A Young Woman's Heart

The team spent half a day writing down the requirements for the lighting effects alone. The boss patiently helped them finish writing and answered all their questions one by one.

"By the way, where are the other bands?"

"Haha, they'll be even later."

"Because you have to go to work?"

"A small percentage are, but most people in bands get up very late."

“Looks like Lele is the kind of person who’s really suited to be in a band!” Hua Yinyin immediately winked at Wang Jiale, only to be met with a blast of punches from the latter.

"Lele seems to be developing into a violent woman," Mo Zhuyou added fuel to the fire.

"It was Yin Yin who provoked me first!!"

"Alright, let's go check out the venue. Haha, there are other bands rehearsing there. You guys can go up and rehearse later too. Feel free to make any new requests for the lighting." The boss stood up and led everyone inside. "This is the dressing room. Change your clothes and then go into this room. This is the waiting room. Just push open the small door and you can walk onto the stage."

"Wow, so many rooms..."

"Well, after all, many bands often come together. Although the rooms aren't very big, they're enough."

Mo Xueyao opened her eyes wide and looked around, feeling as if she had already come of age.

The term "adulthood" here doesn't refer to being eighteen years old, but rather to the 'maturity' one feels after graduating from university and entering the workforce for many years.

……

Chapter 82 Bands of Different Styles

The room where people wait to go on stage is a bit larger; it's more like a reception room.

The surrounding lights were not dim; the large, pale yellow light in the center was warm and bright, and although there were some neon lights around, they were not glaring.

There were some musical instruments in the corner, mostly modern and few classical ones.

The boss went up on stage to direct the band participating in the rehearsal, and the members of the Snow Music Band were left to sit on an empty sofa and wait.

"Hmm...should we put our instruments over there too?" Yu Shu asked softly, sitting next to Hua Yinyin.

Mo Xueyao leaned back comfortably, almost sinking into the sofa: "Isn't that area already full? Anyway, I can put my keyboard on the coffee table. Uh—should we put Youyou's drum set over there?"

"Too lazy to push it over..." Mo Zhuyou lay sprawled on the large suitcase, inside which was a folded and neatly packed drum set.

The box was about the same size as Mo Zhuyou's, so she usually kept it in the band room and only took it back on Fridays.

“Hey, other bands all have matching outfits.” Hua Yinyin put her arm around Mo Xueyao’s shoulder and looked at the band members sitting in front of her. “Should we get a set sometime?”

“Don’t we have them now?” Wang Jiale pointed to the school uniforms everyone was wearing.

"No, Xiaoxue's style is not the same as ours!" Hua Yinyin suddenly widened her eyes.

"Agreed! Xiaoxue should wear a girls' school uniform~" Mo Zhuyou would always join in the teasing at times like this.

Mo Xueyao looked at Hua Yinyin with drooping eyelids: "I say, more important than the costumes are the symbols, the patterns that represent the band."

"A snow music band, then let's just use a snowflake and a musical note, how simple is that?"

"Too easy, isn't it?"

"Simplicity makes things easier to remember!"

"How about combining half a snowflake and half a note?" Mo Zhuyou suggested.

Mo Xueyao's eyes lit up: "Ah, this seems pretty good..."

While the Snow Music Band members were chatting, members of other bands were also observing them.

Compared to those bands that look very mature, Snow Music Band does seem much more immature and out of place with the others.

Just as everyone was chatting and joking around, a young woman with purple and green hair walked over, a cigarette dangling from her lips, and waved vigorously: "Hey—you brat!"

"Huh?"

This appearance, which clearly resembled that of a social outcast, made Mo Xueyao's heart tighten.

"Hey, you guys are that high school band, right?"

"Yes, it is."

"Who is the captain?"

The girls all looked at Hua Yinyin, but Hua Yinyin looked at Mr. Xue and coughed heavily. Before she could lie, Mr. Xue beat her to it.

"This is our captain."

"Oh—it doesn't look like it."

"How can it not be like that!" Hua Yinyin, who was initially reluctant to admit it, immediately retorted, "Then what do you think the captain should be like!"

"Calm and collected, hmm... he's more like the captain, isn't he?"

"What? I'm just as calm and collected! And when it comes to music, I'm definitely better than him!"

"Haha, what an interesting little rascal." The woman laughed and handed over a cassette tape. "This is an album we burned ourselves. I'm here to promote it."

"Huh, are you giving them to us?" Mo Xueyao asked curiously, looking at the colorful cover of the cassette tape. "Why not burn it onto a CD?"

"That thing isn't very common anymore. A cassette player is still very convenient, and you can buy one cheaply at a street stall."

"We also recorded it—ah, but we didn't bring it with us, and we only have one copy."

"Haha, I can bring it out next time and give it to other people, uh, to promote it."

"Is this available for sale?"

"Haha, no, no, it was recorded privately. Uh, I just give it to people who want it after each performance." The woman with two-tone hair was surprisingly kind. "It'll probably be another hour before it's your turn, so you can take a nap now."

"Sleeping here is too much..." Wang Jiale coughed lightly twice, blinked her eyes and asked curiously, "By the way, how many songs are you planning to sing?"

"Hmm? Three songs, huh? We're already here, we should definitely sing them all."

"See? I told you we should sing the full song!" Hua Yinyin shouted loudly, as if to prove that her decision was correct.

As they were talking, members from the other two bands arrived, each carrying their own album cassettes. Perhaps this is a tradition of underground bands?

Everyone exchanged ideas and learned from each other, and also promoted their own bands.

The hardcore electronic rock band we just saw is called Mob Ascension. They have the most diverse color palettes, from the members' hair colors to their album covers.

The other two were an ordinary pop band, dressed much like pop stars on TV, and the young man with slicked-back hair even sang a pop love song live.

They are all college students, and there is only one girl among them, who is the sub-vocalist.

The other one was a folk band with a punk style—this was the first time Mo Xueyao had ever heard of the word 'punk'.

Although they use folk instruments, the instruments are not old-fashioned at all. Their suona is silver-white, their gong is bright red, and the most eye-catching instrument is the guzheng, which is painted with a starry sky-like paint.

They are all very special and unique.

"By the way, what style of music does your Snow Music Band play?"

"Us? Ah...we...uh...pop music?" Mo Xueyao scratched her head vigorously and looked awkwardly at Hua Yinyin beside her.

"Um... a combination of classic and popular?"

Mo Xueyao looked at Hua Yinyin with droopy eyelids, feeling that she was just trying to make herself look good.

“Light music,” Mr. Xue gave a precise answer.

Those who are at the forefront of trends immediately understood.

"It's definitely a combination of classical and popular music. Looks like we're in the same boat," the punk folk music guy joked, extending his hand, which was grasped by Mr. Xue beside him.

"The psionic ascendants—they're here for rehearsals—"

"Oh—here he comes—"

Although they were all complete strangers, everyone was very welcoming, and the discomfort I had imagined did not materialize.

Finally, it was the Snow Music Band's turn to rehearse on stage.

After passing through a small door, you enter a small stage about the size of a boxing ring. Below is an open space, with seats only on the sides against the walls.

During the performance, most people will probably have to stand.

Compared to the auditorium of Yukong High School, this place seems rather small.

Even so, it still made people a little nervous, after all, tomorrow they would be facing adults, and the other bands performing were all very professional...

Yu Shu timidly hid behind Mo Xueyao, who pulled her out: "Yu Shu—why are you hiding in the back?"

"Don't be nervous!" Several bands that had already finished rehearsing stood in the open space below the stage watching. Someone held up a megaphone and shouted with a light laugh.

“That’s right, the school stage is much bigger than this.” Mo Xueyao patted her shoulder reassuringly, “Ahem… let’s get this set up…”

"Should we do a sound check before the rehearsal?" the boss shouted from below the stage. Even though it wasn't particularly noisy around, the sound from below the stage always seemed a little faint.

"Let's start with the first stanza of the third paragraph of 'Fallen Leaves Are Like Potato Chips'...!"

"What were the lyrics to this song again?"

"Hey, little Yao Yao, you haven't forgotten, have you?"

"Ahem! There are so many lyrics, it's normal to forget them sometimes..."

A sound check is simply a way to check the condition of an instrument.

Yu Shu was so nervous that her hands were shaking, and she missed the beat several times.

"Relax, relax, take a deep breath—" Wang Jiale patted her back, "It's really not a big deal."

"How about we have some drinks before we go on stage tomorrow?"

"Yinyin, don't give me any bad advice!"

"Perhaps, really... drinking a little... would be better?" Yu Shu whispered, fidgeting with the hem of her dress.

"No, is your body capable of drinking alcohol?"

"I can still... drink a little bit." Yu Shu pouted, as if she was trying to be brave.

"Can the rehearsal officially begin?" The boss interrupted them, shouting as he saw that they had stopped talking as if they were about to have a long chat.

"OK—!"