He unexpectedly becomes a father at the start of his life, and the mother of his child is a national

Chen Hao looked down at his daughter's little face, which was full of "want to see," and then looked up at Lin Caiwei standing to the side.

Lin Caiwei was also staring at him, her eyes practically overflowing with curiosity—

She also wanted to see if this Chen Hao could really handle this classical and complex-looking pipa.

"OK."

Chen Hao didn't say much. He carefully put the accordion he had been playing with aside, held the pipa in both hands, walked to the middle of the room, and sat down on a wooden chair with a backrest.

He held the pipa upright in his arms, a posture that looked very steady.

The left arm is bent to support the body of the instrument, the palm rests on the neck, and the fingers rest naturally next to the frets;

His right hand hung loosely above the strings, his wrist slightly bent, ready to begin at any moment.

"What kind of thing would you like to hear?" he asked, his voice quite gentle.

Sisi blinked and, without thinking, said, "I love listening to whatever Daddy plays!" She was very good at flattering him.

Lin Caiwei crossed her arms, tapped her arm lightly with her fingertips twice, and thought for a moment before speaking:

"Can you play 'Ambush from Ten Sides'? Many years ago, I was on a business trip and happened to hear a professional group perform it live. That impression... was particularly deep."

She said it so lightly, but she was thinking it through.

"Ambush from Ten Sides" is one of the most difficult pieces for the pipa, and it is considered a representative of "martial music". It is not something that can be accomplished by simply plucking a few strings.

That requires real skill and the ability to mobilize a vast army.

Her question was partly an attempt to probe Chen Hao's intentions—if he were just playing around, he probably wouldn't dare to touch this.

Chen Hao listened, but his face didn't show any particular expression; he simply nodded.

"Okay, let's play 'Ambush from Ten Sides'."

After he finished speaking, he closed his eyes, and his chest rose and fell slowly, as if to settle down the chaotic atmosphere around him.

When I opened my eyes again, my gaze had changed.

The gentle, smiling light that usually shone when she looked at Sisi and her disappeared, replaced by extreme focus.

His eyes were dark and deep, staring at a point in the void, which inexplicably gave people a sharp and frighteningly serious feeling.

He raised his right hand, lowered his wrist, brought his four fingers together, and slammed them against the four strings!

"Zheng—!"

The sound was not like the sound of a zither, but rather like some sturdy silk being torn apart!

It was crisp and shiny, and it had a burst of energy, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, exploding without warning in this small living room.

[Ding! Playing "Ambush from Ten Sides" on the pipa, music skill experience points +300]

The opening was so powerful that Lin Caiwei felt her heart pound with the sound, and her whole body involuntarily trembled slightly.

Sisi let out a soft "Ah!" and shrank back, instinctively trying to hide, but her eyes were wide open, staring intently at her father's hand.

But the shock was fleeting; immediately afterward, the mother and daughter seemed to be hooked by an invisible hook in that voice.

My mind was instantly drawn into that ancient and intense world created by the sound of the pipa.

Chen Hao's fingers began to move on those four strings.

It wasn't a slow, deliberate dialing; it was truly "flying."

One moment it was the simultaneous "sweeping" and "blowing" of all four strings, the sound as loud as the beating of war drums;

Then, several fingers took turns rapidly plucking the same string in a rapid, dense, and fast-paced manner, like countless hooves approaching from afar.

There are also "pick", "flick", "double flick", "split"...

Those techniques that Lin Caiwei couldn't name were like child's play in his hands, flowing smoothly without the slightest stumble.

The opening section features tight, dense music that makes it a little suffocating, yet somehow, you can also hear something else within that intense, rhythmic sound—

It was as if countless people were running and lining up silently, their metal armor clashing gently, and their warhorses snorting impatiently—a mixture of deathly stillness and commotion before a storm was brewing.

[Ding! Music skill experience points +420]

His left hand was also busy, moving swiftly across the long neck of the pipa, inlaid with rows of frets and key marks, and pressing down with impeccable pitch.

Sometimes, while pressing the string, you also need to gently rub it to give the sound a tremor and a charm; this is what is meant by "vibrato" and "rubbing".

The right hand, on the other hand, can vary greatly in strength.

To depict the chaotic battle of two armies clashing together, he swept all the strings with great force, creating an explosive sound that truly captured the feeling of swords slashing and sparks flying.

But in an instant, to depict the lurking conspiracy and the covert deployment of troops, he softened the pressure, making the sound of his fingers twirling extremely light and delicate.

It's like someone is tiptoeing through the pitch-black night, with danger lurking behind every shadow.

The music jumps back and forth between strong and weak, fast and slow, dense and sparse sounds, but it is not chaotic at all. You can hear clearly what each part is about, and it is very well-organized.

Lin Caiwei was completely stunned.

She had indeed listened to professional recordings and knew what made this piece difficult.

It is not only difficult in terms of those dazzling finger skills, but also in how you use a pipa to "tell" the story of that great battle that determined the course of history.

It needs the momentum of a thousand troops charging into battle, like an overwhelming force; it also needs the details of bloodshed and life hanging by a thread, making people's hearts clench.

Chen Hao's skill... is far beyond what can be described as simply "playing the piano".

He seemed to have thoroughly mastered the piece, from beginning to end, inside and out.

When the music reached its most intense and dramatic sections, the pipa's sound was like the most violent summer downpour, pounding down relentlessly.

Interspersed with the sounds of wind and thunder, it truly evoked the feeling of clashing swords and galloping horses, a powerful force capable of swallowing up thousands of miles.

But when the rhythm slows down and the voice lowers, it sounds like an elite squad secretly advancing under the cover of night.

The surroundings were quiet, but the murderous intent was even stronger than before, seeping out from the strings of the zither.

What's most amazing is that his performance is accompanied by visuals.

As I listened, it seemed as if an ancient battlefield truly unfolded before my eyes, with fluttering banners and familiar Chu folk songs drifting from all directions.

You can even feel the overwhelming sorrow and helplessness of that hero as he faced his end and parted ways with his lover.

[Ding! Music skill experience points +500]