r18novel Chapter 5 First Glimpse of Brilliance
Chapter 5 First Glimpse of Brilliance
Days passed quietly. Xie Anran was still under medical observation and was unable to attend school normally. She only went to the music training class in the evenings every day.
The training class had only about thirty students in total, with just one main teacher and several assistant teachers to help supervise them. The curriculum was well-structured; academic classes were taught in small groups, but when it came to more technical subjects like vocalization and playing instruments, it was almost always one-on-one instruction to ensure that every student received individual attention.
After attending classes steadily for half a month, they finally had their first vocal lesson—the foundation of vocal learning and a part that Xie Anran had been looking forward to for a long time.
He knew that music development was broadly divided into two categories: vocal music and instrumental music. Vocal music focused on teaching breath control, vocal techniques, and vocal care; instrumental music, on the other hand, depended entirely on the student's interest. In those days, the piano was the most popular, followed by the guitar and violin, and then there were the recorder and harmonica, which were suitable for children to learn. The training class Xie Anran attended had a wide coverage, taking a comprehensive approach to education, covering both vocal music and instrumental music.
Xie Anran sat upright in her chair, following the teacher's lead, pronouncing each word: "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Si, Do!" Initially, it was group practice to familiarize themselves with pitch and rhythm. Afterward, the students stood up one by one and practiced individually with the teacher. This was the most basic technique exercise; the core was finding accurate pitch, learning simple breath control, and using chest cavity power to produce sound, rather than simply relying on vocal cord compression.
Actually, this skill isn't too difficult to learn; the key is finding the right pronunciation feel. Xie Anran glanced at Qianqian beside him. The little girl was learning with exceptional focus, her eyes fixed on the teacher, her expression incredibly attentive. He suddenly realized that Qianqian truly loved the arts. While she was diligent in school, she devoted even more effort to dance and music. That kind of complete concentration was especially rare among children.
Xie Anran sighed inwardly. There are very few people in this world who can truly calm down and devote their energy to non-entertainment learning, especially children—children are perceptive and have active minds, making them easily distracted, which is what adults often call "not being calm enough." But Qianqian is different. Once she gets involved, she becomes completely immersed in it, undisturbed by the outside world.
Listening to the slightly hesitant pronunciation of his classmates, Xie Anran had a few thoughts flash through his mind. He silently calculated the progress bar of "focusing on class time"—it was already almost one-fifth of the way through, and everything was going more smoothly than he had expected.
"Xie Anran, you give it a try." The teacher's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting his thoughts. Qianqian, who was next to him, quickly tugged at his sleeve and gestured for him not to get distracted.
Xie Anran stood up, and under the watchful eyes of the whole class, turned his gaze to the teacher and slowly began to speak. Due to his physical condition, his breath was slightly weaker than that of the other students, but his pronunciation was exceptionally standard. He was also the first in the class to use chest compression to produce sound, rather than simply relying on his vocal cords and damaging his throat.
A child's clear, innocent voice echoed in the classroom. The surrounding students gradually quieted down, vaguely noticing something different—this kid not only sang better than everyone else, but his voice also had a richer texture, making it exceptionally pleasant to listen to. Xixi's eyes widened in astonishment. She had been studying intently and knew the difference better than anyone else. Xie Anran's level was nowhere near what one would expect from someone learning to sing for the first time.
Even the teacher was stunned. It wasn't until Xie Anran finished speaking that the teacher came to her senses and asked with a hint of doubt, "Xie Anran, have you studied vocalization before?"
Xie Anran blinked, instantly making a judgment in his mind—lying was useless. This teacher was an acquaintance of Liu Xiaoli, and Liu Xiaoli knew his background perfectly well. Rather than fabricating a lie and being exposed, it was better to tell the truth. "No," he gently shook his head, his tone calm.
A glint flashed in the teacher's eyes. Her vision far surpassed that of her students, and she could naturally see that Xie Anran possessed a rare musical talent. In the arts, talent is often more important than hard work. Some people dedicate their entire lives to their craft and can only barely reach the threshold of genius. Xie Anran, however, was clearly the kind of child born to make a living in music.
"Okay, teacher understands." The teacher smiled with satisfaction. "Anran did a very good job, here's a five-pointed star for you!" With that, she took out a bright red five-pointed star sticker from her pocket, walked over, and carefully stuck it on Xie Anran's chest.
Instantly, a murmur of amazement rippled through the classroom, and the students looked at Xie Anran with envy in their eyes—everyone knew that this five-pointed star was highly valuable, not only as a symbol of honor but also as a way to exchange for many things, including various musical instruments.
Xie Anran nodded slightly, said "Thank you, teacher," and sat back down. The moment he sat down, he began to plan how to solidify his "musical genius" persona so that his subsequent actions would be easier and he could better utilize the "concentration reward" to improve himself.
"Wow, Anran, you're amazing!" Qianqian leaned over, her eyes sparkling, and whispered her praise with admiration.
"It's alright," Xie Anran smiled, lowered her voice, and whispered some tips in her ear, "You're not bad either, you just haven't found the right breath. You need to practice breathing more, feel the rise and fall of your chest when you inhale and exhale, and incorporate that feeling into your pronunciation."
"I know, but I just can't find that feeling." Sisi pouted, her tone tinged with grievance and helplessness. She had tried very hard, but she just couldn't get the hang of it.
"It's okay, I'll help you." Xie Anran smiled and reached out, gently taking the little girl's hand and placing it on her chest. "Feel the vibration in my chest when I exhale, and then touch your own chest and remember the feeling of that vibration."
He paused, then added, "When you pronounce the sounds later, repeatedly feel this vibration, and you'll gradually find the technique."
Sisi slightly opened her mouth, her cheeks instantly turning rosy, even her earlobes were tinged with a light pink. She nodded gently, her voice soft: "Mmm, Anran, you're so nice."
Xie Anran smiled, a warmth rising in his heart. Qianqian had always been sincere to him, and he was naturally willing to reciprocate. Although this little girl could be a bit clingy at times, she was exceptionally perceptive. As soon as he showed the slightest impatience, she would obediently stop and never pester him. This thoughtfulness pleased him greatly.
After the bell rang, Xie Anran packed her things and waited for her parents to pick her up at the entrance of the training center. But she didn't wait long before she saw Liu Xiaoli.
"Hello, Auntie." Xie Anran subconsciously took a small step back and greeted her respectfully.
Liu Xiaoli was taken aback by his backward movement, then chuckled, squatted down, and looked him in the eye: "Doesn't Anran like being held by Auntie?"
"Yes." Xie Anran nodded without hesitation, her expression serious.
"Haha, can you tell me why?" Liu Xiaoli was amused by his mature demeanor and her eyes were full of affection.
"A real man shouldn't let just anyone hug him," Xie Anran replied earnestly, her tone full of determination, her little face tilted up.
Liu Xiaoli laughed even harder, and subconsciously wanted to reach out and hug him and kiss him, but then she remembered the little guy's preferences, and smoothly changed her action to gently patting his head, saying in a gentle tone: "Okay, okay, our Anran is a little man, he won't let just anyone hug him."
After the joke, Liu Xiaoli got down to business, her eyes filled with curiosity: "My teacher told me that you learned vocal techniques in just one day, is that true?"
"Mm." Xie Anran nodded gently, without the slightest hint of boasting, remaining calm and composed.
Looking at this exceptionally talented young man before her, who showed no arrogance or conceit whatsoever, Liu Xiaoli couldn't help but feel a surge of surprise. More than his extraordinary musical talent, it was his calm and composed demeanor that truly impressed her.
"Mommy, Mommy!" Sisi tugged at Liu Xiaoli's sleeve, her voice urgent. "Little brother Anran even taught me how to pronounce things! His method is so effective!"
"Really? Our Xixi is very hardworking, and Anran is really amazing." Liu Xiaoli gently patted her daughter's head and said with a smile, but secretly complained in her heart—Xie Anran is actually a few hours older than Xixi, but seeing that Xie Anran doesn't mind being called "little brother," she was too lazy to correct her and let her daughter call him that.