The most luxurious music-themed restaurant in the Magic City was an artistic palace suspended above the clouds.
The melodious live violin accompaniment, every note, exuded a romantic atmosphere.
Lu Cheng and Anya sat opposite each other.
They discussed everything from the rigor and heritage of classical music to the innovation and fusion of modern music.
Relying on the music theory knowledge granted by the system, Lu Cheng always managed to offer unique insights from novel perspectives, which even surprised Anya, a true international master.
As their conversation deepened, the admiration in Anya's eyes grew more intense.
She found that the man before her seemed even more... unfathomable and charming than she had imagined.
At the most harmonious point of their conversation, Lu Cheng changed the subject, as if casually chatting, and brought up the topic of the eight-year-old prodigy.
"Speaking of your younger brother, Jiang Chen."
"That child, to have such astonishing musical talent at only eight years old, is truly amazing."
"His parents must also be extraordinary individuals, I presume?"
He paused, then tentatively asked, "However, Miss Anya, forgive my impertinence, but I noticed that your surname and Jiang Chen's are different, so... is he your cousin?"
Upon hearing this, Anya's brows furrowed slightly... The details of her and Jiang Chen's family matters were little known to outsiders.
She had always disliked discussing it with others, protecting her and her brother's privacy very well.
"This, how should I answer..."
But considering that the question came from Lu Cheng, complex emotions welled up in her beautiful eyes.
There was pride, nostalgia, and a hint of... sadness.
Finally, she seemed to have made a decision, gently shaking her head, her voice softening a few degrees.
"Mr. Lu, you flatter him."
"Actually... A Chen's and my situation is rather special."
Anya, the queen of art who usually kept her private affairs tightly guarded, now, under Lu Cheng's guidance, inexplicably revealed the hidden family secret behind her and Jiang Chen, unknown to others.
"My parents, they always wanted a child of their own."
Anya seemed to be talking about this for the first time, slowly organizing her words.
"But for some reasons, this wish had never been fulfilled."
"So, they successively adopted us three girls from an orphanage, treated us as their own, and poured all their efforts into raising us."
"I was the first to be adopted, and I am also the eldest sister in the family."
As Anya said this, a warm smile appeared on her face, as if recalling the warmth of her family.
"My second sister is Dongfang Yue; among us three sisters, she is the most independent and mysterious one."
"Two years ago, after leaving a note saying, 'Don't worry about me, I have my own path to follow,' she went out to make her own way alone, and to this day... there has been no news of her."
Her voice carried an undisguised worry.
"My third sister is Mu Xing."
"She is the most beautiful among us three, naturally stunning."
"She is also very hardworking; now, she is already a well-known actress, currently filming on set."
Finally, a remarkably gentle smile appeared on Anya's face.
"Just when we all thought that this family would continue on like this, an unexpected surprise arrived."
"My parents, in their late forties, miraculously... had their only biological son."
"That is A Chen."
She recalled yesterday, how Jiang Chen was angry because of her dinner invitation with Lu Cheng.
"So, all three of us sisters are a bit doting on this hard-won younger brother."
"There's nothing we can do; he's the apple of our entire family's eye, after all."
...Lu Cheng listened to all this, outwardly showing an expression of understanding.
But internally, he had already organized all this crucial information, matching it one by one with his plot foresight.
"The top-tier setup for a prodigy, three goddess sisters with no blood relation."
"This missing second sister is most likely a character with high combat power."
"After all, even if the little brat has a beginner's halo, there will still be situations where action is needed."
"That third sister, the little star named Mu Xing..."
He had already begun to silently calculate in his mind how he could arrange a "romantic" unexpected encounter with this little brat's third sister...
The dinner with Anya gradually drew to a close in this harmonious atmosphere.
Anya was utterly captivated by Lu Cheng's talent and demeanor.
Looking at the charming man before her, who seemed to know everything from astronomy to geography, she couldn't help but extend an invitation to Lu Cheng, wanting to find an excuse to take their acquaintance a step further...
"Mr. Lu, next Friday evening, I will be holding a solo violin recital at the Magic City Grand Theater."
"I would like... to invite you to be my guest performer and play a duet with me, if that's possible?"
She paused, and as if to make the invitation more subtle and to appear more reserved, she added, "My younger brother, A Chen, will also be performing on stage..."
"I believe that with your participation, this performance will be even more spectacular."
Faced with such an almost "courting" invitation from the Queen of Music, it's likely no man could refuse.
However, Lu Cheng smiled and shook his head.
"I'm very sorry, Miss Anya."
"I would very much like to perform on stage with a master like you, but my schedule for next week is indeed fully booked."
A trace of undisguised disappointment flashed in Anya's eyes.
She wondered if she hadn't attracted Lu Cheng, or if... her work wasn't as important as his?
Since gaining fame, very few people had ever refused her invitation... But thinking it was Lu Cheng, and that the Lu family's work might indeed be very busy, she found a little comfort in her heart.
Lu Cheng looked at her lovely, disappointed expression, and a playful glint of amusement flickered in the depths of his eyes.
"Guest performer?"
"No, no, no, since Jiang Chen is also performing, he has a much more interesting way to participate."
...After Lu Cheng took Anya home, he sat alone in the back seat of his Rolls-Royce for the first time in a while.
He looked at the latest publicity photo of the popular young actress, Mu Xing, on his phone, and a cold curve slowly formed on his lips.