The Spring Festival of 2014 was at the end of January, and school would start only a few days after New Year’s Day. However, in order to prepare for the college entrance examination, the senior high school students were studying very hard.
Although Mei Fang has now reached an agreement with Pengcheng University for special admission with preferential treatment, the three of them still need to pass the college entrance examination, otherwise there will be some hidden dangers in the subsequent processing.
As for academic performance, Mei Fang and Lin Youxi have accumulated experience over a long period of time. Mei Fang may still find it a bit difficult, but it is a piece of cake for Lin Youxi. As for Xia Yuan, since he has transferred to the liberal arts department, he can still guarantee a good score in the cultural subjects.
The three of them are now preparing for the college entrance examination, but in fact they only need to work a little harder. In order to avoid too much trouble for future development, the three of them still have to study hard for the exam, especially Xia Yuan, who works hard on math problems every day.
"Afang, Afang, why do we need to take the derivative to prove the inequality here?"
"I really don't understand what I did wrong with this conic section function. I've been working on it for two hours."
"This is how it's done here..."
Although she has been freed from the torture of physics forever, Xia Yuan still finds mathematics and science logic very difficult. This is also reflected in her calculations of geography problems related to contour lines and isotherms. However, Mei Fang still teaches her patiently as always.
"Do you understand now?"
Xia Yuan stuck out her tongue with a smile: "Next time I encounter the same type of question, I think I should be able to do it?"
"Then you are really great. Can I give you some loving encouragement?"
"Okay, okay—ah, it hurts..."
Mei Fang was tapping Xia Yuan's head when Xia Yuan's cell phone suddenly lit up.
I was particularly concerned about a message from a friend I hadn't seen for a long time.
[Hello, Yuanyuan]
[I'm back to Jiangcheng]
After seeing the news, Xia Yuan happily shared it with Mei Fang, "Ah Fang, Ah Fang! Look! Xiaoxue is back!"
"Let her live in our house."
While Mei Fang was reminding Xia Yuan, Xia Yuan was also quickly sending a message to Peng Xue.
[Miss Peng is finally back! How about staying at my house tonight! ]
[No, no, I'm staying in a hotel with my cousin, so I won't bother you.]
[Don't be so distant! We haven't talked for a long time. I have a lot of things to talk to you about, and a lot of things I want to ask you]
[so]
[…]
"Xiaoxue's message is so unfamiliar."
Xia Yuan was muttering to himself when Mei Fang came over to watch. Xia Yuan shared the message sent by Peng Xue with Mei Fang.
"It's been a while since we've met, so it's normal for us to feel a little awkward when talking to each other."
Mei Fang thought about it and said, "Then let's at least arrange a meal together. She should still have to go home, and then we can ask her about her future plans and other topics."
"Yeah, that's right..."
Xia Yuan was just about to send a message to Peng Xue when another message from Peng Xue came over.
[We are planning to sing at a bar tonight. Do you have time to come and listen? ]
[Okay, okay! I just told Ah Fang that I want to meet you for dinner, so let’s go to a bar.]
[…]
Peng Xue uttered a series of ellipsis.
[Come to think of it, didn’t you break up with Mei Fang? Why are you still with him?]
[About this matter, it’s a bit complicated to talk about it…]
[never mind]
Peng Xue's words clearly lacked the enthusiasm for the past. [I'll send you the address. You can all come and take a look if you want.]
[Okay, okay! I'll prepare well.]
Xia Yuan sent Peng Xue a lot of emoticons in response, but Peng Xue did not reply with cute and funny emoticons like she did in the past.
"… "
After replying to Peng Xue, the smile on Xia Yuan's face gradually froze.
"Xiaoxue has really become a lot more indifferent."
"Maybe it's not indifference, but just exhaustion?"
Mei Fang thought for a moment and patted Xia Yuan's shoulder gently. "Anyway, let's go check on her current situation first."
Mei Fang thought for a moment, "Do you want me to go with you? You haven't been to Qing Bar yet..."
Mei Fang suddenly shook her head as she spoke, "Forget it, I'll go with you. You're a big star now, and you can't go without a protector."
"I'm not a flower protector... Look at Xiaoxue's band, there don't seem to be any boys, but they still made it all the way here."
Xia Yuan thought for a moment and said, "So, Xiaoxue must have suffered a lot along the way."
"But I'll still go with you. At most I won't go in with you. I'll just watch you in the corner."
"I'm not that precious... Our appointment was at 7pm, so you can be back early. And why are you like my dad?"
"You're going to the bar alone, how could I not go with you?"
"That's just Qing Bar. There are a lot of college students there. Oh, by the way... I asked You Xi to come with me."
"Then I'm going even more! This is my wife twice as much as mine. How can I not worry if a bad guy hits me on?"
"Who is your wife? How can you call me that so quickly... Forget it, Ah Fang is so clingy to me, I really can't do anything about you."
Xia Yuan felt very happy because Mei Fang needed her.
In the afternoon, Xia Yuan talked about this matter with Lin Youxi. Lin Youxi asked Mei Fang if she wanted to go with them. After getting a positive answer, Lin Youxi decided not to go.
The reason is simple.
"I am the culprit who stole your Ah Fang. Peng Xue probably doesn't want to see me."
"She doesn't seem to care about this anymore, why don't you also-"
Thinking of Peng Xue's current attitude, Xia Yuan thought about it and decided to give up. "Then, then Ah Fang and I will go?"
"Yeah, but you must be careful and safe."
A quiet bar is a bar that mainly plays light music and has no discos or dancing girls. It is suitable for chatting, communicating with friends, drinking and chatting. Folk singers often perform there, and it is also very popular among college students.
The Dingxiang Bar that Peng Xue went to was the most famous one located near the university town in the city. Xia Yuan and Mei Fang just took a taxi over and found that the place was already crowded.
There are many young people dressed fashionably outside the bar. They don’t feel cold at all in the middle of winter. Some of them are still smoking and laughing exaggeratedly.
The good girl Xia Yuan suddenly felt a little scared when she saw this situation. She pulled Mei Fang's arm and stared at him blankly.
"Why, I don't have to separate from you?"
"Fang! You don't want a cute me to be hit on by a strange man, do you?"
"What a weird thing to say."
Mei Fang rubbed Xia Yuan's head, then said with a smile, "Come to think of it, there are many more girls here than boys. Are you sure it's only you who's being approached, and not me?"
"Alright, alright! Stop talking nonsense here and go in quickly."
Xia Yuan took Mei Fang's arm, and the two pretended to be an adult couple and walked into the bar. There were no seats left at the high table and booths with a better view, so the two could only sit at a table in the corner. When they were about to take an order, a red-haired girl dressed in a punk style came over.
"I recognize you... You are Fang Bao and Yuan Bao, right?"
"ah."
Xia Yuan hushed awkwardly after hearing this, "We are here to watch our friend's performance today. I can give you his autograph if you want. If possible, please don't let anyone know—"
puff.
"I know you guys are here to see our friend perform, so I've reserved a better booth for you. Would you like to sit here?"
"… "
Xia Yuan, who had experienced social death, sat in Mei Fang's arms with a red face for a long time before she dared to show her head.
"Wasn't the action I was about to take to sign embarrassing?"
"No, I think it's cute."
Mei Fang smiled at Xia Yuan, "Our Yuan Yuan is always cute."
"You better actually think I'm cute!"
Xia Yuan stuck out her tongue at Mei Fang, "By the way, what do you want to drink? Shall we have a cocktail?"
"I'm not an adult yet, so I'd better not drink. Non-alcoholic drinks are fine."
"Non-alcoholic drinks... aren't they just orange juice or something?"
"No, there are also cocktails without alcohol. For example, look at this one, it's marked..."
"Why does Ah Fang seem to understand so much?"
"I must have made a good plan before coming here. This is my habit."
Mei Fang smiled and shook his head.
At this moment, the band members came out, and when Xia Yuan saw them, he immediately started looking for Peng Xue.
"Oh, Xiaoxue!"
Xia Yuan wanted to shout loudly but was afraid of disturbing others, so she shouted softly for a while and then waved to Peng Xue.
Compared with half a year ago, Peng Xue's attire seemed much more elegant, wearing a black and white striped shirt and jeans. She found a seat with her bassist on her back to tune the music - and the band's lead singer and guitarist, Peng Xue's cousin, Xia Yuan, was a little surprised when she saw her.
Isn’t this the red-haired sister who greeted me just now
After hearing Xia Yuan's greeting, Peng Xue looked up at Xia Yuan, then gave her a faint smile, and then quickly got into the rhythm of tuning.
Apart from pierced ears and wearing silver earrings, there doesn't seem to be much other changes in Peng Xue.
After sporadic applause from the crowd, Peng Xue's band began their performance.
The first song they sang was the well-known "Serious Snow".
However, they adapted this common love song into a folk-style song, starting with the bass and then gradually fading into the guitar.
[The snow fell so deeply—so seriously]
[My scars reflected in the snow]
I don’t care about myself
[How many scars are there]
[But I care about who will accompany you in the future]
The song changes from a sadness full of memories to an accusation of endurance that dares not be vented, with a kind of silent sadness that is like hitting cotton.
Peng Xue's cousin Yan Zi interpreted this speechless feeling vividly and thoroughly, and it is obvious that her own strength is also quite good.
Xia Yuan listened to their singing and suddenly felt inferior to them.
"You sing really well... much better than me."
"I only agree with the first sentence. Your styles are different."
"But… "
At this time, when the song ended, everyone began to applaud softly, and Xia Yuan also clapped along.
After Yan Zi finished singing, she stepped down from the lead singer's microphone and gave a reminder into the microphone:
"Now our band's bassist Michelle will bring you our new song."
Following Yan Zi's words, Peng Xue stood up and sat in the lead singer's seat.
She cleared her throat and saw Xia Yuan looking at her eagerly. Then she began to hold the microphone tightly and began to sing softly -
If you want to go to the beach
We can lie on the beach all night.
If you want to go on an adventure
[I don't think I will be timid]
[We agreed to walk to the edge of the world]
[See the most lush forests and vast snow]
When Peng Xue was singing alone in Baimei County, her smoky voice was very recognizable; today her voice still has its own unique characteristics, but her voice is no longer so loud.
[The most anticipated thing may be extinguished one day]
[May you and I be able to withstand all the changes in life]
[I want to stand by your side/only by your side]
[Complete this adventure]
Xia Yuan quietly closed her eyes and listened to Peng Xue singing. She was feeling her voice in Peng Xue's song. Mei Fang sipped her non-alcoholic drink, holding her chin and watching Peng Xue singing with ecstasy.
Compared with the sharpness and publicity in the past, her music style suddenly began to seem weak and immature, with a kind of emotion and helplessness about the impermanence of the world, which makes people feel sighing.
As Mei Fang was listening, he suddenly heard Xia Yuan sobbing softly from the opposite side.
Although she didn't know why Yuanyuan was crying, Mei Fang stayed quiet and didn't disturb her. When Xia Yuan was crying, she gently handed her a stack of tissues for her to wipe her tears.
After the band finished singing, Peng Xue quickly took off her bass, came down from the stage, and sat next to Xia Yuan.
"Long time no see, Yuanyuan!"
After Peng Xue stepped off the stage, she seemed to have gotten rid of her on-stage persona and began to resemble the person Xia Yuanmei knew. "How have you been lately?"
"Hmm... Long time no see... Ugh..."
Xia Yuan suddenly started sobbing again, and Peng Xue quickly hugged her to comfort her, "What's wrong with you... You're crying like a baby again, did Boss Mei bully you again?"
"No... I just... it's just... you were very cold in replying to my message today, and I thought you didn't dislike me anymore, but when I listened to your song today and saw that you were thinner, I felt that you had suffered a lot, and I was still just thinking about whether you disliked me or not... I'm really too selfish."
“Hahaha… What kind of self is this?”
Peng Xue smiled and patted Xia Yuan's shoulder, then smiled and said, "Yuan Yuan is still the same as before... I'm fine. Life outside is not as hard as I imagined, but it's not as interesting as I imagined. My cousins took good care of me, and I was very happy when I was in Rongcheng."
As she spoke, she snapped her fingers at Mei Fang who was watching them from the opposite table and smiled, "Boss Mei, it's rare for me to come back. Can you treat me to a glass of Alexander? I'm tired of singing."
"Well, I'll go help you order."
Mei Fang stood up as she spoke, and saw that while Peng Xue was comforting Xia Yuan, she also revealed the conspicuous and small word "Yuan" on her arm.
…
At first listen, Peng Xue on the stage sounds lonely and isolated, as if she is placing herself in the sad ice field of the Far North and singing softly.
But when she spoke, she was completely the familiar girl with a flamboyant personality, who was so outgoing and friendly and always put her arm around others.
It seems like everything is back, but I still feel like I've lost something...
There is one more chapter before 24:00 today, this is to make up for yesterday's 4000
Friendshippy: "You didn't follow the routine at all to pass the level, did you?"
"As long as I can pass the level, it's fine. Why do you care if I follow the routine or not?"
(End of this chapter)