A Young Woman's Heart

Those were two hands clasped together, reminding them of Nokia's boot animation.

The group exchanged glances, and without much further communication, they understood each other's thoughts.

"It doesn't look very good, well... anyway, let's put it on, it's our testimony!"

“Xiaoyao is right, let’s stick it on. In case we don’t practice instruments much anymore, we can take it out and look at it to reminisce about the past.” Mo Zhuyou unbuttoned a few buttons on her coat, and visible heat was rising from her body.

"Actually, many drummers are shirtless."

"Hey, Yinyin, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Mo Xueyao couldn't help but imagine the scene of Mo Zhuyou shirtless and playing the drum.

Suddenly I realized that it seemed quite interesting.

"Well done!" The tall, thin old man immediately gave them a thumbs up as soon as they returned. "You young ladies are really amazing!"

"Grandpa, didn't you believe me before?"

"Haha, isn't this a compliment to you guys, beyond my expectations?"

"Whose performance did you like the most, sir?"

"Hey, Captain Hua Yinyin is starting to sow discord among the team members again~" Wang Jiale teased deliberately.

However, the old man still answered.

He's always so cheerful and willing to answer a lot of pointless questions.

But the topics are just supported by these seemingly boring questions.

"Just now, I liked the one who played the electronic keyboard the most, the one with the blue eyes."

Mo Xueyao was somewhat surprised; she had originally thought that they definitely wouldn't talk about her.

"Especially your playing, it's very accurate and fast. Did you grow up learning piano or keyboard from a young age?"

"Uh, I've only studied for a year or two at most..."

Mo Xueyao was too embarrassed to say that she had actually learned it in just a few months, otherwise the old man would have teased her again.

……

(six)

A leaden-gray night enveloped the gray-blue sky.

The last rays of the setting sun have finally dissipated.

And the real grand finale performance finally came to an end.

—That's right, the Snow Music Band isn't the last group.

A bright, full moon, bathed in a pure white light, slowly rose from the other side.

Its light was so faint—compared to the sun.

The bright moonlight seemed to be slowly turning yellow.

If the daytime belongs to National Day, then the nighttime definitely belongs to Mid-Autumn Festival.

"Ah, if only I had a camera, I could take pictures of this perfectly round moon and save them as life lessons for the future."

"Teacher Qiu seems to have some," Mr. Xue replied. "I'll go ask him to borrow one."

"Okay, alright! Please, Xiaoxue!!"

The autumn wind brushed against Mr. Xue's face, and with a rustling sound, he opened the novel that Mo Xueyao had brought herself to read to pass the time when she was bored...

……

Chapter Thirty-Five: Moon Appreciation

(One)

The nursing home was undoubtedly bustling with activity today.

It was like a banquet, the noise reaching the sky.

The clouds, as dark as ink, blurred out.

A full, silvery moon hangs high in the sky, casting its bright light upon the earth.

The elderly were not as rigid as Mo Xueyao had imagined.

That's true, after all, who hasn't been young?

Today, they probably think back to what they were like when they were young.

It's inevitable to feel sad.

I am moved by the changes of the times and the passage of time.

"Time is the cruelest thing!" The tall, thin old man had already drunk a bowl of bayberry liquor, and his wrinkled face was flushed red. "Ah, youth is truly wonderful."

"Hahaha, your comment is so clichéd." The fat old man next to him couldn't help but burst into laughter. "It's like a scene from a TV drama."

"Ah, these are truly heartfelt words," the tall, thin old man said, raising his wine bowl high again. "The people of today do not see the moon of ancient times, yet the moon of today once shone on the people of ancient times! The people of ancient times saw the same moon as we do now."

"If you're fighting a war and it happens to be the Mid-Autumn Festival, will you miss home?" Mo Xueyao asked curiously.

"Yes, precisely because I miss home, I can't back down..." The tall, thin old man talked about his past 'great achievements' again.

He remembered exactly how the dozen or so enemies he killed died.

But when Mo Xueyao and the others called him a hero, he felt a little melancholy.

He said that the real heroes have long since perished on the battlefield.

"We shouldn't underestimate ourselves either." Mr. Xue grinned, revealing his clean, even teeth. "Anyone who dares to go to the battlefield is a hero."

The tall, thin old man paused, looking at Mr. Xue with some surprise, then chuckled and took another big gulp of wine: "Haha, it seems I don't need to worry about handing this world over to you youngsters!"

Everyone looked at each other, suddenly puzzled as to why he would suddenly say such a thing.

The clear moonlight shone on the dining table.

There are steaming hot dishes on it.

Dishes like Longjing shrimp and sweet and sour pork were specially prepared for the members of the Snow Music Band.

No wonder I asked them what they liked to eat when I first arrived.

Over at the school band area, a girl who had drunk some liquor mixed with Sprite was now quite drunk and was grabbing a boy and shaking him violently.

Amidst the laughter and chatter, faint sobs could also be heard.

Such a festive occasion is certainly worth celebrating, but it inevitably evokes feelings of nostalgia.

Especially for these elderly people.

Many of them were former soldiers, or had relatives or friends who had served in the military.

Many of them did not return.

They are the ones who achieved this peaceful victory, yet they themselves cannot celebrate National Day.

They can no longer reunite with their families.

For some, the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day coincide, but for others, it is the most heartbreaking day.

She was even more unable to hold back her tears than during the Qingming Festival.

……

(two)

"If war were to break out, would you be afraid?"

"I'm not afraid!" Mo Xueyao was the first to answer loudly.

"Haha, what do you mean 'not afraid'? I don't believe it. I was afraid when I went to the battlefield."

"Huh?"

"But some things always have to be done. If war really breaks out in the future, I hope you can still have the courage we had back then."

"Don't worry, grandpa—" Before Hua Yinyin could finish speaking, Mo Xueyao interrupted her.

"What this land has in abundance are people with a strong sense of national identity, people who are willing to pave the way for future generations, and people who still uphold the spirit of the nation!"

"If that's the case, then that would be best... haha."

Were there many lackeys back then?

"Of course there are many."

"It seems that lackeys exist in every era."

"Yeah, some people claim to be very patriotic, constantly criticizing those around them for not being patriotic enough, but they surrender as soon as someone attacks, ha..."

"But in the end, there are still more true warriors, aren't there?"

"of course."

Those who bark loudly may seem to have a great presence, but they are actually not the majority; they are just loud.

Yu Shu listened attentively to the conversations between everyone and the elderly, her dark, bright eyes occasionally darting around as if she were thinking along with them.

……

(three)

As dinner was drawing to a close, the staff began serving out tubs of Suzhou-style mooncakes. The packaging was very simple, and they even crumbled when touched.

In the Jiangnan region, this is the most traditional type of mooncake, although most people cannot accept its taste—including Mo Xueyao, who grew up here.

Only the red bean paste flavor is still somewhat edible.

Night had fallen, and the streetlights outside the nursing home were already lit, casting a dim yellow glow.

Ye Wen and Qiu Yi were already organizing the students to line up. The bus was parked at the door, and the driver was leaning leisurely against the front of the bus, smoking a cigarette at a leisurely pace.

Goodbye, grandpas and grandmas!