The Young Girl's Chronicles of Demon-Slaying

Chapter 15: Musical Genius

The object Lin Dian pulled out was a bronze bell—small and exquisitely crafted, with a diameter of only about three centimeters. It looked like a miniature version of the massive temple bells found in Buddhist temples, exuding a sense of ancient simplicity and grandeur. At first glance, the bell seemed ordinary and unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, one could see that its surface was covered with intricate, interlacing grooves that formed the silhouette of a highly abstract animal—one whose exact form was impossible to discern. After taking out the bell, he held it between his index finger and thumb and said, “Did I wake you up? I’m in the habit of playing a little tune after waking from my afternoon nap—I’d completely forgotten you were downstairs.” “No!” Fang Heng shook his head. “I’d just woken up.” After saying that, he peered curiously into the music room. He saw that it was exquisitely decorated and spacious—at least fifty or sixty square meters—with clean brown wooden floors and a bright crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Aside from a massive grand piano, the walls were lined with other instruments, such as violins, guitars, and bass guitars. In addition, there was a drum set in the corner, along with high-end audio equipment and a multimedia keyboard. If this weren’t actually Lin Yuqin’s home, Fang Heng would have thought he’d walked into a music store; the selection was incredibly comprehensive, with instruments of all sizes. Seeing Fang Heng looking around curiously, Lin Yuqin smiled and said, “Come on in!” Fang Heng had never had any experience with musical instruments and was genuinely curious. Seeing Lin Yuqin’s invitation, he nodded, took off his slippers, and walked barefoot into the music room. “Want to give them a try?” Lin Yuqin—whether out of playfulness or with some ulterior motive—enthusiastically invited Fang Heng to play the instruments. For someone who knew nothing about music and couldn’t play an instrument, whether it was a piano, guitar, bass, or anything else, the most they could do was press a few keys or pluck a few strings just to hear a sound. To play beautiful music, one would have to undergo rigorous training, and to achieve anything significant in this field, natural talent was also indispensable. Fang Heng knew nothing about music, but he had heard of some well-known instrument brands. For instance, he knew that Yamaha pianos were very famous; it wasn’t unusual for cheaper models to cost a few thousand yuan, while high-end ones could run into the tens of thousands or even over a million. He saw the Yamaha logo on the piano Lin Yuqin was playing, and judging by its size, the price was clearly no small sum. By the same token, since there was such an expensive piano, the other instruments in the room probably weren’t cheap either. He wasn’t sure where he’d heard it, but he’d been told that musical instruments shouldn’t be handled carelessly by people who don’t know what they’re doing—otherwise, they might go out of tune or something like that. That was the general idea, anyway. He didn’t know if it was actually true, but figuring that if he didn’t touch it, nothing bad would happen, he shook his head despite his curiosity and said, “No, thanks. I don’t know how to play!” “It’s okay!” Although Fang Heng had refused, Lin Yuqin didn’t give up. Instead, she invited him enthusiastically, pulling him down to sit in front of the piano and saying, “If you don’t know how, I’ll teach you. It’s very simple.” Faced with Lin Yuqin’s enthusiasm, Fang Heng found it hard to refuse. Besides, like all novices, he felt a sense of envy whenever he saw someone playing a musical instrument—he’d always thought that even without formal training, he might be able to play a little something. Yet when the opportunity finally arose, all he could do was stare at the sheet music and stumble through the simplest children’s song, “Two Tigers.” Sitting on the bench with Lin Yuqin, before he even had a chance to take a close look at the crisp, black-and-white keys that gleamed like new, Lin Yuqin had already assumed the air of a teacher and begun teaching him to identify the keys. “Look, this section is the small group of keys, and this side is the large group… The black keys are for sharps and flats… When playing, hand posture is very important—keep your wrists and fingers relaxed, and use your fingers to apply pressure as you press down, like this…” Although she’d said earlier it was just for fun, once Fang Heng sat down, Lin Yuqin began teaching him some basic beginner’s knowledge quite seriously—things like the layout of the piano keys, with the left side consisting of lower notes in sequence and the right side consisting of higher notes in sequence, and so on. Seeing how earnestly she was teaching, it certainly didn’t seem like she was just letting Fang Heng play around. However, considering a beginner’s ability to absorb the material, Lin Yuqin didn’t rush through the lesson. She taught gradually, allowing Fang Heng to get familiar with each concept and ensuring she understood it before moving on to the next. However, as she taught, Lin Yuqin was deeply surprised. Whatever she said or taught, the girl beside her seemed to grasp it instantly—she caught on immediately and didn’t need any repetition or reminders. All it took was one practice session for her to master it naturally. With just a few more repetitions, any initial awkwardness quickly vanished, giving the impression that she’d been practicing for a long time—she didn’t seem like a beginner at all. Lin Yuqin grew increasingly amazed, and a thought began to form in her mind. Her initial worry—that teaching too much at once might overwhelm the girl—vanished completely. Eventually, she found herself teaching more and more; after covering the basics, she began delving deeper, and before she knew it, she had even introduced more advanced material. Whenever this happened, she would ask, “Do you understand?” Fang Heng nodded without hesitation, and then Lin Yuqin had him practice on his own based on what she’d taught him. In this way, before she knew it, Fang Heng had transformed from a complete beginner with absolutely no knowledge of the piano into a novice, and was continuing on the path toward becoming a proficient player. By the time Lin Yuqin had ceased to be surprised by Fang Heng’s intelligence, he had already, under her guidance, played his first piano piece—titled “Adeline by the Water”—on the piano before him with his own hands. Although this was merely a piece suitable for beginners, one must remember that, until today, Fang Heng had never even touched a piano. Yet now, as she listened to the smooth melody flowing from the piano and watched his slender fingers—as white and delicate as jade—dance across the starkly contrasting black and white keys, the sense of skill and fluidity left Lin Yuqin speechless. How could this possibly be a beginner? He was already at the level of a student who had been studying for quite some time. If she were to tell anyone what had happened today, she doubted even her husband would believe her! Geniuses really do exist in this world! Heaven had truly sent her a huge gift! Watching Fang Heng, completely immersed in the sense of accomplishment that came from “finally being able to play the piano,” Lin Yuqin felt her heart skip a beat. She had a vague, yet distinct feeling that the timing was just right. Is this the moment? she wondered to herself, though her face betrayed nothing. When the piece ended, a satisfied smile spread across Fang Heng’s face. He used to envy others who could play the guitar or bass, and now it was finally his turn. Still, the piano was too big and too valuable to easily take out to the street or a park to show off—which was a bit of a shame. Maybe he should learn another instrument? He stole a glance at the violin hanging on the wall across from him, feeling a tinge of longing. But just then, he suddenly heard Lin Yuqin beside him let out a sigh. (End of Chapter)