Rebirth: Inheriting Millions In The Eighties
Chapter 161 Art Festival 3_1

Chapter 161: Chapter 161 Art Festival 3_1

Xia Jiaojiao met her gaze without fear, propped her chin with her hand, and bore the look of someone enjoying a good show.

Whether she forfeited next or went up to perform, she was just waiting to embarrass herself!

She simply couldn’t believe a country bumpkin could play the guzheng!

"There must be some mistake, I’ll go talk to your class teacher...," he started to rise from his seat as he spoke, but as he was about to stand up, a pair of soft, boneless hands landed on his shoulder.

These hands were surprisingly strong, pushing him back into his seat.

He looked up instinctively, meeting Xia Ningxing’s calm eyes, "No need, brother. I’m going on stage to play the instrument."

It was just playing the instrument, no big deal.

She was calm and steady, completely unaffected by the sudden surprise, not showing even the slightest bit of nervousness—instead, the corners of her mouth revealed a hint of scorn.

Since someone wanted to set her up, then she was certainly going to satisfy them!

After all, wasn’t she a good person!

"But little sister, you’ve never learned the guzheng either, how can you go up and play ..." Seeing that she was really going to perform on stage, her big brother was nearly in tears. Others might not know his little sister’s abilities, but how could he not!

If she couldn’t play or just played randomly, not to mention whether the school would be embarrassed, she herself would be laughed to death by her classmates!

By contrast, Lu Tingli on her right was much calmer. His long eyebrows expressed warmth, and he gently touched her head with his hand, "Good luck."

Although he had never seen Xia Ningxing play the guzheng, if she dared to go up there, it meant she was confident.

"Mm! Thank you, Lu!" Encouraged by the big shot, Xia Ningxing’s eyes instantly curved into smiles. She stood up and walked toward the stage.

Under the gaze of thousands, Xia Ningxing, dressed in the blue and white school uniform, approached the stage at an unhurried pace.

Her face was as bright as the morning sun, not showing the slightest hint of gloom. Instead, under the stage lights, she appeared even more radiant and alluring.

She was petite and small, her ponytail bouncing slightly, like a rabbit frolicking on the grass.

In the middle of the stage was a guzheng. After sweeping it with a glance, Xia Ningxing sat cross-legged in front of it.

Her movements were graceful and distinguished, reminiscent of a well-bred young lady from the ancient times.

She slightly lifted her long eyelashes, her clear pupils calmly scanning the dense crowd below, and said, "The next piece I will bring to everyone is ’Mountains and Rivers’."

Her voice was soft and glutinous, sweet as a block of osmanthus cake.

"Mountains and Rivers"!?

Hearing the piece she announced, the whole audience was shocked.

Even the judges at the front showed signs of disturbance, some with astonishment and some shaking their heads in disdain.

Anyone familiar with the guzheng knew that "Mountains and Rivers," a piece passed down from the ancient Southern Dynasty, was said to be composed by the Founding Emperor of Southern Dynasty himself, with a complex melody that required a high level of skill to play properly.

With less than decades of practice, she thought she could play it?

Xia Jiaojiao stared at her as if she were looking at a lunatic, and snorted with contempt, biting off more than she could chew!

"Has her brain gone mad? ’Mountains and Rivers’ is one of the most challenging pieces in guzheng music. Does she even know how to play it?"

"You might not know it, but I heard she’s from the countryside."

"Gosh, country folks really are overconfident."

"Let it go, let’s just wait and watch her make a fool of herself."

"You can’t talk about my sister like that!" Her older brother was so angry his handsome face turned red, his fists clenched tightly as he glared at those around him who were looking down on his sister.

Xia Ningxing naturally also heard the disdainful sneering from the crowd below, but her expression remained unchanged, as if she was above the fray.

She raised her slender hands, her gaze lowered slightly as she began to pluck the strings.

At first, everyone could see her fingers’ movements clearly, but as the pace quickened, all they could make out were trails of afterimages of her fingers.

Fast!

It was really too fast!

Such incredible hand speed!

Suddenly, a series of impassioned and heart-stirring melodies rang out.