I Got Rich in Period Fiction
Chapter 451: A Hu Qin with Two Strings

Chapter 451: Chapter 451: A Hu Qin with Two Strings

"Sister-in-law, why does this seem to get more serious the more you talk about it? What exactly happened? Tell me."

Qiao Qingyu was getting anxious; the village’s development was a good thing, but unity and stability were also very important.

"Qingyu, you know what kind of person I am in the village. I used to be honest and obedient. Honestly, if I were like the Tian family’s daughter-in-law, what kind of life would my two children be leading now?"

"Sister-in-law, we all admire you for protecting your family, but the most important thing in a marriage is actually trust. If you really have something on your mind, I think you should really talk it over with Brother Lin Wen."

"What am I supposed to talk about? He doesn’t understand what I say, and he doesn’t care for what I have to say. He just wants me to take good care of the two kids."

Then, without waiting for Qiao Qingyu to respond, she began to vent to Qingyu as if solely seeking a release, "At first, those educated youths thought they would stay in the countryside for life, so they married local girls to avoid hard work and suffering. But then circumstances changed—the Tian family’s daughter-in-law had been married for less than half a year when that scoundrel abandoned her, leaving behind ten kilograms of food coupons, and just five yuan, and never came back.

Then, without even a marriage certificate, he claimed the marriage didn’t count, and he just left after having slept with that innocent girl, and went back to the city to continue his studies—but I can’t do that, dragging two kids along; how can he just not care about anything..."

Qiao Qingyu was fanning herself slowly, listening patiently. Truly, Sister-in-law Yulan had it tough. Now, the gap between her and Brother Lin Wen seemed to be growing even wider.

Moreover, it’s strange how you can often sense—even sharply—any change of heart that might be happening with your spouse.

No wonder Sister-in-law Yulan had lost so much weight.

And Brother Lin Wen, handsome as he is, now runs the seed experimentation lab for the Qiao Family team. Don’t let the rural location fool you; this seed-producing base of the Qiao Family is quite recognized at the national level.

Many girls are attracted to strength, and thinking it over, Qiao Qingyu realized that an intern named Jiao Na, who was always around Lin Wen, indeed looked at him with a different kind of gaze.

And sometimes, well, things are hard to express.

A slight misstep could very well mean falling into a ditch.

Thinking about it, there would certainly come a time when Sister-in-law Yulan couldn’t take it anymore, which is likely why she came to seek her out today.

Qiao Qingyu then said, "Sister-in-law, both of my little nephews are now in school. Besides farming, have you thought about doing something else you are good at?"

Something she was good at?

Sister-in-law Yulan was momentarily stunned. As a farmer, what else could she be good at besides farming?

"What can I, a farmer, possibly do?"

Qiao Qingyu pondered this. Although the village had been electrified, not a single household had a television. Her family could afford one, but the signal was poor here, with too much static—just as bad as in Xichuan.

When people work, they get tired, be they workers or farmers; thus, enriching one’s cultural life wasn’t a bad thing.

She remembered that Sister-in-law Yulan, although not highly educated, had a grandfather who was famously good at playing the Erhu within the local villages.

And in her family, it was Sister-in-law Yulan who had the talent.

It was said that at just eight years old, Sister-in-law Yulan could play "Moon Reflected in Two Springs" entirely, and could even accompany singers with the Erhu.

Music, truly, was a God-given gift.

Unfortunately, in the countryside, if you were a boy, you could make money by joining a troupe, but a girl couldn’t pursue such a profession.

Especially since the Erhu is a traditional instrument not taught in schools; even if you can play, there’s no use for it.

And rural folk hardly think about sending their children to learn traditional music at a specialized school, let alone a girl.

Thinking this, Qiao Qingyu came up with an idea.

Is Sister-in-law Yulan’s hand still skilled, she wondered, or can she no longer remember the scores?

Because it was just after the summer solstice, it was not yet dark, so Yulan, full of grievances and difficult to speak, brightened at the sight of Qiao Qingyu’s eyes.

She admired this girl.

Rationally, she had no reason to seek out Qiao Qingyu today. If Qingyu scolded her, she would have to accept it. After all, what did it have to do with Qiao Qingyu? To be honest, if it weren’t for Qiao Qingyu’s help in building the Qiao Family Team to its current state, could a person like Lin Wen have turned around and come back to her?

That would have been impossible.

At most, it would have been like before, sending money every month, and nothing else.

She should thank Qiao Qingyu.

Yulan forced a smile, "Qingyu, I’m rambling without knowing what to say, you better go back, I won’t bother you anymore..."

"Sister-in-law, I ask you, if I give you an Erhu now, can you still play a tune?"

Yulan was stunned again.

Half an hour later, Qiao Qingyu, carrying an Erhu and accompanied by a bewildered Sister-in-law Yulan, headed to the elementary school at the village’s southwest corner. It was summer vacation, and the school was sparsely staffed. Qiao Qingyu got the keys from her uncle and went to an open classroom inside the school.

She noticed that Sister-in-law Yulan’s gaze was fixed on the Erhu.

To say it was eager was not accurate—it was more like nervousness and even anxiety.

Qiao Qingyu handed the Erhu to Sister-in-law Yulan and put a score in front of her. She then sat down on a chair below, "Sister-in-law, get familiar for a moment, play a simple tune for me to hear..."

"Qingyu, what are you up to?" Yulan’s hands trembled as she held the Erhu.

Since she could remember, she had played the Erhu with her grandfather. Later, the Erhu was accidentally smashed, and her grandfather never recovered from his illness. Since then, she had been too scared to touch it again.

Many in the village knew her talent, but everyone, including her, chose to forget.

"Sister-in-law, no matter what it’s for, I have to see if you still can do it. If not, wouldn’t whatever I want to do be pointless?" Qiao Qingyu said with a smile, glancing at Yulan’s involuntarily caressing fingers on the strings. "Sister-in-law, give it a try. There’s no one nearby, and no one will hear. Besides, it’s not like the past few years; now, many music schools in the city have started Huqin classes."

Yulan’s eyes lit up, excitedly asking, "Really?"

"Sister-in-law, do you think I would deceive you?" Qiao Qingyu countered.

Yulan shook her head quickly—who would deceive people? Certainly not Qiao Qingyu.

She took a deep breath, looked down at the Erhu in her hands—unknown to anyone, she had played it in her dreams countless times, unknown to anyone, how much she loved this instrument.

Her grandfather used to say, with a Huqin and its two strings, you can express all the joys, sorrows, griefs, and reunions of life.

She began learning at three and continued until she was fifteen—just purely out of love, never thinking about what it could bring.

No matter how tired, as soon as she played the Erhu, all her fatigue would vanish.

She was twenty-six now, and it had been a full ten years since she had last touched it.

But some things are etched in the bones and blended in the blood.

That was no lie. At first, the sound was a bit harsh and chaotic, but in just a few minutes, heart-wrenching and tear-inducing notes echoed through the old classroom.

Qiao Qingyu recognized it—it was "Moon Reflected in Two Springs."

She stared unblinkingly at Sister-in-law Yulan, who was sitting on the platform, tears streaming down her face, immersed in her own world. At that moment, she seemed like a completely different person!