Chapter 12

On Saturday, Yang Jingxing got up early and went to the classroom to study. His classmates couldn't help but marvel at how different it was to see him at this time on a weekend, especially in the final year of high school.

After studying and having breakfast, Yang Jingxing went to the school gate to wait for the bus, where he met Ren Chuyu and Li Ya.

Ren Chuyu said to Yang Jingxing, "Your mom is really beautiful. I saw her yesterday."

Yang Jingxing smiled, "I'll tell her."

Knowing that Yang Jingxing was going to the bookstore, Ren Chuyu expressed a willingness to go along but requested that Yang Jingxing also accompany them shopping. Yang Jingxing could only express regret, saying he had no time.

At the bookstore, he bought two books on music theory but couldn't find a suitable piano textbook. Yang Jingxing then went to a music store to buy a guitar. Although he was still a beginner, he could clearly feel the difference between a 5,000 yuan guitar and a 500 yuan one. Yang Jingxing could only buy a 1,000 yuan guitar, not wanting to ask his parents for money so they wouldn't worry that he had forgotten his main focus.

Back in the dorm, Yang Jingxing surprised Tan Dong, who was still playing video games. Upon learning that his friend had plans to study music, Tan Dong was so shocked he wanted to bang his head against the wall. They had been classmates for two years, and he had never noticed any musical talent in Yang Jingxing. Yet, Yang Jingxing spent the whole afternoon reading the books.

On Sunday, Yang Jingxing spent half the day reading books and the other half playing the guitar. The troublemaker Tan Dong gradually became a listener and strongly requested that Yang Jingxing teach him a couple of songs, enough to put on a show. Unfortunately, this wasn't as easy as it seemed. Tan Dong fiddled for an hour and couldn't even play the simplest chords.

In the evening, there was a class meeting, and as usual, the seats were rearranged at the beginning of the semester. Classmates chose their own partners, but Teacher Jiang had a requirement: "Yang Jingxing and Tan Dong, you can't sit together."

As a result, most people's partners didn't change. Tan Dong looked around and noticed that Tao Meng and Cao Linglan also didn't plan to sit together anymore.

Before Tan Dong had the courage to speak up, Tao Meng came over: "Yang Jingxing, let's sit together."

Yang Jingxing looked at his hands and muttered, "Beauty or study, which one should I choose?"

Tao Meng was clearly surprised and frowned.

Yang Jingxing decided, "I choose beauty."

Tao Meng hesitated, regretfully, and said, "Then you switch with Cao Linglan."

After the seats were adjusted, Teacher Jiang gave a speech, as usual, encouraging everyone to attend more morning and evening study sessions, focus all their energy on studying, and avoid going to the library to read leisure books or magazines, using the computer room, or wandering around the city.

Back in the dorm, Tan Dong naturally condemned Yang Jingxing's good luck, especially for sitting with Tao Meng. He also couldn't stand Yang Jingxing's rechargeable desk lamp, feeling it was a betrayal of the group.

On Monday, the official start of the school year. In fact, the content of the entire high school curriculum had already been basically covered in the first two years, and the third year was just for reinforcement. In the morning, there were two Chinese and two English classes, with students focusing on problem-solving and teachers explaining the answers.

Yang Jingxing and Tao Meng now sat at the fourth desk in the first row, with Tao Meng by the window. Yang Jingxing's Chinese scores were the worst, sometimes even failing. Now, he was actually taking out the first-year Chinese textbook to review, occasionally looking up to see what the teacher was explaining.

Tao Meng took the opportunity to remind him quietly, "Don't divide your attention. I suggest you focus on the class."

Yang Jingxing said, "You still have the energy to observe me being distracted."

Tao Meng ignored Yang Jingxing for a few seconds and then used reality to打击 him, "I can score 120."

Yang Jingxing, looking at the book, gave Tao Meng a thumbs up with his right hand and said, "If you want to care about my studies, don't use such fragrant perfume in the future. I really can't focus."

Tao Meng really ignored Yang Jingxing.

After the break, Yang Jingxing rushed to the music department to apply for the use of a practice room. There were six music teachers in the high school department, three young and three old, three male and three female. Hu Yiqing was the only young female. The high school department had three piano rooms equipped with multimedia and good sound systems, mainly for music appreciation classes.

Hu Yiqing only remembered at this moment that she had a student to teach, but she was embarrassed to tell her colleagues that she had taken on a complete beginner. She just went through the motions and asked, "When do you want to use it?"

"Every evening and on weekends, the more time the better," Yang Jingxing also realized that the guitar wasn't a good tool for learning music.

When she heard that Yang Jingxing was preparing for a music exam, the other two teachers present were surprised, as they hadn't heard of it before. Of course, they couldn't help but ask questions, and then they were speechless.

However, this was a big deal for the music department. The department head approved Yang Jingxing's use of the third piano room in the multi-functional teaching building, with Hu Yiqing responsible.

Hu Yiqing escorted Yang Jingxing out of the office and asked, "Do you really have no foundation at all?"

Yang Jingxing, fearless in his ignorance, said, "I bought books and will learn slowly."

Hu Yiqing's eyes were full of sympathy, "Shall I open the door for you at seven?"

Yang Jingxing was not satisfied, "Can it be six? Hu Yiqing is single and lives in the school's teacher dorm, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Next was English class. A considerable number of students at Shangpu had excellent English scores, and Yang Jingxing was also good, but he was still far behind Tao Meng, who scored close to full marks in every exam.

Tao Meng saw Yang Jingxing flipping through a student dictionary quickly, occasionally marking more obscure words and copying them a couple of times in his notebook.

High school classes ended at five in the afternoon. To show her dedication, Hu Yiqing arrived at the practice room at 5:45 and found Yang Jingxing already reading a book at the door.

Hu Yiqing opened the door and glanced at Yang Jingxing's "Piano Basic Tutorial," feeling helpless. She looked around and said, "Practice well. I'll come back at eight."

Yang Jingxing said, "Teacher Hu, I might practice very late. Can you give me the key so I can lock the door myself?"

Hu Yiqing asked, "Until ten?"

"Definitely later."

"You have classes tomorrow!"

"It's fine, it won't affect me."

Hu Yiqing really gave Yang Jingxing the key but instructed him to be back in the dorm by midnight. Hu Yiqing didn't leave immediately but stood there watching Yang Jingxing adjust the stool height and distance, sit down, and attempt to place his hands, which was a painful sight.

Hu Yiqing said, "Start with scales." Then she fled, thinking it would take months to even get the basic finger techniques right!

This was a Yamaha grand piano with good sound quality. When Yang Jingxing pressed a key, the sound resonated in the acoustically designed classroom, seemingly cooling the hot air.

At 10:30 PM, the class teacher, Teacher Jiang, and Hu Yiqing came to check on Yang Jingxing. Since he wasn't in the dorm during the roll call, Teacher Jiang didn't trust Tan Dong and contacted Hu Yiqing.

The two teachers heard the piano sound as they approached the third floor corridor. Hu Yiqing frowned. Good heavens, the piano sound was like a well-trained pig using its hooves to play "The Four Little Swans." The notes were correct, but there was no rhythm, let alone any musicality. It was just noise.

Teacher Jiang scolded the sweating Yang Jingxing, telling him he should have gone back to the dorm to rest earlier. Yang Jingxing, of course, refused. Teachers shouldn't discourage students' enthusiasm, so Teacher Jiang said he would talk to the management to turn on the air conditioning.

Hu Yiqing saw a lot of paper towels in the trash can, probably used to wipe sweat, but the keys were quite clean. She asked Yang Jingxing to play "The Four Little Swans" again.

To her surprise, Yang Jingxing could play from memory. After listening to it once, Hu Yiqing confidently asked Yang Jingxing to move aside so she could demonstrate. Yang Jingxing quickly wiped the sweaty stool with a paper towel, but it was unnecessary as Hu Yiqing could play standing.

This simple piece for three-year-olds, Hu Yiqing played like a master. She gave a few tips, telling Yang Jingxing where to play softly, where to play strongly, where to play half a beat, where to play a full beat, how to play chords, and which syncopated notes to pay attention to.

Having a teacher made a difference. When Yang Jingxing played again, it was much better. Hu Yiqing told Teacher Jiang, "You can go rest. I'll watch him practice."

After playing twice more, Hu Yiqing nodded and asked, "Did you practice as a child and then give up?"

Yang Jingxing said yes. He had touched the piano as a child and even played with his buttocks on the keys of an upright piano at his elementary school, earning a scolding from the teacher.

Hu Yiqing said, "Start with the basics. The exam won't require you to play well... Your hand shape is so good, it's a pity you didn't persist."

It was almost eleven, and Yang Jingxing said, "Teacher Hu, you should go rest. I'll practice a bit more."

Hu Yiqing nodded, "I'll come back in the afternoon."

Yang Jingxing practiced until three in the morning before going back to the dorm to sleep, waking up at seven. In the morning, there were math and physics classes. At this time, Tao Meng couldn't be arrogant in front of Yang Jingxing. The teacher assigned a set of problems, and Yang Jingxing solved them in twenty minutes, while Tao Meng was still drawing force diagrams on her scratch paper.

During the break, Hu Yiqing came to get the practice room key from Yang Jingxing because she had a class to teach for the first-year students. She also gave him a copy of "Hanon" and "Beyer," saying, "Focus on Hanon."

Yang Jingxing thanked her. The books were old but clean.

Thus, with Tan Dong's promotion, the news of Yang Jingxing preparing for a music exam spread quickly. A few people discussed it, a few asked questions, and most were just curious.

Ren Chuyu flipped through "Hanon," "I practiced this before... Not a good friend, not telling me."

Yang Jingxing said, "I'm still looking for the right opportunity."

As class was about to start, Tao Meng asked Yang Jingxing, "Didn't you say you don't play any instruments?" In the past, during class activities, Yang Jingxing did nothing and just watched.

"So I'm learning."

Tao Meng, concerned for her classmate, said, "It's not as simple as you think. I advise you not to waste your time." Tao Meng had performed piano multiple times at school and even played a Grieg concerto with an orchestra during the school's tenth anniversary. She didn't plan to take a music exam.

Yang Jingxing nodded, acknowledging her advice.

During lunch, Ren Chuyu asked Yang Jingxing when he would practice, as she wanted to observe. Yang Jingxing refused, "You'll make me nervous. I'll show you when I'm better."

"Aww, just pretend I'm not there."

Yang Jingxing looked at Ren Chuyu's eyes, "It's too hard."

"Hmph."

Yang Jingxing waited at the practice room door for no more than two minutes before Hu Yiqing arrived, bringing an air conditioner remote, a metronome, and a sheet of music. As she opened the door, she said, "You should prepare more water. You sweated so much last night that it turned to salt!"

Yang Jingxing said, "I drank enough before coming."

Hu Yiqing smiled and asked, "How is your music theory?"

Yang Jingxing was confident, "I should be able to read sheet music now."

Hu Yiqing said, "During the exam, you'll need to calculate intervals and write chords. Study more on your own."

Yang Jingxing nodded, "Thank you, Teacher Hu."

Hu Yiqing felt a bit embarrassed, "It's my duty."

It seemed that today was the official start. Hu Yiqing could only recall her own experience and combine it with the textbook to guide Yang Jingxing. She refused to sit, saying she needed to stand to see Yang Jingxing's hand movements clearly.

After observing for a while, Hu Yiqing began to correct Yang Jingxing's obvious mistakes, such as over-relying on his shoulders and arms. After a while, she noticed Yang Jingxing's strengths, such as strong and powerful fingers.

However, when it came to finger striking, Hu Yiqing couldn't explain it clearly. It seemed that this was something that could only be felt, not taught: "Don't tense your fingers too much, but don't relax them too much either. You need to find the best striking position and force yourself."

For the first hour, they didn't practice any pieces, just basic finger techniques. Hu Yiqing regretfully said, "Your foundation is actually quite good... Maybe your previous teacher wasn't good enough to teach you." This seemed contradictory.

Yang Jingxing laughed, "I see new hope now."

Hu Yiqing shook her head, "I'm not that good... I'll do my best. Play what you did yesterday again."

After Yang Jingxing played "The Four Little Swans," Hu Yiqing stared at him and asked, "When did you practice yesterday? You shouldn't focus on one piece for too long. Your hands will stiffen. You need a system and a comprehensive approach."

To make it less boring for Yang Jingxing, Hu Yiqing found a piece called "Dream of a Wedding" for him to try. This piece was technically simple, with basic finger techniques, but playing it well was another matter.

Yang Jingxing looked at the sheet for two minutes, then prepared himself before starting. Since Hu Yiqing was turning the pages for him, he only glanced at them symbolically. After finishing, he said with self-mockery, "It's not as simple as I thought."

Hu Yiqing quickly comforted him, "Not bad at all. Don't rush. Really, not bad! Don't try to play fast. Don't use the pedal for now. Feel it out."

Then Hu Yiqing played the piece at a slower speed, which was much more pleasant to listen to compared to Yang Jingxing's version. Yang Jingxing clenched his fists, "I'll take this as motivation!"

Hu Yiqing smiled and let Yang Jingxing continue, guiding him to distinguish between staccato and legato. Yang Jingxing played twice more, and Hu Yiqing was pleased, saying, "Your foundation is really good, and your understanding is excellent." Otherwise, he wouldn't have improved each time.

Yang Jingxing, of course, said, "It's because you teach well."

Hu Yiqing asked, "Do you want to take a break?"

Yang Jingxing felt embarrassed, "It's eight. Teacher, you should go rest. Thank you."

Hu Yiqing nodded, "I'll be out for a bit. You can rest too."

About half an hour later, Hu Yiqing returned with a cup of tea and brought one for Yang Jingxing. She told him to prepare water in the future, as practicing is also a physical activity. Yang Jingxing thanked her. Hu Yiqing said there was no need to be polite and told him to continue practicing. She was tired of standing and sat down to listen. She had little more to guide him, so she asked him to play repeatedly.

When she heard parts that Yang Jingxing might handle poorly, she tilted her head and tried to help. When he handled them well, she immediately relaxed and smiled.

After playing repeatedly for an hour, Hu Yiqing became a listener and said, "You're almost as good as me." Then they started with basic practice again. Hu Yiqing was an encouraging teacher, often praising Yang Jingxing for his quick progress and strong understanding.

At ten, Yang Jingxing felt truly embarrassed and asked Hu Yiqing to go home and rest. He continued practicing until three, finishing half of "Hanon."

On Wednesday afternoon, Hu Yiqing and Yang Jingxing met at the practice room at six. Yang Jingxing brought a few bottles of mineral water, and Hu Yiqing scolded him, saying he didn't need to prepare for her.

Yang Jingxing also said, "My parents said they can't have you working overtime every day. They want to hire you as a private tutor."

Hu Yiqing understood Yang Jingxing's meaning and shook her head, "No need, no need. I'm not a professional... You can consider hiring a professional teacher on weekends."

Yang Jingxing asked, "Do you have time on weekends?"

Hu Yiqing smiled, "If you practice well, I'll have time." She still refused to take money because the school had a rule against teachers charging for private lessons.

Considering Yang Jingxing's special situation, Hu Yiqing created a study plan for him, combining "Hanon" with "Czerny," interspersing simple pieces, and focusing on exam pieces at the end.

Hu Yiqing said she had already inquired and found that for the composition exam, the piano wasn't the most important part. Music theory and sight-singing were also significant, especially the ability to compose and perform on the spot... In short, it was more difficult than she imagined. Therefore, subjects other than piano must also be emphasized. Hu Yiqing's plan was to spend eight hours each week on music theory, focusing on harmony and modes, and of course, practicing writing scores.

Yang Jingxing smiled, "Quite a challenge."

Hu Yiqing also smiled, "If you have confidence, that's fine."

"Without confidence, I wouldn't be worthy of such a good teacher!"

Hu Yiqing humbly said, "I can only do my best."

Hu Yiqing let Yang Jingxing practice basic finger techniques for over an hour, finding it hard to pick out any mistakes in his movements. This guy really didn't make the same mistake twice, and the remaining issue seemed to be familiarity.

After listening to "Dream of a Wedding" again, Hu Yiqing looked at Yang Jingxing and asked, "Shall we start with scales and modes?"

Yang Jingxing said, "I'll follow the teacher's lead."

After practicing scales for another hour, Hu Yiqing brought out "Czerny 599" and said