Translated by Pure

Edited by Loume

Chapter 33 Gift (2)

The stage for the performance was wide enough and not too close to the audience. After Wen Yantong went up the stage, she felt that there was only a vast, dark empty space in front of her. If she didn’t look carefully, she would not be able to recognize anyone’s face.

She was placed in the middle by Hua Mo, while the rest of the girls were arranged in a trapezoid formation. Lined symmetrical from left and right with a few girls near the front, everyone could be seen by the audience.

Hua Mo secretly gave Wen Yantong’s wrist a light squeeze as she whispered, "Give it your all. Your performance will lead to either your success or failure."

Wen Yantong didn't have much emotion at first, but when Hua Mo mentioned the stakes, she became a little nervous.

She rubbed the sweat in her palms and solemnly nodded to Hua Mo.

Not only Wen Yantong but the other girls on stage were also very nervous, some even trembling in anxiousness. Wen Yantong saw one of the girls' hands shaking like an epileptic and couldn't help laughing.

After laughing, her mood eased a little, and after touching her new xiqin, Wen Yantong became a little more confident.

After making sure everyone was settled down, Hua Mo quickly hid on the side of the stage, her eyes fixed on the few people from the Hanlin Academy in the first row seats below. Her heart was extremely uneasy.

The old man sitting in the middle was the main reason why Wen Yantong had to wear women's clothes. He heard rumors that both men and women were participating together during the qin competition, so he had brought his brush and ink to the event, ready to find fault. The old man carefully scrutinized the girls on the stage, but he didn't see a single man’s shadow.

Four more lanterns were lit on the stage, illuminating everything with a bright glow. The gold on Wen Yantong’s black gauze dress shone brightly under the light. As long as she moved, the gold on her clothing would shimmer, looking like the sunset glittering over the waves of the deep blue sea. It was breathtaking.

The sound of guqin slowly began to flow in the hall, the peaceful music causing the originally noisy hall to gradually quieten down. The qin became louder and clearer for all to hear.

It was the pure sound of strings; this piece was slow-paced and expressive. It was as if they were listening to an enchanting narrative. The surroundings were tranquil, and the listeners felt at peace.

Halfway through the piece, all the girls took their hands off their qins. The guqin stopped abruptly, and the hall suddenly fell silent. The audience was stunned as they didn't expect it to end so suddenly.

Wen Yantong looked down at the mahogany xiqin in her hand. She tapped her fingertip on its neck, silently counting down the beats in her heart as Hua Mo watched nervously from behind.

The rhythm in their hearts was in sync, and Hua Mo even clapped when the last beat fell, afraid that Wen Yantong would miss it. But before the sound of her palms fell, Wen Yantong had already raised the bow. When the fine bow touched the strings, a heartfelt sound came out immediately.

The xiqin brought out a deeper emotion compared to guqins, not to mention the song <Outside the Long Pavilion> itself was a profound song.

Wen Yantong played very seriously. With the sound of the qin filling her ears, she was unable to hear the countless praises from the audience.

The hall was specially equipped with a sound transmission device, which diffused the sound of the qin layer by layer and allowed everyone to hear it clearly.

Mu Yang gasped in shock. "I didn't expect our Academy to have someone who was able to play xiqin so well."

Cheng Xin smiled slyly and said, "Don't you feel they’re a bit familiar?"

After hearing this, Mu Yang took a closer look, "Now that you mention it, she does look quite familiar… Who is that?"

"It's the dwarf who taught you how to draw Old Man Ding." Chi Jingxi folded his arms around his chest. Although he didn't have a good impression of Wen Yantong, he still praised her honestly. "Qin played quite well. Finally, a decent skill that he can show off." 

Mu Yang widened his eyes and blinked hard. "Am I hearing this correctly? That’s Wen Yantong??"

Cheng Xin tapped him on the forehead. "Lower your voice."

Mu Yang covered his head and lowered his voice. "How could he dress like this... That’s so girly!"

Chi Jingxi's eyes flashed, seeing her in her black and golden gauze, and he said, "This dwarf is truly insane. His behavior is incomprehensible."

Cheng Xin turned his head and glanced at the officials of the Hanlin Academy, who were immersed in the sound of the qin. He then said in a low voice, "Perhaps he was also helpless."

When Wen Yantong's solo came to an end, the other girls immediately picked up their qin. The last section was a joint piece. The harmony of the guqin and xiqin was exceptional. It ended their performance on a high note, making everyone want an encore.

Deafening applause and cheers erupted from the audience. The girls couldn't hide their blushing faces, their emotions high. When they got off the stage one by one, Hua Mo reacted quickly and helped Wen Yantong down. She took the mahogany qin and returned the crutch to Wen Yantong.

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The author has something to say: 

Wen Yantong: Mr. opponent, please abide by the rules.

Chi Jingxi: [Beep——]

Wen Yantong: +1+1+1 Luck

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