On the other side, Mingzhuo silenced her phone alarm and stepped out of the office to head to the classroom for her lesson.
She had taken on many different part-time jobs.
From a zither player in a teahouse to an instructor at a training institute.
From guqin to bamboo flute.
Mingzhu excelled most at playing the guqin.
But because her teacher had once served in a national folk music ensemble, she often encountered the teacher's former colleagues in the practice room and picked up a bit of other instruments along the way.
When it came to playing traditional Chinese instruments, Mingzhu seemed to possess an innate talent.
Whether it was the bamboo flute, jade flute, zither, or pipa,
she picked them up with astonishing speed whenever someone offered guidance. Her progress from clumsy stumbling to smooth, complete mastery was remarkable.
This led Qi Lan's friends to exclaim she was a prodigy, prompting them to visit Jincheng more often in an attempt to tempt Mingzhu to switch her focus.
"Why play the guqin? Learn the flute/xiao/hulusi/pipa/suona instead... Ah!"
Consequently, Mingzhu mastered a wide array of instruments, each to a level ready for certification exams. She was frequently invited by various employers for part-time gigs.
Her earnings were quite substantial.
Take this moment, for instance, at the training center. Listening to the increasingly half-hearted playing of the two young students below, Mingzhuo gently raised her hand, pressing her fingertips against the lightly vibrating strings.
An hour and a half had passed. No matter how much encouragement or playful banter she offered, the children's concentration was nearing its breaking point.
Mingzhuo paused, then spoke softly: Remember last time? I said if you practiced hard enough, I'd play the theme song from 'Puppy Strike Force' for you..."
Before she finished, the children erupted in cheers.
"Teacher, teacher! Can we use flutes?" Tangyuan clenched his fist excitedly. "Mei-Mei the dog uses a flute as her weapon! She can freeze bad guys in place!"
Manman refused to be outdone: "I want drums! Man-Man the Dog is super cool drumming! That drum can even fly up and smack the bad guys out cold with a thud!"
The two kids started bickering again.
Mingzhu listened to their loud chatter and couldn't help but smile. "You've seen all these before. How about seeing an instrument you've never seen?"
The two kids were all for it. " What is it?"
Mingzhu asked, "Would any of you like to help me call Teacher Tiantian?"
Immediately, the scraping sound of piano stools sliding across the floor echoed.
"I'll go, Teacher!"
"I can run faster!"
Maman and Tangyuan scampered to the door, their voices growing louder as they argued. They shouted to the teaching assistant with full force: Teacher Tiantian, Teacher Ming is looking for you!"
The teaching assistant, already aware of Mingzhuo's plan, smiled and followed the two children into the classroom. Together with her colleague, she moved the instrument covered in a black cloth from the corner of the room to stand before Mingzhuo.
Manman and Tangyuan crowded close to the teaching assistant, peering eagerly over her shoulder.
Suddenly, Manman stopped in her tracks and glanced back at the half-open classroom door.
A hint of confusion flitted across her soft, plump little face.
Tangyuan had followed the teaching assistant out a couple of steps. Not seeing her friend follow, she scampered back, peering curiously along Manman's line of sight. "What are you looking at?"
Manman replied oddly, "I think I saw my little uncle."
Tangyuan replied with an air of worldly wisdom, "You must be mistaken. Adults are lazy creatures! Except for the first class, whenever they come to pick us up, they drag their feet as long as possible."
Maman nodded happily, "You're absolutely right."
Her parents were indeed lazy.
On the morning kindergarten closed for break, she woke up while her parents were still asleep.
When she ran into their room holding her little hamster, they were frantically pulling blankets over themselves—maybe sneaking snacks behind her back?
Too bad the nanny scooped her up and carried her out before she could pounce and rummage for tasty treats.
By then, the teaching assistant had already pulled off the black cloth.
The two little ones were instantly captivated by the novel instrument standing nearly as tall as they were. Forgetting all about whether he was an uncle or not, they scampered over to Mingzhuo, chattering away with questions.
"Teacher, what is this?"
"Is it a vertical guqin?"
"Teacher, teacher..."
When Mingzhuo gently placed her pale fingertips upon the taut strings, the instrument emitted an ethereal, crystalline vibration. Manman and Tangyuan gaped in silence, gradually falling quiet.
Mingzhuo spoke softly: "This is the konghou."
The distinct sensation from her fingertips sketched its outline in her mind.
Her vision was pitch black, not a single speck of light.
Yet Mingzhu plucked the strings without hesitation, her fingertips dancing lightly as ethereal melodies resonated.
The konghou itself carried an otherworldly, celestial aura.
Even as Mingzhu played the theme song from a popular animated film—a lively, spirited melody—
her posture—dark hair softly cascading, eyes and brows gently lowered—made it seem as though she were performing some sublime classical piece.
The two children were utterly transfixed, even their breathing hushed.
The teaching assistant had seen others play the konghou before, but whether it was her aura or not, Mingzhuo's performance held an extraordinary allure, drawing even the assistant into a spellbound gaze.
The classroom was quiet, filled only with the soft, resonant tones of the konghou.
No one noticed the figure that had quietly appeared by the half-open classroom door.
-
Unable to resist the children's sweet coaxing, after finishing the theme song for "Puppy's Attack Squad," Mingzhu played two more pieces they had practiced on the konghou.
The noise from the hallway outside the classroom gradually grew louder.
Mingzhu pressed down on the vibrating strings, feeling the two little heads nestled against her arm. Her eyes crinkled into a smile.
"Class is over."
For the first time, the two children who usually looked forward to dismissal most felt reluctant to leave.
They hugged Mingzhu's arm tightly, their eyes pleading. Teacher Ming, I don't want to learn the guqin anymore. Can I learn this with you instead?"
Tangyuan remained silent but nodded vigorously, his chin bumping against Mingzhuo's arm with each nod.
The teaching assistant helped pack away the konghou.
Mingzhuo reached out, gently stroking both children's heads as her amber eyes softened.
"I'm not a professional teacher. If you want to learn this, you'll need to find a professional konghou instructor."
Manman pouted, "But I only want to learn from you, Teacher!"
Mingzhu chuckled softly, her pale fingers sliding down to gently pinch Manman's cheek.
"Well, there's nothing I can do about that. I can only teach you the guqin."
The two children sighed heavily, finally conceding with regret, "Then we'll just have to learn the guqin!"
The children's bodies were warm and soft, still carrying the scent of baby lotion.
Mingzhu's eyes crinkled with amusement as she waited for the children to finish their whining before gently pushing both of them in the back.
"Alright, go put your guqins away. Don't forget to practice your finger techniques at home—Teacher Gu will be checking next week." "
Their sighs grew heavier.
Mingzhe fumbled to unfold her cane, neatly folded beside the chair, tapping it against the floor as she stood.
Amidst the clamor of voices, she could already hear the urging of Tangyuan's parent.
"Tangyuan! Stop playing around. Hurry up and pack your things. Come downstairs with Mom."
"Did you thank your teacher today?"
Tap-tap footsteps.
Mingzhuo's hand, hanging at her side, was grasped by the child. Tangyuan tilted her face upward and piped up in a crisp voice, "Thank you, Teacher Ming. Goodbye, Teacher Ming."
Mingzhuo gave the joined hands a gentle shake and said softly, "Goodbye, Little Tangyuan."
After Tangyuan left with his mother, Mingzhuo remained standing, patiently waiting for Mannan to finish packing and come say goodbye.
Her gaze drifted blankly ahead.
The moment Mannan bounded over with boundless energy, Mingzhuo's eyelashes fluttered slightly.
A faint, crisp scent of perfume.
Somewhat familiar, as if she'd smelled it just last week.
The next second, a deep male voice she hadn't expected to hear again sounded.
"Manman."
He said, "Don't bump into Teacher Ming."
His magnetic tone was low and slow, carrying an innate, lazy nonchalance.
When he uttered that final title, the inflection rose imperceptibly.
Like a feather with a hook, it brushed lightly against her earlobe.
Mingzhu snapped out of her daze, instinctively gripping her cane tighter.
"Got it... Ah!"
Overwhelmed with excitement today, the little girl hadn't controlled her momentum. Like a young calf unable to brake in time, she crashed solidly into Mingzhu's arms.
Mingzhu stumbled back two steps, her body swaying slightly.
A crisp breath suddenly grew intense as a strong arm wrapped around Mingzhuo's slender shoulders, trying to steady her.
Two forces collided.
Caught off guard, Mingzhuo was yanked backward with nowhere to brace herself, her head smacking straight into the man's collarbone.
Shang Chi: "..."
Ming Zhe: "...Ouch."
Man Man: "...Ms. Ming, I'm so sorry!"