Yan looked at Soujin with dark face. “When exactly Jun Min told you about his sister?”

“When we are fighting,” Soujin answered. “Besides, these arts are not that important once you’re married.”

Ming Hui nodded. “Only a few of them will continue to use it to please their husband.”

“Ming Hui, you’re not allowed to participate in this conversation.”

“Why?”

Soujin let the two people banter as he looks at the stage calmly. The test is about to begin.

The first test is for the girls. They all lined up to get their draw before returning to their seat. Jun Hua stared at the word on her paper.

Music

“Jun Hua, what did you get? I got music,” Fan Lanying asks excitedly.

Jun Hua shows her paper. “I got the same with you.”

“Then when is your turn?”

“I got… the first.”

Jun Hua sighed. It seems that she will have to stand first and become the laughingstock of the people in the capital. After the girls had finished their draw, those who got drawing will start first as the one who got music play their pieces.

“Jun Hua.”

Jun Hua goes to the stage. As she walks, many people gazes are headed towards her. They could see a petite girl walking. Despite Jun Hua keeps wearing her veil, people know that she’s a really pretty girl. Most of the men are lamenting why didn’t she opened up her veil and let them see her face? They want to!

Jun Hua head towards the zither and took a seat before it. Although she knows that she cannot play well, she has to at least play her best. She never like string musical instrument, but the girls need to learn them so she got no choice.

Jun Hua placed her hand on top of the zither and her finger started to move. Her move is still stiff and rough, but she could remember the note clearly. She picks one of the songs she had used to play for her practice. The song is not long, but it still consists of a lot not’s.

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Her finger moves across the zither, but she cannot play it smoothly as there are still some tempo messed up and a few not’s wrong. Her play cannot be considered good, but it’s not too bad either. Compared to when she first learns the musical instrument, she had learned a lot. But for people in the hall, she plays really bad.

“Is this the standard of the academy?”

“It’s really bad.”

“Can she play properly?”

Fan Lanying didn’t bother with the whispering around her as she clapped earnestly after the song is finished. The other look with derision towards her and they didn’t follow suit. Surprisingly, there are a few people who clap, Ming Hui, Yan, Soujin, and Lin San.

“Why did you clap too?” Yan asks his best friend.

“She’s not as bad as the rumor said,” Soujin answered.

Lin San clapped because she knows about the work Jun Hua had done. The little girl who once doesn’t know how to play at all now can play an entire song with little mistakes. For her, it’s an amazing feat. Despite she had to paint a picture, she still spares some time to listen to her performances. After the setbacks she had experienced, she no longer chased after Jun Min and going against Jun Hua anymore.

Jun Hua didn’t mind it and bowed towards the audience after she’s done. She walked back to her chair and Fan Lanying gives her thumbs up.

“Thank you.”

“You’re not that bad,” Fan Lanying said. “There are still a lot you can improve.”

After Jun Hua, another girl comes up and play another song. The girl is far more skilled than Jun Hua and completely capture the audience attention. With their skill as comparison, the people view on Jun Hua keeps on decreasing. Other than her beautiful face, what did she have?

Fan Lanying turns come after that. She goes up to the stage and sits before the zither. Her eyes look towards Ming Hui and she smiled. After that she starts playing.

“She has just looks at you, doesn’t she?”

“Shut up and listen,” Ming Hui clearly sees the look Fan Lanying throws to her. She knows that Fan Lanying want to say something, but she doesn’t know what.

Fan Lanying started to play the music. She had been practicing and the song she picks is a song telling a story about two people falling in love. In a sense, it’s the same song that tells the story as the one Ming Hui chooses to have the play.

Hearing the songs, Ming Hui remembers her birthday party. She now knows that Fan Lanying had wanted to give her a present of playing a song. Since the party has been interrupted before, she hadn’t got the chance to. Now that she could play on the test naturally, she would show her presents to her.

Fan Lanying plays has improved by leaps and bounds. Similar with Jun Hua keeps on practicing her embroidery, Fan Lanying also keep on practicing her music aside from her training. The way she plays can be considered as one of the best. Of course, it would only apply for this one song since Fan Lanying only practices one song these past few weeks.

When the songs end, there are more people clapping since the play is really good. Jun Hua included. She’s happy for her friend getting such a good result.

Fan Lanying bows and hurriedly returned to her seat.

“Do you think she hears it? Will she like it?”

Jun Hua nodded. “I’m sure she will. You play really well.”

“That’s a relief,” Fan Lanying smiled happily. She hopes that Ming Hui will love her presents.