Please, come home and practice the piano

Chapter 1259, 479. A formidable foe has appeared? The unresolved issues between grandfather and grandson.

The next morning, the car opened its eyes groggily; the room was dark.

The sky outside the window was frighteningly gloomy.

Ok?
Where's Xiaoxing?
Following the rustling sound, she saw Tang Xiaoxing squatting on the ground organizing her suitcase.

Xiao Che couldn't help but laugh when he saw this, because Xiao Xing had clearly packed her suitcase before going to bed last night.

"Little Star, you're up so early!"

"Linlin, you're awake."

Tang Xiaoxing turned around upon hearing the sound and explained, "I can't sleep, so I want to check my luggage again."

"I'll help you!" the little car said, yawning as it got up and jumped off the bed.

Tang Xiaoxing: "Linlin, why don't you sleep a little longer?"

Xiao Che: "Catch up on sleep on the plane at noon. You too, it seems like you didn't sleep much last night."

Tang Xiaoxing: "I'm sorry, Linlin, I didn't mean to bother you."

Car: "No, I can't sleep either. Do you want to check this suitcase?"

Tang Xiaoxing: "Hmm, I want to move all my clothes into one suitcase."

Xiao Che: "Okay! Let's get these sheet music books out first."

In no time, the once tidy floor was made into a mess.

Tang Xiaoxing said she got up at 5 a.m., and Xiao Che completely understood.

If this happened to Xiao Che, she probably wouldn't be able to sleep all night.

"Linlin, I'm still a little uneasy."

"Still can't believe it."

"Well, it's not that I can't believe it, I just don't know how to put it."

"Relax, Little Star, we only have less than five hours left before we set off."

"Linlin, I know, I just..."

moment.

Are you under pressure?

"Ah."

"The teacher said the best way to deal with pressure is to face it head-on. Can you talk about your pressure? Or let me guess, are you not ready for the life ahead?"

"It seems so," Tang Xiaoxing smiled. "But I'm really happy."

After a pause, he said, "Anyway, I'm extremely happy."

Hearing Xiaoxing's tone, Xiaoche belatedly realized that the plot seemed to have deviated slightly.

"Linlin."

Xiao Che suddenly tensed up, afraid that Xiao Xing would ask her something.

"Thank you, Linlin."

As she spoke, Tang Xiaoxing quickened her pace, then changed the subject and asked cutely, "Does Shipo Middle School have any arts clubs?"

Xiao Che: "Currently, the school is planning to form a professional choir to prepare for the city singing competition during the summer vacation. However, we need to participate in the district-level competition first. Only after we achieve a top-three finish in the district-level competition can we qualify for the city-level competition. The school's goal this time is to strive to enter the city-level competition."

Tang Xiaoxing: "How many schools participated in the district-level competition?"

Xiao Che: "There are thirteen in total this time."

Tang Xiaoxing: "It should be relatively easy to go from thirteen to three."

Xiao Chehan: "Shipo's best historical result was ninth in the whole district. Only ten schools in the district applied that year."

Tang Xiaoxing: "Huh? Are the opponents in the district-level competition very strong?"

Xiao Che: "Well, we are a school in Yudong District. Our competitors include Yudong Experimental School, which was the top student in the city last year, and No. 7 Middle School. The No. 7 Middle School choir participated in the Shanghai Youth Choir Culture Exhibition. There are videos of their performance online. They are very impressive. Finally, there is Shuren."

Tang Xiaoxing frowned slightly: "The Book Man? That's not it."

The car driver's expression hardened again: "That's right, the school that the book people attend is Wang Xiaohu's school."

After a moment, "It is still unknown whether Wang Xiaohu will participate in this competition as a conductor or as a lead singer, but Shuren's overall strength this year is very strong. Their school has always attached importance to the comprehensive development of students, and now with a teacher in the position of artistic director, it is likely that Shuren will advance to the city finals as the district's first place."

Tang Xiaoxing exclaimed in surprise: "Teacher is the art director of Shuren?"

Xiao Che sighed, "Yes, so if we want to make it into the city-level competition this time, the only way is to give it our all. My personal goal is for Shipo to make it into the city-level competition."

Tang Xiaoxing suddenly laughed, "Linlin, this doesn't sound like something you would say."

Car: "Huh?"

Tang Xiaoxing: "In my eyes, you are fearless. Although the scholars have teachers, the stone slope still has you. Why don't you think about striving for first place!"

Xiao Che laughed heartily, "If that's the case, then it's not impossible to give it a try."

Tang Xiaoxing: "That's right! You said it, you have to believe in yourself."

Xiao Che: "No, no, if it were just me, I wouldn't be confident at all, but the situation is different now."

As she spoke, Xiao Che neatly placed the sheet music in her hand into a corner of the suitcase, then turned her head and said, "Now I have you!"

Tang Xiaoxing was taken aback: "Huh?"

The little car stretched out its tiny fist and said earnestly, "Let's work together to defeat Wang Xiaohu!"

Meeting the determined gaze of the car driver, Tang Xiaoxing felt a surge of excitement within her, a feeling she had never experienced before.

He instinctively raised his fist and shouted, "Go for it!"

The two little fists collided, as if sparking a dazzling flame of youth.

"come on!"

Outside the window, the sky was overcast, but inside, the atmosphere was filled with eager anticipation.

moment.

"Xiaoxing, thank you."

"Why thank me? Isn't this what I should do? You're welcome!"

Xiao Che chuckled: "Same here, you're welcome."

Tang Xiaoxing was taken aback for a moment, then smiled again.

I felt inexplicably much more at ease.

Little Car: "I've collected all the sheet music!"

"Thank you for your hard work!" Tang Xiaoxing said, standing up from the ground. "Linlin, do I need to bring a few more dresses? Two might not be enough."
-
Let's rewind to yesterday's family meeting at noon.

While she was still immersed in the joy and grievance of not having to go abroad, her grandfather suddenly suggested that she go to Chengdu to prepare for the competition.

Then the teacher agreed.

At the time, she had no idea what going to Chengdu to prepare for the competition meant for her.

She could only piece together a few images from the adults' conversations, images that excited her to the point of being overwhelmed.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing and seeing, and she asked Linlin for confirmation.

Then Linlin asked her if she was willing?
How could she possibly refuse!
She's willing!

Perhaps she got too excited, because when she shouted "I do!" at the toy car, she didn't realize that her brain was actually in a short-circuit state.

At the time, her mind was filled with the images she longed for, and she had no time to consider why all of this happened so naturally.

This blissful, intoxicating feeling lasted until evening, when Tang Xiaoxing discovered that her parents seemed to have prepared everything for her trip to Chengdu.

Recalling everything that happened at the dinner table, a feeling vaguely arose in her heart.

Everything seemed to have been arranged, except for her.

This overwhelmed her with the same emotion she felt before she went abroad.

Considering that her teacher and Linlin had been constantly encouraging her to face herself bravely over the past two days, she connected all the dots.

In the end, she concluded that perhaps everything at the dinner table really was arranged.

Thinking about this, her emotions became somewhat out of control again.

This was an outcome she never dared to dream of.

She wanted to be happy, but an emotion kept holding her back, preventing her from being truly joyful. From yesterday afternoon until midnight today, she was constantly troubled by this emotion.

As Xiao Che said, she barely slept that night.

She hated herself for this, and she told herself that this was the best outcome for her, and she told herself not to dwell on it anymore.

But she just couldn't do it.
She seems to be in a much better mood now and has set her first small goal.

She and Linlin will work together to help Shipo Middle School achieve the best result in the singing competition this summer, qualifying for the city-level competition!
Even if their competitors are teachers!
-
While the two children were packing their luggage upstairs, Mr. Tang and Ang Lee were having a close conversation in the living room.

The old man stayed here until after 10 p.m. yesterday, only leaving after the two children went back to their bedroom.

Then I came here very early this morning, around 6 a.m.

The old man didn't sleep well last night either.

He always felt that his granddaughter had something on her mind.

His granddaughter's affairs are his affairs, and her worries are his worries.

He asked Ang Lee if he also felt that his granddaughter's behavior yesterday afternoon and evening was a bit unusual.

Ang Lee told the old man to relax.

"It's normal to imagine that children will encounter such situations during their growth."

After the old man passed away last night, Ang Lee and Tang Jingren and his wife also discussed this issue.

He used a car as an example, saying, "Linlin sometimes gets caught up in her own emotions, such as when she encounters something she hasn't experienced before or something she can't make a clear judgment about, and then she gets into a certain mood. In fact, this is also a kind of self-protection mechanism."

"Her unusual behavior is a good thing, as she is looking for an outlet to break free from her emotions."

What Ang Lee said made sense to Grandpa Tang, but his granddaughter was about to leave, and he couldn't rest easy until he figured out exactly what had happened.

"Then do you think she's still angry with me?"

Ang Lee: "Then do you think it's reasonable for her to still be angry with you?"

Grandpa Tang: "That makes sense."

Ang Lee: "That's fine then. Just pretend the child is still angry with you."

Old Master Tang's face darkened, and he smacked his lips, saying, "You think of a way for me."

Li Anle: "You were too hasty yesterday. You were so anxious that you told everything in one go. It would be fine if it were another child, but Xiaoxing is so thoughtful, right?"

"If you ask me, Xiaoxing is just like you. She seems like she can keep things to herself, but when something really happens, she can't stay calm."

Grandpa Tang: "Ah, you're right, she takes after me in that respect. Look at her parents, they're both straightforward."

Ang Lee: "So don't worry. She'll come back with me first, and we'll keep in touch. When I think it's about time, you can quietly go to Chengdu, right? What kind of unresolved issues could there be between a grandfather and granddaughter?"

moment.

Grandpa Tang nodded and sighed, "Thank you for your hard work."

Just then, the voices of two children suddenly came from the corridor.

The two quickly ended the conversation.

Good morning, Grandpa Tang! Good morning, teacher!

Good morning, teacher. Good morning, grandpa.

"Good morning, good morning, come and have breakfast."

Mr. and Mrs. Tang went out early in the morning to buy some more things for Li An to take with him. Breakfast was brought over by Mr. Tang earlier.

During the meal, they talked about Xiao Che's heroic act of downing a bowl of soy milk yesterday.

The little car played the comedic role throughout the meal, making it a rather enjoyable experience.

Because Ang Lee had to rush to pay his respects to Grandpa Xie before leaving, and Tang Jingren and his wife had not yet returned, only the grandfather and grandson remained at home for the time being.

Ang Lee: "We'll try to come back soon, and Xiaoxing can spend some quality time with Grandpa."

Tang Xiaoxing: "Okay, bye-bye teacher, bye-bye Linlin."

Little Car: "Grandpa Tang, let's go! Little Star, wait for me!"

Tang Xiaoxing: "Mmm!"

Grandpa Tang: "No rush, let's stay with Old Man Xie a little longer."

Ang Lee: "Yes, don't worry, Uncle Tang."
-
The teacher and student left with their umbrellas, while the grandfather and grandson returned to the living room.

"Yun'er, you've packed your luggage."

"Okay, everything's packed. I'll take two suitcases, and Dad will send the rest by courier."

"Yes, the express delivery is fast, it should arrive tomorrow. Do you need anything else? Tell Grandpa quickly."

Looking at her grandfather's cautious manner, Tang Xiaoxing felt a pang of sadness. "Grandpa, I've prepared everything."

Grandpa Tang grinned, "Yes, yes, it's okay if we're missing anything. We'll tell you and Teacher Li later. Teacher Li will be in charge from now on, and we'll all listen to him."

Tang Xiaoxing: "Grandpa, please sit down. I'll pour you a glass of water."

Grandpa Tang quickly waved his hand: "No need, no need, I'll drink it myself if I'm thirsty. You go ahead and do your thing, don't worry about me."

Tang Xiaoxing hesitated for a moment. She had wanted to take this opportunity to ask her grandfather, but he seemed...
Before long, bright piano music came from the music room.

Grandpa Tang strolled back and forth in the corridor, occasionally pausing in front of the music room for a while.
-
"Goodbye, Grandpa Xie!"

"Goodbye, Lin! Eat well!"

Two hours passed quickly.

Today's visit went smoothly. Before leaving, Grandpa Xie reminded Xiao Che to eat more when he got back, saying that he wanted to see Xiao Che a little fatter when they met again in September.

After visiting Mr. Xie, the teacher and student were lucky; it only started to drizzle when they got into the taxi.

"So what should we do, teacher? After we leave, Xiaoxing will go to the music room to practice the piano."

"Easy to handle."

After learning about Tang Xiaoxing's condition, Ang Lee felt more at ease.

As he had guessed, Tang Xiaoxing must have figured out the truth.

"How to do?"

"Just tell her what happened."

"what?!"

"Okay, we'll go to the airport in two cars later. Xiaoxing and I will ride in one car, and you and Grandpa Tang and the others will ride in the other. You can tell Grandpa Tang what Xiaoxing is thinking. The problem right now is that neither of them knows what the other is thinking, so they're both keeping it to themselves."

"understand!"
-
At 11:30 a.m., the family had a quick lunch and then rushed to the airport.

According to the plan of the teacher and student, Xiaoxing was arranged to be in a car.

See you at the airport!

See you at the airport, Teacher Li!

Two cars set off for the airport despite the torrential rain.

Ang Lee cut to the chase, "Xiao Xing, are you still angry with your grandfather?"

Tang Xiaoxing shook her head: "Teacher, I'm not angry with Grandpa."

Li An sighed, "Xiao Xing, actually, your grandfather had already decided before you even returned to China that you wouldn't be allowed to go abroad this time."

Tang Xiaoxing's heart skipped a beat, and she turned to look at the teacher.

Ang Lee: Do you know why?

Tang Xiaoxing shook her head again.

Ang Lee: "Because he knows he was wrong, he regrets arranging your life according to his own wishes all this time, but he also wants to see you who has the courage to face your choices. So this time he didn't tell you all this in advance. He's waiting, waiting for you to face yourself."

“You did a great job. Yesterday you took the initiative to tell him that you no longer wanted to go abroad.”

"But he didn't expect that his granddaughter had really grown up."

Ang Lee smiled as he spoke.

“You are no longer that little girl who needs surprises, and this trip to Chengdu is indeed a surprise he prepared for you.”

"Before he is your life guide, he is first and foremost your grandfather, Xiaoxing. He actually loves you very much."

The rain outside the window was pouring down harder and harder.