A band, or a battleground?

Jiang Yi raised her hand and asked, "So how many songs do we need to prepare? Do they all have to be original? Or should we adapt a few classic ones?"

Qi Yuan replied, "Ten songs, all original."

Now, all three girls looked at him, their gazes becoming serious.

Ning Qianyu couldn't help but ask, "You're going to write ten poems all by yourself?"

Qiu Mengxue couldn't help but express her doubts: "The recording of the first round of the competition is only a few days away, and we need to ensure the quality. Even if we don't have to be as strong as Blue Lotus, the gap can't be too big... Is that really possible?"

Qi Yuan said, "Sure, it's not like we have to finish it in just a few days. We can write songs and rehearse while participating in the competition. I can release another new song today, and Mengxue can arrange the music."

Ning Qianyu: "What about us?"

Qiu Mengxue rolled her eyes at her: "Take the opportunity to study, sneak ahead of me, and then show off to me."

Ning Qianyu looked out the window and whistled.

Qi Yuan continued writing with his head down. As he wrote, he looked up and saw Qiu Mengxue standing next to him.

Qiu Mengxue saw the song title and subconsciously read it aloud: "Life is like a summer flower?"

Ning Qianyu asked with a smile, "Why is it flowers again? Except for 'A Thousand Years Later,' every song you've written has flowers in it. Do you like flowers that much?"

“There won’t be any more after that. There should only be these three songs with flowers in their titles…” Qi Yuan thought for a moment, then noticed a little coincidence and casually said, “Because our band has three golden flowers, and three songs with flowers in their titles are perfect.”

After he finished speaking, all three girls fell silent.

Ning Qianyu glanced at the other two and noticed that Qiu Mengxue was staring blankly at the paper on which she was writing the song, while Jiang Yi was looking down at her toes. Neither of them looked up.

"What 'Three Golden Flowers'? It sounds so low-class..." Ning Qianyu muttered under her breath.

But before she could finish complaining, Qiu Mengxue said in a low voice, "Thank you for your compliment."

Qi Yuan touched the tip of his nose: "There's no need to be so formal."

He initially thought he was just making a casual joke. The fact that three out of the first four songs he wrote in this world contained the word 'flower' was indeed a coincidence; he was simply writing whichever song came to mind. However, the reactions of the three girls in front of him made the atmosphere somewhat awkward.

Whether it's complaining, saying thank you, or remaining silent like Jiang Yi, although the ways of reacting are different, they all reveal the same emotion: shyness.

Moreover, besides shyness, there seemed to be many subtle thoughts mixed in.

Thinking back to two months ago, when I first met them... the girls were probably still very wary and on guard, right?

At this moment, Qiu Mengxue said again, "You've finished writing the lyrics. Do you want to sing them? I'll help you write the score."

Qi Yuan: "I can write music scores now too."

Qiu Mengxue smiled slightly: "But I can write it faster. And they must be very curious about the melody of this song and want to hear you sing it."

"Well, that's fine."

As he spoke, Qi Yuan sang the new song once.

A few minutes later, after he finished singing a cappella, the music classroom fell into a long silence.

Until Ning Qianyu sighed, "Friend, are you a monster?"

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.

040 Is this really your first time?

That morning, Qi Yuan waited by the roadside outside the residential area for a black minivan.

Teacher Su Wan leaned out of the passenger seat and waved: "Get in the car, are you ready to go? This time, you're going to see something big!"

Qi Yuan nodded, put his guitar bag aside, opened the back door of the car, and then witnessed just how troublesome it was for a band to go on a long trip.

In his previous life, when he traveled for work, he would at most bring a suitcase and a laptop. But now, traveling with his band is practically like moving house.

People can squeeze into the seats, but musical instruments can't.

Especially Ning Qianyu's drum set. It was the largest item in the entire band. To facilitate transport and prevent damage during rough handling in the cabin, the drum set had to be completely disassembled.

Besides the drum set, all the other instruments needed to be packed in bags, and these bags were stuffed full of thick foam. This took up even more space. Plus, there were four suitcases for everyone…

The seven-seater van's trunk was crammed full, and even then, there was an extra large bag containing a MIDI keyboard and speakers. This bag alone took up one seat.

With the driver and five passengers, there was almost no extra space in the car.

The car door closed, the driver stepped on the gas, and the van headed onto the highway leading to the airport.

After a moment of silence in the carriage, everyone naturally started talking about their trip to the capital.

"Teacher Su, when we go to the capital this time, should we stay in a hotel or somewhere else?" Ning Qianyu asked.

Teacher Su Wan turned around and replied, "The production team has already sent out a notice. They have booked a budget hotel not far from the recording studio and used it as the contestants' dormitory. There are two or three people in a room. The environment is not very good, but it is close to the rehearsal room. It's just a few hundred meters away from the studio."

Qiu Mengxue: "A budget hotel is fine, as long as it's not a basement. I've heard that many people who come to Beijing to work live in basements."

Ning Qianyu then brought up her most pressing question: "What about food? I've heard some of the food in the capital is quite strange, like douzhi (fermented mung bean juice) and fried liver..."

Qiu Mengxue rolled her eyes beside her: "The contestants come from all over the country, so they definitely wouldn't use any weird or strange things. Besides, the purpose of food is to replenish energy. As long as there are no safety issues and we don't get sick from eating it, it's fine."

"If you don't eat well, you'll be in a bad mood, and if you're in a bad mood, the music has no soul!" Ning Qianyu retorted confidently.

Listening to the two people bickering in front of her, Jiang Yi, sitting in the corner of the third row, couldn't help but secretly curl the corners of her mouth. She turned her head and glanced at Qi Yuan sitting next to her.

Looking at his always calm profile, the girl suddenly realized something.

She leaned closer, lowered her voice, and asked cautiously, "Qi Yuan, have you... ever flown on an airplane before?"

Qi Yuan withdrew his gaze and paused for a moment.

In my previous life, I had sat in my home world many times, but not in this sixteen-year-old body.

"I've never sat in it." Qi Yuan composed himself, his tone calm.

A brief silence fell over the car.

The three girls simultaneously recalled Qi Yuan's family background. A boy without a mother, whose father was in prison, probably struggled to even afford tuition and living expenses. What his classmates took for granted might not be so for him.

Ning Qianyu was the first to break the somewhat heavy silence: "It's okay, you can sit with me on the plane! Let me tell you, you might get airsick the first time you fly, but I have a secret to teach you how to adjust your breathing and relieve the symptoms of airsickness."

Qiu Mengxue snorted coldly, "Come on, he's in such good physical condition, unlike you, he's not so prone to airsickness. Besides, I can teach him what to do, you don't need to give him any random instructions."

At this moment, Teacher Su Wan coughed lightly from the front, adopting the authority of an elder: "Alright, you two little girls, stop fooling around. Since this is Qi Yuan's first time on a plane, he can sit with me. After all, I am your teacher, and I am responsible for your safety and well-being."

After the teacher spoke, Ning Qianyu and Qiu Mengxue could only purse their lips and stop arguing.

Jiang Yi sat next to Qi Yuan without saying a word. Only after the noise in front of them subsided did she turn her head slightly and ask softly, "Actually... who do you want to sit with?"

Qi Yuan turned and glanced at her. A hint of probing flickered in the girl's peach blossom eyes.

He smiled calmly: "It's fine, don't worry too much about me, I can take care of myself."

The words were spoken softly, but the carriage was quiet.

The three girls fell silent, their faces showing expressions of pity and heartache.

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.

Two hours later, the tedious check-in procedures and security check were finally over. Because several of the musical instruments were oversized, they spent a considerable amount of time at the special baggage check-in counter.

Following the flow of people, the four entered the long and narrow cabin.

As previously assigned on the bus, Qi Yuan sat by the window, next to Teacher Su Wan. Qiu Mengxue, Ning Qianyu, and Jiang Yi sat in the back row.

Soft boarding music played on a loop in the cabin, and flight attendants moved back and forth in the aisle, reminding passengers to fasten their seat belts.

After Qi Yuan sat down, he naturally pulled over his seatbelt and fastened it. He adjusted the angle of the air conditioning vent above his head, then leaned back in his seat. His gaze was fixed on the baggage carts operating on the tarmac outside the oval-shaped porthole, his expression as calm as ever.

There was no looking around, no curiosity about the huge machinery outside the window, and no nervousness or excitement like when riding in an aircraft for the first time.

Su Wan sat next to him, observing him secretly.

From the moment he entered the airport, Qi Yuan displayed a level of proficiency far beyond his years. During the security check, he proactively removed coins, keys, and electronic devices from his pockets and placed them in a plastic bin without needing any prompting from security personnel.

Su Wan spoke softly, her tone teasing and inquisitive: "Judging from your appearance, it doesn't seem like this is your first time flying. The three girls behind you, even though they've flown before, are still chattering away."

Qi Yuan snapped out of his daze and turned to look at Su Wan.

He knew that his behavior did not fit the image of a boy from a poor background, but he did not intend to pretend to be surprised.

"The main thing is that I don't think there's anything to panic about. It's just a means of transportation. As long as you fasten your seatbelt, the rest is up to the captain."

Su Wan nodded slowly: "You really have... matured."

Qi Yuan smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment."

Su Wan added, "I was thinking, if I hadn't come with you, and those three had listened to you, things probably wouldn't have gotten into any trouble, right?"

Qi Yuan: "Teacher Su is our pillar of strength, she's indispensable."

Su Wan smiled: "Look, you've matured even more."

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.

041 Band's polite gestures

We set off in the early morning, but arrived at our destination in the evening.

The time spent flying in the air wasn't long; the process of checking in luggage, getting on the bus, and finding the program crew to complete the formalities was much longer.

After dinner, Ms. Su Wan led the four members of the band into the hotel arranged by the production team, and then a practical problem was presented to them.

"The production team has arranged three rooms," Ning Qianyu said, scratching her head. "How should we divide them among the five of us?"

The girls looked at Qi Yuan, and Qi Yuan looked at Teacher Su.

Su Wan decisively said, "I'll share a room with Mengxue, Yiyi and Qianyu will share a room, and Qi Yuan will have a room by himself. What do you guys think?"

Qi Yuan nodded: "This is the only way to arrange it. It's inconvenient for me to share a room with anyone."

Ning Qianyu: "Hmph, one room per person? You're getting a real bargain."

Qi Yuan: "Then why don't you share a room with me?"

The girl's raised face froze instantly. After a few seconds of stunned silence, she quickly waved her hand and said, "Never mind, I'll just share a room with Yi Yi. Otherwise, it'll be a hassle to change clothes."

Qi Yuan chuckled: "That settles it. Okay, let's move all our luggage to the room and get some rest."

Jiang Yi asked, "Are you going to bed so early?"

Ning Qianyu chimed in, "That's right, we haven't had dinner yet, let's go out and get something good to eat!"

Qiu Mengxue said, "The production team hasn't scheduled anything for tomorrow, so it's our free time. What do you guys think? Should we rehearse or just wander around the capital?"

Jiang Yi: "I think we should go out for a walk. We've come all this way to the capital, so let's treat it as a vacation. Besides, rehearsing in the room will definitely disturb the neighbors..."

Before they could finish speaking, they heard the sounds of guitars and drums coming from a distance.

Qi Yuan said, "The hotel is full of bands. As long as they don't rehearse in the middle of the night, I don't think we need to worry about disturbing the neighbors. It's more likely that the neighbors will disturb us. Okay, let's put our things down first, and then we'll go have dinner."

Teacher Su Wan watched the children discuss and make a decision without interrupting. Only after it was finalized did she say, "You guys go ahead and eat. I'm on a diet, so I won't eat. Mengxue, I'll transfer you some money later. Remember to get a receipt when you pay the bill so I can get reimbursed by the production team."

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.

A few minutes later, Qi Yuan met up with the three girls in the corridor and headed towards the elevator.

Their rooms were all on the fifth floor, so taking the elevator was naturally more convenient.

Upon reaching the first floor, the elevator doors slid open, revealing five men standing in the doorway, accompanied by a strong smell of smoke and alcohol.

These five men all appeared to be around thirty years old, and it was immediately obvious that they were in a band. They were all wearing leather jackets, and one had long hair, one had a buzz cut, one had a full beard, one had dreadlocks, and one wore sunglasses.

Qi Yuan almost laughed. Wearing sunglasses so late at night, aren't you afraid of bumping into a lamppost?

The man with long hair had fairly regular features, but his eyes were slightly dark, indicating he often stayed up late. He also had a rather arrogant demeanor, but his gaze sharpened when he noticed the three girls in the elevator, especially Qiu Mengxue.

Qiu Mengxue, who was being stared at by this person, spoke first: "Are you the Titans?"

"Yes, I'm the lead singer, Zhao Xukun. What's your name, beautiful lady?"

“I…” Qiu Mengxue paused for a moment, but instead of obediently giving her name, she changed the subject, “You’ll know when the show starts.”

Zhao Xukun laughed and said, "Don't be so formal. We're all in the music business, it's good to get to know each other better."

At this moment, the tall, thin guy with a buzz cut next to him said, "What's so interesting about idol groups?"

Ning Qianyu immediately retorted, "We're not idols!"

The other party scoffed.

Zhao Xukun also turned his head and said, "Yezi, don't be like that. Does it matter if we're idols or not? We're all in the music business, we're just friends."