In crossover anime, who isn't a childhood friend?

As usual, Yuan Qianye sat down at the piano and plugged in her headphones.

The piano that Touma Yoko bought and displayed in the store was not a traditional piano, but an electric piano.

Traditional pianos produce sound through physical movement using traditional mechanical devices such as keys, action mechanism, and hammers.

Electric pianos, on the other hand, rely on electronic technology to simulate the sound of a piano.

The processor captures keyboard input, converts it into digital signals, and finally uses algorithms to simulate the timbre and sound quality of a piano.

The prominent figures in the piano world generally prefer traditional pianos.

Because the keys of a traditional piano have a more realistic touch, the subtle tactile sensation brought about by the resistance and inertia in the mechanical mechanism is more important to professional performers, as it can provide direct feedback on dynamic changes.

However, Touma Yoko had only acted on a whim that day and naturally didn't think too much about it, so she just randomly picked a model at a nearby piano store.

Yuan Qianye thought the electric piano was also good, not only because he was a beginner, but also because when he tried to practice pieces he didn't know, he could wear headphones so that the noisy music wouldn't disturb other people in the store.

He brought up the sheet music on his phone and just placed it on the piano stand when a message came from someone he had just thought of.

Happy New Year, Chiyo! Wishing you good health, a prosperous year, and happiness every day!

It's Touma Yoko.

After Yuan Qianye replied politely, he also inquired about her situation.

When this was mentioned, Touma Yoko started complaining. She had been locked up in a hotel for quarantine since the day before Christmas Eve, and almost a week had passed, but she still didn't know when she would be able to get out and regain her freedom.

Given the current situation, she might be locked up for another half a month or so.

What great artist, so free-spirited by nature, has ever suffered like this? It's no different from being imprisoned.

In response, Yuan Qianye could only feel deep sympathy; there was really nothing else to say, and words of comfort were of no use at this moment.

But Touma Yoko had clearly been holding back for a long time. Since Minamoto Chiyo had responded to her, she naturally wouldn't let him go as a chat partner so easily, not to mention that she already had a considerable interest in this boy who was the same age as her daughter.

Touma Youko: [By the way, did you receive the thank-you gift I bought for helping Auntie before? Did your sister and mom like it?]

Speaking of this, Yuan Qianye felt quite helpless.

The thank-you gift was indeed received, but instead of being pleasantly surprised, Mom was shocked.

When Shihua learned that the two Hermes bags were priced at over two million, she immediately withdrew her hand from touching them.

And the suspicious look that seemed to ask Gen Chiya, "You really just went out to have dinner with someone's daughter that night," reappeared after a long absence.

I definitely won't accept it. This is different from saving Touma Yoko's life before. The expenditure and return are seriously disproportionate; it's too valuable.

[My sister and mother asked me to thank you, but we really can't accept it.]

Touma Yoko: [What's wrong? I spent a long time choosing, and these should suit them perfectly.]

[For a family like ours, carrying a bag like this is inappropriate.]

When Touma Yoko heard him say that, she realized what he meant.

That's certainly true of luxury goods.

Wealthy and powerful people dress in a way that exudes sophistication and showcases their wealth.

However, if someone with no reputation or ordinary family background wears such clothes, the first reaction will be whether this person is pretending or buying counterfeit goods.

Touma Yoko wanted to express her gratitude elsewhere, but Tomoto Chiya rejected each suggestion. Finally, he managed to convince her that her help on Christmas Eve was just a small favor, and she gave up the idea of ​​buying him or his family something.

However, Touma Yoko's initiative in contacting him this time did have some benefits.

A world-class pianist who has raised a daughter with such outstanding piano skills.

For a piano beginner like Yuan Qianye, it would be a waste not to take the opportunity to ask such a master about learning the piano.

As previously mentioned, Touma Yoko was locked up in a hotel, "sitting in jail." Seeing that Minamoto Chiya showed interest in the piano, she naturally became interested as well, wishing someone would keep chatting with her.

The next moment, she put on her clothes to cover her voluptuous body and made a video call. No matter how nimble her fingers were, it was still not as convenient as a direct conversation.

"Hello, hello! Oh! Chiyo, you look quite handsome in this black and white bartending outfit!"

"Aunt Yaozi, you look great too! You seem to have been resting well lately, you look radiant and even more beautiful, it's like you're aging in reverse... Hmm? Aunt Yaozi, have you gained a little weight?"

"Alright! If you can't chat, then don't!"

Closer to home.

"Xiao Qianye, why are you suddenly asking me how I systematically learn piano?"

"That's because I'm interested, of course."

"Is it the kind of interest that's to attract customers to Dad's shop, or the kind of interest that's to make a living from it and to become famous domestically or even internationally?"

Is this important?

“Of course.” Touma Yoko held up her phone, making sure the light didn’t hit her legs, and sat down on the sofa by the window. “For the former, I have a quick fix. You can skip some unnecessary learning. In a month… no, to be safe, three months. Just practice every day according to my plan, and you’ll be able to play pieces that sound pretty good to a layman.”

As for the latter... although I personally support you, I have to give you a heads-up beforehand: the competition in the piano world is far more intense than you imagine. It requires a lot of financial resources, energy, and time. Many people start learning the piano in their early childhood, and four hours a day is just the basics. It takes more than ten years of consistent effort to reach a level where they can stand out among their peers.

And this is just the beginning. Among these people, the persevering will lose to the talented, and the talented will lose to those who possess both talent and perseverance.

"Like Aunt Yaozi, for example?"

"Me? I guess I'm talented, but in terms of perseverance, I'm still a bit behind Kazusa. If that girl doesn't have anything else to do or isn't feeling well, she spends a full eight hours a day in front of the piano without fail."

Seeing the surprised expression on Minamoto Chiyo's face on her phone screen, Touma Yoko waited a moment before continuing to ask,

"So, Chiyo, what's your answer?"

Yuan Qianye shook her head: "I am neither. I just want to improve my piano skills as much as possible and want a professional like you, Aunt Youzi, to help me develop a suitable learning plan to ensure that I don't go astray in my learning process. That's all."

This is similar to the period when practicing Kendo.

When he first started practicing Kendo, he had many incorrect movements, such as his grip on the sword and the synchronization of his footwork and sword strikes.

If Saeko Busujima hadn't pointed out these small details at the beginning, it would have taken much more effort to change them once they became habits.

"Oh, I see. Have you been practicing the piano all this time?"

"Yes, I bought the Beyer Piano Method and the Bastian Piano Method for Adults, and I'm practicing according to the instructions in the books."

"These two books are good. Come on, just play a couple of pieces first, point the camera at the piano keys, I want to see your hand posture."

"Thank you for your help."

"Now you're using honorifics, huh? Alright, don't be so polite, let's begin. Let me see if you've improved since the last time you were at my house."

"Ok."

Yuan Qianye placed his hands on the piano keys, slowly inhaled, and began to play.

…………

080: What do you think of my suggestion?

This is different from the Canon played in front of the mother and daughter when I visited Touma's residence before.

This time, Chiya Minamoto played Ode to Joy, a beginner's exercise recommended in textbooks.

This is also a popular piece of music, slightly easier to play, but its melody is just as beautiful.

Yuan Qianye practiced many times, and it was indeed as described in the textbook.

His ability to coordinate and play the accompaniment with his left hand while his right hand is responsible for the main melody has improved considerably.

Sitting at the piano and playing is no longer awkward; I'm much more comfortable with it now.

I think I performed this piece quite well.

At least that's what he thinks.

It wasn't until the song ended that he realized something rather embarrassing.

He didn't unplug the headphones from the electric piano.

In other words, Touma Yoko, who was far away in Los Angeles, could only hear the sound of his fingers pressing the piano keys; she didn't hear the crucial piano music at all.

However, as a gold medalist in the world's top Chopin competition, Yoko Touma is highly sought after by classical music lovers, which is naturally due to her outstanding talent.

Before Yuan Qianye could speak, she said with a smile, "It's Beethoven's Ode to Joy. For a beginner, it's played quite well. There are some minor issues with the rhythm, but with more practice, it can be gradually improved."

You've been practicing for more than five hours every day lately, right? After you finished playing at my house before, Kazusa secretly told me that when you played, your fingers were like firefighters who wouldn't listen to commands, rushing back and forth between the keys you were about to press, putting out fires everywhere.

Now, although your gestures are still a bit off, at least your posture is much more relaxed and natural. To be honest, your progress has far exceeded my expectations.

It's amazing that it can visualize the piece I'm playing just by looking at it!

Chiya Minamoto admired Yoko Touma even more.

However, his daily practice time in this room was not more than five hours as she claimed.

He started helping out at the store after the Christmas holidays, practicing whenever he could find a spare moment, usually only two to three hours a day.

Even so, his piano skills quickly improved by one level, reaching LV2.

It was probably because of the help and support from that growing genius that he improved so quickly, which affected Touma Yoko's judgment.

However, there's no need to deny such a trivial matter.

Gen Chiya asked sincerely, "Aunt Youko, is there anything I need to pay attention to or improve?"

It was only after he formally tried to get in touch with and immerse himself in it that he discovered the joy hidden within the piano.

Unlike Kendo, which focuses on expressing the beauty of the body and movements, the piano is an expression of sound and emotion. From Bach in the Baroque period to Chopin in the Romantic period, and then to the various works of modern composers, the process of gradually mastering the piano from initial unfamiliarity and lack of proficiency to being able to play it is incredibly satisfying and fascinating.

Now that we have the means, there's no reason to pass up the opportunity to become stronger.

"I can't understand your current situation in detail just from a piece of music, not to mention that I didn't even hear the sound just now, I can only get a general idea."

"Is it convenient for you over there right now? If so, please unplug your headphones, turn the piano volume up a little, and hold your phone away behind you so I can see your hands and feet at the same time."

Yuan Qianye nodded to indicate that he understood.

Besides the iconic black and white keys, the piano also has three pedals with different functions, which are equally important.

They serve different functions; when stepped on at the appropriate time during a performance, they can respectively produce sustain, soft tone, and muted tone effects.

Proper use of the pedals can result in more subtle variations in the sound, style, and expressiveness of the performance.