Chapter Ninety-Seven: Xier Doesn’t Know? (Ninth Update, Begging for First Subscriptions)

As soon as they left the lounge, Wang Ming led Yang Qing and the others toward the music room, chatting as they walked.

When they were still more than a dozen yards away, they suddenly heard the sound of a zither drifting out, the melody simple yet graceful, carrying the gentle sensation of a spring breeze brushing past.

"Huh? Not bad. The tune is really elegant," Yang Qing said in surprise, looking at Wang Ming. "Could it be your sister is back?"

"No way," Wang Ming said, suddenly nervous. "I already sent my sister out. How could she possibly be back at this hour?"

Yang Qing was speechless. "..."

You really are something else. Why did you send your sister away? Are we not even allowed to record a song where she can know about it?

Wang Ming fell silent. How was he supposed to explain that the original plan was precisely not to let her know?

Soon, the group arrived at the door of the music room.

Sure enough, Wang Ying was at the piano, and around her stood a circle of adorable little ones, all stretching their necks to watch.

Tan Jin'er and Bai Lingyue were also listening and watching intently, while Bai Lingyue's eyes were full of admiration.

"Mm? Big Broooother!"

The first to notice them was Little Dong'er, who had no interest in music at all, and only cared about instruments she could play with.

With a babyish cry, the little one wriggled free from little Qiu'er's hand and toddled over, twisting her tiny bottom as she ran.

"Slow down, baby."

In a single stride, Yang Qing stepped forward, scooped the tiny thing into his arms, and kissed her affectionately. Then he looked at the oval instrument in her hands and asked with a smile,

"What are you doing holding an ocarina? Can you even play it?"

"Mm..."

Little Dong'er babbled in her tiny voice, indicating that she did not understand what Big Brother was talking about at all.

"The little darling definitely can't play it. She's using it as a ball to roll around with."

Seeing Yang Qing and the others arrive, Wang Ying stopped playing and rose to walk over with a smile.

"Uh... this... play with it?!"

Yang Qing stared blankly at her, then glanced at the little ones following behind her, and asked with an awkward smile, "They... haven't caused any trouble, have they?"

"No, not at all," Wang Ying said with a smile. "The little ones are very lovely, very well behaved."

As she spoke, she looked at the ocarina in Little Dong'er's arms and asked again, "Can you play the ocarina?"

"Uh, this... I... know a little, just a little..."

Li Dongning + Fang Du + Wang Ming: ...

Sure, and I'm a fool. You monster.

Qin Xue, who had been tidying the little clothes of little Qiu'er and the Spring-and-Summer pair, heard this and helplessly shook her head with a smile.

And when Wang Ying heard that Yang Qing could play, her brows lifted with amusement. "Then give us a piece."

"Uh... this..." Yang Qing hesitated.

"Big Brother Qing! Play it, and Xi'er will beat the drums for you!"

Just as he hesitated, Little Xi'er bounced excitedly in front of him, pointed at the drum kit with her little hand, and said, "Xi'er is super amazing at the drums!"

"Mm..."

Yang Qing looked at the little one in surprise and smiled. "You can play?"

"Humph! Don't look down on a child!"

Little Xi'er felt that Yang Qing was underestimating her. With a snort from her tiny nose, she was about to rush off and perform on the drums.

Whoosh!

She had barely taken a step before she was stopped by her older sister.

"Whimper, whimper... Sister, let me go. Xi'er wants to play the drums. Big Brother Qing is looking down on me!"

Little Xi'er flailed her little legs and cried out in a pitiful baby voice, leaving Tan Jin'er utterly powerless against this sister who had no sense of her own limitations.

Yang Qing hurriedly waved both hands at the protesting little one. "I wasn't looking down on you. Our Xi'er is the most amazing."

"Ha-ha-ha..."

Hearing that, Little Xi'er immediately stopped struggling and burst into delighted laughter, showing off her tiny teeth.

Thanks to Little Xi'er's interruption, the atmosphere instantly became relaxed and cheerful.

Wang Ying smiled with graceful composure. "Stop hesitating. Come on. Hmm... let's do a quartet. You play the ocarina, I'll play the drums, and Qin Xue can play the piano. How about that?"

"All right," Yang Qing agreed with a nod, then looked at Li Dongning. "Dongning, you come too. What instrument will you use?"

"I... I'll play the flute."

Li Dongning did not refuse either. He glanced at the instruments arranged in the room and smiled.

"Heh. Either blowing leaves or blowing a flute. As expected, you're a mouth artist."

Wang Ming muttered under his breath, and the atmosphere instantly stiffened.

Although Yang Qing and the women could not understand the meaning of his words, the strange expressions on Fang Du and Li Dongning's faces made it clear it was nothing good.

"Wang Ming! Get out! Don't you see it's almost noon? If you don't eat, do you expect us not to eat?!"

At Wang Ying's angry rebuke, Wang Ming immediately ducked his head and fled, with Fang Du following right behind him.

Once the two had gone, Wang Ying at once regained her original elegant composure and smiled. "Then let's begin. As for the piece... we'll use my song 'Elegy.' It can accommodate the ocarina's tone quite well."

"Okay!"

Qin Xue and Li Dongning nodded. Wang Ying's song "Elegy" told of a battle to defend the realm at the end of an ancient dynasty, its style tragic yet tender. It was indeed well suited to the four of them playing together at that moment.

The two of them agreed, but Yang Qing hesitantly raised his hand. "Um... can I... can I take a look at the score first?"

"Here."

The moment he spoke, Wang Ying handed him her unlocked phone and said, "I knew you hadn't heard it before. Look over the score first, and then the four of us can discuss the finer points of the performance."

"Oh, okay. Heh heh..." Yang Qing laughed awkwardly.

A few minutes later, Yang Qing had finished reviewing it. After the four had discussed and finalized everything, they each prepared themselves to perform. Tan Jin'er and Bai Lingyue stood off to the side with the little ones, watching with anticipation.

Thump, thump...

Wang Ying began first. As the drumsticks fell, the drums rang out. Then, in the next second, she erupted with force, the crash of the cymbals like an incoming tsunami, instantly bringing a feeling of urgent tension.

After that came Qin Xue's piano and Li Dongning's flute, interwoven amid the fierce drumbeat, yet unexpectedly fresh and pure, like soldiers about to go to the battlefield bidding farewell to their families.

Then came Yang Qing's ocarina.

Its tone was deep, sorrowful, tragic, and lingering without end, just as the poem said: The wind is bleak, the river is cold; once the warrior leaves, he never returns.

The sounds of the four instruments intertwined, instantly conjuring an image of a nation in crisis and warriors wrapping themselves in horsehide for burial.

As Tan Jin'er and Bai Lingyue listened, their eyes gradually reddened without them even noticing.

The little ones, too, became quiet and no longer made a fuss, each of their tiny faces solemn.

This was the charm of music. You may never have lived through such things, but if you listen with your heart, there will always be a note that moves you.

A few minutes later, the piece ended, and the quartet fell silent. All four were left stirred and shaken.

Clap, clap, clap...

Before Tan Jin'er and Bai Lingyue, the listeners, had even fully emerged from the mood woven by the performance, the little ones were already clapping their tiny hands and making babyish exclamations.

"Ha-ha-ha... so amazing, just like Xi'er!"

"Hee hee... Big Brothers and Big Sisters are all wonderful, so amazing!"

"Whoa... Sister Ying's drumming is so cool!"

Little Bai had already been completely won over by Wang Ying's drumming. Crying out in delight, she ran over at once.

"Sister Ying, teach me how to play the drums too, okay? Bang, bang, bang!"

Wang Ying was amused by this little one. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Little Xi'er run over as well.

"Ha-ha-ha... Xi'er wants to play the drums too. Little Bai, let Xi'er teach you instead!"

Little Bai: Fool, get lost.

"Whimper, whimper..."

At the same time, the three little Spring, Summer, and Autumn girls also ran to Yang Qing and the others, some saying they wanted to learn piano, some saying they wanted to learn the flute, and some saying they wanted to learn the ocarina.

Hearing that, Little Xi'er, who had been by Wang Ying's side, immediately stopped whimpering. She turned around and trotted off, then began stealing the spotlight.

"Ha-ha-ha... Sister Qin, teach Xi'er to play the piano, okay? Xi'er is super amazing!"

"Big Brother Qing, what is this hole for? Teach Xi'er how to play with it, will you? Xi'er is really smart!"

"Brother Li Dongning, how do you blow the flute? Play it again for Xi'er to see!"

Little Xi'er scampered back and forth like a little foal, asking this and that, and wherever she went, laughter followed.

"Xi'er, why do you want to learn everything? Too much is as bad as too little, you know that, don't you?"

Tan Jin'er stepped forward and once again caught the little one.

"Ha-ha-ha... Xi'er doesn't know!"

In her sister's arms, Little Xi'er flailed around with laughter. "Xi'er is so amazing, Xi'er wants to learn a lot!"