"Red Bean Melody, is that the name of this tune? Not bad." Lin Hanyin had by now removed his home hat and sat down beside the desk, propping up his head with one hand as he watched Zhou Xuan write.

  Zhou Xuan murmured "uh-huh" and wrote down "1 = F4/4——", suddenly shouting: "Bitter!" He put down his pen.

  "What's wrong? What's wrong?"

  When Zhou Xuan wrote the rhythm "4/4" he suddenly realized that no one in Southern Tang could recognize simplified scores, let alone staff notation. Of course, Zhou Xuan couldn't read staff notation either.

  "Lin Deputy Director, you can't recognize this notation method, it's a unique notation method in my hometown, even if I write it out, you won't be able to recognize it, what should we do?"

  "What's so special about your notation method? I can recognize both qin and sheng scores. Write a section out and let me see."

  Zhou Xuan could only write down a string of Arabic numerals, followed by dots and lines and parentheses. He tilted his head to ask Lin Huanyu: "Can you understand it?"

  "I didn't expect Lin Hanwen to say: 'What are you writing? You're just scribbling nonsense, like a ghost drawing symbols!'"

  "You don't admit your own ignorance but blame me for writing nonsense. Your face is really thick-skinned."

  Zhou Xuan spoke too bluntly, Lin Hanyu's small face turned red, and she put on a senior's airs, scolding: "No respect for elders, is this how you speak to your aunt? Hurry up and think of a way, I want to see the score that I can understand."

  Zhou Xuan spread his hands: "I have no choice, I can only play that tune a few more times to teach you, bring the Ba Yin Bao Qin here."

  Lin Han Yun listened and said, "Alright, I'll go get it. Bao Qin is at my sister's place." She also reminded him, "Don't let Zhou Xuan's nephew run around randomly, stay here quietly, otherwise if someone mistakes you for a thief, don't blame me."

  Lin Han Yun stood up and was about to leave when she suddenly heard someone behind the screen call out: "Han Yun——"

  On an autumn afternoon, the study was very quiet. This sudden and unexpected sound made Lin Hanyin scream loudly, and even Zhou Xuan was startled. He had been in the study for a while and didn't expect that there was still someone behind the screen who hadn't made a sound.

  Lin Han's eyes sparkled as she patted her little chest and asked: "Is it sister?"

  Someone behind the screen grunted in response.

  At this point, Zhou Xuan finally savored the melodiousness of that "hmm" sound, like a bamboo flute, with an indescribable low and gentle turn.

  Lin Han Yun walked behind the screen and said: "Sister, how long have you been here? You didn't even say a word, you scared me to death."

  That pleasant voice said: "I am meditating here, reciting the 'Huang Ting Jing' in silence. What are you chattering about? Han Yun, is this the person who sold you the qin? And what's with bringing him into the inner courtyard?"

  Lin Han said with a smile: "His name is Zhou Xuan, not an outsider, he's the nephew of Heishan and my sworn brother, haha, sister, where's Baoqin? Ask Zhou Xuan to play 'Hongdou Qu' for you, it sounds really good."

  Zhou Xuan couldn't figure out who the woman behind the screen was. If she was Lin Huanyu's sister, then she should be Miss Lin, but why did she call herself a poor Taoist nun? It was truly strange!

  Lin Han came out with the harmonica in his hand: "Zhou Xuan, blow well and there will be a reward. Both Xiao Gu Po and Da Gu Po will give you a reward."

  Zhou Xuan took over the harmonica and said: "You always say there's a reward, but I haven't seen any reward anywhere?"

  A faint laugh came from behind the screen.

  Lin Han said: "This time I'm not cheating you, there really is a reward, hurry up and blow."

  Zhou Xuan then played this "Hong Lou Meng" interlude again.

  The music stopped, and the surroundings fell silent. The sunlight in the afternoon shone through the glazed tiles on the roof and cast a diamond-shaped patch of light at Zhou Xuan's feet, which moved slowly, revealing the passage of time.

  Don't look at Lin Han Yun, who is usually wild and never quiet for a moment, but now she's completely absorbed in listening, leaning on the desk with her cheek propped up, concentrating on watching Zhou Xuan's lips.

  As soon as the music stopped, Lin Han Yun jumped up and ran to the back of the screen: "Sister, how was it? Did he play well? Wasn't this tune nice?"

  That bamboo tube generally said: "It's okay, you go out and bring pen and ink, I'll write the score."

  Lin Han Yun came out and moved the paper, inkstone, and brush in. Then she came out again and said: "Zhou Xuan, my sister wants you to play 'Red Bean Melody' once more, she's coming to write down the score."

  Zhou Xuan was very interested and wanted to see how the ancients remembered scores. He straightened up his spirit and tried his best to play "Red Bean Melody" in a more standard way.

  After a while, Lin Huanyu came out with a one-foot square flower paper in her hand and said: "Zhou Xuan, my sister wants you to take a look. Is this score correct?"

  At a glance, oh, above is a row of strange Chinese characters. Some are just radicals, some have fewer strokes than standard traditional Chinese characters but are not simplified characters, and there are also some weird symbols like tadpoles. Heavenly script!

  Zhou Xuan said bluntly: "I don't understand this notation method, I don't know if it's right or wrong."

  As soon as the words fell, a mournful and desolate sheng voice sounded from behind the screen, playing "The Red Bean Song". This classic song with a strong flavor is much more pleasant when played on the sheng than on the harmonica.

  "Marvelous! Marvelous! Too marvelous for words!"

  Zhou Xuan was very curious about the woman who was hiding behind the screen, claiming to be a poor Daoist with exceptional musical skills, and said: "Actually, this song is mainly sung, there are lyrics."

  Lin Han Yun asked: "What song lyrics, sing and see."

  Zhou Xuan cleared his throat and sang:

  "A drop of longing blood and tears, scattering red beans"

  The spring willow and peach blossoms fill the painted building.

  After the yellow dusk, the wind and rain outside the window made it difficult to fall asleep.

  Can't forget new worries and old worries

  A jade pellet is stuck in his throat, unable to swallow it down.

  The lotus flower is invisible in the mirror, and its appearance is thin.

  Unfurrowed eyebrows, unexplained gaps.

  Ah! The lush green hills are vaguely visible, as if trying to hide but unable to.

  Endless flowing green water, gentle and soft — "

  ……

  Zhou Xuan's vocals are not bad, with a metallic feel to his mid-range voice, singing with great emotion, as if he is Jia Baoyu, the number one romantic in the world, past and present, as described by Zhen Shiyin in "Dream of the Red Chamber", lamenting and sighing because he cannot keep all those beauties by his side.

  Lin Han was stunned, and there was no sound behind the screen either.

  After a while, the pleasant voice behind the screen asked, "Young Master Zhou, who wrote these lyrics?"

  Zhou Xuan bluntly said: "The lyrics and melody are all mine -", then humbly added: "Miss Lin is well-versed in music, I'm just a mediocre person, forgive me, forgive me."

  The voice behind the screen said: "My humble abode is quiet and peaceful, don't mispronounce it - Han Yun, give this to Master Zhou, don't always lose faith with people, let them laugh at you."

  A slanting sunbeam from the long window behind the screen shone over, and Zhou Xuan saw a slender silhouette appearing on the screen. It was the side view of a woman with her hair styled in a jade spiral shape, her neck high and proud, her chest raised, her waist pinched in, and her curves extending to her hips, throwing out a beautiful arc. Her figure was so enchanting that Zhou Xuan's breath caught in his throat.

  "Hey, what's wrong with you? This is a reward from your aunt." Lin Hanyun walked over and handed a piece of green jade pendant to Zhou Xuan.

  Zhou Xuan took a closer look and found that it was a piece of jade pendant, slightly larger than a copper coin. The color of the jade was delicate and moist, with an engraving of a strange creature with five heads, three eyes, and four arms, which looked both ferocious and majestic.

  Zhou Xuan looked at Lin Han and said: "This was given by Miss Lin, what about you?"

  Lin Han Yun shouted: "Wow, you're so greedy! This 'Wen Rou Xiang' jade pendant, my sister wouldn't even give it to me, but she gave it to you. Do you know that this is a priceless treasure? You're such an insatiably greedy guy!"

  Quiet Yi said from behind the screen: "Han Yun, don't waste words, send Master Zhou out."

  The slanting sun was blocked by the tree shadows, and the stunning silhouette on the screen also disappeared.

  Zhou Xuan followed Lin Hanyin out of the Du Hu Fu, walking to the edge of the archway separating the inner and outer courtyards. Lin Hanyin asked Zhou Xuan to wait a moment while she went to fetch 300 taels of silver. Zhou Xuan said: "The silver is not urgent, I'll have Hei Shan Ge bring it to me tomorrow. By the way, Vice Director Lin, why does your sister call herself 'Poor Way'?"

  Lin Han Yun was originally full of enthusiasm, but upon hearing this, her face fell and she scolded: "What business is it of yours, a junior, to ask so many questions about the adults' affairs? Hurry up and leave!" As she spoke, she pushed Zhou Xuan from behind.