Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Finals Begin

“This is Siying’s competition piece—you must know that,” Dong Yanyan explained to him. Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind and she turned to ask, “Since it’s your favorite, do you have the sheet music for this song?”

“Of course I know it; I’ve practiced this song before!” Ren Jiaxuan replied with a grin.

Dong Yanyan exchanged an excited glance with Liu Siying and said with a smile, “That’s wonderful! The only thing we’re missing is the sheet music. You have no idea how painful it’s been these past two days, hunting down every single note one by one!”

“You two are so silly, searching note by note for two whole days? Can’t you pick it up after listening twice? Get me some paper and a pen, I’ll write it out for you,” said Ren Jiaxuan, giving Dong Yanyan’s nose an affectionate tweak. Dong Yanyan didn’t like her nose being pinched; her sweet little nose was nearly squashed into the shape of Pinocchio’s, and she certainly didn’t want such a tragic fate.

Liu Siying beamed, “Thank you so much! I’ll fetch them right now!” With that, she hurried off in search of paper and pen.

“Siying’s not so bad; at least she can pick out the right notes. I can barely recognize the lines on a staff,” Dong Yanyan mumbled, rubbing her nose.

Ren Jiaxuan looked at her in disbelief, suspicion in his eyes. “You can’t be serious. You can’t read sheet music? Don’t tell me you can’t even read numbered notation!”

Dong Yanyan nodded. “That’s right. My musical ability is limited to being able to sing Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So.” And even that she picked up from sneaking into Lulu’s electric organ class; she hadn’t even made it to chords before she was whisked away to this world.

“And you’re a judge?!” Ren Jiaxuan practically exploded. “That’s disrespectful to us!”

“Oh? So you feel offended?” Dong Yanyan replied nonchalantly, pursing her lips into a smile. “Does being a judge mean you have to know everything? Would I need to know refrigeration to judge a fridge? Great football referees can’t all play football, and many top wine tasters can’t even drink. So—excellent music judges don’t necessarily read sheet music. As long as I can tell if it sounds good, that’s enough.” After all, this competition was just something the school put on to enrich student life and provide some fun. Who’d take it so seriously?

Ren Jiaxuan stared at her for a long moment, then suddenly broke into a smile. “You’re not wrong. Actually, you really do sound quite professional when you give scores. Who taught you that?”

After watching so many talent shows, who needs lessons? Watching is enough! Dong Yanyan grinned smugly. “Of course, my teachers were just like that.”

Liu Siying soon returned with paper and pen. Ren Jiaxuan played the tape once, then took a ruler and marker and began sketching out notes on the page with swift, sure strokes. Dong Yanyan watched, counting the little notes with eager interest. Ten minutes later, Ren Jiaxuan tossed down the pen with a flourish. “Done!”

Liu Siying, all smiles, took the music and her tape recorder to the window, pausing to throw Dong Yanyan a meaningful look. Dong Yanyan pretended not to notice, turning instead to Ren Jiaxuan with a smile. “You’re amazing. Teach me sometime, so I don’t have to feel so jealous every time I see you perform.”

“What’s there to be jealous about? I had a good ear for music when I was a kid, so my mom raised me as a musical prodigy. But it cost me my whole childhood and youth—if I wasn’t rushing off to the youth center, I was running to some performance or competition. I barely had any fun as a child,” Ren Jiaxuan said, a touch of regret in his voice.

“You should be content. I never even had the chance to learn. By the way, the finals are this Saturday. You’re both hosting and competing—you must be busier than the others, but you look so relaxed,” Dong Yanyan laughed.

“I memorized my script ages ago—it’s only a couple of lines. I’ve performed my solo countless times, and don’t even need to practice. The duet’s even simpler—I just play a bit of saxophone while my partner sings,” Ren Jiaxuan replied with an easy smile.

Dong Yanyan, as a judge, knew he was paired with Lin Mei for the duet—so he was just there to complement her performance.

“I’ve never heard you play saxophone. I’d like to,” she said, smiling as she softly hummed: “In the stillness of the night, there sounds the gentle strains of a saxophone, stirring a longing deep within my soul… In the quiet of the night, as stars and moon drift across the sky, the feelings surge like waves; if love has not frozen, please hum this gentle saxophone tune with me, and let its softness drift into my dreams tonight…”

*

The finals were set for Saturday evening. After dinner, Dong Yanyan busied herself with her hair and outfit: the sixth floor would surely be chilly, so she put on her new white blouse, layered with a fitted sky-blue trench coat. The white lace cuffs peeked out perfectly, and she paired it with pencil pants and ankle boots—clean, bright colors. Youth really was a blessing; she could pull off any look.

Leng Yue was helping Xinran with her hair at the mirror and, glancing back, saw Dong Yanyan already dressed. She exclaimed in exaggerated surprise, “Fifth Sister, you look stunning tonight! Going on a date?”

“Of course! I’m representing our class’s image. You all better dress up nicely, too!” Dong Yanyan shot them a wink and went next door to find Liu Siying.

Liu Siying was wearing a knit dress, with a pile of scarves on her bed. When she saw Dong Yanyan, she grabbed her hand as if for rescue and laughed, “Help me pick one—what color goes best with this dress?”

Dong Yanyan’s eyes danced over the array, finally selecting a beige cashmere scarf and draping it over Liu Siying’s shoulders. “This one. Wear it looped like this—it’ll look like a shawl: elegant and beautiful.”

“Perfect!” Liu Siying turned this way and that, adjusting her outfit until satisfied, and then joined Dong Yanyan in heading out.

On the sixth floor, several students from the 95 Audio-Visual class were busy tidying up and testing the sound equipment.

On the second floor, Teacher Guo pushed open the Broadcasting class’s door and called, “Lin Feng, send Song Mingcheng over for a bit!”

“No problem! Song Mingcheng, go with Teacher Guo!” Lin Feng shouted.

Song Mingcheng nimbly hopped over the desks to stand before Teacher Guo.

“Come with me to the sixth floor and help the Audio-Visual students test the lights and sound,” Teacher Guo said, slinging an arm around his shoulders.

On the third floor, each class was orderly carrying chairs upstairs, one group at a time.

Qiu Dong, class monitor of the Transmission class, stood at the doorway, waving and shouting, “We’re behind the 96 Audio-Visual class. Everyone, grab your own chair and line up in order from left to right. Stay close, don’t push, and no noise! Li Ling, hurry up to the fourth floor—Teacher Yang will have a meeting for all contestants soon! Zhang Xiaojun, help her with her chair later!”

Dong Yanyan and Liu Siying hurried to the second floor, where students were already waiting with their chairs. She spotted Yang Lili and Lin Feng waiting for them at the back of the classroom.

“All set—just waiting for you two!” Yang Lili called cheerfully.

“I’ll remind you again, Siying: the beginning is crucial. The first two lines must be stunning—think goddess, absolute goddess! In the duet, pour your heart into it! Lin Feng—” Dong Yanyan paused, grinned, “Just be your usual soulful self!”

Lin Feng smiled and nodded, then called out to Leng Haoyang, “Leng Haoyang, I’m leaving you in charge here!”

“No problem! Don’t worry, we’re the closing act!” Leng Haoyang replied from the front of the room.

“Let’s go!” Yang Lili led Lin Feng and Liu Siying up to the fourth floor.

Leng Haoyang leapt onto the podium and shouted, “Everyone, line up in order. Let the Broadcasting class go first—we’re last, the grand finale!”

*

Dong Yanyan checked the time, called out to Xu Cheng to ask him to help carry her chair upstairs, then ran across the hall to the Broadcasting class to find Li Zhe.

Li Zhe was at the podium taking attendance. Seeing her, he quickly handed her his things. “Yanyan, go up ahead of us and take my notebook and pen too!”

Dong Yanyan agreed, took his things, and went on upstairs to find Li Jian.

Li Zhe turned and called out, “Everyone, get your chairs and return to your seats. Once the third-floor classes are done, it’s our turn! Remember, we’re ahead of the TV class… Jiaxuan, are you ready?!”

Yang Xue, Jiaxuan’s deskmate, had already helped him with his tie. Holding his script, Jiaxuan gave an energetic thumbs-up.

“Where’s Du Jingxuan? Why isn’t she here yet?” Li Zhe asked.

“Here I am!” Du Jingxuan dashed in, wearing an off-shoulder silk dress, a down jacket slung over her shoulders, and towering heels. She nearly stumbled as she braked in front of Jiaxuan, but he caught her just in time.

“Alright! You two, get to the fourth floor and find Teacher Yang. Dawei, what are you waiting for? Contestants from the other classes are already upstairs!” Li Zhe shouted.

*

Dong Yanyan wasn’t in a rush. She and the other judges strolled leisurely up to the sixth floor, where the room was already set up. The row directly in front of the podium was reserved for the judges; behind them were seats for the teachers, and behind the teachers, neat rows of chairs for the students, who had all arrived.

She greeted Teacher Chen, then took her seat. Soon Li Zhe joined her, flipping through the program list. Since these were the finals and fairness was paramount, the competition would be split—girls first, then boys.

“Why did both your contestants change their style? One’s singing in English, the other picked a folk song?” Li Zhe turned to her with a smile.

Liu Siying was singing an English song this time, while Lin Feng—probably at the teacher’s suggestion—had chosen a highly challenging folk song, “Aspirations of the Sacred Eagle.” She’d heard him sing it once; his emotion was palpable. Ah, the misty mountains, the distant, winding roads…

With stage lighting and sound, it would probably be even more stirring. A usually melancholic man could be so captivating in his ruggedness.

She smiled at the thought and asked in return, “Don’t you find that exciting?”

(The lyrics hummed by Dong Yanyan come from "A Date with Spring" by Michelle Yim.)