214 Piano lessons
Lu Xuan was staring at the piano teacher with a soft dreamy smile on his face.
“Everyone understands what I said?” The Piano teacher asked as she looked at all her students.
Everyone nodded their heads except Lu Xuan.
“Student Lu, do you understand what I said?” Yang Mei asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and asked the boy. She couldn’t understand what was wrong with this student. He was too lost in his dream world that he didn’t notice what was happening around him. Sometimes, he would fail to notice his fellow students trying to initiate a conversation with him.
“I–” Lu Xuan stuttered. He didn’t know what was so wrong with him. Why couldn’t he say a single world when age was in front of him? He wished that he could say complete sentences in front of her sometimes.
“You didn’t listen once again, ” Yang Mei sighed. She rubbed her forehead in frustration. “Student Lu, are you listening…”
“Sorry, miss Yang, I thought you were talking to another student Lu. Why don’t you call me by name so it will be less confusing next time?” Lu Xuan asked in a very innocent voice. He looked so confused and innocent at this moment that no one could tell that there was something fishy about him.
“Fine, I will call you Lu Xuan, ” Yang Mei said. “Everyone the class is over. But Lu Xuan, you are staying! You will not leave until you learn this lesson. Sit here and practice, I will be keeping an eye on you.”
Yang Mei felt so guilty when she charged students a full fee but they didn’t learn a single thing. These music classes were started by her father and since he was sick, she was taking classes on his behalf.
She just wanted the students to learn genuinely from her.
“Alright, ” Lu Xuan inwardly smiled as he began practising his piano lesson while she sat on the other end of the room.
Yang Mei was distressed as she was working on a piece of music but she couldn’t figure out the melody for the lyrics that she had written. Suddenly she heard a melody and then it stopped. She looked up and saw Lu Xuan playing random keys on the piano. He played the same melody again and then stopped again.
“Lu Xuan, play the melody that you played before, “Yang Mei said, hiding her anxiousness.
“Which one?” Lu Xuan furrowed his brows.
“The one you played last time, ” Yang Mei said.
“This one?” Lu Xuan asked.
Yang Mei shook her head. “The other one.”
“This one?” Lu Xuan asked.
“Yes! What melody is this?” Yang Mei asked.
“Oh, this one, ” Lu Xuan scratched his head. “I don’t know what it is called. We have a piano at home. My grandmother tried teaching me how to play it and I paid any attention to her lessons. But when my little brother began growing up, he would urgue me to play something for him on the piano and so I would play this melody without any rhyme or arrangement. It was just for fun.”
“Really?” Yang Mei asked. For a moment, she thought that he really know how to play the piano.
Lu Xuan nodded his head.
“Tell me how you play this, ” Yang Mei said as she had her attention on the piano.
“Okay, ” Lu Xuan played the melody again.
“Scoot there and give me space on the bench, ” Yang Mei said as she sat on the bench and tried playing the melody. As her fingers touched the piano and played the same melody with more grace and beauty, she closed her eyes and began singing the lyrics with it. She didn’t know when she began making the next step of the melody along with some.
Lu Xuan didn’t know why but he began recording it. What if she liked this version but forgot what she did? It would be better if she had a video of it, right?
Yang Mei tried the song four to five times before opening her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she looked at him with a huge smile on her face. “Lu Xuan, thank you so much. I was really suffering from this scary artist block. You can go home now. I think I have a clue about how my song will be.”
“Do you want a video of what you sang?” Lu Xuan asked. “I made a video without your permission as I thought you might forget what you created. It happens with a lot of artists, right? You can delete it from my phone, I won’t say a word.”
Yang Mei smiled as she ruffled his hair. “You are a very nice boy. Your gesture will mean a lot. Why don’t you send me the videos on WeChat?”
“Alright, ” Lu Xuan nodded and quickly sent her the video. He was lucky enough to witness the making of one of her songs. He was her biggest fan in the world. He recalled how less followers she had compared to other artists. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yes, “Yang Mei replied with a nod.
“Why don’t you sign with big record companies? I mean, you are the most talented singer. You write your songs and even compose them. Why don’t you try for record deals?” Lu Xuan asked him.
Yang Mei sighed as she looked at the boy’s face. “It’s not that I don’t want to. As you know I’m a student at a prestigious music school. I have been winning music contests since I was a little girl but the records want me to change my genre of music as it didn’t fit in with anyone. It is not that I can’t sing strict Pop, indie, rock or anything like that. It’s just that the people who are with me since the beginning like what I song, write and compose. I will just be satisfied with a small following until someone is willing to sign me for what I have to offer. And if I don’t get any record deals, I can come back home and be a music teacher like my dad. I just love music. It doesn’t matter if I’m not a big celebrity. I just want music to accompany me throughout my life.”