Chapter 3: Chapter 3 A Song and A Couplet
Cheng Jin raised her head timidly. She saw a man who was roughly in his forties adorned a brown robe, and he was sitting at the central patriarch position. His did not expose any emotion on his face. Beside him sat a middle age woman dressed in a pale silvery purple dress.
Come to think about it; if one sorts the name mentioned by him according to age, Ah Luo should be the name for her.
Cheng Jin observed this stranger father who was standing in front of her carefully.
This father in front of her has obviously carried precisely the same characteristic with her own dad, strict, traditional and conventional kind of man. That main wife of his was a little plump. She had a round pleasing face, but one can see that her eyes were full of craftiness.
The middle-aged man who was sitting at the top spoke slowly, "Ah Lei, come over here!"
Cheng Jin's gaze darted over the ten years old girl who slowly walked over the centre of the hall in silent. At first, she thought that Ah Lei was not afraid or nervous at all. Ah Lei seemed calm, but if one carefully observes, she faintly formed her hands into tiny fists under her long sleeves. Cheng Jin wanted to laugh out so badly. Thus, she bowed her head down to hide her sneaky smile.
" In the end, she is still a kid, right?"
The middle-aged man asked in a low voice, "Ah Lei, what had you been learning for these past three months?
"This daughter reply to ah Die, I had been learning the art of Guqin." Ah Lei replied gently.
The middle age man raised his hand, and the servants quickly arranged the Guqin in place and quickly retreated when they were done.
Ah Lei sat down with poise and struck two strings of the Guqin as pleasant sounds vibrated in the air.
"Ah Lei is going to play the Mei Hua San Nong (The Three Viscosity of Plum Blossoms)."
The melody of the Guqin floated in the big hall with an air of tranquillity, and it was very refreshing. She kept on twisting and plucking the strings in three intervals and every time she did; it was like the coolness of ice cubes rippled over the stream water.
Cheng Jin was silently praising her in her heart. She had heard this song from modern times, and there was no difference with the current one. It just that this was her first time listening to a live version.
She started reexamined this ten years old Ah Lei in front of her. She had a calm melon face that came with a kind of elegant temperament. Cheng Jin was amazed as she was just ten years old, but her guqin skills are superb.
She flashed back to how her parents had pushed and encouraged her to learn the piano during her young age, but she was too stubborn and would rather die than to learn it.
And now in this situation... she thought it is better if she requests to learn guqin, flute and some other skills to prepare herself up.
'There must be some use, right?'
Thinking about how she suddenly inexplicably transmigrated to this world... Cheng Jin became upset again. She even clenched her fists unconsciously. The seventh madam noticed her, gently patted her back and as if she was using her gaze to tell her that it is alright if she can't make it, it's nothing much anyway.
Cheng Jin suddenly felt that the seventh madam was really good to her daughter. Her heart was filled with courage now. Being stuck in this kind of situation, she was relieved as the first person she met is such a good person.
'It was still considered lucky, right?'
Ah Lei stopped with a slowly fading tune. She then raised her small face and faced up to the middle-aged man.
That so-called ah Die of hers slightly curved up the corner of his lips and nodded towards her.
"Ah Lei, why did you choose this song?"
There was a glimpse of light flashed through Ah Lei's eyes, and she replied calmly.
"Early spring is coming, the plum blossoms in the yard are blooming slowly too. Compared to the previous winter that brought the fragrance of white snows, it brought out the haughty solstice and frosty ambience. Therefore, Ah Lei admires the spring season more."
The middle-aged man caressed the beard under his chin and said," Very well! That's how my daughter should be! Just like the plum blossoms temperament! You can retreat. Ah Die will come to the plum courtyard tonight to enjoy the plum blossoms scenery."
Once those words were said, Cheng Jin saw one of the Furens from the left side who seemed like Ah Lei's mother, flashed a self-satisfaction smile and lowered her eyebrows in succinct. She replied to him with a delicate voice," Ah Lei is still young. Therefore she is still unfamiliar with her skills. Laoye had overpraised her."
Cheng Jin had scanned everyone's expression in the hall. Apart from her mother, the seventh madam had no emotion; the fellow wives in the hall were all more or less seemed to hide the jealousy in their eyes.
Cheng Jin thought that these people in the ancient period are all the same. The women fight and scheme, that was how they seek fun and cure their boredom.
'Hmm... Endless fight! Nothing's fun here!'
Ah Lei had retreated to the side of her mother and Ah Fei was the next. She had a long oval face, just like a goose egg shape. Ah Fei had a pair of big and stark eyes that look showed intelligent vibe. She did not tremble and spoke loudly.
"Ah Die, Ah Fei had learnt a lot of fun things in these few months."
The servants then brought another low table, assembled some brush, paper and ink on it, and a maid seemed to walk over Ah Fei and helped her rolled her long sleeves up. Ah Fei then seemed to accumulate her concentration and suddenly swung her hand open and bowed down. She gripped the brush one on each side and wrote a couplet simultaneously. Ah Fei then wrote in one swish go. Seeming to be satisfied after she glanced through her couplets, she then laid down her brush.
Her crisp voice rang through, "Kindly examine this daughter's skill."
Cheng Jin had a look on the paper that had been drawn with smooth and evened ink strokes.
'What a great aptitude!'
Both of the hands exerted the same force and the result on the paper. There was no difference with both couplets! Compared to her own dog handwriting, it was a shame!
The middle-aged man took his time to examine the couplets and said to Ah Fei, "Fei Er, your handwriting had a major improvement! You are still too young to exert bigger force, take your time! You will definitely excel in it!"
Ah Fei was delighted until her eyebrows were lifted and her eyes were in joy. She turned her head over her mother and smiled towards her. She had a pampered expression, and it was rather cute!
Cheng Jin then began her own monologue.
"Ah Fei is so talented at such a young age. When she grows up, one does not sure how many people will be captivated by her!"
While she was busy indulging in her observation, she heard the middle-aged man voice.
"Ah Luo, come over here!"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Jiaojiaodaxian
Jiaojiaodaxian Here goes the third chapter. Fuuh! It is really not easy. Those flowery words...
Give me some time yea!
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