Rebirth vs. Rebirth Tragedy to Triumph by Violeta and Zelena [[Chapters 241, to 250]] – Daisy Novels 

Chapter 241

Since they came in separate groups, this time the bus was packed with students from the performing arts department, …… freshmen and sophomores.

The team leader had a lot on their plate. When they got to the guesthouse, they handed out room keys and helped everyone find their rooms. They also made sure everyone knew when and where to eat, and took care of other little things that came up during the day.

But of course, Violeta wasn’t doing all this alone.

They were assisted by seniors from the third and fourth years of the student council, working together with all the team leaders.

It just so happened that they all landed in Heritage Old Town this time around, and Nolan was part of the first group too. He took charge of this trip, and next time it’d be the vice president of the student council leading the way.

Zelena had her mind set on Nolan, always keen to pitch in and help him out.

Since last semester, she has been hanging out with the student council folks a lot. They all knew her pretty well.

She was generous. When it came to giving guys smokes, she didn’t mess around. It was always the pricey one. Who would turn down a freebie like that?

So the members of the student council were also happy to tell Zelena about Nolan.

Even though Violeta was the official leader in their class, Zelena was super eager.

When they got to the guesthouse, she hustled her way into the student council group to grab

everyone’s room keys, while the others waited in line.

The leaders from other classes were pretty annoyed by Zelena cutting the line like that.

But it just so happened that Zelena had won over the members of the student council, and they let her get the room keys first.

Kaylee said, “Zelena loves showing off her abilities too much.”

Violeta smiled faintly, “What’s wrong with that? She helped us get some good rooms at the guesthouse.”

Not every room at the guesthouse was good. Some were in remote locations or even lacked windows and bathrooms.

The school teamed up with this place, so they care about getting a good bang for their buck at the guesthouse.

The student council handed out room keys in order, so the early birds snatched up the better rooms, leaving less choice for the rest.

Thanks to her ties with the student council, Zelena naturally got the top-notch rooms.

After getting the room number, Zelena came happily to allocate the room.

Fair and square, they were short one double room, exactly the room for Violeta and Kaylee.

“Oops, sorry about that. Looks like we might have missed grabbing one room. Violeta, why don’t you both go find the student council to get another room key.”

Earlier, Zelena had cut the line to get her key. Now, most leaders already had theirs. If they went now, even if they lined up again, they’d only get a pretty lousy room.

Zelena did that on purpose.

She didn’t want to give Violeta and Kaylee a good room.

Kaylee was a bit upset, “What do you mean …

Violeta interrupted Kaylee, “It’s okay, Kaylee. We don’t need to line up.”

…

Gillian chuckled, “Hmph, you’re not lining up now because you’re waiting for the student council to bring it to you? How shameless.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Violeta took out a room key from her bag, and on the card was written 309.

Violeta smirked, “Zelena, thanks for helping out by queuing earlier to get room keys for our classmates. But didn’t you know that leaders’ room keys are issued in advance? Here’s a nice room on the third floor with a terrace.

“I originally considered that the room distribution might be uneven, and if I didn’t get a good room by waiting in line, it wouldn’t feel right to keep a good room all to myself. So, I was thinking of giving up this room. But now it seems I worried too much. With you around, how could anyone not get a good room?

“Now that everyone already has their rooms, I’ll just keep this one for myself.”

Zelena’s mouth twitched slightly.

There were many rooms in the guesthouse, but the best ones were on the third floor. That was because the view from the third floor was the best, offering a panoramic view of the entire Old Town. Perhaps it was because of this excellent view that only the rooms on the third floor had terraces.

No other rooms had them!

The student council members had all the room keys, and the best ones on the third floor were gone early-they didn’t even have enough to go around internally!

It turned out that the team leaders and the student council divided them up among themselves.

Zelena got the rooms on the second and fourth floors, but none on the third!

Unexpectedly, Violeta did.

Doesn’t that mean I was just running around for nothing earlier?

Overall, the best rooms available were the double rooms.

Due to budget considerations, most double rooms were converted into quadruple rooms.

Room number 309 in Violeta’s hand was a double room, perfect for sharing with Kaylee.

Zelena intentionally took less room to embarrass Violeta and Kaylee.

But now, instead of embarrassing Violeta, everyone knows she’s got a sweet room on the third floor with a terrace. How could they not be jealous?

With their room keys in hand, everyone went up to their rooms with their bags. Forty minutes later, they met downstairs to begin exploring the Old Town together.

Violeta and Kaylee went upstairs together to their room. After quickly tidying up, Kaylee braided her hair into a twisted braid. Violeta went downstairs early to wait for them.

Chapter 242

When Violeta walked into the lobby, it was a lot quieter than before, with just a few guides hanging around.

As she came down, the innkeeper came over with a bunch of brochures about the old town and gave her a stack.

“Here you go. Could you pass these out to your classmates?” the innkeeper said.

Violeta took the brochures and quickly flipped through them. They covered pretty much everything you could see and do in the Old Town, with lots of details.

Not only do they have stuff like puppet shows and riddles, but they also have challenges for playing musical instruments and more.

What was surprising was that you could get some small commemorative prizes just by participating in these activities.

“Do we really get prizes just for joining these activities?” Violeta asked.

“Yeah, that’s right. Actually, here’s a secret. You don’t even have to join in. Just check in and post a pic on your social media to promote us, and you’ll qualify. But, there are limited prizes, so it’s first come, first-served,” the innkeeper replied with a wink.

That was a pretty good way to promote things. She accepted the brochures with delight.

On the back were several riddles. Violeta sat back on the sofa and casually pondered the answers in his mind.

Just then, several members of the student council came down from upstairs, with Nolan leading the way.

“Hey, are all the rooms taken? Did anyone get left out?”

“No, all rooms are booked up. I just double-checked, so you can relax,” Nolan reassured.

As they came downstairs, Violeta spotted Nolan right away.

Nolan walked over to Violeta.

“Violeta.”

Violeta looked up and saw Nolan approaching. “Nolan, what’s up?”

Nolan said warmly, “If your class needs anything, remember to let me know.”

Afterward, he pulled out a red whistle from his pocket and handed it to Violeta.

Violeta nodded. “Yeah, got it.

“What’s the whistle for?”

Violeta thought it might be for calling everyone to gather.

But Nolan surprised him, saying, “It’s a souvenir from the Old Town. Red ones are rare. I got one for you discreetly.”

The lucky red was hidden.

Nolan had specially hidden one for her.

He smiled, his eyes glinting with tiny lights. “I hope you’ll have good luck from now on.”

Violeta remained silent.

“What other souvenirs are there from the Old Town?” Violeta asked.

“I’m not sure. Probably things like dolls. Oh, and about those activities, you can join them with your classmates. The school has a target, and if the data looks good by the end, it could boost your grades,” Nolan explained.

….

“Okay. See you,” Violeta said quietly, holding the red whistle and watching Nolan walk away.

Zelena, Hattie, Gillian, and Candy came down the stairs.

They had been joking around, but as they turned the corner, Zelena saw Nolan finishing his conversation with Violeta and walking away.

Gillian said, “Zelena, take a look at what Violeta has in his hand. Looks like it’s from Nolan.”

Zelena glanced down and saw the red whistle in Violeta’s hand.

She didn’t know what it meant.

But it’s just a worthless whistle, Zelena thought sourly. “Maybe it’s just for calling everyone together or something.”

After coming down the stairs, they passed by

Violeta, who was still pondering over the riddles in the brochures.

More people gradually came down from upstairs.

Noticing that the other leaders didn’t have red whistles, Candy asked around to find out what the red whistle was for.

From the inn staff, they learned that the red whistle was a souvenir prepared by the Old Town for visitors. Any tourist visiting the Old Town could get one by posting a photo with location tags on social media.

There were lots of souvenirs to choose from, and the whistle was just one of them-they come in different colors, too.

But the red ones were the rarest.

“The lucky red color is the hardest to get, it’s a hidden item.”

Candy learned all this and went back to tell Zelena. She exaggerated the story a bit, saying, “The staff told me that red is a lucky color! Nolan must have given Violeta a red whistle because Violeta asked him for it!”

Gillian nodded. “Yeah, it’s true. This color is really rare. The staff who’ve been working here for so long haven’t seen one. Violeta got a red whistle without doing anything, so she must have asked Nolan for it herself.”

Red does look really nice.

The national flag of Hoiten was red, and wearing it around her neck, that splash of red really caught people’s eyes.

Hattie crossed her legs casually and asked, “Find out anything else?”

Candy thought for a moment. “Yeah, there’s more. They said some of the attractions in the Old Town are linked with the school. If you excel in these activities, you can earn bonus points at the end of the term. That’s what I heard from the senior in the student council.”

Hattie asked, “They give bonus points?”

Candy replied, “Yeah.”

Hattie looked down, thinking to herself.

Since she enrolled at Toland University, some folks in her family had been fixated on her and her brother’s grades.

Benson always aced it, never giving anyone a reason to talk, but that also made some people jealous.

Chapter 243

But her grades had always been pretty bad. Every time this came up, that old lady would nag about it. Many times during meals, she brought up how bad her grades were, basically saying that such poor performance was embarrassing the Ridges.

Luckily, Carl wasn’t as strict about what Hattie achieved.

He just expected Hattie’s grades not to be at the bottom, and she must pass the final exams.

With the end of the semester approaching, if her grades were too low this time, she’d be caught by that old nag from the family again.

It’s really getting more annoying the more I think about it.

If participating in the game in the Old Town this time could earn credits, Hattie would definitely join.

Soon after, everyone showed up.

Violeta gave them the handbooks and told everyone that doing well in the game activities at the Old Town could earn them bonus points.

The student council arranged for a senior to go with them to the Old Town. They’d have half an hour to do their own thing and then gather back at the lodge at noon for lunch.

The leader made sure everyone got the message.

The scenery in the Old Town was delightful.

Kaylee stopped frequently along the way, taking lots of photos with Violeta and posting them on her Instagram.

She even got a free keychain shaped like an ancient pagoda.

Once they scattered, everyone started doing their own thing. Some went to puppetry shows, while others, who had credits deducted at school, headed straight to the game booths to participate.

Violeta spotted the riddle guessing game advertised in the pamphlet earlier and was very interested, so she headed to the riddle guessing booth.

When they arrived, there was already a long line in front of the booth.

Kaylee asked, “Vio, do you want to try guessing riddles?”

Violeta pointed to the sign next to them that listed the prizes.

Correctly guessing five riddles got a cute rabbit-themed keychain.

Guessing ten got two plates of free special snacks.

Guessing twenty got a small rabbit-shaped lantern.

The rabbit lantern looked really nice and could be used as a night light by your bedside.

Violeta said, “Now that we’re here, might as well make the most of it and bring back some free souvenirs. Plus, we get to enjoy the game, so why not?”

Kaylee replied, “Yeah, but these riddles here seem pretty tough.”

Violeta said, “Just give it a shot.”

The two joined the queue.

Since there were limited riddles to guess, any incorrect answer would reset their previous correct count.

A group of ten people signed up at the booth and were taken to a small pavilion behind it to answer the riddles, so that those waiting in line wouldn’t overhear the answers.

Violeta and Kaylee waited in line together for about ten minutes, and soon the first group of people who didn’t succeed came out in front.

“The questions are really hard. I didn’t even get a keychain, let alone a rabbit lantern.”

“I guess I got lucky I got a keychain. For those of you counting on this for extra points, forget it. The boss said only the person who answers the most questions right overall gets extra points.”

“If getting bonus points were that easy, wouldn’t everyone on this trip just end up getting it?”

Their conversation dampened everyone’s enthusiasm, and quite a few people decided to drop out, leaving the queue half as long.

Some left voluntarily, and others took their place.

Hearing their words, Kaylee spoke up to Violeta, “See? It really is tough.”

Violeta said, “The important thing is to participate.”

The booth owner started letting people into the pavilion again to guess riddles.

Violeta and Kaylee joined the second group in line and headed to the pavilion together. Once there, everyone stepped forward to register their names and departments.

After registering, they could sit aside and wait their turn.

At first, there were many people in line, but after the first group came out complaining, a lot of them decided not to join, and now, surprisingly, the line lacked one more person.

Seeing no one entering for a while, Kaylee glanced at the entrance with her head tilted.

Suddenly, a figure walked in.

Looking up and down at the figure, Kaylee was surprised and turned to Violeta and said, “Vio, look, the last person is actually Hattie.”

Violeta looked up and indeed saw Hattie.

She was the last person to come in, registered, then walked over and sat down.

She also noticed Violeta and Kaylee, taken aback briefly, but didn’t say anything. She sat on the stool, waiting for the boss to give out the questions.

“Hattie actually came to join the riddle guessing game. What a surprise,” Violeta remarked.

Kaylee was very surprised.

Violeta was also caught off guard.

For someone as proud as Hattie, it was unexpected that she would come to guess riddles.

Was she also after those cheap souvenirs?

No, her goal must be more than just souvenirs. It must be for the points.

Sitting in the last seat, Hattie felt incredibly conflicted. She hadn’t expected to come at such a bad time and now she had encountered Violeta, that annoying woman.

If she let Violeta outdo her, wouldn’t that be a huge embarrassment?

But fortunately, Hattie had come prepared with a secret weapon. She was determined to be the best at solving the riddles.

Hattie subtly smirked to herself.

Chapter 244

The owner approached holding a large bundle of riddles. “Is everyone prepared? I’ll begin now.

“In a bit, I will recite a riddle, and everyone should write their answers on paper. The first student to submit the correct answer will receive five points, the second will earn three points, and the third will get one point. Those who respond incorrectly will be eliminated, losing their previous correct answers, and will receive souvenirs based on the rules.

“For every five correct answers, you can earn a rabbit keychain.

“The student with the most points overall will be reported to your school and awarded extra credit. Do you all understand the game’s rules?”

“Yes, we understand.”

“Alright, let’s start the game!”

The owner randomly opened the book and read out a riddle loudly.

“It resides in a curving path, with both the front and back doors open, fearless of lions and wolves, but only scared of a small tiger. What animal is it?”

Violeta pondered for a moment, swiftly jotted down the answer on paper, folded it, and submitted it.

Sitting at the far end, Hattie frowned when she heard the question. Then, she raised her hand to her ear, pressing lightly before lowering her head, making it difficult for anyone to discern the subtle gesture she made.

After a short time, Hattie also wrote down her answer and turned it in.

After reviewing the answers, the owner announced, “The first student to get it right is Violeta White, the second is Hattie Ridge, and the third is Brady Singh…”

Kaylee was the fifth person to get the correct answer.

Even though she didn’t earn extra points, solving one question correctly was still an achievement.

Nine out of ten participants answered correctly, with only one person being eliminated for getting the first question wrong.

“The correct answer is a mouse. Congratulations to the nine students who got it right. And one student didn’t get it right.”

The owner started the second riddle.

“The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?”

Violeta blinked, remembering the question from a pamphlet she had read earlier, and swiftly wrote down the correct answer: footsteps.

After a brief pause, Hattie also swiftly wrote down her answer.

Almost simultaneously, she handed in her note just before Violeta.

As they returned to their seats, Hattie and Violeta exchanged glances.

Hattie smirked at Violeta, deliberately provoking, “I’ve already won.”

In contrast to Evelyn, Violeta stayed composed and also smirked, retorting, “If you’re winning, then how could I be losing? Three points plus three points- since when does that exceed five plus five? Did you miss out on basic math?”

Hattie squinted angrily, “You!”

The owner intervened, saying, “Both of you, return to your seats after handing over the answers. No chatting or whispering.”

Hattie turned and walked away.

Violeta settled into the seat beside her.

Meanwhile, Kaylee pondered intensely on the side, and then a brilliant idea struck her-she figured it out!

She hastily jotted down the answer.

Kaylee was the third person to submit the answer.

Eventually, all nine individuals turned in their notes, and one person was eliminated.

The owner said, “The correct answer is footsteps. Eight people answered correctly, and one person has been eliminated.

“Violeta White earns five points, Hattie Ridge earns three points, and Kaylee earns one point. The game continues.

“The question is: born on a mountain cliff, falls into people’s homes. Water cools the back, sliced a thousand times. What household item is this?”

Violeta quickly penned her response.

Hattie’s response closely followed hers.

They submitted their notes simultaneously, and the owner paused briefly before collecting them. Upon opening and reviewing them, he noted that Violeta’s handwriting was remarkably neat and elegant.

The correct answer “grindstone” was correctly written by her.

In contrast, Hattie’s handwriting was extremely messy, likely due to rushing. The word “grindstone” was barely legible, making it difficult for the owner to decipher her answer.

As a result, the owner had to advise Hattie, saying, “Miss, there’s no need to rush. Even if you submit your answer early, I can’t decipher what you’ve written. Please write more clearly next time.”

Hattie furrowed her brow and retorted, “I wrote it so clearly, can’t you figure it out?”

The owner responded, “It’s quite unclear. This time, you can only achieve second place.”

Hattie was visibly displeased, muttering, “What kind of eyesight do you have?”

The owner ignored her outburst and firmly instructed, “Please return to your seat.”

Hattie was furious and stormed off, wanting to quit the game.

But then she thought to herself. Wouldn’t quitting the game make things easier for that awful Violeta?

So Hattie swallowed her pride and went back to her seat.

Subsequently, the remaining few individuals also wrote down their answers in succession, but two of them chose to abstain and left midway.

The owner declared, “The correct answer is a grindstone. Two people abstained, and a total of six people got it right.”

Those previously eliminated were out, and there were still some abstaining.

Several seats in the middle remained vacant.

The owner announced, “Those on the sides, please move closer to the centre.”

Recognizing that notes passed more swiftly near the middle, Hattie promptly stood and relocated to a nearer seat to the middle.

Chapter 245

The game went on.

Meanwhile, outside the riddle game gazebo…

Zelena was seated on a bench, using a fan to cool herself. She asked, “Have you finished?

“Which question are they tackling now?”

Gillian replied, “They’ve reached the fourth question.”

Candy commented, “This mini Bluetooth earpiece transmits information rapidly, with no lag. We can hear the questions in real-time and search for the answers quickly. Even though it’s a bit slow, given enough time, Hattie will surely win.”

Zelena asked, “How many contestants are still in there?”

Gillian responded, “Violeta and Kaylee are still in there. They won’t hold out for long. The human brain can’t compete with a computer.”

Zelena lifted an eyebrow and smirked sarcastically.

Hattie wants the credits, while Violeta doesn’t, but she still challenges Hattie, which only fuels Hattie’s dislike for her.

This rivalry doesn’t require Zelena to stir up trouble. Violeta, you certainly have a knack for making enemies.

Time passed slowly.

The riddle game inside the gazebo grew increasingly difficult.

The number of participants dwindled from six to four.

Kaylee successfully answered ten questions, then chose to withdraw and was rewarded with a stack of special treats.

“Sir, may I wait here for my friend?”  

Kaylee wanted to stay and wait for Violeta.

The owner replied, “Of course, you can sit here and wait.”

Kaylee nodded and said, “Alright.”

Hattie cast a disdainful glance at Kaylee, rolling her eyes.

Kaylee sat to the side, snacking and patiently awaiting Violeta.

The game carried on.

Kaylee felt relieved not to have to think quickly anymore, letting out a deep breath as her anxiety faded away.

Previously, she had been very tense during the game, feeling the pressure of an exam while playing. She disliked this sensation, so after answering ten questions, she chose to withdraw voluntarily.

Now, only three contestants remained: Violeta, Hattie, and a guy.

They were all vying for first place.

At this point, Violeta was leading with the highest score. After ten rounds, she had amassed 47 points, with Hattie surpassing her in only one round.

Hattie had collected 32 points, maintaining a consistent performance.

The last guy had the lowest score, with just six points after ten rounds. While he had answered correctly before, he had only placed in the top three six times, resulting in his low score.

The guy’s objective was merely to win a small rabbit lamp for his girlfriend.

He wasn’t striving for first place and took his time writing down his answers.

Only Hattie and Violeta competed in the first place.

More accurately, Hattie was trying to take Violeta’s first-place position.

However, given the current standings, the score gap between them was considerable.

Kaylee observed from the sidelines, munching on her snacks.

As she ate, she suddenly noticed something everyone else had overlooked.

It appeared that whenever Hattie answered a question, she would touch her ear.

She wore something white on her ear that resembled an earring at first glance.

Could it be some sort of luxury item?

Kaylee speculated quietly to herself and pulled out her phone to search on Google.

Unable to find any relevant results online, she then retrieved her Bluetooth earphones to listen to music.

As her phone scanned for Bluetooth connections, it detected another device nearby, one that was very close to Kaylee.

After a moment of puzzlement, Kaylee glanced around but didn’t spot anyone wearing earphones.

So, what exactly was this device?

Intrigued, Kaylee tapped on the other device to establish a connection.

On the opposite end…

“Beep!”

Gillian was startled. “It looks like someone else is attempting to connect to our Bluetooth.”

Zelena asked in surprise, “What? How can that be? Who is it?”

Gillian responded, “I’m not sure.”

When a phone has Bluetooth enabled, both parties usually need to verify the connection.

However, Hattie’s Bluetooth earpiece constantly emits a signal, making it vulnerable to third-party connections that could disrupt them.

Not only did they observe the anomaly.

Inside the gazebo, Hattie also noticed something unusual as her earpiece began emitting beeping sounds.

Another device was attempting to pair and establish a connection.

Frowning, she immediately sensed that something was amiss.

The next moment, a song began playing in her earpiece.

Meanwhile, Kaylee’s phone was also playing music.

She glanced at the notification on her phone.

‘Device connected.’

She was puzzled. Connected? But where was the device?

Hattie rolled her eyes in frustration, wondering who had connected to her earpiece.

Just as the owner finished announcing a new riddle, Hattie missed it completely, and Zelena, after disconnecting, couldn’t hear the riddle either.

This situation was becoming increasingly problematic!

Hattie raised her hand to her ear and toggled the switch on her earpiece.

She turned off her earpiece, severing the connection, and promptly powered it back on.

On the opposite side, Zelena swiftly received the signal and reestablished the connection.

Seeing the connection reestablished, Zelena quickly asked, “Hattie, can you hear me?”

Chapter 246

Hattie was unable to respond definitively, prompting her to speak to the owner, “Sir, I didn’t catch the question clearly earlier. Could you please repeat it?”

Her request resonated with Zelena’s side.

The sound reached their ears, signaling that the Bluetooth earphones had reconnected.

Gillian remarked, “Fantastic, they’re reconnected. Who was messing around? Connecting to someone else’s earphones like that what’s their problem?”

Meanwhile, at the gazebo.

The owner inquired, “Didn’t you catch that?”

Hattie responded, “I didn’t hear it clearly. Could you repeat the question?”

The owner found her troublesome but still repeated the riddle once more.

“What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?”

The sound reached Zelena’s ears, prompting them to swiftly search for the answer.

“Hattie, the answer is silence,” said Zelena.

Hattie promptly noted down the answer and submitted it, but unfortunately, she couldn’t match Violeta’s pace and ended up being too slow.

Kaylee sat beside her, and due to her phone playing music earlier, now that the Bluetooth earphones had disconnected, the music on her phone also stopped automatically.

She was confused.

The Bluetooth disconnection indicated that someone had intentionally disconnected it.

Who could have done it?

What are the nearby Bluetooth devices?

Kaylee’s eyes scanned the three individuals at the gazebo, eventually focusing on Hattie’s earpiece.

The longer she observed, the stronger Kaylee’s suspicion grew that Hattie was indeed wearing Bluetooth earphones.

To confirm, she employed a simple method: attempting to reconnect to the device on Hattie’s ears.

With nothing else to occupy her, Kaylee took out her phone and interrupted Zelena’s connection once more.

“Beep!”

Then, Kaylee carefully watched Hattie’s expression.

Indeed!

As soon as she connected the Bluetooth device, Hattie displayed a momentary pause.

Immediately, Kaylee played a clip from a horror movie dubbed on her phone.

“Boooooooo…

Hattie wrinkled her forehead intensely, her pupils widened, and swiftly reached to power down her earpiece.

The earpiece was turned off.

On Kaylee’s side, the Bluetooth connection was once more disrupted.

Now, Kaylee could ascertain that the unknown device was Hattie’s Bluetooth earpiece!

It was surprising that Hattie would behave so deceitfully.

Even while participating in a riddle guessing game, she stooped to such tactics.

If she succeeds, won’t it mean Violeta loses out?

Luckily, she was discovered by me!

I need to put a stop to her cheating!

Kaylee stood up and accused Hattie loudly of cheating.

“Sir, there’s cheating going on here!”

Violeta paused and glanced at Kaylee. “Kay, what’s happening?”

The owner asked, “What’s that you said?”

Kaylee explained, “Vio, Hattie is cheating!

“Sir, Hattie has a Bluetooth earpiece in her ear. She’s cheating. Someone outside must be helping her.”

The owner squinted in surprise.

Hattie had been previously confused, pondering over who had linked to her earpiece. With Kaylee now coming forward, it is evident that she was the one who connected to her device earlier!

Hattie gripped her hands tightly beneath her sleeves.

“Kaylee, don’t make baseless accusations! What proof do you possess?”

Kaylee responded, “If you doubt me, simply take out your phone and scan for the Bluetooth device nearby. You will discover a device named SNIU, which is the Bluetooth earpiece Hattie is currently using.

“I initially intended to connect my earphones for music but unexpectedly detected other devices. Curious, I attempted to connect and it successfully paired.”

The owner conducted a search and confirmed its presence.

In a swift rebuke, he exclaimed, “Hattie, is that device on your ear truly a Bluetooth earpiece? How could you do such a thing?”

Caught off guard, Hattie had never anticipated being discovered and panicked for a moment. “I… I didn’t!”

Hattie believed her deception was flawless, wondering how anyone could uncover it.

Yet, by sheer chance, Kaylee stumbled upon the truth.

Without Kaylee’s revelation, she pondered how much longer she could have maintained her deceit.

Kaylee retorted, “If not, then remove the earpiece from your ear and show it to us!”

Hattie was incensed. Rising from her chair in frustration, she exclaimed, “Who do you think you are? Why should I remove it to prove anything to you? This is just a ridiculous riddle game. Do you even have the authority to interrogate me? I’m done playing!”

With that, she turned away and walked off.

The owner’s demeanour shifted dramatically. “This is unacceptable! How can a student exhibit such a poor attitude? I will certainly report this to your school!”

Hattie spoke disdainfully of the game, yet she was the one cheating.

It’s a clear case of hypocrisy.

Violeta was somewhat taken aback by Hattie’s departure. It was surprising to see her cheat in such a minor competition, which was truly shameful.

She had been immersed in answering the questions, oblivious to what others were up to.

Chapter 247

Thankfully, Kaylee intervened, preventing Hattie from succeeding in her deceitful scheme once again. It’s possible her score could keep increasing until surpassing Violeta’s.

Following this round, only Violeta and another guy remained as competitors.

The guy aimed to answer thirty questions accurately, so he had to persist in the competition.

In contrast, Violeta appeared somewhat indifferent. Checking the scoreboard, she had amassed 52 points already.

It remained unclear if anyone could outpace her later, but at the moment, she felt fatigued and desired a break.

“Sir, I need a break,” Violeta stated.

The owner responded, “You want to rest? Of course, how about you?”

The other guy still needed to answer thirty questions to win a rabbit lamp for his girlfriend.

“I’ll keep going,” he declared.

The owner nodded. “Since we don’t have enough players for three rounds now, I’ll go recruit more students for the third round. So, this young man will proceed to the next round, and Violeta, you can take a break. If you choose to return in the afternoon, we can tally your score and session.”

According to the game rule, points accumulated from previous rounds would carry over as long as there were no incorrect answers or forfeits.

Violeta nodded in agreement, saying, “Alright.”

She correctly answered eleven questions, earning two portions of snacks as a reward.

However, if she accepted the snacks now, the

answers she had already provided would not count toward her total score, so Violeta chose not to claim the prize.

With three days remaining, Violeta could return in the afternoon to answer more questions gradually, aiming to reach thirty questions and win the small rabbit lamp.

Kaylee didn’t know if she could afford to take a break.

She exclaimed, “Oh, shoot! I could have kept accumulating points. If only I had known, I wouldn’t have taken the reward.

“But these snacks are really tasty, haha.”

Leaving the riddle guessing stall behind, Violeta and Kaylee explored the ancient town and stumbled upon a boutique offering free traditional outfit trials and photo opportunities.

After making their selections and settling the bill, they tried on several outfits they fancied, capturing moments with photographs to cherish.

Meanwhile, upon leaving the gazebo, Hattie met Zelena and others, her expression dark and furious.

As soon as she arrived, she kicked over a nearby chair, her face flushing with anger.

Zelena asked, “Hattie, what’s the matter?”

Hattie removed the earpiece from her ear, tossed it away, and clenched her teeth. “I’ve been found out.”

Zelena’s expression froze momentarily, though she seemed unsurprised.

Gillian widened her eyes. “That explains it! The signal was fine before, but it got cut off all of a sudden. Could it be the owner who figured it out?”

Hattie exclaimed, “It wasn’t the owner who discovered us, it was Kaylee!”

She proceeded to narrate the events that unfolded at the gazebo.

Candy and Gillian cursed vehemently.

“That Kaylee, she’s so short-sighted. Thinks she’s Violeta, daring to oppose us.”

“Yeah, I can’t believe how shameless she is!”

Hattie tightened her fist. “She’s asking for trouble, and I won’t let her get away with it. Come on, let’s move to the next stall.”

Zelena shrugged indifferently. “Kaylee is only this bold because she knows Violeta has her back.

Otherwise, she should’ve been punished for embezzling class funds last time!”

The incident involving the theft of class funds was aimed directly at Kaylee.

In class, Violeta’s only friend was Kaylee. If they could eliminate Kaylee, Violeta would be isolated in class and easier to manage.

However, things took an unexpected turn.

The plan backfired when Violeta intervened to clear Kaylee’s name.

Otherwise, if not for that, Kaylee, just an ordinary student, would dare to do such a thing, and the school would have likely imposed severe punishment.

Hattie and Zelena were exerting pressure behind the scenes again. Kaylee was sure to face a suspension as a result.

Hattie scoffed. “She won’t get away with it again.”

Violeta and Kaylee tried on traditional costumes and received compliments from the stall owner.

The photos they took turned out exceptionally artistic.

“How lovely!”

“Miss, why don’t you both go out in those traditional costumes, take some stunning photos, and return? It’ll be excellent publicity for us. When you return, I’ll gift you each a souvenir!”

Kaylee was taken aback. “Can we wear them outdoors?”

The stall owner replied, “Certainly, just ensure you return before noon. As long as the clothes stay clean, it’s all good. I love seeing beautiful ladies in traditional outfits, haha.

“Oh, and if you’re heading out for photos, you should visit the zither shop on Boreal Street. They have a waterfall in the backyard with a beautiful view. If you’re fortunate, you might even catch a glimpse of a rainbow. I wish I could join you, but I can’t leave right now. Let the photographer guide you this time.”

A zither shop?

If Violeta recalled correctly, the brochure also mentioned a zither challenge.

There would likely be many students there at this hour.

Violeta and Kaylee expressed gratitude to the owner for her kindness, and then the photographer escorted them to Boreal Street.

✩

Chapter 248

While walking along the road, they attracted a lot of attention wherever they went.

Nearby, atop the stone bridge, Nolan and two student council members were using bamboo sticks to aid in recovering hats that had dropped into the lake.

“Nolan, take a look over here.”

Nolan glanced sideways and spotted Violeta strolling amidst the crowd with a photographer.

She adorned a light blue traditional outfit, her hair casually fastened with a ribbon. Her complexion gleamed under the sun, and a faint smile played in her eyes as she conversed with Kaylee.

The photographer ahead was energetically directing their movements as well.

In the midst of the crowd, they were the sole wearers of traditional outfits, thus standing out and garnering considerable attention.

“Where did they find those outfits? They look quite impressive. At first glance, I thought she was an actress.”

“I recall there’s a traditional costume shop nearby. Perhaps they borrowed them from there?”

“It might not be. I recall that traditional costume shop doesn’t actually rent out clothing …. Nolan stayed quiet, tuning in to their conversation nearby. He shifted his gaze away and resumed fishing hats from the lake. Eventually, he snagged one and passed it to the individual beside him, murmuring, “Don’t throw things around next time.”

“Thanks, Nolan!”

“No need for thanks,” Nolan replied.

He stepped away from the bridge with the bamboo stick in hand.

The two student council members caught up from behind, “Nolan, where are you headed?”

Nolan smiled slightly. “To listen to the zither.”

They eventually reached the zither shop, named Spring Haven.

A crowd had gathered outside, with many already participating in the challenge, and the melodic sound of the zither resonated from one side.

Both discordant and harmonious notes filled the air.

The photographer, acquainted with the zither shop owner, guided Violeta and Kaylee through the back entrance.

After walking for a few minutes, they indeed felt a refreshing coolness ahead.

There was a small waterfall, or rather, a slightly higher water pool.

The photographer located an ideal spot for them, where Violeta posed for several photos, yet the photographer remained dissatisfied.

Kaylee casually suggested, “I think Vio could hold something in her hands, like a flute or a zither, in a very traditional style.”

The photographer applauded. “You’re absolutely right! Wait here, I’ll go fetch the instruments.”

He set down his backpack and dashed off.

Shortly after, he returned, holding a zither in one hand and a lute in the other.

“Miss, you’ll play the zither, and you’ll handle the lute.”

He passed the zither to Violeta, who accepted it and promptly found a seat, setting the instrument on her lap.

The zither appeared notably precious, with Violeta identifying its high-grade paulownia wood body and the intricate auspicious cloud totem carved along its side. As she delicately plucked the strings, the sound resonated with clarity and strength, ideal for performing vigorous pieces such as “Melody of the Battle” and “Misty Blossoms”.

It’s uncertain if the photographer had borrowed the shop owner’s preferred instrument.

She had to handle it cautiously to avoid any mishaps near the water.

The photographer busied himself by rearranging rocks, setting up equipment, finding the optimal angle, and ultimately selecting a superb shooting perspective.

“This angle!

“Excellent. You two, hold the lute and strum a few times. It’s alright if you’re not a musician. Just focus on capturing the essence, keeping your movements natural.”

Kaylee couldn’t play the lute. She was a spirited and adventurous woman where would she have acquired such skills?

She held the lute uncertainly, unsure of where to position her hands.

However, Violeta, with her previous experience, attempted to pluck a few notes, producing a crisp and melodious sound.

She plucked a few random notes, which stirred memories deep within her.

A trace of melancholy crept into her eyes.

The photographer clicked away.

Kaylee noticed that Violeta’s movements on the zither didn’t seem like those of someone who

couldn’t play. She asked, “Vio, do you know how to play the zither?”

Violeta replied, “I learned the basics.”

More than just the zither.

All her learning experiences could be seen as a form of self-learning.

In her past life, Violeta had become acquainted with several production assistants on set. One of them informed her about a role that suited her well and encouraged her to audition.

She prepared in advance, but during the audition on set, she was suddenly informed that the role required proficiency in playing the zither.

Most film productions in the industry don’t conduct live sound recording on set.

Many directors select actors based solely on their outward appearance, and often other attributes like musical skills can be dubbed later unless it’s a requirement like dancing.

So Violeta was quite dumbfounded.

She had been mocked.

Those people said, “You don’t even know how to play the zither, why are you auditioning? Just go home. You won’t even get the role of the eighth female role!”

“Huh, why not just be honest and play a supporting role properly?”

Violeta left with a sense of regret. At the time, she believed she wouldn’t have a chance to audition due to the high standards set by the casting director.

However, she later discovered that this production was backed by the Blake Group to showcase new talents, in collaboration with another entertainment company.

Chapter 249

So, this can be understood now. As expected, it was someone meddling again.

Upon her return, Violeta started pushing herself to become a versatile talent. She didn’t need to be an expert in everything, but she had to have a basic understanding.

Since time was the one thing she had in abundance, she spared no effort in learning everything she didn’t understand, exploring, and trying new things. Failures were okay. She could always try again.

Fortunately, this journey wasn’t without its rewards, and she met many kind-hearted people along the way.

Kaylee didn’t believe Violeta’s claim of having only learned the basics.

Violeta appeared relaxed in public, but privately spent a lot of time practicing, much like her dedication to tennis.

Initially, Kaylee had thought Violeta was naturally talented and strong, but after spending so much time with her over the past semester and this semester, Violeta hadn’t missed a single club training session. Each training session was unusually long.

She held herself to rigorous standards.

If Violeta claimed proficiency in playing the zither, she must possess considerable talent!

Kaylee remarked, “You must be quite skilled to handle such a complex instrument like the zither!”

Violeta smiled and responded, “I’ve actually forgotten many of the musical scores, so now I only play from memory. That’s why I say it was simple learning.”

The photographer reviewed the photos taken and felt highly pleased.

“Miss, would you be okay if I filmed a video and shared it online? The scenery here is so stunning. It would be a shame to capture just a few photos.”

Violeta agreed, “Sure, as long as it’s not for commercial purposes.

“Anyway, since we’re dressed in traditional outfits and the owner didn’t charge us, let’s just take the photos.”

Kaylee chimed in, “Definitely! Take some photos! Don’t forget to send them over. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Upon seeing their agreement, the photographer quickly added, “If anyone can play the instruments, feel free to play. I’ll set up the equipment here to record.”

“Alright,” Violeta responded with a nod.

After pondering for a moment, she decided to play “Melody of the Battle” on the zither, unwilling to let the fine instrument go to waste.

Taking a moment to compose herself, despite not having finger picks, she proceeded with a simple performance, calming her emotions.

“Alright, let’s get started!”

The photographer exclaimed as the recording began.

Violeta began to play, following the music in her mind.

The melodious and profound tones of the zither floated gently on the breeze, gradually growing more robust and majestic. It seemed to conjure images of a grand battlefield, where thousands of troops clashed in a spectacular scene.

On the other side, outside the zither shop.

A crowd gathered to collect their souvenirs.

Initially, the owner eagerly welcomed them to play on the spot. However, as time went on, it became clear that many students were there merely to “experience” the zither, and the sounds they produced were simply unbearable.

The boss’s expression shifted from pleasant to a grimace.

His temperament gradually became more impatient.

He finally said, “Okay, enough playing. Barry, give him the keychain and let him go.”

“Oh, when others play the zither, they pay, but when you play, it’s like asking for their life! Hurry up and leave!

“Oh my goodness, don’t pluck the strings so

aggressively! I just replaced them, and you’re being too forceful!

“Please, set it down! This instrument isn’t for casual playing!

“Barry, go and check the number of individuals still waiting. Quickly let them go. I just can’t take this day after day!

“What is the standard of students nowadays? Why is it deteriorating?

“Once you finish, ensure everything is restored to its original position!

“Oh, I can’t endure this any longer…”

The owner remained seated, his expression icy and impatient, reluctant to depart for fear that the students might damage his instruments.

Meanwhile, Hattie and the others stood in a lengthy queue, waiting patiently.

This time, the criteria for earning credits with the zither were simple. The owner would review the music score, awarding points to those who could perform it proficiently. Skillful performances received high scores, while inadequate ones garnered none.

However, the owner often exercised discretion in awarding points.

The highest scorers can directly report to the school and earn additional credits.

Hattie exuded confidence, stating, “I’ve been playing musical instruments since childhood, and I already hold a Grade 10 certificate for the zither. I’m certain I’ll achieve the highest score!”

Gillian and Candy eagerly anticipated her zither performance and were pleasantly surprised.

“Hattie, this is new to me. I had no idea you played the zither. That’s quite impressive.”

“Yeah, you must have been dedicated to studying it for years.”

Hattie remarked, “Yes, my mom insisted I learn music when I was young, and I wasn’t keen on it then. Now I see her good intentions.”

From a tender age, Hannah foresaw the future and started preparing in advance.

All in anticipation of Hattie and Benson returning to vie for the family property once they came of age.

After patiently queuing up, their turn finally arrived.

Thinking Hattie was there to try out playing the zither, the owner cautioned, “You can play for only one minute, so please don’t exert too much force.”

Hattie felt somewhat dismissive, sensing the owner’s demeanour wasn’t very welcoming. “Sir, I’m here to take on the music score challenge.”

The owner was taken aback, yet simultaneously somewhat pleased.

“You’re here to challenge the music score? Excellent, here it is.”

Chapter 250

The owner gave Hattie the music score, requesting her to review it.

Hattie noticed how thick the music score was and understood it contained over a hundred songs.

The owner then said, “I will choose a song at random for you to perform. If you can play it, I will judge you based on how well you do. If you can’t, you will be disqualified. The songs are also rated, the higher the score, the better.”

Hattie felt especially confident in her abilities.

“Go ahead, Sir.”

The zither shop’s owner was delighted.

At last, someone who could play the zither had come.

He browsed through the music score and stopped at a random page, which turned out to be “Sound of Lament”.

“Perform the ‘Sound of Lament”.”

This was a zither composition with a difficulty rating of ten, demanding advanced skills and rapid changes in melody, making it highly challenging. Everyone focused on Hattie. She grinned confidently, put on the finger picks beside her, and started playing. Each string she plucked was perfect, and she played flawlessly until the end.

The owner clapped and said, “Excellent job! At last, a genuine zither player is here. You performed this piece wonderfully. I’ll give you an eight out of ten.”

The maximum score was ten.

Hattie felt a bit unhappy and asked, “Why only eight points?”

The owner responded, “Your technique and finger movements were flawless, but you lacked a bit of expression.”

Some pieces require more than just technical skill. They need to create a sense of unity between the player and the music, evoking a feeling of presence.

Hattie frowned, thinking the owner must have a problem with his hearing.

But she kept her thoughts to herself and continued playing. She needed to gather more points to achieve the highest score and earn extra credit.

“Choose another piece. I assure you, I know every song in this music book, and I won’t make any mistakes.”

The owner said, “Alright, since you’re so confident, I’ll pick another one.”

The owner randomly flipped through the music book.

“Melody of the Battle.”

Hattie hesitated briefly when she heard the title.

“What’s wrong, don’t you know it?” the owner asked.

“Of course, I do.”

But Hattie secretly felt uneasy about this song.

She recalled struggling with “Melody of the Battle” during practice. In the end, she didn’t achieve the highest score in her exam, but she managed to pass.

Hannah Leid was very disappointed in her.

“Let’s start.”

Hattie lowered her gaze, adjusted the finger picks on her fingers, and began to play.

But just then-

As her fingers were about to touch the strings, the distant sound of a zither reached her ears.

Everyone was amazed, believing that Hattie was playing.

The owner closed his eyes, looking ecstatic.

Only Hattie stood still, her hands above the strings.

However, the onlookers quickly realized the truth.

“The sound is coming from behind her, not from her playing. Who is playing the zither?”

The owner opened his eyes and looked back, suddenly recalling the two young girls the photographer had brought in earlier.

He quickly walked into the shop and told a staff member to check the waterfall area at the back.

The staff hurried back and confirmed, “Sir, it’s the two girls that Roland brought playing the zither at the back, and he’s recording a video of them.”

The owner was taken aback. “Really? I hear ‘Melody of the Battle.’ Wait! Which zither is he using? Could it be my Dawn zither?”

The staff thought for a moment and said, “Yes, it seems like it is.”

“Damn it!”

The owner dashed off like a whirlwind, disappearing instantly.

He hurried to the waterfall, cursing loudly.

“Roland Cyprus, you scoundrel! How dare you take my precious zither without permission! I’ll get you for this!”

When he reached the scene, he abruptly stopped.

He stood motionless, his angry expression freezing on his face, gradually transforming into an expression of admiration.

He observed a young lady dressed in white seated on a massive boulder by the pond, with a waterfall flowing behind her, the environment harmonizing with the scene perfectly.

Moreover, the zither melody she performed, titled “Melody of the Battle”, was truly mesmerizing!

Each musical note was impeccably managed, creating a delightful auditory experience.

The owner couldn’t resist closing his eyes and immersing himself completely in the music until the piece concluded.

The photographer switched off the camera.

He turned to the owner of the zither shop, “Darwin, why did you hurry over so quickly? Weren’t you keeping an eye on the shop?”

Ignoring the question, Darwin strolled to the pond’s edge and grinned, “Miss, your performance was exquisite. Are you a student at Toland University? Why not come and compete in our zither challenge here?”

Violeta rested her hands on the zither.

The man facing her appeared familiar as if she had glimpsed him while passing by the zither shop.

“Are you the owner of the zither shop?” Violeta asked.

“Yes, I am.”

Darwin extended a sincere invitation to Violeta, saying, “Miss, I invite you to join our zither challenge!”

Violeta blinked and turned to the photographer next to her, asking, “Is the video finished?”

The photographer confirmed, “The video is complete.”

With the video finished, she had fulfilled the promise she made earlier to the traditional outfit shop’s owner.

お金金

SEND GIFT or GCASH: +63.936.139.8714

COMMENT

Subscribe

♡
Prev | Next