Huo Rou calmly watched Guo Xiu brag about Deng's zither, praising it excessively, and then turn to belittle her.
She couldn't help but laugh.
This "Dragon and Phoenix Auspiciousness" zither was merely a piece she had carved casually, a practice work. How had it become an unparalleled treasure in Guo Xiu's words?
She herself hadn't thought it was that remarkable, so being praised so highly made her feel quite embarrassed.
Tired of listening, she rubbed her nose and shifted her gaze.
Unlike Guo Xiu's frenzy, the girl was slumped on the ground, picking up the scattered zither bridges, crying silently.
Seeing Huo Rou turn her attention, Guo Xiu also looked over and immediately slapped the girl across the face.
"Crying, crying, all you do is cry! I told you to protect the zither, what were you doing?"
Her anger not appeased, she slapped her again, "Without this 'Dragon and Phoenix Auspiciousness,' how do you think you'll win over Master You!"
She had finally found someone with a decent foundation, and now, with success within reach, it was all ruined.
If she hadn't hesitated, the zither would be in their hands now!
Guo Xiu once again took out her frustrations on the girl.
"Why does she always hit people?" An An frowned, feeling indignant. "Mom, she's so mean. This sister didn't do anything. An An saw it, the old lady knocked the zither over. Why is she hitting someone else to vent her anger?"
An An hated unreasonable people the most. Before, in the village, Sister Zhaodi lived a life like this every day.
Huo Rou's heart, hardened for many years, seemed to soften this year. She gently rubbed An An's head to comfort her.
Looking at the girl's lifeless eyes, she sighed and walked over. Before Guo Xiu could turn and scold her, Huo Rou shook her head and kicked Guo Xiu away.
Guo Xiu, who was still ranting, didn't expect Huo Rou to suddenly kick her. Her words caught in her throat, and she started coughing uncontrollably.
The girl looked up at Huo Rou standing before her, her eyes filled with unresolvable sadness. "Thank you."
Huo Rou looked at the zither bridge the girl was carefully holding and couldn't help but say, "The zither isn't the most important thing. To gain others' admiration, your own ability is what matters."
The girl looked at her, her eyes full of confusion.
All her life, she had been taught that good music and a good zither led to good results.
Gu Yue became the celebrated genius girl precisely because Guo Xiu found her R's compositions.
She had always wanted to play them, but Guo Xiu never let her touch them. If Gu Yue hadn't fallen from grace, she wouldn't have been valued so highly by Guo Xiu.
Guo Xiu had gotten her into the Classical Research Institute by acquiring a good zither. Now, Huo Rou was telling her that the zither wasn't the most important thing...
"Sister, thank you." Although the girl didn't fully understand, she couldn't bring herself to behave as disgracefully as Guo Xiu.
She had no more opportunities. Without "Dragon and Phoenix Auspiciousness," she couldn't gain Master You's favor.
She thanked Huo Rou and, holding the zither bridge in her hand, attempted to place it back on the guqin. Even if she couldn't use this zither to seize an opportunity, she didn't want such a fine instrument to be left broken on the ground.
She meticulously reinstalled all the bridges and then lifted the zither, placing it back on its stand. After doing so, she quietly gazed at the instrument, still thinking: only the carved parts of this zither have cracked slightly; the wood itself is of good quality, it should still be usable.
Huo Rou watched her actions, knowing she had gotten stuck in a rut. She sighed and beckoned her over.
"There is spiritual energy within you."
Earlier, when she had heard the girl play, Huo Rou had felt a distinct spiritual aura. Even with lacking foundation and technique, she wasn't entirely without merit. If she played a piece well, even if Master You didn't accept her as a disciple upon hearing it, he might offer some guidance.
"If only to prevent your spiritual energy from being buried, I will teach you."
She walked over to a seemingly unremarkable zither beside her, sat down, and slowly raised her slender fingers, plucking the strings.
Her movements were casual, yet every gesture exuded elegance.
As the zither's melody filled the air, all the light seemed to converge upon her.
A gentle breeze caressed, like a willow swaying in the wind.
The essence of spring unfurled.
The girl watched Huo Rou's dancing fingertips, and her eyes widened with astonishment as the music flowed.
It was the same guqin piece the girl had played earlier. The same rhythm, the same melody, but a completely different feeling.
Guo Xiu looked over in surprise. She had always thought Huo Rou only had a son who was a good musician, never imagining that she herself was even more skilled!
"How could you..."
It took her a moment to find her voice, speaking with disbelief, "How could you do that?"