Four days flew by in the blink of an eye, and Friday arrived before they knew it.
These past few days had been the most fulfilling stretch of Jiang Cheng’s life, though she was so swamped she barely knew which way was up anymore. Searching for medical leads, heading over to her place to practice piano, squeezing in classes whenever she could, keeping up with her psychological treatment work, helping Ye Xiqiu soothe Su Mengyao, and occasionally getting dragged into a room at home by Lin Shuangxue for private treatment sessions.
After four days of this, Jiang Cheng was left dizzy, legs sore, body aching, and her back about ready to give out.
Thankfully, the day of the evening party had finally arrived.
At Ye Xiqiu’s home.
“Dongxue, let’s stop here for today. You look like you’re getting a bit tired.”
Beside the piano, Ye Xiqiu, seated in her chair, looked at Dongxue with a hint of concern. “Practicing is important, but you don’t have to push yourself this hard. Besides, Dongxue already plays wonderfully.”
“Maybe.” Dongxue let out a sigh.
She’d thought Music Theory LV4 was just a stone’s throw away, that a little more effort would easily push it over the edge.
But after these days of grueling practice, there wasn’t a single sign of a breakthrough.
It was like those cultivation novels where a breakthrough seemed right within reach, yet still demanded another few hundred years.
Or maybe something like, “Oh no, the realm is about to break through, but the foundations are too deep-seated!”
In any case, after all these days, not only had Music Theory failed to break through, but Dongxue had also made a miserable discovery—the gap between herself and little Xiqiu seemed to be growing wider and wider.
Damn it, I’m the one with the cheat here! How is she improving faster than me?!
“Hmph, little Xiqiu is a genius.”
An otherworldly cheat was no match for heaven’s favor.
“How could that be?”
The girl comforted her. “Dongxue plays very smoothly too.”
Okay, okay, little Xiqiu’s piano sounds beautiful, and Dongxue’s playing also counts as a piece of music. Got it.
This grudge, I’m writing it down.
Just as Dongxue was fantasizing about getting revenge someday, the girl suddenly reminded her, “Um, it’s already noon.”
She looked up at the wall clock—it really was twelve o’clock.
“That fast?”
Dongxue was a little surprised.
Which meant Ye Xiqiu needed to head to school soon to familiarize herself with the evening party venue.
Fine then.
Dongxue had no choice but to lift the girl back into her wheelchair and wave goodbye.
“See you tomorrow~”
Ye Xiqiu smiled and waved back.
No, it’s see you tonight~
“Xiqiu, come eat—”
After Dongxue left, Ye Xiqiu stared at the piano, at the chair she had sat in, for a long while, until her mother called her name and the girl finally snapped out of it.
“Coming.”
She responded, and was about to steer the wheelchair toward the door when something shiny on the piano caught the corner of her eye.
What was that?
A little curious, Ye Xiqiu turned the wheelchair around and slowly moved closer.
It was a strand of hair, a strand that belonged to Dongxue.
It lay quietly on the piano, reflecting the sunlight, gleaming brilliantly.
Come to think of it, did Dongxue’s hair really reflect light like that? She’d thought it was something else, but it turned out to be just a strand of hair.
Ye Xiqiu picked up the strand, only to find it wasn’t as dazzling as it had been a moment ago.
Oh, so it only sparkles from a certain angle.
“Xiqiu, are you done with Dongxue?”
Her mother’s voice came from outside again.
“Coming, coming—”
Really, Dongxue left ages ago, you know…
When she reached the kitchen, Ye Mu didn’t see Dongxue’s figure. She paused for a moment, then realized that Dongxue must have gone home.
That actually felt a bit strange to her, since she didn’t come home often, but every time she did, she could almost always see that white-haired maiden by her daughter’s side.
“Mom, what are you spacing out for? Let’s eat.”
“Oh, right, right.”
Ye Mu snapped back to reality. She quickly scooped a bowl of rice and carefully placed it in front of the girl.
“Xiqiu,” she said. “I heard from you that you need to go to school this afternoon. Do you want me to take some leave and come with you?”
“No need.”
Ye Xiqiu shook her head. “I’m not a little kid anymore. It’s just a trip to school. It’s just that… Mom, why have you been working overtime so much lately…”
“Isn’t it because I can still manage it now? Might as well do as much as I can.”
Ye Mu’s eyes darted slightly, as if she were hiding something.
The girl assumed she was just doing the same as always—afraid of making her sad.
But Mom, this way, you only make me feel worse…
“Mom.”
The girl spoke softly. “Let’s stop the treatment. I’m fine just like this.”
“Technology is advancing fast these days. Something like a disability can be cured soon…”
“If it really doesn’t work, let’s get checked one more time next week. If it still doesn’t work, we’ll talk about it later, how about that?”
“Again with ‘next time’! Every time, it’s ‘next time’!”
“Xiqiu, don’t be anxious.”
Ye Mu forced a smile.
“At this rate, when will it ever end…”
“Mhm.”
Ye Xiqiu acknowledged with a soft sound, then lowered her head and stopped talking, simply eating her meal.
Seeing her daughter like this, Ye Mu opened her mouth as if to say something, but then remembered her husband’s instructions. She hesitated for a moment and ultimately said nothing.
In silence, a lunch that should have been warm and harmonious came to an end.
After lunch, the girl took a cab to Aidelisa College.
At the school gate, her counselor was waiting for her.
“Hello, Zhang Laoshi.”
Ye Xiqiu couldn’t bow easily, so she gave a slight nod instead.
The counselor didn’t mind at all. She was a little excited and wanted to ask for an autograph, but remembering they were still at the school gate, she forcefully suppressed her fan instincts.
“Classmate Shengxia, here, take this umbrella.”
Without waiting for a response, the counselor handed the umbrella to the girl, then walked behind the wheelchair and pushed her toward the teaching building.
Ye Xiqiu couldn’t bring herself to refuse the kindness, so she bought the counselor a bottle of water instead.
“So, did Dongxue not come with you?”
After taking the water, Zhang Laoshi thanked her and asked.
Ye Xiqiu shook her head.
She had no intention of telling anyone that Dongxue had said she wanted to come watch her perform.
“I was hoping the winter and summer couple would put on a duet on stage.”
“Hey hey hey, what’s this ‘couple’ business?!”
“Well, alright then.”
The counselor sounded a bit disappointed. “I was hoping for something like a joint performance.”
Arriving at the teaching building, the counselor said, “We’ll take the elevator up to the second floor. Let’s head to the classroom first.”
When they reached the classroom, she pushed the door open.
“Forget it, let me first introduce you to your classmates.”
A tall woman stood in the doorway, blocking the entire door with her frame alone.
“You’re Ye Xiqiu?”
She asked in a low voice.
Ye Xiqiu was taken aback, wondering what she could have done to offend this woman.
Could it be that disabled people really… are that unwelcome?
The counselor leaned close to the girl’s ear and whispered, “She was the one originally supposed to perform at tonight’s party.”
So that’s how it is…
Ye Xiqiu lowered her gaze.
Is this party really that important?
She wants this performance opportunity, and the counselor wants me to go on stage.
Even Dongxue wants to see me play on stage…
I’d love to give you the chance too…
It’s just that… I have reasons I can’t.
“Yes, classmate, I am Ye Xiqiu.”
The girl lifted her head, looked at the tall woman, and spoke calmly.
At the same time, her hand gripped the armrest of her wheelchair tightly.
Ye Xiqiu knew full well that what she was doing might bring consequences she couldn’t bear.
But she did it anyway.
The woman stared at her for two seconds.
Then, thud—
She dropped to her knees.
“Shengxia, I’m your biggest fan! Please give me an autograph from you and Dongxue!”