After spending a few days in the company, Lin Yuan's winter vacation officially ended, and major colleges and universities began their new semesters, including the Qinzhou Art Institute.
Temporarily pausing work, Lin Yuan returned to campus life.
This semester was new for Lin Yuan. He had an additional professional course on his timetable: piano lessons.
Students in the composition department didn't need to be proficient in various musical instruments, but a certain understanding was essential, and the piano was an important instrument for them to learn.
At school, Lin Yuan was undoubtedly a diligent student.
Despite the system claiming that Lin Yuan's piano skills were at a professional level, Lin Yuan still attended piano class diligently.
Not only for credits but also because someone had commented on Lin Yuan's piano skills last time, prompting him to wonder if he could use this opportunity to improve.
"Everyone."
The piano teacher was male, with a modest demeanor but a handsome face. With his long hair tied in a ponytail, he exuded an artistic vibe, setting a rather unconventional example for the students.
Clearly, the school didn't encourage students to have long hair.
"You are students of Qin Yi's composition department. Most of you should have a certain level of piano foundation, and even be quite skilled. So, when you heard about the extra piano lessons this semester, many of you may have felt the urge to showcase your piano skills, am I right?"
This was the opening remark of the piano teacher's first class.
Just that one sentence struck a chord with many in the class.
He then introduced himself: "My name is Huang Benyu. You can call me Teacher Huang, and I will be your piano teacher from now on."
The fifty students in the class applauded.
Huang Benyu smiled faintly. "Students in the composition department often think highly of themselves during the first piano class each year. Put away such thoughts. Don't assume that having a good piano foundation means you can overlook my class. Except for Gu Xi, whom I believe I can't teach, all other students should focus on studying diligently because your level is still far from where it needs to be!"
This was a wake-up call.
Huang Benyu sat in his chair lazily. "You studied theoretical knowledge last semester. This semester, we'll delve into playing tunes. Let's start with something relatively simple. And, it'll also satisfy some of your desires to show off, right?"
The students nodded eagerly.
The majority of them began learning piano, all focusing on similar pieces of music. "Qin Qu" was a relatively classic elementary piece.
"Alright."
Huang Benyu said casually, "Let's have someone play 'Qin Qu' first. If you want to show off, here's your chance."
Hands shot up in the air.
The corner of Huang Benyu's mouth twitched, amused by how eagerly these students volunteered for a potential public critique. It was an old routine he played every time before starting a new class.
First, he would select a student who appeared confident in their piano skills.
Once the students finished playing, expecting admiration from their classmates, Huang Benyu would dissect every mistake from a professional standpoint, shattering the confidence of the entire class and reminding them that their skill level wasn't as high as they believed.
Interesting.
The adrenaline rush and excessive hormones, right?
They all must be eager to impress their peers.
Especially the students in the front row—all eagerly volunteering. Every year, they vied for seats in the front row, all with the intention of showcasing their piano skills. Having been a teacher for many years, Huang Benyu knew these students' psychology all too well.
Huh?
Huang Benyu suddenly noticed that one student in the front row hadn't raised their hand.
Looking at Lin Yuan, who stood out from the rest by not raising his hand or showcasing his looks, Huang Benyu was intrigued.
Was not raising one's hand a form of defiance?
Choosing to be the odd one out among the clever ones?
Let's pick you as the scapegoat for this lesson, shall we?
Huang Benyu looked at Lin Yuan, who hadn't raised his hand. "How about you?"
Lin Yuan replied, "Just a little."
Indeed, it was a form of defiance. You clearly played the piano but didn't raise your hand when everyone else did. By standing out, you managed to catch my attention.
Huang Benyu chuckled. "Then why don't you give it a try?"
"Sure."
Lin Yuan stood up reluctantly.
He found this teacher rather peculiar. Eighty percent of the class had raised their hands, yet the teacher chose the one who hadn't.
"Huh."
Seeing themselves not selected, the other students lowered their hands in disappointment.
Lin Yuan sat in front of the piano.
Having studied "Qin Qu," he knew how to play it. However, there were many versions of the piece. Since the teacher hadn't specified a version, Lin Yuan simply chose the one he liked.
His five fingers stretched out.
The right hand pressed down on the keys.
The first set of chords resonated strongly, immediately followed by Lin Yuan's left hand, with all ten fingers dancing across the keys.
"The rearranged version of 'Qin Qu'?"
Huang Benyu raised an eyebrow. There were numerous versions of the piece, but Lin Yuan had chosen a rather challenging one. This version wasn't guaranteed to be played well.
Lin Yuan was immersed in the performance.
The cascading notes resembled arrows flying across the sky, with clear contrasts between strength and gentleness. The mellifluous accents were seamlessly interspersed, without any abruptness.
Huang Benyu's expression gradually changed.
As the music progressed to the tenth bar, the notes under Lin Yuan's fingers displayed remarkable elasticity. There were hardly any wrong notes. While there were occasional sticky notes in between, Huang Benyu knew they were unavoidable.
A mature playing technique...
The delicate grace notes were expertly handled by Lin Yuan. The clear phrasing and perfect delineation of motifs vividly conveyed the mood of the music.
Not just Huang Benyu.
Even the students in their seats couldn't help but stare, and some girls' eyes were even slightly misty as they watched Lin Yuan.
"Last passage."
As a sustained note rang out, students familiar with the piece sensed that it was the climax and the most poignant part of the music.
Reluctance.
Regret.
These emotions were conveyed through the keys. Lin Yuan's arms moved rapidly, his fingers falling almost percussively, and finally, the piece concluded with a mournful sound from the piano.
Sitting up straight, Lin Yuan finished playing.
Anyone with even a basic knowledge of the piano would understand the difficulty of Lin Yuan's performance just now. Spontaneous applause erupted, and Huang Benyu couldn't help but stand up, thoroughly bewildered.
What?
What was this?
Was this considered "just a little"?
Teaching at Qin Yi was proving to be quite challenging!
There was Gu Xi, who had never taken piano lessons but still had to obediently earn credits. After all, she was a rare piano prodigy who had graced the golden stage she dreamed of.
But now, how could another student with such prodigious talent appear?
This level surpassed mine!
How was I supposed to teach this piano class?
After the applause subsided, in the silent classroom, Huang Benyu swallowed hard before coughing and laughing, "If you're all at this level, I might as well resign and head to the principal's office next door."
Laughter filled the room.
Huang Benyu inquired, "What's your name?"
"Lin Yuan."
"Who taught you piano?"
"My mother," Lin Yuan replied calmly, fabricating a story.
Huang Benyu was in awe. "Who is your mother? A piano master?"
At that moment, a flurry of names of renowned piano masters who had graced the Golden Hall flashed through his mind.
Lin Yuan pondered for a moment before answering, "She was a music teacher for fourth and third graders at Yongning Village Hope Primary School."