Please, come home and practice the piano

Chapter 1222, 482.K.333: A Ceremony to Say Goodbye to Childhood
It must be said that Ang Lee was also reflecting on this issue while watching the children's performance in Shipo.

He could sense that the children on and off stage were happy while watching and performing.

Although the stage wasn't particularly elaborate, and some of the performances were of questionable quality by professional standards, the children's joy was not diminished.

Perhaps it is because all the stage performances are real that the joy seems to be doubled.

Compared to the children in Shipo, Ang Lee felt a little hesitant when he thought about having to take up the orchestra children's playtime for rehearsals the next day.

"Wow——————"

As the two students who sang "I'm Still a Little Confused" on stage bowed to take their bows, applause erupted once again from the audience.

The hosts, both senior students, returned to the stage once again amidst applause.

The host, a senior student, became increasingly relaxed: "Thank you, Chen Kejing and Tan Yunhan, for your wonderful performance. Did you all enjoy it?!"

Audience: "We love it!!"

Host (senior female student): "Thank you, thank you both for your wonderful performances. Hey Lin, I heard you also really enjoy singing?"

The host, a senior student, said, "But I sang off-key!"

Audience: Hahahaha!

Suddenly, a voice shouted, "Sing one!"

Immediately afterwards, "Sing one!"

"Sing one!"

Faced with the jeers from the audience, the host smiled helplessly and said, "Then I'll sing a couple of lines, and everyone please try to laugh quietly."

Audience: Hahahaha!

The host, a senior student, cleared his throat and then began to sing: "I've just finished my hibernation during the holidays, and I'm still a little dazed. Birds are calling the forest awake overhead, and the spring air makes me feel so comfortable."

"Okay, okay, I can't remember the rest of the lines!"

"Whoosh————————"

Host (senior): "Wow, how well did our Lin sing!"

Audience: "Bravo!!"

Li Anxin laughed and exclaimed, "These kids are really good! They sing well!!"

Host (senior student): "Thank you! Thank you everyone! To be honest, I've never sung on stage before. Hey, Fang, don't you also love music?"

The audience started heckling again.

The female host replied with a laugh, "I only like listening to music."

Host (senior): "What kind of music do you usually listen to?"

The female host said, "I listen to everything—electronic music, pop, classical music."

The host, a senior student, said: "Wow, you even listen to classical music."

The host, a senior student, said: "Of course, I love listening to classical piano the most. I listen to it every time I do my homework, and it helps me improve my homework efficiency."

Ha ha ha ha--

The host, a senior student, said, "I'll have to try it when I get back. Our class has been getting more and more homework lately."

Hahahahahaha——

In an instant, it seemed as if the entire audience resonated with the moment.

The host, a senior student, said: "Hey, do you know that there's a really talented young pianist in our school?"

The host hesitated for a moment: "If you're talking about A-Lin from Class 8 of Grade 7, we all know her. Hasn't she already been on three shows? She was just backstage encouraging you, saying you were great."

The audience burst into laughter again!

The host, a senior student, wasn't embarrassed at all: "What I mean is, have you ever heard Arlene's piano solo?"

Host (senior female student): "Really not!"

The host, a senior student, joked, "Would you like to hear Ah Lin's piano solo?"

Audience: "We want to hear it!!!"

The host then asked, "Would everyone like to hear Arlene play Mozart?"

Audience: "We want to hear it!!!"

The female host smiled and then faced the audience with the male host.

"Now let us turn back the clock gently, and travel back more than two centuries to touch the eternally shining stars in the works of this genius musician."

The host, a senior student, continued, "His music is hailed as the clearest spring water, the warmest sunshine, and the most innocent fairy tale. Even a piano is enough to construct an exquisite and rich universe in his world of notes."

Host Sister: "Next, the stage will be handed over to the piano behind me. Let's listen to the classics together and experience Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 13 in B-flat major, K. 333, brought to us by Che Lin! Please give her a round of applause!"

Host (senior): "Please welcome Arlene!"

"Whoosh————————"

Applause and cheers erupted again from the audience, and the two hosts clapped as they left the stage.

As Arlene, dressed in a black evening gown, walked gracefully onto the stage, the applause from the audience doubled!
“Wow————————————”

Ang Lee had already taken out his phone to record this moment. Go, little car!

Upon reaching the center of the stage, Xiao Che turned around, covered his chest, and bowed, his smile conveying an indescribable sense of warmth and approachability.

She bowed, stood up, and sat down at the piano. As the applause around her gradually subsided, she gently raised her hands and placed them on the keyboard.

Everyone in the audience held their breath at that moment; the place was as quiet as could be.

Backstage, the teachers from the four steel companies who participated in the performance also held up their phones and pointed them at the stage.

Everyone seemed to be waiting for the piano to start playing.

"Ding ding ding ding-"

The next second, the sound of the piano soared into the air.

The vibrant energy of the first movement of Mozart's K.333 resonates from the fingertips of the young piano girl on the hillside.

The atmosphere at the scene subtly changed at that moment.

Guided by the flowing musical notes, the simple stage seemed to transform into a riverbed of colors and light.

In the blink of an eye, a series of gorgeous and clear melodic scales suddenly burst forth from the hands on the keyboard.

Like clear stream water flowing over a hillside, it instantly bursts into colorful flames that shoot continuously into the air.

Gradually, the piano girl's focused expression seemed to merge with the flowing black grand piano.

In the blink of an eye, her right hand drew a delicate golden beam of light.

She nodded her chin, and the root sound of her left hand sank into the ground, transforming into a calm, deep blue undercurrent.

Is this Mozart's music?

What a beautiful melody.

Is this Arlene's live Mozart performance?
Even those who had heard Arlene's class recital were incredibly surprised. Compared to Arlene playing the piano in the music room, Arlene seemed like a completely different person now.

She wore a black evening gown, looking like an ambassador for Mozart's music.

Her fingertips were magical, dazzling the eye.

The students in the audience widened their eyes, and several students sitting in the back row couldn't help but stand up, as if afraid of missing any detail on the stage.

Mozart's piano melody continued to flow freely, like a colorful balloon swaying freely in the breeze on a stage.

After an unknown amount of time, a clear, high-pitched melody rose up, and the originally tranquil musical mood seemed to be suddenly interrupted.

The most magnificent moment seemed to arrive at this instant.

Arlene's hands moved faster on the keyboard, and the complex notes burst forth like fireworks.

Wherever her fingers touched, the musical notes magically transformed into particles of light, gently drifting down to the audience.

The particles of light landed on the students' hair and shoulders, then seemed to disappear after a moment.

"when!"

When Arlene raised her piano again, it was as if another wave of light particles spread from the sky above the stage to the audience below.

Ang Lee watched the young pianist on stage quietly, and couldn't help but smile after hearing the cadenza. There was certainly no problem with playing it that way, but he knew that Xiao Che wasn't fully prepared for the piece yet.

He's been too busy lately, both he and Xiao Che are busy. If the teacher and student had a little more time to discuss this piece, he believes Xiao Che would have been able to showcase even more in it.

For example, at the point where the car stops and returns to its original position, the car can completely detach from the pedal.

This makes the musical transitions more interesting.

But that didn't matter anymore; he was very satisfied with Xiao Che's performance.

This should be the first sonata that the car played on its own, consisting of three consecutive movements.

The facts have once again proven that after the Xiaoshao competition, Xiaoche has made substantial progress in reading music.

Unlike Ang Lee's perspective, Xiao Che, who was completely immersed in the performance, did not consider how well she had done the piece.

At that moment, she had only one thought: to give the happiest music to this stage and to every student in the audience.

She probably felt a lot of pressure recently because of planning the Children's Day performance, and now she wants to release all the emotions she has been holding in through this stage and through this song.

This is also her Children's Day!

She can still be a child!

Xiao Che had never experienced a Children's Day like this before, participating on stage as a planner and performer.

She used to be able to watch her classmates perform on stage from below the stage with envy, but today she is the one sitting here.

So today she is both a fourteen-year-old girl and an eight-year-old girl.

Perhaps the life rhythms of childhood and adolescence are inherently a unique expression of a journey back at the speed of light.

"when."

As the car played its last note, she rose to play the piano, and before the audience could react, she bowed while playing the instrument.

“Wow——————————————”

The audience erupted in the loudest applause of the day.

It’s too shocking!

At this moment, besides clapping with all their might, the students in the audience didn't know how else to express their feelings.

“Wow————————————————”

Once again, facing the overwhelming roar of the audience, Xiao Che seemed to return to the stage from his thoughts.

She seemed to suddenly realize why she had named the concert "We Are Still Kids"—she knew she was no longer a child.

Perhaps this is her last Children's Day.

The first thing she thought of when she got up wasn't how well she played, but rather the closing sequence of the performance.

It's as if she went on stage and participated in four programs just to make the performance more complete.

But it seems like this feeling isn't bad either.

Thinking of this, Xiao Che smiled slightly and bowed to the audience once again.

Since that's the case, let's say goodbye to little Arlene from our childhood one last time.

Thank you, Arlene. It is your unwavering passion that has brought us to this stage today.

Do not worry!
I will continue to walk firmly down this path, carrying your stubbornness with me.

“Wow————————————”

"Arlene!!!"

Faced with the still enthusiastic applause, Xiao Che bowed for the third time.

Click.

Just then, Liang Yudan, who was standing on the side of the backstage, captured the moment with a photo taken with her mobile phone.

In the photo, colorful balloons are scattered all over the stage, and a girl in a black dress in front of the piano smiles brightly, her childlike innocence mixed with a maturity that is completely out of place for her age. A line of cartoon text hangs crookedly above her head: "We are still children."

Finally, Ang Lee and Principal Min were invited on stage by the host and senior students to take a fun-filled group photo with all the participating students.

The children prepared two colorful flower wreaths for each of the two adults to wear on their heads.

Every student who participated in the performance "Tomorrow Will Be Better" received a matching small flower wreath.

The little car, also wearing a flower wreath, stood between the two adults.

It was at the strong request of Principal Min and all the performers.

Because in the hearts of all the participating students, Arlene is the director of this show.

Although Professor Ang Lee also provided a lot of help to everyone.

"Principal Min, I'll contact you another day."

If it weren't for the fact that there would be a second round of painting by the bookish person later, Ang Lee would really like to have a meal with Principal Min.

He hadn't mentioned Tang Xiaoxing's intention to transfer to Shipo's class yet.

However, judging from the current situation, it should be a matter of just one word from him.
-
After leaving the auditorium, the car took the teacher all the way to the school gate.

"Linlin, you really won't come with us?" Liang Yudan extended the invitation again. "We'll wait for you to go back to the classroom to get your schoolbag."

Xiao Che certainly wanted to go to the bookstore to watch the rehearsal, but if he went, he wouldn't have time to practice the piano tonight.

“Let’s go, Linlin,” Wang Wenyang said. “Anyway, it’s a holiday tomorrow, so you can rest and come play with us.”

Xiao Che chuckled, "Teacher Wang, I'll go see it tomorrow! I still have three pieces for the concert to practice."

Everyone sighed upon hearing this. Geniuses aren't scary; what's scary is that geniuses don't want to rest!
Ang Lee laughed: "Then you go home. Eat less later. We'll go eat after we're done. You can come with us. You did a good job today, so I'll reward you with a late-night snack."
-
Of course, we have to have a late-night snack!
As soon as Xiao Che returned to the classroom, he took his school uniform to the restroom to change. After changing, he ran into Ms. Cao, the homeroom teacher of Class 11.

Teacher Cao smiled and gave the car a big thumbs up.

"Thank you, Teacher Cao."

At this moment, Zhang, Guan, and Chen were discussing in class where they should go for a short trip.

Seeing Xiao Che return after changing his clothes, Xiao Zhang asked again, "Ah Lin, what do you want to eat? I'll do whatever you want today!"

Xiao Che: "Sorry, guys, you guys go ahead, I have to go home and practice my piano."

Xiao Guan: "Seriously, Arlene? You're practicing the piano again today?!"

The three of them couldn't understand why Arlene still wanted to go home and practice the piano after everything had happened.

Ah Qian: "Tomorrow's a holiday, bro! Don't cause any trouble!"

Xiao Che: "I really need to go back and practice the piano. There are only sixteen days left until the concert, and I still have three pieces to practice."

The three sighed upon hearing this; what else could they say?

Xiao Zhang: "Keep it up!"

Xiao Guan: "Go for it!"

Ah-Qian: "Keep it up!"

Xiao Che: "When I get back from Yanjing, I'll invite you all to my house for dinner!"
-
Xiao Che only said half of what she wanted to say; she would introduce a new friend to the three of them later!

After returning home, she had dinner with her grandfather, and then she went into her study to practice the piano.

Time flew by and it was already nine o'clock in the evening.

Bookish Playground.

"Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, all members of the wind band will gather in the courtyard, and the teachers in charge should arrive fifteen minutes in advance."

As soon as the voice from the speaker finished, the playground erupted in chaos.

The band has rehearsal tomorrow morning?!

There's a flea market tomorrow morning!!!
Didn't Teacher Li just say that tonight's rehearsal was perfect?!

Wang Xiaohu was at a loss for words.

He couldn't say that the teacher was going too far, no matter what the other students said, he couldn't say that.

Just because he doesn't say it doesn't mean he can't think it.

(End of this chapter)