Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Chapter 73 Listening to the Qin
In the blink of an eye, Ning Rongrong followed Feng Yao to the cafeteria of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. It was during the holiday after the conclusion of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, and the usually bustling cafeteria was unusually empty.

Sunlight streamed through the tall floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled shadows on the gleaming marble floor. Only a handful of people sat scattered throughout the spacious dining area, the clinking of cutlery sounding particularly crisp in the quiet space.

After collecting his food, Feng Yao walked briskly to a window seat, where the light was best and the view outside was most pleasant. Ning Rongrong followed behind him, her gilded embroidered shoes making a soft echo on the floor. She looked around and couldn't help but think of the always bustling little cafeteria at Shrek Academy—the tables and chairs there always creaked, yet it was full of lively atmosphere.

Ning Rongrong, carrying an exquisite plate, hesitated for a moment in the cafeteria before finally taking a graceful step and slowly sitting down opposite Feng Yao.

Noticing the commotion across from him, Feng Yao glanced up, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He didn't say anything, simply continuing to focus on the food in front of him, his movements elegant and methodical.

Ning Rongrong, however, seemed distracted. She mechanically stirred the thick soup with a silver spoon, her gaze occasionally glancing at Feng Yao.

Sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting a bright dividing line on the dining table between the two. Feng Yao remained composed, as if the gaze across from him didn't exist. Only after swallowing the last bite of food did he elegantly wipe his mouth and raise his eyes to meet Ning Rongrong's probing gaze.

Ning Rongrong gazed at the elegant Feng Yao across from her, her slender fingers lightly tracing the rim of her cup, and asked calmly, "The competition has ended, you should have graduated by now, right? Why are you still staying at the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy?"

Feng Yao leisurely brought the food from the silver fork to his mouth, savoring it carefully before gently wiping his lips with a snow-white napkin. He said softly, "Though the world is vast, there is nowhere to return. The academy has everything, which is quite convenient."

These words suddenly reminded Ning Rongrong of Oscar's resolute departing figure that day, and her glassy eyes instantly welled up with tears: "Yes. We have everything we need here, yet he left."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yao chuckled softly: "You mean... that food-type Soul Master?"

Ning Rongrong suddenly snapped back to reality, her gaze towards Feng Yao filled with resentment. In her heart, Oscar's departure was ultimately inextricably linked to the person before her. Her thoughts surged like a tide, and she couldn't help but contemplate another possibility: if they could win the competition, would her father look at Oscar differently?
If they win the championship, how dare those people mock the Oscars? It was just a mistake in a dance track.
Feng Yao met Ning Rongrong's sharp gaze, a playful smile curving his lips. "Heh, finally can't keep up the act anymore?" He elegantly swirled the wine in his glass. "Let me guess, you're not fantasizing—that if you had won the competition, everything would have been completely different? How adorably naive."

"Isn't that how it is?" Ning Rongrong's face turned pale, and her fingertips dug deeply into her palms.

Feng Yao gently shook his head, the wine in the glass cup reflecting his deep eyes: "Regardless of whether I won honorably, even if you won by chance..." He paused, his voice suddenly turning cold, "No matter how dazzling the fireworks of victory, they cannot conceal the fundamental problem. What your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School needs has never been a support Soul Master who can make sausages, but a strong individual who can stand shoulder to shoulder with you and support the future of the sect."

He looked directly into Ning Rongrong's slightly trembling eyes and said, word by word, "In this respect, even Tang San is a hundred times more suitable than that food-type kid."

Lies are like the wind passing by the ear, while truth is like a knife cutting into the heart.

As soon as Feng Yao finished speaking, Ning Rongrong's face turned ashen, and she froze on the spot as if her soul had been taken away.

Seeing that she remained silent, Feng Yao picked up the silver cutlery again and calmly began to enjoy the food on his plate. The crisp sound of the knife and fork clattering against the porcelain plate was particularly jarring in the quiet dining room.

After swallowing the last bite of food, he elegantly picked up a napkin to wipe the corner of his lips and looked up—Ning Rongrong still looked lost and dejected, her once lively eyes now eerily empty.

Feng Yao didn't say much, but simply straightened his sleeves and gracefully rose. The afternoon sunlight cast dappled shadows on him through the stained glass, and his slender figure walked slowly toward the lake where he had played the zither in the morning, leaving only a room filled with stagnant silence.

Ning Rongrong stared blankly at the empty seat, a sudden, sharp, aching pain rising in her chest. She had come here as her father had instructed, yet everything around her seemed to be silently mocking her. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, casting a shadow in her eyes, and her fingertips unconsciously clenched the hem of her skirt, crumpling the luxurious fabric into a ball.

In the alternate dimension, Chen Xin and Gu Rong gazed at this scene, a bitter feeling welling up in their hearts. The two titled Douluo exchanged a glance, both reading deep heartache and helplessness in each other's eyes.

Gu Rong abruptly flung his sleeves and roared, "I'm going to find Feng Zhi right now and have a word with her! I'm not doing this job anymore! Why should the little princess of the dignified Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School have to lower herself like this to fawn over an outsider!"

Chen Xin frowned slightly and placed a hand on Gu Rong's shoulder. "Wait." He looked into the distance with a complicated expression. "Although Feng Yao was arrogant, he didn't do anything excessive to Rong Rong. With his talent and strength, is he really going to bow down to a defeated opponent?"

"Hmph!" Gu Rong snorted coldly, his well-defined fingers cracking as he clenched his fists. "While Oscar may not be as good as Feng Yao, he's truly devoted to Rongrong. I must go and have a word with Feng Zhi. Does this mean that without the help of a Battle Soul Master, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is truly unable to maintain its dignity?"

Chen Xin sighed softly, his white hair fluttering slightly in the wind: "Feng Zhi's concerns are about what will happen to us a hundred years from now." His gaze was distant. "If Feng Yao were to assist the Crown Prince one day, could Rong Rong and Oscar's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School still maintain their current position in the Heavenly Dou Sect?"

Chen Xin stood with his hands behind his back. He knew better than anyone that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's title of "Number One School Under Heaven" was actually as precarious as walking on thin ice. If you removed him and Gu Rong, the two pillars of the school, in terms of the school's combat strength alone, it was far inferior not only to the original Number One School Under Heaven, the Clear Sky School, but also to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

Gu Rong stomped his foot, causing ripples in the alternate dimension. He roared, "Then what do you suggest we do? Are we supposed to let Rongrong continue to fawn over that kid?" His rough hands clenched into fists, the knuckles cracking crisply.

A pang of regret flashed in Chen Xin's eyes: "This is the price of growing up." He looked at Ning Rongrong's lonely figure not far away, his voice low: "How I wish she could always be like before, carefree and enjoying the company of us. But Rongrong must eventually learn to stand on her own."

"Hmph! I can't stand this!" Gu Rong turned around angrily, his robes fluttering. "You can continue to cower here like a coward; I'd rather not see it!"

In an instant, Gu Rong's figure flashed, shattering the void, and appeared in front of Ning Rongrong.

"Grandpa Bone!" Ning Rongrong looked up and saw that familiar face. Her eyes immediately reddened, and she rushed into Gu Rong's arms like a wounded little animal.

Gu Rong gently patted the girl's trembling back, his voice unusually soft: "Silly girl, your father is in a dilemma. Don't blame him, he didn't force you to do anything with that boy. Let's just treat it as normal interaction. Didn't your training this morning go very well?" He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes, "We can do without the person, but we have to accept this free benefit, right?" Ning Rongrong nodded, sobbing, recalling Feng Yao's ambiguous smile, feeling that it hid countless taunts. She forcefully wiped away her tears, stubbornly raising her small face: "Grandpa Gu is right! I don't care about him at all! Not only do I want him to obediently be my assistant, but I also want him to know the power of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School!"

Gu Rong laughed heartily, affectionately ruffling her hair: "This is my granddaughter, Gu Rong! Don't worry, Rongrong, as long as your Grandpa Jian and I are still alive, no one can force you to do anything. Leave your father to Grandpa!"

Seeing Ning Rongrong's renewed spirits, Gu Rong's eyes flashed with relief. He gently patted her shoulder and said softly, "Come on, let's not eat at this lousy cafeteria. Grandpa will take you to eat your favorite pastries. Let's put these worries aside for now and go straight to cultivation this afternoon."

Ning Rongrong stopped crying and smiled, nodding emphatically, "Okay, Grandpa Bone."

Gu Rong smiled indulgently, glancing at the empty space with a smug look on his face: "You shameless wretch, do you want to come along? What kind of skill is it to hide in the shadows and peek?"

A cold snort echoed from the void, and Chen Xin's figure slowly appeared. He said with a stern face, "Who peeked? I just happened to be passing by." But his gaze unconsciously fell on Ning Rongrong, and seeing that her mood had improved, his tense expression softened a bit.

Ning Rongrong let go of Gu Rong and ran over to grab Chen Xin's sleeve: "Grandpa Sword, come along too~"

Chen Xin shook her head helplessly, but a slight smile played on her lips: "You silly girl... let's go."

The three walked side by side, their shadows stretched long by the setting sun. Ning Rongrong walked in the middle, with two Title Douluos on either side of her, as if she had returned to her carefree childhood.

The intense afternoon sun poured down, shattering the lake's surface into countless shimmering gold foils. Feng Yao's slender fingers gently plucked and strummed the seven-stringed zither, producing clear and melodious sounds like a cool spring gurgling through the air, bringing a touch of coolness to the scorching heat.

Ning Rongrong walked gracefully over, stepping on the sun-baked pebbles, the seven-colored glazed pagoda shimmering with a dreamlike glow in her palm. This time, she didn't utter any provocative words, but simply sat quietly on the lakeside stone, letting the pagoda's radiance sway gently with the music.

Feng Yao kept his eyes closed, his gaze fixed on the sunlight, which painted a golden edge on his handsome profile. His figure, dressed in snow-white robes, appeared like a celestial being against the shimmering water. The music of the zither had somehow lost some of its coldness and gained a subtle, almost imperceptible gentleness.

"Why is this kid acting so pretentious, just like you?" Gu Rong squatted under the shade of the sycamore tree, tugging at his beard with dissatisfaction as he spoke to Chen Xin beside him.

As the music ended, Feng Yao slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Ning Rongrong like a dragonfly skimming the water: "I thought you had gone back." Before he finished speaking, his fingertips had already touched the strings again, and a melodious tune began to play—if you're going to fish, you can't be stingy with the bait.

Ning Rongrong gently stroked the shimmering light emanating from the glazed pagoda and said calmly, "This young lady is here to cultivate."

Feng Yao seemed oblivious, his slender fingers continuing to dance across the strings. The music flowed like a clear spring, creating cool ripples in the sweltering afternoon. His lowered eyelashes cast soft shadows in the sunlight, his expression so focused that it seemed as if only this seven-stringed zither existed in the world.

Ning Rongrong wasn't annoyed. Her spirit rings flickered continuously, causing the colorful light to sway gently to the rhythm of the music. The two of them played and listened in silence, neither of them uttering a word, yet a subtle balance was achieved in this silent understanding.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the last rays of golden light swept across the strings of the zither. Feng Yao's fingers gently pressed the strings, and the lingering notes drifted on. Ning Rongrong awoke as if from a dream, only then realizing with a start that twilight had fallen. The emptiness she felt as her soul power flowed through her body made her realize—how long had it been since she had been so immersed in cultivation?

"It seems Miss Ning has made considerable progress today." Feng Yao's voice was like a gentle evening breeze.

Ning Rongrong pursed her lips, a complex emotion flashing in her crystal eyes. She had once been defeated by this person, yet now she... She suddenly straightened her back, gritting her teeth inwardly: "Since Father has already paid the price, why not take advantage of this? Trying to scheme against my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School? Not so easy!"

Seeing the girl remain silent, Feng Yao said nothing more, picked up his ancient zither "Fuxi," and turned to leave. His white robe fluttered in the evening breeze, making him appear like a banished immortal.

"Hey! You playing the piano!" Ning Rongrong suddenly called out, "I'll be back tomorrow!" Before she finished speaking, the colorful light faded, and her graceful figure flitted across the lake like a butterfly, heading out of the academy.

In the afterglow, Feng Yao paused almost imperceptibly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The night was as dark as ink. Feng Yao arrived at the simulated training ground, guided by starlight. The moment his fingertips touched the door, a golden figure rushed into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest. Feng Yao was slightly startled, then stretched out his arms to catch the person steadily, lowering his eyes and smiling softly: "Xue'er is quite enthusiastic today."

Qian Renxue buried her face deeply in his chest, her golden hair cascading down like a waterfall, shimmering with delicate light in the moonlight. Sensing the unusual silence of the person in his arms, Feng Yao's eyes softened, and he gently stroked a stray strand of her golden hair with his fingertips: "Let me guess... has someone gotten jealous?"

Seeing that Qian Renxue still didn't answer, she only gripped his collar tighter. Feng Yao chuckled softly, leaning down to place a light kiss on her smooth forehead. His thin lips slowly moved down her brow, finally stopping at her flushed earlobe, his warm breath brushing against her sensitive earlobe: "Xue'er."

Qian Renxue's ears trembled slightly. She finally raised her head, her golden eyes, bright as stars, filled with reproach: "Playing the zither by the lake today, how elegant!" Her fingertip lightly poked his heart. "Little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, did you enjoy it?"

Feng Yao grabbed her mischievous hand and suddenly pinned her against the door. Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows on his brow.

Their eyes met, Qian Renxue's breathing became slightly erratic, but she still forced herself to stare at him. Before she could finish her words, they were suddenly swallowed by a warm touch. Feng Yao captured her lips, turning twenty years of vinegar into honey.

(End of this chapter)