CHAPTER 61: CHAPTER 024: ONCE UPON A TIME

Mr. Fu, feeling extremely pleased after his playful antics, picked up the bow to apply rosin.

Holding the violin, Su Wan handed it to him with a glare, "Here you go!"

Fu Weiheng took the violin with a smile and asked, "What would you like to hear?"

Su Wan thought for a moment and said, "Can you play ’Amazing Grace’ one more time?"

Fu Weiheng raised an eyebrow and without further ado, lifted the violin to start playing.

The violin, the smallest and highest-pitched of the string instruments, is known for its brilliant and clear tone, complex playing techniques, and rich expressive capacity. Its sound resembles the human voice, capable of conveying tenderness, passion, lightness, and even the most dramatic intense emotions, earning it the title of the queen of instruments. [Cite Baidu]

The same melody on the violin was like a gentle caress, tugging at the heartstrings.

Su Wan once felt that a song of forgiveness should feel soft, soothing, with a hint of joy. Fu Weiheng’s performance, besides being gentle and comforting, also had an immersive quality, as if one had entered a tranquil paradise for a moment, with all disturbances fading away, leaving the mind clear.

Su Wan noticed that his fingers were long and slender, yet they didn’t seem awkward or out of place like those affected by spider finger syndrome. It was as if he was born to be a violinist, crafted by God; just give him a violin, and he could create an enchanting world.

The final note lingered in the room, and Su Wan took a while to come back to her senses. She stared in a daze at Fu Weiheng’s handsome and bright profile, unable to contain herself: "Mr. Fu, I think I’m growing increasingly fond of you."

Fu Weiheng smiled, feeling proud yet slightly unwilling: "Just because I played ’Amazing Grace’?"

Su Wan could easily detect the hint of bitterness in his tone and chuckled, "Even if that’s the case, it’s because it’s you."

Mr. Fu, successfully charmed, was in high spirits, "If you like it, I’ll play another song."

"Okay."

...

Most of the afternoon had passed, and Su Wan had quietly sat beside him, listening intently. When the last piece, "Memories of the Past," ended, she clapped and praised, "Neil, you are amazing..."

"Where there’s a will, there’s a way." He was confident, "Wanwan, there’s nothing I can’t do if I set my mind to it."

Su Wan suddenly remembered Fu Weijin mentioning something about his past before and couldn’t resist teasing him: "Was it because your teacher said, ’Having any great achievements in music is probably impossible’?"

Fu Weiheng paused in his task of wiping the violin and chuckled silently, "Did Wei Jin tell you that?"

Su Wan responded vaguely, "I overheard it by accident."

He placed the violin back in its case and explained, "Initially, yes, but later on..."

Su Wan raised her eyebrow, waiting for him to continue, but he suddenly stopped, raising his brows slightly, and smiled with a hint of mystery, "Want to know?"

Someone nodded.

Mr. Fu slowly bent down and pointed to his cheek, "Give me a kiss, and I’ll tell you."

Su Wan was not shy and boldly leaned forward to give him a peck.

"Because of love," he began to recount, "I did remember my teacher’s words for a long time, and at that time, I forced myself to practice every day. Although I improved quickly later, I didn’t feel any joy. When I was five, I met someone who played ’Amazing Grace’ on my violin. It was my first time hearing the piece; it was so comfortable and serene. He told me that music is the most wonderful existence in the world, and not to distort it for a moment’s competitiveness, but to create it out of love so that your heart will be spacious and bright."

"So later, you genuinely accepted the violin?" Su Wan hadn’t expected this reason, no wonder he had such a deep attachment to ’Amazing Grace.’

That said, they really were somewhat alike. She, too, had once started exploring music because of her father’s "Amazing Grace."

"Yes," he said, "After truly falling in love with the violin, it always gives me delightful surprises."

...

In the evening, Su Wan and Xu Chengyang had arranged to practice the New Year’s Eve concert piece at the department’s practice room. After having a simple dinner with Fu Weiheng, she hurried back to school.

After retrieving her violin from the dorm, she headed to the practice room where Xu Chengyang and Qiaozi were already there; Ah Min was on her way back from accompanying someone at the violin store.

Like Xu Chengyang, Qiaozi was also specializing in violin, while Ah Min played the viola. For their music department’s New Year’s Eve concert, everyone was required to perform on stage, so Xu Chengyang had put in quite an effort to bring Ah Min, the rare viola player, into their quartet.

When Su Wan pushed the door open and entered, Xu Chengyang was once again up to some antics.