Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
At the musical instruments store…
The building was decorated in the classic style and the owner was a lover of music herself. Therefore, the store quickly became popular in Shire University after only a few months.
That day, the store next to the main street hadn’t opened yet but the pleasant music from inside attracted the passers-by.
When Baili Qingfeng reached the door with his guqin, he was surprised at the sign that said that the store was closed.
As he wondered whether he should go in, an elegant female saw him and greeted him. “Mr. Baili, nice to meet you. Please come in. My boss and Ms. Gu have been waiting for you for a long time.”
“They’re already here?” Baili Qingfeng checked the clock. It was only ten in the morning.
In his impression, such stores did not open so early.
“Yes.” The woman guided Baili Qingfeng into the store.
The sound of musical instruments came from the second floor now and then. Some people were also talking. There were apparently…
Over three of them.
When Baili Qingfeng was about to go upstairs, Yun Shengyan, the owner of the store, approached him and said with a smile, “Mr. Baili, three of my friends are here, and they would like to appreciate your masterpiece. If it’s too presumptuous, I’ll let them go down first…”
The guqin on Baili Qingfeng had been offered by Yun Shengyan for free, so it was inappropriate for him to decline.
“It’s alright.” Baili Qingfeng added, “I heard the song from somewhere else. It’s not my creation.”
“You are being modest, Mr. Baili,” Yun Shengyan said with a smile.
She had investigated carefully. The song that Baili Qingfeng and Gu Lingying played had never appeared on any occasion, so she regarded Baili Qingfeng’s words as a young man’s modesty.
Capable, handsome and modest…
Yun Shengyan thought increasingly highly of Baili Qingfeng.
“Come, Ms. Gu and Ms. Qin have waited for one hour and a half for you.” Yun Shengyan directed Baili Qingfeng upstairs.
There, other than Gu Lingying and Qin Lanshan, were one man and two women.
The man seemed to be around forty and had the majesty of someone in power. One of the two females had the same vibe as Yun Shengyan, and the other was slightly older but was also very elegant.
“Brother Qingfeng, you’re here.” Seeing Baili Qingfeng, Qin Lanshan stood up delightedly.
“Brother Qingfeng.” Gu Lingying also stood up with a smile and greeted him.
“Miss Gu and Miss Qin.” Baili Qingfeng nodded at them.
Yun Shengyan smiled. “Please make yourselves comfortable, Mr. Baili and Ms. Gu. Today, we are just four ordinary listeners.”
Seeing that Yun Shengyan had no intention of introducing them, Baili Qingfeng did not recklessly ask.
“Do you have any new song today, Brother Qingfeng?” Qin Lanshan asked eagerly. Then, realizing that it was difficult to compose a new song, she hurried to add, “Or maybe, you can play the Smiling Proud Wanderer from last time. It’s really a great song that shows an open attitude towards life and nature. It’s definitely the best I’ve heard in years.”
“I do have another song,” Baili Qingfeng said and handed over the sheet he had prepared for Gu Lingying.
“You do?” Gu Lingying took the sheet in surprise.
Yun Shengyan and the others were tempted to take a look at the song, but as seniors, they restrained themselves rather well. They simply sat in silence and waited for Baili Qingfeng and Gu Lingying’s final performance.
“This song… seems even deeper than the Smiling Proud Wanderer,” Gu Lingying said and tried out the sheet.
“You are so awesome, Brother Qingfeng.” Qin Lanshan read the sheet and looked at Baili Qingfeng in admiration.
Smiling, Baili Qingfeng placed the guqin and adjusted it.
“He’s very young.” The four seniors did not utter a sound to interrupt the talented man and woman. They chatted over the phone.
“This Baili Qingfeng is younger than I thought.” It was the middle-aged man who sent the message.
“He’s a sophomore student and can’t be too old. However, he is steadier than regular students,” Yun Shengyan responded with a smile.
“You seem to think highly of him. In that case… Let’s see if he’s as good as you describe and can play soul-touching music with that girl so that our morning won’t be wasted.” The middle-aged sent a message.
“Lingying is testing. Master Gao Qiao, you are an expert in classical music. Can you tell which song they will play from the beat?” The woman who was of a similar age to Yun Shengyan asked.
“I can’t.” The oldest woman, who was called Master Gao Qiao, thought to herself. “This is a song that I’ve never heard before. Although the beat is still intermittent, I am still looking forward to the song…”
“Baili Qingfeng must’ve created it. He was only being modest.” Yun Shengyan smiled. “Just wait for the acoustic feast to be delivered by Lingying and Qingfeng.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Gao Qiao sent a message.
Gu Lingying was very talented in music. Last time, it took her half an hour to grasp the Smiling Proud Wanderer, and it did not take much longer this time.
“Qingfeng, I’m ready,” Gu Lingying said.
Since there were three seniors here, she did not want to keep them waiting.
“Alright.”
“Qingfeng, let’s begin,” Gu Lingying said and put her flute to her lips.
Immediately, the melodious sound began.
“Wu, wu…”
Hollow and magnificent, the sound of the flute floated towards them.
After only one moment, the four listeners were attracted to the empty and touching atmosphere created by the flute.
“Ding, Ding…”
The sound of the guqin also rose, adding to the splendor of the song and making it powerful and stirring.
Although it was a new song, the performance was smooth thanks to their marvelous skills.
At the critical points, they only needed to look and smile at each other to know what the other was thinking. The flute and the guqin merged perfectly.
The listeners gradually closed their eyes, immersed in the song.
Suddenly, all the sounds seemed gone.
Nobody needed to consider what the song was trying to express. They only needed to listen quietly.
They listened to the magnificent depth in the song. They were fascinated and touched by it, to the point that they were shedding tears for it.
They felt that everything was a part of nature, and nature was in everything.
A few minutes later, the sounds of the flute and the guqin gradually faded.
The song ended.
The listeners, still touched by the song, could not say anything for a long time.
A long while later, the middle-aged sighed, “It’s truly a piece of incredible music. I’m truly privileged to listen to it. It’s definitely worth a toast.”
The other woman seemed to still be caught in the song. She observed in a low voice, “It’s truly splendid and moving.”
“This trip was definitely worth it,” Gao Qiao said sincerely.
Yun Shengyan gradually came back to reality from the beautiful atmosphere of the song. She smiled at the other three listeners, “I didn’t lie to you, did I? There’s indeed a music talent in this place.”
The three of them nodded in agreement.
“Miss Gu, you are better at the flute now,” Baili Qingfeng said with a smile.
“I couldn’t have played as well with your cooperation,” Gu Lingying responded with a smile.
She looked at the sheet and asked, “What’s the name of this song?”
“Heaven and Earth For Us.”