The Gentle Breeze Reflects in My Eyes - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Xia Lusheng’s uneasy heart finally found its footing, and she leaned obediently against Gu Yitong’s shoulder.

Night fell, the sky dotted with shimmering stars.

Gu Yitong stood on the balcony, looking out at the night view of A City. Below, the headlights of passing cars flickered like a never-ending stream of sparks.

Suddenly, she remembered the note Xia Lusheng had given her. She pulled out her phone and dialed the number written on it.

The call was picked up quickly. A calm, middle-aged female voice answered, “Hello?”

Gu Yitong gathered her thoughts and said, “Hello. My younger sister received a note at the Cat’s Eye Cafe today. The number left on it was yours…”

Before she could finish, the person on the other end cut in with a touch of urgency: “Hello! Yes, I’m the one who left that number for your sister. Do you have some time? I’d like to meet and discuss your sister’s future with you.”

Hearing this, Gu Yitong instinctively furrowed her brows.

Sensing her silence, the woman quickly explained: “Please don’t misunderstand; I have no ill intentions. I am a cello teacher. When I heard your sister playing in the cafe today, I realized she is a rare talent—a ‘good seedling.’ She shouldn’t stop where she is; she deserves further training and professional study!”

Gu Yitong’s interest was piqued, but having lived through the world once already, she wasn’t a child who believed everything people said. Her mind raced as she asked, “May I ask your name?”

“I left it on the note,” the woman replied. “My surname is Zhao, Zhao Yasun. If it’s convenient for you, let’s meet tomorrow at noon at the Cat’s Eye Cafe.”

Gu Yitong didn’t refuse.

After hanging up, she immediately dialed Qi Die.

At that moment, Qi Die was in the middle of a spat with her boyfriend and was incredibly irritable. “You have three sentences to say what you need to say!”

Accustomed to Qi Die’s temper, Gu Yitong calmly asked, “Have you ever heard of a cello teacher named Zhao Yasun?”

That single sentence acted like a bucket of cold water on Qi Die’s fire. Her focus shifted instantly. “Are you kidding? Anyone who has ever touched a cello knows Zhao Yasun! She’s legendary! Why are you asking all of a sudden?”

Gu Yitong hesitated for a second before coming clean.

When Qi Die heard that Zhao Yasun intended to take Xia Lusheng as a student, she bolted upright in her bed. “What?! Don’t get scammed! Teacher Zhao hasn’t taken a student in years! When I was learning the cello, I practically begged my dad to use every connection he had, and she wouldn’t budge! She’s a pillar of the cello world!”

“I’ve already agreed to a meeting. It’s tomorrow at noon at your cafe. Whether it’s real or fake, we’ll know once we see her,” Gu Yitong said steadily.

Qi Die immediately chimed in, “I’m coming too! I want to see exactly what kind of ‘skills’ this impostor Teacher Zhao thinks she has!”

Gu Yitong gave a helpless smile. Suddenly, a loud “thud” echoed from the living room, followed by Xia Lusheng’s pained cry.

Gu Yitong’s heart tightened. Before her brain could even process the sound, her body was already moving. She hung up on Qi Die without a word and rushed into the living room in two strides.

She found Xia Lusheng huddled on the floor by the table leg, rubbing her forehead with a look of agony.

Gu Yitong’s face paled. She tossed her phone aside and knelt down, cupping Lusheng’s face in her hands. “What happened? Did you hit something? Let me see.”

A patch of skin on Xia Lusheng’s forehead was scraped, turning a bright, angry red. Her eyes were swimming with tears—not because she wanted to cry, but because the impact had forced them out.

“Hit the corner of the table,” Xia Lusheng whispered pitifully.

Without a word, Gu Yitong helped her up, led her to the sofa, and fetched the first-aid kit to apply antiseptic to the wound. She remained silent until the kit was put back in its place.

Xia Lusheng tentatively tugged at Gu Yitong’s sleeve. “Yitong-jie… are you angry?”

Looking at the insecure girl, Gu Yitong’s stern face softened. “No. My heart just hurts seeing you get hurt.”

Xia Lusheng offered a faint, shy smile, her eyes curving into crescents. “I’m okay! Don’t worry.”

Seeing that smile, Gu Yitong dazed for a moment. It was the first time she had seen Xia Lusheng smile so openly.

A moment later, Gu Yitong snapped out of it and said crossly, “Your forehead is practically blooming, and you’re still laughing? Be careful when you shower; don’t get water on the scrape.”

Xia Lusheng nodded obediently to every instruction.

“Lusheng, have you heard of Zhao Yasun?” Gu Yitong tested.

Xia Lusheng nodded without hesitation. “Yes! I’ve heard many of her recordings. She’s even composed her own pieces. She’s amazing!”

Seeing the girl’s look of pure admiration, Gu Yitong decided not to tell her about the phone call yet. If the woman tomorrow turned out to be a fraud, wouldn’t telling Lusheng now just lead to a crushing disappointment? High hopes followed by a fall were never fun.

Checking the time, she nudged Lusheng to go wash up and rest while she opened the browser on her phone to search for “Zhao Yasun.”

The progress bar on the Nokia moved at a snail’s crawl. Images took ages to load. Gu Yitong sighed; everything about 2009 was great, except for the fact that smartphones were still years away from being common.

Finally, an image pieced itself together like a puzzle. A woman with a gentle, elegant aura appeared on the screen, cradling a cello with a faint smile. Gu Yitong memorized her features.

…

The next day at noon, a frantic Qi Die dragged Gu Yitong downstairs to the cafe, the very picture of a spectator eager for a show.

They had agreed to meet at Table 16. Qi Die had issued orders early that morning: Table 16 was reserved and off-limits to everyone else.

A woman was already seated there, wearing a deep green dress—a color few could pull off. She sat with a perfectly straight back, gently stirring her coffee.

Gu Yitong didn’t look for Xia Lusheng first; she strode toward the table with Qi Die right behind her.

As they approached, Gu Yitong smiled and said, “Hello.”

The woman looked up, her gaze meeting Gu Yitong’s, and then—

“Holy crap! Teacher Zhao! It really is you! It’s actually Teacher Zhao!” Qi Die exploded from behind.

The shock on Qi Die’s face was almost comical. The other customers in the cafe turned to stare, but Qi Die didn’t care. She lunged forward and plopped down opposite Zhao Yasun, looking like a total fangirl meeting her idol.

“Teacher Zhao, I can’t believe it’s really you! I am so, so, so happy to see you!”

Zhao Yasun smiled and nodded at Qi Die. “Hello. I am happy to see you too.”

Qi Die’s heart felt like it was about to burst with excitement.

Seeing that her friend was practically losing the ability to speak, Gu Yitong sat down beside her and looked at Zhao Yasun, extending her hand. “Hello, Teacher Zhao. My name is Gu Yitong, Xia Lusheng’s sister.”

Zhao Yasun recognized her voice from the phone and shook her hand with a smile. “Thank you for being willing to meet with me.”

Qi Die, finally calming down, watched the two of them shake hands. She couldn’t help but give Gu Yitong an odd look. When did this girl learn to be so mature and composed?

“Your sister, Lusheng, is a child with a real soul for music,” Zhao Yasun began. “Her playing is very emotional, though her technique needs refinement. She is an unpolished gem, and she is young; her future is limitless. I won’t beat around the bush—I want to take Lusheng as my student. I asked you here today to see what you think of the idea.”

Before Gu Yitong could respond, Qi Die couldn’t help herself. “What is there to think about?! Only a fool would say no! Yes, yes, yes! Teacher Zhao, she’ll be your student!”

Zhao Yasun was amused by Qi Die’s outburst but didn’t take her word as final. Her gaze never left Gu Yitong.

After weighing it for a moment, Gu Yitong said, “I want to ask Lusheng what she thinks first.”