Chapter 384 - 378: Apprenticeship

It was around five in the afternoon when they went to their teacher’s place.

Xie San Niang had her sing a piece, then they practiced some fundamentals.

Yun Jiao pointed to her older brother, her eyes filled with anticipation. "Teacher, could you take a look at my Brother Nine? Can he learn, too?"

Xie San Niang glanced at Yun Xiaojiu. "It’s a bit late to start at his age."

She beckoned Yun Xiaojiu over. "Go ahead and sing something for me."

The only songs Yun Xiaojiu knew were some children’s songs from school and two opera pieces he had learned from his little sister.

His looks, physique, and voice were all very good, though not as stunning as Yun Jiao’s.

But this was what one would expect from a normal person—or rather, a very talented one among normal people.

Xie San Niang felt his bone structure and had him perform a few movements, discovering that his flexibility was surprisingly good.

A flash of surprise appeared in her eyes.

"Not bad."

Yun Xiaojiu immediately looked at her, a hint of joy on his face.

Xie San Niang sighed in admiration. "To think your family has produced two such promising talents."

Had she met Yun Xiaojiu and seen his talent before meeting Yun Jiao, she would have been absolutely delighted.

"Let me ask you, are you willing to focus on learning opera in the future?"

Yun Xiaojiu had actually taken a great liking to it when Yun Jiao started learning. He would even practice with her at home, sometimes for even longer than she did.

He was known in the family for being the delicate one. When he was little, all the best things in the house were reserved for him, and by the time he got a little older, the family’s financial situation had improved.

So, all things considered, Yun Xiaojiu had never really endured any hardship.

Because of this, he didn’t handle exhaustion well.

Yet, he persisted every day, practicing the dances, opera, and singing he learned from his sister.

One could say his love for music and dance was even purer than Yun Jiao’s.

Xie San Niang could see that as well.

Yun Jiao was exceptionally talented, her voice far superior to Yun Xiaojiu’s, but Xie San Niang had never considered taking her on as a formal disciple.

Because the child had too many things to learn. She might have a great aptitude for and interest in these arts, but it was far from true passion.

Xie San Niang cherished talent, which was why she was willing to be Yun Jiao’s teacher and instruct her.

But as for Yun Jiao’s older brother, Xie San Niang could tell from the first glance that he genuinely loved these arts.

When he sang those two lines of opera just now, his eyes were shining.

"I’m willing!"

Yun Xiaojiu answered without a moment’s hesitation. But...

"I still have to go to school."

A smile was in Xie San Niang’s eyes. "That’s fine. As long as you love it, you can learn anywhere."

"But you need to think this through. If you truly commit to learning, it will be very tiring."

Her expression turned serious. "Even more tiring than what your sister is learning."

Yun Xiaojiu still answered without hesitation, "I’m not afraid!"

He was the most pampered boy in the family, but when faced with something he loved, he possessed a stubborn determination.

Xie San Niang took a sip of tea, a look of satisfaction flashing in her eyes. "Good. Then come here first thing tomorrow morning for the apprenticeship ceremony."

Instantly, both Yun Jiao’s and Yun Xiaojiu’s eyes lit up.

Yun Xiaojiu was thrilled, while Yun Jiao was purely happy for her Brother Nine.

There was no trace of jealousy whatsoever.

’I wish every one of my brothers could find something they love to do.’

’Even if what they love doesn’t make money, it’s fine. I have money, I can support my brothers!’

"Teacher, are you really going to take my Brother Nine as your disciple?"

When Xie San Niang had said that, she was also watching Yun Jiao. Children have simple minds, but they can also be competitive.

She was worried that taking Yun Xiaojiu would make Yun Jiao upset.

Fortunately, this child’s character was truly excellent. There was no jealousy or rivalry, only happiness for her brother.

"Yes. Do you want to..."

Yun Jiao quickly shook her head. "Teacher, you know my situation. I’m already so tired from reading all those books and memorizing so much every day."

"Besides, I’ll be starting school soon, so I’ll have even less time to come here."

After all, a student and a disciple are not the same thing.

She had to find spare moments to come here. Luckily, her talent was good, so her teacher didn’t say anything about it.

Besides, she had to pay tuition to learn these things.

A disciple one personally takes on is a different matter entirely.

They are meant to inherit one’s entire skillset.

From now on, aside from school and home, Xie San Niang’s place would become somewhere Yun Xiaojiu would have to visit every day.

And so, the matter was settled. Their family was all too familiar with apprenticeship ceremonies.

After the two little ones got home, Yun Xiaojiu was so happy that he grabbed the family’s tabby cat and chattered on and on.

Cat Boss’s fluffy face was a picture of resignation.

The Yun family was also happy, but not as ecstatic as before.

After all, this wasn’t the first or second time something like this had happened.

"The children of our two families are just so lucky."

Isn’t that the truth.

They just happened to be talented in certain fields, and they just happened to meet teachers who could guide them.

There are many talented people in this world, but very few who find a teacher who can truly instruct and lead them.

It really comes down to fate.

If their family were still ordinary people like before, or even poor, their children would have grown up to live the ordinary life of a normal person.

Even with talent, just finding the right path for it would have been difficult enough, let alone putting in the effort to pursue it.

Now that they had teachers to guide them, it could be said that while the rest of their lives might not be completely smooth sailing, their path would be much smoother than that of others.

Everyone expertly began to prepare the apprenticeship gifts for Yun Xiaojiu.

Yun Jiao remembered the things she had retrieved from the shipwreck. ’I think there’s something in there suitable for Xie San Niang.’

"Dad, let’s hurry and make a trip to the island before it gets dark. The things we brought back from the shipwreck are still there."