Chapter 166: My Future Is Not a Dream ④
This morning had no morning; students participating in the performance had to go to school earlier than others. Therefore, Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang ate lunch a little after eleven and headed to school.
Nie Aiwen hadn’t finished his meeting yet. Upon receiving Nie Aifang’s call, he stood up, apologized to his subordinates, and announced the meeting’s end. He grabbed his briefcase and was about to leave, constantly saying into the phone, “Okay, is it this afternoon? Do you want me to pick you up? What time? Why didn’t you tell me earlier…”
Nie Qiu always walked to school. This time, going with Nie Aifang, she took the bus. It was one yuan per person, not expensive. After getting on the bus, Nie Aifang remembered to call Nie Aiwen. Nie Qiu had been rehearsing every day, and because she was so used to it, Nie Aifang had forgotten to tell Nie Aiwen that today was the artists’ day.
“I forgot too. I’ll come to the school gate to pick you up later. Nie Qiu said that each performing student can invite two parents to watch,” Nie Aifang said with a smile.
Nie Aiwen threw his briefcase onto the desk in his office, took the car keys from the desk, closed the office door, and ran out quickly. The employees who were working heard the clatter of leather shoes. The boss had never walked so hurriedly.
“Then I’ll hang up first. I’ll call you when I arrive.” Walking into the garage, Nie Aiwen opened the car door and sat inside. After getting Nie Aifang’s permission, he hung up the phone and drove away from the company.
Li Mingxue stood by the window on the upper floor of the company, watching the car gradually disappear. She suddenly smiled. It was good, it was good… letting her see how much he loved her would prevent her from having foolish fantasies, and she wouldn’t… wouldn’t want to destroy the happiness he thought he had.
After Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang arrived at school, Nie Aifang waited for her outside the classroom with other parents. Then she went into the classroom to wait for Teacher Yang to speak to the class. Seeing that all the classmates were wearing the same uniform, Teacher Yang smiled knowingly. After saying a few words about discipline and the performance, Teacher Yang led the classmates, according to the class announced on the broadcast, to walk neatly towards the auditorium.
Over a dozen parents followed behind the procession. Each class had a few parents coming to watch the program. Many parents brought cameras and mobile phones. They walked in line with the classmates in their children’s class. All the parents felt as if they had returned to their student days. Many parents were very emotional. They always said that children were more diligent in listening to their teachers than their parents. Weren’t they the same when they were studying? They weren’t afraid of their parents, but they were afraid of their teachers. Many parents hadn’t changed over the years, and Nie Aifang was one of them.
She had only studied up to the third grade of primary school. She was afraid of teachers when she was young, and she hadn’t improved much as an adult. When Teacher Yang led the students out and smiled at all the parents, Nie Aifang nervously clutched the hem of her clothes, smiling nervously yet enthusiastically.
In the auditorium, each class had a designated seating area. They arrived one after another in neat rows. Although the teachers had told them not to make noise, everyone couldn’t help but talk excitedly. For a moment, the auditorium was filled with a din of voices.
As the curtain of the auditorium opened, the noise in the auditorium gradually subsided. Ai Si Yuan and a petite and cute girl slowly walked from both sides of the stage to the center. Both of them held golden microphones.
After looking at each other, Ai Si Yuan held the microphone and said with a smile, “Respected leaders, esteemed teachers.”
The petite and sweet girl continued, “Dear classmates, dear parents.”
“The air today is exceptionally fresh, reflecting our bright smiles.”
“The stage today is exceptionally magnificent, soaring with the joy in our hearts.”…
The hosts were formulaic and proper, with no banter or playful remarks. This was a campus art festival, not a television entertainment program.
“I am Ai Si Yuan from Class 1, Grade 3.”
“I am Li Shan from Class 1, Grade 1.”
After introducing themselves, they said in unison, “Today, we will be hosting this year’s art festival for you. We hope everyone will enjoy it.”
Applause erupted, and the auditorium was filled with cheers. After speaking, they began to introduce the programs, and the programs came one after another.
Nie Aifang sat in her seat in Class 10, Grade 3, constantly glancing towards the auditorium entrance. When the fourth program was being performed, her phone rang. She smiled awkwardly at the parent sitting next to her, then took her phone and stood up from her seat, walking out of the auditorium.
Some parents were gathered outside the school. Nie Aifang spoke to the gatekeeper for a long time, but the gatekeeper didn’t dare to let anyone in. Finally, she had to find Teacher Yang in the auditorium, and then she and Nie Aiwen entered the school auditorium together.
After returning to their seats in Class 10, they sat together. Nie Aiwen held a camera in one hand and a mobile phone in the other. He handed the phone to Nie Aifang, “Sister, you use the phone to film, and I’ll use the camera. We can watch it again when we get back.”
Nie Aifang had never used a smartphone before. Nie Aiwen adjusted the focus and other settings before handing the phone to Nie Aifang. Nie Aifang only needed to point the phone at the stage in the auditorium.
Nie Qiu put on her Hanfu. Seeing Huang Yan’s Yuan Dynasty attire, she stepped forward to adjust it for Huang Yan. Because ancient clothing was quite long, after buying the costumes, they cut the front hem of each outfit above the knee, giving them a very modern look.
Several girls helped each other with their outfits and makeup. The boys were around, teasing here and there. The boys only needed to change into their costumes and didn’t need makeup. Wang Chao Lei, who had a few pimples, was even teased by a female classmate when the teacher applied BB cream to him, so he didn’t go around teasing anyone.
Zhang Haiyang spared no effort. One moment he would grab a ribbon to tie on Huang Yan’s head, the next he would bring a round fan to tuck into Huang Yan’s waist. Otherwise, he would bring tea and water. Huang Yan was annoyed beyond measure and had to pull Nie Qiu along as they adjusted their costumes and dodged Zhang Haiyang.
Zhang Haiyang followed behind with a ‘hehe’ laugh.
Li Kai looked down at the ribbon in his hand. He had bought another one, knowing Nie Qiu wouldn’t use it, yet he bought another. Zhang Haiyang could shamelessly shove things at Huang Yan, and if Huang Yan didn’t accept them, he would just discard them. Huang Yan’s family background wasn’t very good, and she was also a frugal person. Seeing Zhang Haiyang about to throw it away, she had no choice but to accept it. But he was different. He couldn’t be as shameless as Zhang Haiyang, so the ribbon had been in his hand for many days, but he still couldn’t find an excuse to give it to her.
“Hey? An Hui, where did the ribbon you tied on your head go?” Zhao Bao Cui put down the round fan in her hand. Zhao Bao Cui was wearing Tang Dynasty attire, emphasizing plumpness as beauty, holding a round fan, with a cherry-like small mouth painted on her face, and a blush of peach red.
Wei An Hui, sitting in front of the dressing table, heard this and touched her head. “Eh… it’s really gone! Hurry, help me look for it. It’s a pink ribbon.”
