Apart from her regular classes, Feng Qingyi spent nearly all her spare time practicing the guqin (ancient Chinese zither).
[Qin Yuchuan: Have you been busy lately?]
Qin Yuchuan noticed that his chat logs with Feng Qingyi had become increasingly sparse lately, and even during their voice and video calls, she would only exchange a few words before hanging up.
[Feng Qingyi: I'm in such a miserable state!]
[Feng Qingyi: A classmate secretly signed me up for a guqin performance, and I've only been learning for half a month. Now I have to practice every single day.]
[Qin Yuchuan: So you've been practicing the guqin recently?]
[Feng Qingyi: Yes, the performance is on Friday evening, and thousands of people will be watching. If I don't practice properly, I might end up embarrassing myself on stage.]
[Qin Yuchuan: Where are you now?]
[Feng Qingyi: To avoid disturbing my roommates, I've rented a hotel room off-campus.]
[Qin Yuchuan: Then let me video call you, so I can listen to your playing and perhaps offer some help.]
[Feng Qingyi: Do you play the guqin?]
[Qin Yuchuan: I have a basic understanding.]
[Feng Qingyi: Okay, then I'll have to trouble you.]
Feng Qingyi felt that when Qin Yuchuan said he had a basic understanding, he was likely understating his abilities, as ancient people tended to be modest.
Feng Qingyi initiated a video call and propped her phone up on a stand.
Seated on a stool, she took a deep breath. This was her first time performing in front of anyone other than her guqin teacher.
Although it was through a screen, she still felt a slight sense of nervousness, as she lacked confidence in her own abilities.
After calming herself down, Feng Qingyi began her performance.
When the piece concluded, she looked at Qin Yuchuan with a hint of anxiety, "Was my playing not very good?"
Qin Yuchuan: "Qingyi, you seem different today from how you usually are. Have you noticed?"
"How am I different? Aren't we talking about the guqin?" Feng Qingyi was perplexed.
Qin Yuchuan slowly explained to Feng Qingyi.
"Normally, you are confident and poised, but today you were too restrained. Your fundamentals are solid, and you played this piece quite well."
"However, you were too tense, your gaze was wandering, and your fingering was unsteady. You need to believe in yourself. For someone who has only been learning for half a month, your skill is already beyond what many can achieve."
"So there's no need to be nervous, don't let the guqin restrict you."
Qin Yuchuan spoke in a calm and unhurried manner, and after listening to him, Feng Qingyi felt a bit more confident.
"Did I really play well?"
Qin Yuchuan nodded gently, "Yes, you still have two days until your performance, and I believe in you."
"Thank you! It's just that this is the first time I've felt so unsure of myself."
"For previous performances, I would only dare to take the stage after practicing until there were no flaws whatsoever. I'm used to being fully prepared."
"But this time, there was an accident, and I had no choice but to perform. I know someone did this intentionally to target me, but I have no idea why they are singling me out like this."
"We're in the same club, and our relationship has been fine. Suddenly, this happened, and I'm a bit upset about it."
The one who signed her up was Leng Ruihuan. They were both the most talented members of the dance club.
Ever since they were young, the two had been learning dance, and for every dance club performance, the lead roles would be chosen from between them.
However, Feng Qingyi felt she was spending too much time on the dance club, and it wasn't worth it, so she gradually became more marginalized after the first semester of her freshman year.
She couldn't quite understand why Leng Ruihuan was making things difficult for her. The Club President had already intended for Leng Ruihuan to be her successor.
Qin Yuchuan listened to Feng Qingyi's account and said, "This has nothing to do with you; it's just that your existence is a hindrance to her."
"But after the first semester, I rarely attended club activities anymore. Aside from some competition between us during the first semester of freshman year, I don't think there's any reason for her to target me like this," Feng Qingyi disagreed.
Qin Yuchuan lightly tapped the desk with his slender fingers. "Foolish girl, the human heart is difficult to fathom. How would you know what she's thinking?"
"After this incident, are you planning to confront her and demand an explanation?"
Feng Qingyi suspected that Qin Yuchuan might have the ability to read minds, as he seemed to know exactly what she was thinking.
"That was my plan, but how did you know!"
Qin Yuchuan did not directly answer. "After this, keep your distance from her. If you can leave that club of yours, then leave."
Feng Qingyi asked, "Why?"
"If I'm not mistaken, the person in charge of your club is likely not her."
Feng Qingyi felt more than once that Qin Yuchuan was too perceptive. She hadn't revealed much information, yet he could deduce the general situation from her few words. Such a person was truly a bit frightening!
"The Club President is responsible for the club's specific affairs. Although she intends for Leng Ruihuan to succeed her, Leng Ruihuan is not the president yet."
"In that case, the one targeting you might have someone else behind the scenes, with Leng Ruihuan merely being a scapegoat."
Feng Qingyi was shocked. Could this be the Club President's doing? But the Club President had always seemed quite good to her.
Why would she deliberately target Feng Qingyi like this? Feng Qingyi didn't think she had offended her.
Seeing Feng Qingyi fall into a state of perplexity, Qin Yuchuan said, "If you can't figure it out, don't dwell on it. Focus on what you need to do now, and then distance yourself from those people."
"Isn't that avoiding the issue?" Feng Qingyi felt this wasn't Qin Yuchuan's usual style.
"No, it's just staying away from trouble."
If he encountered such a situation, he certainly wouldn't let it go so easily.
However, considering the young lady's temperament, she didn't seem well-suited for such intrigues and machinations.
If she took the initiative to confront them about this matter, her position might not be very favorable.
Although avoidance wasn't a good method, for her current situation, it might be useful.
Feng Qingyi stared into Qin Yuchuan's eyes. "You think I can't handle these kinds of things, don't you? You're overthinking it. I'm not as fragile as you imagine."
"I have no intention of avoiding the issue. After the welcome party, I'll go and clarify things with them. Even if I have to quit the club, I'll do it properly and get a clear explanation from them."
"I don't go looking for trouble, but I'm not afraid of it either. No matter what, I'll make them give me an account."
"Do as you see fit, but remember not to let yourself be wronged."
She had seemed like a delicate little rabbit at first, but now she resembled a feline with claws and fangs. That was good - she could protect herself.
"I understand, it's getting late today. I'll practice a bit more and then get ready for bed. Good night!" Feng Qingyi smiled at Qin Yuchuan.
Qin Yuchuan stared at her smile for a long time, "Qingyi, you're amazing. Don't practice too long, get some rest early."
After the video call ended, Feng Qingyi practiced a few more times in her room.
With Qin Yuchuan's encouragement, she felt that she wasn't playing as poorly as she had imagined.
She didn't expect to astonish everyone the next evening, but she hoped that everything would go smoothly.
