As usual Xiao Bai and Mingxue prepared early for today's class. However today is a little bit more out of the normal.

Instead of using his all white robes, Xiao Bai specifically wore a little more extra.

He wore a majestic but simple blue robes with his hair flowing down and adorned by silver ornaments. His belt that was outlining his tiny waist are accomplished by a hanging silver bell that lightly tingles in every movement.

Xiao Bai was very thankful that their arts and music teacher pushed him to study a zither saying that it will be easy since his hearing of chords and tunes are already honed when he studied piano and violin.

And he happens to master again very well. He was supposed to compete that year but he ran away from home and dropped out of school.

"Young master, here's your guqin." Yifan handed the wrapped seven-stringed zither to him. Xiao Bai carefully took it and went inside the academy.

While walking to their classroom, bystanders couldn't help but look at this two eye candies. One was giving off a noble and fresh image in his blue and silver theme while the other gives off a mysterious and cold image with his off white and black theme.

"Master wang!" A cute female voice shouted towards them. So they stopped for a while and looked for the source.

"Senior Yang, it's you. Good morning." Xiao Bai greeted Yang Lianhua when she reached them.

"Good morning. By the way, are your class going to have an instrumental play later?" Lianhua asked as soon as she noticed the zither on Xiao Bai.

Xiao bai, "Ah yes. How did senior know?"

Lianhua, "well. Afternoon yesterday, we all received an invitation that if we want to see the special class' performance then we're free to go to the lotus cove area. "

Xiao bai, "Seems like teacher xin made some surprise for us again."

Lianhua, "He didn't tell the class?"

Xiao bai, "No."

Lianhua, "Well then, the student union will come and cheer later on you guys."

Xiao bai, "Thanks Senior."

Lianhua, "And don't call me senior. Just call me Lianhua-jiejie."

Xiao bai, "I will, Lianhua-jie."

Lianhua smiled to him and walked away. Xiao Bai just sighed and continued their way to their classroom. Although he had more questions to his uncle Xin, he decided to not be nosy about it for the meantime.

"Xiao Bai, over here!" Arriving at their destination, students are scattered outside, in a complete mess. Good thing that Dingwu called out to them, beside him are XuWei and Ruo Lan.

Xiao bai went towards them, "What's up?"

"We are heading to the lotus cove. Teacher Xin said that we'll perform there." Dingwu excitedly said.

"You seem pretty excited. I'm sure you are pretty confident about your perfomance." Xiao bai praised with a smile.

"Of course!" Dingwu said with his head held high. XuWei and Ruo Lan couldn't help but shock their heads seeing his enthusiasm. Xiao Bai also awkwardly smiled after noticing the two's reaction.

30 minutes later at the lotus cove area.

Students were organized on the side on bay of the cove. At the very center was a long table where other teachers and visitors are sitting at, there was the headmaster yang at the middle.

Beside their table are the tables resevered for the student union members. And behind them were countless students who came to see the special class' performance.

The student's performance are not alphabetical but by draw lots. Many of Xiao bai's classmates started to whisper in each other talking about how nervous and excited they feel.

The place they were performing later was a pavilion built in above the waters of the cove. So the pavilion was surrounded by waters reflecting the blue skies and lotuses with diverse colors giving it a more vibrant but relaxing feeling.

Like those music videos Xiao Bai watched in the past with amazing background and all.

Teacher Xin made some introduction first then went on picking the list of the performers.

When it was the 20th student, Mingxue got called. Mingxue's instrument was a dizi[1]. He delivered a wonderful performance of the song 'Plum blossoms in three movements'.[2] The theme of the song is to praise the gritty spirit of plum blossom in the severe winter.

Which mingxue delivered acurrately and beautifully capturing the hearts of the audience in awe. After finishing, he received a lot of applaud from the people.

The 28th to perform was Ruo Lan. He's chosen instrumental was a bianzhong[3]. He played 'a moonlit night on a spring river'[4]. As someone who left his family to pursue independence, one could say that he somehow could connect with the melody.

And the audience also felt his emotions through his performance which in return earned their appreciation.

The 30th performaer was Dingwu. Xiao bai and his group was also looking forward to what he prepared for them. He seems to be quite confident about it so Xiao Bai was a bit sure that it would be also good.

Suddenly when he started, Xiao Bai's eyes turned wide in surprise. Xiao Bai expected him to perform an emotional or inspirational or touching melodies like mingxue and ruo lan did but he instead played a very energetic one.

XuWei couldn't help but let out a low laugh on his side. He slapped XuWei's shoulder that mouthed 'stop it' since it rude to laugh when someone is performing.

However Ruo Lan also couldn't help but laugh as well so Xiao Bai just shooked his head and felt the urge to push this two into the cove.

The crowd who enjoyed his performance was swaying their bodies to the beat, even the teachers are starting to bob their heads.

At the 35th, Xuwei's turn finally came. He was walking towards the pavilion when many girls squealed just by the sight of him. And XuWei, the inborn flirt he was, find Xiao Bai in the crowd and send him a wink.

All the fan girls thought that it was for them and it immediately became a chaos, Xiao Bai who was supposed to be the receiver though that it was for the girls felt gloomy and scolded himself.

With his guzheng [5] in front of him, he sat down and tested the strings. Many viewers are full of anticipation to what his performance will be.

XuWei finally started to play. 'High mountain and running river' [6]was one of the most commonly played solo with a guzheng however they really couldn't give soul to what they were playing.

However XuWei was able to grasp it. The song is not slow nor fast in beat, one could even say that it was a bit energetic however, the real meaning behind the song isn't about how it depicts a mountain as high as mount Tai or a river like the Yangtze river but a someone who lost a person who understands him the most.

This was the real story behind this song, and Xiao Bai felt his heart was being gripped with frightinning sadness listening to him. The corners of his eyes turned red and tears could fall out if he don't fight it.

XuWei was also not good. His head was hung down, trying to hide his helpless appearance from the eyes of many people.

This was not supposed to be what he will be playing today but it was like he could understand the feeling of losing someone important to you.

Subconsciously his eyes searched for the man he admire only to find that the other was also looking at him. They locked eyes for a good minute before Xiao Bai felt his bloom rushing to his face and avoid the gazing battle between them.

Xiao bai definitely felt the sorrow in his performance. It was not even a performance anymore but a requiem and it made him feel suffocated. The audience are not as strong as he is, psychologically and emotionally so their eyes soon became a waterfall, tears falling one by one.

Finishing his performance, the whole crowd was in a full silence. They experienced something that felt like every second, every tune, every chord, and every string was like an eternity.

But the sound abruptly stopped, leaving them in a complete state of confusion. They adapted back to reality and started a huge round of applause. They didn't really know who started it but the noise was now earth shattering.

Claps, shouts, whistles, and other kinds of appreciation was heard.

Xin Shihui also clapped his hands for his house, showing a proud expression in his face.

XuWei bowed to them then returned to Xiao bai's side.

"Nice work!" Xiao Bai praised, trying hard not to act weird.

"Thank you!" XuWei showed a big smile for receiving Xiao bai's words, bug right now he seriously want to hug this man and never let him go.

"Young master, that was splendid!" Ruo lan was wiping his snot with his handkerchief, crying helplessly.

"What's wrong with you?" XuWei was of course grossed out by Ruo pan's behavior not because of his snot bit because he was seeing a big man bawling his eyes out.

"I mean— that was so deep. I almost believed that you are suffering from being left by someone. Although I know that you are nor experiencing that because I've been with you for a long time." Ruo Lan justified himself.

XuWei couldn't rebuke that. He, himself, was also at lost as to how he managed to symphatize with the song without experiencing it. Is it because he was just a natural born genius? He knew that he was a genius in court but his music, although top-notch in terms of skills, lacks soul.

However since he met Xiao Bai, he was able to discover new things about himself, it was like there was something hidden in the depths within him just waiting to be awaken.

"Ruo-xiong, please don't disgrace yourself anymore." Mingxue went to Ruo Lan and whispered.

Dingwu who happened to hear if laughed out loud. Soon many eyes turned to them and Ruo lan's manly image was gone in the people's mind.

"Are you ready for your turn?" XuWei asked Xiao Bai, completely alienating the three behind them.

"Yes, but a little anxious." Xiao Bai clenched his hands.

"Why?" XuWei saw his little actions and couldn't help but be concerned.

"Seeing your performance, I think the performers left will be outshined by you." Xiao Bai said with a laugh.

"That's not true at all. I think that you will be the to outshine everyone today when the people hear you play." XuWei patted his shoulders and looked at him with eyes full of certainty.

"How can you be so sure?" Xiao Bai asked while looking at the other with a questioning look.

"Well, let's say that I sneaked to your backyard yesterday night, and I heard your piece." XuWei truthfully said without even batting an eye as if he didn't come something shameless.

"Why do you always sneak in my house?!" Xiao Bai couldn't help but raise his voice.

"I can't help it, it became a habit of mine." XuWei then laughed it off. Not good he's mad, he thought.

"Hayst. Anyway, don't do that in the future. We have something called a front door. We didn't put it there for decoration so please use it." Xiao Bai sarcastically said.

"Okay." XuWei smiled but one could see that Xiao bai's words came in the right ear and out of the left ear. He didn't really put it in his mind at all.

And just as Xiao Bai said. The following performers paled at xuwei's piece. Then finally last but not the least, it was finally Xiao bai's turn.

He was about to go to his stage when XuWei grabbed his wrist making him face XuWei.

XuWei looked into xiao bai's eyes with full seriousness, "play for me."

'That's right, don't play for others just play solely for me. I don't care if the whole world listens to you, as long as I knew that it was for me then i'll be at ease.'

Xiao bai was silent for a while and xuwei's heart was also beating like crazy. Xiao Bai just sighed in defeat and nodded in agreement. Xiao Bai gave him a very gentle and assuring smile so he slowly let go of Xiao bai's wrist and let him stepped into the spotlight.

.........................
Author's not:

>Dizi- chinese flute.

>'Plum blossoms in three movements' - This ancient work was firstly composed by Hengyi ( a military officer in Dongjin Dynasty ), then adapted to Guqin composition. It is widely known not only for its grace of cantus, but its backdrop anecdote.

Chinese people are so very much known for them using objects to define certain things so this song also has a very deep history in it.

(Note: the description about this one is too long, I can't put it all in here so if you have time just google for it's history and also listen to it at the same time.)

>Bianzhong- Bianzhong is an ancient Chinese musical instrument consisting of a set of bronze bells, played melodically. China is the earliest country to manufacture and use musical chimes. They are also called Chime Bells.

>'A moonlit night on a spring river'- Zhang Ruoxu was a Chinese poet of the early Tang dynasty. He is best known for "A Moonlit Night on the Spring River" (Chun Jiang Hua Yue Ye, 春江花月夜), one of the most unique and influential Tang poems, which has inspired numerous later artworks.

The poem can be divided into nine quatrains and three sections. The first section describes the scenery of the moonlit Yangtze River in spring. The second and third lament the ephemerality of life, as well as the sorrow of travellers and the loved ones they leave behind.

The poem marks a stylistic break from the poetry of the preceding Six Dynasties, and anticipates the content and style of High Tang poetry. The influential 20th-century poet Wen Yiduo was especially enthusiastic in his praise, calling it "the poem of all poems, the summit of all summits."

>Guzheng- The zheng or guzheng, is a Chinese plucked zither. The modern guzheng commonly has 21, 25 or 26 strings, is 64 inches long, and is tuned in a major pentatonic scale. It has a large, resonant soundboard made from Paulownia wood. Other components are often made from other woods for structural or decorative reasons.

'High mountain and running river' - Listed as one of ten best ancient Chinese music pieces, "High Mountains Flowing Water" has lyre and zither versions, both inspired by the classical allusion: Boya encountering a person who understands his zither performance.

"Bo Ya was good at playing the qin. Zhong Ziqi was good at to listening to the qin. When Bo Ya's will was towards high mountains in his playing, Zhong Ziqi would say, 'How towering like Mount Tai!' When Bo Ya's will was towards flowing water in his playing, Zhong Ziqi would say, 'How vast are the rivers and oceans!' Whatever Bo Ya thought of Ziqi would never fail to understand. Bo Ya said, 'Amazing! Your heart and mines are the same!' When Ziqi died, Bo Ya broke the strings [of his qin] and vowed never to play [the qin] again. Thus, there was the melody of High Mountains Flowing Water."

(Note: all of this exist, okay? I really suggest that you go and listen to this because it's really beautiful, I promise! )

☘mini theater☘

Xiao bai: oh wow, I didn't get to play in this chapter.

XuWei: yeah, why? I was looking forward to it you know?

Author: shhhh..I'm making another chapter solely for my baby Xiao bai, okay?

Xiao bai: really?

Author: of course.

XuWei: that's—

Author: what?

XuWei with starry eyes: That's awesome!

Author: Are turning into a fanboy right now? Seriously? I'm afraid that one you'll be worshiping Xiao Bai like one of the gods soon.

XuWei: no.

Author: *sighs in relief* that's good to hea—

XuWei: he's my goddess.

Author: never mind.

Xiao bai: guess I'll have a prince as a fan, how cool is that?

XuWei: of course it's super cool!

Xiao bai: no. I'm being sarcastic.

XuWei: you were?

Xiao bai: yes

XuWei: but it's true though.

Xiao bai: ....

Author: .... He's a goner.

Xiao bai: yeah..

Xuwei: .....