Chapter Three: The Melody of Words and the Essence of Poetry

Qin Ke looked at the smiling Bian Xiaoqi and thought to himself that she was truly a talented woman from the Chinese Literature department; her choice of words was incredibly precise, a level of rhetoric that could only be achieved through long-term, extensive reading. He praised her, saying, "Manager Bian’s commentary is concise and accurate, worthy of a Chinese Literature graduate. Please forgive the amateurish remarks of us outsiders."

Hearing Qin Ke’s praise, Bian Xiaoqi replied with a touch of shyness, "Everyone’s comments are excellent. I have simply lived here for a long time and have had more time to experience this place than you have. Please don't mind my clumsy words."

She then stood up gracefully, raised her glass, and said, "Let’s not just focus on critiquing; it’s time to drink. This is my first time meeting you two experts. You are both forthright and straightforward, and you hit it off so well with our General Manager Cheng. I am already moved by your seamless friendship. As the saying goes: 'In the midsummer night of Xizhou, I meet travelers from the East; with a heart full of expectations, I toast to the wind of the wine flag.' Although I am not a heavy drinker, I would like to offer you both three cups."

"Well said, Manager Bian. You should indeed offer a toast, otherwise, it would seem we lack sincerity. I’ll sponsor it," Cheng Ang immediately chimed in.

"Since Manager Bian is offering a toast, I must drink," Luo Tong, feeling more at ease now, added readily.

Bian Xiaoqi’s effortless recitation of a five-character quatrain left Qin Ke deeply impressed. Unsure of her drinking capacity and assuming that Southern girls were generally not heavy drinkers, he felt he should be considerate. "We are honored by your gesture, Manager Bian, and we will certainly drink, but please feel free to drink as much or as little as you like."

"Brother Qin, if you don't drink Manager Bian’s toast, you’ll have to drink for her, and double at that," Luo Tong immediately countered.

"No, I can drink my own," Bian Xiaoqi insisted.

Knowing Qin Ke was trying to look out for her, she declined his offer and continued, "I am honored to join Company A and work with General Manager Cheng, and I am equally honored to meet both of you technical experts. Welcome to Xizhou. I will drink this first cup as a sign of respect."

"Under General Manager Cheng’s leadership and with the full support of our two technical experts, our equipment at Company A will surely reach new heights in the Sichuan market. This second cup is to our sincere cooperation," Bian Xiaoqi said with confidence.

"I don't have much experience in the workplace, especially in technical matters, and I would be deeply grateful for your guidance and help. This third cup is for my personal growth and for our friendship," she added sincerely.

After finishing the three cups, a rosy glow appeared on Bian Xiaoqi’s beautiful face, adding a touch of boldness and capability to her features.

Her toasts and speech inspired Qin Ke. He said loudly, "General Manager Cheng, Manager Bian, Luo Tong and I would like to propose three cups together." Before he could finish, Luo Tong interrupted, "Brother Qin, we should each propose three cups separately, otherwise it’s unfair and makes us engineers look like we can't hold our liquor."

Cheng Ang laughed and said, "I agree with Qin Ke’s proposal."

Bian Xiaoqi also smiled and said, "I agree as well."

Qin Ke laughed and said to Luo Tong, "Three to one. Your objection is overruled."

Luo Tong had no choice but to raise his glass along with Qin Ke.

For the first cup, Qin Ke thanked Cheng Ang and Bian Xiaoqi for their hospitality and the delicious food. Luo Tong added that the meal was excellent.

For the second cup, Qin Ke stated that since Cheng Ang and Bian Xiaoqi had entrusted the Tongyuan project to them, he and Luo Tong would work in perfect harmony to solve any problem, telling them not to worry. Luo Tong chimed in that it was a piece of cake.

For the third cup, Qin Ke asked Cheng Ang and Bian Xiaoqi to provide them with more opportunities to visit Sichuan. Luo Tong immediately added that he wanted to taste all the delicacies of Sichuan.

After finishing these three cups, Cheng Ang smiled and said, "Brother Qin, your commitment is exactly what I wanted. With your strong support, the market will surely expand, and you will have more chances to come to Sichuan. Once the Tongyuan issue is resolved, Manager Bian will join you both to report to the client and discuss further cooperation. I thank you both in advance—let’s have one more."

As the night deepened, the four of them drank and chatted, feeling pleasantly tipsy and in high spirits.

Seeing that the moment was right, Cheng Ang smiled and said, "Manager Bian is a talented graduate of the Xizhou University Chinese Literature department, and Engineer Qin considers himself a literary tech-guy. How about a poetry competition so Luo Tong and I can witness your skills?"

Luo Tong immediately agreed, "General Manager Cheng, you are absolutely right. I have the same idea. I’m betting on Brother Qin. Go for it, Brother Qin, don't hold back." He then turned to Bian Xiaoqi, "Manager Bian, Brother Qin always bullies me for not being cultured enough, so please don't go easy on him today—crush his arrogance and get some revenge for me!"

Luo Tong acted as if he enjoyed causing trouble, leaving Qin Ke glaring at him.

Qin Ke seemed to have some psychological hesitation; he looked at Cheng Ang and Luo Tong but remained silent.

Bian Xiaoqi, however, was very direct and generous. "General Manager Cheng, Engineer Luo, I have no problem with that," she said, then turned to Qin Ke with a smile. "Engineer Qin, what do you think?"

Pinned down by the three of them, Qin Ke realized he had no choice but to accept. After a moment of thought, he smiled and said, "I have no problem either. However, since Manager Bian is a trained professional, I get to set the rules."

Bian Xiaoqi immediately understood his intent and nodded in agreement.

Qin Ke proposed, "We’ll play a game of poetry chain-linking. No fixed poetic form or specific title required, just categorizing by author. To be fair, Cheng Ang and Luo Tong will take turns choosing the author. We’ll limit each author to ten poems each; once reached, we switch to a new one. The loser must be penalized with a drink."

Bian Xiaoqi looked at him with a smile and nodded again.

Cheng Ang and Luo Tong were thrilled that they could participate in the game and eagerly anticipated the start.

Cheng Ang, seeing they were ready, immediately named the first poet: Li Bai, as he was his favorite.

Qin Ke laughed heartily, "The Poet Immortal Li Bai, the drunkard Cheng Ang—I’m ready."

Qin Ke started with Li Bai’s long poem, "Bring in the Wine": "Do you not see, the waters of the Yellow River come down from the sky, rushing to the sea and never returning..."

Bian Xiaoqi commented, "Full of emotion, bold and unrestrained, truly exhilarating." She followed with Li Bai’s "Hard is the Road to Shu": "Alas! How dangerous and high! The road to Shu is harder than climbing to heaven!..."

Qin Ke commented, "Magnificent momentum, passionately recited, majestic and grand." He then recited Li Bai’s seven-character quatrain, "Seeing Off Meng Haoran at Yellow Crane Tower."

Bian Xiaoqi commented, "Profound emotion without stagnation, lingering and not melancholic." She followed with Li Bai’s "On Hearing of Wang Changling’s Exile to Longbiao."

Qin Ke commented, "Melodic and sorrowful, sincere and moving." He then recited Li Bai’s "Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu."

Bian Xiaoqi commented, "Every word is a gem, a timeless classic." She followed with Li Bai’s "Viewing Mount Tianmen."

Qin Ke commented, "A natural painting, vivid in color." He then recited Li Bai’s five-character quatrain, "Quiet Night Thought."

Bian Xiaoqi commented, "Fresh and simple, with endless charm." She followed with Li Bai’s "Sitting Alone by Mount Jingting."

Qin Ke commented, "Unique taste, incredibly vivid." He then recited Li Bai’s "To Wang Lun."

Bian Xiaoqi commented, "Fresh and natural, rich in imagination." She followed with Li Bai’s "Departing from Baidi in the Morning."

Qin Ke commented, "Flowing and elegant, shocking in its brilliance." He then recited Li Bai’s "Hearing a Flute in Luocheng on a Spring Night."

Bian Xiaoqi commented, "Sincere emotions, endless resonance." She followed with Li Bai’s "Traveling in a Foreign Land."

Qin Ke commented, "Deep in meaning, thought-provoking." He then recited Li Bai’s five-character regulated verse, "Seeing Off a Friend."

Bian Xiaoqi commented, "Subtle and implicit, deeply moving." She followed with Li Bai’s "Crossing the Jingmen to See a Friend Off."

Qin Ke commented, "High artistic conception, thick with longing." He then recited Li Bai’s five-character quatrain, "Summer Day in the Mountains."

Bian Xiaoqi commented, "Authentic and fitting, open-minded and free." She followed with Li Bai’s "Staying at a Mountain Temple."

Qin Ke commented, "Clever exaggeration, magnificent imagination." He then recited Li Bai’s seven-character regulated verse, "Song of Picking Lotus."

Bian Xiaoqi commented, "Time flies, inspiring reverie." She followed with Li Bai’s "Climbing Phoenix Terrace at Jinling."

Qin Ke commented, "Ancient and elegant, far-reaching in style." He finally recited Li Bai’s long poem, "Dreaming of Wandering the Tianmu Mountain."

Bian Xiaoqi commented, "Magnificent artistic conception, brilliant and flowing." She followed with Li Bai’s long poem, "Song of the North Wind."

Qin Ke commented, "Natural and smooth, astonishingly eloquent."

(II)

Both Qin Ke and Bian Xiaoqi were intimately familiar with the works of the Poet Immortal Li Bai, and their critiques were spot-on. They went back and forth, neither willing to yield. One voice was high and resonant, the other soft and sweet; their recitation ebbed and flowed. Cheng Ang and Luo Tong were overwhelmed, enjoying a free feast of Li Bai’s poetry, thoroughly impressed by their vast knowledge and profound insights.

Seeing that they were evenly matched, Luo Tong was about to name the next poet for another round when Qin Ke suddenly raised his glass and said, "Manager Bian, I admit defeat." With that, he downed his drink in one gulp.

Luo Tong and Cheng Ang were confused and looked at Qin Ke in bewilderment.

Qin Ke explained, "I started, and Manager Bian followed. She was able to perfectly match my poetic structure and keep the content closely aligned, which is incredibly difficult. If one doesn't have a comprehensive mastery of Li Bai’s poems, that’s impossible. Conversely, if Manager Bian had started, I could have followed her structure, but I wouldn't have been able to reach her level in terms of content and form. I am truly impressed."

Cheng Ang and Luo Tong reflected on this for a long time, realizing that Qin Ke was right. They nodded in agreement and looked at Bian Xiaoqi.

Bian Xiaoqi accepted Qin Ke’s explanation and said with a smile, "Engineer Qin, you are too modest; you flatter me."

She had read the works of the great poets throughout Chinese history since she was a child. That Qin Ke could essentially match her made her look at him with newfound respect. She also raised her glass and said, "Meeting a tech-guy like Engineer Qin, who is both cultured and capable, is my honor." She finished her drink.

Cheng Ang laughed heartily, "You two are evenly matched, a true meeting of talents. For such a wonderful poetry competition, I’ll drink to that."

Luo Tong joked, "There’s always someone better, and I truly believe it now. I can’t catch up with you two even if I were barefoot, so I’ll just drink."

After finishing his drink, Luo Tong asked, "Brother Qin, Manager Bian, are you two going to continue?"

Bian Xiaoqi looked at Qin Ke with a smile, waiting for his decision.

Meeting her expectant gaze, Qin Ke thought for a moment and came up with an idea to win by surprise. He smiled slightly and said, "Of course, I’d like to learn more from Manager Bian."

"This time, let’s not just stick to the famous masters like Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Wang Wei, and the others. Let’s take turns reciting lines from poems, and the other person must guess the title, the author, and the dynasty. What do you think, Manager Bian?"

Bian Xiaoqi thought about his request, understood his intent, and nodded happily, letting Qin Ke start.

Qin Ke recited: "Drunk, I know not the sky is in the water, a boat full of clear dreams pressing against the galaxy."

Bian Xiaoqi answered: "Yuan Dynasty, Tang Gong, 'Inscribing on Qingcao Lake in Longyang County'."

Bian Xiaoqi recited: "Tonight I feel the spring air is warm, the sound of insects newly penetrating the green window gauze."

Qin Ke answered: "Tang Dynasty, Liu Fangping, 'Moonlit Night'."

Qin Ke recited: "The music ends, the person is gone, only a few green peaks remain on the river."

Bian Xiaoqi answered: "Tang Dynasty, Qian Qi, 'Provincial Examination: Xiangling Plays the Zither'."

Bian Xiaoqi recited: "The sea sun rises in the fading night, the river spring enters the old year."

Qin Ke answered: "Tang Dynasty, Wang Wan, 'Passing the North Solid Mountain'."

Qin Ke recited: "Drizzling rain in a dream, returning to the distant frontier, the small tower chilled by the blowing of the jade flute."

Bian Xiaoqi answered: "Southern Tang, Li Jing, 'Tanpo Huanxisha: The Lotus Flowers Fade and the Green Leaves Wither'."

Bian Xiaoqi recited: "Beyond the green willow smoke, the morning chill is light, the red apricot branches are bustling with spring."

Qin Ke answered: "Song Dynasty, Song Qi, 'Yulouchun: Spring Scene'."

Qin Ke recited: "The birds on the sand, the pool in the twilight, clouds break, the moon comes, flowers cast shadows."

Bian Xiaoqi answered: "Song Dynasty, Zhang Xian, 'Tianxianzi: Listening to Water Tunes with Wine'."

Bian Xiaoqi recited: "In the sparse shadows of apricot blossoms, playing the flute until dawn."

Qin Ke answered: "Song Dynasty, Chen Yuyi, 'Linjiangxian: Climbing the Small Pavilion at Night, Remembering Old Tours in Luoyang'."

Qin Ke recited: "A few residual stars, wild geese cross the frontier, a long flute sounds, someone leans on the tower."

Bian Xiaoqi answered: "Tang Dynasty, Zhao Gu, 'Autumn View in Chang'an'."

Bian Xiaoqi recited: "Fearing that I spoke too hastily, the traveler opens the letter again before departing."

Qin Ke answered: "Tang Dynasty, Zhang Ji, 'Autumn Thoughts'."

Qin Ke recited: "Sparse shadows stretch across the clear, shallow water, hidden fragrance drifts in the moonlit twilight."

Bian Xiaoqi answered: "Song Dynasty, Lin Bu, 'Two Poems on Plum Blossoms in the Mountain Garden: Part 1'."

Bian Xiaoqi recited: "The crane tent holds the spring but cannot keep it, green clouds carry the shadows down to Xiangnan."

Qin Ke answered: "Yuan Dynasty, Tang Gong, 'Ink Orchid'."

Bian Xiaoqi suddenly caught him off guard, making Qin Ke smile. She looked back at him with a smile.

They went back and forth for many rounds, still evenly matched. Cheng Ang and Luo Tong had never heard these lines, let alone knew the authors. They could only watch in silence as the two recited, as if they had forgotten they were even there.

When it was Qin Ke’s turn again, he thought for several minutes, calm and composed, and slowly recited a complete "Queqiao Xian": "Cicadas screech in the trees, frogs drum in the pond, teasing the magpies back to their nests. Floating clouds hide half the moon, asking, tonight, who is the rendezvous for? Eyebrows fine as paintings, lips red as fire, candlelight shakes red in the scented chamber. Wait for them to count the stars in the sky together, don't wait for spring flowers to fall in autumn."

It was Bian Xiaoqi’s turn to answer. She thought for a long time, her beautiful brows furrowed, but she couldn't come up with an answer.

Cheng Ang and Luo Tong looked at her, anxious for her but unable to help.

Qin Ke, on the other hand, smiled triumphantly on the side, looking as though he had already won.

After a long time, Bian Xiaoqi looked up, stared at Qin Ke, and suddenly realized something. Her face began to heat up again.

Cheng Ang and Luo Tong looked at her strange expression, confused.

Qin Ke, however, understood the change in her expression and saw the deeper meaning in her eyes. He stopped smiling, his heart began to pound, and his expression became unnatural.

Bian Xiaoqi immediately regained her composure and said generously, "I lost. Engineer Qin, you are so talented. That is a wonderful lyric for 'Queqiao Xian.' I concede." With that, she drank her wine.

Luo Tong exclaimed dramatically, "Brother Qin is mighty, I’m convinced. My admiration for you is like the surging Jialing River, endless."

Cheng Ang looked at Qin Ke skeptically, "You’re better than our Manager Bian? Is that true? Tell us the answer—whose work is this? Which dynasty and era?"

Qin Ke hesitated for a long time, as if struggling with whether to answer, before finally saying decisively, "I made it up. I don't know the answer either."

"You openly violated the rules of the game! You’re bullying our Manager Bian. You must drink three cups as a penalty," Cheng Ang said, feigning anger.

"I accept the punishment," Qin Ke said, feeling guilty and not bothering to argue.

"Manager Bian, I’m sorry. I was afraid of losing, so I came up with this idea," Qin Ke apologized sincerely. After saying this, he drank three cups in a row by himself.

Seeing that Qin Ke’s triumphant air was gone and that he was willing to accept his punishment for doing something wrong, Bian Xiaoqi suddenly giggled. "General Manager Cheng, Engineer Luo, Engineer Qin, there is no winner or loser in tonight’s poetry competition—it’s a draw. I’m very happy, and I hope we can have another unforgettable and interesting night like this next time."

Listening to Bian Xiaoqi’s light and pleasant voice, Qin Ke heard a deeper meaning. He felt that Bian Xiaoqi was trying to smooth things over for him, and he dared not look her in the eye. Occasionally, when he stole a glance, he felt that her smiling eyes held an unusual meaning.

The air conditioning in the private room was strong, but Qin Ke felt incredibly hot.

He felt he was drunk.

It was a case of not the wine making the person drunk, but the person making themselves drunk.