Chapter 80: Eighty, teach me once Chapter 80: Eighty, teach me once The piano sounds gradually ceased, and after a perfect conclusion, Song Yanxue withdrew her hands, stood up, and bowed to everyone with a smile. She was very confident in her piano skills. She had started learning the piano at the age of six and had now reached Piano Level 9, and soon she would be attending the assessment for piano tenth level.
“Bravo! Bravo!” A round of enthusiastic applause rose in the hall.
“She plays so wonderfully, if my daughter could play like that, I’d wake up laughing in my sleep.”
“Such a little genius, I wonder who will be lucky enough to marry her someday.”
“Mrs. Song, you are really blessed! A daughter both smart and well-behaved.”
“Yes, Mrs. Song, I am truly envious of you!”
Listening to everyone’s compliments and praises, Yang Xin’er’s mood also improved, “It’s all thanks to Xiao Xue’s intelligence, I hardly had to put in any effort.”
Song Yanxue approached Mr. Song, “Grandpa, how did I do?”
Mr. Song nodded with satisfaction, “Hmm, not bad! Xiao Xue’s piano skills are getting better and better.”
“Thank you for the compliment, Grandpa! Now, please draw and see who will perform next.” Song Yanxue looked eagerly at the sticks in Mr. Song’s hand, hoping that Song Yan Ning would be next. Then everyone would know the difference between her and Song Yan Ning.
She shifted her gaze to Qin Yushen. Especially Brother Yushen, she had to let him know that Song Yan Ning couldn’t compare to her at all. She was a beautiful white swan, the favored daughter of heaven, while Song Yan Ning was just an ugly duckling, a duckling that could never become a swan.
Mr. Song smiled and nodded again, then drew two more sticks and opened them to see Song Yanli’s name. He turned to Song Yanli, “Xiao Li, it’s your turn, you’ll be dancing.”
“Alright, Grandpa!” Song Yanli stepped forward, greeted everyone with a bow, “Then I will dance a Latin dance for everyone.”
“Bravo! Bravo!” Applause sounded again on the scene.
The guests moved aside, clearing a space for Song Yanli.
Song Yanli walked to the center, took her position, and as the music started, she began to dance.
Her skirt fluttered, her steps light, sometimes graceful, sometimes passionate, swaying, twirling, shrugging, extending arms, twisting the waist, moving the hips, she appeared like a mermaid swimming gracefully in the sea.
Yang Xin’er’s smile grew more pronounced. Xiao Xue and Xiao Li really made her proud, unlike Song Yan Ning, who grew up in the countryside—so plain and unsophisticated, unskilled in anything, simply irritating to look at.
With a perfect turn, Song Yanli finished the dance, smiling and bowing to the audience. She wasn’t actually satisfied with her performance, feeling somewhat constrained by the small formal dress she wore.
Mr. Song happily nodded again, then drew two more sticks and saw Song Yan Ning’s name. He hesitated momentarily, then started to fold the stick back, wanting to draw another. Xiao Ning was still young, and unlike Xiao Xue and Xiao Li, hadn’t had specialized teachers instructing her.
“Grandpa, is it Xiao Ning’s turn to perform? What will she perform?” There was no way Song Yanxue would let Mr. Song switch sticks, she asked aloud.
Mr. Song looked displeased at Song Yanxue, setting aside the stick in his hand, “Let’s end the performances here.”
“Grandpa, when I was writing the program, I asked Xiao Ning and she said she could do all of these performances. Right, Xiao Ning?” Song Yanxue challenged, glancing provocatively at Song Yan Ning.
“I can’t,” Song Yan Ning said in a calm voice.
Qin Yushen looked at Song Yan Ning, with a faint smile on his lips.
“Sister Xiao Ning, when I was writing the program, I specifically asked you, and everyone heard it back then. Moreover, today is Grandpa’s birthday, and you are his granddaughter too; performing a program is expected, even if it’s not well done, we won’t laugh at you, and if you truly can’t do it, Xiao Li and I will both help you,” Song Yanxue cast herself in a caring sisterly role.
“Sister Xiao Xue really understands propriety; it makes me want to have a daughter too,” Mrs. Wang said enviously as she looked at Yang Xin’er.
“The child is always obedient,” Yang Xin’er nodded slightly without any modesty, and smiled; she turned her eyes toward Song Yan Ning and glared at her with disdain. She couldn’t yet maintain her facade, now she knows fear.
Song Yan Ning’s lips curled in a sneer, glanced at Yang Lisheng and Li Meixiang, then looked at Mr. Song, “Alright, what is the program I am going to perform?” So they just want to see her make a fool of herself? Then she would grant them their wish.
“Grandpa, what’s the program?” Song Yanxue asked Mr. Song.
“Piano,” Mr. Song said gravely. He was very dissatisfied with Song Yanxue’s behavior this time.
Song Yanxue smiled and walked up to Song Yan Ning, “Sister Xiao Ning, do you need your sister to perform with you?” Actually, all the signed-up programs were piano and dance because these were what she excelled in; regardless of what she drew, she would face it with ease.
“No need,” Song Yan Ning turned her head towards Qin Yushen, “Can you play the piano?”
“Yes,” Qin Yushen nodded.
“Teach me once,” Song Yan Ning said. She didn’t have Divine Sense yet, but her memory was exceptional, not comparable to that of an ordinary person; if she wanted to learn, the piano couldn’t trouble her, especially as she was already proficient in music theory.
“Alright,” Qin Yushen nodded, and followed Song Yan Ning towards the piano.
Arriving at the piano, Qin Yushen opened the piano’s lid, “The piano keyboard has 52 white keys and 36 black keys. The groups on the keyboard are three white keys next to two black keys, followed by four white keys next to three black keys, which form a group; the three white keys are sequentially CDE, and the four white keys sequentially FGAB, followed by their adjacent semitones…”
Qin Yushen explained carefully, his long fingers demonstrating on the keys, “Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Song Yan Ning nodded, then sat down by the piano, “I can do it now.”
Qin Yushen gave a slight smile and stepped aside, waiting to see Song Yan Ning’s performance. Seeing her confident expression, he knew she was sure to surprise him again.
The others present didn’t pay much attention when they heard Song Yan Ning couldn’t play the piano; after all, Song Yan Ning was still young, not being able to play the piano was normal.
Now seeing Song Yan Ning sitting by the piano, looking ready to play, everyone was somewhat surprised.
“This child is really bold, thinking she can play the piano after hearing just a few basics. If it were that easy, everyone in the world would be a pianist.”
“I heard that child grew up in the countryside, hasn’t seen much of the world, it’s normal for her to be naive.”
“Actually, the child is also quite pitiable, obviously born into a major family, but doesn’t have the fate of a wealthy young miss.”