Saturday, nine in the morning.
"Brother Fan, you’re so tall now!"
"Xiao Xiao Ruan Wen, did you miss me?"
"I’ve missed you guys to death!"
Since everyone had made plans to meet in advance, groups of people arrived at Fang Xiaoya’s Piano Store one after another. Since it had been a long time since they had seen each other, the place instantly turned into a family recognition conference.
The boys did alright, simply thumping each other lightly on the shoulders, while the girls hugged and huddled together, chattering away in delighted surprise.
After greeting everyone, Xu Qingfan took out the two songs he had written the night before and gave them to Fang Xiaoya, asking her to help with the arrangement and rehearsal.
After reviewing them, Fang Xiaoya looked at him with a complex expression, as if she were scrutinizing a monster, running her gaze up and down his body several times.
Xu Qingfan also stared at her, and due to his considerable growth, he was now taller than her.
"I really don’t know how you, a little devil, came up with these. It’s a pity you can’t sing, otherwise you’d be another Zhou Jielun," Fang Xiaoya said as she rolled up the A4 paper into a stick and knocked him twice with it.
"I don’t know either; once I’m off the ground, the virus shuts down, and my smart IQ takes the high ground!" he said, imitating Zhao Benshan’s tone.
Fang Xiaoya was amused by him, shook her head, and said, "Go out and accompany your little girlfriends, I need to think about how to arrange the music."
"Don’t talk nonsense, what little girlfriends, there’s none of that..." Xu Qingfan tried to retort, but he was already being pushed out of the lounge by Fang Xiaoya.
"I hope you can be as tough-talking as today in the future," she said, smiling to herself as she watched Xu Qingfan’s retreating figure downstairs.
"Brother Fan, you’re back just in time. We plan to sing ’Childhood’ first, and then..." Seeing Xu Qingfan return, Xiao Ruawen waved him over.
"It’s good that you guys have decided. I’ll just be in charge of being an extra," he said as he sat next to Wu Lingyu, patting the girl’s shoulder.
Since none of Yu’s classmates had arrived, she could only sit alone, looking a little isolated.
"What about your two songs, what style are they? I’m thinking about where to place them!" Xia Xiaoxiao was also helping to arrange the order and she looked up to ask Xu Qingfan.
"’Apple’ is like a brainwashing hit, similar to ’The Coolest Ethnic Trend,’ and the other one is sad," he replied.
It wasn’t long before the two girls finished arranging the song order, and just as they were getting into position to rehearse, Xu Qingfan suddenly suggested, "Why don’t all five of you be the lead singers? Since there are so many of us, we’re not short on any positions!"
The main reason was that many of the songs they were going to perform on Sunday didn’t require a xiao or ocarina, and Xu Qingfan was worried that Zhang Yiyi and Wu Lingyu would feel left out, which is why he made that suggestion.
However, Zhang Yiyi couldn’t sing at all, so she turned to Xu Qingfan and blinked her eyes.
"Yiyi, just sing along, it won’t be noticeable in the chorus," Xu Qingfan understood her implication and added.
"Mhm!" The girl obviously listened well to her brother and obediently nodded her head in agreement.
"Heehee, yay~ We’re going to sing too!" Lin Wanning hooked Zhang Yiyi’s arm, celebrating.
Wu Lingyu originally wanted to ask if she could skip participating, but since Yiyi was joining in, the girl had no choice but to brace herself and join as well.
The dress rehearsal officially started, and because they hadn’t coordinated in a long time, it was quite chaotic at first. After more than an hour of trying, they finally regained their former rhythm, and then it went smoother and smoother.
For lunch, Xu Qingfan treated everyone, ordering from the most expensive restaurant in Li City with his mobile phone. Fang Xiaoya also came down from the second floor, and the group of more than ten, standing or sitting, ate their lunch together.
"The first song ’Apple’ is ready; you guys start rehearsing it, and I’ll write another one this afternoon," she said, distributing the A4 papers printed from the printer to everyone.
"Let’s keep pushing this afternoon!" Xiao Ruawen said, waving her little pink fists.
"Keep going!" Everyone in the room laughed and called out in unison.
After finishing lunch and cleaning up the trash, they continued with their rehearsal, working hard due to the time constraint.
The afternoon flew by in a hurry, and Fang Xiaoya’s arrangement for the other song was quickly handed over to them, and everyone worked overtime to practice.
Dinner was still ordered as takeout, and although the performance hadn’t even started, Xu Qingfan had already spent nearly two thousand yuan just on food and drinks, but he didn’t mind it at all.
"One last time," Xiao Ruawen’s voice was somewhat hoarse as she said.
"Yeah, one last time. I’ve called my dad, he’ll drive you guys home later." It was already past eight in the evening, and since Xu Qingfan had called everyone out, he naturally had to ensure they got home safely.
[You are my little dear apple…]
Fang Xiaoya had closed the store and gone home. After sending the five students who had come to help into the car, the six of them sat shoulder to shoulder on the floor, exhausted but happy, staring blankly.
"I’m so nervous, the performance is tomorrow." Xiao Ruawen’s voice was even more hoarse; if one didn’t know she had been singing, it might lead to wild thoughts.
"You should talk less and eat some throat lozenges," Xu Qingfan offered her a Golden Throat lozenge, unwrapping it and putting it into her mouth.
"Ah~" Xiao Ruawen took it in her mouth.
"Brother Qingfan, I want one too." Lin Wanning’s voice wasn’t much better, hoarse as well.
He unwrapped another one, "Good girl, Wanning, open your mouth."
"Heehee~" After Lin Wanning ate the candy, she playfully bit his finger and revealed a triumphant expression.
Xu Qingfan did the same for Zhang Yiyi and Wu Lingyu, feeding them the candy.
"Thanks, Brother Fan."
Finally, it was Xia Xiaoxiao’s turn, but he simply handed her the box of candy, "Here, eat it yourself."
She had been planning on what sassy thing to say when Xu Qingfan fed her, but unexpectedly he didn’t play by the usual script.
He didn’t feed her at all!!!
"You don’t expect me to feed you, do you?" Seeing the girl show no interest, Xu Qingfan teased.
"Humph~" Because of her sore throat, Xia Xiaoxiao’s snort lacked her usual force, and instead, it sounded quite cute.
"Let’s get one thing straight, you’re not allowed to bite me!" Xu Qingfan unwrapped a lozenge and brought it to her mouth.
"I won’t take your handouts." Xia Xiaoxiao turned her head away, refusing to look at him.
Xu Qingfan leaned his weight on Lin Wanning, stretching his hand and again bringing the lozenge to Xia Xiaoxiao’s mouth.
"Ah! Xia Xiaoxiao, are you a dog or something?!"
As expected, the next second Xia Xiaoxiao quickly bit his finger.
"Mmm~ Xu Qingfan mmm pervert!"
"Hahaha!" Xu Qingfan laughed triumphantly, smearing the saliva she left from catching her tongue onto her body.
"Get off~ You pervert!" Xia Xiaoxiao disdainfully pushed his hand away.
"Goose, goose, goose~ Xiao Xiao, what did Brother Fan do to you?" Xiao Ruawen wanted to join in the laughter upon hearing it, then her devilish goose laughter again spurred the others to join in.
"He... he caught my tongue," the girl said with her face blushing.
Under the dim streetlight, the six shadows in front of them stretched several meters long. One of the shadows was raising her hand, appearing to hit another, and whenever a car passed by, the playful shadows returned to calm.
Six little heads leaned against each other, gazing up together at the starry sky above.