Chapter 91

On Tuesday morning, Yang Jingxing never misses his Chinese class now, because the professor, who is over fifty, is very knowledgeable and can eloquently discuss cultural and artistic topics from ancient to modern times, both in China and abroad. He is also a specialist in poetry, which is like a cultural treasure trove to Yang Jingxing, who is semi-literate.

Qing Qingnuo's mother's lyrics, which Yang Jingxing has recited countless times in his heart, he hopes that through familiarity and practice, he will develop a sense of inspiration for the words, allowing him to blend them seamlessly when composing.

In the afternoon, there are sight-singing and English classes, but Yang Jingxing skips them again, working hard alone in room 402. Jian Yu, being a cultured person with a musician husband, has written the lyrics beautifully. Yang Jingxing was originally worried about the chorus, but once he had a rough idea of the main melody, he found that there was no problem at all. The seemingly beautiful and serene words in the lyrics actually convey strong emotions.

Yang Jingxing originally intended to go for a lavish orchestral accompaniment, but in the end, he chose piano and pipa. However, the instruments are not just accompaniments; they are the other two main characters besides the female voices, almost forming two independent parts that echo and complement the two female voices, with the piano responsible for more of the harmonic structure.

Most rounds are the same melody, but Yang Jingxing created a variation. Although the theme is unified, there are still significant differences, and it must be closely tied to the emotions in the lyrics.

A song almost requires writing four parts of melody, which is quite nerve-wracking.

Around six o'clock, Yu Xinting came to invite Yang Jingxing for dinner. But Yang Jingxing actually said, "Can you bring it to me?"

Yu Xinting and An Xin went immediately, refusing to take Yang Jingxing's money. Half an hour later, they returned, each carrying a bag with several boxes of food, a few dishes, and a bowl of soup. While the two girls were setting everything up, Yang Jingxing started eating voraciously, finishing two boxes of food in five minutes, then sat back at the double keyboard to continue working.

Yu Xinting and An Xin ate slowly, occasionally glancing at Yang Jingxing. After they finished, they cleaned up and, seeing that Yang Jingxing had no interest in chatting, prepared to leave.

Yu Xinting asked, "Do you want to eat tonight?"

Yang Jingxing said, "No need... when the song is finished, we'll go eat hot pot."

Yu Xinting smiled, "Okay, I want to eat too."

Yang Jingxing asked, "Where's your braid?"

Yu Xinting looked at her chest and said, "I didn't tie it."

An Xin said, "Tie it now."

Yang Jingxing quickly said, "No, I need to focus."

After ten o'clock at night, An Xin and Yu Xinting came again, bringing clothes to wash. As a thank you, both of them tied two braids.

Yu Xinting felt a bit apologetic, "Mine is tied by her, it's not as good as hers."

Yang Jingxing said, "They both look good, like two sisters."

An Xin smiled, "I'm the older sister."

Yang Jingxing corrected, "Like twins."

An Xin still wanted to be the older sister. Yu Xinting placed the two bags of clothes on the chair and explained, "This bag is mine, this one is An Xin's."

Yang Jingxing said, "I can tell."

After returning home late at night, Yang Jingxing washed the clothes first. Unfolding each piece, he found a thin, soft, and light pink sweater inside Yu Xinting's long coat, which he had never seen before.

On Wednesday, like most people, Yang Jingxing skipped the Ideological and Moral Cultivation and Legal Foundation class. He stayed in room 402 from eight in the morning, only taking half an hour for lunch, and didn't even join Yu Xinting and the others for a small stir-fry, quickly finishing a large plate of food and rushing back to the classroom.

At five in the afternoon, Qi Qingnuo came to visit in room 402, breathless and excited. She stomped a bottle of mineral water in front of Yang Jingxing and said, "We just ran into Number Three, it was hilarious." Number Three was one of the boys chasing He Peiyuan, labeled as the third by the people in room 306. They all said this person had a comedic flair and was good at creating laughter.

Yang Jingxing asked, "Did you bully him again?"

Qi Qingnuo said, "We were doing a good deed, covering for her to break through the siege."

Yang Jingxing laughed, "You're helping each other."

Qi Qingnuo said, "I have high defense, I don't need it... let me see."

After looking through the scattered sheets and fragments on Yang Jingxing's computer, Qi Qingnuo said, "So fast... what are we eating tonight?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Yu Xinting and the others will bring it."

Qi Qingnuo, envious, said, "So pampered? Ask her to include me."

Yang Jingxing said, "Call her yourself... ask Wang Rui and Nian Qing if they're free tomorrow afternoon, we'll have a rehearsal."

Qi Qingnuo asked, "Can you finish it by tomorrow afternoon?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Almost."

Qi Qingnuo asked, "For Sister Ran and Fu Feirong?"

Yang Jingxing said, "That's the plan for now."

Qi Qingnuo tapped her half-empty water bottle on the chair, "Aren't you afraid 306 will be jealous?"

Yang Jingxing laughed, "That's my goal."

Qi Qingnuo said smugly, "You might miscalculate."

After dinner, the girls left, letting Yang Jingxing continue his work.

On Thursday afternoon, the group gathered. Yang Jingxing printed four copies of the score, with Yu Xinting responsible for the piano and Wang Rui for the pipa. Qi Qingnuo sang the piano part, and Nian Qing sang the pipa part. The entire song has four parts, with two pairs working together and complementing each other.

The song's name is still the original one by Qi Qingnuo's mother, "Flowing Water Between Fingers." The lyrics are rigorously rhymed in alternate lines, with the two female voices singing in alternate lines. As the composer, Yang Jingxing first explained the general idea, briefly discussing the structure of the song and the basic requirements for performance and singing.

Qi Qingnuo was concerned, "Will it be too chaotic and messy?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Let's try it once, and if it doesn't work, we'll make changes."

The girls then looked at the score, familiarizing themselves with their parts. Yu Xinting started playing quickly, discussing with An Xin. Wang Rui, not wanting to be left behind, didn't say much and focused intently.

For the two instruments, the piano is slightly more difficult because the main melody is played with a single voice, but the harmonic structure serves the overall effect, creating a sense of separation, unlike the closely integrated harmonies in typical pieces or accompaniments. Yang Jingxing had learned the pipa for three to five days and used his understanding to fully exploit its expressive power. Although the melody combines ancient and modern elements, the playing techniques are traditional, posing no challenge to Wang Rui.

As for Qi Qingnuo and Nian Qing's round, although the two parts are not particularly difficult in terms of melody or high notes, the comparative and interdependent nature of the parts is strong, making it a test of both cooperation and independence. Singing them separately is not impossible and would still sound good, but the effect would be far inferior to the combined feeling.

Nian Qing and Qi Qingnuo are professionals, with Nian Qing being more specialized in singing. They compared their melodies, noting the differences and the subtle nuances.

Suddenly, Qi Qingnuo said to Yang Jingxing, "You can't stay, give us half an hour."

Yang Jingxing nodded, "Okay, I'll go buy some water."

Wang Rui said, "It's so cold, I want hot milk tea."

Nian Qing laughed, "Go to KFC and wait for our call, then bring it back."

"Okay, I'll make sure it's still hot when I return." Yang Jingxing left and closed the door.

Qi Qingnuo started directing, asking Wang Rui and Yu Xinting to play through it once. The prelude was the pipa, with a gentle, ancient flavor, repeated several times to establish a solid foundation for the listeners. Then came the piano's variation of the prelude, with a slightly faster rhythm, leading into Nian Qing's voice with the piano's modulation.

Nian Qing hummed the first line of the lyrics, keeping the beat herself, then looked at Qi Qingnuo, who repeated the same line... the first two lines were identical, and only then did the variations begin.

After humming two lines, Qi Qingnuo called out, "Xinting, you're playing too fast, don't rush!" This was a problem, with four people, each had to be independent while also working with the other three. Although the melody aimed for a sense of chasing and comparing, the performers themselves must not actually rush.

Wang Rui also said, "Don't think it's simple, be serious, or the weird uncle will laugh!"

Yu Xinting nodded and rubbed her hands. Yang Jingxing had made detailed annotations on the score for the performance and singing, but Yu Xinting and the others were just starting to read it, and this song had a completely different structure and rhythm from the previous "Sun in the Rain."

They tried again, and this time, Qi Qingnuo and Nian Qing stopped humming. Qi Qingnuo directed, giving the beat to Yu Xinting and Wang Rui. Being professionals, they managed to play through it completely this time.

Yu Xinting turned back in surprise, "It sounds so good!" Unfortunately, Yang Jingxing wasn't there.

Wang Rui said, "The middle part feels a bit off, is it too fast?"

Qi Qingnuo frowned and looked at the score, "It's not right, I didn't notice, let's try again... Xinting, look at the third line on the fourth page, don't emphasize the accent too much." Then she sternly criticized Wang Rui, "Look at how you end it, I'm speechless, do you think you're playing 'Unarmored Warrior'?"

Wang Rui called out, "You're directing blindly! Let's try again!"

After summarizing, they tried again, with Nian Qing attempting to sing lightly. Qi Qingnuo couldn't help but interrupt, and after they finished, they summarized and refined the details, then all four tried together.

Singing a part was much harder than playing a part. Qi Qingnuo and Nian Qing were too tired to criticize each other and focused on their own issues.

Nian Qing regretted, "I shouldn't have sung so high here."

Qi Qingnuo said, "I was half a beat late, listening to the piano."

An Xin, as an observer, said, "I think your voice was too loud... the pipa was a bit weak."

Wang Rui was frustrated, "I was too heavy just now."

They tried again and again, and the girls realized this was not a simple song. The requirements for the details of the performance and singing were almost苛刻, and one wrong note stood out prominently.

By three o'clock, An Xin had taken over at the electric piano, and the girls finally started to get a feel for it. Wang Rui was the first to be proud, "I had no problem this time! I'm like a master! You guys haven't opened up yet!"

Nian Qing was annoyed, "He said to be light and fast, how can it be light and fast when it's long and high? Let's switch."

Qi Qingnuo refused, "I can't sing it either."

Indeed, from the melody, the song is five minutes long, divided into three parts. The first part is gentle, with nothing much to say. The second part is more complex, requiring different styles from the two singers. Yang Jingxing noted "light and powerful" for Nian Qing's part, which was unclear. For Qi Qingnuo's part, he noted "soft and graceful," which didn't quite fit her style. The third part is the climax and ending, which is relatively easier, especially the last twenty to thirty bars, which have a sense of a collective explosion, making it easier to handle.

Yu Xinting still felt, "It's already very good, let's call him back to listen."

Qi Qingnuo shook her head, "No... this part is a bit like opera, isn't it?"

Nian Qing nodded, "I think so too."

The two instruments were already mostly problem-free, and the next step was Nian Qing and Qi Qing, who still felt they hadn't captured the essence of the song. It was now clear that this was a complex but very beautiful song, but they just couldn't sing it well... Qi Qingnuo and Nian Qing were not bad singers.

They meticulously worked on the details. The song required different vocal techniques at different stages, or the expressiveness would be greatly reduced. Nian Qing and Qi Qing both noticed this, and Wang Rui and Yu Xinting took a break to let them practice. Nian Qing even wanted to sit behind the drum to play the rhythm, but Qi Qingnuo vetoed it.

Looking at the time, it was already four o'clock. Qi Qingnuo and Nian Qing felt it was about time and called Wang Rui and Yu Xinting, who were doodling on the blackboard, to their positions.

Qi Qingnuo solemnly announced, "This is the last time! Don't be shy about eating later!"

An Xin prepared the recorder and held it in the middle of the four performers.

The last time, it felt very good. Wang Rui nodded in satisfaction, "Hmm, it's worth it for me."

Nian Qing happily cursed, "Damn, Yang Jingxing is playing with us... he's not allowed to sing it for anyone else!"

Yu Xinting was happy, "It really sounds great."

Qi Qingnuo quickly connected the recorder to the computer. The recording quality was definitely poor, but they could listen to the overall feel. The girls crowded around the computer and listened, and Nian Qing said, "Let's try a recording studio."

Qi Qingnuo called Yu Xinting, "Make a call!"

A little over a minute later, Yang Jingxing returned with two large bags of fast food, "You've worked hard, eat while it's hot."

Yu Xinting said, "Listen first."

Yang Jingxing said, "Eat first, it'll get cold."

The five girls feasted, and Wang Rui reported, "Yu Xinting and I were fine, the two singers are not professional... ouch, it's still hot!"

Yu Xinting bit into a chicken wing, "No, they sang very well."

Qi Qingnuo complained, "Where's the accompaniment, give it to me... Sister Ran is fine, can Fu Feirong sing?"

Yang Jingxing said, "She can learn slowly, just to let her know there are many ways to sing a song."

Nian Qing was dissatisfied, "Sigh, using us as guinea pigs."

Yang Jingxing explained, "If you all can't sing it well, it must be a problem with my song."

An Xin said, "I think if we give it to professional singers and produce it well, it will definitely succeed."

After eating, the girls washed their hands and faces and prepared. Yang Jingxing sat behind the double keyboard at the podium, full of anticipation. Yu Xinting sat at the electric piano and said, "An Xin also played."

Yang Jingxing said, "It's the same with you."

Qi Qingnuo and Nian Qing stood, each holding a score, facing Yang Jingxing. Qi Qingnuo called to Wang Rui, "Start."

Hey, the author is different here, Wang Rui played the pipa with a nod and a shake, and An Xin helped her and Yu Xinting turn the pages.

Nian Qing's voice was a bit softer than during practice, and so was Qi Qingnuo's. But after singing a few lines, they looked at each other, did Yang Jingxing have a motivating effect?

At around the two-minute mark, a flowing pipa melody introduced a rhythm change, and Yang Jingxing started nodding. This was not a simple song, and the four girls had practiced it to this level in just three to four hours, which was quite impressive.

The middle part was a flowing melody with a slight force, which might not be easy for the singers, but the listeners should get this feeling. The melody was light and fast but not lacking in strength, with occasional graceful turns, making it very pleasant to listen to.

The last part was the climax and ending, with the feeling of mutual pursuit between Nian Qing and Qi Qingnuo intensifying. The rhythm suddenly doubled, and the pipa quickly raised the pitch in a short interlude, with the piano encouraging from behind. The melody and rhythm became more powerful, with the piano playing the role of an encourager, energizing both the performers and the audience with rich harmonies.

The ending was short and swift, not using traditional methods, leaving a sense of incompleteness. The girls all looked at Yang Jingxing, who had already started clapping, very enthusiastically.

"Give some feedback," Nian Qing was a bit out of breath.

Yang Jingxing said, "Good!"

Qi Qingnuo was dissatisfied, "Be more objective, we welcome criticism and suggestions."

Yang Jingxing said, "Really good, it was still a half-finished product, you helped me complete it... but we can discuss it further."

The so-called further discussion was mostly about small details, mainly in the singing. However, these minor adjustments wouldn't significantly improve the live performance, but they would be important for the recording studio.

Wang Rui exposed Yang Jingxing, "You just want us to admire you, right?"

Yang Jingxing said, "I want to admire you."

Qi Qingnuo asked Yang Jingxing, "Are you really giving it to Fu Feirong?"

Yang Jingxing nodded, "Take the score to them and let them look at it first."

Wang Rui asked Yang Jingxing to treat them to dinner, and the other girls didn't refuse. As they walked out of the North Building, they were all full of spirit and smiling in the cold wind.

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