When Jiang Fei got serious, the atmosphere changed completely compared to when he casually strummed a simple folk song earlier. It was as if he had entered a meditative state, much like when he picked up acupuncture needles to treat patients. His mind naturally immersed itself, his focus sharpened, and he became oblivious to the outside world.
Now, Jiang Fei was in the same state. As soon as he played a few notes, Qiao Yiyi, who was quite skilled at the guitar herself, tensed up, her eyes widening in astonishment.
Even Lin Moli, who didn’t know much about musical instruments, stopped teasing Jiang Fei after listening for a while.
The reason was simple: Jiang Fei’s performance was nothing short of breathtaking!
As everyone knows, the guitar is one of the simplest and easiest modern instruments to learn.
In terms of prestige, it’s far behind instruments like the piano or violin.
The piano and violin were once instruments of European nobility, while the guitar was associated with the Gypsies. Just like people, instruments are also ranked, and the guitar has always been seen as a more common instrument.
In terms of difficulty, the violin is known as the queen of instruments, and its learning curve is steep. The piano is the most versatile instrument, capable of simulating an entire orchestra, and requires a high level of theoretical knowledge. In comparison, the guitar is much simpler and easier to pick up.
Even an ordinary person with little musical background can learn the basics in a few days. That’s why almost every slightly musical artsy type can play the guitar and often uses it to impress girls.
This is also why the guitar isn’t seen as particularly classy by many. It’s often associated with street performers.
You often see down-and-out singers playing the guitar on the street, but you’d never see someone playing the violin or piano for spare change, right?
Even among the so-called upper class, if they want their children to learn an instrument, the guitar is rarely considered.
Learning the guitar is easy.
So, when Lin Moli and Qiao Yiyi first saw Jiang Fei playing the guitar with some skill, they weren’t particularly impressed.
But now, what were they seeing? What were they hearing?
Jiang Fei’s wrist began to move rapidly along the neck of the guitar, his fingers dancing across the strings like they were on a piano. If you focused on his fingers, you’d feel dizzy, unable to keep up with the speed and precision of his movements.
It looked like the legendary “shadowless hands.”
The dazzling performance, the unparalleled expressiveness, the rapid strumming, fingerpicking, and sweeping—all these advanced techniques were displayed by Jiang Fei as he played Chaconne, a famous piece by the Baroque composer Bach, with stunning precision.
The guitar, often seen as a low-prestige instrument, now sounded like a full-blown symphony to Qiao Yiyi and Lin Moli.
How… how was this possible?
It felt like their souls were trembling, their skin prickling with goosebumps!
This wasn’t just playing the guitar anymore. Even Qiao Yiyi, a professional musician, had never seen anyone play the guitar like Jiang Fei. His skill was on par with the world’s top guitarists, and he could easily hold a solo concert with this “not-so-highbrow” instrument.
The style was solemn, the momentum grand. Jiang Fei’s fingers moved so fast that it was hard to believe they were human hands and not mechanical arms.
After seven or eight minutes, the heavy atmosphere took a dramatic turn, the difficulty of the piece making one wonder if it was even possible to play.
Then, the music stopped abruptly.
Jiang Fei emerged from his performance state, gently setting down the guitar. Seeing the stunned expressions on the two women’s faces, their mouths agape, he smiled and asked, “So, how was it? Pretty good? Or just passable?”
Hearing this, Qiao Yiyi snapped out of her daze. Normally polite and composed, she was now visibly excited. She grabbed Jiang Fei’s arm and said, “Jiang Fei, how are you so good at the guitar? My former guitar teacher was recognized as the best guitarist in South Korea, and many famous singers learned from him. But even he was nowhere near as good as you! Can… can you teach me?”
Jiang Fei knew that with his level-nine Musical Arts skill, his performance would be extraordinary. But he hadn’t expected it to completely awe Qiao Yiyi, to the point where she wanted to become his disciple!
Scratching his nose, he chuckled awkwardly, “Was it really that good? I thought it was just average.”
Although his words sounded a bit like bragging, Qiao Yiyi quickly nodded, looking at him earnestly. “That was the best guitar performance I’ve ever heard in my life! Even the so-called ‘shadowless hands’ performances I’ve seen online pale in comparison to what you just did!”
Lin Moli, forgetting her usual banter with Jiang Fei, also looked at him with admiration. “Jiang Fei, what was that piece you just played? It was amazing! You’re a master at medicine, a top-tier chef, and now a guitar virtuoso! How many talents do you have?”
While Qiao Yiyi’s admiration was pure and respectful, Lin Moli’s gaze held a different kind of intensity.
This woman’s feelings for Jiang Fei were sometimes subtle, but at other times, they were laid bare. Like now, after witnessing Jiang Fei’s incredible skill, Lin Moli’s eyes were filled with undisguised affection.
If Qiao Yiyi hadn’t been there, she might have been unable to resist kissing Jiang Fei.
It wasn’t her fault, really. Jiang Fei had just looked too damn cool!
In today’s world, where any random guy with a guitar can pretend to be an artsy type and trick some naive college girl into a free night at a motel, a true master like Jiang Fei, who could effortlessly play concert-level pieces, was absolutely lethal to women.
It was practically forcing women to lose their self-control and loosen their belts!
“Jiang Fei, did you formally study music? Or were you in a band during college?” Qiao Yiyi asked, her admiration evident.
Jiang Fei coughed, not daring to make up a story. Since these two women knew Zeng Tong and He Yuxuan, any tall tales about his college days would eventually be exposed.
“I wasn’t in a band, but I’ve always liked music. So, I joined the music club in college and learned a few instruments,” Jiang Fei said. This wasn’t entirely a lie. Jiang Fei did have a knack for music and was known as a karaoke king during his college days.
“You learned a few instruments? So, you don’t just play the guitar? Do you play the piano? The violin? Or even the erhu?” Qiao Yiyi’s eyes widened again, her admiration for Jiang Fei gradually turning into something more.
A man who can sing and play instruments is already attractive to most women. But for a woman like Qiao Yiyi, who’s deeply involved in music, it’s even more captivating!
Jiang Fei mentally slapped himself. He’d accidentally let slip too much. Trying to downplay it, he said, “Well, I’m decent at a few things…”
At this point, Qiao Yiyi couldn’t contain herself anymore. She pleaded, “Jiang Fei, please be my music teacher! Teach me everything you know about instruments!”
Looking at Qiao Yiyi’s earnest and eager expression, Jiang Fei felt both proud and a little helpless.
Being able to impress a beautiful superstar like Qiao Yiyi was undoubtedly satisfying. But having her ask to become his disciple? That was a bit too much.
You’re not Little Dragon Girl, and I’m not Yang Guo. Let’s not play the master-disciple game, alright? Jiang Fei thought to himself.
“Being a music teacher isn’t necessary. You know I’m a busy man. I run a hospital, work as a chief physician, and have countless patients waiting for me every day. I don’t have time to focus on music,” Jiang Fei said with a serious and righteous tone.
As soon as he said this, both Qiao Yiyi and Lin Moli rolled their eyes.
Busy? You?
Aside from the occasional task and preparing three meals a day, we’ve never seen you do anything remotely busy! During the three-day Dragon Boat Festival, you spent every day wandering around Daocun, walking your dog, and enjoying the scenery. You’ve practically been living the dream!
“But…” Seeing their expressions, Jiang Fei felt his face heat up. His current lifestyle didn’t exactly scream “busy,” so he quickly changed the subject. “But if you ever have any questions about music, feel free to ask me. I’ll definitely help. As for being your teacher, let’s just stay friends, okay?”
“Really? That’s great!” Qiao Yiyi, who had been disappointed earlier, brightened up again.
Her eyes sparkled as she thought of something else. She looked at Jiang Fei with hope and asked tentatively, “Jiang Fei, after my voice recovers, I’ll have two more concerts in Jincheng. Would you be willing to be a guest performer at my concerts? With a music master like you, my concerts would reach a whole new level!”