Chapter 56

On the way, Taomeng told Yang Jingxing about some of the things she did and saw at school. Their school also had a folk orchestra that had even performed abroad, and the student council's publicity department had praised it. Taomeng now got along well with two girls in her class, one of whom had a boyfriend in the second year. This weekend, Taomeng planned to go shopping with them.

Yang Jingxing was skeptical: "Can you really shop together? And, don't carry that brand of bag anymore, what if it gets stolen? I can't afford to replace it."

Taomeng wasn't worried: "Not many people recognize it."

Yang Jingxing said: "Then it's even more meaningless to carry it, it doesn't match your clothes at all."

Taomeng was annoyed: "I can't carry a school bag all the time!"

Yang Jingxing chuckled: "School bags are cute."

Taomeng hesitated for a moment and said: "I'll listen to you this time... actually, I never carried it at school."

Yang Jingxing was angry: "Are you targeting me?"

Taomeng felt wronged: "I didn't know who I would meet, and you didn't explain clearly!"

Yang Jingxing said: "I only know one rich person, you."

Taomeng remembered: "Dad's friend is hosting an adult ceremony party next month and wants me to attend. Do you think I should go?"

Yang Jingxing said: "Of course you should, it's a good chance to meet new friends."

Taomeng said: "I don't really want to go, but Dad is taking me."

Yang Jingxing said: "Meet a few pretty girls and introduce them to me."

Taomeng was dismissive: "Who do you think you are!"

Yang Jingxing said: "Come on, let's analyze the problem."

Taomeng was smug: "I won't analyze, I'll just criticize you!"

They bickered all the way, and time passed quickly. Before they knew it, they had arrived at Taomeng's house. This time, Taomeng didn't ask Yang Jingxing to park and play music. They didn't get out of the car immediately at the entrance of the residential area. Taomeng said: "I think we should stay in touch more, what do you think?"

Yang Jingxing said: "Of course, I'd be more than happy."

Taomeng said democratically: "Then give me a plan."

Yang Jingxing boldly said: "Call each other every week!"

Taomeng was angry: "Is that staying in touch? I don't think it's necessary to call at a specific time, but if something happens, like you start a club or I do some activity, we can tell each other. Or if we have something happy or sad, we can share or support each other."

Yang Jingxing agreed: "Yeah, that's good."

Taomeng added: "But don't be too cliché, don't call just to make conversation, that's not good."

Yang Jingxing was disappointed: "Then I can only look for unhappiness every day."

Taomeng glared: "That's it, I'm leaving."

"Bye."

"Be careful on the way."

After returning to school, Yang Jingxing called Taomeng a few minutes later: "Are you home?"

"I'm home... what's up?" Taomeng was quite alert.

Yang Jingxing said: "I just wanted to ask if this counts as making conversation without anything to talk about."

Taomeng was short of breath with anger: "Of course it does... you could have called me when you got to school to let me know you're safe!"

Yang Jingxing said: "Then criticize me."

Taomeng was magnanimous: "This time, I'll let it slide. Don't call while driving, it's dangerous. Hang up now."

After getting to school, Yang Jingxing really called Taomeng again: "Finally here, you won't criticize me this time, right?"

Taomeng giggled: "No, don't drive too fast... I'm taking a bath."

Yang Jingxing said: "Then I won't keep you."

Taomeng said: "No problem, will you be online later?"

Yang Jingxing was ambitious: "No, I still have to study."

Taomeng said: "Then good luck, I support you focusing on music."

Yang Jingxing went to Room 402 to play the erhu, closed the door, and played without worrying about disturbing others. He didn't try to innovate in technique today but played the famous piece "Moon Reflected on Second Spring." He played it many times and could only sigh, realizing that this small string and bow were no less challenging than the 88 keys of a piano.

Perhaps the sorrow and resentment in "Moon Reflected on Second Spring" were not suitable for Yang Jingxing. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't be even slightly satisfied. No wonder Seiji Ozawa said this music should be listened to on one's knees.

Upon careful analysis, one would find that "Moon Reflected on Second Spring" has multiple themes and deep connotations. Anyway, the versions Yang Jingxing listened to were all different. Some were too melodious, some too sorrowful, only Mr. Hua Yanjun could play the rich imagery. Even with the poor recording quality of that era, it could still make people feel a surge of tears.

Unfortunately, the teaching building cut off power at midnight, and Yang Jingxing couldn't play the erhu in the dark, so he had to go home.

On Thursday, Yang Jingxing went early to return the erhu and borrowed a pipa. He carried it to Room 402 and fiddled with it for two hours before going to physical education class. He originally wanted to borrow a guzheng as well, as these two instruments should not be separated, but the teacher in charge wouldn't allow it. One person could only borrow one instrument at a time, even Yang Jingxing couldn't make an exception.

At noon, he still had lunch with Yu Xinting. Yu Xinting said: "It would be great if Room 306 held another concert."

Yang Jingxing asked: "Do you want to perform?"

Yu Xinting shook her head: "You can invite Taomeng to come, she promised to come."

Yang Jingxing was helpless: "Do you like her?"

Yu Xinting encouraged: "Don't worry, you will definitely get her, I promise!"

Yang Jingxing was angry and poked Yu Xinting's eyes: "Which eye saw me chasing her?"

Yu Xinting chuckled: "I know, girls should be reserved, you need to work harder!"

Yang Jingxing was a bit sad: "You don't think I threw a birthday party for you just to chase her, do you?"

Yu Xinting quickly became serious: "I didn't think that! Really, but I sincerely wish you both well."

Yang Jingxing said: "I treat her the same as I treat you, we're good friends! If you say I'm chasing her, then I'm also chasing you, stop it!"

Yu Xinting was unhappy and vented her frustration on the food.

After class in the afternoon, Yang Jingxing sought Wang Rui's guidance on pipa playing. The pipa and erhu are completely different, requiring high finger dexterity and advanced playing techniques, but fortunately, they are not overly complicated.

Wang Rui's solo at the last concert was not very successful in terms of innovation, but she still maintained the reputation of the music college. Although not a master, she was a skilled performer. Her performance of "The Overlord Unarmored" made Yang Jingxing sigh in admiration, wishing he could become her disciple.

Yang Jingxing didn't have any finger picks for the pipa. Fortunately, Wang Rui was generous and gave him a set. They spent the afternoon in Room 402, and Yang Jingxing treated her to dinner before continuing.

At first, Wang Rui kept laughing, finding Yang Jingxing's pipa playing amusing. Later, she stopped laughing and warned him: "In our field, we hate geniuses the most!"

Yang Jingxing didn't plan to continue being a genius. His goal was to gain a general understanding of these traditional Chinese instruments in as short a time as possible.

On Saturday, it was Xia Xue's birthday. Yang Jingxing called her and played "Happy Birthday" on the pipa. Liu Miao exclaimed: "It can't be him, it's someone else, admit it!"

Xia Xue defended: "He won't lie to us."

Liu Miao was suspicious: "Who knows, show us on video if you can."

Yang Jingxing's computer had a webcam, so he satisfied the two girls by playing the pipa on video. The two girls were delighted, finding Yang Jingxing's pipa playing strange! It seemed like only girls played this instrument.

Liu Miao was suspicious again: "Who did you learn from?"

Yang Jingxing said the university was full of talented people, with many handsome and talented guys, encouraging the two girls to work hard for their upcoming college entrance exams in half a year.

Yang Jingxing's weekend was mostly spent in Room 402, from morning till late at night. Besides Yu Xinting and An Xin, a few others from Room 306 also came to visit.

Wang Rui felt she had done a lot and started messing with Yang Jingxing's computer. She didn't find anything incriminating and asked: "You can't be serious, not even a bit of inappropriate content, that's not normal."

Yang Jingxing said: "I have a good memory, I delete what I've seen."

Wang Rui scolded: "Don't, let me see."

Yang Jingxing laughed: "Do you like that kind of content?"

Wang Rui said: "With a plot, last time Qi Qingnuo gave me one, it was good and exciting."

Yang Jingxing said: "Room 306 has wide-ranging interests, don't follow their lead."

Yu Xinting pretended not to hear but blushed a bit.

On Sunday evening, Yang Jingxing received a call from Taomeng, and they reported to each other. Taomeng said she had spent the day shopping with her classmates but didn't buy much, just ate a lot of snacks. Yang Jingxing said he had been learning the pipa for a week and had made some progress.

Taomeng asked: "Do you want to go shopping?"

Yang Jingxing said: "Not interested."

Taomeng said: "Winter is coming, aren't you going to buy clothes?"

"Enough to wear."

Taomeng was angry: "Then you'll wear the same clothes forever!"

Yang Jingxing said: "But I can go shopping with you."

Taomeng laughed: "Really?"

So they agreed to meet the next Saturday.

After the school power outage, Yang Jingxing went home and had a late-night snack on the way. The girl who usually worked there, Fu Feirong, wasn't there, so he asked the boss. The boss said: "She's off today... you haven't been here in a while, what would you like to eat?"

The boss's wife said while serving Yang Jingxing: "Take your time, take your time, Feirong will be here soon, she's not far."

Yang Jingxing only ate for less than ten minutes when Fu Feirong came, out of breath. She wasn't working today and was dressed neatly. White pants, they would get dirty easily if she worked.

Yang Jingxing asked: "Have you eaten?"

Fu Feirong smiled: "I don't eat... you haven't been here in a while."

Yang Jingxing said: "Not that long... are you still reading?"

Fu Feirong sat down opposite Yang Jingxing and said: "Yes, but it's hard, I can't remember much."

Yang Jingxing asked: "Have you looked at chords?"

Fu Feirong nodded uncertainly.

Yang Jingxing said: "Write a major triad, starting from C."

Fu Feirong asked: "C is the root note?"

Yang Jingxing nodded and smiled.

Fu Feirong quickly got the order pad and drew a treble clef, calculating carefully, and showed it to Yang Jingxing after checking for a long time.

Yang Jingxing praised: "Correct, now write the first inversion."

Fu Feirong frowned and took a few minutes to confirm before showing it to Yang Jingxing. Yang Jingxing said it was correct and asked her to write the second inversion.

Fu Feirong complained: "This one, it's giving me a headache!" but still had to draw it.

This time she got it wrong, but Yang Jingxing still praised her: "You've learned a lot in such a short time."

But Fu Feirong was still a beginner: "Is this useful?"

Yang Jingxing laughed: "At least it shows you're serious."

Fu Feirong complained: "I finish work late every night, it's tiring, and I have to prepare during the day! The shrimp you're eating, I peeled each one!"

Yang Jingxing laughed: "Thanks, it's delicious... if you have time, you can buy a simple electronic keyboard and learn to read sheet music."

"How much?"

"About one or two thousand."

Fu Feirong asked: "What's the point of learning?"

Yang Jingxing said: "It's your hobby."

Fu Feirong was a bit discouraged: "Even if I love it, I'm still far behind you."

Yang Jingxing said: "You're wrong, hobbies aren't about being better or worse, it's about enjoying yourself."

Fu Feirong said: "That's true, hehe, I still want to participate in a talent show, but I need to get plastic surgery."

Yang Jingxing disagreed: "What does singing have to do with plastic surgery!"

Fu Feirong said: "Anyway, thanks, before, students from the music college came, but they ignored me, and none were as handsome as you!"

Yang Jingxing didn't care and talked to Fu Feirong about singing. He asked what type of music she liked and what she was good at. Fu Feirong was clearly a pure hobbyist, with no specific style, she liked to sing any good song.

Yang Jingxing suggested a foreign female singer with a gentle and melodic voice but also powerful, which Fu Feirong could learn from.

Fu Feirong, who had only finished junior high school, found it challenging to understand. But she blindly trusted Yang Jingxing, the expert from the music college, and wrote down the singer's name, saying she would look her up online.

When Yang Jingxing left, the boss's wife didn't want to charge him, but Yang Jingxing didn't let her.

The following week, Yang Jingxing focused on learning the pipa and then the guzheng. However, Gao Pianpian, who had snubbed him, said she didn't have time to tutor him privately. After all, she had a boyfriend. Yang Jingxing had to learn on his own and try to seek guidance from a guzheng teacher. The school was buzzing with the news that the genius was expanding his ambitions, trying to master everything and become a first-of-its-kind genius.

However, He Hongchui praised Yang Jingxing, saying his latest attempt at a piano composition had a good melody, and the Western composition techniques effectively captured a national flavor, combining pentatonic scales with classical music theory, which wasn't entirely impossible.

On Thursday afternoon, Yang Jingxing's equipment arrived. Uncle Chen from Qi Qingnuo's family personally delivered it to the school, with several large and small boxes containing an electronic keyboard, an electric piano, an electric guitar, and a drum set.

Qi Qingnuo helped with the moving and assembly, and after a few hours, Room 402 was fully equipped and looked professional.

Qi Qingnuo tried out Yang Jingxing's double-manual keyboard and marveled at the quality of the sound, which was slightly better than hers. Yang Jingxing tried the electric piano and electric guitar. The electric piano was easier to play than a Steinway, but the sound was far inferior.

After Qi Qingnuo adjusted the effects and speakers, she gave Yang Jingxing a sample of an electric guitar solo. She wasn't exaggerating; she was indeed skilled. Yang Jingxing was still a beginner, just preparing.

Uncle Chen was a versatile talent, able to play several styles of drumming, and boasted: "This sound, it's the best!"

After paying the remaining balance at the bank, Uncle Chen insisted on treating Yang Jingxing to dinner, of course, with Qi Qingnuo joining them.

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