Chapter 223 Piano Master Fang Wei (Two in One)
From the day I arrived in Shanghai on July 12th to August 24th, almost a month and a half has passed without me noticing.
There was not much time left in the summer vacation, so Fang Wei, Cai Ling and Zhi Yi were ready to go home.
Happy days are always short. This may be the most fulfilling summer vacation the three of them have ever spent in their youth.
Not only did he get the admission letter from his dream high school, but he also came to Shanghai, the city he had always dreamed of.
I have been to the Bund, Nanjing Road, the Oriental Pearl Tower, personally recruited 30 students, learned to paint, celebrated my favorite teacher’s birthday, saw my sister’s workplace, went back to my childhood home to clean it, watched concerts, went to the amusement park, ate food I’ve never eaten before, and saw scenery I’ve never seen before…
Before going out to sea, the palm-sized island was the entire world they knew, and this trip to Shanghai became the most important journey in their youth, making them like fledglings just learning to fly, seeing the wider world in the distance.
"Well~! I'm going home tomorrow!"
In the room, Xu Cailing lay by the window, looking at the brightly lit city night scene outside. For a moment, she couldn't tell what her mood was at the moment.
"Hey, isn't it the day after tomorrow? We'll still be here tomorrow. Didn't Sister Susu say we don't have to go to work tomorrow?"
Liu Zhiyi picked up the ticket in his hand and looked at it. It was a ticket for the 7 o'clock morning on August 26th.
Holding this boat ticket purchased in advance, the feeling of returning home became stronger.
"It's almost the same. I have to go back early the day after tomorrow. It's no different from going back tomorrow. Zhiyi, Zhiyi, how do you feel?"
"What do you mean?"
"That's right, I'm going home soon!"
"Well."
Liu Zhiyi thought about it, but didn't know how to accurately describe his mood.
"I feel a little reluctant, a little sad, a little happy, a little nervous..."
“Why are you nervous?”
"Because summer vacation is over, school will start soon."
"...Now that you mention it, I'm a little nervous too! I feel like school is about to start, but I'm not ready yet, like I forgot to do something!"
"Cai Ling, you didn't fail to do your summer homework, did you?"
“…!!! Damn it! I really didn’t do my summer homework!”
Xu Cailing was so startled that she almost jumped up. She hurried over from the windowsill and searched for her summer homework in her travel bag.
It took the girl a while to realize... There is no such thing as summer homework! There is no homework this summer!
She turned around and saw Liu Zhiyi covering her mouth and grinning mischievously, as if she had succeeded in a prank.
"Ahhh! Zhiyi, you've become worse and worse! How dare you tease me! I'll tickle you to death! Zizizizi~! Discharging electricity!"
"Giggle..."
Xu Cailing pounced over, and the two girls got into the bed together and started playing and tickling each other, laughing until tears came out.
After turning off the lights, the lights of the bustling city shone brightly on the glass windows.
They played until they were tired, then cuddled together again, and fell asleep again without realizing it...
There was a melodious piano sound in the dream, it was the song "Adeline by the Water"
I couldn't hear clearly through the door.
Until the last note fell, Fang Wei, who was sitting on the chair, raised his slender fingers.
"How's it going, sister? Did I play it well this time?"
"Sure! You've learned it pretty well! If I didn't know, I would have thought you knew a lot of songs!"
"…Don't even mention the second half of the sentence!"
"Should we learn the piano piece "Sunny Day" next?"
"Okay! But maybe we'll have to wait until next time."
"Oh, you're all going home..."
"Hahaha, why do you look so sad? I can come and learn from you on weekends and holidays!"
"Remember what you said! Okay~ Go to bed early, Cai Ling and the others are probably asleep too."
"Well, good night, sister~"
"Good night~"
The noises outside the door fell silent, and the night gradually deepened.
……
August 25th, the last day in Shanghai.
Today, Wen Susu specially approved Fang Wei and the other two to have a day off, but they still got up very early.
As usual, after Wen Susu woke up, the four of them went downstairs together for a morning run to watch the sunrise.
Wen Susu has been jogging in the morning for more than a month and has become accustomed to this rhythm of life of getting up early to exercise. After exercising, she feels energetic throughout the day and sleeps particularly well at night.
"Sis, there will be no one to supervise your morning run after we go back. Will you start to slack off then?"
The four of them ran together in unison, Cai Ling and Zhi Yi in front, Fang Wei and Wen Susu behind.
"Huh~ look down on me! You can only imagine my perseverance! When you go to high school, will you still run every morning like this?"
"Yes, we all live outside. I have already thought about it. I will get up early every day to run, then buy breakfast and go to school after eating."
"Is your house in the city close to No. 1 Middle School?"
"It's quite close, about ten minutes' walk! I have an empty house, so you can stay at my house next time you go to the city."
Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi in front also invited: "Sister Susu, let's sleep together then!"
"…Who wants to sleep with you three!"
"It's not the three of us! Chou Fangwei definitely won't come with us!"
"Hey, hey, I don't stink at all! My sweat is fragrant! If you don't believe me, just smell it."
"Yue~! Yue~!"
The two girls didn't even smell it, but just stood there pretending to retch exaggeratedly, which made Fang Wei very angry.
"You like to retch, don't you? You'll have to retch in the future!"
"Why are you making us retch?"
"Stuff your mouths with stinky socks!"
"Yue~! Yue~!"
"Yue~!!"
"...Sister! They are insulting me, why are you following suit?"
"Who told you to say something so disgusting! Yue~!"
"Hahaha...that's right! If you say something so disgusting again, we'll stuff our stinky socks into your mouth together!"
"??"
The three of them were so happy that they imagined tying Fang Wei to a chair and then stuffing smelly socks into his mouth to punish him. They were laughing so hard that they almost got a stitch in the side.
……
After running and having breakfast, Wen Susu went to the painting studio for class. She had another class in the morning.
"You three don't have to go to work today. You want to go to Caiwei's place, right?"
"Yeah! Let's go to my sister's place and tell her we'll be back tomorrow!"
"Do you want me to ask Uncle Liu to take you there?"
"No need! We can just take the subway! Sister Susu, we won't be back for lunch. We'll be back after lunch."
"Okay, I just finished my classes in the morning and have nothing to do in the afternoon, so I'll take you shopping then~"
"Sister, how about cooking together tonight?"
Fang Wei said: "The three of us will cook for you and make you a delicious meal!"
"Then let's go shopping and cook together this afternoon! And give Aunt Wang a break."
"Uh-huh!"
"I'm going to class first, please be careful on the road~"
"Goodbye Sister Susu!"
After Wen Susu went downstairs, Xu Cailing also packed up her things, which were all small gifts she had bought during shopping these days. In addition to a pair of shoes for her sister, she also bought a set of clothes for her father and mother.
Fang Wei and Liu Zhiyi were no exception. After a trip, they would definitely not forget to buy things for their families when they returned, using their own wages.
When they had just finished the enrollment task, Wen Susu had already paid them a salary, which was equivalent to receiving a salary right after they started working. They received even more salary than civil servants. Each person received 1,700 yuan, of which 1,200 yuan was the basic salary and 500 yuan was a commission reward for enrollment.
Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi were embarrassed to take such a large commission reward, after all, most of the students were recruited by Fang Wei. But Fang Wei said that the three of them worked together and the commission should be divided equally. Anyway, he didn't care about the amount of money.
The two girls were also very touched. They naturally understood Fang Wei and Wen Susu's care for them. After all, there was no other summer job that was easier than this one and where they could really "learn something."
……
I have been to Sister Caiwei's coffee shop several times.
Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi are both very familiar with the route.
After packing up, they went downstairs together to take the subway.
Seeing that Cai Ling was carrying a lot of things, Fang Wei reached out and said, "Do you want me to help you carry it?"
"Need not!"
Cailing is very smart.
Her big eyes rolled around and she figured out the interests involved.
If he gave the thing to Fang Wei, wouldn't he have no free hands to hold her hand?
Although he still has one hand, it is obvious that Zhiyi will occupy that hand!
She is not stupid at all! Rather than asking Fang Wei to hold things, it is better to let him hold her little hand.
Xu Cailing especially likes taking the subway.
Liu Zhiyi originally didn’t like taking the subway, but now, like Cailing, she particularly likes taking the subway.
As they walked into the subway station, the more people there were, the more excited the two girls became. This gave them a legitimate reason to hold hands.
It was a pity that after taking them on the subway several times, Fang Wei had no intention of taking the initiative to hold hands this time. So the two girls quietly stuck to his left and right sides, and quickly put their little hands into his warm palms.
Like a conditioned reflex, Fang Wei closed his fingers and held the two little hands in his palms.
The girls, who had somewhat nervous expressions, instantly felt at ease. The warm warmth from his palm seeped through their skin into their blood vessels and then flowed into their hearts, causing their heartbeats to begin to accelerate.
Every time at this time, Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi would be particularly quiet, as if any slight disturbance would destroy the sweet feeling lingering in their hearts.
There were so many people in the carriage that the three of them stood in the corner, with the girls standing on Fang Wei's left and right.
Cailing looked down at other people's shoes, and Zhiyi turned to look at the dark corridor outside the window.
In fact, I had no idea what appeared or flashed in my field of vision.
Because all the attention is on the hands.
It was unknown whether it was a tacit understanding or they had discussed it, but at some point they seemed dissatisfied with the status quo, and almost at the same moment, the two girls' hands moved quietly, trying to put their fingers between his fingers little by little...
Where they couldn't see, Fang Wei's Adam's apple rolled.
He gently relaxed his grip, and for the first time, the girls easily fit their fingers between his fingers.
As he tightened his fingers again and put them together, his wish of interlocking their fingers was fulfilled!
The girls' soft palms were already sweating, their faces were unchanged, but they felt their body temperature was getting hot! The little ears hidden in their hair also turned red, and their heartbeats suddenly became very fast! Their pupils were trembling, and their breathing became a little rapid, but their legs were inexplicably weak, so they subconsciously leaned more weight on his shoulders...
Xu Cailing held his left hand tightly and glanced secretly in Zhiyi's direction. She couldn't see what was happening to Zhiyi's hand, but she saw that Zhiyi didn't seem to react and just looked out the window quietly.
Could it be...?! Are Fang Wei and I the only ones holding hands?!
After realizing this, the girl inexplicably felt a sense of happiness of being the only one loved and a small sense of guilt towards Zhiyi.
I'm sorry Zhiyi! This time... he was the first to do that! It's none of my business!
The intense joy made her heart bubble with happiness. Cai Ling raised her eyes and looked at Fang Wei again.
Fang Wei happened to look over here.
Cai Ling quickly lowered her head, her pretty face flushed red, and she didn't dare to look him in the eye.
The train clanged along the track.
Liu Zhiyi held his right hand tightly and glanced secretly in the direction of Cailing. Fang Wei was stuck in the middle and Cailing was close to him, so she couldn't see what was happening to Cailing's hand. She just saw Cailing looking at the floor with her head down in a daze, as if she was completely unaware.
Thump thump—!
The girl's heartbeat quickened! Could it be...?! Are Fang Wei and I the only ones holding hands?!
After realizing this, she secretly hid her hand, which was already intertwined with Fang Wei's, even deeper, as if she was afraid of being discovered. Her pair of white shoes were also tightly pressed together because of the excitement and shyness...
Woo... Cai Ling, I'm sorry! I was just trying it out, but I didn't expect that Fang would... Woo! It's none of my business!
Liu Zhiyi didn't dare to look at Cailing, nor did he dare to look at Fang Weili.
She was still looking out the window, but her little hands were secretly exerting force, holding him tighter and tighter.
Until she couldn't move anymore, she held her breath for a long time, and then she let out a soft breath...
Fang Wei looked up at the subway station signs in the train car, and gently exerted force with his left and right hands to clench his two soft and warm hands.
He dared not think about anything, and even dared not pay too much attention to his hands, otherwise his young body with sufficient blood and energy would stab him in the back. It was such a long torture... I said, don't get so close to me! I can't control myself anymore!
……
[We have arrived at the Shanghai Stadium. Open the door on the left. Be careful of the gap when getting on and off the bus. Please pay attention to your footing...]
The train slowly stopped with a slight shake, and the door opened. Fang Wei, who had been tempered throughout the journey, was liberated. He was the first to loosen his hands, and instead held the girls' slender wrists and walked out the door together.
Cailing and Zhiyi, who had been enjoying a sweet mood all the way, came back to their senses and followed him out in a daze.
When they walked out of the subway station and stood in the sunshine, the girls were too embarrassed to hold his hands shamelessly.
"Wow! It's so fast! Why does it feel like the subway goes faster each time? It feels like we arrive at so many stations in no time!" Xu Cailing exclaimed.
"Yes." Liu Zhiyi agreed.
She was also a little curious. In the past, she took the subway for so many stops, and she had to stand, and it always felt like the journey was so long. But now, she arrived in the blink of an eye. It was so fast that she didn't even have any memory of the journey. She only remembered holding hands.
Fang Wei: “…”
I raised my wrist to check the time. It was only nine o'clock in the morning, the right time to go to work. Classes in the studio should have started as well.
"Have you told Sister Caiwei that we are coming?"
"say it!"
Perhaps because they both felt guilty and wanted to compensate each other, the two girls seemed to be in a particularly good relationship at the moment. They were holding hands and talking together, but they did not mention anything about the fact that they had just held hands with Fang Wei.
"Zhiyi, we are going back tomorrow. Do you want to come back home and take a look? We will accompany you!"
"Well, let's not go back to check it out. Uncle Chen said the house has been rented out again and the family lives there. I'd better not disturb them. Let's go to Sister Caiwei's place together!"
"it is good!"
Although the two girls tacitly did not mention the fact that they were holding hands with Fang Wei, they still couldn't help but secretly reminisce about it in their hearts.
Walking on the street under the sun, Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi were too embarrassed to hold Fang Wei's hands, but they held hands respectively and then interlocked their fingers tacitly.
The girls were secretly wondering, why was it that even though they were both interlocking their fingers, they didn’t feel anything when they interlocked their fingers with Cai Ling (Zhi Yi), but felt so much when they interlocked their fingers with Fang Wei?
"Help me get my things!"
Xu Cailing, who had carried the things all the way, finally hung them on Fang Wei's hands. Then, holding Zhiyi's soft little hand, the two girls walked happily close to each other.
Fang Wei: “…”
Stop making me look more and more like a tool!
……
Come to the Morning Café.
It was nine o'clock, and the café was busy.
After coming here a few times, the waiters in the store recognized them. Xiaowan led the three of them to find a seat and then went to the kitchen to talk to Xu Caiwei.
Xu Caiwei came out and greeted them: "You guys sit down and have a cup of coffee first! Wait until I finish the work inside!" Then she quickly walked back to the kitchen.
After half an hour, Xu Caiwei finally had some free time. She took out the things she had prepared for Cailing to take back and sat down next to them.
"Sister! We are going back tomorrow!"
"I know. You won't let me take you there."
"It's a long way to go back and forth, and you have to go to work, Sister Susu will take us to the dock! Here, this is what I bought for you!"
"what……"
"shoe!"
“…Wow, this is expensive, right?!”
"Hehe, I have a salary!"
"Just spending money lavishly..."
Xu Caiwei said this, but her expression was still very happy. She opened the shoe box and looked at the pair of little white shoes inside, and she couldn't hide the smile on her face.
Of course, what’s important is not the pair of shoes, but the fact that her silly sister can actually earn money to buy things for her. It has always been her sister who buys things for her.
"Just tell me whether you like it or not?"
"luv't!"
"hey-hey……"
"Have you bought your boat tickets? What time will you be back tomorrow?"
"Seven o'clock in the morning."
"Yeah, that's fine. We should be able to get home in time for lunch. And remember to bring these back when you go back, Cailing."
Xu Caiwei had already packed everything and put it in a large, easy-to-carry bag. There were some food and clothes in it, which were not only bought for her, but also for her parents.
"Oh! Sister, you also bought me a pair of running shoes!"
Xu Cailing took out the shoes and looked at them. It seemed like the two sisters had the same idea and chose the same brand, but with different styles.
"Just tell me whether you like it or not?"
"Hehe, of course I like it!"
Xu Cailing happily put away the shoes. Every year when school started, her sister would buy her new shoes or new clothes, but in previous years she would bring them back when she went home during the Mid-Autumn Festival or National Day. But this year, the shoes were delivered to her just before school started.
"When you get back, school will almost start. You will be high school students then. Remember to study hard and train well, okay?"
"Oh, sister, why have you become as nagging as my parents?"
"I'm your sister!"
"Then you buy us coffee."
"What would you like to drink? Haven't you ordered yet?"
"Sister, make it for us yourself! Make the one you're best at!"
"..."
Well, I have been to the coffee shop several times, but I have never made coffee for my younger brothers and sisters myself.
"Then you will have the honor of tasting the dish made by Manager Xu today!"
"Go, go, go!"
……
At noon, I had a staff meal at Sister Caiwei’s store. When I got home, it was already past one in the afternoon.
Wen Susu came back from get off work and went shopping with Fang Wei and the other two.
"Sister Susu, what do you want to buy?"
The four of them, each holding a cup of milk tea, strolled around the mall. When they came across a suitable men's or women's clothing store, Wen Susu would pull them into the store to try it out.
"S-should we try?"
"Yes, you are about to go back to school, so I have to buy you all some new clothes. You can pick whatever you want. I'll pay for it!"
"Ah? Didn't my sister buy us new clothes when we first came here..."
"That's employee benefits! This time it's sister benefits! It's different!"
"..."
Sure enough, if someone really wants to give you a gift, there is no need to choose a time, because there is always a suitable reason.
Fang Wei Cailing knew that it was hard to refuse such a kind invitation, so in the end, they each picked out a new set of clothes.
"Oh yeah! We haven't bought the shoes yet! Let's go look at some shoes!"
"Sister! No need! There are too many things to carry away! We have new shoes!"
"What are you afraid of? If you can't lift it, I'll ask Uncle Liu to accompany you there and then let him come back."
"??"
After much persuasion, Wen Susu finally agreed to buy it next time.
It was almost time, so the four of them went to the supermarket together and bought some vegetables.
Wen Susu has given Aunt Wang a day off, and the four of them are cooking together tonight.
Fang Wei was the main chef, with Wen Susu and Cai Ling Zhiyi helping him.
Five dishes and one soup, a plate of steamed grouper, a plate of fried oysters, a plate of pepper and salt squid rings, a plate of cold jellyfish, a plate of garlic bok choy, and finally a kelp, tofu and fish ball soup.
These are all common home-cooked dishes on the island. Wen Susu has eaten them several times at Fang Wei's house. Although Fang Wei's cooking skills are not as good as his mother's, they are also very good.
During the more than one month in Shanghai, Fang Wei and his two companions had eaten a lot of delicious food, but they had eaten less home-cooked meals like this.
The four of them had great appetites and finished all the food together. After they were full, they touched their bulging stomachs and leaned back in their chairs comfortably.
"Are you all satisfied?"
"Woo... I'm satisfied. My stomach is bloated and I can't move. Fang, please give us a shoulder massage!"
"I cook and wash the dishes, and after that you still want me to give you a shoulder massage?!"
"Then if you don't want to sell your body, then go and perform for us. Play a song for us!"
"..."
Fang Wei had no choice but to get up, holding a toothpick in his mouth, and sit next to the piano in the living room.
[Pa pa pa——]
They slumped on the sofa and applauded enthusiastically.
Fang Wei threw the toothpick into the trash can and slid his fingers across the keys of the shiny black Steinway piano one by one. The piano produced clear notes in coordination.
With a gentle smile on his face, he pretended to nod to the 'audience below the stage', then turned to the piano, brushed back his non-existent tuxedo with both hands, and sat down gracefully on the piano stool. His fingers gently stroked the keys, his head slightly tilted back, his eyes closed, as if he was having a silent conversation with the piano before starting a grand performance.
"Ha ha ha ha……!"
"Oh no! He really learned something from it! Hahaha!"
"Fang Wei, you are so arrogant!!"
"Qin didn't learn much, but she pretended to be very good!!"
"I know what Chou Fangwei's talent is! Actor!"
Wen Susu, Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi were all tickled by him. They never expected that he, who was usually so serious, could be so humorous and funny.
"Next, I will sing a song called 'Adeline by the Water' for the three princesses. I hope you will like it."
Fang Wei gave a professional smile, turned his head gracefully to look at the sofa, and nodded with a smile.
"Ha ha ha ha……"
"Hurry up! I can't wait!"
"...No, where's the applause?"
Only then did they react and started clapping again.
Only then was Fang Wei satisfied. He took a deep breath, raised his wrist, and then gently pressed the first note.
It didn't roll over.
Although Fang Wei had only mechanically learned this piece of music in the past month, he had now mastered some basic music theory. Even if it was in form but not spirit, for an outsider, he played it quite well.
As the melody of the piano sounded, the living room seemed to be lifted up by a gentle force, and the beautiful and slightly melancholy melody of "Adeline at the Water's Edge" slowly flowed.
Fang Wei's slender and beautiful fingers danced gracefully on the piano keys. After he immersed himself in the performance, his whole demeanor changed and he performed the exquisiteness of the piece beyond his level.
Wen Susu and Cai Lingzhiyi listened quietly and absorbedly. As the melody progressed, they seemed to be brought into a dreamlike world, where there were gurgling water, gentle breezes, and the beautiful Adeline quietly waiting by the water...
Until the last note fell, the whole living room fell into a brief silence.
Then, they on the sofa burst into loud applause, each one more excited than the other, and they wished their palms would be broken by clapping!
"Amazing!!"
"Really, really did you learn it?!"
“That sounds great!!”
"You, you really have something?!"
Cai Ling and Zhi Yi were stunned, and Wen Susu was also stunned. After all, this was the best time Fang Wei had played the piece since she had taught him. She even had the illusion that Fang Wei knew more than just this piece of music!
Even if he learned the key positions mechanically, the fact that he was able to perform this song with perfect rhythm shows that Fang Wei has a lot of talent in music!
"Ha ha……"
Fang Wei stood up, pretended to adjust his empty tuxedo, and then saluted as a gentleman to the three princesses.
"I'm sorry for the poor performance. I hope the three princesses like it."
"Hahahaha...you're so cocky!"
Although they said so, their eyes were sparkling when they looked at Fang Wei, because they really thought he was amazing! They knew so many young people around them, but there was no one as amazing as him!
"One more song, one more song! I want to listen to "Sunny Day"!"
"…The song request failed! I won't play it!"
"Why not play it? This is the princess' order!"
"My hands are sore! I won't play!"
What a joke, he needs to know how to do it!
Do you really think I'm a piano master?!
(End of this chapter)
