The Mightiest Little Peasant c1-799

by Watermelonian, 西瓜星人

  Beauty Queen Shi was Tang Hao’s childhood sweetheart. That fact alone made many girls envious. Now, even Li Wenzhe had fallen for her.

  How else could they react other than jealousy?

  Yan’er stood there. Her beautiful eyes were wide open, and her face was full of confusion.

  She had received her fair share of confessions, but they always had been in the form of text messages or love letters. She had never received a confession in public.

  She was stunned for a moment and said weakly, “I’m sorry, I don’t even know you!”

  “It’s fine if you don’t know me. We can start from scratch. Once we have feelings for each other, it won’t be a problem anymore,” Li Wenzhe said affectionately.

  “But… I don’t have feelings for you!” Yan’er said.

  “It’s fine too if you don’t have feelings for me. We can slowly develop our feelings. I can play the piano for you. You’ll love it.”

  Li Wenzhe was very confident.

  Playing the piano was a surefire way to court a girl!

  A pure and beautiful girl like Shi Yan’er definitely had a taste for the arts. He would win her heart if he played the piano and sweet-talked her.

  In his eyes, Tang Hao was nothing more than a windfall tycoon. So what if he was rich and powerful? He was still a vulgar person with no taste!

  It was rumored that Tang Hao came from a mountain village. Even if he was rich, he had no substance. There was no comparison.

  Yan’er became even more embarrassed.

  The gazes and discussions around her made her feel helpless.

  “Yan’er, even if you don’t agree now, you should at least give me a chance! If you’re willing, I’ll take you away right now and play the piano for you,” Li Wenzhe said.

  His overly-passionate tone of voice was very cringy.

  “Wow! So romantic!”

  Some of the girls exclaimed and became even more envious.

  Li Wenzhe was proud when he heard those exclamations.

  Even if she did not agree, she should have been at least a little tempted. Once he succeeded with the first step, he would eventually win her heart if he put in the effort.

  He became excited when he thought of that.

  At that moment, he suddenly heard a cold voice behind him.

  “Go and play with yourself! Can’t you see that she’s not interested?”

  Li Wenzhe’s face flushed with anger. He turned his head and was about to spew curses but was immediately stunned. The person who spoke was none other than Tang Hao.

  Everyone instantly fell silent.

  Everyone’s expression changed. Many of them looked as if they were eager to watch the drama unfold.

  “Brother Hao!”

  Yan’er immediately heaved a sigh of relief. She quickly walked forward and grabbed Tang Hao’s arm.

  Seeing that, Li Wenzhe’s facial muscles twitched violently and became livid.

  His eyes were brimming with jealousy.

  “Let’s go, Brother Hao!”

  Yan’er pulled Tang Hao and was about to walk away.

  Li Wenzhe’s expression became even uglier.

  That was a blatant slap to his face!

  “Hmph! Aren’t you just a country bumpkin without a shred of artistic expression? How vulgar!” He sneered.

  He deliberately spoke loudly. Everyone around him heard him.

  Tang Hao’s footsteps stopped, and his expression darkened.

  He turned around, glared at Li Wenzhe, and said coldly, “I’m vulgar? So you’re noble then?”

  “You don’t say! Don’t compare me to a person like you. Other than money, what else do you have? What else do you know?” Li Wenzhe sneered.

  Chapter 594 - Learning To Play the Piano

  Everyone’s expression changed when they heard Li Wenzhe’s words.

  ‘Is this guy an idiot?

  ‘Isn’t money enough? If that guy converted all his assets into cash, that’s enough to bury you!

  ‘Besides, in this materialistic world, isn’t money the only thing?’

  “I’m so envious! I wish someone would bury me with his money!” Someone said.

  Tang Hao rolled his eyes and said, “Then what do you have?”

  “I have talent and character. In other words, I’m different from vulgar rabble like you!” Li Wenzhe sneered and looked at Tang Hao with disdain.

  Tang Hao grimaced. He was exasperated.

  “What else do you know other than playing the piano? What’s so great about that?”

  “Yes! Do you know how to play it then?”

  “No!” Tang Hao said candidly.

  Tang Hao was from a poor family. He never had any experience with musical instruments.

  “That settles it. The piano is not an ordinary musical instrument. It’s elegant, highbrow art. Do you understand? Never mind. You’re a country bumpkin. You don’t get art. You won’t understand even if I explain it to you.”

  Li Wenzhe’s gaze became more contemptuous.

  Tang Hao was feeling a little annoyed. That guy deserved a kick in the face.

  ‘So what’s so great about playing the piano?’ Tang Hao sneered in his heart.

  “Is playing the piano very difficult?” Tang Hao said disdainfully.

  “Of course it’s difficult. It requires hard work and talent. People like you have no hope!”

  “Is that so? Now I’m interested in learning to play!” Tang Hao said coldly.

  “Haha!”

  Li Wenzhe suddenly laughed, “You… want to learn the piano? Haha! I’m dying of laughter! I wonder how many years you’ll take to be considered a piano player. You can learn for the rest of your life, and you’ll never catch up to me.”

  “Are you a good piano player?”

  “Of course! I perform regularly. Never mind, you won’t understand even if I explain it to you! You only need to know that I’m better than you!”

  Li Wenzhe lifted his chin, feeling very pleased with himself.

  “He’s so cocky, Brother Hao!” Yan’er whispered into Tang Hao’s ear.

  Tang Hao said, “Now that you’ve piqued my interest, I really want to learn how to play the piano. I don’t need years, maybe a few months will be enough!”

  Li Wenzhe was stunned when he heard that.

  Then, he began to laugh loudly.

  “Haha! I’m dying of laughter. Do you think you can learn the piano in a few months? Dream on! Do you think that you’re a prodigy?” Li Wenzhe shrieked mockingly.

  Even the people around them could not help but laugh.

  Every musical instrument, even the easier ones like the guitar, required a few months to learn. Mastering it would take years.

  Not to mention that the piano was much more complicated.

  One would still be struggling with the basics after a few months.

  “If you don’t believe me, then never mind!” Tang Hao said coldly.

  Li Wenzhe said, “Since you have such a big mouth, fine! The freshmen’s welcoming party will be in a month. I dare you to perform a piece on stage!”

  “Sure!” Tang Hao immediately agreed to it.

  He could not back down from that challenge! Besides, a month was about enough. He might not be a master of the instrument, but he would be at least a decent player.

  If it were only one song, that would be easy!

  Li Wenzhe was stunned upon hearing the direct answer.

  He thought that Tang Hao would refuse.

  Then, he burst into laughter.

  ‘Haha! He actually agreed to it! Is he an idiot?

  ‘He might not even master the easiest song after a month, and he thinks that he’ll be able to perform on stage? He’ll only be an embarrassment!

  ‘I’ll also be performing during the welcoming party. By then, he’ll know how much better I am!’

  He became excited when he thought of that.

  “Did you hear that? He agreed to it!” He looked around and shouted loudly.
/>   Everyone was also stunned. They did not expect Tang Hao to agree.

  Then, the crowd exclaimed in surprise.

  “Haha! The final boss will finally stumble. What can he learn in a month? He will definitely make a fool of himself!”

  The boys were gloating.

  “Don’t go back on your words, Tang guy!” Li Wenzhe shouted at Tang Hao again.

  “Don’t worry!” Tang Hao said coldly, “You’ll see!”

  Then, he walked out with Yan’er.

  The crowd was in an uproar. Everyone seemed excited.

  Tang Hao was going to learn the piano and perform at the welcoming party one month later. That was sensational news!

  Immediately, countless people took out their phones and posted the news on the forums and various groups on social media.

  The public opinion exploded instantly, and the entire Z University was in an uproar.

  After hearing the news, Fang Qiming couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Hahaha! The tides are finally turning!”

  He felt as though he could finally get his revenge!

  “Quick! Slot that guy into the schedule! Where? Let me see. Right, put him after Li Wenzhe. I want to make that guy look like a joke!”

  The boys were eager to watch Tang Hao fail, but the girls were different.

  “He’s so brave! That’s Tang Hao for you!”

  “No matter what his performance might be, he’s still my dream husband! Nothing will stop me from attending his performance, even a typhoon or hailstorm!”

  The girls were completely on Tang Hao’s side. They only had praises for him.

  “Are you really going to do it, Brother Hao?”

  Tang Hao and Shi Yan’er walked along a small path on the campus.

  “Yup! I’ve already made the promise in front of so many people. How could I go back on my words?” Tang Hao said.

  “But… isn’t a month too short? Why don’t… you do It a month later, at the New Year’s Eve party?” Yan’er said hesitantly.

  “No need! A month is about enough!” Tang Hao said.

  After accompanying her for a walk, he sent her back to the dormitory.

  After leaving the university, Tang Hao took out his phone and searched the Internet. He immediately rushed to the largest piano store in the city.

  “Which is the best piano here?”

  Tang Hao asked as soon as he entered the door.

  The sales clerk was stunned. She sized up Tang Hao and carefully said, “That… is very expensive. It costs several million yuan!”

  “I’ll buy it!”

  Tang Hao handed her his credit card.

  The sales clerk wanted to laugh, but when she saw the card, her whole body trembled, and she immediately showed a respectful expression.

  At the same time, she was dumbfounded by Tang Hao’s lavishness.

  She put on a warm smile and said, “How may I address you, sir?”

  “My surname is Tang!”

  “Oh! This way, please, Mr. Tang. I’ll bring you to the showroom, and you can try it. If you’re satisfied with it, you can buy it!”

  “There’s no need! Just swipe the card and deliver the piano to me!”

  Tang Hao gave her his address.

  The corner of the sales clerk’s eyes twitched. ‘How straight to the point! He doesn’t even check his million-yuan purchase.’

  She quickly found the shop manager, processed the transaction, and then arranged for someone to transport the piano.

  When Tang Hao got back to his apartment, the piano also arrived at the same time.

  Several workers carefully carried the piano and placed it in a corner of the living room.

  Chapter 595 - Freshman Welcoming Party

  The piano was a Steinway, the world’s top brand.

  Tang Hao sat in front of the piano and touched the keys. He could not help but feel emotional.

  The entire room looked different with the piano. It felt more artistic.

  Tang Hao pressed a few keys randomly and frowned.

  He did not know anything about musical instruments!

  ‘I need to find someone to teach me. Oh right, maybe I should search the Internet for any introductory piano lessons.’

  Immediately, Tang Hao took the tablet and started searching.

  He found many videos on the Internet. Tang Hao watched each of them.

  He spent the whole night doing that.

  He mastered basic music theory by the morning, and he started practicing some simple tunes.

  Fingering was not a problem for him. With his memory and physical ability, he could memorize the contents of the videos after watching them once and copy them.

  The only thing he needed to practice was the rhythm.

  However, he mastered it perfectly after watching the videos a few more times and trying it.

  Over the weekend, Tang Hao stayed at home and practiced without eating or sleeping.

  Of course, he used a talisman to block out the sound, so that he did not receive noise complaints.

  After two days of hard practice without sleep or rest, Tang Hao’s fingers had completely adapted to playing the piano. They were as agile and fast as dancing butterflies.

  He had already mastered some of the easiest music scores.

  On Monday, he went to class.

  When he reached the university entrance, there was a commotion.

  “Look, it’s Tang Hao!”

  “He actually has time to come to class. Why isn’t he practicing piano?”

  “What’s the point of practicing? How much can he achieve in a month? He won’t be able to play the simplest tune properly. He’ll only be making a fool of himself!”

  A group of boys whispered among themselves, gloating over Tang Hao’s misfortune.

  They had been extremely envious of Tang Hao. Seeing Tang Hao making a fool out of himself would be a joyous event.

  Tang Hao could not be bothered with them and went to the classroom.

  “Are you having a fever, Brother Hao?”

  Cao Fei came over and touched Tang Hao’s forehead.

  “You’re the one with a fever!” Tang Hao said, exasperated.

  “Eh! You don’t have a fever? Then why did you agree to perform on stage? One month isn’t enough. Even three months is too short!” Cao Fei said.

  “You can do it, Tang Hao! We support you!

  “It doesn’t matter if you don’t play well. As long as you work hard, we will support you!”

  Liu Feifei, the class representative, walked over to cheer Tang Hao on.

  Tang Hao grinned helplessly. From their tone, it was clear that they did not expect him to play well.

  “Thank you!” He thanked them anyway.

  The first two periods were Teacher Jiang’s class. As soon as she walked in, she glanced at Tang Hao’s curiously.

  That incident had shaken the entire university. Of course, she had also heard about it.

  “Tang Hao, stay back for a while!” After class, Jiang Wanying shouted.

  She lowered her head and packed her things, acting as if nothing happened. After everyone else in the classroom had left, leaving only Tang Hao behind, she raised her head and looked at him.

  The seriousness on her face had been replaced by coyness.

  “You really want to go on stage?”

  “Yes!”

  She could not help but laugh and said, “You! You’re too impulsive, but I support you! You must work hard! I will… also go and watch you perform.”

  As she said that, she stole a glance outside. Seeing that no one was there, she suddenly leaned forward and kissed him.

  Tang Hao’s entire body trembled, and his eyes widened.

  His heart was beating wildly, and he was extremely nervous.

  They were in a classroom! The door was open, and people were walking along the corridor outside. If they were unlucky, someone might see them.

  That would have been a huge scandal.

  The
kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it felt as long as a century.

  Tang Hao’s heart thumped faster and faster. It felt as though it almost jumping out of his body.

  That was an exciting sensation. He almost could not bear it.

  Their lips parted after a long time.

  Her pretty face was blushing.

  “Good luck! I still have another class. I’ll be leaving!”

  She picked up her textbooks and laptop, smiled at Tang Hao, and left.

  Tang Hao stood there, still in a daze.

  He finally let out a sigh of relief a long while later, thinking that it was lucky that no one had seen them. Otherwise, he would be in the spotlight again.

  He wiped his lips that had a pink lipstick stain and carried a faint fragrance. He suddenly felt a little guilty. He wiped his lips hard and walked out of the door.

  Following that, Tang Hao rarely went to class. He rarely paid attention to the film production too. He practiced the piano every day and was completely immersed in the world of music.

  After he mastered the simple tunes, he began to practice more difficult ones. Each piece was more difficult than the previous one.

  His apartment was packed with books and CDs.

  Even when he was resting, he listened to all kinds of famous piano music. His mind was filled with notes and melodies. He was thoroughly obsessed.

  That was how he learned a skill. He was like that when he was learning about crafting Artifacts too. He would be so preoccupied that he would forget to eat or sleep.

  Eventually, he could perfectly perform all sorts of sonatas and rhapsodies, from “Mariage D’Amour” to “Moonlight Sonata.”

  His technique had reached perfection.

  When his technique reached its peak, he began to internalize his skills.

  More than half a month passed. Tang Hao returned to Westridge and accompanied Qin Xiangyi for a while. He brought his piano back home and practiced it every day.

  Every night, Qin Xiangyi would sit next to him and quietly watch him practice.

  The beautiful music captivated her.

  Her eyes were full of affection and even some admiration.

  As she listened to the music, she yawned, lay on the couch, and fell into a deep sleep. Every night, Tang Hao carried her back to her room.

  As the days passed, Tang Hao’s piano skills continued to improve. However, he was not sure how he compared to other people.