lcionline Chapter 9 admits his mistake, and he didn't just praise me.
Chapter 9 admits his mistake, and he didn't just praise me.
"This is ridiculous!"
The atmosphere in the living room of Professor Jin Tielin's home on the third floor of the faculty and staff dormitory at the China Conservatory of Music was somewhat subtle.
The early summer sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, illuminating the coffee table covered with a white lace tablecloth.
A faint aroma of tea filled the air.
Jin Tielin sat upright on the single sofa covered with a plain-colored sofa cover, his back straight and his brows slightly furrowed.
His gaze fell upon the two students standing with their hands at their sides opposite the coffee table.
He held a white porcelain teacup in his hand, the tea inside had already cooled down.
"You two, you've even learned to team up to lie to the teacher, haven't you?"
Lin Hanjiang and Zhang Ye both lowered their heads even further.
"Do you know how I spent my night?"
Jin Tielin placed the teacup on the coffee table with a light touch, making a crisp "click" sound.
"Just as I lay down and was about to drift off, the phone rang. When I answered, it was a barrage of questions from friends. They said things like, 'Hey Lao Jin, congratulations! Your student is amazing! That song 'The Story of Spring' he wrote and sang is absolutely brilliant. You were the one who vetted it, weren't you? You kept it a secret.'"
He mimicked the tone of the person on the other end of the phone perfectly, which made Lin Hanjiang and Zhang Ye feel even more guilty.
"I was still in a daze. What story? What vetting? Well, the phone had barely hung up when it rang again! Du Mingxin! Li Shuangjiang! And Old Zhao from the General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe, Old Qian from the Naval Political Department Art Troupe... one after another, all congratulating me, asking if I had prepared such a powerful secret weapon for my students, and even asking if I was going to switch careers to become a creative mentor."
Jin Tielin became increasingly amused and exasperated as he spoke.
"I felt like a fool, listening to them praise my student, but I didn't even know what my student sang. I remember clearly, the song they gave was 'Sing a Folk Song for the Party.' Xiao Ye, what did you tell me when you came back? Hmm? 'Teacher, Hanjiang has recovered, don't worry, he'll definitely sing well!' Is that what you call singing well? That's keeping me in the dark!"
Zhang's face flushed, and he forced himself to take half a step forward, his voice barely a whisper: "Teacher, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I helped Hanjiang keep it from you; it has nothing to do with him. I was afraid you'd be angry if you found out, so I stopped him..."
Lin Hanjiang immediately looked up and said, "Teacher, it was my own idea to change the song. I made the decision and wrote the score. It has nothing to do with my senior sister. She was just trying to help me."
"Alright, alright!"
Jin Tielin waved his hand, interrupting their scramble to admit their mistakes.
"The back-and-forth singing, like they've already rehearsed the lyrics, is even more annoying to listen to."
He sighed, leaned back on the sofa, and the stern look on his face faded.
"I'm not really blaming you guys. Young people have their own ideas, want to try new things, and I understand that. When Xiao Ye first participated in the competition, he didn't get the best ranking either, but he still ended up on the Spring Festival Gala stage, didn't he?"
When Zhang heard the teacher mention his embarrassing past, his face turned even redder, and he muttered softly, "Teacher, this happened so many years ago, why are you bringing up my embarrassing past?"
"I'm not pointing out your weaknesses, I'm just telling you that winning or losing a single competition isn't that important."
Jin Tielin's tone turned serious.
"The key is to choose the right path and have the right mindset. If you fail, learn from the experience and keep trying. With your talent and foundation, as long as you stay on the right track, fame is just a matter of time. But the premise is that if anything happens, you have to let me, your teacher, know. I've seen more than you've walked the road. I can't guarantee you'll succeed, but I can at least help you avoid some pitfalls and prevent you from going astray at crucial moments."
He looked at his two students, on whom he had placed high hopes, and said earnestly, "On the path of art, talent and passion alone are not enough; you also need a clear mind and a reliable mentor. You two, on the other hand, just blindly rushed forward without even a word of warning. What if you had messed it up on stage last night? What if the judges didn't accept your new song? Have you thought about the consequences?"
Lin Hanjiang and Zhang Ye exchanged a glance.
The two of them knew perfectly well that their teacher, Jin Tielin, was still angry.
If I'm stubborn, I'll have to stand here all day.
They all lowered their heads and said sincerely, "Teacher, we were wrong."
Seeing their sincere apology, Jin Tielin's anger subsided considerably.
He picked up the now-cold tea, took a sip to moisten his throat, and softened his tone: "Alright, let's not talk about the past. Since everyone agrees, then... Hanjiang, you stay here and sing 'The Story of Spring' for the teacher, exactly as it is. Let me hear it, and see just how 'amazing' it is."
Lin Hanjiang nodded.
There was no accompaniment, no stage, only the scrutinizing gaze of the teacher and the encouraging look of the senior student.
He cleared his throat, adjusted his posture and breathing slightly, and then spoke.
When that deep and expressive singing voice rang out in the simple living room, Jin Tielin's initially slightly scrutinizing gaze gradually changed.
He was slightly taken aback at first, then unconsciously sat up straight.
Immediately, his brows relaxed, and surprise showed in his eyes.
When Lin Hanjiang sang "Cities rise like myths, mountains of gold gather like miracles," Jin Tielin's fingers began to tap silently on his knees.
When the magnificent and hopeful chorus begins, "Spring thunder awakens the Great Wall, spring sunshine warms both banks of the Yangtze River."
Jin Tielin had already closed his eyes, completely immersed in the magnificent picture and sincere emotions depicted in the song.
As the music ended, the lingering notes seemed to still echo in the air.
Jin Tielin slowly opened his eyes, looked at the disciple in front of him who was slightly nervous but had clear eyes, and remained silent for a long time.
The living room was so quiet that you could hear the ticking of the second hand on the old-fashioned wall clock.
"Teacher?" Zhang asked cautiously.
Jin Tielin seemed to snap out of his daze, let out a long breath, looked at Lin Hanjiang, and slowly uttered two words: "Good song."
His evaluation was concise, but Zhang Ye and Lin Hanjiang, who knew his personality well, knew how rare it was to hear such straightforward praise from Teacher Jin.
"Not only is the song good, but the singing is also thoughtful. The vocal foundation is still there, the resonance is still there, but the way it's handled is definitely different. How did you figure out this rap style?"
Jin Tielin added.
After all, it's not his signature Jin-style singing.
Lin Hanjiang then reiterated his previous explanation to Zhang Ye to the teacher in a more organized manner, emphasizing that it was a natural adjustment made to better express the emotions of the song while maintaining scientific vocalization.
Jin Tielin listened without comment, only nodding slightly.
After Lin Hanjiang finished speaking, he said, "I'll watch it on TV this weekend. With a band playing, the effect should be even more different."
He paused for a moment, and finally a very faint smile appeared on his face. "It seems that my old friends weren't exaggerating this time."
He pointed to the sofa next to him: "Don't stand, everyone sit down."