Chapter 83: Love Cannot Show Favoritism (Please Vote for Monthly and Recommendation Tickets)

After sending the four sleepy little ones back to their rooms, Yang Qing told Tan Jiner and the two younger children to take a nap as well, while he and Li Dongning returned to the main house.

“Why don’t you take a break too?” Back in the main house, Yang Qing looked at Li Dongning with a smile. “You’ve come all the way from Jinghua, you probably haven’t rested much on the road, have you?”

“No need,” Li Dongning waved his hand. “Young people thrive on energy and efficiency. I’m fine.”

“All right, let’s continue then.”

Yang Qing nodded with a smile, and the two resumed their work on composing music.

To call it composing was a bit of a stretch—it was mainly Yang Qing transcribing the melodies gifted by the system for “A Bite of China” from his mind into staff notation. The two of them would then go over the sheet music to meticulously assign parts. Since they would be the only two recording the performances, but some pieces required many instruments, they had to discuss and refine the division of labor repeatedly to present the music as perfectly as possible.

Time flowed silently by, and before they knew it, the clock showed two in the afternoon.

“Qingzi, I think for this last section, it should go like this, see…” Their work had reached the final section of the last piece. As the two discussed this final part, a small head suddenly peeked in through the doorway.

Yang Qing, in the midst of the discussion, noticed the little head and smiled, beckoning her over. Then he said to Li Dongning, “Since we can’t agree on this last part, let’s set it aside for now. When we actually play it, we’ll see which version works better.”

Li Dongning glanced at little Xia’er, who was walking in, and chuckled, “All right.”

Yang Qing nodded, then affectionately patted Xia’er’s head as she came closer. “No school today—why aren’t you sleeping a bit more?”

“Hee hee… I’ve already woken up,” Xia’er replied sweetly, then turned her curious eyes to the sheet music on the table. “Brother, what are you writing?”

“Sheet music.”

“Sheet music? What’s that?”

Xia’er grew even more curious, gazing at the seemingly random Arabic numerals and mathematical symbols, her little mind brimming with questions.

“Well, sheet music is…”

“Ahem, sheet music is a way of recording music using symbols,” Li Dongning interrupted before Yang Qing could finish, surprising him.

“Heh heh… Qingzi, let me have a turn. I want to show off in front of our lovely little one,” Li Dongning grinned at him.

“Haha, go ahead. You’re the expert—give my sister a lesson.” Yang Qing laughed, and Xia’er beamed, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.

Seeing this, Li Dongning suddenly felt the responsibility of a teacher. He cleared his throat and began in earnest, “Nowadays, sheet music comes in several forms: the staff notation, numbered musical notation, Braille music, guitar tablature, and guqin jianzipu…”

He picked up a piece of staff notation Yang Qing had written, pointing to the numbers, “The numbers you recognize here, in music, we don’t say one-two-three-four-five… Instead, we call them do, re, mi, fa, sol, la…”

“In fact, even in ancient China, there were designated symbols for musical notes: gong, shang, jue, zhi, yu—the five tones—and then…” Li Dongning explained with care and detail, occasionally humming little tunes as examples, making Xia’er’s big eyes light up with delight, her hands nearly ready to clap with excitement.

Yang Qing listened with admiration. Professionalism was indeed different—Li Dongning’s knowledge was extensive, putting his own system-granted “Instrument Mastery” skills to shame.

Yes, a mere amateur.

Though the system had given him mastery over instruments, it only covered playing and basic composition. If you asked him to discuss the history, development, or theory of instrumental music, he’d be at a total loss.

Li Dongning spoke for over ten minutes. When he finished, he looked at the attentive Xia’er. “Did you understand?”

“Hee hee…” Xia’er nodded seriously, then shook her head, making him laugh.

Yang Qing smiled, gently stroking Xia’er’s hair. “It’s all right if you don’t understand. You’re still young. For now, these ideas are like seeds planted in your heart. As you learn and grow, one day they’ll sprout and you’ll come to understand them.”

“Yes!” Xia’er nodded earnestly, then looked at Yang Qing with hope, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Seeing this, Yang Qing smiled, “What do you want to say to your brother?”

“Brother…” Xia’er clasped his big hand with her little one, her eyes full of expectation, her clear voice ringing, “You taught Qiu’er to sing, and you taught Sister too. Can you teach Xia’er a song as well?”

Her eyes were full of longing, and Yang Qing couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.

Love should never be partial. Just because a child doesn’t speak up or ask, it doesn’t mean they don’t care.

He gently pulled Xia’er into his arms and said softly, “All right. Wait a moment, and I’ll teach you a song.”

“Okay!” Xia’er chirped with joy, feeling she must be the happiest child in the world, for she had a brother who loved her, doted on her, and fulfilled her wishes.

Li Dongning watched the affectionate scene, feeling a twinge of envy. He took out his phone and started searching for children’s songs. Though he couldn’t sing well, he could at least help Yang Qing pick a good song.

As he searched, he glanced at Yang Qing—only to freeze.

His eyes… were closed!

Come on! Aren’t you supposed to teach a song? Shouldn’t you be looking up the music or learning it? Why are you closing your eyes? Is it because you already know the song, or are you…?

Li Dongning didn’t dare continue his thought. It was too absurd, too fantastical.

But Yang Qing was indeed about to do the impossible, thanks to his “cheats” and achievement points.

“Let’s try the lottery. I hope the system will let me win what I seek this time!” Yang Qing muttered inwardly. He knew that as long as he sincerely desired something, the system would eventually grant it, but as for how many tries it would take—well, who could know?

A hum sounded in his mind as achievement points were consumed and the roulette began to spin.

Moments later—

“Ding! Congratulations, host! You’ve obtained one ‘Realistic Scene Simulation Experience Card.’ Collect ten cards to enable simulation experience!”

Yang Qing was dumbfounded.

Realistic scene simulation experience? What in the world was that? Not even an explanation? So perfunctory!

After his confusion came resignation. He knew it—unless he spent enough achievement points, the system would never give him exactly what he wanted.

“Ah, let’s keep going,” he sighed.

For Xia’er’s sake, and so that love wouldn’t be neglected, Yang Qing continued to draw.

A few minutes later, he opened his eyes, filled with doubt and resignation.

Five tries yielded two experience cards, a bit of Perception, a bit of Charisma, and finally a song.

Charisma? Really…

What use is that thing! Yang Qing grumbled to himself, but quickly composed himself. Smiling, he turned to Xia’er, “Just a little longer. I’ll write down the music first.”

“Okay!” Xia’er nodded happily.

Li Dongning, meanwhile, was stunned. He looked at Yang Qing in disbelief, “What… what did you say?”

“I’m writing the music,” Yang Qing replied. “Since you’re here, I’ll write the sheet music, and we can tap out a simple rhythm while I teach Xia’er to sing.”

“No, I mean… is this an old song or a new one?”

“Guess,” Yang Qing replied with a faint smile, picking up his pen.

Li Dongning was speechless.

Guess?! I might as well guess that bananas aren’t for eating, but for using!

He grumbled inwardly but still edged closer to watch. As he watched, he searched on his phone, and soon he was numb.

You’re not human! I see your true nature now—monster, reveal yourself!

So melodramatic, but only this melodrama could match his feelings at the moment, and explain how anyone could be so monstrous.

A few minutes—just a few minutes!—and you’ve come up with a brand-new song! What do you think this is, a hair salon where bullets fly that fast?

His thoughts were a mess when Yang Qing put down his pen. The new song’s lyrics and notation were already vivid on the page.

“Don’t stand there stunned. Let’s go to the courtyard,” Yang Qing said, handing him the music. “Take a look—see if you can create a simple rhythm with whatever’s at hand.”

“Ah, oh…” Li Dongning accepted it numbly.

“Hee hee… Brother, what’s the name of the song you’re going to teach me?” Xia’er asked eagerly, looking up at her brother as he led her out to the courtyard.

“Let Us Row Our Boats,” Yang Qing replied gently with a smile.