After studying the drawing Wang Tingsi left on her desk for a while, Chu Lian frowned and rolled it up. It wasn't that she disliked the artwork, but rather what it implied—it made her furrow her brows. It seemed Wang Tingsi really was hiding secrets she didn't know about.
But whatever. As long as he stayed away from her, that was fine. After all, she was destined to become the queen of her own harem palace. Men? They were unnecessary. So keep your distance, or I'll show you what it means to be struck down in both body and spirit!
Ayase, swirling red wine as she lay on her sofa, watched her with an amused expression and gave her forehead a light smack. "There she goes being chuuni again." Still, being chuuni meant she was growing comfortable in this identity, so Ayase decided to ignore it.
With a smile that could upend nations, she gently swirled her wine glass, then tilted her head back and sipped it from crimson lips.
Looking at the two rolled-up sheets in her backpack, Chu Lian felt like sighing. What even was all this? Whatever, she wouldn't dwell on nonsense. Just one more class, and then it would be time for the activity period.
By then, everyone who had committed to performing on stage would head to Class 1's exclusive activity room to rehearse. That would be when they found out whether Bai Tiange was suitable for the lead vocalist role.
The third period was math. Chu Lian had absolutely no interest in this subject, so she got through it with her favorite technique: zoning out. Want me to study science? No thanks. As for exams... I'll deal with them later.
As soon as class ended, she saw most of the students packing up and heading downstairs in groups. She knew they were going to their class's activity room to watch the band practice. So after confirming she hadn't left anything behind, she slung on her backpack and followed.
Just outside the classroom, she ran into Li Xiu'er standing prettily to the side, guitar slung across her back. Standing next to her was Ruriko Nana, also carrying a guitar.
Li Xiu'er stepped forward and took Chu Lian's hand. On the other side, Ruriko Nana hesitated, then also took her hand. Both girls smiled at her at the same time, leaving her a little confused.
"I know you didn't bring a guitar, so I went to the club earlier and grabbed mine for you. It wouldn't do if you had nothing to play later. As for Nana, she wants to join us too." Li Xiu'er winked playfully, clearly not bothered by Ruriko Nana's inclusion. Looked like the two of them were already familiar.
Chu Lian glanced at Ruriko Nana, only to see a sweet smile and a hopeful look in her eyes. It was clear she wanted to be part of Chu Lian's circle. Whatever her reasons, Chu Lian didn't mind some contact first before making a judgment.
With that thought, she gave Ruriko Nana's hand a gentle squeeze and returned a polite smile. "Thanks for lending me your guitar this morning, Nana. I hope we can become good friends."
Ruriko Nana smiled back and replied softly, "That's the second time Chu Lian has thanked Nana. I'm so happy."
Li Xiu'er added from the side, "Even though Nana is Japanese, she grew up with a Chinese-style education. The Japanese side came mainly from her mom. So really, she's half Huaxia."
"Yes, yes! Not only my parents, but I myself also really love Huaxia culture. Especially its vast classical heritage, the fascinating legends of spirits and monsters, and the grand historical chronicles. There's so much to learn—even a hundred years wouldn't be enough!" Ruriko Nana's eyes sparkled with admiration. It was clear her love for Huaxia culture was genuine.
"Hey, don't forget—we still need to get to the activity room. No more chatting," Chu Lian reminded, giving both girls' hands a little squeeze.
"Ah, I almost forgot. Nana, let's chat on the way! We don't want to be late," Li Xiu'er exclaimed, covering her cherry lips with a hand.
"Mmhm, I'll lead the way then..." Chu Lian had already learned where their class's activity room was the day before, so she volunteered to take the lead, holding hands with both Li Xiu'er and Ruriko Nana as they walked.
They had already wasted a fair bit of time. Most of the others were long gone, and with no one left in sight ahead of them, they could only find their own way. Still, the combined energy of three lolis chatting—while maybe not quite as fearsome as three aunties—made the short walk anything but boring.
Crisp, bell-like laughter rang out now and then, sometimes from one, sometimes from all three. The sight of three adorable lolis walking along and giggling together was enough to melt the hearts of any onlookers. After all, who doesn't love cute things? Especially cute lolis.
The short walk passed in a blink thanks to their lively chatter. When they opened the activity room door, they found everyone else already in place. Non-band members were seated around the room. At the center stood Cai Ya and Bai Tiange, both assigned to vocals. Behind them were Lux Lyle with her bass, Zhang Feng behind the drum kit, and Wang Tingsi at the synthesizer. Only Chu Lian and Ruriko Nana had yet to take their places.
Honestly, Chu Lian had been stunned when she found out Lux Lyle was the bassist. She had imagined this foreign girl with princess-like elegance playing the piano or violin, not something like bass. But then again, who said a princess couldn't like bass? Maybe she knew more than just this one instrument.
Of course, she already knew Wang Tingsi played synthesizer and was well aware of his skill, so that didn't surprise her. But Zhang Feng? The quiet, introverted writer turned out to play drums—a passionate and expressive instrument. Just went to show you couldn't judge a book by its cover.
After entering, Li Xiu'er quickly took the guitar off her back and handed it to Chu Lian with an encouraging gesture before stepping aside with a gentle smile to wait for the performance.
Chu Lian and Ruriko Nana moved to an open area not far away, set down their guitar cases, opened them, and slung their guitars into place. Then they positioned themselves near Cai Ya and Bai Tiange.
Sheet music wasn't a problem for this group. While not everyone had an exceptional memory, remembering a relatively simple score wasn't hard. Still, to avoid mistakes, everyone except Chu Lian had a copy of the sheet music and lyrics in front of them.
It was Chu Lian's first time performing with others, and she felt a little nervous. But when she saw Bai Tiange's slight trembling, she took a deep breath. Not for any particular reason—just to prove that she and Ayase hadn't made the wrong choice. She was determined to make this debut performance a success.
After a moment of silence, and without any cue, Chu Lian gently plucked a guitar string. A deep note echoed forth. Her strum acted as the spark, and the rest of the band followed suit. The intro came together in a somewhat chaotic but earnest manner. As they reached the point where the lyrics began, everyone held their breath, waiting to see if Bai Tiange could truly deliver.
This was his chance to prove himself. He couldn't miss it...
"Because I dreamed of you leaving, I woke up crying..." A low, slightly husky voice filled the room, stunning the entire audience. His voice was absolutely perfect for the song. Just from that first line, it was clear—no one could question his suitability as the lead vocalist.
"I knew it. He could do it..." A soft smile appeared at the corner of Chu Lian's lips. Trust really was a beautiful thing.
"Watching the night wind brush past the windowsill, can you feel my love..."
The singing continued. Though still a bit raw, and the band coordination somewhat rough, their performance had already surpassed everyone's expectations.