Simon and Su Xiangli planned to find suitable candidates for a band among the school's music specialists.
Specialists and regular students are different, as they are selected by two different sets of standards. Many specialists' scores on the primary school entrance exam were not ideal; they were specially recruited. Since there's no specific talent-level test in the primary school entrance exam, they can only gain admission through art-level examinations.
Basically, all thirty-one music specialists in the first year of junior high have a Level 7 certificate in an instrument or vocal music. The highest-ranked person has Level 10 piano, and even tried for a performance diploma, though they failed, they can still be considered quite talented.
"Alright, so we're going to form a rock band," Simon said to Su Xiangli.
It was now post-lunch stroll time. The walk from the cafeteria to the teaching building usually ended just as afternoon self-study began. Students in a hurry would use scooters, but most classmates would walk in groups of two or three. The early spring air was clear and bright, camphor trees sprouted new, tender and lovely leaves, and old leaves fell, scattering like swirling emerald clouds. The walk always put them in a good mood.
Su Xiangli waved her arms, revealing a carefree smile: "That's right, I want to be the bassist!"
Simon scratched his scalp, then looked down at his hand, only to find two or three strands of hair. A wave of sadness washed over him, and he quickly spoke to distract himself, "I don't know what I want to be. Anything is fine, I guess. A rock band needs at least four people, right? The lead singer can also play guitar, then a bassist, a drummer, and a keyboard player."
Su Xiangli interrupted, "The guitarist and lead singer have to be the same person."
"Then do you want to be the lead singer?"
"No, I can do backup vocals. You be the lead singer and guitarist." Su Xiangli shook her head repeatedly, feeling that her voice wasn't particularly pleasant.
Simon scratched his head even more, "But I'm in my voice-changing period. And aren't we forming a band a bit... a bit too early?"
Su Xiangli tilted her head, "What do you mean?"
"At this age, everyone's vocal cords are developing, and singing can really hurt your throat. And, uh, and will your family agree?"
Su Xiangli scoffed, "I don't care! I just want to play music. No one can stop me from doing what I've decided."
[Lu: Oh-ho, the rebellious phase has arrived.]
"But..."
"There's no 'but'. Your Great-Grandfather is already ninety years old. The average human lifespan is one hundred and ten now. A manual laborer like him really doesn't have many years left to live. Maybe next year, or even tomorrow, he'll retire... Sorry, Simon, I didn't mean it like that.
"Anyway, I'm going to find those specialists now. You just wait here for good news! Uh, no, I'll bring the good news to the infirmary this afternoon. With a cool group like ours, there will definitely be many people who want to join!"
Simon raised his hand, but couldn't stop her. Su Xiangli tiptoed, took a few quick steps to the roadside, grabbed a scooter, and swiftly sped away.
"She really is, really is, decisive and efficient," Simon sighed. Without a doubt, Su Xiangli was forming the band for her Great-Grandfather Lu Xuefeng. This was her declaration of rebellion, an 'love me, love my dog' kind of thinking, she wanted to make up for her Great-Grandfather's regrets.
Simon scanned the crowd and found his roommates, Zhang Yingxuan, Wei Changjun, and the chatterbox. He looked again and saw another familiar face, Number Ten, the one he saw at the opening ceremony. He was a study committee member, chatting happily with a group of female classmates. Hmm, a Woman's best friend.
He looked again and saw his deskmate, Bai Fengjiu. The girl's name always gave him a wuxia feel. Evergreen cypress, desolate maple, and Jiu as an abbreviation for wine. These three characters put together truly evoked a Jianghu heroine.
Simon sometimes thought that if their surroundings were an ancient wuxia world, Bai Fengjiu should be able to be a big sister figure. She had the kind of impartial demeanor that wasn't afraid of offending people, which is why she was the Class Monitor, and not particularly well-liked.
Student cadres, well, they just have to suffer. This isn't a joke, nor is it teasing, it's a fact.
Bai Fengjiu had no close friends. She always walked alone, ate, studied, turned in homework, and chatted for no more than a minute. No one even accompanied her to the restroom; she always held a book of poetry.
Uh, come to think of it, she probably couldn't be a big sister figure; she was more like a lone Six-Doors Constable.
Little Thief Simon quietly walked behind the Class Monitor and sighed faintly, "Bai Fengjiu... Wah!" He was hit in the ribs by an elbow. Although his skin was thick and he didn't feel any pain, he still pretended to be in agony, "Class Monitor, you're so ruthless..."
Bai Fengjiu turned around flustered, "Why is it you? You scared me, scared me to death, I thought..."
Simon paused, stopped fooling around, and straightened his back, "Ha, don't worry, I'm fine. I just came to say hello to you."
Bai Fengjiu frowned, "I don't like jokes. And, aren't you supposed to be with your... classmate Su Xiangli?" She found the words 'girlfriend' a bit difficult to say.
Simon nodded, "I was just now, actually. Oh, Class Monitor, do you play any instruments?"
"Drums," Bai Fengjiu whispered.
Simon was taken aback; he hadn't heard clearly. The young girl's voice was like a mosquito's buzz, so he leaned closer, "Huh?"
Bai Fengjiu cleared her throat and yelled into Simon's ear: "Drums!"
Xiao Lu covered his ears and laughed loudly, "So you can make jokes too!"
"What joke?" Bai Fengjiu was puzzled.
Simon:??? "Didn't you, uh, just now, deliberately speak softly, and then suddenly yell, startling me? That's what a joke is, or a prank or something."
Bai Fengjiu (thoughtfully): "Oh—I see."
Simon: "What do you mean 'I see'? Wow, you're scary. Is this the highest level of joking, having a punchline in hand but no punchline in heart, where every joke flows as naturally as water..."
Bai Fengjiu (indifferently): "You're so boring. Self-study is about to start."
"No, wait, let's discuss something."
"(Indifferently)"
"Have you heard of rock bands?"
...
Before school ended, during self-study.
Simon had just seen off another teacher who came for a massage. Once free, he started chatting with the duty doctor in the infirmary.
The old doctor, with thinning hair and a face full of wrinkles, lay in a rocking chair, creaking back and forth, looking like a Shar-Pei basking in the sun. When people get old, they just want comfort. He didn't want to retire yet, so he took this leisurely position at the school.
Simon: "Last time you said your teacher caught you reading a novel in junior high, what happened then?"
"Then the Class Teacher came to me two days later and asked if I still had the book. Could I say yes? Absolutely not! Then he said, 'You bring the sequel and I'll trade you for this one.'" The old man told the story vividly.
"Amazing! It seems that Class Teacher was quite interesting."
"Interesting my foot! He tricked me out of my sequel and didn't even return the first one, saying it was borrowed by other teachers. It was all just an excuse!" The old doctor cursed, slapping the table with a thud. The thermos on the table jumped a foot high, spilling goji berries everywhere. Simon quickly cleaned up, laughing gleefully.
"And then what?"
"And then he read the entire 'Xian Ni' series from me."
"Unbelievable!"
Su Xiangli knocked and entered the room. Simon quickly stood up and went over to greet her warmly. The old doctor watched, shaking his head, "So young, yet such a simp. He will surely achieve great things in the future."
"How is it? Have you found any band members?"
"No... Give me a few more days, it'll definitely work."
Simon scratched his chin and muttered, "I see, that's good, Class Monitor's side..."
Thanks to book friend Xiong Teng Sihai for the reward.
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"