Chapter 18

Tonight's concert wasn't so formal, but it still left Yang Jingxing with a broadened perspective. From seven to nearly ten, dozens of performances by over a hundred people took turns on stage, each more varied than the last. There were solo performances, solos, duets, trios, quartets, and small ensembles. String instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments, as well as various vocal styles from bel canto to folk and rap.

Yang Jingxing clapped for every performance, with two rounds of especially enthusiastic applause. One was for Zhang Chujia's quintet, and the other was for the final performance by a group of ten girls. The group featured a guzheng, pipa, erhu, yangqin, huqin, flute, electronic keyboard, electric guitar, and jazz drum, performing a medley of the themes from "Contra" and "Legend of the Moonlight." The effect was surprisingly good.

When the group was introduced as "306," the audience erupted into thunderous applause, indicating that these girls were quite popular at the music college.

After the performance, the unprecedented cheers and applause showed that the students at the music college and Yang Jingxing had something in common.

When 306 took the stage, Zhang Chujia was already sitting next to Yang Jingxing. Seeing his excited look, she told him about the group's background.

The name "306" came from the room number where the girls usually practiced, Room 306 in the North Building. 306 was not an officially recognized group by the school but a self-formed ensemble for fun. The main initiator was a talented girl from the composition department, the one playing the electronic keyboard on stage, who was only a sophomore. Most of the classic pieces performed by 306 were arranged by her.

306's first major success was half a year ago when they were just six members. Their folk music version of "Contra" made them an instant hit at the music college.

Of course, the teachers who taught counterpoint and fugue wouldn't encourage such performances, and some even disapproved. However, 306 remained popular, and their few appearances always caused a stir. Unfortunately, they never had the chance to perform at the school's official concerts, making them an underground music group.

Zhang Chujia commented, "I think they have a good attitude." It was indeed impressive that they still had the spirit to arrange and perform game music after entering the Puhai Music College.

Yang Jingxing chuckled, "I really want to get their autographs."

Zhang Chujia gave him a look of disdain.

Yang Jingxing returned to school at eleven and went to the practice room. He tried to play "Contra" on the piano, spending most of the night working on a rough score. However, the result was quite poor, thin and weak like a cell phone ringtone, far inferior to 306's performance. He put it aside and focused on practicing the piano.

On the 19th, a new week began. The temperature had dropped since last night, and it was only around twenty degrees today, signaling the arrival of autumn. Some girls started wearing their spring and autumn uniforms, even pants.

Shangpu's spring and autumn uniforms had four or five sets, including gray, dark blue, and black blazers, as well as a set of sportswear. The black stand-collar formal suit was the most popular among boys, but the girls didn't have sailor uniforms.

Tao Meng was still wearing a long skirt, but she added a blue blazer over her white shirt and tied a blue and white striped tie. Yang Jingxing was still in a shirt, but some boys had already put on blazers or stand-collar suits.

Halfway through the class, Yang Jingxing had already looked at Tao Meng several times, which was unusual. Tao Meng finally glanced back at him, looking displeased.

Yang Jingxing, being thick-skinned, asked, "Have you seen 'Slam Dunk'?"

"Yes... Don't talk about this during class," the class monitor scolded.

Yang Jingxing, undeterred, continued, "Do you like the songs in it?"

"Yes... Which one?" Tao Meng looked at Yang Jingxing.

Yang Jingxing was too embarrassed to sing, so he quickly drew two lines of sheet music and wrote down two incomplete musical phrases for Tao Meng to see.

Tao Meng studied it for a while, her pink lips softly humming the tune, then said, "This is 'Until the End of the World.' What is this?" She seemed to know more than Yang Jingxing.

Yang Jingxing sighed, "I started playing basketball after watching 'Slam Dunk.'"

Tao Meng stopped chatting and focused on her studies.

After the break, Yang Jingxing ran to Hu Yiqing, asking her to help him download the theme songs from "Slam Dunk." Hu Yiqing was surprised to find that she and Yang Jingxing had no generation gap; she had also watched the anime and agreed to help, promising to complete the task.

At noon, Yang Jingxing took the MP3 from Hu Yiqing and went to the practice room, determined to create a piano version of "Slam Dunk."

After two hours, Yang Jingxing's result was still a single-chord cell phone ringtone. The melody was roughly correct, but it sounded terrible. "Until the End of the World" was a very rock song, and adapting it to a piano piece was beyond Yang Jingxing's current abilities.

However, Yang Jingxing wasn't afraid to lose face in front of Hu Yiqing. In the evening, he played his result for her. Hu Yiqing was pleasantly surprised, "Not bad."

Yang Jingxing was self-aware, "But it's so thin and childish."

Hu Yiqing laughed, "You don't have any chords. You can play the melody with your right hand and chords with your left, but you're not good at harmonizing yet. Arranging music is not simple... But it's already quite good, really."

Yang Jingxing nodded humbly and said, "I've been practicing 'Canon.' Listen to how it sounds." This was a task assigned by Liu Miao and Xia Xue, and he had put a lot of effort into it.

After listening to Yang Jingxing play, Hu Yiqing praised him, saying he would definitely improve in two more days. She also mentioned, "This is Pachelbel's, the most famous one. I also like Bach's."

Yang Jingxing was surprised, "There are other versions?"

Hu Yiqing laughed and used the canon as a starting point to give Yang Jingxing an impromptu music theory lesson. She talked about canons, fugues, counterpoint, variations, Baroque music, music structure, and the works of Bach, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky. Hu Yiqing also played many examples for Yang Jingxing to listen to.

Yang Jingxing listened attentively and sincerely said, "Teacher Hu, I really admire you."

Hu Yiqing blushed, "You'll learn it too... Oh, it's almost nine. Let's start the class."

Then they began their exam preparation.

Hu Yiqing left at ten-thirty, and Yang Jingxing continued practicing until two in the morning. He couldn't resist the urge to listen to "Slam Dunk" and try it on the piano. As Hu Yiqing had said, to capture the essence of the original on the piano, he needed to work on the chords more than just the melody and rhythm.

However, Yang Jingxing had only learned about chords a few days ago. Harmonizing a melody was still beyond his reach. He didn't understand inner and outer voices, chord progressions, or the characteristics of rock chords. How to convey a rock style on the piano was even more challenging.

So, for Yang Jingxing to create a successful arrangement was like a dream. But he had the idea and was willing to try. Sometimes, doing something poorly is better than not doing it at all. If you don't do it, you'll never get better.

Yang Jingxing struggled until four in the morning, creating a few bars that were terribly ugly. He was so frustrated that he went back to the dorm and slept for three hours before going to class.

After the break, the big-eyed girl, Zhou Fanli, waited for Yang Jingxing at the entrance of the teaching building. Her eyes were powerful, and she stopped Yang Jingxing with a look of complaint and dissatisfaction. She then walked a few steps to the side to avoid being seen, and her gaze continued to draw Yang Jingxing to follow her.

"Coincidence," Yang Jingxing smiled.

Zhou Fanli didn't smile, looking at Yang Jingxing with fluttering eyelashes, and asked softly, "Why haven't you come to find me... Do you not want to be friends with me?"

Yang Jingxing was surprised and a bit disappointed, "Aren't we already friends?"

Zhou Fanli asked, "Didn't Tao Meng tell you I came to find you?"

Yang Jingxing nodded, "She did, and said you brought something."

Zhou Fanli rolled her eyes, "She's so pretentious."

Yang Jingxing nodded, "Yeah, I'll tell her."

Zhou Fanli glared, "What! When are you coming to find me?"

Yang Jingxing was hesitant, "I really don't have time recently."

"Come and have lunch with me after class!" Zhou Fanli was frustrated, "I haven't given you the thing yet."

Yang Jingxing hesitated, "Can I ask you something first? Do you have a boyfriend?"

Zhou Fanli smiled slightly, "No... The school doesn't allow dating."

Yang Jingxing nodded, "If you had a boyfriend, I wouldn't dare to have lunch with you... The school rules don't matter. You can date someone from another school. My girlfriend is from another school." He lied without blushing.

Zhou Fanli stared at Yang Jingxing, her big eyes filled with anger, and asked, "You have a girlfriend?"

Yang Jingxing was smug, "It's a secret. Don't let the teachers know."

Zhou Fanli's lips trembled, and she only managed to say a small, quiet word, "Get lost!" and turned to leave.

Yang Jingxing was puzzled, "Hey, what's wrong?"

Yang Jingxing returned to the classroom, and Tan Dong immediately asked, "Hehe, Rule 18!" Rule 18 of the Puhai school regulations prohibited romantic relationships between students.

Yang Jingxing was frustrated, "It's Rule 18, and she told me to get lost."

Ren Chuyu, who was following Tan Dong, laughed, "No way? What happened?"

Yang Jingxing looked disappointed, "Let's not talk about it."

The class bell rang, and before the teacher arrived, Tao Meng advised Yang Jingxing, "You should tell her not to come to the classroom anymore. Teacher Jiang already knows about the last time."

Yang Jingxing said, "I really got told off."

Tao Meng glanced at Yang Jingxing, "You didn't practice the piano just for this, did you?"

Yang Jingxing protested, "Are you insulting my dreams?"

Tao Meng didn't care and started organizing her books and papers.

Halfway through the class, Tao Meng discussed a problem with Yang Jingxing. After solving it, she softened, "I take back what I said."

"What did you say?"

"Never mind... Can you be serious, especially with me?" Tao Meng's tone was more like a request.

Yang Jingxing nodded solemnly, "Sure, Tao Meng, I'll learn from you."

Tao Meng might have thought this wasn't serious either and didn't waste her words.

After class, Yang Jingxing didn't dare to look for the big-eyed girl. He quickly ate lunch and returned to the practice room. He used the most stupid method to harmonize his piano version of "Slam Dunk," trying one chord after another. At his genius pace, it would probably take years to get results.

Near the end of the English class in the afternoon, Teacher Jiang called Yang Jingxing out of the classroom. The students knew it was because of the suspicion of violating Rule 18 and that he was being interrogated.

However, Teacher Jiang didn't intend to criticize Yang Jingxing. She just asked, "A classmate reported that you're dating a girl from another school. What's going on?"

Yang Jingxing was embarrassed, "Ah, I was just boasting."

Teacher Jiang seemed to understand, nodded, and said, "I heard you practice the piano until late every day. Make sure to rest more and don't put too much pressure on yourself. There will be a joint exam at the end of November. I hope you take it lightly. You're very smart, and as long as you keep working hard, you'll achieve something."

These words were more like praise compared to before, and Yang Jingxing thanked Teacher Jiang.

That evening, Yang Jingxing asked Hu Yiqing to give him a lesson on composition and arrangement. Hu Yiqing agreed because she was also starting to prepare for this. She had learned some theoretical knowledge about composition and arrangement before, though she hadn't applied it much, but she could explain the basic concepts to Yang Jingxing.

Yang Jingxing was eager to learn the concepts and theories. So, that evening, he gained a basic understanding of what a motif is, inspiration, arrangement, orchestration, and chord progressions.

Hu Yiqing encouraged Yang Jingxing, "So, you have a lot of talent. Transcribing music is no problem for you." Indeed, as long as there wasn't a very complex modulation, Yang Jingxing could write down the score after listening to a piece once or twice.

Listening is a talent, but writing requires theoretical support. Yang Jingxing also understood that music creation wasn't as simple as he had imagined, relying solely on inspiration. Talent is important, but hard work and internal skills are essential.

Starting that evening, Yang Jingxing's perspective on music changed. As someone aspiring to create music and not be a music speculator, he had to carefully analyze the melody, harmony, chords, rhythm, layers, and structure of every piece of music.

Yang Jingxing admired Hu Yiqing even more and asked, "Have you written songs before?"

Hu Yiqing's embarrassed smile indicated she had experience, but she said, "I had assignments in school... Like your essays, I've forgotten what I wrote."

Perhaps the broadened horizons and the sudden inspiration for the future gave Yang Jingxing a spark. After Hu Yiqing left, his left hand suddenly became lively on the piano keys, playing a series of quick chords and arpeggios. He felt good about it and quickly wrote it down.

Yang Jingxing enjoyed this self-directed learning process, and he spent most of the evening on "Slam Dunk." However, working on the chords also gave him new insights into chord playing.

Around two in the morning, it started raining. The autumn rain was continuous. Yang Jingxing stood on the balcony, opened the window, and stood in the night breeze for a long time. This behavior attracted the attention of the dormitory manager, who brought him an umbrella, worried he would catch a cold. The person even joked that he was Yang Jingxing's audience.

On Wednesday afternoon, there was a physical education class, but the rain hadn't stopped, so they had to do indoor activities. They played table tennis, badminton, volleyball, and jump rope.

In the first semester of his sophomore year, Yang Jingxing's class had practiced a jump rope routine for the sports meet. A dozen girls performed various tricks, and the rope was long and heavy, so Yang Jingxing and Shao Lei were the rope turners.

There would be another sports meet after the 11th, and the physical education teacher, nostalgic for the award-winning routine, brought out the long rope again to help the students relive the excitement and pass the time.

Of course, Yang Jingxing and Shao Lei were still the rope turners. The girls were divided into two groups, led by Tao Meng and Jiang Qing. After the girls lined up, the rope started turning. At the teacher's whistle, Tao Meng and Jiang Qing jumped into the slowly turning rope, back to back, bouncing lightly.

Yang Jingxing watched Tao Meng's focused expression and her ponytail, which she only tied up during PE class, swinging behind her. For some reason, he suddenly laughed, his already wide mouth stretching even wider.

Laughter is contagious, and Tao Meng also laughed, but she had to maintain the rhythm, and her sports performance wasn't great, so she laughed nervously and with some effort, looking quite serious.

Yang Jingxing laughed even more broadly.

Tao Meng might have felt mocked and forgot the routine, failing to turn when she should have, while Jiang Qing didn't forget.

Ren Chuyu complained, "I told you it wouldn't work."

Tao Meng was annoyed, "Does it matter?"

Cao Linglan said, "Tao Meng isn't feeling well. Let's stop."

Tao Meng insisted, "It's fine, let's try again."

This time, she started facing Yang Jingxing and didn't make any mistakes.

Later, there was a fast rope segment, which most girls couldn't handle, so only one expert performed. Yang Jingxing worked hard, making the rope turn very fast, and Shao Lei looked like he was struggling to keep up.

The girl jumping couldn't keep up either. Despite her fatigue, she didn't step back and was hit hard on her lower leg by the heavy rope, causing her to squat down in pain.

Yang Jingxing quickly went over to check, "Are you okay? Let me see."

The girl shook her head and smiled slightly.

Tao Meng seized the opportunity to scold Yang Jingxing, "What are you doing? Be more careful."

Yang Jingxing felt wronged and blamed Shao Lei, "It was you who didn't keep up with the rhythm."

Shao Lei, out of breath, was angry, "Get lost."

Tao Meng scolded Shao Lei, "Be more polite."