135. The Unnoticed Erhu

"Sigh, such a promising start, and she’s completely squandered it. Too late for regrets now."

"She was so adamant before, claiming she had 'no interest in the Exchange Conference.' Yet here she is, begging to be involved. How hypocritical!"

"Just because she has a little talent, she thinks she can flip the world upside down. She even dared to bet against Master Qu's apprentice—look how that backfired! The votes for her first piece are already trailing behind Zhao De's."

"I knew it. Traditional music is just a niche interest after all."

"Sigh, if only Ji Fanxing hadn't insisted on 'only using traditional styles,' she might have stood a chance against Zhao De. I guess we should just listen and cherish what’s left."

"She’s trapped herself in her own web!"

"I still think there’s hope for Goddess Ji. I just checked; while the votes for 'Living Carefree' have remained stagnant for a day, the votes for 'Pipa Lullaby' have been steadily climbing. At this rate, she might catch up soon."

"Truth be told, even though 'Pipa Lullaby' is an instrumental piece, it’s genuinely excellent. I’ve been looping it all day and I’m not tired of it yet."

"But the current voting results show that Ji Fanxing is still behind Zhao De..."

"Let's hope she catches up. There’s speculation online that Ji Fanxing chose instrumental music because she’s run dry of creative juice. After all, traditional music is so unheard of; there’s no precedent or experience to draw from, so how could she be so prolific?"

"Goddess Ji, you were doing just fine—why did you have to stir up so much trouble? Cutting ties, making bets... It’s infuriating, I’m so frustrated with her!"

"Sigh..."

The consensus among the crowd was that Ji Fanxing had ruined a perfect hand. Especially when compared to her sister’s abundant resources, her decision to go it alone made her future look bleak. Her fans were frantic, with some even compiling her entire body of work and filmography into a collection, as if preparing to memorialize a flash-in-the-pan genius.

There were only five days left until the first week’s listening session of the National Music Exchange Conference.

Gu Huaiyuan, Dean of the Traditional Music Department at the Conservatory of Music, was a man of his word. He had been working tirelessly, lobbying several professors to assist Ji Fanxing with her wager against Zhao De.

Ji Fanxing arrived at the Traditional Music Department early that morning. After waiting for about half an hour, Fang Zhijing also arrived.

"Girl, you’re early." His voice preceded him before he even rounded the corner.

"Teacher Fang, you are my elder; naturally, I couldn't let you wait." Having lived for over a thousand years, Ji Fanxing felt no psychological burden calling a mere sixty-year-old an elder.

Seeing her calm and composed demeanor, Fang Zhijing laughed, "I thought you’d be anxious about the voting."

"It’s not over yet, so there's no need to worry." Ji Fanxing shrugged.

A flash of admiration crossed Fang Zhijing's eyes. This girl really knew how to keep her cool.

As they were talking, the bell rang for the end of class. Students trickled out of the teaching building, each carrying their own instruments—pipas, guzheng, flutes... a wide array.

Though the heritage of Dragon Kingdom’s traditional music was withering, there were still plenty of students majoring in common instruments, but...

Ji Fanxing scanned the crowd and realized, to her surprise, she didn't see a single erhu. Recalling her last visit, she didn't remember seeing anything related to the erhu either. As one of the most widely spread traditional instruments in Huaxia, it was unthinkable that not a single student played it.

"Teacher Fang, why don't I see any students studying the erhu?" Ji Fanxing couldn't help but voice her confusion.

"Because the only student in the entire school willing to study the erhu is my granddaughter!"

A resonant, elderly voice rang out. Ji Fanxing looked toward the sound. A white-haired man, radiating vigor, was approaching, followed by a tall girl with bobbed hair.

Though not tall, the old man carried an air of authority, his eyes sharp and piercing, as if he could see right through a person.

"Mr. Lu, it’s been a long time." Fang Zhijing stood up and gave a slight nod.

This elderly man was Lu Changhe, a member of a prestigious musical family and a part-time professor of traditional music at the conservatory.

"Indeed. This is my granddaughter, Lu Shengge," Lu Changhe said, nodding toward Fang Zhijing.

"Hello, Professor Fang." The girl with the short hair bowed slightly in greeting. She was carrying a rectangular wooden case, likely containing an instrument.

Under Fang Zhijing’s introduction, Ji Fanxing also introduced herself.

"Hello, Ji Fanxing. I’ve heard so much about you." Lu Shengge extended a hand, winking at her with natural ease.

"Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Just call me Fanxing."

Ji Fanxing remembered this girl; she had inadvertently helped her with a small matter during the opening ceremony of the competition. Later, she learned that Lu Shengge, coming from a musical dynasty, was quite a popular influencer who enjoyed sharing her life online.

As she shook the girl’s hand, she noticed a thin callus on her fingertips—the mark of someone who had practiced string instruments for a long time.

"You can call me Asheng! I saw the video of you playing the erhu online. I had no idea that besides singing so beautifully, you were also such a master of the erhu!"

Ji Fanxing’s bold demeanor during the bet with Zhao De had left a deep impression on Lu Shengge, and after stumbling upon the video of her playing the erhu, her admiration had only grown.

Nowadays, the number of young people willing to learn the erhu was nearly zero. Finding a kindred spirit made Lu Shengge incredibly happy.

"You flatter me. I only know a little."

"Fanxing, I really love your work." Lu Shengge lowered her voice, brimming with the excitement of a young fan. "You have no idea—my grandfather and father are always saying you’re too high-profile and disrespectful to your parents, and that you should be more like your sister..."

"Ahem." Lu Changhe gave a light cough, cutting off Lu Shengge’s words.

Lu Shengge stuck out her tongue, made a face at Ji Fanxing, and obediently stepped behind her grandfather.

"My apologies. My discipline at home has been lax; forgive the rudeness."

Lu Changhe’s face carried an apologetic expression, but his tone remained distant, keeping others at arm's length.

Ji Fanxing understood the subtext immediately. The Lu family was a musical dynasty, and the Ji family was a directorial one; both held significant weight in their respective circles. Her recent high-profile act of cutting ties with the Ji family was, in Lu Changhe’s eyes, an act of rebellion and moral waywardness, so he naturally held a poor opinion of her.

She wasn't offended. "Mr. Lu, you’re too kind. Asheng is lovely and lively; she’s very endearing."

"Indeed, Mr. Lu. I think Asheng is wonderful—very creative and full of spirit," Fang Zhijing added, trying to smooth things over.

Lu Changhe gave a cold snort. Had it not been for the strong recommendations from Fang Zhijing and Gu Huaiyuan, he would never have wanted to interact with this headstrong girl.

Ji Fanxing didn't care about the cold shoulder. Her expression remained unchanged.

"I’d like to ask you, Professor Lu: as the erhu is such a vital instrument in our traditional music, why are there so few people studying it?"

The erhu, an instrument that had once been so widely cherished among the people, had now fallen into such obscurity. It was truly unfathomable.