Mu Qiu didn’t care about their comments, she leaned slightly to the left, looking ahead but whispering to Cheng Zhirang.
"Did you like it? I played it for you."
Whether you play the instrument or who’s playing it doesn’t matter, what matters is who the song is played for.
Those twinkling eyes watched her with a smile, and the slender fingers pushed a small pile of shelled peanuts and melon seeds towards her.
"Thanks, it’s a gift in return for you."
She happily accepted it, feeling that this forced and impromptu performance was quite nice.
After her and Shi Yuhuai, it was Lin Lian’s turn to perform.
Like driving a duck onto a perch, the order of performances was entirely decided at Guan Yu’s whim. She said she wanted to cleanse her ears, so Lin Lian was cued.
Everyone was excited—truly excited this time, standing on the small balcony, on tiptoes, watching the piano on the opposite side.
The staff brought a high stool and guitar, Lin Lian had one foot on the ground and the other casually resting on the metal rod between the high stool, adjusting the guitar with his head lowered, a pick between his fingers, and his short hair hanging just over his forehead, covering those glass-like eyes.
The ones standing up front to watch were all women, their expressions excited, eyes gleaming.
Mu Qiu sat still, munching on the love-given sunflower seeds, looking on Guan Yu and the others’ admiration of the handsome man with disdain.
"Are you going for the show or to watch the person himself?"
Guan Yu nonchalantly answered her, "What’s the difference? Watching him perform, do we have to avoid looking at him?"
"Your perception is very shallow."
"Then make sure not to keep staring at Brother Cheng during the show and tell me that, okay?"
"Cough cough cough!" Mu Qiu choked and coughed, her face turning red from it.
Three seats away, Li Yang looked at her with disdain, "You blew all my melon seed shells onto the floor. Give me a handful of kernels as compensation."
Mu Qiu, being soothed by Cheng Zhirang, retorted sarcastically, "Dream on, you want to extort and freeload, keep dreaming!"
"You..."
Before Li Yang could respond, Guan Yu turned her head and told him to shut up.
"I want to hear the handsome guy sing, be quiet."
Li Yang: "......" Poor Yangyang.
Lin Lian’s song choice was quite special; it was "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
The English version, sung slowly and softly, almost like cooing a child to sleep.
His voice was pure and clear, blending with the guitar strings, giving a feeling of a light spring breeze brushing by as he hummed.
Around the lake, newly converted female fans tiptoed, craning their necks to watch him, their hands swaying along.
Though not as popular as Li Yang, for a newcomer without any fan base, he was doing quite well.
Mu Qiu, munching melon seeds, whispered to Cheng Zhirang, "Zhao Yu’s sister loves singing this to the kids at home, and Lin Lian at eighteen likes these lullabies for children."
Cheng Zhirang couldn’t help but glance swiftly at her abdomen, "This song is indeed gentle, meant for children... I know this song too."
Mu Qiu didn’t catch the implication in his tone, nodded, put aside her watermelon to clap for Lin Lian.
After Lin Lian, it was Xu Cheng and the others’ turn, Xu Cheng and Zhang Li delivered a singing and dancing act that got everyone hyped, followed by Bai Shu, Jiang Zhu, and Chuchu’s group performance.
Guan Yu and the group were very supportive, cheering, clapping like seals, keeping the atmosphere lively.
And right at this moment, Guan Yu began to volunteer herself.
"Friends! After witnessing these spectacular performances by the usual hotties, following tradition, it’s time to welcome an ultimate beauty on stage!"
"I’m sure everyone is eagerly anticipating, right?! So now, let’s welcome the best looking, prettiest, gentlest, smartest, and most helpful member of our show—"
Mu Qiu and Shu Ran stood up one after another silently.
Then they watched as Guan Yu dramatically directed her introducing gesture towards herself.
"Welcome Guan Yu!"
Others: "......" Well, isn’t that shameless.
Li Yang, eating melon, was so shocked he spat red watermelon juice, which coincidentally landed on Shi Yuhuai’s pants, looking up only to meet Shi Yuhuai’s piercing gaze.
"...Sorry Brother Huai, I was really startled to act like that."
Shi Yuhuai wasn’t listening, started wiping his pants with tissues, seizing all watermelon in front of Li Yang.
Across from them, Mu Qiu and Shu Ran quietly sat down, each made a comment about Guan Yu.
Shu Ran: "Do you have no shame?"
Mu Qiu: "That was rash, those adjectives were actually sarcasm, I was too naive."
"You’re the one being sarcastic!" Guan Yu put down the microphone, let her hair down, and shook it with a flip.
"You must watch closely and listen carefully to my upcoming performance!"
Shi Yuhuai: "I’m all set to close my eyes and cover my ears."
Mu Qiu laughed out loud, thinking how cheeky she was. But before her smile could fade, she heard Guan Yu announce with a raised microphone:
"Next, please enjoy a New Era dance track, performed by my teammates Mu Qiu, Li Yang, and me!"
Mu Qiu & Li Yang: "???"
"Since when were we your teammates? We’ve already performed!"
Guan Yu went over to pull her, "Just consider it aiding a poor soul with a heart for the arts! It’s a good deed accumulating merit!"
Mu Qiu resisted with all her might, leaning back to avoid her, while Cheng Zhirang steadied her by placing a hand on her shoulder blades.
"We agreed on a recap performance, the registration was just you alone, how can it change last minute?!"
Li Yang: "Exactly!"
Guan Yu chuckled, "Truth be told, during registration, I signed up all three of us."
Mu Qiu & Li Yang: "...What the heck."
Shu Ran chuckled encouragingly, "Very good, she might not be impressive alone, but with you two, it’s bound to be stunning."
Guan Yu: "Today, I’m leaving the program with the most spectacular sing-dance act."
Shi Yuhuai’s brow twitched, "Who’s singing? Who’s dancing?"
She intriguingly refused to reveal, "You’ll know when you see it. Come on my partners!"
Mu Qiu and Li Yang were dragged off reluctantly.
The piano on the small stage was moved aside, and Guan Yu stretched her limbs, occasionally squatting with exaggerated breaths.
Mu Qiu was puzzled, "What kind of performance needs a warm-up beforehand? Are you going to ski a lap around the venue?"
Li Yang: "Forewarned, don’t make me dance impromptu, I can’t handle the songs you pick!"
"Small issue," Guan Yu did a few squats, then twisted her waist side to side, saying, "I’ll handle the dance part."
Mu Qiu looked at her in disbelief, "No, don’t do it!"
Li Yang also seemed aghast, "You dancing?!"
He assessed her warm-up routine, hesitatingly asked, "Aerobics?"
"......Aerobics my foot!"
Guan Yu completed her warm-up, snapped fingers at the staff behind, with a subtle smile, "Music!"
Before long, the powerful and resonant "Hero Song" echoed across the lake.