22 Dripping Sweat!

From afar, the entire hillside seemed to be covered in a vast expanse of white.

Countless students were wearing white mourning clothes, their knees pressed firmly against the ground!

Their gazes were fixed on Su Chen, who had walked out of the mourning hall.

This funeral had not just been a memorial for their benefactor.

They also had to thank this master for being able to perfectly play "A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix" during Principal Tang's funeral!

This was the greatest form of respect and remembrance Principal Tang could ever get!

At that moment... everyone knelt on the ground and faced the mourning hall.

Under their gazes, Su Chen slowly left the funeral scene and walked down the mountain.

...

Li Hongzheng finally regained his senses. He hurriedly chased after Su Chen in the direction he had left!

Unlike Su Chen, who had come to send the deceased off, the Li Family could not leave before the funeral was over.

Li Hongzheng desperately hurried after him, but he was still one step too slow.

Finally, he caught up to Su Chen at the foot of the mountain!

Li Hongzheng hurriedly shouted.

"Master, please wait!"

Su Chen, who had just finished playing a song that was almost considered a myth at that point, was now breathing steadily and walking as fast as he could.

When he heard the shout coming from behind, he turned around and saw that it was Li Hongzheng.

This Suona master from the small town possessed skills comparable to the National Opera.

Su Chen turned around and looked at him wordlessly.

"I am the Suona craftsman from Huayi Town, Li Hongzheng. May I ask for your name, master?"

Li Hongzheng felt very uncomfortable when he asked this question.

In fact, he was even more curious about Su Chen's master. He did not know if he would have the chance to learn this song!

"I am just someone sending President Tang off!"

Su Chen did not answer his question. Creating a sense of mystery was one of his services.

His eyes were as calm as water, and his temperament was outstanding.

Knowing that Su Chen was deliberately avoiding the question, Li Hongzheng's old face turned red, and the Suona in his hand broke out in sweat.

After hesitating for a moment, he took a step back and cupped his hands in salute!

He bowed slightly!

Finally, he asked that question.

"Master, can I learn that song from you?"

It was straight to the point!

Straightforward!

It was also sincere!

Su Chen looked at him in surprise. This Suona craftsman, who was dozens of years older than him, was now respectfully asking to learn from him!

That sincere look in his eyes moved even Su Chen.

People learned different things at different points of time, and with the knowledge, became professionals in different fields.

Masters were not humble, nor noble. They were neither old nor young. It did not matter.

Although Su Chen was his junior, his Suona was superior to his. Thus, a student was simply asking his teacher for lessons in a song!

The two were practically strangers, but a single song had connected them at a deeper level that surpassed the passage of time.

Su Chen had been at the funeral site the whole time and knew that the people had failed to acquire even a single Suona to play at the send-off.

Master Li came to see Principal Tang off on his own accord, and he had opened the way with Eight Suona, which showed the level of his respect for Principal Tang.

Even as he tutored others in the way of the Suona, he never once looked down on people because of their age.

A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix.

It was the ultimate test of the Suona. Whether the dead were worthy or not, it was decided by the Suona!

As Li Hongzheng bowed respectfully in front of him with a determined expression, Su Chen could not help but sigh.

He thought of Principal Tang, who had been busy all her life.

Su Chen did not hesitate. He wrote down the song according to the skills in his mind and handed it over to Li Hongzheng.

Once again, he said the first sentence of the meeting between the two:

"It takes great sorrow for a hundred birds to pay homage to the Phoenix!

Our ancestors left this behind for us, and only those who are joining our ancestors after a truly meaningful life, deserve to enjoy it!"

Li Hongzheng's tears fell again.

A great ray of hope came upon him again!

He did not know if it was the joy of getting the song.

Or traveling decades back when he was a young boy watching his blind master play.

As Su Chen left, his vision began to blur. The blind master seemed to overlap with the back of the young man

...

In the afternoon, Juan 'er and her husband personally prepared a meal for the Li Family.

The two of them served tea and poured water. They busied themselves in fear of neglecting the Li Family.

When it was time for the funeral...

The Eight once again played.

They bade farewell to Principal Tang.

Although the aftershock of the Phoenix had not yet left the scene, the imposing manner of these eight Suonas moved countless people.

On the way to the funeral, both sides of the path were packed with people.

Many people from the neighboring towns had come to send off Principal Tang!

Principal Tang had been highly respected and her deeds were well known in the surrounding towns. She was revered by everyone.

News of Su Chen playing "A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix" for Principal Tang in the morning had spread.

Many people regretted not being able to witness the scene with their own eyes.

Thus, they all waited on the pathway of the funeral to send off Principal Tang.

The funeral procession of over a thousand people was vast and mighty.

...

Chalk in hand, sleeves catching the wind,

Arms traveling across the blackboard as four seasons came and went.

With their blood, sweat, and tears, they educated the future generations!

Principal Tang's grave was not big, and its location was rather remote.

However, this did not change the fact that in a few years, or a few decades later, when people from Huayi Town came to pay their respects to their ancestors, they would bring their descendants to this grave.

They would then tell their descendants that a hundred birds once paid homage to the Phoenix at this person's funeral.

At the same time, they would also tell their descendants the story of Principal Tang.

The younger generation would then visit the older generation's graves. 

When a new year came, the younger generation would celebrate a new year and become one year older. When it was time for them to sweep graves, they would pile fresh soil atop the old graves. 

And as time passed, the younger generation would become old, and the old graves would become relics. 

But the people buried in the old graves and their stories would be passed down through the ages!

...

After the funeral ended, the Li family tactfully turned down the offer of a meal.

They were ready to leave.

Juan' er's eyes were red and swollen as she saw Xiao Lin and Xiao Ai off.

Before they left, Juan 'er took out the money that the people in the town had collected for the Eight Suona's and gave it to the Li Family.

The Li Family turned down the money.

"If you really mean this from the heart, then donate this money to the school! That is Principal Tang's lifetime of blood, sweat and tears!"

Li Hongzheng still had a solemn expression as he turned them down.

As the eight people left, Juan 'er once again kowtowed three times in their direction!

Xiao Ai had a complicated expression as she looked at Juan 'er. She could not bring herself to trust her actions just yet.

The next day.

Principal Tang's funeral had ended.

Juan 'er and her husband left the school early in the morning and rushed back with the two children.

The school days had to go on as usual.

Xiao Ai had been a little disinterested since yesterday.

"Principal Tang is gone, so we can't slack off!"

"Let's clean up the office together! Just like any other day. I'll sweep the floor, you wipe the table!"

After looking at the dusty office, Xiao Lin suggested cleaning the place up.

Xiao Ai nodded weakly and agreed.

Soon... while wiping Principal Tang's desk, Xiao Ai's expression changed as she opened the drawer.

The crumpled ten thousand Yuan and the money for the eight sets of Suona lay quietly in the drawer.

The sun shone on it, bringing with it warmth.

...

On the other side...

Su Chen returned to the company. After tidying up his clothes and wrapping up the paperwork for Principal Tang...

At that moment, the system spoke up.