Dual Transmigration: American Prison, Surviving to a Fantasy Development Stage

After Xueyao left with the woman in the bamboo hat, the room was quiet for a moment.

Su Shi stood by the window, watching Xue Yao's figure disappear at the end of the corridor below. She couldn't help but turn her head, a hint of worry on her face.

"Young Master, Sister Xueyao is going alone... I hope nothing bad will happen to her?"

Lin Feng was leisurely sipping tea at the table when he heard this. He waved his hand dismissively, his tone relaxed:

"It's not that bad."

Just think about it, even a maid like her has such an outstanding demeanor, and she gives a Marrow Cleansing Pill as a gift.

This kind of spending, could it be an ordinary family?

If you really had bad intentions, you wouldn't need to be so polite.

Besides—

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and glanced at the two maids, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"If they dare to do anything to Xueyao, your young master is not one to be trifled with. I'll show them what cruelty is."

"Young master is wise and mighty!"

Su Shi and Su Qin spoke almost simultaneously, their voices in unison, even their tones were exactly the same. After they finished speaking, they looked at each other and couldn't help but smile.

Lin Feng smiled and shook his head: "Alright, alright, stop flattering me."

Instead of wasting time on this, you should think about what to have for lunch.

We haven't tried all of Fu Man Lou's signature dishes yet. We'll order a whole table of good ones when Xue Yao gets back later.

The two maids nodded repeatedly and huddled together, chattering excitedly about the menu.

Meanwhile, Xueyao followed the woman in the straw hat through the backyard of Fumanlou and walked deeper into the building.

She originally thought that the "Tianzihao" building simply had an extra second floor, but she never expected it to be so much more.

Passing through a moon gate, a bright and open space suddenly appears, revealing a secluded courtyard.

The courtyard features a rockery with jagged rocks, a crystal-clear lotus pond where several koi carp swim leisurely, and unidentified flowers and plants growing along the pond's edge, emitting a sweet fragrance.

At the end of the road is an exquisite two-story building, with carved beams and painted rafters, elegant and quiet.

The woman in the bamboo hat led Xueyao up to the second floor, stopping in front of a tightly closed room. She turned and nodded slightly to Xueyao, her tone respectful:

"Miss Xueyao, my master is waiting for you inside."

Xueyao nodded, feeling a little nervous involuntarily.

She took a deep breath and silently encouraged herself.

The woman in the straw hat gently pushed open the door, and Xueyao stepped inside.

As soon as one foot stepped across the threshold, a soft cough came from behind the screen. The sound was not loud, but it was weak.

Immediately afterwards, a slender figure slowly emerged from behind the screen.

Xueyao was taken aback when she saw who it was.

She was a girl who looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing an elegant moon-white dress. Her face was exquisite, and her features were as delicate as those in a painting.

But her face was so pale it was almost transparent, without a trace of blood, and her lips were also pale. She looked frail and delicate, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.

She walked slowly, her steps unsteady, yet she tried her best to maintain an elegant demeanor.

Before Xueyao could speak, the girl had already raised her head, giving her a faint smile, her voice soft:

"Sister, please don't be so formal, please have a seat."

Xueyao snapped out of her daze and quickly returned the greeting, "Thank you, Miss."

The girl gestured for Xueyao to sit down as well, her tone apologetic:

"Sister, I apologize for disturbing you today."

I should have visited in person, but my health is failing me; I can't stand the wind and it's really inconvenient for me to go out.

That's why I've troubled you to come all this way, sister. I hope you won't take offense.

She spoke in a gentle tone, with clear and sincere eyes, without the slightest hint of arrogance typical of a young lady from a wealthy family.

Xueyao's previously anxious heart immediately settled down, and she also developed a bit of goodwill towards this sickly girl.

"You're too kind, young lady. It's my honor to have been invited by you."

Xueyao smiled and replied.

The girl's eyes crinkled into a smile: "What's your name, sister?"

"My name is Xueyao," Xueyao replied. "And you, young lady?"

"Sister Xueyao—" the girl called softly, her smile becoming more genuine. "My name is Yu Lan."

I'm so happy to have met you, sister.

No sooner had the words left her lips than the door was pushed open again, and the woman in the bamboo hat walked in, carrying two cups of hot tea, which she gently placed on the small table beside them.

"Miss Xueyao, please have some tea."

Xueyao nodded her thanks, picked up the teacup and took a sip. The tea was fragrant and slightly sweet.

She put down her teacup, looked at Yu Lan, and asked curiously, "Miss Yu Lan, what brings you here today?"

Yu Lan sat up straighter, a serious expression appearing on her pale face:

"Just now I was upstairs and happened to hear Sister Xueyao playing the zither."

I actually play that piece often, but there are always a few transitions where the transitions don't flow smoothly, making it sound stiff when I play it.

But just now, when I listened to my sister play, the music flowed naturally, like clouds and water, without the slightest obstruction.

Especially the transitions between notes are seamless and natural, without any sense of discontinuity.

She paused, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

"I still can't figure out how they did it."

I wonder if Sister Xueyao could offer some guidance?

Yu Lan will surely repay this debt handsomely.

Upon hearing this, Xueyao immediately understood.

She smiled slightly and said softly, "Miss Yu Lan, there's no need to be so polite."

Actually, it's quite simple. This method was taught to me by my young master and is called the twelve-tone equal temperament.

I only realized this today, and I'm ashamed to admit it.

"The twelve-tone equal temperament?"

A look of curiosity flashed in Yu Lan's eyes. "What is this?"

Xueyao then reiterated the principles she had learned from Lin Feng in her own words.

—How to divide an octave evenly into twelve semitones, and how to adjust the distance between notes to make the modulation natural and the transition smooth.

She told her everything that Lin Feng had told her, in a simple and easy-to-understand way, and even gave a few examples.

Yu Lan listened intently, sometimes nodding slightly, sometimes frowning in thought, her gaze fixed on Xue Yao, as if trying to etch every word into her heart.

After Xueyao finished speaking, she slowly closed her eyes and remained silent for a long time.

The room was extremely quiet, with only the occasional chirping of birds coming from outside the window.

Xueyao didn't disturb her, and quietly drank her tea while waiting.

After a while, Yu Lan opened her eyes, and a strange light flashed in her eyes, which had been somewhat dim.

She murmured softly, "So that's how it is... So that's how it is... The twelve-tone equal temperament is amazing."

She looked at Xueyao, her tone filled with amazement, "Sister Xueyao, your young master... is truly a divine being."

After saying that, without waiting for Xueyao's response, she got up and walked towards the guqin placed by the window.

The woman in the straw hat looked worried and tried to help her up, but she gently waved her hand and refused.

She sat down at the piano, her slender fingers touching the strings. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then her fingers moved lightly.

The music flowed out, it was the same piece that Xueyao had just played.

As Xueyao listened, a look of surprise gradually appeared in her eyes.

Although Yu Lan's playing was still somewhat rusty, and she hesitated slightly in a few places, she had completely grasped the essence of the twelve-tone equal temperament in the structure and transitions of the whole piece.

Especially those transitions that were usually easy to break were all smoothly transitioned this time.

When the music ended, Yu Lan opened her eyes, her face flushed with a sickly redness, yet filled with genuine joy.

Xueyao couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:

"Miss Yu Lan, you are truly gifted in music!"

I truly admire your ability to grasp this level of understanding after only one listen.

She's studied for so long, yet she's not as good as others even for a moment. It's truly infuriating to compare oneself to others.

Yu Lan shook her head and said softly:

"I don't deserve such praise. It's Sister Xueyao who put it well."

"Without my sister's guidance, I wouldn't have been able to do it even after ten more years of practice."

She paused, looked at Xueyao, her eyes filled with a mixture of hesitation and anticipation.

"Sister Xueyao, I wonder... I wonder if I could meet your son and exchange a few words?"

Yu Lan wanted to thank him in person.