Chapter 15

After finishing her meal at the cafeteria, Cheng Xiaoyu deliberately went to the campus store to buy a few chocolate bars and three bottles of soy milk. She handed one bottle to Wang Ou, who took it with a puzzled look and said, "I don't drink it." Cheng Xiaoyu, in a bad mood, replied, "Even if you don't drink it, you have to hold it for me." Wang Ou responded with an "Oh" and followed Cheng Xiaoyu back to the classroom.

As they passed Xia Shamo's desk, Cheng Xiaoyu casually placed the soy milk and chocolate on the table and said, "SUMMER, these are for you."

Xia Shamo was a bit surprised and quickly refused, "I'm already full."

Cheng Xiaoyu, with a difficult expression, pretended to beg, "Do me a favor, I bought too much. Just have a little, don't be so formal. Look at Wang Dazhuang's big belly, I can't bear to poison him anymore."

Wang Ou reacted quickly, immediately holding up the soy milk and saying, "Cheng Xiaopang, you traitor! How dare you defame my reputation behind my back. I will punish your unforgivable sin in the name of God, with the light as my sword! Tremble, mortal."

Cheng Xiaoyu spread her hands, making a gesture that this was foolish. Xia Shamo also covered her mouth and laughed. Seeing that she didn't refuse, Cheng Xiaoyu pretended to walk up and fight with Wang Ou, "Take this, Pegasus Meteor Fist!"

"Hey, this is 'Asura and Peacock King,' what's this Pegasus Meteor Fist?"

"Then let's change it, Red Secret Technique · Hundred Machine Operation......"

"Never heard of it, what move is this?"

"Damn, you haven't even watched Naruto, what kind of otaku are you!"

"I'm in my senior year, not an otaku." Then, leaning close to Cheng Xiaoyu's ear, she whispered, "Admit defeat quickly, or I'll tell Xia Shamo that you have a crush on her!" Cheng Xiaoyu could only raise his hands in surrender, letting Wang Ou perform his so-called most magnificent move......

After school, Cheng Xiaoyu called Xia Shamo over, took out a few sheets of paper covered in musical notes, with no title. Xia Shamo glanced at them and said, "Why are the lyrics all in pinyin?"

Cheng Xiaoyu said indifferently, "Because it's not in Chinese!"

Xia Shamo didn't ask further, putting the sheet music in her bag. "I'll look at it when I get home. I'm off."

Cheng Xiaoyu added, "Do you know anyone in the class who can play the drum kit?" Xia Shamo looked at the empty seat in the second row of the middle and said, "Chen Haoran might be able to. I don't know about others."

Cheng Xiaoyu nodded in satisfaction and said, "Alright, see you later." Xia Shamo picked up her bag, waved goodbye to Cheng Xiaoyu, her slender figure and long hands resembling a maiden from a Greek painting.

Seeing Xia Shamo walk away, Cheng Xiaoyu couldn't help but wave vigorously and said, "SUMMER, make sure to read it carefully." Xia Shamo turned her head from a distance and nodded. Cheng Xiaoyu felt as if he could see her transparent and strong protective shell shimmering in the sunlight.

Teacher Ji had already texted him to come to the school auditorium to help with the accompaniment, which usually wouldn't take too long. Cheng Xiaoyu had never thought of refusing this music teacher who was full of sympathy for her. Arriving at the auditorium, Ji Xin was looking at the score. Cheng Xiaoyu glanced at the title, "Singing China," guessing he was selecting a piece for the choir. Ji Xin looked up and saw Cheng Xiaoyu, covering the score and said, "I heard you made a bet with Li Liwei?"

Cheng Xiaoyu lowered his head and said, "Just playing around with classmates."

"Do you have a performance prepared?"

"I have some ideas, but it's not certain yet."

"Ah, if you have something prepared, show it to me, I can give you some guidance." Ji Xin wasn't quite sure about Cheng Xiaoyu's specific musical level. Occasionally calling him to accompany, he played decently but nothing particularly outstanding.

Cheng Xiaoyu knew Ji Xin cared about her but didn't think he needed special tutoring. "Sure, Teacher Ji, once I'm ready, I'll definitely ask you to help me find any shortcomings."

Ji Xin hesitated and said, "You're not planning to perform a piano solo, right?" Cheng Xiaoyu replied, "Probably not, I can't match Su Yuxi."

Ji Xin smiled, "Don't compare yourself to her. She has a famous teacher and has participated in many competitions, so it's normal for her to play better. Don't be discouraged. I was afraid you would choose a piano solo, her performance is already decided, she won't participate in the selection."

Cheng Xiaoyu said calmly, "I will work hard to surpass her."

Ji Xin saw the confidence and determination in Cheng Xiaoyu's eyes and smiled with relief. "I'm reassured by your attitude. Go practice, I just heard some gossip, so I wanted to check with you."

Cheng Xiaoyu was a bit moved by this simple teacher. For the first time, he answered with utmost seriousness, "Teacher Ji, rest assured, I won't let you down." Then he bowed and left.

Cheng Xiaoyu always felt that bearing hope was an especially heavy burden. A tiny glimmer of hope could mean immense pressure. But hope was such a beautiful word, it also meant the source of motivation and a dream within reach. This time, he wanted to fulfill others' hopes and realize his own impossible dream.

Cheng Xiaoyu practiced the piano for two hours in the practice room, then started thinking about the piece he planned to perform. He was very familiar with this piece from his previous life, and there were many versions. What he needed to do now was to combine several versions to create an arrangement that best suited his current difficult situation. The main issue was the lack of accompanying instruments, which prevented the creation of a grand musical background and reduced the expressive power.

Fortunately, Xia Shamo's singing skills gave him some confidence; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to touch this piece in his current state. Cheng Xiaoyu played while drawing the musical score, entering a state of complete focus.

Xia Shamo's home wasn't far from the school, about a 20-minute bike ride. When she got home, she first washed and cut the vegetables for dinner: a tomato and egg stir-fry, cucumber slices to be mixed with garlic, and minced meat for a meat and eggplant dish. She washed the rice and put it in the rice cooker with some water. After finishing the preparations, she washed her hands and went into her bedroom. She usually started cooking when her mother was about to arrive.

This was a small one-bedroom apartment. In the expensive city of Shanghai, having a place of her own made her very content. She and her mother shared a bedroom, and her father, according to her mother, had run off with another woman before she was born.

Xia Shamo sat at a desk covered in carvings, which she had made as a child. This desk had been with her for over a decade. She opened her bag and took out the clean and neat sheet music, examining it carefully. The ink on the paper still had a faint luster, clearly indicating it was a handwritten score.

After a casual glance at a few sections, she was immediately captivated. She straightened her back and hummed softly. A wave of heat surged from her heart, giving her an overwhelming urge to shout. This feeling stirred her blood. Even though she hadn't started singing, the more she looked at the score, the more her scalp tingled. The notes on the paper seemed like sharp swords piercing her heart. Xia Shamo clutched the thin sheet music tightly, afraid that these delicate pieces of paper would fly away from this small room.

On the way home, Cheng Xiaoyu thought with great distress that what he needed most was a synthesizer. But he didn't know where to buy one in Shanghai. He then wondered about the development of synthesizers in this time and place. If they were as advanced as in his previous life, his work would be much easier. Opening his phone, he found no Taobao app, and he suddenly missed Father Ma Yun.

Before school the next day, Cheng Xiaoyu mentioned to Qiao Sansi that he needed a synthesizer. Qiao Sansi didn't quite understand what a synthesizer was and asked what it was. Cheng Xiaoyu gave the English name, Musical Synthesizer, and explained that it was similar to a keyboard, mainly used for arranging music and could function as a whole band. Qiao Sansi laughed and said, "That's easy, the company should have one. I'll get it for you."

Seeing that the problem might be easily solved, Cheng Xiaoyu wasn't particularly happy. After all, he wasn't originally a keyboardist and only had a basic understanding of synthesizers. At the TV station, another colleague handled the synthesizer.

The current situation was overwhelming him. He still had to deal with the top student, Chen Haoran, to find a drummer for his piece. While a powerful synthesizer could handle most of the performance, it was a last resort. Bands usually used synthesizers to supplement orchestral, woodwind, and piano sounds, as it was impractical to carry a full orchestra. A synthesizer could replace a whole band, but the live performance would lack the dynamic expression.

Rhythm is the soul of music. The drum kit is a rhythmic and emotional instrument, often considered the core of a modern band. This is why Cheng Xiaoyu could do without any other instrument but had to find a drummer. The level of a band's performance is mainly reflected in the coordination among musicians and the drummer's skill. The drum kit supports the entire musical structure, and a band without drums is like a person without bones. Drums not only stabilize the music but also shape, enhance, and enrich the musical image, expressing individuality and color. Drums excel in rhythm, speed, and intensity. In modern bands, the drummer has replaced the conductor's role in an orchestra. Each instrument must follow the drummer's rhythm, just as all instruments in an orchestra follow the conductor. Therefore, the drum kit plays an irreplaceable role in modern bands. Moreover, the rhythm in the piece he composed was crucial, and the effect would be much worse without a live drummer.

Cheng Xiaoyu could only silently pray that the genius Chen Haoran had excellent drumming skills and was easy to work with. Maybe he was asking for too much.

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