Chapter 92

Ignoring the coordinator's prying heart, Zhang Tan stayed with the crew until noon, went home for lunch, and didn't come back in the afternoon because he wanted to slack off.

A high-status screenwriter has this kind of freedom.

In the urban village, he found the "Xinfu Koufu" where he had been before to solve his lunch problem.

In the evening, Zhang Tan was sitting at his desk by the window making a video when he heard Xiaobai's call from the courtyard below.

"Guawaizi~~~ Is Guawaizi here?? — Is there a Guawaizi?"

He leaned out to look, and it was Xiaobai. She sauntered into the schoolyard, shouting and walking up the stairs alone.

In her hand, she held a popsicle, licking it from time to time, looking very pleased.

"Ha~~ Boss Zhang~~"

Xiaobai noticed Zhang Tan by the window, ran to the windowsill in a flash, and greeted him with her head held high.

"Come down and play."

Because of his busy work, Zhang Tan hadn't invited Xiaobai to his home for several days.

"Come up and play."

"Sure."

Xiaobai ran up the stairs excitedly.

Zhang Tan opened the door first, and the little kid handed him the popsicle she had just licked.

"Boss Zhang, do you want to eat it?"

It was a cylindrical popsicle, red bean color, with red beans inside, one yuan each.

Although we are good friends, we aren't that intimate yet.

Zhang Tan politely declined.

"Boss Zhang, I called you today, but you ignored me, didn't you?" Xiaobai changed into slippers and entered the room.

"Huh? You called me today? When? I didn't hear it."

Xiaobai said that she saw Boss Zhang passing through a small alley at noon and called him, but he ignored her and walked away.

That should have been after lunch, when he was returning to the schoolyard through the alley.

But Zhang Tan didn't know where Xiaobai lived.

Zhang Tan patted her head and said he really didn't hear it, otherwise, he wouldn't have ignored her.

Xiaobai didn't answer but stared at his hand fiercely.

How dare you touch the head of the domineering and cute boss! ╭（╯^╰）╮

Zhang Tan reluctantly took his hand away and changed the subject: "Ha, where did you buy your popsicle? It looks delicious."

"Hee~~ My aunt bought it, at, at, at the building downstairs~"

Talking about this topic, Xiaobai was very interested and then offered him the half-eaten popsicle again.

Zhang Tan had to decline again, actually, he wanted to ask where he could buy such popsicles, as they were rarely seen now.

"Boss Zhang, what are you doing? Why did you come home so early today?"

Xiaobai followed Zhang Tan closely, standing by the desk curiously, tiptoeing to look at the computer.

She couldn't understand it.

"The Hungry Old Second" was already hard for her, let alone such highly professional, culturally rich, and extremely high-end articles.

Sigh, don't make it hard for the little kid.

"I'm resting this afternoon. Do you want to learn to read? I can teach you," Zhang Tan said.

"Ha? Don't fool me."

"Why would I fool you? I never lie to you. If you want to learn to read, I can teach you."

"Am I a very annoying kid?" Xiaobai asked worriedly.

"No, you're very good, very obedient and well-behaved," Zhang Tan said, lying through his teeth.

She wasn't obedient, she had fought, cursed, and even led the little troublemaker Shen Liuliu.

Xiaobai stood obediently, blinking her eyes without speaking, proving that she was indeed very obedient and well-behaved.

She stayed until the other kids started to come to the schoolyard, then left happily. But soon, she ran back.

Sneakily.

"Are you doing something? Did a dog chase you?" Zhang Tan asked, looking at Xiaobai hiding in the corner.

Xiaobai shook her head and whispered, "Ououou big sister is here again."

Li Jia came again?

She really did, knocking on the door and asking, "Hello, Zhang Tan, is Xiaobai here?"

Zhang Tan looked at Xiaobai in the corner, who was waving her hands frantically, but it was too late.

Li Jia had already spotted her and waved, saying, "Xiaobai, come here, look at the doll I bought for you."

"I don't want it, I don't want it."

Li Jia was giving Xiaobai gifts again. She had given her clothes and snacks before, and this time it was a stuffed doll.

But Xiaobai didn't want it; she couldn't accept things from others so easily.

She hid, hiding in Zhang Tan's home.

Zhang Tan invited Li Jia in, and Li Jia sat with Xiaobai, whispering to try to persuade her.

After a while, she returned in failure.

Zhang Tan smiled and whispered, "It's not easy to get Xiaobai to accept things."

Li Jia agreed, "Indeed, it's not easy."

But the more difficult it was, the more she wanted to give Xiaobai things. After getting to know her, this little kid made her feel tender.

Zhang Tan: "I heard you teach music?"

"Yes, I'm a music teacher."

She was a junior high school music teacher and also a well-known online streamer, singing songs.

"Can I trouble you with something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Xiaobai was rubbing against the wall, already at the door, ready to run away.

She was a bit afraid of Li Jia now, who always gave her things, making her feel uneasy, always thinking that this big sister wanted to take her away from her aunt.

Zhang Tan called out, "Xiaobai, come here, don't go, I'll show you the windmill and the fake old man."

You can't leave, you have to be a tool.

Mainly, if Xiaobai left, only he and Li Jia would be left, a man and a woman alone, he was worried that the girl would overthink it.

Zhang Tan caught... invited Xiaobai back, showed her cartoons, and made her a tool, a third wheel, with fruits and bear drinks, how nice is that?

Then he said to Li Jia, "I want to ask you to help me write two songs. I'll hum, and you'll write them down for me."

He could sing but didn't understand music notation, so he needed a professional to help write it down.

"Ah? You hum?"

Li Jia was surprised, such a request was quite unusual.

Zhang Tan explained, "I have melodies in my head, but I don't understand music."

Li Jia was speechless, but considering he was handsome, she agreed, though she wondered if this was a pick-up line. What a special pick-up line, but who could resist a handsome guy?

She had a good impression of Zhang Tan and was willing to accept such a strange request, no matter how strange it was, she could accept it.

She glanced at Xiaobai watching TV, thinking that the effect might be better without this little tool.

She was a bit puzzled, if he wanted to pick her up, why did he keep the little tool here? Was he afraid she would be scared? She felt warm inside.

However, soon, she was surprised.

Because the melody Zhang Tan hummed was very beautiful and complete.

"Is this... written by you?"

"I have this melody in my head, but I need your help to write it down."

"I'll do it, I'll do it. Do it again, one phrase at a time."

Li Jia became serious.

Zhang Tan was preparing to write a theme song and an insert song for "Little Actors in Liu Laolao Enters the Grand View Garden."

Now, the progress was slow, and he had to seize every opportunity and method.

Time flew by, and by the time the two of them finished writing the two songs, it was already 10 PM.

"When did Xiaobai leave?"

Zhang Tan was surprised to find that Xiaobai, who had been sitting on the sofa watching TV, was gone, and the TV was off.

"Time flies."

Li Jia glanced at Zhang Tan, who was sitting very close, her face a bit red. She hadn't noticed how close they were.

"Thank you, Teacher Li. Without you, I couldn't have organized these two songs."

Talking about the songs, Li Jia immediately forgot everything else and excitedly said, "Are these two songs your original works? They are really good. How can you have such beautiful melodies in your head?"

Zhang Tan: "I'm also surprised."

Li Jia: "Hmm, in the industry, many people are like you, born with a kind of inspiration, that's talent. Zhang Tan, you are so talented."

Zhang Tan hurriedly said, "Just so-so, just so-so," in his heart, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Li Jia held the paper with the lyrics and melody, humming softly:

Flowers wither and fly, filling the sky,

Red fades, fragrance breaks, who will pity?

Soft threads drift, floating in the spring pavilion,

Falling fluff lightly touches the embroidered curtain.

...

After singing, Li Jia sighed, "What beautiful lyrics and melody."

Her eyes were bright, like a spring pond, and she asked, "Zhang Tan, is this 'The Lament of the Flowers' for 'Dream of the Red Chamber'? Did you get the inspiration from reading the book?"

Zhang Tan nodded.

"Where do you plan to use it?"

Zhang Tan said, "You sang very well. I plan to use these two songs in a TV drama. 'The Lament of the Flowers' as an insert song, and 'Wang Ning Mei' as the theme song."

"TV drama??" Li Jia was surprised, she didn't know Zhang Tan's work, "Are you a freelance musician? No, you don't understand music theory, so you are... a TV station... director?"

"I'm a screenwriter, currently shooting 'Dream of the Red Chamber'..."

Zhang Tan told her about "Little Actors in Liu Laolao Enters the Grand View Garden."

Li Jia praised, "Zhang Tan, you are so amazing, you can write scripts and songs. As a music teacher, I know the musical level of these two songs is very high, very fitting for 'Dream of the Red Chamber.'"

After sending Li Jia away, Zhang Tan also went downstairs. The kids were all in bed, only Xiaobai was sitting in the reading area on the first floor, reading a picture book.

Zhang Tan found her, took "The Hungry Old Second" from her, and told her the story inside.

Xiaobai sat with him, her head resting on his arm, her feet dangling from the bench, swinging leisurely, completely engrossed in the story.