“You… you should let go first…”
“Don’t be nervous, I’m just… helping you adjust your posture.” Chen Yuwei’s voice was very soft, carrying a hint of a smile.
Her fingers pressed against the back of Lin Lu’s hand, guiding her fingertips onto the keys, “Your wrist is too tense. You won’t be able to play smoothly like this.”
She lifted Lin Lu’s hand and let it fall again.
The piano key produced a dull, muffled sound, like the voice of someone whose throat was being squeezed.
“Listen, that was your strength just now. It’s too heavy,” Chen Yuwei said, her lips almost brushing against Lin Lu’s ear.
“You have to be like you’re touching the surface of water, very lightly…”
She lifted Lin Lu’s hand once more.
This time, as it descended, her fingers brushed lightly across the keys.
A clear, bright note rang out from her fingertips, distinctly different from the sounds Lin Lu had been making on her own.
“Yes, just like that.” Chen Yuwei released her hand and pulled back a few centimeters.
“Try it again.”
Lin Lu’s fingers rested on the keys.
‘I have to admit, although Chen Yuwei is being… a bit too intimate, her teaching skills are undeniably impressive.’
She took a deep breath, focusing all her attention on those stark black and white keys, recalling the sensation from a moment ago…
Her fingers glided across the keys, and the tone was much cleaner and smoother than before.
“Very good.” Chen Yuwei’s voice came from behind her, laced with a subtle tenderness.
“Continue. Play the whole piece.”
Lin Lu played through the entire composition.
This time, although the fast-paced sections were still a bit shaky, they were far better than they had been.
When the final note faded, she let out a long breath, only then realizing her shoulders had been hunched the entire time.
They were now incredibly sore.
“Significant progress.” Chen Yuwei finally stepped away and sat back down in the seat beside her.
“You actually have a lot of talent; you’re just too nervous. Am I really that scary?”
Chen Yuwei sat in the glow of the setting sun, the golden light casting a small patch of soft shadow on her cheek.
She was looking at Lin Lu with a smile playing on her lips.
“Um…” Lin Lu cleared her throat.
“Thank you for the guidance. I… I should head back now.”
She stood up, pushed the piano bench back into its place, and grabbed her bag, ready to make a run for it.
“Wait a moment.” Chen Yuwei stopped her.
Lin Lu froze mid-motion as she was about to open the door.
“Have you ever thought about joining the Piano Club?” Chen Yuwei asked, her voice calm and measured.
“Your foundation is good, but without guidance, it’s easy to develop bad habits while practicing alone. The Piano Club has teachers who provide regular tutoring, and the members can also learn from each other.”
Lin Lu paused, ‘The Piano Club?’
“I…” She hesitated.
It was true that she needed to learn the piano, and having someone to guide her regularly would be beneficial, but Chen Yuwei…
“Besides, club activities provide credits. The Piano Club offers the most credits, and they’re easy to earn,” Chen Yuwei added, “Aren’t you still short on credits? I think the Piano Club is a great choice for you.”
Lin Lu sighed.
“Fine, I’ll sign up for the Piano Club. But from now on, you can’t be like…”
“Hmm? Like what?” Chen Yuwei feigned ignorance with a smile.
“Forget it, nothing…”
Lin Lu could tell from Chen Yuwei’s smile that she knew exactly what she meant.
She didn’t want to spell it out; as long as the other woman knew where to draw the line, it would be fine.
If she had to deal with this kind of “intimate guidance” every day, she wouldn’t be able to take it.
“Then it’s settled.” Chen Yuwei stood up, patting her skirt to smooth out the wrinkles.
“Tomorrow at 12:00 PM, come to the Piano Club Activity Room on the third floor of the Music Building. I’ll help you with the registration paperwork.”
“Ah… okay. I’ll be going now then. Goodbye!”
Fearing what else Chen Yuwei might have in mind, Lin Lu quickly called out a farewell and bolted.
“Hehe~” Chen Yuwei watched the fleeing Lin Lu and chuckled, “Lin Lu… you won’t get very far…”
***
It was almost dark by the time she arrived home.
Lin Lu pulled out her keys and opened the door.
The lights were on in the living room, and she immediately saw Lilith lying on her side on the sofa.
A bag of potato chips was tucked under her wing, and her claws were busy stuffing them into her mouth.
The television was on, playing a new anime.
“Yo, you’re back?” Lilith didn’t even look back, crunching loudly on her chips.
“Why are you so late today? Go cook quickly; I’m starving to death.”
Standing in the entryway and watching her leisurely posture, Lin Lu suddenly felt a surge of indignation.
The nerve of her, ordering Lin Lu to cook—was she a maid?
“You certainly know how to enjoy yourself.” Lin Lu changed her shoes, walked over, and flopped onto the sofa with a leap, bouncing Lilith’s small body 2 meters into the air.
“Hey! Hey!” Lilith flapped her wings to stabilize herself, but potato chips scattered all over the sofa.
“What are you doing! The chips are everywhere now. This isn’t my fault.”
“Hmph!”
Lin Lu rolled her eyes at Lilith and casually used Cleaning Magic to gather all the trash and toss it into the bin.
She had no choice.
If she hadn’t learned Cleaning Magic, Lilith would have driven her insane.
Who could appreciate the sense of “salvation” that came from coming home after a long day only to see trash everywhere?
“You’re getting quite proficient with that Cleaning Magic,” Lilith said, fluttering her wings in the air, “Now go cook. I want to eat.”
Lin Lu rolled over on the sofa and lay there motionless, ignoring Lilith.
“Hey, did you hear me?” Lilith flew over, landed on her back, and patted her face with a wing.
“I’m hungry!”
“Can’t you make it yourself?”
“The great Eternal Night Witch would never cook for herself,” Lilith said righteously.
“Besides, your cooking is delicious. I want to eat what you make.”
Lin Lu rolled her eyes.
“While being told my cooking is delicious is a compliment, I have no desire to be your servant.”
“Gurgle~” Lilith’s stomach let out a protest.
“Aww… my dear Little Lu…” Lilith whispered sweetly into Lin Lu’s ear.
“You’re a super chef god; your food is the best. If anyone else cooked for me, I’d dump the bowl on their head! I only want yours!”
“Fine, fine.” Lin Lu sat up and patted Lilith’s small head, “Stop acting. I’ll go make it, okay?”
Lin Lu hadn’t eaten yet either, and she was only teasing Lilith.
She couldn’t actually let her go hungry.
Lilith immediately turned around, her eyes sparkling as she said, “I want braised pork!”
“Mhm, and what else?”
“Sweet and sour ribs?”
“Sure.”
***
Lin Lu put on an apron, took out the ingredients, and in a short while, the meal was prepared and served.
“Lilith, dinner’s ready.”
Lin Lu placed the dishes on the dining table and called out to Lilith, who was still watching television.
“Coming!”
Lilith flew over quickly and sat primly at the table, her wings tucked at her sides, her eyes fixed intently on the plate of braised pork.
Lin Lu returned to the kitchen to scoop two bowls of rice and grab some chopsticks.
“Eat up.”
Lilith immediately grabbed a piece of braised pork, stuffed it into her mouth, and let out a satisfied sigh.
“Delicious!” She chewed a few times, swallowed, and grabbed another piece.
“Awm… you should make this for me every day from now on.”
“In your dreams.” Lin Lu sat down and picked up a rib, “Won’t you get tired of braised pork if you eat it every day?”
Lin Lu smiled.
The braised pork was tender enough to melt in the mouth, and the sweet and sour ribs were perfectly balanced.
Cooking was, after all, one of Lin Lu’s best skills.
“Vibrating~”
Halfway through the meal, her phone rang.
Lin Lu didn’t check the caller ID; she just kept eating with one hand while swiping the screen to answer with the other.
“Hello? Who is it?” There was a brief silence on the other end.
No one spoke.
“Hello? Speak up or I’m hanging up!”
“Who… are you? Where’s my brother?”
Lin Lu froze, ‘Wait a minute…’
‘Brother?’
She looked down at the screen.
The caller ID read: Little Sister — Lin Xiaoxi.
‘I’m so dead!!’