drawn the crowd. And rightly so; such flawless music was bound to captivate anyone within earshot.

”Do you have a passion for music?” Cui Pingzhang inquired, looking at the guitar-wielding youth.

“Yes, I love music deeply. I've been practicing the guitar since I was a child. But with my family's tight budget, I've never had a teacher. I've missed out on formal training and taken many wrong turns. However, listening to that piece just now, it's as if the clouds parted, and I understood things that had eluded me before,” the young man shared.

”Excellent!” Cui Pingzhang was overjoyed by the young man's response.

The number of young people passionate about music was dwindling, as the industry often couldn't guarantee a stable job or income. Consequently, many abandoned their musical aspirations for practicality's sake.

But here was a young man, fervent about music, and Cui Pingzhang wouldn't let such talent slip away.

“Young man, I'm the dean of the J City Music Academy,” he said, handing over his business card. “Bring this card and come to see me. I'll take you on as my student. Don't worry about the costs; I'll cover your tuition and fees, and you'll receive a monthly stipend.”

“Really!”

The young man's face lit up with sheer delight.

Those around him cast envious glances his way. Even though they wouldn't dream of pursuing a career in music, deeming it a dead-end path, they couldn't deny the allure of an exception.

After all, that academy was renowned!

The students who graduated from there were practically all musical prodigies!

It just goes to show, this lucky guy really hit the jackpot.