My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

Yunniang covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

"You flatter me, but if you would like to hear it, I, Yunniang, will make a fool of myself."

She placed the pipa on her lap, her hands resting on the neck of the instrument.

Take a deep breath, hold the pipa upright, and gently pluck the strings with your right hand.

A clear, resonant sound rang out in the night breeze, then drifted back.

Her fingers began to move, not by plucking, but by turning.

The five fingers swept across the strings in turn, and the sound was like spring water flowing from the cracks in the rocks, tinkling and tinkling, bringing a sense of peace to the listener.

Then she spoke.

"The green hills have been bathed in the glow of the setting sun many times; whose white-haired old man is he...? A pot of wine brings joyful reunion; how many events, past and present, are all but tales told with laughter..."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clear, like water in a mountain stream—cool and refreshing, yet carrying an indescribable warmth.

Her tone was steady, neither too fast nor too slow, and she pronounced each word clearly and each note precisely.

When she sang "All is just a joke," her voice softened, sounding like a sigh, or as if she were talking to someone.

Lu Yang held the bowl, forgetting to drink.

Miao Gui leaned back in his chair, his eyes half-closed, his fingers tapping lightly on his knees.

The chubby baby stopped gnawing on the bone, rested his chin on his hands, and looked at Yunniang with bright eyes.

A Luo looked at Yun Niang with a smile on her lips, but her eyes were a little red.

Ye Qingfeng held his teacup, swirling it slowly, his head tilted slightly, as if listening, or perhaps thinking about something very, very far away.

Yunniang stopped singing after finishing the first verse.

The courtyard was quiet for a moment, then Lü Yang was the first to applaud. "Great! Great! Absolutely wonderful!"

His voice was so loud that it startled the chubby baby, who almost fell off his chair.

Miao Gui nodded, unusually refraining from arguing: "It really does sound good."

A Luo held Yun Niang's hand, her eyes shining: "Yun Niang, sing another song."

Yunniang glanced at Ye Qingfeng, who nodded slightly.

She lowered her head and plucked the strings again. This time it was a different piece, a more cheerful tune, like birds chirping on branches in spring.

"Gathering, gathering plantain, we gently gather it. Gathering, gathering plantain, we gently have it..."

This song is shorter, but Yunniang sings it with even more flavor.

Her voice carried something else amidst its cheerfulness, something hard to describe, but it made one's heart soften.

Lü Yang listened intently, murmuring, "So beautiful..."

Miao Gui listened attentively, tapping his fingers on his knees to keep time.

The chubby baby slid off the chair, ran to Yunniang's feet, looked up at her with bright eyes.

After Yunniang finished singing, she looked down at the little boy with his face upturned, smiled, and reached out to pat his head.

The chubby baby squinted, looking completely content.

A Luo then pulled Yun Niang to sing several more songs.

Yunniang sang "The Moon Is High", then "Three Variations on Plum Blossom", and finally "Three Repetitions of Yangguan".

When she sang the line "I urge you to drink another cup of wine, for beyond Yangguan there will be no old friends," her voice trembled slightly, her fingers paused on the strings for a moment, and then she continued.

Ye Qingfeng put down his teacup and looked at Yunniang.

His gaze was calm, but there was something indescribable in his eyes.

It's not about appreciation, it's about understanding.

He knew what the woman was singing.

She wasn't singing a song; she was singing about herself.

Lu Yang wasn't satisfied with just one song, so he begged Yun Niang to sing another one.

Yunniang shook her head and said she was tired.

Lu Yang wanted to say more, but Miao Gui tugged at his sleeve, so he had no choice but to shut his mouth awkwardly.

Ye Qingfeng looked at Yunniang and suddenly said, "Yunniang, let's have dinner together."

Yunniang was taken aback for a moment, then quickly waved her hand, "No, no, I'm a widow, I shouldn't offend you all."

Ye Qingfeng shook his head, looked at her, and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft: "We are eating together, so why should we distinguish between noble and lowly people? Please sit down."

Yunniang looked at Ye Qingfeng with calm and sincere eyes, without disdain or pity, simply looking at her as if she were an ordinary person.

Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She lowered her head and said softly, "Then...then I'll be bothering you."

A Luo quickly served her a bowl of rice, picked out a few pieces of vegetables, and placed them in front of her.

Yunniang picked up the bowl, took a bite, and found the rice and vegetables were hot, and her heart was warm too.

After eating for a while, Lü Yang suddenly put down his chopsticks, looked at Yun Niang, and asked seriously.

"Yunniang, I have a question for you. The songs you sang were clearly cheerful tunes, but why did I feel a little... a little sad while listening to them?"

Yunniang paused slightly as she held the bowl.

She lowered her head, looking at the rice in her bowl, and didn't say anything.

Ye Qingfeng picked up his chopsticks and gently tapped Lü Yang's head with the other end of the chopsticks.

"Thump."

It was very light, but Lü Yang cried out "Ouch!" and covered his head, looking at Ye Qingfeng with a wronged expression: "Immortal Master, why did you hit me? I didn't say anything wrong."

Ye Qingfeng didn't look at him, but simply picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.

Lu Yang wanted to ask more, but Miao Gui pulled him aside and whispered, "Shut up."

Lü Yang opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Yunniang put down her bowl, looked up at Lü Yang, and smiled.

The smile was faint, but very genuine.

"Young Master Lü, you are not mistaken. The song I sang did indeed have a sorrowful tone."

Lü Yang was stunned.

Yunniang lowered her head, looking at the half-eaten bowl of rice in her mouth, and said softly, "My husband has been gone for less than a year. No matter what song I sing, it carries that same feeling. I know it myself, but I can't change it."

The courtyard fell silent. The lantern light flickered in the night breeze, and the shadow of the jujube tree swayed along with it.

Lü Yang's mouth was open, and he couldn't close it for a long time.

He recalled that he had just asked, "Why does it sound so sad?" and thought he was being clever by asking such a question, as he immediately understood.

His face turned red instantly, the redness spreading all the way to the roots of his neck.

He stood up and bowed deeply to Yunniang: "Yunniang, I'm sorry, I didn't know..."

Yunniang waved her hand: "It's alright, ignorance is no excuse. Besides, everyone in the village knows about these things, it's not a secret."

Lü Yang stood there, at a loss for what to do.

Miao Gui tugged at him, and he finally sat down.

He lowered his head, not daring to look at Yunniang or Ye Qingfeng.

He felt ashamed and guilty, wishing he could disappear into the ground.

Ye Qingfeng leaned back in his chair, looking at Lü Yang's embarrassed appearance, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

His gaze shifted from Lü Yang to Yun Niang.

The woman lowered her head, looking at the rice in her bowl. There were no tears on her face, but her eyes were glistening with moisture.

Lu Yang finally raised his head, picked up his wine cup, and raised it to Yunniang: "Yunniang, let me toast you. I was impetuous just now."

Yunniang also picked up her wine cup, clinked it with his, and took a sip. The wine was cold, but it warmed her heart.

Miao Gui also raised his glass: "Yunniang, I'd like to toast you too. You sang so well, much better than those opera singers in the village."

A Luo raised her cup, and the chubby baby also raised his cup of herbal tea, joining in the fun.

Ye Qingfeng also raised his glass slightly, his eyes showing a hint of admiration.

Yunniang looked at these people and at the wine cups they were raising, and suddenly smiled.

That smile was more genuine than ever before.

She picked up her glass, clinked it with everyone's, and then drank it all in one gulp.