Chapter 100: A Look of Adoration

Chapter 100: Chapter 100: A Look of Adoration

Fang Meng had been watching Jiang Qian’s expression, then glanced at the two teachers who were still talking so assuredly after more than half a year of lessons.

He knew they were about to lose their jobs.

The next day was Friday, and the last two periods of the afternoon were P.E.

The students were unusually excited, since the weekend was just a day away.

Lin Zhengran remembered that Jiang Qian had wanted to give him something in the piano room yesterday. So, when he noticed she had disappeared from the athletic field, he spoke to the teacher and headed for the academic building before class was over.

As he approached the newly established, not-yet-opened piano room in the school’s multimedia building, Lin Zhengran heard the beautiful sound of a piano drifting from a distance.

He stood at the back door of the classroom and pushed it open gently. Inside, Jiang Qian’s playing faltered, getting stuck at the first crescendo of the piano piece, *Guan Xue*.

The previous night’s lesson from her teachers hadn’t helped her improve in the slightest. At most, she had only gained a basic familiarity with the piece.

When the music stopped, Jiang Qian turned her head. Seeing Lin Zhengran standing there, she fixed her cool gaze on him and stood up. "You’re here."

"You said you had something for me?"

Lin Zhengran walked over to her, and she pulled a key from her pocket.

"This is it. It’s the key to the piano room. My teachers gave it to me last night. Didn’t you say you didn’t have anywhere to practice? With this key, you can come here whenever you want."

Jiang Qian glanced around the room and said earnestly,

"Our school doesn’t offer piano classes, so even though I donated these two pianos, this room is never used unless there’s a performance. You won’t have to worry about anyone disturbing you. Besides, it’s the same piano from that night. You seemed very comfortable playing it."

She looked up at Lin Zhengran, holding the key out a little further. "Consider it my way of repaying you for teaching me last time. Your simple advice was a great help to me."

Lin Zhengran marveled that the second young miss was so keen on repaying favors. He smiled and explained,

"Actually, I only helped you because I didn’t have a piano for the freshman orientation performance, and you brought an extra one for me. I was just returning the favor. You don’t need to repay me for it."

As Jiang Qian stared at his smiling face, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks, and she quickly looked away. Her bout of ’curiosity syndrome’ was acting up again.

But she quickly composed herself and looked back at him.

"Is that right? So that’s why you helped me. Well, I’ve already offered you the key, and it would be awkward to take it back. How about this..." She hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Just consider it payment for another lesson today. In any case, besides being a piano room, you can also treat it as your private lounge for the next three years. After all, no one else can get in."

[Key to Miaoyin Hall. With it, you can freely enter Miaoyin Square. The Spiritual Qi here is dense, making it an excellent place to rest.]

’Miaoyin Square, huh...’

Lin Zhengran took the key.

"Alright. I do need a quiet place sometimes. I’ll take it, then."

[You have obtained the key to Miaoyin Hall. Due to your special encounter with the Eldest Princess, you have gained Physical Strength +1.]

Jiang Qian gave a rare smile and sat back down at the piano.

Placing her hands on the keys, she played *Guan Xue*.

"I actually tried this piece a long time ago, but I could never play it well."

She got stuck at the first crescendo. Lin Zhengran pulled up a chair and sat beside her.

Jiang Qian asked, "It’s this part right here. I know how it’s supposed to be played, but my notes always sound choppy and disconnected from the following rhythm. What do you think I should do to improve?"

Lin Zhengran picked up the sheet music for *Guan Xue* that she had placed on the piano.

After a quick look, his Affinity for All Things allowed him to rapidly gain a sense of proficiency, which was immediately followed by surprise. "This piece is quite difficult. It should be considered a standard benchmark piece."

Jiang Qian was a little surprised. "It is a benchmark piece. But you’ve never heard of it? And your technique is so good..."

Lin Zhengran stared at the sheet music and answered honestly, "I’ve never heard of it. I’d love to listen to and learn everything, but there are only so many hours in a day. There’s still a lot I don’t know." He glanced at Jiang Qian. "But I know it now."

He suggested, "Can I play it for a moment? I need to try it myself to figure out the key points."

Jiang Qian nodded, stood up, and gave Lin Zhengran the seat.

Lin Zhengran sat on the bench. Before he could begin playing, he felt a bit flustered—the seat was still warm from where Jiang Qian had been sitting.

’There’s still some lingering warmth...’

He let out a soft, long breath. After memorizing the score, his fingers began to press down on the keys in a melodic rhythm.

Standing to the side, Jiang Qian was truly stunned.

If this was truly his first time playing it... this level of proficiency, this smooth and effortless grace, was absolutely beyond comparison to her two private tutors.

It was hard to believe this boy was only in his teens. Of all the masters Jiang Qian had seen, she doubted any of them could have achieved this without thirty or forty years of dedicated, talented practice.

After playing it once, Lin Zhengran found the piece very interesting and played it again.

Jiang Qian’s lips were slightly parted; she was speechless.

’He’s even more skilled than he was the first time...’

’This boy...’

Jiang Qian slowly closed her lips and watched Lin Zhengran’s expression as he played. For the first time, she felt there was someone she could never surpass.

And the more she interacted with him, the more she realized how vast the gap between them truly was.

A trace of admiration, something she had never felt before, unconsciously flickered in her cool eyes.

After playing it twice, Lin Zhengran stood up with a smile. "I’ve mostly figured out the technique. Your turn. It’s actually quite simple. Let me walk you through the key technical points, and you can see if that helps."

Jiang Qian sat back down on the bench. Her face suddenly reddened for the same reason Lin Zhengran had been flustered moments ago.

Lin Zhengran carefully explained the methods he had figured out. Listening to him, Jiang Qian was convinced he was truly different.

His explanations were instantly understandable; nearly every sentence felt like a small epiphany.

After listening to his instructions, Jiang Qian nodded, full of confidence. "I understand. I’ll give it a try."

She began to play *Guan Xue* carefully. This time, she passed the first major crescendo flawlessly. As she approached the transition to the second crescendo, her expression was a mixture of intense nervousness and shock—she had never managed to play this part smoothly.

Lin Zhengran reminded her, "You’re coming up on the second difficult section. The interval between the notes is very wide here. Just do what I said, don’t hesitate..."

Jiang Qian nodded. Her fingers danced gracefully, and with his guidance, she made it through the second section smoothly as well!

To think, she had practiced for half the night before, and countless times just now, without any breakthrough.

But Lin Zhengran had only given her a few simple pointers!

Suddenly, her hands stopped on the keys.

The smooth flow of the music left her so stunned she didn’t know what to say. Her mind went blank, and her heart began to race.

When she stopped playing, Lin Zhengran thought she hadn’t quite grasped it yet. "That was a shame," he said. "You only had one last section to go, you almost had it. But even stopping there, you should have a better feel for the techniques I mentioned, right?"

Jiang Qian slowly clenched her fist. Her curiosity about this boy had once again maxed out.

Her face was flushed with a girlish coyness, and even her voice softened slightly. "Mhm, I understand a little. Could you teach me one more time? I’ll do my best to play it all the way through."

"Okay." Lin Zhengran sat to the side.

He went over a few more techniques with her. Jiang Qian faced him, listening intently and hanging on his every word. Her eyes, fixed on his every move, were filled with adoration.

Outside the classroom, Fang Meng had arrived at some point and was staring blankly through the window at the way Jiang Qian was looking at Lin Zhengran.

It was a classic case of those involved being completely oblivious.

But as an observer, Fang Meng could see that Qianqian’s initial, fleeting curiosity about Lin Zhengran was beginning to take root in her heart.