mijobooks Chapter 27 Inviting the Future Folk Song Queens to a Casual Dinner
Chapter 27 Inviting the Future Folk Song Queens to a Casual Dinner
In the vocal music classroom.
Lin Hanjiang closed the sheet music book filled with notes in front of him.
He looked up and his gaze fell on the round, old-fashioned wall clock with its brass frame and black hands, which were steadily pointing to the Roman numeral V.
It's 17 PM.
After being surrounded by media at CCTV in the morning, Lin Hanjiang went straight to the vocal music classroom without much rest.
With the finals approaching, every detail of the new song cannot be ambiguous.
The intense practice lasted for nearly four hours, from refining the technique to understanding the emotions, and then to repeatedly working with the accompaniment.
Only when I relaxed did I feel a slight dryness deep in my throat and a slight soreness in my neck and shoulders.
He turned his head.
Senior Sister Zhang leaned against the windowsill opposite, the early summer breeze gently ruffling the stray hairs on her forehead.
She held her blue hardcover songbook in her hand, her brows slightly furrowed, her lips moving silently as she memorized the rhythm of a new verse, her expression focused.
Beside the piano, junior sister Zu Hai had just finished playing the last chord, her slender fingers still gently pressing on the keys.
Zu Hai has been accompanying him on the piano for the past few days while he practices singing.
Zu Hai turned his head and looked at Lin Hanjiang.
"Senior, is it okay if I handle the speed of this transition section like this?"
Zu Hai's voice is like the middle register of a piano, clear and gentle.
Lin Hanjiang nodded affirmatively at Zu Hai, his voice lower and hoarse than usual due to prolonged use of his voice.
"Very good, Xiao Hai. The way you slowed down at the end and then pushed it up again was particularly emotionally right."
After speaking, he cleared his throat, picked up the white enamel mug in front of him, which contained dried sea buckthorn and chrysanthemum, and the water temperature was just right.
After taking a few sips of the refreshing tea, he looked at Zhang Ye, who was still reciting the poem silently, and Zu Hai, who had just closed the lid of his zither.
"Senior sister, Xiao Hai."
"Thank you all for your hard work today. Come on, it's on me, let's go get something good to eat."
Lin Hanjiang stretched his stiff neck, a smile on his face.
"Let's skip the crowded cafeteria and go out to eat. How about I treat you guys? There's that old Beiping restaurant near the entrance; I heard their stir-fried liver is especially authentic."
Upon hearing this, Zhang frowned and shook his head in disapproval: "Eating out is too expensive; you need money right now."
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.
I know how big the hole my junior's family has incurred because of starting a business.
Although he seems to have made some money from the song "The Story of Spring" and interviews, it's still far from enough to fill the hole.
Zu Hai quickly nodded in agreement. The girl's voice was clear and filled with concern: "Yes, senior brother, senior sister is right. Let's go to the cafeteria. It seems like they have braised ribbonfish in the first cafeteria today, which is pretty good."
She came from an ordinary family and knew that money didn't come easily, and she understood the pressure Lin Hanjiang was under.
Lin Hanjiang felt a warmth in his heart.
These days, when I get my food at the cafeteria, Zhang Ye and Zu Hai often occasionally get an extra portion of meat and vegetables, and then share the leftovers with me.
He remembers this kindness.
"It's nothing," Lin Hanjiang said casually, patting his pocket.
The food vouchers were inside, and their solid feel gave him some confidence.
That's enough for him to graduate by the end of June.
Actually, by this time, there weren't many senior students left on campus. They would receive their graduation certificates and officially graduate by June 27th.
I came back a day early to take a picture of my graduation certificate, and then graduated the next day and went my separate ways.
"Senior sister, Xiao Hai, please don't always treat me like I'm poor. I've been earning quite a bit lately, so I'm a little better off financially. It's only right that I treat you to a meal to thank you. Besides, you guys aren't tired of eating in the cafeteria all the time, but I'm starting to smell like the cafeteria food."
"Pah, you're so particular." Zhang was amused by him and scolded him playfully, but her attitude clearly softened.
She knew her junior brother well; he looked gentle, but had a stubborn streak deep down, and once he made up his mind, it was hard for him to change it.
Zu Hai glanced at Lin Hanjiang, then at Zhang Ye, and suggested in a low voice, "Well... how about we go to the second floor of the cafeteria? The stir-fries there are much cheaper than outside, and the taste isn't bad either. What do you think, senior?"
This was a compromise, accommodating Lin Hanjiang's desire to treat everyone while also trying to save him some money.
Looking into those two sincere eyes, Lin Hanjiang's initial insistence on going out for a fancy meal melted away.
This can be considered their way of being considerate.
There's no point in being stubborn any longer.
"become!"
Lin Hanjiang readily nodded.
"Then let's go to the second floor of the cafeteria. But it's a deal, I'm the one ordering today, you're not allowed to take my food."
He paused, a confident glint in his eyes, "After we win the gold medal in the finals, I'll treat you to a fancy restaurant."
"Oh, you've got quite the nerve." Zhang smiled broadly and lightly patted his arm with her songbook. "Alright, senior sister, I'm looking forward to your celebration banquet. I'll definitely order braised sea cucumber with scallions."
"Haha, me too!" Zu Hai exclaimed excitedly, temporarily putting aside his worries about his senior's finances.
"Let's go, let's go, I'm hungry."
Lin Hanjiang put his arm around Zhang Ye's shoulder, beckoned to Zu Hai, and the three of them walked out of the vocal music classroom chatting and laughing.
As expected, on the way to the cafeteria...
In June, the sycamore leaves on campus were already the size of a palm, and the shade was dense.
Along the tree-lined path leading to the cafeteria, students carrying lunchboxes and thermos flasks came and went in an endless stream.
Lin Hanjiang's appearance immediately attracted a lot of attention and whispered discussions.
"Look, it's Lin Hanjiang!"
"Is that him? The one who sang 'The Story of Spring'?"
"Yes, yes, he looks quite energetic on TV, but he's even more handsome in person."
"I heard that Guangdong TV paid an exorbitant price to interview him?"
"More than that! Did you watch that show last night? It was amazing!"
"Now they've really made a name for themselves..."
"Hey, isn't that Senior Sister Zhang Ye next to him? They seem to have a really good relationship."
Lin Hanjiang could feel those gazes on him, and he tried his best to appear natural.
Zhang Ye straightened his back slightly, as if to support his junior brother.
Zu Hai was a little embarrassed and lowered his head, but he followed closely behind.
Occasionally, familiar classmates would greet me.
"Hanjiang, congratulations! The song is fantastic!"
"Good luck in the finals, Senior Lin!"
Lin Hanjiang responded with a smile and a nod to each of them.
"Thanks!"
"Thank you for your kind words!"
The short distance was a bit slower and more lively than usual.
This must be the small price to pay for fame, Lin Hanjiang thought to himself.
However, being praised felt really good, and made me feel much happier.
The stir-fry section on the second floor of the cafeteria was indeed more lively and "upscale" than the main kitchen on the first floor.
Above the window hangs a small sign with white background and red lettering, displaying the names and prices of the dishes.
The place wasn't big; it had a dozen or so square wooden tables, and most of them were already occupied.
They randomly picked a table and sat down.
Lin Hanjiang picked up the greasy, plastic-sealed menu from the table, glanced at it, and immediately made his decision: "Senior Sister, Xiao Hai, stop looking. I'll order: braised pork belly! Stir-fried beef! Braised lion's head meatballs! And a main dish, beer-braised duck!"
He ordered only real meat dishes, which were significantly more expensive than the vegetarian dishes.
They all start at five yuan.
Beer-braised duck is the most expensive, costing 10 yuan.
"That's enough, that's enough." Zhang Ye quickly stopped him from pointing again. "How can three people eat so much? It's a waste."
"Eat more vegetables," Lin Hanjiang said with a grin.
"What's wrong with you? You haven't even made much money yet, and you're already spending it like water?" Zhang rolled her eyes at him. "What you ordered is enough for five or six people."
She turned to the cafeteria lady who was coming over with a small notebook and said, "Waiter, braised pork, stir-fried beef, and... stir-fried bok choy, and a bucket of rice."
Zhang also decisively removed the braised lion's head meatballs and beer-braised duck.
"Senior sister!" Lin Hanjiang protested.
"Listen to me!" Zhang glared at him.
"You need to stay in shape before the finals; eating too much oily food isn't good. Besides, life is about taking it slow and steady."
Her tone left no room for argument, and she added to the aunt.
"By the way, do you have tomato and egg soup? I'd like a small bowl."
The auntie quickly wrote it down: "Okay, braised pork is 5.2 yuan, stir-fried beef is 6.8 yuan, stir-fried bok choy is 2.2 yuan, rice is 0.6 yuan, tomato and egg soup is 3 yuan, totaling 17.8 yuan."
Lin Hanjiang quickly handed over the meal tickets.
Although Zhang Ye's meal was simpler than the grand feast he had anticipated, it was still quite a lavish meal in the student cafeteria in 92, especially in the stir-fry section.
Outside the window, music began playing from the campus radio station; faintly, it seemed to be Liu Huan's "The Crescent Moon."
The distant night sky.
There is a crescent moon.
[Under the crescent moon.]
It's that little, winding bridge.
Beside the small bridge.
There is a small, curved boat.
The little boat drifts leisurely.
It's Gillian Chung from her childhood.