Chapter 171 (Combined with Chapter 1712)
171:
Fu Zhan and the others were stunned when they heard their teacher say in the group chat that there would be a dinner party on Saturday and that he would introduce a junior student to them.
Lu Mian, the rising star of the music scene, asked in confusion: "Little...junior brother?"
Isn't he the junior brother?
What? There's a new junior brother again!
Old Kang, though not entirely convinced, spoke with conviction: "Hmm."
Lu Mian: [I remember when you accepted me as your disciple, you said I would be your last disciple!]
Kang Lao: ...
Old Kang continued, his argument unconvincing yet unconvincing: "As an old man, can't I close the door one more time?"
Lu Mian: ...
What could Lu Mian say? His teacher was already sixty-five. Even if he kept closing the door, let alone closing it again, all he could say was, "Whatever makes you happy, teacher."
that is……
I wonder how outstanding this junior apprentice is that he has caught the eye of their teacher, who has taken him on as a disciple again at this age.
The former junior student asked his teacher curiously, "Teacher, look at the junior student's photo, it's the current one."
Old Kang looked it up and posted it in the group.
The crowd erupted in uproar.
"Is this...is this child five years old?" Junior Sister Zhu Qiu asked curiously.
Old Kang: [He's over five years old.]
Fu Zhan: [Such a small child.]
Meng Man also remarked with emotion: "I could practically be his aunt."
Shali: [Then wouldn't I be able to be his second aunt?]
Zhu Qiu: [So, does that mean I'm the aunt?]
Wen Chong asked in disbelief, "Teacher, this child is too young."
When they took Lu Mian in, Lu Mian was already fifteen years old.
This child is almost ten years younger than Lu Mian was back then!
Old Kang chuckled: "When fate brings us together, these things become irrelevant."
Old Kang: [Besides, music education should start from a young age. Who knows, if we nurture him from a young age, he might surpass you all in the future.]
Lu Miancai didn't believe that anyone could be more outstanding than him.
But this little rascal should be quite fun to tease.
Lu Mian: [Okay, I'll adjust the schedule and I'll be there on time.]
Others also responded.
After chatting with Elder Kang, Fu Zhan, as the eldest among his fellow disciples, spoke in their group chat: "Since he's our teacher's last disciple and so young, everyone should give him a small gift."
Meng Man meant the same thing.
The two of them are getting old, and when they visit relatives during holidays and encounter children of this age, they always give them a red envelope or a gift; they have long since learned from experience.
Seeing that the two of them had said that, the others naturally agreed.
So, on Saturday afternoon, Ye Qingxi happily arrived at Mr. Kang's house with the songs she had already printed out and the wooden Lego set she had spent a week assembling.
Fu Zhan, Meng Man, and Zhu Qiu had already arrived. Among them, Zhu Qiu arrived the earliest. She happened to have a notice here yesterday, so she took a nap and came to her master and mistress's place for a meal.
Upon seeing Mu Shaowu, Zhu Qiu exclaimed in surprise, "Mu... Mu Shaowu!"
Mu Shaowu smiled and said, "Hello."
"Hello, hello, you are my idol!" Zhu Qiu said with a smile.
Fu Zhan and Meng Man were both around forty-five or forty-six years old. Although they had heard of Mu Shaowu, a rising star in the entertainment industry, they didn't know much about him.
Upon seeing this, he simply smiled.
Mu Shaowu smiled as well.
Completely immersed in the joy of meeting her idol, Zhu Qiu held up her phone and asked him, "Can I take a picture with you?"
“Okay,” Mu Shaowu said.
Zhu Qiu quickly stood next to him, holding up her phone, before noticing Ye Qingxi looking up at her.
Junior brother?
Junior brother!
Zhu Qiu was a little confused. Why would their junior brother come with Mu Shaowu?
Is he his older brother? Uncle? Grandfather?
It can't be his father, can it?!
She was still in a daze when there was a knock on the door.
Ye Qingxi turned around curiously and saw Fu Zhan open the door, and Wen Chong and Lu Mian walked in.
Lu Mian smiled as soon as he saw Ye Qingxi, "Junior Brother~"
Ye Qingxi smiled too, "Senior brother~"
Do you know which senior brother I am?
Ye Qingxi nodded, "The youngest one."
"Wow, you're pretty smart," Lu Mian laughed.
Wen Chong said gently, "Hello, I am Wen Chong, your second senior brother."
Lu Mian burst into laughter. If Ye Qingxi weren't so young, and he wasn't afraid of corrupting the child, he would have said, "He's also your pig-like senior brother~"
"Hello, Second Senior Brother~" Ye Qingxi greeted politely.
Just then, a sweet voice rang out, "Why are you all standing at the door and not going in?"
After saying that, the other person reached out and peeled Wen Chong and Lu Mian apart, revealing their beautiful face.
She was also somewhat surprised to see Mu Shaowu. "Young Master Mu? What are you doing here?"
"I've come to take Xiaoxi," Mu Shaowu explained.
The two had met by chance at a party before, and coincidentally, after the party ended, Sha Li won his gift—a watch worth 300,000 yuan that he endorsed.
It can be worn by both men and women.
Therefore, Sha Li happily tagged him on Weibo to thank him for his generosity.
Mu Shaowu replied: 【You're welcome, I'm glad you like it.】
Unexpectedly, we now have the opportunity to meet again.
Sha Li laughed, "Young Master Mu, I still have your watch in my walk-in closet at home. It really goes with everything."
Mu Shaowu reiterated, "If you like it, that's fine."
Shali liked it, but...
She looked at Mu Shaowu's side, at their legendary junior brother.
Why would Mu Shaowu come to see him off?
What is their relationship?
"Who are you and Xiaoxi?" Sha Li asked bluntly.
“I am his father,” Mu Shaowu said.
Zhu Qiu: !!!
Shali: !!!
Lu Mian: !!!
Wow, what a huge surprise!
Lu Mian wanted to watch the drama unfold!
"I see." Sha Li said somewhat awkwardly.
Before I knew it, I seemed to have overheard something I shouldn't have.
Fearing they might misunderstand Mu Shaowu, Ye Qingxi quickly said, "He's not his biological father, he's my current father."
As soon as he said that, everyone understood instantly, and the next second they felt guilty.
How could you let a child say such a thing in front of everyone?
How painful it must have been for him!
She should have asked such a private question in private.
"I'm sorry," she said to Ye Qingxi.
Ye Qingxi shook her head, "It's okay~ My dad isn't my biological father, but he's even better than a biological father~"
Looking at his cheerful little face, Sha Li laughed again, "That's right, we were just saying in the group chat yesterday that we're old enough to be your aunts. From eldest aunt to youngest aunt, we're not blood-related, but we're even closer than blood-related!"
Ye Qingxi was surprised that they would say such things, and smiled sweetly, "Okay~"
"Why are you all standing at the door? Come in quickly, the food is almost ready." Madam Meng walked out of the kitchen with a smile, carrying two plates of dishes in her hands.
Zhu Qiu and Lu Mian rushed to help her.
Mu Shaowu then prepared to take his leave—next was Ye Qingxi's apprenticeship banquet, attended by his master, fellow disciples, and fellow students, so it wouldn't be appropriate for him to remain.
"Then Dad will go first, and will come to pick you up later," Mu Shaowu said softly.
Ye Qingxi blinked. "But my junior sister hasn't taken a picture with you yet."
Mu Shaowu looked at Zhu Qiu, who was going back and forth between the kitchen and the table, and said with a smile, "We can take a photo together when I come to pick you up."
Ye Qingxi nodded, "Alright then."
Mu Shaowu then told Elder Kang and Madam Kang before leaving.
When Zhu Qiu finished her work and saw that Mu Shaowu was nowhere to be seen, she exclaimed, "Oh dear, the perfect group photo is gone!"
“There are more,” Ye Qingxi said. “My dad said that when he comes to pick me up, he will take a photo with you, Junior Sister.”
"Really?" Zhu Qiu said happily, "Then thank you, Dad, and thank you too."
"You're welcome," Ye Qingxi said.
Once the food was laid out, everyone sat down at the table.
Master Kang spoke first, saying, "I'm sure you all know why I invited you all here today, so I won't beat around the bush. Xiao Xi, you should bow to me three times, drink this cup of tea in front of you, and call me 'Master.' From now on, you will be my last disciple."
Ye Qingxi quickly stood up, obediently bowed three times, drank a small cup of tea from the table, and called out, "Master."
"Good, good, good," Old Kang said with a smile.
He said, "You gave me a gift before, and I said I would reciprocate, but I never did. I'll give it to you today."
He stood up and took a guitar from his study.
"This guitar is the one I used when I was eighteen years old to start writing songs. It was on this guitar that I created three songs: 'Make a Wish,' 'Gentle Breeze,' and 'Look Up at Tomorrow.' In the future, I also hope that you can use this guitar to create new songs and sing better songs, so that the spirit of your teacher can be passed on to you."
Ye Qingxi was shocked.
The others were also somewhat surprised.
This guitar can be said to be one of Master Kang's most treasured possessions. People always have special feelings about the first time, so no matter who he took on as a student, he never gave this guitar away.
But now, he gave it to Ye Qingxi.
The expectations placed on Ye Qingxi are self-evident.
Indeed, everyone thought to themselves. Their master was old and might pass away at any time, while Ye Qingxi was still young. They were like the setting sun and the rising sun, gazing at each other from afar, living in two different worlds.
Therefore, Ye Qingxi is indeed the most suitable person to take over this guitar and carry on its spirit.
"This is an extremely rare gift, Xiao Xi, why don't you accept it?" Fu Zhan said gently.
Ye Qingxi quickly reached out and took it. On the guitar, she saw Kang Lao's signature. It was signed by a very young Kang Lao, unrestrained and elegant, with a bold and vigorous style, as he signed his name on the guitar in a flamboyant manner—Kang Fangnian.
He placed the guitar on the sofa not far away, picked up the bag, and said, "Teacher, I also have a gift for you."
After saying that, he looked at Fu Zhan and the others, "And senior brothers and sisters as well."
Now, Elder Kang and Fu Zhan couldn't help but become curious. This little guy had actually prepared a gift for them.
Ye Qingxi opened her bag and took out a box containing a miniature wooden zither and se that had been assembled.
"I originally wanted to give a piano because Grandpa noticed me after my performance on TV that day, where I played the piano. But Dad said that instead of a piano, it would be better to give a qin and se (a type of zither). He says that every time he brings me over, he sees Grandma Kang, and he thinks Grandma Kang and Grandpa must have a very good relationship, like a harmonious couple. So he thinks this is a better gift. Although it was Dad's suggestion, I really put it together myself, piece by piece, without Dad's help!"
Mr. Kang and Mrs. Kang had already started laughing.
Mrs. Kang had always thought the child in front of her was clever and thoughtful. The little child had given them gifts the first time they met, one for each of them, and they were related to their health.
It won't be too expensive for people to accept, nor will it be impractical for them to simply keep it after accepting it.
Every time he comes, he sweetly calls out "Grandpa" and "Grandma," and every time he leaves, he says, "Grandpa and Grandma, I'm leaving now. See you next week!"
Sometimes when he eats something delicious, he will bring it over so that they can try it.
She and her husband have always wanted a grandson, but because their son is busy, they haven't been able to have one yet.
Ye Qingxi's arrival gave people a strange feeling that it was like a grandson going back to his grandparents' house every weekend.
At that time, she knew that her husband was probably about to receive his favorite apprentice.
Now that I see it, it's indeed true.
Even when it came to becoming an apprentice, Ye Qingxi was able to present such a gift in a polite and respectful manner.
While it was indeed under his father's guidance, his father would not have thought of "harmonious music" and thus given such a gift if he hadn't intended to give a piano as a gift.
“I like this gift,” Mrs. Kang said with a smile. “Xiao Xi, you and your father are so thoughtful.”
Mrs. Kang liked it, and so did Mr. Kang.
Their children are busy, so it's just the two of them in the house most of the time, and they naturally have a deep bond.
Now, when Ye Qingxi presents him with a gift for becoming her disciple, she still thinks of his master's wife. It has to be said that he is indeed much more thoughtful and considerate than his peers.
Ye Qingxi knew they would like it.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have suddenly changed the order.
It's worth noting that Lego bricks for wooden pianos are much easier to find than those for harps and se.
It's only because his father has a wide network of connections that he could have found the job.
However, it was Mu Shaowu who found the Lego, but the idea was Ye Qingxi's own.
Ye Qingxi knew very well that for most people, a five-year-old child is still at an age where they are still confused and not very smart.
The Mu family was able to accept that he was much smarter than the average five-year-old, which was a result of subtle influence—and also because they all loved themselves.
Kang Lao and the others haven't spent enough time with him, so they can't rashly display their excessive intelligence.
Otherwise, there might be bad consequences.
Therefore, when he looked at Fu Zhan and the others again, he said, "This is a gift I prepared for my senior brothers and sisters. To be precise, it was prepared by my aunt. She was very happy that I could become the junior brother of my senior brothers and sisters, so she specially asked Uncle Murong Qing to invite six songs for me to give to everyone."
Everyone was somewhat surprised upon hearing this.
They naturally knew of Murong Qing's great name.
Even if people didn't know before, after this spring, everyone in the music industry knew.
This creator, whose appearance, age, and gender are unknown, has successfully made herself a mystery in the music industry through Shao Ting's singing in "The Voice of Heaven".
Almost everyone who has heard his songs is drawn to some of them, yet no one can meet him, talk to him, or collaborate with him.
Fu Zhan and Meng Man were getting on in years, and although they were curious about it, they didn't think much of it.
Wen Chong and his group, on the other hand, are still active in the music scene and are full of curiosity about Murong Qing.
Back when the "Voice of Heaven" competition was being held, they even discussed him in a group chat, analyzing his musical style and preferences, and wondering if he might be someone they knew.
At this moment, Ye Qingxi's aunt actually invited Murong Qing to sing a song for him, which shows how much Ye Qingxi was favored by her.
But what surprised them the most was...
"If your aunt wants it, Murong Qing will give it to her," Sha Li said with a smile. "Does Murong Qing like your aunt?"
This argument has been circulating online for a long time.
Mu Shaoting denied the rumors several times, but netizens couldn't help it. They felt that Murong Qing treated her differently, so how could it not be love?
Ye Qingxi: ...It is liking, but not in the way you think it is.
“My aunt said they were Bo Ya and Zi Qi, Bo Le and Qianli Ma, a friendship based on music.”
“That’s good too,” Old Kang affirmed. “With the support of such a creator, your aunt will definitely be very successful in the music industry in the future.”
Ye Qingxi nodded, "Of course."
Lu Mian couldn't contain himself any longer. "Let me see what they wrote this time!"
Ye Qingxi quickly handed over the printed songs one by one.
When she handed it to Fu Zhan and Meng Man, Ye Qingxi lingered on their faces for an extra second without making it obvious.
Actually, he didn't initially intend to send them a song.
Because neither of them releases albums anymore.
But if I give it to the other four senior brothers and sisters, but not to the eldest senior brother and sister, it doesn't seem right.
So Ye Qingxi chose two of the most powerful songs from her own compositions that best suited their vocal styles.
Fu Zhan and Meng Man accepted the gift, smiled at him, and said softly, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Ye Qingxi said.
The six of them quickly looked at it, and upon seeing it, they were all astonished.
It has to be said that Murong Qing really put a lot of thought into it; the songs he wrote were all suitable for their voices and musical styles, and fit their image very well.
“Xiaoxi, your aunt really cares about you. The quality of this song is among the top three I’ve seen this year.”
Ye Qingxi nodded. Of course, his aunt cared about him.
Sha Li sighed, "Murong Qing really cares about your aunt. When others ask him to write songs, he refuses no matter how much money they offer. But when your aunt asks him, he immediately gives her six, and they're all of such high quality. It's hard to say this isn't love!"
Ye Qingxi: ...Of course not, because it's family affection!
Even the usually picky Lu Mian couldn't help but say, "How much is this song? I'll pay for it for your aunt, otherwise it would be too much of a rip-off for you."
Ye Qingxi shook her head, "It doesn't cost any money. My aunt said it's a gift for my senior brothers and sisters."
Senior brothers and sisters: ...This gift is really precious!
Compared to his song, the senior students who thought their gifts were pretty good suddenly felt ashamed.
Their junior brother had clearly put in a lot of effort—even if it was his aunt's effort, it was all for his benefit.
Unlike them, who only bought gold and silver gifts, showing more effort than affection.
Lu Mian couldn't even produce the gold longevity lock and gold Pixiu he had in his bag, and he felt that he had let his junior brother down.
"It's very well written," Fu Zhan nodded.
After reading it, he handed the song to Mr. Kang.
If he weren't no longer releasing albums, he would definitely have included this song.
But it could be released as a single, Fu Zhan thought, it had been a long time since he had released a single.
Old Kang took the song and looked at it. One after another, the other people handed him the songs they had.
Madam Kang leaned closer and looked at it with him.
The more Kang Lao looked at Murong Qing, the more he felt that Murong Qing was indeed talented, as he could create songs of all kinds.
"He is a rare musical talent."
Lu Mian immediately sounded the alarm, "You don't mean to take him in too, do you? Then you'll have to close the door again?"
Ye Qingxi: ...That might not work.
Old Kang laughed, “What are you thinking? Creation requires inspiration. He already has his own inspiration. If he continues to follow me, he will only be influenced by me, which will be counterproductive.”
More than songwriting, what Master Kang taught was how to sing better, how to maximize the advantages of one's voice, and how to maintain one's voice for many more years.
Not everyone can create; he hopes his apprentices can, but he never forces them to.
Lu Mian breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good, otherwise the door would have just closed today and then opened again."
Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.
Old Kang put the song in his hand aside. "Alright, now that Xiao Xi has already become an apprentice and received her gifts, let's eat."
“Okay,” Lu Mian shouted.
He happily picked up his chopsticks, and after Kang Lao started eating, he quickly placed a piece of the best sweet and sour pork chopsticks cooked by his master's wife into Ye Qingxi's bowl.
Don't ask, it just means you're feeling guilty.
After he started serving food, the others followed suit, serving Ye Qingxi food in reverse order of age.
Ye Qingxi: Huh?
Ye Qingxi was a little confused. Did the apprenticeship banquet have these procedures?
However, everything put into his bowl was his favorite food, and since it was his senior brothers and sisters who put it there, Ye Qingxi happily finished eating everything.
When Ye Qingxi went to the restroom at the end of the meal, Elder Kang said, "I told you all I'd see Xiaoxi on Saturday. Didn't you buy your junior brother a gift? Why didn't any of you mention it after Xiaoxi gave him his gift?"
Everyone: ...
"The main problem is that some of what we bought isn't presentable," Zhu Qiu said.
Fu Zhan nodded, "Xiao Xi is young, so we just prepared things for him like we would for a child. Unlike him, he put so much thought into the preparations."
“It’s not that I don’t plan to give it to him,” Meng Man said. “I plan to give it to him after we finish eating. I’ll tell him then that I came in a hurry this time, so I only brought these with me. I have some more at home, and I’ll give it to him next time I see him.”
Lu Mian, Zhu Qiu, and Sha Li immediately followed suit.
Old Master Kang said with satisfaction, "That's more like it. Otherwise, the children would be heartbroken if they gave you gifts but didn't receive anything in return."
"Don't worry, teacher. We understand these things."
So when Mu Shaowu came to pick up Ye Qingxi again, he saw that the bag Ye Qingxi used to carry the Lego boxes was filled with luxury gifts.
As a major figure in the music industry, he is known for his lavish spending, with none of his purchases costing less than tens of thousands of dollars.
Ye Qingxi was overjoyed; his favorite thing was the longevity lock that Lu Mian had given him.
Not only is it exquisitely crafted, but it's also quite heavy, and it carries a good meaning.
He was already five years old when he came to the Mu family, past the age of giving longevity locks as gifts—such things are usually given to infants.
In addition, Mu Zheng gave him a jade Guanyin pendant, which he wore all the time. Seeing that he liked it, the Mu family didn't give him any other decorations to wear around his neck.
But now, Lu Mian clearly has no concept of what gifts to give to children at what age. He simply thinks that this longevity lock is beautiful and expensive, and that it is made of gold and has a good meaning. So, by accident, he gave him a longevity lock.
Ye Qingxi felt as if everything had come to a perfect end.
He received a longevity lock, wishing him a long and healthy life.
She also wore a jade Guanyin pendant, symbolizing her wish for his safe growth.
His life was protected in this way.
These objects, imbued with auspicious meanings, serve as guardians.
He is also protected by those who love him.
Ye Qingxi thought it was a wonderful gift.
Although his junior brother pulled him aside and said that the gifts he had actually prepared for him were not these, and that he would definitely bring them next time, he said that he had just forgotten because he was in too much of a hurry today.
Ye Qingxi happily replied, "It's okay, I like it very much."
Lu Mian: ...
Lu Mian felt even more guilty.
His junior brother is such an easily satisfied child; he likes even such a simple and ordinary gift.
He really wasn't a good senior brother; he let down his junior brother who gave him that valuable song QAQ.
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