A Young Woman's Heart

The one who walked in was Su Yuqing. Her eyes were slightly lowered, and she smiled somewhat reluctantly, saying, "It'll be your turn soon, so hurry up and come out."

"OK! Everyone, get ready to go on stage!" The energetic Hua Yinyin always manages to ease everyone's tension during these tense moments.

"And... do as you wish, play songs that will make the children happy."

"Yes!" Mo Zhuyou nodded vigorously. "It's definitely better this way."

"Let's go." Mr. Xue smiled and walked in front, and Hua Yinyin quickly followed, clutching her pipa.

This time, she didn't bring her usual silver-gray metallic pipa, but an old pipa that she had used for more than ten years. Although it was well maintained, you could still see many signs of use when you looked closely. Those were the marks of time etched on it.

"Today's donation ceremony was a great success, but it's getting late. Next up is our final performance – presented by the Snow Music Band from Yukong High School!"

The audience below the stage applauded enthusiastically, but of course, it was just a polite gesture.

However, since it was the last program, everyone's attention seemed to be slightly more focused than before.

Being watched by the adults made Mo Zhuyou feel a little uneasy, but she breathed a slight sigh of relief when she sat down behind the drum set.

Mo Xueyao, who seemed a little nervous offstage, was much less stage-frightened once she was on stage.

The leaden-gray clouds pressed down even further, as if they were about to unleash their inky-black raindrops at any moment.

"If only there were sunshine," Mo Xueyao muttered softly as she tuned the red and black extended electronic keyboard that Qiu Yi had lent her.

"Alright! Let's use our songs to dispel the dark clouds!"

"Can we talk about something materialistic?" She glanced at Hua Yinyin sideways with her drooping eyelids.

"Heave-ho—" Hua Yinyin didn't answer, but just stood on tiptoe and adjusted the microphone that the adults had just used down—otherwise, she wouldn't be able to reach it at all if it were that high. "Little Yaoyao, is it OK now?"

"It should be fine now..."

"Where are the others?" She turned to look at Wang Jiale, Mr. Xue, and Mo Zhuyou behind her.

Wang Jiale fiddled with the bass guitar and took a deep breath.

"Xiaoxue's finger is injured, is it okay?" Mo Xueyao asked worriedly. After all, he was in charge of playing wind instruments, and when his finger was wrapped in a bandage, he might make some mistakes because he was not sensitive enough.

"Hehe! Let's begin." Mr. Xue's confident smile always inspired unconditional trust in people.

"Where's Youyou?"

"Mmm!" Mo Zhuyou mustered her courage and nodded vigorously—but all the people in front could see was her shiny forehead with a pimple on it.

A strong wind blew from afar, lifting the girls' skirts and ruffling their hair.

The host in the audience put his hands to his mouth and shouted, "Hurry up—it might start pouring rain soon!"

This is an open-air stage. Even if Mo Xueyao and the others don't care, these musical instruments can't withstand such damage when it rains.

Mo Zhuyou hesitated for a moment before finally raising her drumsticks high. As the one in charge of setting the rhythm in the band, she absolutely couldn't be stage-frightened.

"One, two...one, two, three!"

A crisp drumbeat rang out.

The sounds of the pipa, bass, and bamboo flute immediately followed.

This is a very lively song from beginning to end.

Although Hua Yinyin was the lead singer of the song, the main melody was arranged to be driven by an electronic keyboard. Mo Xueyao, who had just felt that she was no longer nervous, suddenly felt a sense of suffocation when she saw the adults staring at her from below the stage.

Just like writing an essay in front of adults, I always feel completely restrained.

"Yao!" Hua Yinyin quickly called out in a low voice.

"Ugh...!" Mo Xueyao hurriedly came to her senses. The sound of the electronic keyboard finally started, and Hua Yinyin immediately handed over the task of setting the rhythm back to her.

Just as Hua Yinyin was about to speak, Mo Xueyao sang the lyrics first, seemingly so flustered that she forgot she wasn't the lead singer: "I feel a little hungry~"

Hua Yinyin, who was holding the pipa, paused for a moment, then improvised and continued with the next line: "Had breakfast~"

As a result, they each sang one line, and both became lead singers, providing harmonies for each other.

My stomach is already full!

"I'm full~" Hua Yinyin added half a sentence, then continued singing, "But my mouth is still craving more!"

This song was the most lighthearted among the regular benefit performances; the others were all related to care, compassion, or striving for progress, and they all felt like they were on a mission.

It's like a spokesperson giving an official report.

Theirs was different; although it seemed a bit childish, it did draw more attention from those dull children.

"If only the clouds in the sky were edible!"

"Why can't we eat it?" Mo Xueyao asked spontaneously with a smile.

Some of the silly lines drew laughter from the audience.

Wang Jiale opened her eyes wide and saw genuine smiles on the faces of many children.

And the corners of their slightly upturned mouths grew higher and higher as the song continued.

The song finally came to an end when they finally grinned, revealing their uneven teeth.

"I want to eat forever!"

As the last note faded, all the music stopped.

But there was a feeling that I hadn't had enough.

The children's emotions had just been stirred up, but now they showed a hint of disappointment.

"Phew..." Mo Xueyao let out a long breath, just as she was about to enjoy the audience's expressions, when the melodious and ethereal sound of the bamboo flute rang out.

"what?"

Everyone looked at the only male member of the band.

"Haha, the clouds haven't dispersed yet!" Mr. Xue put down his bamboo flute and shouted with a laugh.

"Yes, it's not over yet!" Hua Yinyin nodded vigorously, then picked up the melody that Mr. Xue had just improvised on his pipa with her own, and skipped and hopped to the edge of the stage.

This is the closest place to those children.

The sound was as clear and melodious as agate beads falling on a porcelain plate, like opening a bottle of chilled soda in summer, cool and refreshing with a sweet and sour taste.

"La la la la~ la la la la la la——" Perhaps unable to think of lyrics for the moment, Hua Yinyin hummed to accompany her impromptu tune.

Mr. Xue smiled and closed his eyes. He played the bamboo flute in his hand horizontally, and without any prior practice, he actually kept up with her impromptu piece.

The two coordinated as if they had practiced countless times.

Mo Xueyao hesitated for half a second, then instinctively pressed the piano key.

However, she doesn't need to worry about whether she can keep up, because Hua Yinyin and Mr. Xue will change the tune according to her playing, and she can also lead the rhythm.

The deep bass guitar joined in, and Wang Jiale nodded vigorously to Mo Zhuyou behind him, and immediately the simple drumbeats began again.

Hua Yinyin started strumming the strings like she was playing a guitar again, handing over the task of setting the rhythm to Mr. Xue.

She hummed this impromptu but cheerful song as she jumped off the stage, clutching her pipa.

This drew gasps of surprise from the crowd.

But the children all looked at her excitedly, and some had already stood up.

The first thing she saw was the boy in the wheelchair she had met before. She jumped and twirled to his side and placed the pipa directly in his arms.

"Ah...ah?" The boy panicked, but Hua Yinyin grasped his hands and chuckled, "It's very simple! Come on! I'll teach you!"

Hua Yinyin's slightly larger hand grasped the boy's small hand, and she played a simple tune on the pipa that exuded the scent of wood.

A beam of orange-red light shone down from somewhere, and then the beam of light seemed to have a physical form, pushing aside the dark clouds, turning the small hole into a large hole, until the sky was completely bright.

The setting sun casts its light upon the sky, which is as clear as the sea.

The warm sunlight excited Mo Xueyao, and although her forehead was covered in sweat, she played with extra enthusiasm.

"I really envy these talented guys..." Wang Jiale muttered softly, but he was not willing to admit defeat at all.

"La la la la la, la la la la~" The boy, whose hands were being held by Hua Yinyin as she played the pipa, had a brighter and brighter light in his eyes.

"Look~ the chocolate clouds have all disappeared—hehe~!" Hua Yinyin seemed to have finally come up with the lyrics. Her braids gently tickled the boy's face, which was smiling more brightly than spring flowers. She sang while shaking her head, "Right now! Let's start doing what we've always wanted to do~!"

The lighthearted melody continued, and Mr. Xue even put down his bamboo flute and stood beside Mo Xueyao, playing the electronic keyboard with her.

This was a completely improvised four-hand piano duet, and his brilliant technique completely overshadowed the flaws that arose from the improvisation of the others.

Hua Yinyin held the boy's clumsy hand and plucked the strings even harder, bringing the impromptu song to its most enthusiastic part: "Look! The world wrapped in blue sky is a gift for you~ So smile, there is still more beauty to come!"

……

Chapter 40 Video

Under the gloomy sky, even the grass and flowers swaying in the wind seemed listless.

Mo Xueyao, who had gotten up early, was not very energetic and just lay on the desk in the band room like a piece of candy.

A cup of warm tea sits beside me, and the rising steam seems to dispel some of the chill of a rainy spring day.

No one else had arrived yet. To put it in the words of a primary school student, it was as if you could hear a pin drop.

The window was slightly ajar, and a gentle breeze brushed against her face, ruffling the long hair that Li Wanyan had just neatly combed for her that morning.

The national flag, hanging high on the flagpole, was raised with a corner raised, obscuring one of the five stars.

The bright red color is the only color in this black and white world.

Yesterday's final performance seemed to go quite well. When saying goodbye, Mo Xueyao clearly saw the young man staring blankly at the pipa that Hua Yinyin was carrying on her back.

But clearly, the environment is difficult to change.

This incident can at most plant a small seed in their hearts, but as for when it will sprout... who knows?

Thinking this, she couldn't help but gently tap the table, her toes tapping along to the rhythm.

Yesterday, Hua Yinyin's impromptu lyrics were actually quite good; in some ways, she is truly admirable.

Although she usually acts frivolously, making it impossible for people to perceive any 'good points' about her.

"Squeak..." The door was slowly pushed open.