DSF Chapter 127

On the weekend, Yan Yibing was entrusted by his cousin to pick up his nephew from kindergarten, leaving Han Mo alone at home.

Yan Yibing’s mother called, asking if Han Mo wanted to come along to pick out a piano. She had a college friend who had a grandson, and she planned to gift them a piano.

Han Mo had been staring at the screen for a long time, his shoulders feeling stiff, so he quickly shut down the computer and decided to stretch his muscles with Yan Yibing’s mother.

Magic City had several decent piano shops, with prices ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.

Yan Yibing’s mother had made appointments with several shops in advance, so as soon as they arrived at the store, they were welcomed in as VIPs.

There weren’t many pianos in the high-end piano shops, but they made full use of the space. Each piano was illuminated by soft yellow light, casting a delicate glow on the piano lid, giving it a rich texture.

The shop assistant recognizing that Mama Yan was a big client, wasted no opportunity to introduce them to the pianos.

“Are you buying a piano for yourself? I recommend this white upright 118M. It’s a bit smaller, but its sound quality is full and rich. It’s more than enough for home use.”

Mama Yan glanced at it and didn’t quite like the pure white color, so she waved her hand.

The shop assistant continued, “Then how about this brown grand piano? It’s majestic and elegant, suitable for your status. You can use it for performances, and if you have a large space at home, it would make a great decoration.”

Since Mama Yan was buying it for a child to learn, she wouldn’t choose a grand piano, so she shook her head slowly with a frown.

It was Han Mo who stared at the brown grand piano for a long time and couldn’t help but reach out, gently tapping the piano keys.

The piano emitted a soft, deep bass, and the sound waves swept along the keys, turning into a faint vibration, spreading to his fingertips.

The shop assistant, with keen eyes, noticed the Patek Philippe watch on Han Mo’s wrist and quickly approached, “Are you buying this? Listen to this tone, feel it. Steinway pianos are different from ordinary ones. For someone who understands music, who wouldn’t want to have a Steinway?”

“I don’t understand music,” Han Mo replied lightly, retracting his fingers.

“It’s okay if you don’t understand now. You’re still young, there’s plenty of time to learn. Having one at home, you can play for your family in the future. It’s such a great atmosphere for the family.”

Han Mo’s gaze lingered on the piano for a few seconds before he looked away nonchalantly and put his hands in his pockets.

“It’s my mom who’s here to choose today. You don’t have to worry about me.”

The shop assistant seemed a bit disappointed, but seeing his indifferent demeanor, it seemed that he didn’t have any particular intention to buy.

Mama Yan casually mentioned, “Ah, when Ah Yi was a child, I used to forced him to learn the piano. He didn’t like it at all. His palms would turn red, but he still didn’t want to play. Sitting on the piano stool, he looked like he had ADHD, which drove me crazy every day. I spent hundred thousands to teach him the piano, he gritted his teeth through several grades of exams, and now he probably can only play ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’. I hope my friend’s grandson won’t be as disappointing.”

The shop assistant immediately noticed that the usually calm and indifferent college student suddenly had a sparkle in his eyes. Those dark and cold eyes instantly became lively and vivid, making him even more handsome.

Han Mo raised his eyes and couldn’t help but say, “Master never said he could play the piano.”

“Hmph,” Mama Yan snorted, casually patting the piano lid, “He’s just too embarrassed to say. The classmates from the juvenile class have all pass ten level of exams. As for him, he would cry at the sight of a piano.”

“Oh,” Han Mo responded while looking meaningfully at the piano again.

In fact, people are easily influenced by their surroundings, especially young people like him who are open to new things to the fullest extent.

He often went to Yan Yibing’s house and was influenced by Yan Yibing’s father, which led him to pursue a different quality of life.

The empty model room he used to live in, he would still live in it, but now he also thought it wouldn’t be bad to raise two pots of Gentiana, have a wine cabinet, and change the staircase to a low-key luxurious spiral one, and even a piano in the house would be beautiful.

Moreover, he heard that Master would cry at the sight of a piano.

He really wanted to know, was learning this thing really that painful?

A few days later, Yan Yibing saw the triangular piano moved into the house and fell silent for a long time.

Since he was ten years old, he had completely said goodbye to this thing. Whenever he saw it while shopping, he wouldn’t even spare a glance.

He couldn’t help but recall those nightmare-like years of learning the piano.

Every week, he was pressed onto the piano bench by the juvenile class teacher. If he played a wrong note, he would get his hands slapped. At his age, he was the top student in the school, the darling of the Chinese, math, and English teachers. Whenever his classmates mentioned him, they would sigh and say he was a learning god. But in front of the piano, his dignity disappeared entirely.

Yan Yibing couldn’t help but shudder and turned to look at Han Mo with a look of seeing a madman, “Why did you buy this thing?”

Han Mo tapped the piano keys with his fingertips, smiling, “They say playing the piano helps improve hand speed. I want to try learning.”

“Nonsense!” Yan Yibing’s fingers trembled as he pointed to the piano, “Do you think this thing is for people to learn? It’s simply the most inhumane invention of the 18th century, specifically designed to exploit minors!”

Han Mo leaned against the piano with interest, a smile playing on his lips, “Master’s childhood shadow is so big, did it hurt when you got your hands slapped?”

As he spoke, Han Mo reached over and took Yan Yibing’s hand, gently massaging his palm, as if comforting the little boy, who was only ten years old, with red palms and tears streaming down his face.

“Of course, there are many nerves in the palm, and if you’re not careful, you can easily cause problems, but those teachers back then really did slap hard. They had to make you hurt before they were satisfied, completely corporal punishment.” Yan Yibing let him massage his hand, still indignant after all these years.

Han Mo chuckled, “Teachers don’t do that anymore. Parents are watching closely now. I didn’t have a chance to learn this when I was a kid. I want to try it out. If I really learn it, I’ll play it for you.”

Yan Yibing carefully scrutinized Han Mo for a few seconds, then gently lifted Han Mo’s chin. “Baby, I’ve always felt sorry for your childhood, but not having the chance to learn the piano is truly fortunate, believe me.”

Han Mo’s shoulders trembled with laughter as he pecked Yan Yibing’s lips in that moment.

Yan Yibing hadn’t expected that when Han Mo said he wanted to learn, he would truly learn.

Sometimes he just couldn’t understand why there was someone like Han Mo in the world, someone who was so ruthless with himself.

It seemed like everything had to be mastered to perfection, as if there was never enough time.

After finishing his training every day, he felt like his body was about to fall apart, but Han Mo could still cultivate countless hobbies, as if he wanted to experience everything that life had to offer in his short lifetime.

Han Mo went to piano lessons every week and then made noise at home.

Yan Yibing stayed in the villa and couldn’t avoid the constant clanging downstairs, sounding like construction.

He had to wear professional noise-canceling headphones just to get some peace and quiet.

And obviously, Han Mo’s skill points weren’t invested in music, or maybe he started learning too late, and the artistic sense couldn’t be cultivated in time.

Anyway, Yan Yibing thought only “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “Doll and Bear Dance” were barely listenable.

Later on, he couldn’t take it anymore and hid back home for almost a month.

But even at home, he couldn’t find peace as his mother used Han Mo as an example to educate him.

“Look at Mo Mo, always striving to learn. Look at you, with such good conditions when you were young, acting like you’re being tortured.”

“Yes, yes,” Yan Yibing was already immune to his parents’ criticism, treating it as if it were nothing, playing with his phone while responding absentmindedly.

After about three months of learning, on their first anniversary, he insisted on playing Yan Yibing a heartfelt piece called “Wedding in a Dream.”

Yan Yibing watched Han Mo sit on the piano bench in a decent manner, skillfully opening the piano lid, his fingers resting on the keys in a standard position.

Well, the momentum was there.

But as soon as the piano sounded, Yan Yibing couldn’t help but want to laugh.

Although he hadn’t succeeded in learning the piano, he still had a basic level of appreciation. But this piece, “Wedding in a Dream,” played by Han Mo, was something else. If his old teacher had heard it, they’d probably want to quit the profession.

Yan Yibing felt like he had discovered a new world. He happily recorded Han Mo while thinking maliciously, turns out there are things even Han Mo can’t excel at no matter how hard he tries. That’s refreshing.

Han Mo played earnestly, but after finishing, he knew he was far from the level of his teacher.

“Not bad, not bad. I can feel your deep affection for that day,” Yan Yibing couldn’t suppress the smile at the corner of his lips. His eyes curved into an arc as he handed the recording to Han Mo, “Come listen to our future Chopin’s early masterpiece.”

Han Mo listened to the recording, his face alternating between red and pale. In the end, unable to bear it any longer, he frowned and muttered, “Have I become stupid in the past few months?”

Yan Yibing burst into laughter, clutching his stomach, his slender spine trembling through his thin clothes, revealing a graceful curve.

He urged Han Mo, “Go and let my parents listen. Let them know that the piano really isn’t something anyone can learn.”

Han Mo was annoyed but amused, simply closed the piano lid and refused to look at the white keys anymore.

“I specifically learned this for today.”

Yan Yibing lifted his slightly red face with a serious expression, lips pressed into a line, his clear black eyes looking at Han Mo earnestly, “Hmm, hmm, hmm, I’m really touched, xiao gege.”

But he couldn’t stay serious for long, breaking into a smile seconds later, tears of laughter welling up in the corners of his eyes.

Han Mo said with a hint of annoyance, “I don’t see any trace of being touched.”

Yan Yibing cleared his throat and patted Han Mo’s shoulder solemnly, “Xiao Gege, I would really love to shed tears of joy and give you a three-month hard practice for a happy ending, but I really, I just can’t cry, hahaha.”

Han Mo glanced at Yan Yibing, quietly watching him laugh for a moment, then suddenly pulled down his lips meaningfully.

Then he withdrew his gaze, running his fingers over the smooth and heavy lid of the Steinway piano, softly asking, “Really can’t cry?”

Yan Yibing blinked, a hint of guilt veiled by a seemingly mischievous expression in his eyes. “Don’t be too sad, I don’t have that skill either. Even if I play, you won’t cry.”

Han Mo took a deep breath, his eyes deep, then he wrapped his arms around Yan Yibing’s waist, exerting force to lift him onto the sturdy and hard piano lid.

“Hey!” Yan Yibing was caught off guard, his waist tightened, and his slippers were flung off. He could only instinctively grab onto Han Mo’s shoulders.

Han Mo leaned slightly, whispering into Yan Yibing’s ear and lightly nibbling on his earlobe.

“It’s okay, if I can’t make you cry with music, I’ll make you cry in another way.”

Yan Yibing’s right eyelid twitched, then he looked around for a gap to escape, unable to help asking, “Are you worthy of Steinway?”

Han Mo swiftly pulled back Yan Yibing’s feet that were about to slip, calmly stating, “I spent hundreds of thousands on it, so I’m definitely worthy.”

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Author’s Message:

Yan Yibing: Moved to tears, really.

Han Mo: Too late.

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