Lu Xi was serious about learning the guitar.
She had always had one regret—never learning an instrument as a child. When she was younger, her Aunt had hired a renowned piano teacher for her cousin. Lu Xi was interested and would listen from the side, wanting to join in. But her Aunt would always shoo her away, telling her to go play elsewhere.
Their family was wealthy, and Lu Xi still had her parents’ inheritance. Hiring a good teacher was never an issue. But her Aunt was unwilling, and as a child living under someone else’s roof, she couldn’t afford to be willful.
Now, though, learning piano felt too late. Guitar seemed more practical—it was small, easy to carry, and could be played anytime. She didn’t aim to become a professional musician; just being able to play for her own enjoyment was enough. It was simply a hobby.
As for that rebellious brat, Xie Heng…
Let him do whatever he wanted. Whether he learned or not was his business. Besides being his mother, she was also her own person—she had to focus on living her own life first.
Step one, naturally, was buying an instrument.
She had money but knew nothing about guitars. After searching online, she selected three options and sent the links to Xu Jiaming, asking for his opinion.
Xu Jiaming clicked on them and fell silent.
After a moment, he asked, confused: [May I ask what your selection criteria were?]
It was simple.
[The first one looks great. So pretty! Just looking at it makes me want to touch it.]
[The second one is expensive. Expensive things must have their reasons, right?]
[The third one has a European guitar master’s signature. That must make it valuable, right?]
“…”
Before he could reply, Lu Xi sent another message: “Why don’t I just buy all three? What do you think?”
Even from the punctuation, he could tell how impulsive she was.
A hint of helplessness appeared on his face. After hesitating, he tactfully replied: [Aunt, I can see that you’re completely new to guitars. For beginners, one is enough, and it doesn’t need to be too expensive.]
Lu Xi stared at the message, momentarily speechless.
The kid was being polite.
Translated bluntly, he was probably saying she was like a bad student hoarding fancy stationery.
Soon, Xu Jiaming picked one for her. Since she didn’t need to consider cost-effectiveness, he chose the Martin D-28—a classic, high-end solid wood guitar that also looked great.
Lu Xi, being a good student, replied: [OK, bought it! I’ll listen to Teacher!]
Seeing her response, Xu Jiaming couldn’t help but chuckle.
Xie Heng’s stepmother had quite a nice personality—lively and generous. No wonder his mother, who had spent years in the entertainment industry dealing with scheming and distrust, had taken a liking to Lu Xi so quickly. Aside from being a good match, it also showed that Lu Xi had a strong personal charm.
Even Xie Heng—the rebellious Young Master who acted like he owned the school—seemed to respect her quite a bit.
After another two days of classes, the school began a seven-day holiday.
Xie Yizhao went on a business trip again, and Lu Xi had arranged for Xu Jiaming to come over for lunch on Tuesday, followed by their first lesson in the afternoon.
That day, the Xie family prepared a lavish meal. Lu Xi had asked Yang Yihan about Xu Jiaming’s food preferences in advance.
Compared to Xie Heng, Xu Jiaming preferred lighter flavors. But like most boys his age, he had a big appetite, loved meat, and wasn’t picky or wasteful. In that regard, both boys were quite decent.
Xie Heng finished eating first, put down his chopsticks, and said to Xu Jiaming, “Wanna play basketball after this? I’ll call a few more people.”
Xu Jiaming : “I have to give Aunt a guitar lesson later. You go ahead first.”
Xie Heng : “…”
Xu Jiaming is really going through with the lesson?
Xie Heng gave Lu Xi a strange look, then glanced at Xu Jiaming again.
It was peak crab season in October, and they’d cooked some today—both steamed and braised in oil. There was one steamed crab left. Lu Xi squinted at Xu Jiaming with a smile and said, “You can have this one.”
Xie Heng clenched his fingers, feeling a little indignant.
Why wasn’t it for him?
Can’t he eat it? Or was he not allowed to eat it?
“Thank you, Aunt.” Xu Jiaming accepted without hesitation. The crab tasted great, so he picked it up and started eating in a refined yet efficient manner.
Lu Xi found him even more likable—handsome, intelligent, reserved but not awkward, and emotionally perceptive.
Xie Heng noticed that Lu Xi’s eyes practically sparkled when she looked at Xu Jiaming, just like when she watched Xu Jiaming dance and play guitar the other day.
His mood soured further. With a dark expression, he coldly asked the housekeeper, “Are there any more crabs? I’m not full yet.”
The housekeeper was about to prepare some when Lu Xi stopped her.
She looked at Xie Heng in confusion. “You’ve already eaten three. You still want more?”
Xie Heng pressed his lips together, his expression as dark as the bottom of a pot. “What, it’s my family’s crab, and I can’t eat it?”
Lu Xi was baffled. The rebellious phase of a wayward son might pause for a few days, but it never truly disappeared. “Who said you couldn’t eat? If you stuff yourself and end up with a stomachache, no one’s going to rub your belly for you.”
The boy froze for a moment, his fierce expression instantly replaced by confusion. “Stomachache?”
So confidently ignorant. So blissfully unaware.
Xu Jiaming, well aware of his academic shortcomings, calmly broke off a piece of crab leg and said, “Crabs are cold-natured. Eating too many can upset your stomach.”
Xie Heng shut up. “…” He’d heard that somewhere before.
But he never paid attention to things like that. If it tasted good, he ate it—simple as that. Maybe he was just lucky, but no matter how recklessly he ate, he never got a stomachache. It never even crossed his mind to be cautious.
Because… no one had ever worried that eating too much cold food might make him uncomfortable.
Initially, Xie Heng had been sulking, slouching in his chair like an arrogant young master with nothing better to do. But now, as he processed what Lu Xi had said, his posture straightened slightly. He hesitated, then touched his ear.
A little warm.
He snuck a glance at Lu Xi.
So she was actually concerned about him… Xie Heng couldn’t help but wonder—if he did get a stomachache, would she rub his belly for him?
She would, right?
He cleared his throat in an exaggerated manner and pretended to look at his phone.
Fine. If Xu Jiaming wanted to eat crab, let him. He could eat as many as he wanted. If he got a stomachache, he could just go home and have his own mom rub his belly.
After dinner, they rested for half an hour before Lu Xi went to the courtyard greenhouse for her guitar lesson.
She had her reasons for choosing this spot.
For one, the sunlight was just right in the courtyard. The October weather was neither too hot nor too cold, and with the sun filtering through the flowers, the setting was nothing short of perfect.
Additionally, the greenhouse was made of transparent glass, offering a full view from the outside. It ensured privacy while also preventing any misunderstandings.
Xu Jiaming started with finger placements, also teaching Lu Xi how to read tablature.
Learning finger techniques inevitably required corrections—adjusting hand positions, repositioning fingers.
Xu Jiaming was well aware of boundaries. After all, Lu Xi was of the opposite sex and, more importantly, his friend’s stepmother. He wouldn’t actually use his hands to guide her, preferring to give verbal instructions instead. If Lu Xi really couldn’t grasp something, he would find a tutorial video online for her to follow.
Lu Xi picked things up quickly. Her fingers were long and nimble, and thanks to the basic music theory she had learned in school, Xu Jiaming had no trouble teaching her.
In less than half an hour, Lu Xi had already mastered a simple chord progression.
“You have a good sense of music. You’d do well learning an instrument,” Xu Jiaming praised.
Lu Xi smiled, her fingertips gliding lightly over the strings, letting the melody flow. She said, “It’s because you’re a good teacher.”
What a shame.
Xiao Xu was truly an excellent teacher—patient, methodical, calm in demeanor, good-looking, and with a pleasant voice.
If she had had a teacher like him back in school, she could have scored at least a hundred points higher on her college entrance exam.
Unfortunately, the rebellious son was too committed to his underachiever persona to bother with tutoring.
A few days ago, Lu Xi had already agreed with Xu Jiaming that they would have lessons once a week for no more than an hour and a half. If he was ever busy, he could cancel anytime. She had also informed Yang Yihan about it.
“By the way, since you’re teaching me guitar, how should I compensate you for your time?”
Lu Xi had thought about it—Xu Jiaming didn’t lack money. After a brief pause, she suggested, “How about I give you a gift instead?”
Xu Jiaming pressed his lips together.
He hadn’t planned on charging her. One and a half hours a week wasn’t much of a commitment.
But if he refused outright, Lu Xi might feel awkward about it, which wouldn’t be ideal either.
After a moment of thought, he simply replied, “I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”
“Sure, take your time. You can ask for more than one gift if you want,” Lu Xi said breezily, unconcerned about material things.
Time passed quickly.
Sunlight filled the conservatory, shifting through the foliage. Before they knew it, it was already past two in the afternoon.
Xie Heng stood by his bedroom window.
From here, he had a clear view of the greenhouse.
No matter how he thought about it, something felt off. If she wanted to learn guitar, couldn’t she hire a proper instructor? His father could bring in the most renowned teachers if she asked—why have a high schooler teach her instead?
The only explanation was that she found him good-looking and wanted an excuse to see more of him.
Hmph.
Ridiculous.
If she wanted to admire a handsome guy, wasn’t he good-looking enough? Even his dad wasn’t bad-looking.
He lost interest in playing basketball and instead kept a close eye on Lu Xi and Xu Jiaming, watching as they chatted and laughed together.
Learning an instrument might not require physical contact, but it still meant sitting close for guidance. Seeing the two of them so near each other made Xie Heng frown.
At long last, the lesson ended. Xu Jiaming slung his guitar over his back and left the house.
But Xie Heng couldn’t suppress his irritation. With a sullen expression, he marched into the greenhouse, where Lu Xi was still practicing.
“Why do you have to learn from him?” He propped up his long legs, blocking the doorway like a debt collector.
Lu Xi looked up and was met with the sight of his striking blue hair. She replied casually, “If not from him, should I learn from you?”
Xie Heng: ??
What’s wrong with learning from him?
“I can too…” the boy muttered softly.
Lu Xi didn’t hear clearly: “What did you say?”
Xie Heng pursed his lips, turning his gaze away in displeasure, staring at his basketball shoes: “Nothing.”
He didn’t leave, nor did he speak. Lu Xi didn’t care about him either, continuing to practice with the textbooks Xu Jiaming brought.
A gentle breeze blew into the flower room, accompanied by the sound of music, creating a peaceful and beautiful atmosphere that was hard to describe.
Xie Heng’s irritation gradually subsided.
He glanced at the woman’s soft and beautiful profile. Several times he wanted to speak, but he held back, afraid of disturbing her and making her unhappy.
After a while, when his legs were almost numb from sitting, Lu Xi finally put away the guitar.
He quickly stood up.
Lu Xi gave him a glance, pressed her lips together, and directly handed the guitar to him. Xie Heng didn’t think much and took it without hesitation.
It wasn’t until he realized it that he thought : ???
She’s too much!
She won’t add him on WeChat, but has him doing manual labor? Is this how a son is treated?
Xie Heng cursed himself for being impulsive—why did he take it without thinking?
But after doing the task, he felt a little bolder. His voice grew louder as he walked into the room and asked Lu Xi, “Didn’t you want him to tutor me? Why did you give up?”
Lu Xi answered casually, “You gave up yourself. If I don’t give up, should I use your Dad’s belt on you?”
“…”
Just the thought of that scene made him shudder.
He couldn’t help but twitch his lips and intentionally said, “I’m a poor student. Aren’t you embarrassed?”
Lu Xi replied, “If you’re not embarrassed, why should I be?”
“…Didn’t you say you were my real mother?”
Lu Xi calmly responded, “Didn’t you say I was your stepmother?”
Xie Heng almost stumbled.
He gritted his teeth : “…”
A wave of confusion rose in his heart, along with a trace of grievance.
He had only said it once or twice, why was she holding a grudge like this?
Feeling frustrated as he was unable to argue with Ms. Lu, he decided to go out to vent when Song Siyang came over to his house and invited him to play basketball. Xie Heng agreed and went out to release his anger.
In a bad mood, he wasn’t playing well today, scoring goal after goal. A few times, he almost collided with Song Siyang, even stepping on his foot, making him wince in pain.
“I’m not playing anymore, who pissed you off…” Song Siyang sat down in the resting area, wincing in pain.
Xie Heng brought him some ice water, and they both sat down. He remained silent with a cold face. After a few questions, he finally explained roughly what happened.
“Xu Jiaming?”
Song Siyang was surprised.
He knew Xu Jiaming had moved in recently, and by coincidence, lived next to Xie Heng. They had played basketball together a few times.
He was always quick to speak his mind, saying whatever came to him: “He wouldn’t be interested in Ms. Lu, would he?”
Lately, Xie Heng had been quite upset and didn’t want anyone mentioning ‘stepmother,’ so Song Siyang had to follow suit and refer to Lu Xi as ‘Ms. Lu.’
“Interested? What nonsense! Would he dare?” Xie Heng glared and threw the basketball far away.
Song Siyang was thoroughly amused by this little tyrant and quickly said, “No, no, I’m just messing around.”
After a moment, when his foot was feeling a little better, he thought for a moment and said, “Could it be that she’s using reverse psychology, trying to make you angry so you’ll agree to the tutoring?”
Xie Heng’s eyes immediately lit up.
That’s possible…
Only this explanation made sense.
Xie Heng stopped playing basketball and first took the limping Song Siyang home. Then, in a rush, he hurried back to his own home and found Lu Xi in the study on the second floor.
She had the door open and was reading a book.
The cover featured a fashion model with the title Design Aesthetics.
The woman glanced up slightly, her brow furrowing with a hint of disdain as she saw him sweaty from running around. “Go take a shower.”
What if he caught a cold from sweating?
Was she disgusted by his smell?
Xie Heng felt a pang in his heart. He sulkily closed the door, quickly showered in five minutes, and rushed back, only to bump into a servant delivering desserts to Lu Xi.
Xie Heng flared his nostrils and sniffed.
It was durian.
The durian pancake was served on a small gem-green plate, looking especially tempting, with a very strong aroma.
Xie Heng frowned. He wasn’t fond of the smell of durian.
Seeing his expression, Lu Xi knew he was displeased. She curled the corner of her mouth. This was something he got from his father—when Xie Yizhao smelled durian, he would avoid it at all costs.
“Say what you need to say,” Lu Xi said softly.
Xie Heng lowered his eyes.
He had thought it through. It wasn’t impossible to agree to tutoring, but there were conditions. She had to add him as a friend first.
How could he add someone else’s contact before his son’s?
But he couldn’t ask outright, or he’d lose face as the respectful leader.
Fortunately, he quickly came up with an idea and asked, “How many people do you have in your WeChat?”
Lu Xi picked up a small piece of the durian pancake with a small silver fork, tasting it as she answered, “Two.”
One was Yang Yihan, and the other was Xu Jiaming.
Xie Heng exaggeratedly scoffed. “Only two? So few! I have over two hundred.”
Although most were friends from his sports and gaming teams.
He puffed out his chest proudly.
Lu Xi glanced at him. “Oh, you’re so impressive.”
Xie Heng didn’t mind her sarcasm and answered generously, “With so few friends, you’re so poor. I’ll do you a favor. Add me, and you’ll have one more friend.”
Lu Xi looked at him as if he were a Husky.
“I already added you, but you didn’t accept.”
Xie Heng’s smile froze.
No way?
He quickly pulled out his phone, scrolling through expired friend requests. After a few attempts, he actually found Lu Xi’s profile.
“I… I didn’t see it… Well, add me again, please?” Little Xie was a bit dazed, looking at her expectantly.
The woman, with her striking features, coldly replied, “No. Do you think I have no pride?”