When Li Xiang got home, he heard a "DUM DUM DUM~" of drumming from the backyard. But it wasn’t the heroic and stirring kind. It was a rendition of "Divination," a song full of sorrowful twists and turns, brimming with the tender feelings of love.

He went to the backyard and saw a lovely figure swinging her slender, lotus-like arms to beat the drum. Who else could it be but Jiang Cai’Er?

"My perfectly fine Martial War Drum, how could you make it sound so sad? And during the New Year, no less!" Li Xiang couldn’t help but recall his grandmother complaining about his grandfather playing pieces like "Moon Reflected in Two Springs" and "Burial of Flowers" during the New Year. He walked over and joked with her.

"Well, well~ Back from your blind date? How did it go? Did the girl take a liking to you?" Jiang Cai’Er put down the Drum Sticks, a cold smile on her lips as she turned around. Her eyes were a little red, as if bloodshot.

Li Xiang’s heart ached for her. "You’ve been working so hard at school these past few days. You should get some proper sleep now that you’re back."

Jiang Cai’Er was speechless. ’Sleep my foot!’

"Hurry up and confess! Did you go on a blind date or not?" Jiang Cai’Er leaped over in a single step, grabbing tightly onto Li Xiang’s arm.

Li Xiang quickly explained, "Of course not. I was organizing the village gala. I went to Lei Family Gully to recruit people."

He immediately recounted the whole story and what he had achieved.

"Oh, so that’s what it was. In that case, what if I want to perform too?" Jiang Cai’Er’s mood inexplicably brightened. She tilted her pretty head, pondering, "What do you think I should perform?"

"You? Anything would be fine."

"What do you mean, ’anything would be fine’? That’s so half-hearted."

"No, really, they’re all great! For example, the Miao Race dance you did before, the Midu Mountain Song you sang, and also ’Spring Courtyard Snow’ and ’Frozen’—they were all amazing!"

Li Xiang genuinely believed that whether it was singing or dancing, Jiang Cai’Er was top-notch. Moreover, she was a village girl who had never attended any singing or dancing classes as a child. It was pure, raw talent.

It was just that her family couldn’t afford it when she was young. If she’d had the opportunity, like the kids in the big cities with all their hobby classes, she would have absolutely crushed the competition.

"No, no, I’ve already sung and danced all of those. I have to do something new. I can’t have people saying I only know my Three Axes." Jiang Cai’Er wanted to be original and give everyone a dazzling surprise.

Li Xiang said, "If your homeroom teacher finds out, she’ll start lecturing me again."

"Aiya, it’s the New Year! It’s just one performance. It’s about balancing work and rest. After I perform at the village gala, I’ll make up for the time during the holiday. Hmm, how about this: on the very first day of the Great Qing, I’ll get up at four or five in the morning to grind out some practice problems. That should be good enough, right?"

Li Xiang joked, "In that case, remember to send Teacher Huang a New Year’s greeting, and while you’re at it, send her a photo of you doing problems at four or five in the morning. That way, she can show off to her colleagues. After Teacher Huang gets the message, she’ll definitely brag to her coworkers, ’Look how diligent my student is, working hard from the crack of dawn on New Year’s Day!’ Then all the other students will feel the pressure. You’ll totally stress them out!"

"Haha," Jiang Cai’Er laughed, but she felt it was a bit inappropriate. "How could I be so shameless as to send that myself?"

Li Xiang suggested, "Just post it on your Moments at four or five in the morning. You can word it subtly, just indirectly show that you’re working hard. Even though you’re studying for yourself, keeping the teacher happy is also important."

"I know, I know." Jiang Cai’Er’s eyes suddenly lit up, and she exclaimed, "I know what I’m going to perform!"

"What are you going to perform?"

"I found two new flutes in your room just now. Give me one, and I’ll find a nice song to practice." Jiang Cai’Er had also learned to play the flute as a child.

The mountain behind her home was covered in bamboo; how could she not know how to play the flute?

Li Xiang said, "I remember you used to have a flute." For a performance, it was naturally better to use an instrument one was comfortable with. Every flute’s thickness and timbre were different, and the size and position of the finger holes varied as well. It required a period of getting used to.

"That was so many years ago, it broke a long time ago. You should give one to me as a gift." Jiang Cai’Er blinked, demanding insistently. ’Those flutes are a pair,’ she thought. ’How can I not take one?’

Since Jiang Cai’Er wanted one, Li Xiang naturally wouldn’t be stingy. He took her to get the flutes.

"How about this one?" Jiang Cai’Er looked at each flute and picked one out.

Li Xiang froze. "I’ve played that one."

"This one. It feels right in my hands."

"Alright, as long as you don’t mind." Li Xiang handed her the flute, then took out three Hairpins and two bracelets from a drawer and gave them to her.

He had made these specially for Jiang Cai’Er last time. The three Hairpins were in the styles of Wanyue, Nong Mei, and Deer Antler. Two were made of Golden Rattan Wood and one was Red Fir Wood. The bracelets, one 1.5 cm and one 2.0 cm in bead size, were both also made of Golden Rattan Wood.

"Wow, they’re so beautiful! Thank you, big brother!" Jiang Cai’Er couldn’t put them down. She immediately let her hair down, tried putting it up in a bun, and then secured it with one of the Hairpins.

She didn’t even use a mirror. Her movements were a bit casual and messy as she put up her hair, but it looked incredibly beautiful once the Hairpin was in place. It especially revealed her swan-like neck—fair, long, and elegant, exuding a faint, fresh scent.

Li Xiang sniffed the air slightly and gave her a thumbs-up in approval.

"Let’s go. We’ll practice the flute in the yard." Jiang Cai’Er stuffed the remaining Hairpins and bracelets into her pocket, then pulled Li Xiang toward the backyard.

They sat and played amidst the Chicken Blood Stone Jungle, each perched on a large Stone, giving off the feeling of ancient scholars sitting down to discuss the Dao.

It was currently afternoon and the Sun was quite strong. The Stones, having been warmed by the Sun for most of the day, were toasty. In the summer, sitting on them was even said to help with "palace cold."

"Brother, how come I feel like your house undergoes a huge transformation every time I come back for a break? This yard is getting better and better." ’My brother really has a lot of tricks up his sleeve,’ Jiang Cai’Er thought.

She was also very fond of this forest of stones. It was vibrant and colorful, perfect for taking pictures. If you chose the right angle, you could even create the illusion of sitting on a mountaintop.

"And the stage for the village gala is over there," Jiang Cai’Er pointed and exclaimed in a clear, crisp voice. "When the time comes, if there aren’t enough chairs, people can sit here in the Chicken Blood Stone Jungle. The view will be amazing!"

Li Xiang laughed. "We still don’t know how many people will even show up."

"Of course a lot of people will come! It’s such a lively event in the village, and right before the New Year, too. Won’t everyone come to watch the fun? When the time comes, I’ll invite my grandparents and my uncle’s family over. Hmm, I’ll also let my aunts know, and have them all come to show support."

Actually, Li Xiang was thinking the same thing. Not just his own relatives, but the participants too, like some of the people from Lei Family Gully and some from his grandfather’s village of Shenjiawan. As for not having enough chairs and stools, they could just borrow from the other villagers.

The two of them began to play their flutes. After getting the new flute, Jiang Cai’Er first tested its timbre. Then, based on the sounds it produced, she continuously adjusted her breathing, her embouchure, and the amount of breath needed, as well as its intensity and tempo.

In fact, when you first get a new flute, it might be difficult to play or the sound might not be as sweet as you expect. This has little to do with the body of the flute or the membrane itself, and it doesn’t require a so-called "opening" ceremony. The "breaking in" period is simply a process of exploring the flute’s unique characteristics for oneself.

It’s like when a marksman gets a new gun; they definitely need to "break it in," to "build a rapport" with the gun to reach a Realm where person and weapon are one.

Similarly, it’s the same when you buy a new car; there’s a process of breaking it in and getting familiar with it.

Jiang Cai’Er was indeed very talented. Plus, she had also practiced the Breathing Technique and had generated faint traces of Spiritual Power in her body. Her control over her breath was very strong. Soon, the flute was "broken in," and the melodious, winding tune of "The Myth" rang out. This was a very classic and well-known song, so Li Xiang also picked up his flute and played a duet with her.

After finishing "The Myth," the two played a duet of "Desolation."

This was the exclusive BGM for the Desolate Celestial Emperor. The Desolate Celestial Emperor lived a lonely and bitter life, so the tune was also exceptionally beautiful and melancholic.

As they were playing, a Little Fox, fiery red from head to tail, suddenly squeezed through the doggy door in the backyard wall. Er Huang followed close behind, and the dog and fox duo took off at a run towards Li Xiang and Jiang Cai’Er.

"Oh, what a beautiful Little Fox! Brother, is this a new pet you’re raising?" Jiang Cai’Er was very surprised because the Little Fox was very close with Er Huang. It entered the backyard as if it owned the place and wasn’t the least bit afraid of people. It was clearly a pet. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

She had just started her school break and didn’t have her phone with her at school. After coming back, she had watched a few of the videos Li Xiang had filmed before. However, Li Xiang’s Little Red Fox was an extremely rare breed. Afraid of being reported, Li Xiang had posted about it once but deleted it almost immediately. Therefore, Jiang Cai’Er didn’t know about it; this was truly her first time seeing it.

Li Xiang laughed. "She’s Er Huang’s wife. One very cold morning, I got up and saw this little thing sleeping in the doghouse with Er Huang."

"Haha, Er Huang is so lucky, finding himself such a beautiful wife!" Jiang Cai’Er’s face lit up, her eyes sparkling. She gave Li Xiang a deep look and thought, ’Brother, you’re not even as good as a dog.’

By this time, the Little Fox and Er Huang had already run over to them, but they both stopped at the base of Li Xiang’s Stone.

Jiang Cai’Er jumped down. She wanted to pet the Little Fox but was also a little afraid, so she asked, "Does it bite?"

Li Xiang said, "No, it won’t bite as long as I’m here. It’s very Spiritual and can distinguish between friends and enemies."

"It’s that smart?"

"Of course. Huo Ling’Er, let Sister Cai’Er pet you," Li Xiang instructed.

Sure enough, the Little Fox proactively trotted over and started rubbing against Jiang Cai’Er’s legs. Its fox eyes were narrowed in a cute, fawning expression.

"Haha!" Jiang Cai’Er was delighted. She immediately crouched down, reached out to give it a good petting, and exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "Its fur is so soft and smooth! It’s so beautiful!"

Just petting it wasn’t enough. She then picked the Little Fire Fox up in her arms and gave it a few good, hard pets.