Chapter 37: Teacher Chen is Multi-talented

In the afternoon.

Ning Qing stood at the entrance of the main room, looking up at the sky, holding a nearly withered paulownia leaf between her fingers, unconsciously twirling it.

Today's weather was no better than the past two days; dark clouds were blown about by the wind, constantly changing shape, and two birds were chasing and playing, making chirping sounds. This rain should fall by evening, falling outside the city to the east of this thousand-year-old Imperial Capital.

Behind her, Chen Shu lay on the sofa, starting to feel a bit bored: "You've been like this for several days, right? Do you really want to keep this up for over a month? That's so dull."

Ning Qing only left him a view of her back, with no intention of turning around, seemingly still feeling that the sky outside was more worth watching.

Her long hair draped over her shoulders, and she looked very quiet.

"Come back..."

Chen Shu sat up and called out: "Come here, I'll braid your hair!"

Ning Qing turned around silently and walked back.

Chen Shu pulled over a chair, let her sit on it with her back to him, while he sat cross-legged on the sofa, combing through her hair with his hands, over and over again:

"The volume is still as thick as ever.

"Though still a bit less than Xiaoxiao's."

Chen Shu divided the hair into three strands; he wouldn't braid anything complicated, just a simple plait would do.

For a tall and thin girl like Ning Qing, having a long plait hanging down her back looked quite good, and her usual style of dress was also very suitable for it.

As he braided, Chen Shu said to her: "Let me tell you, I went to work yesterday and even got into a party for free. I ran into Crown Princess Zhusha, and I even spoke a few words with her.

"Oh right, you asked me before which singer sang 'Rice Field'.

"It was her!

"I didn't forget last time; I intentionally didn't say it was her because I was afraid you'd give me trouble. Now it's fine, you're a mute and don't want to move, what can you do even if I say it?"

Ning Qing remained expressionless as he braided her hair, listening silently, a faint glimmer shining in her eyes, wondering what she was thinking.

The paulownia leaf was still spinning between her fingers.

"So boring.

"Even I feel bored.

"How about I sing a song for you? I have a pretty good song that I quite like, I can sing it for you, do you want to hear it?

"Not speaking means you don't want to.

"Fine, you don't want to!"

Chen Shu continued braiding her hair, grinning: "Your self-control is pretty good, not even angry at this. Wait until I put some medicine in your water tonight; when you wake up tomorrow morning, you'll find yourself lying in my arms, clean and bare. Let's see how you keep up this state then."

Ning Qing felt no ripples in her heart.

The plait gradually reached the end; she could feel it. She also heard Chen Shu complaining that her hair was short, saying she shouldn't have cut it off half a year ago, and that it would look better braided if it were longer.

Heh...

If she remembered correctly, the last time Chen Shu braided a different hairstyle for her, he said it couldn't be done because her hair was too long, which was why she cut it.

She even cut it herself at home.

The small section she cut off sold for a few dozen yuan, which he took and spent on video games.

It had already been very long back then.

"Done!"

Ning Qing felt Chen Shu release her hair, and the braided plait fell down. Because the weight was more concentrated, it felt a little heavier than usual when it fell and swayed. She reached behind her head to pull the plait to the front to look at it; it was braided very well. When she was little, Chen Shu used to braid her hair just like this; his craftsmanship had always been very good.

"Do you still remember? When we were little, the first time I braided your hair, it was a plait."

"..."

Ning Qing's eyes and brows softened; they had thought of the same thing.

"Ah...

"It's a pity there's no zither.

"Otherwise I'd really sing for you."

Ning Qing didn't make a sound, just silently placed the paulownia leaf on the coffee table and took a zither out of her Space Item. It was brought from Bai City; it was precisely because she brought this zither that she couldn't bring the little motorcycle—the space in her bracelet was just enough to fit that mini motorcycle.

"This..."

Chen Shu twitched the corner of his mouth and took the zither.

This was a musical instrument similar to a guitar, slightly smaller in size but much larger than a ukulele, with six strings, and the timbre was about the same.

Chen Shu liked playing the guitar; it was a habit from his past life.

Outside the window, the dark clouds were gradually blown away by the wind, and the chirping birds were gone too. The autumn temperature was very comfortable, and the afternoon time was very leisurely. In such weather, two young people who had been together for a long time would not be in a hurry; time was meant to be wasted.

Chen Shu sat cross-legged on the sofa and lightly plucked the strings.

"Deng..."

This instrument was one he used to use; although it was kept at Ning Qing's house and bought by Ning Qing, Ning Qing couldn't use it at all.

Once he touched it, the familiar feeling returned.

"Are you ready?

"Not speaking means you don't want to listen.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore, let's start. Old rules, you can only listen, you aren't allowed to look at me, otherwise I'll be embarrassed."

Ning Qing obediently did as told, looking straight ahead without glancing aside, though in reality, she was looking at nothing.

As the zither was plucked, the prelude was brisk and pleasant, and a very gentle voice rose beside her ear:

"Can't say why

"I've become so proactive

"If I fall in love with someone, everything is worth doing

"The wind by the river is blowing, making my hair flutter"

"Holding your hand, a sudden inexplicable emotion

"..."

Ning Qing's face was calm as she listened silently; in moments of quiet, one can often see their own heart more clearly and reflect upon their own emotions.

As the song ended, she withdrew her gaze to look at Chen Shu, and only then did her eyes gradually regain their focus.

Chen Shu chuckled and said to her:

"One more."

It seemed this person had become addicted to singing.

Without him needing to say it, Ning Qing looked forward again.

Chen Shu's voice rang out before the sound of the zither, like an a cappella performance; his voice was very low and he sang very slowly, as if telling a story, or perhaps quietly reminiscing and daydreaming:

"Books always love to write of an evening of unexpected joy

"The bicycle ridden, and the conversation between him and her

"The girl's white dress, the boy loves to see her wear it

"..."

"Slowly liking you

"Slowly becoming intimate

"Slowly talking about ourselves

"Slowly walking together with you..."

When Ning Qing turned her head to look at him, Chen Shu was still playing and singing; the zither strings were plucked very slowly, and the song, with its novel style, flowed continuously from his mouth.

A hint of a smile appeared on Ning Qing's face.

"!"

Chen Shu suddenly let go of his hands and looked at her, saying, "We agreed you weren't allowed to lift your head, what's going on with you? Uh, why are you smiling? Does this not count as a failure?"

"What is the name of this song?"

"Huh? You spoke!"

"Mm." Ning Qing's face calmed down, and she continued to ask in a low voice, "What is the name?"

"Slowly Liking You."

"Who wrote it?"

"It wasn't me, anyway; I'm just singing it."

"It's pleasant to listen to."

"Why did you start talking?"

"Did I fail?"

"Why?"

"My heart was moved."

"Then don't you have to start over?"

"Tomorrow."

"So these past few days are wasted?"

"There is always something to be gained."

"That's good then..." Chen Shu put down the lap-zither, "I thought you wouldn't fail."

"I thought so too." Ning Qing's voice was faint, "I thought I was already used to you, used to anything you do; as long as I was mentally prepared, I wouldn't fail."

"You used the Qingxin Mantra, right?"

"How do you know I didn't use it?"

"And you still failed after using it..."

Chen Shu couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth: "Useless!"

Ning Qing looked at him calmly, seemingly not angry, only saying in a low voice: "Continue singing..."

"I'm not singing anymore."

"?"

"The mood is gone, I can't sing it anymore."

"Then let's settle our accounts."

Ning Qing had grabbed Chen Shu's wrist at some point; her five fingers were slender, and the skin on her palms was so tender and soft, but the moment she applied force, it erupted with immense strength.

In the evening, back at the Dormitory.

Chen Shu brought Ning Qing's lap-zither, sat before the desk in deep thought for a long time, and finally took out a piece of paper to write down a title:

"The Way You Are"

This was a song written by Luo Dayou; in his past life, he often listened to and sang the version by Lin Zhixuan. But so much time had passed that even with the Spell he used to search and deepen his memories, some details had been completely lost, and he had to fill them in himself.

Fortunately, most of it remained; based on the overall style, blurred memories, and the general logic of songwriting, it was not difficult to fill in the gaps.

Even if it wasn't exactly the same, the difference wouldn't be too great.

Now, all that was missing was this money.

Chen Shu first hummed it to himself in a low voice: "I hear the voice coming from somewhere, like the little river sobbing in that dream, I see the footsteps of someone walking away, covering the sorrowful gaze at the time of parting, what I don't understand is why you are willing, to let the dust of the world carve out your appearance, just like a world that has long forgotten love, once possessing your name and my voice..."

Eh? It flows exceptionally well!

What was the next line again?

That sad song will always be clear in the dream? Sober?

Forget it, I'll just pick one at random.

The alarm clock for his Daily Cultivation went off.

"Emmm..."

Chen Shu scratched his head; although he was reluctant, he quickly got out of bed, turned on his computer, logged into the Yiguo Copyright Protection Center, and registered the copyright online.

The efficiency was extremely high, and it was completed very quickly.

He opened instant messaging.

Chen Shu: Teacher Wen Han, I have a fellow townsman, Old Mister Luo, who wrote a song that is quite good.

Wen Han: May I listen to it first?

Chen Shu: I'll sing a segment.

Chen Shu: 35''

Wen Han: Not bad, I like it very much. I will have my agent discuss the details with you.

Chen Shu: Let's do it tomorrow, it's too late today.

Wen Han: That's true, my mistake. Then Teacher Chen, please get some good rest, and we will communicate tomorrow.

Chen Shu: Don't call me Teacher Chen, just call me Chen Shu.

Chen Shu: /awkward

Wen Han: Teacher Chen Shu.

Chen Shu:...

Daily Cultivation.