CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35 SHE ACTUALLY BECAME HER TEACHER!

After Yuan Mei left the private room, Zhang Jingdong drank another pot of Longjing tea before he contentedly left the teahouse.

He went to Yulinglong for dinner, and by the time he got back to Spring Breeze Garden, it was already close to 7 PM.

He took a bath, then sat down in front of his computer and started a movie.

But at this moment, he couldn’t really get into Teacher Cang’s performance.

He was wrestling with whether or not to keep his appointment with Xiao Fei.

If he didn’t go,

it would seem like he was really scared of her.

But if he went,

on a late night like this, alone with a girl by the shores of Wengong Lake, what if she really took a liking to him... and things accidentally went too far?

After all, she was a campus beauty who could rival Lin Shishi, and her figure was so top-notch.

If she really did try to seduce him... that would truly be difficult to resist!

Just as he was indecisive, his phone suddenly rang.

Looking at it, sure enough, it was Xiao Fei!

He thought for a moment and then answered the call: "Hello..."

"Are you scared to come later?"

When Zhang Jingdong heard this, his pride as a man was instantly ignited.

He teased: "Actually, I was just about to call you and ask the same! After all, the night is dim, and as a girl going to the meeting alone... it really takes a lot of courage!"

"Tsk tsk, fine, since you say so, I’m going to wait for you by the lake now, don’t be late later!"

Zhang Jingdong then stood up, looking towards the distant Wengong Lake: "Alright, I’ll head there now."

"Then how about I wait for you downstairs of our dorm building later?"

"No need, I’m not at the dorm."

"Cut... then alright, see you in a bit."

After hanging up, Zhang Jingdong stood still, staring blankly at Wengong Lake for a minute, then quickly gathered his things and took the clay flute box downstairs.

A few minutes later, when Zhang Jingdong arrived at Wengong Lake, he saw Xiao Fei’s figure from a distance.

Under the dim streetlight, he saw she wore a white T-shirt and a black miniskirt,

and next to her stood a large piano case, quite resembling a musical prodigy.

His heart moved, and he walked over.

Approaching her, he deliberately said, "Didn’t expect you to really come!"

Xiao Fei then turned around, glanced at Zhang Jingdong, and teased: "You finally showed up, making a girl wait for you!"

Zhang Jingdong grinned, "You said you wanted to learn from me, so I’m the teacher and you’re the student. Naturally, the student should arrive before the teacher, or else it would mess up the order, right?"

Xiao Fei was taken aback for a moment, then pouted: "Alright, that makes sense."

"Since that’s the case, I’ve already been waiting here for half a day, could you give me some pointers?"

Zhang Jingdong leisurely replied: "Alright, seeing how sincere and persistent you are, play a section and I’ll see what problems you have."

Xiao Fei, seeing Zhang Jingdong agreed, immediately opened the piano case and took out the clay flute.

She made some preparations, then played "The Nostalgic Scenery of My Hometown" for Zhang Jingdong.

Zhang Jingdong listened to just the beginning and couldn’t help but marvel secretly, because she played really well.

To put it this way, if it were at a welcome party or even some TV programs, her performance would definitely shine.

Ordinary audiences would definitely just applaud, not able to pick out any faults at all.

Unfortunately, Zhang Jingdong’s clay flute skills were master-level, and he could still find some flaws.

So after Xiao Fei finished playing, Zhang Jingdong solemnly asked: "How many years have you been learning this?"

Xiao Fei paused for a moment, then answered: "8 years."

"You learned with a teacher, right?"

"Yes."

"Have you been learning with a teacher all along?"

"...Yes."

Zhang Jingdong sighed and said, "So, the problem arises. Your biggest issue is that you’ve always been learning from teachers, hence you can never play your own rhythm."

"Rhythm?" Xiao Fei unusually lost her usual confidence and looked puzzled, "The rhythm you mentioned... isn’t the beat?"

Due to Zhang Jingdong’s earlier statement about how she had been following teacher’s guidance all along, she subconsciously felt that he really could teach her something, thus she respectfully addressed him as "you".

Zhang Jingdong serenely accepted her respect, then shook his head: "Of course not, the rhythm I am talking about... you know about Tai Chi, right?"

Xiao Fei nodded blankly: "I know."

"Have you ever seen the movie ’Tai Chi’ starring Li Lianjie?

"I have."

"Did you think the Tai Chi performed by Li Lianjie looked particularly good?"

"...Yes."

"It looks good because he has his own rhythm."

"You see the elderly men playing around in the park, why don’t theirs look good? It’s because they are at the beginner stage, still learning the standard, learning someone else’s rhythm."

At this point, Zhang Jingdong boldly and intensely stared at Xiao Fei’s charming face and continued: "Generally, learning anything involves three stages."

"The first stage is learning the standard, trying hard to match it."

"The second stage is achieving that standard, then continuing to strive until it becomes second nature."

"And the third stage is to forget the standards, find your own rhythm, and form your own style."

"Your biggest problem right now is that you’ve always been at the second stage; even though you’ve reached the point where it has become second nature, you still confine yourself within those standards."

"In the future, if you want to go further, you must gradually forget those standardized things and slowly find your own rhythm."

Hearing this, Xiao Fei suddenly had an epiphany.

She thoroughly understood.

Her flute music has always been rigidly according to the scores, very methodical, even breathing precisely as instructed by her teacher.

Thus, her played music will always be monotonous, never casual and relaxed like the heavenly sounds Zhang Jingdong played on stage yesterday.

She paused for a moment, then suddenly looked at Zhang Jingdong excitedly and somewhat admiringly: "You’re right, I understand now, I know what to do, thank you!"

"Host has gained the admiration and heartfelt thanks of the target, reward 50000 yuan!"

Seeing Xiao Fei’s gaze and expression at that moment, Zhang Jingdong’s vanity was massively gratified.

After all, she is the celebrated beauty of West University, someone he felt inferior to in the past and didn’t dare to greet.

And now, she was looking at him with such humble admiration, tsk, who could withstand that!

He forcibly composed himself for a full five seconds before finally casually waving his hand: "You’re welcome, it was nothing!"

"And you indeed have a certain level; otherwise, even if I explained all this, you wouldn’t understand and wouldn’t know how to proceed."

At this moment, Xiao Fei blinked her beautiful eyes: "What do you think about this, can you listen to my music once a week in the evening, then point out some faults and guide me?"

Perhaps feeling this was too abrupt, and realizing she wasn’t even friends with Zhang Jingdong, she quickly added: "I can pay you."

Zhang Jingdong smiled and shook his head: "I don’t lack money, and...I might be very busy in the coming days, so sorry!"

Xiao Fei was once again slightly confused; she couldn’t believe there was a man at West University who could refuse her twice.

But Zhang Jingdong had already demonstrated his capability, and Xiao Fei genuinely wanted his further guidance.

Thus, almost instinctively and with no other option, she directly grabbed Zhang Jingdong’s hand: "I... I’m begging you! Can you spare just one evening a week... oh no, just two hours, just two hours, to listen to my music and give me some pointers, please?"

"I’m really begging you!"

Damn it!

The moment Xiao Fei grabbed his hand, Zhang Jingdong was already slightly breaking down!

Seeing her pitiful, pleading demeanor, he couldn’t resist anymore!

After all, this is Xiao Fei!

And she’s begging me like this!

Ah, a hero indeed couldn’t resist a beauty’s plea!

Then Zhang Jingdong sighed, "Alright, seeing your eagerness to learn, I agree!"

Seeing Zhang Jingdong finally agreed, Xiao Fei gripped his hand again.

"Thank you, thank you... Mr. Zhang!"