Chapter 82

Others were rather indifferent, showing no particular interest in Qi Qingnuo's award, except for Xu Xuesi who offered congratulations. Qi Qingnuo herself didn't care much; after sitting down, she continued to watch the lively scene on stage as if nothing had happened.

Yang Jingxing looked at Qi Qingnuo pitifully, "You need to comfort me."

Qi Qingnuo turned her gaze to Yang Jingxing, "How should I comfort you?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Of course, the most effective way."

Qi Qingnuo felt embarrassed, "There are so many people here, wait a moment."

A classmate with sharp ears asked, "What about us?"

Qi Qingnuo said, "You have already let it go, no need."

After a while, Yang Jingxing received a call from He Hongchui, asking him to wait and not leave as he had something to say. So after the competition ended, everyone else left, leaving only the disappointed Yang Jingxing behind. Qi Qingnuo had originally stayed to keep him company, but after waiting for a long time without seeing He Hongchui, and with no hope of having dinner together, she had to leave first.

Yang Jingxing found time to call Tao Meng, who had been waiting for good news, to deliver the disappointing result.

Tao Meng didn't believe it, "Are you kidding me?"

Yang Jingxing said, "If I wanted your comfort, I could find any reason."

Tao Meng was silent for a moment, then asked, "Who won the award?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Qi Qingnuo won the third prize."

Tao Meng said, "She hasn't even had a song published!"

Yang Jingxing said, "That's different."

Tao Meng said, "I want to hear the song she won with... who were the judges?" She seemed as if she hadn't won herself,纠缠着这个问题半天，还安慰杨 Jingxing, "Those people don't understand at all, they are out of touch with the times, they don't even qualify as judges!"

Yang Jingxing encouraged, "Right, curse them to death! Cheer up!"

Tao Meng shouted, "You're making me so angry! How can you have no self-respect at all?"

Yang Jingxing said, "You said it yourself, my self-respect won't drop just because the whole world doesn't like me."

Tao Meng paused for a while, then said, "Hmph... If it were me, I would definitely go and ask for a clear explanation of why my work was not as good as others, I need a reason!"

Yang Jingxing said, "I'd rather listen to you humming."

Tao Meng was angry, "Hmph, you didn't even call me yesterday... Where are you now?"

Yang Jingxing explained that he was waiting for his teacher, and he was waiting alone. Tao Meng asked, "Is Qi Qingnuo happy about winning?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Of course she is."

Tao Meng asked again, "Are they going to celebrate?"

Yang Jingxing said that Qi Qingnuo was planning to have a party with her friends on Christmas Eve.

Tao Meng asked, "Are you going?"

Yang Jingxing said, "I haven't been invited yet."

Tao Meng said, "They must think you'll definitely come. I'm not going home on Christmas Eve. I want to have fun!"

Yang Jingxing understood, "Then I can't go."

They agreed that the next morning, Yang Jingxing would still pick up Tao Meng and arrange the activities.

It was past seven when He Hongchui finally came out, asking if Yang Jingxing had a car, and then offered to drive him. In the car, He Hongchui repeated the praise from Ding Sangpeng and encouraged Yang Jingxing to write the orchestral version of "Rainy Day Sunshine," which was a form of consolation since he had forced Yang Jingxing to participate in the competition.

After some small talk, He Hongchui got to the point, "Do you know why you didn't win?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Not good enough."

He Hongchui glanced at Yang Jingxing, "One aspect is the orientation of the work... Zhang Jiahe is the chairman of the judges, and he doesn't particularly appreciate you. Actually, a few other judges gave you high marks."

Yang Jingxing smiled, "The chairman must be right."

He Hongchui looked at Yang Jingxing again, "It seems they say you... don't know how to get along with people."

Yang Jingxing repented, "I'll pay attention in the future."

He Hongchui disagreed, a bit angrily, "There's nothing to pay attention to, you're fine!"

Yang Jingxing was happy, "I'll follow your advice."

He Hongchui smiled, "In any case, don't carry any psychological burden, just be clear in your own mind."

Next, He Hongchui asked about Yang Jingxing's recent studies, and they mainly discussed their understanding of fugue and counterpoint. He Hongchui was well-versed, but whatever he said, Yang Jingxing could always respond. They also talked a bit about life, and He Hongchui mentioned that the counselor said Yang Jingxing seemed a bit aloof and proud. However, He Hongchui said that the music college didn't have a strong sense of collective unity, so it didn't matter.

He Hongchui drove Yang Jingxing back to school, it was almost eight. After eating a bowl of noodles, Yang Jingxing returned to room 402, where he found Yu Xinting and An Xin.

Yang Jingxing looked at the big "Merry Christmas" on the blackboard and asked, "Who drew this?"

Yu Xinting said, "We did together, have you eaten?"

Yang Jingxing ate an apple. An Xin asked, "How was the competition?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Qi Qingnuo won the third prize, eight thousand yuan, you should ask her to treat us."

Yu Xinting asked hopefully, "What about you?"

Yang Jingxing was happy, "I can't treat this time."

Yu Xinting didn't believe it, "No way, you must have won something."

Yang Jingxing said, "Really, I didn't. Didn't Qi Qingnuo tell you?"

Yu Xinting shook her head, "I didn't see... there were only three awards?"

Yang Jingxing said, "I didn't even get an honorable mention."

Yu Xinting looked at An Xin, then at Yang Jingxing, and then at the blackboard.

An Xin said, "That's really a shame, we'll have to eat less."

Yang Jingxing laughed, "That's the biggest loss."

Yu Xinting said, "It's not a loss, you don't need an award to prove yourself, you've already proven yourself!"

Yang Jingxing said, "Not that fast, unless you all say you like it."

Yu Xinting said firmly, "Of course we like it... I think you should have won second or first!"

Yang Jingxing laughed, "That's fine. Are you cold? The weather forecast says it's going to snow."

An Xin said that Anhua had heating in winter, and she was indeed more adapted to being indoors, especially at night, but the outdoors was much better than Anhua.

Yu Xinting thought it was okay, recalling the hardships, "It was cold where we lived during the exams, I used two hot water bottles, and had to change them in the middle of the night."

An Xin said that Yu Xinting covered herself with two thick blankets in the dorm, and in the morning, you couldn't tell if she was still in bed.

Yang Jingxing remembered, "You should call Qi Qingnuo to congratulate her."

Yu Xinting looked at An Xin and said, "She didn't tell me."

An Xin said, "You know now."

Yu Xinting said, "You call."

An Xin refused, "You have a better relationship with her."

Yu Xinting took out her phone and asked Yang Jingxing, "What should I say?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Of course, go straight to the point, ask her to treat us!"

So Yu Xinting called Qi Qingnuo, "Hello... you should treat us... he just got back... oh, it's fine... sure..." She looked at Yang Jingxing and asked, "Are you free the day after tomorrow?"

Yang Jingxing shook his head, "Probably not."

Yu Xinting repeated it and then hung up.

Yang Jingxing suggested, "Come on, let's play 'Merry Christmas' together."

Yu Xinting was interested, "What 'Merry Christmas'? Which one?"

...

At ten o'clock, Yu Xinting and An Xin went back to the dorm. At half past ten, Yang Jingxing received a call from Qi Qingnuo, "Still working hard?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Yeah, a bit envious."

Qi Qingnuo chuckled, "Just sang with Fu Feirong, it was great, but she wasn't there."

Yang Jingxing asked, "Can she sing?"

Qi Qingnuo said, "Sister Ran taught her, and I taught her, no problem!"

Yang Jingxing said, "That's great."

Qi Qingnuo chuckled, then suddenly stopped, "You're not in a good mood today, are you?"

Yang Jingxing was surprised, "I hid it so well, you still noticed?"

Qi Qingnuo asked, "Did you notice mine?"

Yang Jingxing said, "I was too focused on defending myself."

Qi Qingnuo laughed, "Do you want me and Fu Feirong to sing again, and you can listen on the phone?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Didn't you just do it?"

Qi Qingnuo said, "The customer is God, they want it."

Yang Jingxing said, "Okay."

Qi Qingnuo said, "Why don't you come over, I want to have a drink."

Yang Jingxing agreed, "That's better, wait for me."

Yang Jingxing arrived at Huiguang at eleven, and Qi Qingnuo was surprised, "So fast, missing me that much?"

Yang Jingxing asked, "Have you already had a drink? Are you drunk?"

Qi Qingnuo laughed, "Not much, two glasses." Her breath had an alcohol smell, but it wasn't beer.

The bar was still quite crowded, with young people in the majority. Fu Feirong was singing a new song that had just become popular, and Sister Ran's partner was playing the piano accompaniment.

Fu Feirong might not have known Yang Jingxing would suddenly appear, and her voice faltered when she saw him, but she quickly stabilized.

Qi Qingnuo accompanied Yang Jingxing to sit at the bar, which was empty. Qi Qingnuo called to Qi Dawei, "Two Martinis."

Qi Dawei asked Yang Jingxing, "Beer?"

Qi Qingnuo knocked on the bar, "Martinis, Martinis!"

Yang Jingxing said, "Give me one."

Qi Dawei asked, "Are you driving?"

Yang Jingxing said, "One won't hurt."

Qi Dawei repeated, "Just one!" He personally mixed it, and the glass was almost half full.

"Come, cheers!" Qi Qingnuo pushed the glass to Yang Jingxing, and they clinked glasses. She then took a third of it in one gulp.

Yang Jingxing took a sip and said it tasted good.

Qi Qingnuo reminded, "You haven't congratulated me yet."

Yang Jingxing was petty, "You haven't comforted me yet."

Qi Qingnuo argued, "So many people comforted you, no one congratulated me."

Yang Jingxing said, "Don't pretend to be drunk."

Qi Qingnuo reminded, "Don't always look at your singer, ignore my beauty... I taught her for an hour, isn't that being a good friend?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Thanks."

Qi Qingnuo was dissatisfied, "Thanks? That's not being a good friend."

Yang Jingxing said, "Teach her again."

Qi Dawei laughed, "The song is well-written, in just a few days, she's become a pillar of the bar."

Qi Qingnuo showed no respect for her father, "We're talking... change places!"

The new place was a corner connected to the wall on the left side of the bar, which made it easier for Yang Jingxing to watch Fu Feirong's performance. Yang Jingxing said, "The emotion is still a bit stiff."

Qi Qingnuo scolded, "Don't shift the focus!"

Yang Jingxing looked at Qi Qingnuo and asked, "Where are Nian Qing and the others?"

Qi Qingnuo said, "I'm not happy with this award today!" She frowned slightly, her bright eyes staring at Yang Jingxing.

Yang Jingxing asked, "Too low?"

Qi Qingnuo said, "I'd rather not have it!"

Yang Jingxing asked, "Being loyal?"

Qi Qingnuo shook her head, "No one is loyal to me! Is anyone happy for me?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Your parents, 306, Yu Xinting, me..."

Qi Qingnuo was dismissive, "Is your happiness worth anything?"

Yang Jingxing said, "At least it counts."

Qi Qingnuo tilted her head back and drank the half glass of cocktail, then walked over to take the microphone from Fu Feirong, who had just finished a song, and loudly said, "Thank you all... just now, our bar was honored to have the composer of the song 'Girl' that Fu Feirong just sang. Now, he will play the piano accompaniment, and please welcome Fu Feirong to sing it again, the original version, applause please."

Yang Jingxing put his glass on the bar and walked over to sit at the piano amidst sparse applause. Fu Feirong quickly drank some water and took her position, taking the microphone from Qi Qingnuo and adjusting her dress. Qi Qingnuo stood next to Yang Jingxing, leaning casually against the edge of the piano.

This simple piano accompaniment, Yang Jingxing played it almost as well as Qi Qingnuo. Qi Qingnuo had also entered the composition department with excellent grades, and her piano skills were top-notch. But for Fu Feirong, it was different, and Yang Jingxing had also asked if she was ready.

After Fu Feirong nodded, Yang Jingxing started. The piano prelude reduced the noisy bar by half, showing that the previous performance by Qi Qingnuo and Fu Feirong still had a strong impact.

Fu Feirong started singing, and Yang Jingxing turned to look at her, clearly encouraging her. It was evident that Sister Ran and Qi Qingnuo had taught her with care, and Fu Feirong had also studied hard. The most important part of singing, the rise and fall, Fu Feirong had mastered. Yang Jingxing had originally planned to let Fu Feirong practice for a while before teaching her himself, but now it seemed unnecessary, as she had noticed many details.

The bar had excellent equipment, Fu Feirong's voice was beautiful, the melody was pleasant, and the audience was cooperative, resulting in a very good effect!

At this moment in Puhai, a bar as lively and quiet as Huiguang was probably unique. A slightly immature but special female voice was gently and energetically singing a beautiful and melodious song. The content of the song gave different feelings to different listeners, but they all looked at Fu Feirong or Yang Jingxing.

Fu Feirong's breathing was smooth, indicating that she had practiced hard over the past two days. Her voice and the melody were a perfect match, making the listeners' hearts immediately calm, but not filled with sadness or emotion... you could think about whatever you wanted, but mostly you thought about nothing. Sister Ran, sitting nearby, seemed to be fully engaged as a singer. Fu Feirong could be considered her half-student.

As Fu Feirong's singing became lower and lower, the song ended, and the audience gave enthusiastic applause, but no one shouted "bravo." Fu Feirong looked in Yang Jingxing's direction and said, "Thank you all."

Qi Qingnuo said, "The previous time was more impressive, ask Fu Feirong."

Fu Feirong looked embarrassed, "There were more people then."

Qi Qingnuo said, "It's not about the number of people, so many people shouting, do it again."

Yang Jingxing was angry, "Are you saying I can't do it?" To Fu Feirong, he said, "You sang well, really."

Fu Feirong smiled. Girls, when they smile, are always beautiful.