A Young Woman's Heart

"Wow, it's already getting lively here? Holy crap! Teacher Qiu, a limited edition electronic keyboard?" Gao Yuan was immediately attracted by the electronic keyboard as soon as he came in.

Qiu Yi nodded smugly: "How about it, haha, isn't it beautiful?"

"It's probably the best electronic keyboard in the world... and also the most expensive," Gao Yuan exclaimed. "I wanted to buy one last time, but it's already sold out. There were only fifty in the world... I guess I won't be able to buy one now. Teacher, would you consider selling it to me at a high price?"

"No, no, this is a gift from Wenwen, how can I just sell it?"

"Ah, that's a real pity." Gao Yuan sighed regretfully. "But it's alright, my family has a piano signed by a master pianist. It's just not as portable as an electronic keyboard, so I can't just take it out and show it off."

"This isn't something to show off!"

"Did Teacher Qiu bring it specially?"

"Ahem, I just want to practice, understand? Practice!" Qiu Yi coughed awkwardly a few times.

"How well does Gao Yuan play the piano?" Mo Zhuyou asked curiously, turning her head.

"It's alright, sigh, learning piano is so annoying. I've been learning since I was little, I was completely forced to."

"Piano is something only rich kids have the opportunity to learn. You really don't know how lucky you are," Qiu Yi teased. "Is anyone else coming today?"

"Wanyan has to collect money at noon and can't come." As soon as Mo Xueyao finished speaking, Zhou Yong and Duanmu Ji pushed open the door and walked in.

"Hello, Teacher Qiu! Our club is finally all in the same class!" Zhou Yong put his arm around Duanmu Ji's shoulder and said with a big laugh.

"By the way, Ms. Qiu, is our club going to recruit new members this year?" Mo Xueyao took the tea that Mo Xiaoxiao handed her, took a sip, and asked.

“Sure, let’s recruit some new students so that when you graduate, someone will take over your jobs.”

"Should we put up posters? Or hand out flyers? Or maybe set up a stall to recruit people?" Mo Xueyao muttered, "It seems like not many people like art clubs..."

"Is it because it sounds too 'highbrow'?" Gao Yuan analyzed. "After all, most people are just ordinary people, and they feel that joining this kind of club would be boring."

“Indeed, I get sleepy when I talk about art~” Mo Zhuyou said, yawning widely.

"You're always sleepy, okay?" Mo Xueyao glanced at her sideways. "How's it like sitting next to your sister?"

"Hehe, that's awesome!" Mo Zhuyou blinked. "If I use my sister's hair clip and then tie my hair in a ponytail, will the teacher think I'm seeing things?"

“If they all remain completely still, that is indeed a possibility,” Qiu Yi replied earnestly.

"So, how should our club promote itself?"

"Ah...are we recruiting new members?" Zhou Yong asked somewhat reluctantly. "The club is only so big. Won't it be too small to accommodate more people? I think the current group is enough, isn't it?"

“Hey—Zhou Yong, you need to think about the club.”

"Then we'll recruit when they're in their final year of high school and we don't have time to come anymore... cough!"

“Yeah, I think the number of us is enough.” Mo Zhuyou nodded. “Too many people are troublesome, and we’ll have to meet new people.”

"You're so lazy, Youyou," Mo Xiaoxiao said with a helpless smile.

"Yeah, so lazy!" Mo Xueyao slumped onto the table. "Fine, then let Teacher Qiu handle the recruitment of new members?"

"Me? Haha, we'll see."

"Huh, they don't seem to be in a hurry at all."

"Because there really aren't enough seats, any more and it'll be crowded, and applying for a new activity room is too much trouble..." Qiu Yi chuckled twice, "Besides, if there are too many people, I won't be able to afford snacks."

"The last one is the important one, isn't it!" Mo Xueyao teased.

"Pfft." Mo Xiaoxiao covered her mouth and chuckled, her dimples sinking deeper.

"Come on, it's club activity time. Everyone, have some snacks while I play a few tunes for you."

"What a relaxing club activity~" Mo Zhuyou snuggled up to her older sister. "Can I go to sleep~?"

……

Chapter Seven: Supporting the Musical Dreams of Impoverished Students

Indoor lunch break at noon.

Mo Xueyao, who had fallen asleep while listening to Qiu Yi's music, staggered back to the classroom, letting out a big yawn as she did so.

"You've been busy all afternoon?" Ashley made way for her to come in and asked, puzzled.

"Phew...no...I slept all afternoon, and now I'm even sleepier..." Mo Xueyao chuckled and yawned again. She wiped away the tears that streamed down her face as she yawned and asked, "Where did Aishuer go at noon?"

"Me? I've been in the classroom the whole time."

"Not planning to join a club?"

"Hmm... I haven't decided what to participate in yet."

Mo Xueyao thought about her club's recruitment, then about Li Wanyan, and then about Mr. Xue, who also didn't come to the club meeting at noon.

Then she turned her head and glanced around, only to find that both of their seats were empty; perhaps they had gone to the office to tally the tuition fees collected.

This kind of thing is usually done by having the class officers do the tallying, and then the homeroom teacher does it again.

But given Ye Wen's personality... well... how should I put it, will she slack off?

After all, there are quite a few things to do these next few days.

Just then, Ye Wen walked into the classroom in her high heels: "Alright, it's lunch break time, everyone study on your own. And those who didn't bring lunch money, please make sure to bring it with you today, otherwise your parents will have to bring it to you tomorrow. If you don't need lunch, have your parents write a note for me and sign it—don't sign it yourself, okay? I can tell. No way you're trying to pocket the lunch money!"

The students chuckled a few times, and the atmosphere in the classroom became very relaxed.

"Also, students who still do not plan to join any clubs in their second year of high school, please submit your application to not join a club again, or if it is more convenient, you can choose to join the 'Going Home Club,' a club established by your dear principal."

Although everyone already knew about the club, they couldn't help but laugh when the topic of the "Going Home Club" came up.

This was quite new to Ashley.

"Mo Xueyao...Xiaoyao?"

"Ok?"

"Any interesting clubs or societies you'd recommend?"

"Ah... let me think, the Supernatural Phenomena Research Club, and... the Anime Club, or if you have a special orientation, you can also go to Hua Yinyin's Male and Female Special Orientation Research Club."

"what?"

"Anyway, it's probably one of the clubs that I think might be more interesting," Mo Xueyao muttered softly.

She joined the art club because she wanted to play with cameras, but she's hardly ever used them since.

"Hmm, I'll take a look later."

"Oh, by the way, have you been downstairs? There will be a lot of club recruitment events downstairs at noon this month, and you can get a brochure introducing all the clubs from the student union."

"Thank you."

"It's nothing," Mo Xueyao said with a smile, waving her hand.

"There's one more thing... um, first, let me ask, which students in our class can play a musical instrument? Any instrument is fine." Ye Wen, standing on the podium, glanced at the information and continued.

"Teacher, does being able to play the harmonica count?"

"Of course it counts."

"Teacher, does being able to whistle count?"

"Liu Xiaowei, go play somewhere else."

"hey-hey……"

The sly ones got excited, and Gao Yuan raised his hand too: "Teacher, I can play the clapper!"

“Teacher! I can shine shoes!” Zhou Yong retorted, not to be outdone.

"Are you guys asking for a beating? Be serious." Ye Wen's eyelids twitched. "This time I'm serious, don't mess around. I'll ask again, raise your hand if you know how to play an instrument. Any instrument is fine, it has to be an instrument. Beginners who can play at least one piece are fine too."

"Teacher, I can! I've been playing the pipa for ten years!" Hua Yinyin was the first to raise her hand, and she raised both hands, looking very confident.

Mo Xueyao hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand: "Um... I've been learning the electronic keyboard for a year..."

She was too embarrassed to say that she was self-taught.

"Okay, is there anything else?" Ye Wen nodded.

"Uh, I do know how to play the piano."

"Gao Yuan, is it true?" Just like the story of the boy who cried wolf, Ye Wen was starting to doubt him.

"Really..." Gao Yuan sighed helplessly, "I've been learning since I was little, and I'm not bad at it."

"Okay, is there any more?"

"Teacher! I can play the piano too! But my instrument is an electric piano!" Wang Jiale seemed not to have reacted at first, but suddenly raised her hand.

Is there anything else?

"I can play the harmonica." Lu Chengyuan was the girl who had just asked if playing the harmonica counted.

Others also raised their hands sporadically, about seven or eight of them.

They learn small musical instruments, such as recorders, flutes, and harmonicas, which are things that ordinary people can afford to learn.

Zhou Yong and Liu Xiaowei, who had just been clowning around, immediately lost their momentum, because they really couldn't do anything.

"Teacher Ye, everything has been checked. Apart from the two meal fees that weren't paid, there are no other problems." As she spoke, Mr. Xue walked into the classroom, followed by a somewhat tired Li Wanyan.

"You've come at the right time, class monitors." There was one monitor and one assistant monitor, but Ye Wen was simply too lazy to separate them. "Can you play any musical instruments?"

"I can play the harmonica a little." Li Wanyan gave a fairly ordinary answer. Some primary or junior high schools have special harmonica lessons, and most people who have taken them know a little bit.

"I know a little about the suona," Mr. Xue said with a smile.

However, no one could tell whether the two were telling the truth or just being modest.

"Does Wanyan practice the harmonica often?" Ye Wen asked.

That was in elementary school.

"Oh...where's Xiaoxue?"

"I've only been learning for six years now, and I learned it from an old man in the countryside," Mr. Xue replied modestly.

"Hmm... okay, are there any other harmonica or flute learners who have been learning for more than five years?" Ye Wen looked at the audience again.