Chapter 22: I Teach Music

Jiang Yichen stayed up until three in the morning that night, finally finishing the audio file for his song. He then opened the music copyright certification platform to upload the audio file, lyrics, and his identity card. His three roommates were very cooperative; seeing him busy recording, they significantly lowered the volume of their gaming sounds.

Zhang Wei stayed up with him until three in the morning, playing games. Jiang Yichen was curious about how Zhang Wei had built such impressive muscles while spending all his time playing games in their dormitory. How could his arms be thicker than Jiang Yichen’s thighs?

Zheng Mingcheng also stayed up until three in the morning, but instead of playing games, he was on the phone with his significant other, chatting away. Compared to Shen An’s “princess room,” Zheng Mingcheng’s “Golden Hall” made Jiang Yichen feel like he and Zhang Wei were sleeping in a straw hut every night.

Sometimes, he was curious about what Zheng Mingcheng’s partner looked like. He wasn’t the only one; both Zhang Wei and Shen An were curious too, but Zheng Mingcheng always kept the photos tightly sealed. However, sometimes, the sweet female voice coming from the phone hinted that she might be a cute girl.

Shen An was the first to sleep in the dormitory every night, usually before midnight. Today was no exception. The price of staying up late until three in the morning was that he would be late for class the next day. However, since it was his first time, the subject teacher didn’t fuss too much about it.

Jiang Yichen immediately thought of Qin Ling… what a difference.

Thirty-six hours later.

It was the weekend. Jiang Yichen received the electronic document for the song copyright certification on his phone. Ever since the welcome party the day before yesterday, he, Jiang Yichen, had been referred to as the “cool school hunk” at Mingxian Conservatory of Music. He found this title quite to his taste.

However, Zhang Wei and the others did not share the same opinion. Looking at the comments online, all three of them burst into laughter.

“Hahaha, this is hilarious! Cool school hunk? They’ve never seen you lying in bed, picking your toes!” Zhang Wei laughed.

Jiang Yichen immediately retorted, “Zhang Dapao! That’s slander! When have I ever done that?”

Shen An chimed in, “I can testify; you’ve definitely done that.”

Zheng Mingcheng added, “I can attest to that too.”

Jiang Yichen countered, “I was just trimming my toenails!”

“Nonsense,” Shen An replied.

Zheng Mingcheng added, “You were clearly just picking your toes…”

Jiang Yichen fumed, “You two, if you keep barking, I’ll tear down your princess room and Golden Hall!”

Shen An pitifully walked behind Zhang Wei, “Zhang Wei, look at him, so fierce…”

When he first met Shen An, Jiang Yichen thought she was really pretty, and her voice was quite pleasant. However, over the past month, his impression of her had completely changed. To sum it up in one word: annoying.

“Lao Jiang, come show me some moves,” Zhang Wei said, cracking his knuckles.

Jiang Yichen knew when to pick his battles. He could easily take on Shen An and Zheng Mingcheng, but Zhang Wei? He couldn’t win. But that was alright. He knew someone with serious skills.

Taking the opportunity to go to the bathroom, Jiang Yichen pulled out his phone and sent a message to Qin Ling.

[Jiang Yichen: Professor Qin! Urgent! Please reply!]

[Qin Ling: ?]

[Jiang Yichen: Do you have any quick tips for defeating an opponent? Their build is bigger than mine, and they’re stronger.]

[Qin Ling: Do you think it’s appropriate to ask me this?]

[Jiang Yichen: Of course, it’s appropriate! As a student, I have some doubts and would like to ask the professor for advice.]

[Qin Ling: I teach music.]

[Jiang Yichen: ……]

[Qin Ling: Have you washed the pillowcase yet?]

[Jiang Yichen: Yes, I have.]

[Qin Ling: Come to the Faculty Apartments.]

[Jiang Yichen: Alright.]

Jiang Yichen gathered Qin Ling’s pillow and couch cushion and headed out.

“Yo, Lao Jiang, where are you off to?” Zhang Wei asked curiously.

“Going to find my sister to give her this stuff.”

Jiang Yichen used Jiang Suihua as a shield.

Once he stepped out of the dormitory, the cheerful Jiang Yichen instantly turned serious, his face cold and indifferent. He needed to maintain the persona of the cool school hunk. His popularity had skyrocketed in school over the past few days.

On his way, he encountered several people who greeted him, most of them senior students. They wanted to approach him for his contact information, but upon seeing Jiang Yichen’s indifferent expression and recalling the cool descriptions of him on the academy’s confession wall, they quickly dismissed the idea.

Maintaining his serious demeanor, Jiang Yichen walked from the dormitory to the Faculty Apartments. This area rarely saw students. Now that it was the weekend, there were hardly any people around, not even teachers.

[Jiang Yichen: I’ve arrived.]

Jiang Yichen sent a message to Qin Ling.

She quickly replied, “Room 401, Building 2.”

Following the room number, Jiang Yichen found the door.

Qin Ling was standing at the door waiting for him. She appeared to have just finished doing yoga, her body covered in a light sheen of sweat. Unfortunately, her snug yoga outfit was obscured by a long coat.

Jiang Yichen entered without saying a word and stepped forward to hand over the pillow and couch cushion. He had even put them in two large plastic bags.

Qin Ling raised her hand to take them and glanced at them: “Did you wash the cushion cover?”

“Yes,” Jiang Yichen nodded.

“How’s your piano practice going?” Qin Ling asked.

“Not bad.”

“Have you copied the sheet music?”

“Not yet.”

Qin Ling narrowed her eyes; was this kid trying to imitate her again?

“Jiang Yichen.”

“Yes?” For some reason, Jiang Yichen suddenly felt a bit pleased.

Qin Ling fixed her gaze on him with her sharp eyes.

Jiang Yichen felt a bit unsettled under her gaze.

“Ahem…” He awkwardly cleared his throat. “Professor Qin, what do you need me for?”

“Do you want to copy the sheet music a few more times?”

“!!!” Jiang Yichen’s cool persona crumbled completely. “Professor Qin, are you joking?”

Qin Ling remained expressionless: “I think you seem quite eager.”

“No, no… Professor Qin, I just came to deliver something,” Jiang Yichen said as he turned to leave. “Since I’ve delivered this, I should head back. Don’t worry, I’ll practice the piano diligently!”

As he turned to step out, his peripheral vision caught sight of the lilies on the coffee table in the living room. “Hey, Professor Qin, didn’t you say you were going to throw those flowers away?”

“You gave them to me. I tossed them, and these are the new ones I bought.”

“…….” Jiang Yichen pursed his lips, feeling a bit skeptical.

But it didn’t matter. He hurriedly bid farewell to Qin Ling, fearing she would ask him to copy the sheet music a few more times.

Half an hour later.

In the boys’ dormitory.

“Lao Jiang, hop on! Let’s go raid some dungeons!”

“No thanks, you go ahead.”

Jiang Yichen sat at his computer desk, focusing intently on copying sheet music. It was hard to believe that in this era of advanced technology, someone was still hand-copying sheet music…

“Lao Jiang, what are you doing?” Zhang Wei leaned over to ask. As he got closer, he exclaimed, “Jiang Yichen! What are you doing? Are you trying to outdo everyone? Are you secretly planning to pass your English Level 4 exam behind our backs?”

Shen An poked her head out from her “princess room”: “Who! Jiang Yichen! What are you doing?”

Zheng Mingcheng, who had planned to take a short nap, immediately pulled apart the curtains of the Golden Hall upon hearing Zhang Wei’s loud voice and glared down at Jiang Yichen: “Lao Jiang, are you studying!?”

Jiang Yichen was speechless: “No, guys, I’m just copying some sheet music.”

This truly illustrated what it meant when roommates’ flipping pages kept him up all night…

“Copying sheet music?” Zhang Wei asked, puzzled. “Why are you copying sheet music? Can’t you just print it out?”

Haha… Jiang Yichen smiled. Did you think I didn’t want to?

“Just got a sudden itch to copy some sheet music,” Jiang Yichen casually explained.

Once they learned he was copying sheet music, Shen An and Zheng Mingcheng returned to their respective rooms.

Zhang Wei took a couple of glances and found it uninteresting. He decided not to play games and returned to his outdoor makeshift dorm.

Jiang Yichen understood their unspoken message: copying sheet music was acceptable, but studying was not.