The setting sun was divided in two by the window at the end of the corridor, and the sunset gradually turned the entire sky red like fire.
Every word Lu Shizhen uttered was filled with passion and determination, her dark eyes gazing expectantly at the girl before her.
Following the pattern of certain stories, the protagonist is usually inspired after a supporting character makes a series of encouraging remarks to the dejected protagonist.
Then, grasping the supporting character's hand tightly, nodding in approval, and roaring as he unleashed his extraordinary power to wipe out the hated villain in one fell swoop.
However, the world that Lu Shizhen transmigrated into was not a hot-blooded youth novel.
Her expectations would never come true for Xu Shiyue.
As the sun set and all was still, the girl's clear, cold voice rang out softly and coldly, like an ice cube falling into a hot glass: "Tail Pillar."
This word came out suddenly, without any prior indication.
Lu Shizhen was stunned for a moment.
Perhaps guessing that Lu Shizhen wouldn't understand, Xu Shiyue continued to explain: "The needle under the bottom of the zither is called the tail post."
The word didn't sound so awkward when I said it myself, but when Xu Shiyue repeated it, it sounded incredibly inelegant.
Lu Shizhen's high spirits immediately deflated by half, and she awkwardly scratched her face, saying, "Oh..."
Despite being thwarted by Xu Shiyue, Lu Shizhen did not give up and resorted to provocation again, "Do you want to go? The sun is about to set, and if we go any later, we won't be able to get such a good view."
"Unlike you, I don't just want to admire my cello in solitude. I also want to take this opportunity of recording a video for you to show off my rose field."
Lu Shizhen spoke with self-righteousness, her tone revealing her contempt for Xu Shiyue's choice to give up.
However, as she spoke, her chin arrogantly rose, while her lowered gaze secretly glanced in Xu Shiyue's direction.
It would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous.
If this weren't the only option left, she wouldn't have risked losing a lot of points by mocking Xu Shiyue.
That's her lifeline!
The setting sun outside the window swallowed the entire sky, and the world was ablaze with color.
Xu Shiyue's face remained expressionless, as calm as a blank sheet of paper.
No one knew what she was thinking; her silent eyes remained fixed and lowered.
After a long pause, she said, "Indeed, the sun is about to set now, and the light is not as good as during the day."
Xu Shiyue's voice was as calm as ever, yet it was yet another denial.
Having exhausted all the methods she had prepared, Lu Shizhen, who had just been on the verge of defeat, felt somewhat frustrated.
Is she really unable to persuade Xu Shiyue...?
But before Lu Shizhen's thought could linger in her mind for long, Xu Shiyue's voice rang out again.
Her voice was no different from before, but its calmness was unforgettable: "But ten minutes is enough."
Just as the ball was about to comfort Lu Shizhen, before it even landed on her head, the person who had been drooping suddenly raised their head.
Lu Shizhen had never thought that someone could say such inspiring words in such a calm tone, but at this moment her face was indeed filled with surprise and joy.
Time was of the essence, so Lu Shizhen hurriedly called to the servants who were waiting to the side but dared not come over: "Come quickly and help Xu Shiyue move the zither to the shuttle bus. We're going to the rose garden."
The maid quickly entered Xu Shiyue's room, and Lu Shizhen's figure, making way for her, blocked half of the light from Xu Shiyue's view.
The setting sun and the silhouette drew a clear line between them. This time, Xu Shiyue did not separate from Lu Shizhen as usual.
The sound of footsteps and words of advice broke the monotony of the corridor. Even though Xu Shiyue couldn't see the expressions on the faces of those around her, she could still hear the joy in their voices.
However, she knew perfectly well that she would not profit from what Lu Shizhen had done.
She was so happy just because he helped her?
A cold wind blew through the rose garden, and the bright red flowers spread out in large patches.
The pure white piano chair has been placed in place, standing steadily in the center of the sea of flowers.
Guided by Aunt Sun, Xu Shiyue sat down on the piano bench and accepted the cello from the maid.
Because it was something the young lady had specifically instructed to be handled with care, the servants were exceptionally cautious. In their haste, several roses that had been swaying in Xu Shiyue's sight fell over, their crimson petals resting on the ground.
This person was actually willing to do it.
This time, she actually kept her word.
The sun slid down the mountainside, and the darkness in the girl's vision became even darker than before.
Without wasting any more time, Xu Shiyue withdrew her gaze from Lu Shizhen, skillfully placed the cello between her legs, and asked, "Can we begin?"
Lu Shizhen looked at the camera that Aunt Sun had set up as instructed, then turned to look at Xiao Qiu beside her and asked a question.
But then, for some reason, electricity started emanating from its body again, and I was suddenly startled: "Oh my god, what's wrong with you?"
"You bumped into me when you looked up, host. It's alright." The little ball flapped its wings and wobbled to a stop on Lu Shizhen's head. "Don't worry, host. This body is fake. Even if it breaks, it's fine. The system can provide you with 360-degree 1080P ultra-high-definition video at any time!"
Hearing the little ball's carefree and enthusiastic voice, Lu Shizhen touched it guiltily and said to Xu Shiyue, who was already ready, "We can begin."
Upon receiving the instruction, Xu Shiyue lowered her eyelashes slightly, and her slender fingers slowly and deliberately placed them on the neck of the zither.
The long bow was slowly pushed by the girl's wrist, gliding across the strings and producing a deep and melodious vibration.
As the sun sets, the unique sound of the cello is slowly revealed.
The soothing and mellow music was like a poem whispered by a bard, its soft murmur intoxicating even the wind.
As was her habit, as the music deepened, Xu Shiyue's thick eyelashes slowly drooped down.
A faint rose scent lingered in the otherwise bleak autumn air, and a crimson hue filled the world after her eyes closed. Xu Shiyue no longer seemed to feel any aversion to being completely in darkness.
It was as if I had rediscovered the feeling of playing the violin in the past.
At that time, her mother would stand behind her to guide her and help her correct her bow-holding posture. Her hands were always warm and soft.
When she looked up, she could see her father leaning against the door frame, listening intently and absorbedly to the piece she was practicing, even though it was still quite unfamiliar.
Xu Shiyue once thought that this was the peaceful and beautiful life she would lead for a long time.
But the fire alarm shattered the peace, and it wasn't just the glass in the windows that broke.
Someone vandalized it.
Meanwhile, that person still enjoys a happy family life and continues to rise in rank.
"It may not be the kindest thing to say, but don't you want her to pay the price for her words and actions?"
The girl's question echoed in her ears once more.
Like a crowbar, it shattered the sealed, bone-chilling ice with a clang.
She wouldn't allow it.
Of course, she couldn't allow it.
The bow in the girl's hand swept across the strings, and the strings, controlled by her left hand, resonated with a long and complex low murmur.
Lu Shizhen had no musical background and of course didn't know what piece Xu Shiyue was playing, but she just stood on one side of this sea of flowers, the setting sun in the distance, the red of the sky giving her the illusion that the world was burning up in the music.
It seems like something inside has come to life.
But besides the phoenix, what else can be reborn through fire?
The sun was pulled aside by the setting sun, and in the blink of an eye, only a half-round sun remained.
The bright white moon seemed to be imprinted in the center of the orange sky, and the deep music came to an end.
As Lu Shizhen watched Xu Shiyue slowly stop her hand, she realized that even though the abrupt ending last time had been made up for this time, she still felt unsatisfied.
She would never believe that Sun Chenchen, who was so ambitious, could have such abilities.
"Did you record everything?" Xu Shiyue asked after putting away her instrument.
"Okay, don't worry." Lu Shizhen looked at the little ball and gave her an "OK" sign with its wings, assuring her, "I'll show it to Teacher Chen tomorrow."
"It's best not to give it to Teacher Chen alone," Xu Shiyue said, listing the orchestra's rehearsal schedule for Lu Shizhen. "The orchestra has three rehearsal times: 6 a.m. to before morning self-study, 1 p.m. to before the first class in the afternoon, and the last self-study session in the afternoon until closing time."
The wind gently rippled the girl's long hair that hung over her shoulders. She already had a plan in mind: "There aren't many people in the morning, and since there's plenty of time in the afternoon, people don't gather together. Noon is a good time."
Lu Shizhen reacted quickly: "This way we can play it directly on the big screen so everyone can see it, making your position as chief even more legitimate, right?"
"Yes." Xu Shiyue looked at the girl standing in front of her and nodded.
She then added, "Teacher Chen usually instructs the cello in the second group, around 1:15 p.m.
If Xu Shiyue's words just now coincided with what Lu Shizhen had thought before, then Xu Shiyue's next sentence surprised her.
This is absolutely devastating!
She truly lives up to her reputation as the "dark moonlight" heroine.
"Understood!" Lu Shizhen nodded. "Don't worry, I'll definitely get it done for you."
Perhaps it was a facade of a good student misleading teachers at school, or perhaps it was a promise she had just made to herself. Hearing Lu Shizhen's words, Xu Shiyue trusted that she could definitely keep her word.
The act of pulling back the strings seemed to sever the rope that was barely holding onto the sun, and the sky gradually began to darken the second after the recording ended.
Xu Shiyue's vision was poor, and she didn't want to stay in the dark for long. Just as she was about to leave, a light pat suddenly landed on her thin shoulder.
Xu Shiyue was caught off guard and was jolted by the slap.
She frowned slightly, and then heard Lu Shizhen's approving voice: "That's more like it. You have to be energetic to live a meaningful life."
Lu Shizhen's voice was as energetic as ever.
It was clearly a meticulously planned retaliation, but she made it sound like it was the only way it should be.
As the sun set behind the western mountains, a layer of pale orange sunset lingered in the sky.
Lu Shizhen looked at Xu Shiyue standing beside her, thinking about how she was so different from her usual gloomy self when she played the cello, and said, "You should go out for a walk too."
This sentence sounded like the end, but Xu Shiyue knew it wasn't a complete sentence.
Her eyes lowered slightly, and many of the second half of Lu Shizhen's next words flashed through her mind: "This way your body will recover faster," "This will help with the treatment," "This way your parents will be at ease when they see this"...
She even once put her hand on her waist and said, "That way you can be as beautiful as you used to be."
But none of those are true.
Xu Shiyue heard the faint sound of a rose being picked and breaking.
Lu Shizhen appeared relaxed, and spoke to her in a calm and gentle voice, "This is your life."
Xu Shiyue paused for a moment, her empty eyes concealing a complex mix of emotions.
The wind whipped up by the car brushed against her cheek, and she suddenly remembered what Lu Shizhen had said to the plant that day: "After all, who doesn't want to live a good life? You are too, right?"
As the sun sets, the flower field returns to the tranquility it deserves in the evening.
The door to the greenhouse was pushed open from the outside with a creak.
Watching Xu Shiyue and Aunt Sun leave on the shuttle bus, Lu Shizhen, who had been too busy rushing to school that morning to visit her plant brother, quietly arrived.
Greet them, loosen the soil.
Lu Shizhen continued to care for the plant that held her future in mind: "Did you hear that just now? Your owner's cello is really amazing. No wonder she's Xu Shiyue. I don't believe that good-for-nothing Sun Chenchen can play as well as her."
"By the way, do you know that our school is the best? The classrooms all have single desks for each student, and the smell of money is everywhere."
"Hey, I feel you're much better than when you first came. Your leaves are all firmer now. Will you be able to go back to work in the next day or two?"
"Although we'll have to go back to the same old life, my friend, you must live well. If you live well, your master can live well too. We all hope she can live well, don't we?"
...
Lu Shizhen was talking to the plants in front of her when she suddenly stopped loosening the soil.
Beside the plant's thick roots, a small bud sprouted, inconspicuous yet hard to miss.
Those tender green shoots were both weak and resilient, as if they were desperately breaking through the damp soil in the long, dark night.
Lu Shizhen gazed at the vibrant little life and carefully and cautiously extended her finger.
The soft light filtering through the foliage fell into her eyes, and the mechanical voice of the system reached her ears at that very moment.
+1.
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