A band, or a battleground?

The house was still dark, just as it had been before she left.

The girl quietly changed into slippers, took off her trench coat and hung it up, then tiptoed towards her bedroom. But after only a few steps, her mother's voice suddenly rang out in the darkness:

"You're finally back?"

Qiu Mengxue was startled and turned around, seeing the figure sitting on the sofa in the darkness.

She couldn't help but ask, "Why didn't you turn on the lights?"

Su Wan scoffed, "If I turn on the light, you'll know I'm awake, right? If you find out I'm awake, you'll probably run off to find Qi Yuan again."

Qiu Mengxue froze: "How did you know I went to see him?"

"Of course it's because I saw it," Su Wan said casually. "Don't rush, think about it yourself. From my perspective, if I found my daughter sneaking out in the middle of the night, shouldn't I follow her to check on her?"

Qiu Mengxue sighed: "I just want to ask, why didn't I notice you were following me?"

Su Wan: "Because I didn't drive. It's so late, there are so few cars on the road, it would be too conspicuous for me to be driving."

Qiu Mengxue was speechless for a moment.

Su Wan added, "But Qi Yuan is really determined. You went to see him so late, and you didn't stay with him. Or did you turn back halfway?"

Qiu Mengxue asked, "What do you mean by turning back halfway?"

Su Wan: "Didn't you go to confess your feelings to him?"

Qiu Mengxue was stunned for a moment, then firmly denied it: "No!"

Su Wan laughed: "That's really interesting. You like him so much, yet you went to see him in the middle of the night. Isn't that a confession? You're really stubborn."

Qiu Mengxue: "You like him that much? No..."

Su Wan said leisurely, "Don't deny it in front of me. I'm your mother, I see things better than anyone else. When you were on the show stage, others were looking at Qi Yuan, but I was looking at you. Others might not notice anything unusual about you, but I could tell what kind of look you had when you secretly glanced at Qi Yuan."

Qiu Mengxue muttered under her breath, "Your seats are so far from the stage, how can you see anything clearly..."

Su Wan: "Because I will not only watch it live, but also when the show is broadcast online. My own bad relationship with my daughter is due to playing in a band when I was young, so of course I have to keep an eye on her to see if she will repeat the same mistake."

Qiu Mengxue was silent for a moment, then asked, "Do you think I'm repeating the same mistakes?"

Su Wan shook her head: "Qiu Fengfan is not worthy to be compared with Qi Yuan. Not only in terms of creative works, fame, and commercial value, but also in terms of inner qualities, he is far inferior. Back then, he pursued me in various ways, and then he cheated on me. If Qi Yuan were like him, you wouldn't be here tonight... no, you wouldn't even be here tonight."

Qiu Mengxue curled her lip: "As expected, ex-husbands are the most hated people."

"This isn't hatred, it's an objective fact. Qi Yuan had a terrible start, but he didn't complain at all. Qiu Fengfan's parents are highly educated, university professors, but his grades were just average, and he always complains that his family can't support him when he's pursuing music. In today's terms, they didn't support him. He's pursuing his dream, but he wants others to bear the consequences for him. Can these two be compared?"

Su Wan paused for a while after speaking, and then asked:

"What exactly happened to you tonight? You didn't confess your feelings, nor did you back down. So what were you two talking about when you met Qi Yuan?"

Qiu Mengxue explained softly, "Because the company is going to help us register for the music academy's entrance exam. I asked him what major I should choose..."

"What did he say?" Su Wan asked, then waved her hand. "Never mind, that's not important. What's important is how he treated you. Did he just chat with you for a while and then let you go home?"

Qiu Mengxue: "He said it wasn't safe for a girl to be out so late, so he took me downstairs."

Su Wan: "..."

Qiu Mengxue waited a while, then asked, "What do you think is the problem?"

Su Wan smiled wryly, "He did nothing wrong, very politely and appropriately. The question is, do you think he likes you?"

Qiu Mengxue was stunned.

Su Wan continued, "Boys under twenty are the most emotional. If they like a girl, they will try to get close to her and find opportunities to spend time together. They will have all sorts of thoughts, both pure and dirty. However, good boys will suppress their dirty side, and bad boys will also hide it, but they can't hide it for long."

Qiu Mengxue: "Is Qi Yuan a good boy?"

“Okay, but he’s too good, too good…” Su Wan wondered, “Could it be that he actually likes boys?”

"That's impossible! I've never seen him treat any guy well. Besides, compared to other people, he's been incredibly good to me. He lets me sing the songs he writes, he takes care of me, and he even stays up late chatting with me until I fall asleep..."

Qiu Mengxue instinctively retorted, but as she continued, she realized that she seemed to have said too much.

Su Wan drawled, "Oh, it seems that quite a few things happened between you guys without my knowledge."

Qiu Mengxue: "It's alright..."

However, at that moment, a question from her mother stunned her.

"So, do you think you're the special one? Or, compared to Yi Yi and Qian Yu, do you think there's anything different about how he treats you?"

Qiu Mengxue stood in the darkness, remaining silent for a long time.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

207 What did it do to you if you're 30 and single?

The next day at noon, while having lunch with her teammates, Qiu Mengxue could still hear her mother's admonition echoing in her ears:

"If he treats you no differently than he treats Yi Yi and Qian Yu, then it means he doesn't really care about you, but about your band. You need to think about it carefully. Don't let it turn out to be wishful thinking on your part; that would be really embarrassing."

Thinking back on those words, lunch tasted like nothing at all.

Suddenly, Ning Qianyu asked, "Mengxue, what are you thinking about?"

Qiu Mengxue's attention was drawn back by the voice. She looked up and said, "I was just thinking about what major to choose."

Ning Qianyu asked, "Have you thought it through?"

Qiu Mengxue: "No..."

Ning Qianyu chuckled and said, "So what did you think about after all that time? You might as well just eat."

In the past, Qiu Mengxue would definitely have argued with her, but she wasn't in the mood for it today. After all, the most important thing was to keep her true thoughts hidden.

Ning Qianyu then asked, "Or were you secretly thinking about what gift to give Yi Yi next week?"

Qiu Mengxue asked blankly, "Give Yi Yi a gift?"

Ning Qianyu blinked: "Next week is Yi Yi's birthday, didn't you know? Wait, we celebrated Yi Yi's birthday together last year, have you forgotten?"

Qiu Mengxue: "..."

It was a great pity, but she had genuinely forgotten. After all, these past few days, someone else had been constantly on her mind. Jiang Yi's image in her mind had shifted from a shy and demure good teammate to a teammate and rival in love; how could she possibly remember to celebrate someone's birthday?

Seeing her reaction, Ning Qianyu pointed at her and said, "Well, Mengxue, it's one thing that Qi Yuan doesn't know, but you actually forgot? If I didn't remember, how heartbroken Yiyi would have been!"

Qiu Mengxue glanced at Jiang Yi.

Jiang Yi was eating her lunch slowly and deliberately, her face lowered, making it impossible to see her expression.

Qiu Mengxue quickly said, "I'm sorry, Yiyi, I've been really busy lately, and my mind is a bit muddled."

Jiang Yi kept her face down: "It's okay, it wasn't anything important to begin with."

"No, no, no, it's very important. We'll definitely treat you well then..." Qiu Mengxue said halfway through, then realized something was off. "Ugh, it feels so strange to say this to your face beforehand. But don't worry, right, Qi Yuan?"

Qi Yuan, whose name was called, said, "Yes, I didn't know before, but I do now."

Jiang Yi finally looked up, a simple smile on her face: "Really, there's no need to worry too much. Qi Yuan's birthday was also very simple. We can just have a meal and chat together, that would be great."

This statement seemed reasonable, but it made one of the parties involved feel a jolt in their heart.

Qi Yuan recalled his birthday night. First, Jiang Yi came to give him a gift, then Ning Qianyu came to give him a gift, and then Qiu Mengxue came. Ning Qianyu and Jiang Yi were both hiding in the bathroom... Was his birthday simple?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The second period that afternoon was physical education.

After half a period of physical fitness exercises, the PE teacher announced free time. Most of the boys cheered and went to get basketballs, while a few grabbed soccer balls, but there weren't enough players for even half the field, so they could only play around kicking the ball in the penalty area.

As for the girls, they would stroll around the playground or find a place to sit down—whether they walked or sat was secondary; the important thing was their companions chatting with them.

Qi Yuan was originally going to join the boys' group, either playing basketball or soccer, but he noticed that Jiang Yi was walking straight towards him.

As the girl grew bolder, this situation became increasingly common. The other students were also used to it; after all, everyone knew the two were in the same band, and it wasn't strange for bandmates to have things to say to each other.

So Jiang Yi and Qi Yuan walked side by side on the empty football field, chatting as they went.

At first, the two talked about music academy exams and major selection, but as they talked, the girl's voice gradually became softer.

The volume may be small, but the impact is significant.

Jiang Yi suddenly asked, "Are you thinking about what gift to give me for my birthday next week?"

Qi Yuan nodded: "Of course, you put so much effort into my birthday. When it's your turn, I'll definitely prepare something special too."

Jiang Yi suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Qi Yuan stopped as well, turning halfway around to look at her, only to find the girl staring straight at him. Her pretty face was flushed, but her eyes, like autumn water, shone with an exceptionally bright light.

Jiang Yi said softly, "But, if I tell you that the birthday present I really want is... well, if I just tell you what I want, is that okay?"

Qi Yuan laughed and said, "That would be the best. The most troublesome thing about giving gifts is guessing. You spend a long time guessing, and the recipient may not even like it. You just tell me the answer directly, which is much simpler."

Jiang Yi nodded and smiled, "Okay, I'll tell you. I hope to get a week-long internship starting on my birthday."

"practice?"

Qi Yuan never expected it to be this word.

Jiang Yi then said, "Because I was thinking that our band will be together for a very long time, but if any of us get into a relationship, it might break up the band. To prevent this from happening, I think we can do an experiment for a week."

Qi Yuan: "...How do you do this experiment?"

Jiang Yi smiled slightly: "During this week, we'll pretend that we've started dating, but we have to keep it a secret from everyone, especially Qianyu and Mengxue. If we can keep it from them and everyone else, then the experiment will be a success."

Qi Yuan: "What's the point if the experiment succeeds?"

Jiang Yi: "It's very meaningful! Because, although dating can affect the band's relationship and our music career, if no one notices, it means that the real impact isn't that big. After the experiment, you can date whoever you want, even a girl outside the band."

Qi Yuan: "..."

Jiang Yi observed his gaze and added softly, "It's only for a week anyway. After it's over, we can go back to being normal teammates, right?"

Qi Yuan asked in a deep voice, "Is this the birthday present you wanted?"

Jiang Yi nodded vigorously: "Because I also want to try it out! What if we're going to be in a band for a long time, but we can't date while we're in the band... Wow, being single since birth at thirty, just thinking about it is terrifying."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

208 Cunning Girls

The internship or experiment will last for one week.

When Jiang Yi made the request, she had already anticipated Qi Yuan's reaction. She expected only two possibilities: either a firm refusal or a gracious agreement.

However, Qi Yuan neither agreed nor refused, but instead raised another question:

What do you think couples should do during their internship period?

Jiang Yi was slightly taken aback, and subconsciously said, "It's something that lovers usually do."

Qi Yuan laughed: "The things lovers do also have different stages. For example, texting and calling each other, but not doing anything extra when you meet, that's one. Holding hands when you meet is another. There are also hugs, kisses, and even more..."

Jiang Yi blinked, looking completely bewildered.

Qi Yuan grinned mischievously, "Since you have such thoughts, haven't you considered what lovers do? So, where is the bottom line for this experiment?"

The girl subconsciously said, "It should be about greeting each other, taking care of each other, and showing concern for each other."

Qi Yuan pointed to his palm: "Holding hands, how about this level?"

“Since you’re lovers,” Jiang Yi’s voice softened, “then, it should be okay to do it where no one else can see, right?”

Qi Yuan: "Then it ends with holding hands, not including hugs, and certainly not including kisses."

Jiang Yi's neck stiffened. She wanted to nod, but was somewhat unwilling. Looking up at the boy in front of her again, she saw a playful smile on his lips.

The girl immediately understood that Qi Yuan was not the kind of emotionless blockhead at all!

In this situation, why would a normal single boy think about setting limits for the experiment?

But at the same time, she breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "So, did you agree?"

Qi Yuan thought for a moment and slowly nodded: "If this is the gift you want, then okay, I agree."

In an instant, Jiang Yi felt her chest fill with a sense of surprise, and that feeling continued to expand, like a balloon being inflated...

But Qi Yuan then added, "Anyway, you've already done holding hands with me many times when you came to me to recharge, haven't you?"

Jiang Yi: "..."