Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 232 Elegance is Vulgarity

Dongfang Bubai got up, walked to the zither table by the window, sat down, and raised his hand to touch the strings.

There was no momentum, no build-up.

It was just a very soft sound, like a drop of water falling into a deep pool.

Yagyu Yuki's pupils contracted slightly.

Although her cultivation level was not as high as Zhao Mingyue's, she still possessed the cultivation of a Grandmaster.

At that moment, the sound of the zither entered her ears, causing her internal energy to tremble involuntarily.

She subconsciously looked at Zhao Mingyue.

Zhao Mingyue sat upright as usual, gently waving her round fan, her face serene as she listened to the music.

Now look at Lin Chen.

Lin Chen leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers idly on his knees, his eyes half-closed, looking completely relaxed.

Is it specifically targeting me?

Or am I just too weak?

Liu Shengxue suppressed the turmoil in her heart and listened intently.

The sound of the zither gradually spread.

It was not any melody she had ever heard before, neither the court music of Dongli nor the "High Mountains" and "Flowing Water" that Dongfang Bai had previously circulated.

This piece of music...

Liu Shengxue frowned slightly.

She couldn't recognize the song title, or even the key.

But every note falls like a beat of a heartbeat.

Suddenly, it's like a spring breeze caressing the willows, so gentle it makes you want to cry.

Suddenly, it was like the moon reflected in a cold pool, so chilling that one dared not breathe.

She couldn't help but look at Dongfang Bubai's hands.

Those hands were long and pale; when the fingertips touched the strings, it didn't seem like they were playing, but rather caressing them.

The music stopped.

Liu Shengxue suddenly came to her senses and realized that she had been holding her breath without realizing it.

"Great!" Lin Chen clapped his hands twice forcefully.

"Every time I listen to Mr. Bai play the piano, there are new tricks."

Dongfang Bubai withdrew his hand, his expression calm.

"You are too kind, my lord."

"That's no flattery." Lin Chen picked up his teacup. "Your zither playing is indeed much better than before. What's the name of today's piece?"

Dongfang Bubai remained silent for a moment.

Untitled.

"Untitled?" Lin Chen chuckled. "You compose music like you write poetry, and you even like untitled pieces."

Dongfang Bubai did not respond.

Zhao Mingyue said softly, "Mr. Bai's zither music doesn't need a title. The listener's own feelings will suffice, and that is the title of the piece."

Lin Chen turned to look at her: "So what did you catch?"

Zhao Mingyue waved her round fan and thought for a moment:

"On a spring afternoon, the first magnolia blossoms in the courtyard. The wind was gentle and the sunlight was warm, making one want to sleep but also reluctant to do so."

Lin Chen clicked his tongue: "Okay, cultured people are different."

He then looked at Yagyu Yuki: "And you?"

Yagyu Yuki opened his mouth.

She wanted to say that what she heard was the snow of a winter night in the east, and the lullaby her mother hummed before she died.

But the words stuck in his throat.

"This concubine..." she lowered her eyes, "This concubine doesn't know anything about the zither, she just thinks it sounds beautiful."

Lin Chen stared at Liu Shengxue for two breaths, then looked away.

"If you don't understand, listen more. I'll have Mr. Bai give you some extra lessons later, so you won't feel like you're listening to gibberish when you come out to listen to the music."

Liu Shengxue looked up at Lin Chen.

Lin Chen had already turned back to talk to Zhao Mingyue.

She looked at Lin Chen's profile, her lips moved, but in the end she only whispered:

"Yes."

……

As Shenshi (3-5 PM) approached, the area downstairs became lively.

Lin Chen scanned the area with his divine sense and found that the first-floor lobby was about 70-80% full, and even the private rooms on the second floor were half full.

"Damn," he mumbled, half a piece of mung bean cake dangling from his mouth, "there are so many rich idlers in the capital."

Zhao Mingyue raised her fan and smiled slightly, "Husband, speak like a human being."

"In plain terms—Mr. Bai is awesome, his customers come like clouds." Lin Chen swallowed the mung bean cake, licked his fingers, and said, "Satisfied?"

Zhao Mingyue ignored Lin Chen.

She was a bit reserved before marriage, but after getting married and having in-depth conversations, she became much more relaxed around Lin Chen.

However, she likes this way of getting along and enjoys it.

Liu Shengxue sat quietly to the side, peeling an orange.

Lin Chen glanced at it, then held out his hand. "Give me half."

Liu Shengxue paused, then looked up at Lin Chen.

"What are you standing there for? Are you reluctant to part with it?" Lin Chen said with a smile.

Liu Shengxue didn't say anything, but gently handed over the orange.

Lin Chen broke off half of the piece, stuffed it into his mouth, and his whole face scrunched up in a grimace.

"Hiss—who bought these oranges? An assassin!"

Zhao Mingyue laughed out loud: "You asked for it yourself, so who can you blame?"

"It's my fault, it's my fault." Lin Chen stuffed the remaining half back into Liu Shengxue's hand.

"Go ahead and eat, it's sour as it is, but the aftertaste is alright."

Liu Shengxue lowered her head and bit into a petal, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

At this moment, Dongfang Bubai stood up. "My lord, it's almost time. I'll be going now."

"Go ahead!" Lin Chen waved his hand.

Before long, the sound of a zither drifted up from the first floor; it was a tune from Dong Li.

Liu Shengxue's fingertips tightened slightly.

She learned this poem when she was a child.

After practicing for three years, he finished playing the piece at his father's birthday banquet. He nodded and said, "It's acceptable."

She was happy for a month.

Looking back now, it was so stupid.

Lin Chen suddenly pushed the walnuts towards him, "Liu Sheng, try some, they're fragrant."

"Thank you, my husband!" Liu Shengxue came back to her senses and thanked him softly.

Lin Chen opened his mouth as if to speak, but said nothing.

It's better to be polite, so that it'll feel more fun to bully others.

Unaware of Lin Chen's inner thoughts, Liu Shengxue put the walnut kernel into her mouth.

It really smells good.

The sound of a piano playing downstairs is like a clear spring flowing over rocks.

Lin Chen leaned back in his chair, his eyes half-closed, tapping his fingers on his knees and humming along.

Humming—it was so off-key it was two miles away.

Zhao Mingyue listened intently for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh:

"My lord, that phrase is in the Gong tone, not the Shang tone."

"Really?" Lin Chen asked calmly. "It sounds about the same to me."

"Very different." Zhao Mingyue demonstrated softly, "The Gong tone is deep and resonant, the Shang tone is clear and melodious, like—"

She hummed a couple of lines.

Lin Chen listened attentively and nodded, "I understand."

Then I continued humming along with the zither music, still using that Shang tone.

Zhao Mingyue couldn't be bothered with him anymore.

Lin Chen suddenly looked at Liu Shengxue, "Liu Sheng, can you play this?"

Yagyu Yuki nodded: "I learned it when I was young."

"Then you'll play one for me later," Lin Chen said with a smile.

"I want to try something different!"

Fragments of last night flashed through Liu Shengxue's mind, a hint of embarrassment and annoyance crossing her eyes, but she quickly concealed it and said softly:

"I played poorly."

"It's alright," Lin Chen raised an eyebrow, "I'm listening to the artistic conception, not the realm of understanding."

Zhao Mingyue narrowed her eyes, pretending not to hear what Lin Chen said.

Liu Shengxue nodded obediently, "If my husband wants to hear it, I will do my best."

"Hmm!" Lin Chen nodded, changing the subject:

"Old Bai also has a song that sounds really awesome!"

Zhao Mingyue's eyes lit up: "Which one? What's it called?"

"What was it called again..." Lin Chen scratched his head. "Dongfeng Po? Or Fa Ru Xue? I can't remember."

Zhao Mingyue: "?"

Yagyu Shengxue: "?"

Outside the door, Dongfang Bubai's voice came in, "It's 'Empty Mountain'."

"Oh right, 'Empty Mountain'." Lin Chen showed no remorse.

"Mr. Bai, instead of playing your piano properly, you're eavesdropping on our conversation?"

"The Lord's safety is of utmost importance!"

The music continued without pause, and Dongfang Bubai's voice did not sound again.

Lin Chen muttered to himself:

"This guy really doesn't understand any social etiquette..."