105. Going Bad?
West Side Teaching Area.
After Zheng Bowen’s class ended, Liu Fengrui had already been waiting at the door for some time.
Seeing that Zheng Bowen’s father wanted to speak with him, Li An told Liu Fengrui to go ahead and practice by himself.
“Teacher Li, how was my child’s class today?”
“Very good.”
Li An praised frankly in front of the boy, “Bowen’s finger technique is very solid. He must have practiced Hanon exercises before, right?”
“Yes, yes,” Zheng Bowen’s father replied. “He finished all the Hanon finger exercises with Teacher Tian.”
Li An nodded inwardly, thinking that aside from other qualities, Tian Yu’s teaching attitude and ability were truly commendable.
“Very good, keep it up and practice well. If he persists, he will achieve results.”
“Thank you, Teacher Li.”
By the elevator, Zheng Bowen’s father asked again, “Teacher Li, are there any costume requirements for the child’s upcoming performance?”
Li An was not sure if there were any official requirements, but since the program was now under his charge, the decision was his.
“It’s best if the boys wear white shirts and black dress pants, preferably with black leather shoes.”
After a brief bit of work, Li An set down the score sheet and lifted the piano lid.
After seeing off the Zheng Bowen father and son, Li An returned to the west corridor and noticed a student of Lin Pengfei standing at the open door of a classroom, peering inside.
From within came the clattering sound of a simplified version of "Bluebird."
Judging by the mixed chords, Li An was certain Liu Fengrui was playing the entire piece with the sustain pedal pressed the whole time.
The purpose was nothing more than to make the sound louder and wetter.
To put it bluntly: showing off.
He understood.
He had done the same thing back in elementary school.
Once, before music class started and while the teacher hadn’t arrived yet, he flamboyantly sat at the teacher’s piano and played a very popular tune at the time.
That day, he received a note passed by a female classmate.
But Liu Fengrui had chosen the wrong place to show off in his teacher’s classroom. As long as Li An was present, not even the foreign students next door dared to play loudly.
Li An approached, and the student at the door was startled and fled.
Seeing this, Li An knocked twice on the door frame.
“Alright, alright, no audience now.”
Hearing this, Liu Fengrui turned around, found his admirer gone, smiled sheepishly, and released the pedal.
“You’re supposed to be a serious learner. Let’s not be so amateurish going forward, okay?”
Li An sat at the teacher’s piano and played the section Liu Fengrui had just performed: strong and vigorous fingering, no use of the pedal, with varied and deliberate tones, and a deep, expressive musicality.
This was true mastery, and Liu Fengrui was utterly entranced.
Finishing the phrase, Li An stopped and looked up to see the child at the door again. Pointing to himself and then to Liu Fengrui, he asked, “Who do you think played better?”
The child fled once more.
Li An turned his face sternly toward Liu Fengrui. “From now on, no matter what you play, don’t randomly use the pedal. Understand?”
“Got it, got it,” Liu Fengrui said with a sycophantic grin as he approached Li An. “Teacher, can you play me another piece?”
“No, class first.”
“Just half a piece, half is fine.”
After a moment.
“I heard you have a female classmate named Chen Zitong, right?”
“Uh… yes.”
“I heard Teacher Chen is my girlfriend, is that true?”
“Uh… no?”
“Class first. Don’t leave after class—we’ll talk.”
–
In the office, Chen Xuan ate the breakfast Li An had brought while flipping through the score for the “Kiki’s Delivery Service” ensemble, comparing the rehearsal recordings from yesterday and the day before.
After an hour, she felt somewhat confused.
Were these notes and phrases really so difficult?
Though she was reluctant to admit it, the recordings from the two rehearsal days sounded indistinguishable.
In fact, certain sections from the day before were even better than yesterday’s, which meant what?
That her two and a half hours of rehearsal yesterday afternoon had been wasted effort.
How should she plan today’s rehearsal?
After another half hour, she devised a plan for the afternoon session, then removed her headphones and gently rubbed her ears.
She intended to find Li An after class to see how his rehearsals had gone yesterday.
They hadn’t discussed any work matters yesterday.
“Xuan, do you have plans tomorrow?” Wang Panpan asked with a cheerful smile, while Xu Hongxin and Ma Tao perked up their ears.
“Hmm.”
“Panpan, what’s up?”
Wang Panpan pouted, “Nothing, just want to hang out with you.”
Chen Xuan smiled, “Next time, I’ll invite you.”
She glanced at the time; Li An’s class was about to finish. She opened a food delivery app and ordered a double portion of grilled fish rice.
Then she took the score and left the office.
As she walked down the classroom corridor, she spotted Li An and an elegant-looking woman chatting and laughing as they emerged from Classroom 4.
Wang Xiaohu was between them.
Parents? But wasn’t there a designated waiting area for parents?
She approached.
Today, Xu Li wore no makeup, her facial features softened, dressed in a water-blue floral long dress, exuding a refined elegance.
Chen Xuan paid special attention as she passed by the three before nodding at Li An and heading toward Classroom 5.
Li An clearly noticed Chen Xuan’s slightly awkward expression—as if she had come specifically to see him, holding the score in her hand.
At that moment—
“Teacher Li, are you free for lunch together today?”
Xu Li’s invitation made Chen Xuan slow her pace.
Li An replied politely, “Thank you for your kind offer, but I won’t trouble you for a meal.”
Wang Xiaohu clung to Li An’s arm and pleaded, “Come on, Teacher, I’ll treat you to a feast.”
Li An patted Wang Xiaohu’s head. “You’ve been practicing well these days. Keep it up.”
Seeing Li An was occupied, Xu Li said no more. She had only wanted to thank Li An for looking after her son and the timing coincided with mealtime after class.
“Teacher Li, you’re busy.”
With a slight smile, she left, taking a reluctant Wang Xiaohu along.
“Goodbye, Teacher.”
“Bye.”
Waving his hand, Li An turned and entered Classroom 5.
“No more managing life today,” Chen Xuan said softly with a gentle smile.
Yet Li An vaguely sensed a hint of a blade in her tone.
“Managing, huh? Why not? So what are you treating me to for lunch?”
Chen Xuan furrowed her brows, “How do you know?”
Li An smiled, “Who has time to sit with empty hands? It’s just about mealtime, isn’t it, Teacher Chen?”
Seeing her mischievous, self-satisfied expression, Chen Xuan was a little annoyed.
“I want to listen to your rehearsal recording from yesterday.”
Li An shrugged, “There isn’t any.”
Chen Xuan blinked.
“I only rehearsed with four students yesterday.”
Li An pulled up a chair beside her and opened the score on the table.
“Come on, Xiao Chen, tell me your problems.”
Chen Xuan frowned again.
Why did she feel Li An had turned mischievous overnight?
He was nothing like last night.
Yet hearing him call her “Xiao Chen” so kindly, she found she rather liked it.
“Here, here, here, and also here,” she pointed out several parts in the score.
Li An glanced over; it was about what he had expected.
After a moment, he set aside his smile.
“Come.”
“Let’s listen to your rehearsal video from yesterday.”