Chapter 1063 - 582: Ah Qing Is a Popular Girl (Double-Length) (Part 2)

But such a woman actually volunteered to warm up the stage for Ah Qing, as the appetizer before she appeared...

Since when did Ah Qing have such influence?

Or is it Ms. Zhu’s doing again?

"Isn’t Pingniang a bit biased? Ms. Qin sometimes doesn’t take the stage for three months, but here she is for Ah Qing."

"It’s unrelated to Pingniang." A woman who knows the inside story covers her face with a smile, then looks expectantly at Miss Qin on stage, who wears a veil: "Ms. Qin, she’s voluntary... I just saw her."

"Voluntary?"

"Why is sister interested today?"

"Hmm..." The woman who knows the inside story extends a finger and then asks: "Tell me, is there anyone here in the Flower Moon Building who doesn’t like beautiful girls?"

Unlike typical brothels where there’s jealousy over beauty, in the Flower Moon Building, there’s no survival competition, so... beautiful girls become everyone’s ’playthings’, rare resources.

"Everyone loves them, even Ms. Qin does," someone replied.

"That’s exactly it."

——

"Zheng——"

The sound of metal resounded under Zhu Pingniang’s arrangement, echoing throughout the painted boat, drawing everyone’s attention from Miss Qin’s unexpected appearance to the sound of the zither.

A hint of laziness and leisurely zither melody traces an elegant arc in the air, gently flowing, stirring quietly like flying wisps, ethereal and elusive.

On the banquet stage, Miss Lu takes a deep breath, showing a mesmerized expression, murmuring: "Qin’Er’s seven strings, still so enchanting..."

She glanced at Zhu Pingniang and asked, "Is this Miss Zhu’s arrangement too?"

In the Flower Moon Building, the only one who can always make Qin’Er comply is Zhu Pingniang.

"It’s unrelated to me." Zhu Pingniang listens to the zither, nodding with satisfaction as she says, "It’s her who suddenly wanted to perform, seems..."

"Seems?"

"Seems like she’s very pleased and fond of Ah Qing’s appearance." Zhu Pingniang covers her face with a smile, proudly looking at Li Zhibai slightly surprised by the music: "Of the girls here, there are hardly any who aren’t fond of beauty..."

Evidently, Zhu Pingniang was quite proud that Qin’Er’s zither music could surprise Li Zhibai.

"Ah Bai, not bad, right?" Zhu Pingniang crosses her arms: "Qin’Er’s seven strings are quite reminiscent of the Southern School Loose Stone style, rare in the world."

"Indeed." Li Zhibai agreed.

The graceful and continuous sound of the zither, sometimes like a mountain spring meandering from a secluded valley, flowing gently, sometimes like stones uncarved, simple and natural.

The zither music represents the player’s inner turbulences and journeys.

The most remarkable thing is that Miss Qin is young, with no cultivation, yet her musical skill stirs her heart strings. If she pursues cultivation, her development in music could surpass even the Hehuan Sect’s Six Arts master, Tong Jun.

"Is she really that amazing?" Miss Lu was dazed, seeing Li Zhibai praising her.

"Ms. Zhu, if this is the case, isn’t she more suitable to inherit your position than Qingluo?" Miss Lu asked.

Liu Qingluo’s zither skills are good, but far below Qin’Er.

"My zither skill isn’t suitable for her," Zhu Pingniang saw clearly, not mentioning the distinction between Northern and Southern Schools; her modest ability could teach Qingluo, but teaching Qin’Er would surely mislead, delaying the future development of a zither master. Therefore, Zhu Pingniang would occasionally discuss techniques with Qin’Er but never deeply delve.

"Also... I’m somewhat challenged dealing with her." Zhu Pingniang smiled awkwardly.

"Eh?" Miss Lu was startled: "Ms. Zhu, though Qin’Er is aloof, she complies fully with you."

"No, looking at her, I keep remembering your sister, feeling uneasy." Zhu Pingniang twisted her body.

She keeps recalling Qinling, so when interacting with this girl... inexplicably uneasy.

Both surnamed Qin, Southern School zither skills, their gazes... those passionate eyes made Zhu Pingniang uneasy.

Miss Lu: "..."

She roughly understood.

Qin’Er also admires Ms. Zhu... this isn’t surprising.

"However, she probably knows I’m not interested, so... has she fallen for someone else?" Zhu Pingniang looked at Miss Qin on stage whose zither melody carried a girl’s shyness, her blinking frequency gradually accelerated.

Miss Qin’s slender fingers gently plucked on the strings, her delicate profile revealing a charming smile, her gaze toward the backstage was a bit expectant.

"Fallen for someone?" Miss Lu’s eyes widened, finally realizing: "Ah Qing?"

"Most likely." Zhu Pingniang shrugged.

She could guess that backstage, Qin’Er saw Ah Qing touching up her makeup and liked her, thus volunteering to warm the stage.

The girls in the building thought Qin’Er was aloof and cold; Zhu Pingniang knew well she liked women, and her coldness was just because she hadn’t met anyone who moved her. Once she did, she’d be extremely proactive—just like she did when she agreed to follow her to the Flower Moon Building.

Being fond of beauty is nothing to be ashamed of.

"Yet, Ah Qing hasn’t even appeared and has already attracted my major talent... After Huang’Er, the responsibilities weigh heavily." Zhu Pingniang sighed, surprised at Ah Qing’s popularity.

"Well... never mind." Miss Lu sighed helplessly, unsure of what to say, continuing to listen to the zither.

Li Zhibai: "..."

Tong Jun’s daughters are rather... interesting.

Let’s call them interesting.

Wen Li, listening to the music, couldn’t hide the astonishment in her eyes, analyzing from different angles, feeling that the courtesans on stage outperformed many of the junior sisters from Muyu Peak in zither skill.

The Flower Moon Building is indeed a place with hidden talents.

Yun Qian listened to the music and looked at Xu Chang’an beside her with eyes closed, slightly enjoying herself, thinking her husband very much liked this girl’s music.

Xu Chang’an indeed liked it.

Music that allows relaxation is universally appealing, and it allowed him to listen with closed eyes, not needing to look at other girls... thus the ideal relaxation method.

Yun Qian glanced at Zhu Pingniang.

If expected, this Miss Qin should be part of Zhu Pingniang’s dowry.

Her dowry... is really high quality; marrying her means having all kinds of girls at home?

Unlike Xu Chang’an, Yun concluded the zither music wasn’t exceptionally pleasant, but since her husband liked it, it must be good.

Then she...

She looked at the woman playing the zither on stage.

She likes Ah Qing?

It’s a bit strange.

If that’s the case, is this zither master Zhu Pingniang’s dowry, or is she Ah Qing’s?

Hmm, that’s important because if she’s Ah Qing’s dowry, it implies she’s part of the ’Yunqian Faction’?

"Miss, are you not listening to the music?" Xu Chang’an suddenly opened his eyes.

"Ah..." Yun Qian’s thoughts were interrupted as she held Xu Chang’an’s hand and truthfully said: "I can’t quite understand it."

After all, none matched Xu Chang’an’s playing, so she didn’t care.

"...Mm."

Xu Chang’an didn’t say more, closing his eyes again.

However, this time, his focus was no longer on the music.

’Such won’t do... need to refine Miss’s aesthetic sense.’

On Muyu Peak, the Six Arts for Women aren’t the priority, refining aesthetics is... impacting Yun Qian’s harmonious interactions with Muyu Peak’s senior sisters.

He kept this on his mind.

Below the stage.

The zither master gently rubbed the strings, moving from low to high notes, soon descending gently like scattered pearls, delicate yet glowing.

She pursed her lips, smiling with a youthful dimple, her gaze swaying as if looking toward the backstage.

Ah Qing: "..."

Ah.

She suddenly realized, she was... liked by someone?