Chapter 28: A Performance of

"Brothers, are you ready?"

Su Meng wore a Zhongshan suit, a suona in his hand, looking exceptionally solemn.

"Ready!"

Behind him, over a dozen middle-aged men roared in unison.

In their hands, they held suonas, shengs, gongs and drums, bangzi, cymbals…

This time, not only the Wang family troupe but also the Li family troupe had joined in.

Everyone's face was full of excitement.

Although they were folk artists, they still had the most basic sense of aesthetics.

This piece, "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," had won over everyone's heart and struck them as the work of the gods.

This is truly the pinnacle masterpiece of the suona!

Although their time was short and their skill limited, they could not perform it themselves.

But doing some simple harmonies was still quite easy.

By now the old master's coffin had been interred, and all the relatives and friends had finished paying their respects.

They were only waiting for the final piece to be played, and this funeral affair would be officially over.

Seeing the suona grand master so solemn and earnest, everyone else was also full of curiosity.

……

Su Meng took a deep breath and slowly brought the suona to his lips.

At once, a graceful, melodious tune rang out.

Speaking of the piece "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," countless people on Earth in his past life could say they knew it by heart—it could be called the signature piece of the suona.

And today, in another time and space, this piece still bloomed with its unique brilliance.

Although the venue for the performance was before a grave…

The gentle, beautiful, and song-like prelude made a wonderful scene of life appear before everyone's eyes.

Then the suona's sound grew warm and lively, appearing extremely festive.

Just as the corners of everyone's mouth were turning up, suddenly, from that suona came several bird calls.

This is… many people instinctively froze.

Immediately, more and more bird calls appeared.

Before everyone's eyes, it seemed as if they could see countless birds vying to sing in the mountains and forests.

Cuckoos, partridges, swallows, mountain babblers, blue finches, thrushes, larks, blue grosbeaks…

The hundred birds' calls were at times melodious, at times brief, at times bright, at times dim, depicting the hundred birds singing with vivid, lifelike perfection.

A picture of a hundred birds heralding spring slowly unfolded before everyone's eyes.

It seemed as if one could see the flourishing scene of all things in nature competing in glory.

……

"This is…"

In the tiered classroom of Yinyuexue Academy, Teacher Hu sprang to his feet with a start, staring fixedly at the big screen.

Not only him, but almost all the students were stunned.

Some stood up, faces full of shock; some closed their eyes slightly, already completely immersed.

Although many of them did not study the suona, that did not prevent them from understanding this piece.

……

In a swimming pool, by now it had fallen utterly silent.

Some people soaking in the pool raised their heads, staring blankly at the TV on the wall.

They had just been making an uproar over the TV suddenly playing a funeral affair—who would still be making a fuss now?

Everyone had been utterly captivated by this beautiful melody!

……

In a restaurant, Liu Tianxian's phone had unconsciously been turned up to maximum volume.

Her beautiful eyes stared fixedly at the screen, her mind a blank.

There was only a group of joyful birds singing.

In the restaurant, some customers still eating raised their chopsticks and turned their heads toward Liu Tianxian.

The food clamped between their chopsticks had already dropped onto the table, yet they were completely unaware.

……

On the outer wall of a building, the chubby Xiao Yueyue was harnessed with a safety rope, dangling in mid-air.

Through an open window, he stared straight at the computer screen.

On the screen, that impossibly handsome Su Meng was playing with abandon.

Although the wind was strong up high and the sound was not entirely clear,

just those faint, indistinct bird calls were enough to make Xiao Yueyue freeze in place.

……

In the car, Deng Ziqi hugged her phone, unconsciously swaying gently along with the suona's sound.

The passenger in the back seat had already half-stood up, craning his head forward, staring fixedly at the tiny phone screen.

The neon-lit bustle outside suddenly felt distant.

In her ears, there were only countless birdsong.

……

"This is a suona? How the hell can this be a suona?"

Hua Chenyu, dressed in a takeout rider's uniform, stared at the screen, then suddenly flew into a rage and slammed his phone hard onto the ground.

Fortunately, he was hiding in the bathroom at the time and hadn't been caught by the camera.

Hua Chenyu panted heavily a few times, his face twisting grotesquely.

"Tacky! So tacky! My music is the best!"

……

Before a grave, Su Meng slowly lowered the suona in his hands.

This piece, "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," had set his heart and spirit surging as well.

Though the music had ended, it seemed faintly, as if the lingering notes still circled the rafters.

Everyone present was lost in it for a long, long while.

At his ear, it seemed there were still countless birds calling… birds calling?

"What is that?" someone suddenly shouted.

Looking toward the sound, everyone was dumbstruck.

In midair, no one knew when, a great many birds had flown in.

Circling in the sky, calling ceaselessly.

The white-clad funeral procession, the riotously colorful birds.

The still lone grave and crowd of people, the lively, cheerful flock of birds — together they formed an absolutely stunning scene.