Please, come home and practice the piano

621. Getting married would be so wonderful!
Li An vaguely remembers the scene of Xiao Che's birthday last year.

The baby was crying so hard.
Hey.

The little car cried so much back then that it made me feel uncomfortable, but now it's laughing so much that it makes me feel at ease.

Before you know it, a year has passed.

very nice.

Midway through the meal, Dingzi came over to offer a toast. Li An hadn't planned to drink today, but he still asked Wang Xiaohu to open a bottle of beer for him.

Why did he specifically ask Wang Xiaohu to drive?

Because at that time, Wang Xiaohu really needed someone to help him out.

It all started during the gift-giving segment when Ah Liu led the teasing, which made Wang Xiaohu a little unhappy.

Actually, Ah Liu didn't mean anything by it; he just asked what gift Wang Xiaohu gave the racing god.

Let alone the children, even Ang Lee, as an elder, was a little curious.

Wang Xiaohu didn't mean anything by it, and just chuckled and said, "Mind your own business."

As a result, everyone started talking about Wang Xiaohu.

This caused Wang Xiaohu's smile to gradually freeze. He just didn't want everyone to know, so what was wrong with that?
Fortunately, Xiao Che came to his rescue immediately, telling everyone: "Don't tell anyone beforehand! I'm going to check your gifts one by one when I get back to the house tonight!"

Xiao Che is absolutely right; every birthday gift she receives is a unique surprise.

After that, no one said anything more, except that Wang Xiaohu's expression remained somewhat unnatural.

At first glance, it makes people think he has done something wrong again.

So Ang Lee took the opportunity to mention Wang Xiaohu.

When Wang Xiaohu handed him the opened bottle of beer, he jokingly asked Wang Xiaohu if he wanted a sip, which earned him a big eye roll from Chen Xuan.

Wang Xiaohu was certainly not stupid, and said he wouldn't fall for it.

"If I said I'd drink it, you'd probably say, 'You little brat, how dare you ask me to drink it?'"

It must be said that Wang Xiaohu's imitation was excellent; in just two short sentences, he perfectly captured Ang Lee's tone and demeanor.

The children were overjoyed.

So Ang Lee asked Liu again, and Liu also waved his hand to indicate his refusal.

"Teacher, that's enough!"

Before Ah Liu could finish speaking, Xiao Bei shook her head resentfully: "Teacher, it seems you really want the boys to drink."

Ang Lee: "Huh?"

Hahahaha!

And so the children's camp was restored once again.

The little car's birthday party continued, during which everyone played many games.

It lasted until 9:30 p.m.

After everyone had eaten the car's birthday cake, today's activities came to an end.

Amidst wishes of "Happy Birthday, Arlene" and farewells, everyone went their separate ways.

Some were picked up by their parents, some hitched a ride along the way, and some were stopped when they tried to take a taxi on their own.

"Marco, wait a little longer, my mom will be here soon."

"It's okay, Xiao Bei, my mom has already called a car for me."

"Why don't you just call your aunt to cancel it?"

Xiao Bei insisted that Marco wait for her mother to arrive so they could see him off together, so Marco had no choice but to call his mother.

Ang Lee didn't know what Marco finally told his family. He told Chen Xuan to watch the children outside while he carried his bag into the house and went to the kitchen to find an old car.

The car's birthday present is still in his bag.

The two red envelopes were something he and Chen Xuan had planned beforehand.

"No, no, no."

This was the first time Old Che had spoken so bluntly to Ang Lee, because he could tell at a glance the thickness of the two red envelopes.

"Teacher Li, this really won't work."

At the kitchen entrance, Lao Che wiped his hands with his apron and waved.

Ang Lee had anticipated this, so he didn't hand the two red envelopes to the young man, but instead chose to give them to the old man in person.

Li An grabbed Lao Che's arm and said earnestly, "Brother Che, if you consider me family, listen to me. Buy the car before winter."

Just as Lao Che was about to speak, Ang Lee interrupted him, saying, "I consider you family."

The old man was left speechless by Ang Lee's two sentences, one before and one after. It seemed that he had no choice but to take the money today, whether he wanted to or not.

Ang Lee held out the red envelope in his hand towards the old car again, urging in a low voice, "Hurry up and get your sister-in-law to get her driver's license. It would be so nice to drive the car home with Linlin at the end of the year."

"Sigh!" Old Che sighed, no longer being coy. "Thank you, Teacher Li. Then consider this money as a loan from you. I'll write you an IOU right now."

Li Anle: "Go ahead and call me. I don't want it. If you give it back to me later, I'll save it for Linlin and give it to her when she goes to college."

Old Che didn't know what to say anymore, only feeling the two red envelopes in his hands suddenly feel lighter and heavier.

Just then, a toy car ran in from outside. "Teacher! Marco and Xiao Bei are gone."

"Got it." Before Li An could even turn around, he had already run over.

Looking at the two red envelopes in his dad's hand, Xiao Che scratched his head and said, "Thank you, teacher."

Old Car: "Linlin..."

Ang Lee raised his hand: "Alright, after today you'll officially be fourteen. Let's keep working hard in the new year. Can you do it?"

The car stood at attention: "Mission accomplished!"

Old Che chuckled and placed his hand on his daughter's head. It was her fourteenth birthday, and he seemed even happier than she was.

"Alright, Linlin, let's head out now."

Old Che hurriedly stopped him: "Wait, Teacher Li, is there something you need to rush back to? We haven't even had a drink with you yet."

Xiao Che exclaimed, "Teacher has a concert tomorrow night! He needs to go back and rest early. Let's have a drink together when he's done and you're all free."

Old Che slapped his forehead; how could he have forgotten about that?

Ang Lee chimed in, "Wait until the day after tomorrow. Bring the nails with you that night, and we'll have a good drink together."

Old Car: "Good, good, good!"

Xiao Che: "Teacher, I have to go back the day after tomorrow too."

Ang Lee: "It's time to prepare for Bach."

Old Car: "Linlin, you should go back with your teacher today."

Ang Lee: "Let her stay at home for two more nights. I'm afraid I won't be able to go back until mid-September. Brother Che, you're busy. There are more people outside. Don't come out to see me off. See you the day after tomorrow."

Old Car: "Linlin sees the teacher off to the car."

And so, with Xiao Che and Sang Ping seeing them off, Li An and his group got into the car.

Chen Xuan drove, Li An sat in the passenger seat, and Tang Xiaoxing and Wang Xiaohu sat in the back.

On the way back, the two children conducted a fun little interview with Ang Lee.

Tang Xiaoxing: "Teacher, there are still 21 hours until your concert. Can you tell me how you feel right now?"

Ang Lee: "I was still a little nervous."

Wang Xiaohu: "Oh? Are you worried that the stage air conditioning won't be cool enough tomorrow?"

Ang Lee: "I'm worried I'll forget the score tomorrow."

Tang Xiaoxing: "No way!"

Ang Lee: "Honestly, I felt a lot of pressure with this piece."

Wang Xiaohu asked in confusion, "But I felt that you looked much more relaxed during the second rehearsal than during the previous second rehearsal."

Tang Xiaoxing: "Teacher, were you there during the rehearsal for the second round of classes?"

Wang Xiaohu: "Alin and I were both there at the time. The teacher seemed very serious to us, unlike this time."

Li An sighed: "You probably don't understand yet, but this time, we're fighting on home soil."

The two children looked at each other, seemingly understanding something, yet also seemingly grasping nothing. Back home, Li An had just changed his clothes when he received a message from the two children in their group chat.

Tang Xiaoxing: I'm home!
Wang Xiaohu: I'm home! I'm home!

"Hey."

Li An sat down by the window, opened the piano lid but didn't play; he just stared at the black and white keys.

"Relax."

Chen Xuan brought over a glass of cool boiled water. "Have some water."

"It's alright." Li An took the cup. "Even if I have diarrhea again tomorrow, how much worse can it get?"

Chen Xuan: Yeah, so why are you so nervous?

Ang Lee: "Who doesn't want to be better?"

Chen Xuan: "Believe me! No one in the entire Chengdu city plays Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto better than you."

Ang Lee: "You wouldn't understand either."

Chen Xuan rolled her eyes and said, "If you're like this, even professional musicians won't be able to make a living. Go take a shower, we have important things to discuss with you before going to bed."

“Don’t say it.” Ang Lee pondered the words. “You really shouldn’t say it.”

After downing the cold boiled water in his hand in one gulp, Li An closed his violin and went into the bathroom.

Wow.
-
The important thing is the menu for the engagement party!

Half an hour later, the two went to bed and started discussing the menu for their engagement party.

That evening, Song Lian sent Chen Xuan three menus, asking the two of them to choose one when they had time.

The restaurant reservation is already made; we're just waiting for the menu to be finalized.

Chen Xuan: "My mom meant for you to see what your uncle and aunt like to eat. These three menus were drawn up by her, and some of them are more in line with the Northwest flavor."

“I think they’re all fine.” Ang Lee flipped back to the first menu and looked at it again. “Are the prices on these three menus very different?”

Chen Xuan: I don't know the specifics, but they should be about the same. You can choose whichever menu you prefer.

Ang Lee: "Give me an estimate."

Chen Xuan: "Seven or eight thousand?"

Ang Lee: "How much!? Is it considered alcohol?"

Chen Xuan: No, a king crab costs about three thousand, and this hotel's dishes are expensive to begin with.

Ang Lee: "Were they all family members that day?"

Chen Xuan started counting on her fingers: "Grandpa and Grandma, eldest uncle and aunt, youngest uncle and aunt, and eldest sister and brother-in-law, there shouldn't be anyone else, you've met them all."

Ang Lee: "Isn't that right? We're all family, so let's not waste anything. We don't need to consider my parents at all. How much can they eat? Besides, there are so many small shops that serve local specialties. Why do we have to eat at a big hotel? Don't you think so?"

Chen Xuan shrugged: "Why don't you give Ms. Song a call?"

Ang Lee: Is it appropriate for me to say this?

Chen Xuan: "I think there's no one more suitable than you, and I also think it's a bit of a waste, I wonder how many bites we'll get then."

Ang Lee pondered for a moment, then sighed, "Forget it."

He picked up his phone and swiped a couple more times. "The second menu, I'll reply to Auntie tomorrow."

Chen Xuan: "Okay."

Ang Lee: "Let's just go with the arrangements; after all, we have to consider their needs."

Chen Xuan: "Yes, I understand. I just feel that it's better to go out and have some fun together than to spend this money."

Ang Lee waved his hand: "They can go out to play whenever they want. For them, their children's wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so let them do as they please. Besides, my older sister and brother-in-law's engagement was quite a lively affair."

Chen Xuan: "Mm."

Ang Lee: "So don't say anything more, just follow the arrangements. You can ask Aunt Song again tomorrow morning if there's anything else that needs to be prepared. Ask her again, and just say it was me who asked."

Chen Xuan: "Okay, great musician, are you feeling better?"

Ang Lee: "It depends on how it feels after I take the stage tomorrow."

Chen Xuanle: "Then I wish you good luck, go to sleep!"

Ang Lee: "Go to sleep!"

After turning off the bedside lamp, the two chatted for a bit about what to eat for breakfast the next morning, and then Chen Xuan fell asleep.

Ang Lee was pondering whether tomorrow's performance should be more unrestrained or more restrained.

With three rehearsals and one formal run-through, Ang Lee performed the cadenza a total of nine times on stage.

No two times are the same.

Later, while listening to the recordings, he selected two of them based on his most intuitive impressions as the prepared versions for the performance.

The reason is simple: both versions gave him goosebumps when he listened to the recordings.

A performance version that allows the performer to resonate with the music a second time is definitely a worthwhile choice.

Ang Lee's current problem is not just choosing which version to bring to the official stage tomorrow night.

He was also worried that he wouldn't be able to find that same excited state of mind after taking the stage tomorrow night.

This was the first time Ang Lee had encountered such a problem before going on stage.

Perhaps, compared to himself a year ago, as he once again steps onto the stage of Chengdu's largest local music festival, he is no longer the young piano teacher he was last year.

Last year, he needed to join the local young musicians program to perform on the music festival stage.

This year, his name has already been added to the list of star musicians for this year's Chengdu Summer Music Festival.

The shift from participant to mainstay has forced him to face even more pressure.

Perhaps this is what fame brings.

However, what Teacher Xiaomi said is absolutely right. If professional musicians were like him, they would have no way to survive.

Ha ha.

Hey.

With the engagement less than a week away, Ang Lee felt a surge of excitement.

sleep!

The next morning at eight o'clock, shortly after their cell phone alarms rang, the two of them groggily got up.

Ang Lee: "You get up so early."

Chen Xuan yawned: "I'm going to buy breakfast. After I eat, I have to practice the flute."

While she was buying breakfast, Chen Xuan made a phone call to Ms. Song.

Following Ang Lee's suggestion, they chose the second option on the menu. "Mom, is there anything else you need us to prepare in advance?"

A moment later, Ms. Song asked on the phone, "Has Ang Lee mentioned when he will change his address to her? Is it on the wedding day or at the engagement?"

Chen Xuan stared at the vendor frying dough sticks for a moment, thinking, "He didn't say anything, but his family must have asked. Are there any customs or rules about the tobacco market?"

Ms. Song: "There are all sorts of situations here. Your sister changed her address at the engagement, while your Aunt Sun's Yunyun changed her address on the wedding day. It also depends on the groom's family."

Chen Xuan roughly understood what her mother meant: "I'll ask him in a bit. There shouldn't be any problem. What do I need to prepare for the change of address?"

Ms. Song: "When serving tea and changing the way you address someone, you also need to prepare a red envelope for the elders."

Chen Xuan: "Two for each person? So you and my dad each give him one, and his dad and his mom each give me one, is that what you mean?"

Ms. Song: "That's the gist of it. It's just a formality, like arranging a 'changing of address' ceremony before the engagement banquet begins."

Chen Xuan suddenly smiled: "Do the uncles and aunts give red envelopes?"

Ms. Song scoffed, "How could you two be left out? Your uncle has already prepared 20,000 yuan each for you, and your maternal uncle too."

After a pause, she said, "Your grandma was quite something yesterday. She wanted me to take her to the bank to withdraw money for you, and she'll give it to you when you get back."

Chen Xuan: Oh dear.

Walking home with a fried dough stick in hand, Teacher Xiaomi's mind was filled with thoughts of making money!

Although she will start receiving a salary next month!

But getting married would be so wonderful, wouldn't it?!
(End of this chapter)