CHAPTER 426: CHAPTER 425: LATE TO RETURN

Despite Zhen Yu’s repeated insistence that she might not be capable, the idea of transforming modern musical scores into ancient guqin music seemed incredibly difficult! Having never learned music before, she was sure she couldn’t take on such a huge responsibility!

However, Su Xuan humbled herself greatly, earnestly asking Zhen Yu to help her with this favor because apart from Zhen Yu, she didn’t know any other modern people... hence Zhen Yu was pushed into it like a duck to water.

"To learn music theory, one must do so in conjunction with an instrument!" These were Su Xuan’s words!

Since she could only play the guqin, Zhen Yu had no choice but to learn the guqin alongside her. In this way, it would be much easier for Zhen Yu to ’translate’ the music scores in the future!

Zhen Yu really had no idea where in Qi City one could buy a ’guqin’! In later generations, she had heard of this type of instrument, but it seemed to be called a zheng. However, she hadn’t heard of anywhere in Qi City that taught it now.

So, Zhen Yu directly told Su Xuan about her predicament!

Without hesitation, Su Xuan gave Zhen Yu a guqin!

And embarrassingly said, "This guqin was used by little sister when her skills were still rough, now let me boldly give it to sister for entry-level use! If the situation hadn’t been so unique on your side, Sister Zhen, I would have been really embarrassed to part with it! If in the future, Xuan’er has the chance, I will find a famous guqin for Sister in return for translating the scores!"

"No need! Treasure swords match heroes! I don’t even know what kind of mess I’d make of it! Why bother to get a good guqin to just gather dust! It’s not how you show off!"

Zhen Yu didn’t reject the offer or suggest a temporary loan or anything like that.

Since she genuinely wanted to make friends with Su Xuan, it must be a two-way relationship! If she stubbornly refused the other’s kindness, it would also push away friendship. So Zhen Yu thought—she’d find some nice things later to reciprocate, and that would be the proper exchange of gifts.

"Not greedy nor envious, truly a gentleman! Xuan’er truly admires sister."

"...Stop! Let’s hurry up and start learning the guqin!"

This Su Xuan! She was really good at flattering too much! Another very important reason for agreeing to learn the guqin was that Su Xuan kept offering flattery, one after another, and Zhen Yu really couldn’t resist...

——

In the blink of an eye, the first weekend after Zhen Yan’s summer vacation arrived. Finally, he could rest two mornings, but the other three people had to go to their classes!

This was the difference between regular daily classes and weekend classes.

Calligraphy class, guitar class, Martial Arts class, everyone had their destinations and interests! Besides class time, everyone also practiced daily, so they all made some progress to varying degrees.

Early Saturday morning, the four of them became busy! Due to the rainy weather, morning runs had been canceled, and the siblings changed their morning exercise to sparring, with Han Jiaoyang most enjoying watching from the sidelines.

That day was the same.

After exercising, after breakfast, Zhen Yu and Han Mingyue went to the calligraphy class together, while Zhen Yan went to the Martial Arts Hall with Han Jiaoyang.

A calligraphy class lasted two hours, the classroom was so quiet that one could only hear the rain outside and the teacher’s occasional murmurs when instructing students. Zhen Yu quickly became engrossed in the world of calligraphy, and Han Mingyue and the students in the class were mostly the same.

It wasn’t until the teacher announced the end of the class that everyone realized that what had been a moderate rain in the morning had turned into a downpour!

Zhen Yu and Han Mingyue, like the students of the training class, stood in the hallway watching the rain outside, surrounded by various comments.

"The rain is really heavy! How can we walk in this?"

"It looks like it’s not going to stop at all! We can’t stay here overnight, can we?!"

"Xiao Yu?" Han Mingyue looked at Zhen Yu, leaving the decision up to her, as he would agree with whatever she said.

"Let’s go! Waiting a day might not make the rain any lighter!" Saying this, Zhen Yu pulled out a raincoat from her ’bag’ to hand to Han Mingyue.

Han Mingyue instinctively reached out to take it, "This is, you,"

"I have one too." While saying this, Zhen Yu pulled out another raincoat and put it on.

Han Mingyue was somewhat stunned; they had clearly come to the calligraphy class with umbrellas in the morning!

Zhen Yu knew what he was thinking, but didn’t explain much. She just pushed him and said, "Hurry up and put it on, so we can go."

"Oh, oh! Okay!"

---

Once the two of them returned home, still wearing raincoats and carrying umbrellas, their pant legs were soaking wet and water filled their shoes; one could imagine the state Han Mingyue and Zhen Yan ended up in.

As soon as they went upstairs, they both started shouting, "Is there hot water? Is there? We need to take a shower!"

Han Mingyue peeked out from the kitchen and said, "The bathroom has! Xiao Yu has prepared it for you, go and wash!"

Zhen Yu cooked a big pot of hot spicy soup noodles, and after the two washed up, all four of them drank it so enthusiastically!

"Thank goodness for my little sister being here! Sisters are indeed the best!" Zhen Yan praised while slurping soup, "If our family also had just brothers, the four of us would be in a miserable state now!"

Han Mingyue glanced at his brother and agreed with Zhen Yan’s last remark, "Hmm! Indeed."

Suddenly feeling slighted, Han Jiayang protested, "Bro, that’s too much! Sisters have their benefits, but brothers have their perks too!"

Without thinking, Zhen Yan retorted, "Well, I haven’t seen any!"

Han Jiayang immediately fought back, "Hey! Zhen Yan! Not to speak ill of you..."

Zhen Yu quietly cradled her soup bowl, watching her brother and Han Jiayang arguing while eating, and smiled with a serene grace.

After setting down his chopsticks, Han Mingyue looked up and saw her like that, captivated for a moment...

---

In the afternoon, only Han Mingyue had class, and not only did Zhen Yu have him change into the rain boots she had prepared in advance, but she also repeatedly reminded him to be careful before he left.

Han Mingyue nodded obediently, then put on his guitar and raincoat, and ventured into the tempest.

The guitar class was from two to four o’clock, so Zhen Yu planned to start preparing dinner at four.

That way, by the time she was almost done, Han Mingyue would be nearly home.

At four o’clock sharp, Zhen Yu went into the kitchen, busy working while occasionally glancing at her watch; half an hour passed in a blink.

"Jiaoyang! Go downstairs and see if your brother has come back!" Zhen Yu shouted from the kitchen.

Sitting in the living room self-studying, Han Jiayang murmured as he put down his book, "Always me! I’m going!"

After a while, Han Jiayang came upstairs.

He walked to the kitchen doorway and said to Zhen Yu, "I didn’t see anyone!"

"He hasn’t come back yet?!" Zhen Yu’s hands, which were untying her apron, paused, then she suddenly quickly took it off. "No, I need to go out and look for him!"

"It’s okay!" Han Jiayang said nonchalantly, "The rain is really heavy outside! He might be taking shelter somewhere!"

This time, Zhen Yu ignored Han Jiayang and directly ran past him toward the stairs!