Sixty-Three

Chapter Sixty-Three

“Ah-Lan.” Yuwen Rui’s white, long and slender fingers lightly fiddles with the zither strings, “Do you remember how to play this melody now?”

“Pretty much.” I casually answer, continuing to immerse in the boundless strangeness. Originally, my zither skills could be described to shake the heavens and earth, causing ghosts and deities alike to weep, but playing it just now, I’ve actually gotten a lot better throughout this half of the month, the most important point being, I can actually play an entire tune? Eh, although this tune is a little out of tune, but it is still a tune in the end.

Yuwen Rui pats away the non-existent dust on his sleeves, “Play this tune for Jiang Cheng to listen to tomorrow.”

“Play it for Jiang Cheng?” I say: “I sure wish to, but Teacher Jiang is set on not letting me touch a real zither ah.”

“He doesn’t let you touch it, so you just don’t touch it?” Yuwen Rui lightly sweeps a glance at me, a smile rapidly flashes past his eyes, “Since when did you really become an obedient student?”

“……” I fall silent for a while, side eyeing him as I say: “Cousin, you tell me to play this melody that only has one verse for Teacher Jiang to listen to, what are you scheming?”

Yuwen Rui leans in close, handsome face just a few centimetres away from mine, his eyes containing a seeming smile, thin lips lightly open as he says: “You want to know?”

I really want to push away his face and then spit out “Nonsense!”, but based on the brutality of reality, I can only mildly nod, saying: “En.”

“Really want to know?”

“Cousin, I really want to know.”

“Oh……” He leans in towards my ear side and lowly chuckles, warm breath laced with traces of romantic ambiguity, attractive voice carrying wickedness as he says: “Not telling you.”

……

Yuwen Rui, you best pray that there wouldn’t come a day you fall into my hands, if not, I really don’t mind being ‘Snow White’s stepmother’ for once……

The next day, taking advantage of when Jiang Cheng wasn’t inside the room, I sneakily take his zither made of sycamore wood, excitement carried within the roughness as I start playing. Although at first it was slightly similar to that of demonic sounds entering the ears, slowly, it gets considerably better, I once again sigh at Jiang Cheng’s ‘mute teaching’, sometimes, such soundless things is able to change us.

This tune that Yuwen Rui had taught me is extremely short, able to finish playing it after approximately three minutes, and when I play it up to the hallway point, Jiang Cheng had already rushed in, eyes carrying surprise and wild excitement as he asks, “What piece are you playing?”

The first sentence Jiang Cheng said after rushing in, isn’t scolding me for playing the zither, but asking what piece this is……I come to a stop, brightly smiling as I say: “This is what my cousin taught me last night, Teacher, how was my zither playing?”

“Your cousin……” Jiang Cheng’s expression instantly looks troubled, followed by the look of struggle and pain in his eyes, “This piece is, very good, very good……”

Deep inside, I pretty much understand now, and so I enthusiastically say: “Teacher Jiang, I have a note here that I can’t play well, can you teach me?”

Jiang Cheng’s face stiffens as he says: “Teacher Chen from the school is finding me for some matters, you practice alone first.”

“Yes, Teacher.”

Jiang Cheng turns around, just before leaving he looks back at me, as though reluctant to part, then marches away with heavy steps, looking troubled as he leaves.

I rest my face in my left-hand, and smile happily, my right hand brushing over the zither strings, leaving a loud vibrato to sound, looks like this melody has quite a background.

Over the several days, when I get back, Yuwen Rui would always take me to the basement and teach me to play that melody, every time it would just be a small verse, the next day, I would play it in front of Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng’s face became more and more troubled by the day, the desire in his eyes growing more and more, in the end, he actually became more and more unfocused.

This day, before I had entered the house, I hear a zither melody from inside, what’s playing is precisely the piece Yuwen Rui had been teaching me. Yuwen Rui would teach me a little verse after a little verse every time, with my level, the difficulty of connecting them all together is far too great, that’s why I can only play them separately verse by verse. And today, Jiang Cheng has put together each of these little verses, coherently merging them all as he presents a never-before-heard, wonderfully pleasant sound.

I stand outside the doors, falling into a trance by the melody, only when Jiang Cheng open the doors, do I snap out of it, I greet him: “Teacher.”

Jiang Cheng’s eyes fills up with a type of satisfaction, but upon seeing me, it rapidly fades, restoring his usual dispirited demeanour, “You’re here.”

“Yes.” I follow him inside, “Which tune was Teacher playing just now? Teacher is indeed Teacher, don’t know how many thousand times better you play it compared to me.”

“That is a matter of who’s playing.” Jiang Cheng lowly laments, raising his head to say: “Today, I shall teach you ‘Liu Shang’, now listen carefully, watch carefully.”

I lower my eyes, concealing the thoughts within, this is the first time Jiang Cheng will be teaching me an entire piece, and what does him doing this represent? When I tell Yuwen Rui this, he just smiles very meaningfully, clear and elegant face vaguely revealing a look of scheming and wickedness, such sight making my hair stand on end.

On a night, three days after that, a figure lightly steps out from the backdoors of Jiang Cheng’s residence, his hands carrying a little baggage wrap, preparing to leave in low spirits.

“Teacher Jiang, it’s so late already, where are you going right now?” Amongst the darkness, Yuwen Rui’s voice sounds in particularly attractive and elegant, I lazily rest my body against the wall, preparing to watch a great show for free.

Jiang Cheng abruptly raises his head, greatly startled to see Yuwen Rui and I in the corner, “You two, why are you two here?”

Yuwen Rui lightly says: “Of course we’re here, only because Teacher is here.”

Jiang Cheng still wanted to say more, but after pausing for a moment, he says nothing.

“Why trouble yourself like this now, Teacher?” Yuwen Rui sighs, “Knowing the happiness in your heart is increasingly growing through day and night, hence leaving, to put it all to rest once and for all, just because you can’t hear it, does that mean you wouldn’t think about it either?”

Jiang Cheng says nothing, only looking at Yuwen Rui silently.

“That tune is separated into three big sections, with a further ten small sections making up the three big sections, and another three small verses making up the small sections……” A sparkle flashes past Yuwen Rui long and fine fox eyes, lightly smiling as he says: “Calculating it all, I have only taught Ah-Lan three small verses, there is still a lot more to be taught.”

I swear I see Jiang Cheng’s eyes start glowing within an instant, then gulps.

Yuwen Rui takes a yellowing thin booklet out from his sleeve, long and slender fingers rubbing the cover as he slowly says: “This book of ‘Forest-like Melody’ was composed by none other than the Holy Zither Player Li Ren, after he died, it was passed down to his eldest disciple, that disciple treated this composition like a treasure, unwilling to hand it over to anyone who sought after it. Later, his house had lit up, burning the entire estate down to ashes, including that book of ‘Forest-like Melody’……but in reality, that fire was deliberately set by his junior brother, in order to tell everyone that ‘Forest-like Melody’ has already been destroyed, and he alone, can appreciate this awe-inspiring divine melody.”

Jiang Cheng’s eyes had already started to glow green……

“Does Teacher Jiang perhaps want to have this composition?” Yuwen Rui’s smile is gentle and elegant.

Jiang Cheng’s eyes instantly turns bottomless black, “So what if I want it? Not like Gentleman will give me this composition for nothing.”

Yuwen Rui lightly raises his handsome brows, “Such words of Teacher is incorrect, I shall gift you this composition now, seeking nothing in return.” Having said that, he tosses the book of composition into the air.

Jiang Cheng no longer cares about anything else, leaping high, he grabs that composition book into his arms with one swoop, then respectfully wraps his fist to Yuwen Rui and say: “Many thanks to Gentleman then, it is late now, may Gentleman and Young Lady both take a rest.” And then he rushes back into his house, even forgetting the baggage that has fallen to the ground.

“Cousin.”

“En?”

“Are you certain he wouldn’t run away with the composition book?”

“Of course I’m not certain.”

“Then why did you still give him the composition book?”

Yuwen Rui narrows his long and fine eyes, and lightly smiles, “Whether he runs away or not, has nothing to do with my plans.”

I unconsciously take a step back, the calm confidence in this man’s eyes, is so, is so horrifying……

Reality proves that my prediction is not unreasonable, Jiang Cheng has indeed ran away with the composition book, and had even ran away very neatly and cleanly, leaving not a single trace behind, towards this, Yuwen Rui just lazily leans on the soft couch, saying to me: “Ah-Lan, you’ve gained weight again.”

-_-|||

Although I am curious as to why Yuwen Rui is so confident, I do not question him, because I know that even if I do ask him, this asshole of a fox wouldn’t even tell me, it is better to quietly wait and see.

This day, the skies are clear and the sun shines brightly, cicadas crying out in joy, birds energetically flying around, Yuwen Rui and I are gnawing at an iced peach each in great delight. In this moment, the door is forcefully kicked open, followed by a gloomy looking Jiang Cheng making an appearance before us, he wears two huge panda eyes, sounding dull as he says: “Yuwen Rui, where is the second half of this ‘Forest-like Melody’?”

I am stunned upon hearing this, the peach in hand sounding “gu-lu-lu” as it rolls onto the floor.

Yuwen Rui leisurely wipes his lips, “Looks like Teacher Jiang has been studying this melody through day and night, truly putting your all in ah.”

“Don’t give me nonsense, quickly tell me where the second half is.” Jiang Cheng has already discarded his usual timid and cowering attitude, taking a turn for a strong and firm stance.

Yuwen Rui maintains his elegant bearings, raising his hand to pour a cup of tea, “Teacher Jiang, truly sorry, that second half of the zither composition book, I’m afraid I cannot give it you.”

Jiang Cheng furrows his brows, a storm is brewing.

Yuwen Rui lightly sips at the tea, tone carrying helplessness, “Does Teacher Jiang perhaps remember the Sir Cen I said I needed to find? That is an old friend, one who loves the zither, no, should be said to be an enthusiast, I had originally found that ‘Forest-like Melody’ for him.”

Dark clouds looms over a greater half of Jiang Cheng’s face, he grits his teeth as he says: “Yuwen Rui, you……”

“I am truly sorry.” Yuwen Rui appears to be very sincere, “I definitely cannot give the second half of the book to anyone, even if it is Teacher – you, I cannot.”

Jiang Cheng furiously reaches up to rub at the between of his brows, quietly chanting: “Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm……”

I blankly look at that apologetic face of Yuwen Rui’s, my entire body turning cold……Jiang Cheng, the one you’re facing is Yuwen Rui, is staying calm any use?

“Gentleman Yuwen.” Jiang Cheng takes a deep breath, voice shakily asking: “May we chat in private?”

Yuwen Rui slightly narrows his eyes, thin lips elegantly hooking up, “Of course we can.”

What has been said between Yuwen Rui and Jiang Cheng, I naturally don’t know, I only know that when Jiang Cheng had come out, his entire face has darkened, but inside those fuming eyes, faint admiration and excitement surfaces, looks like this zither enthusiast has been dealt with. I cannot help but to look up to the sky, wanting to roar out: oh dear lord, why must you have created Demon Yuwen, with him living, how are we to live?!

Since the zither enthusiast, Jiang Cheng, has been dealt with, we naturally leave He Yang City and travel along to the next destination. These several days, the weather has been rather gloomy, the wind carrying moistness and dreariness, looks like it’s about to rain. Yuwen Rui is currently lying on the soft couch in deep sleep, long and thick lashes casting a faint shadow on his fair white skin.

I was originally slowly biting into the apple in hand, but didn’t think the horse carriage would suddenly jolt up, nevermind the apple flying out of my hand, my entire person went flying onto Yuwen Rui’s body, direct and impactful. I watch his long lashes lightly flutter, and then reveal a pair of beautiful eyes, carrying dangerousness within the blurriness.

My body trembles, immediately wanting to crawl up from his body, but he single-handedly presses down my body that’s wanting to escape, revealing a look of danger amongst the laziness, that only-just-awakened voice sounding rather attractively husky as he slowly says: “An Ke Lan, do you not wish to live?”

Oh dear mother ah, Yuwen Rui, he, he has wake up temper ah!