"Uncle Cui, it's up to you! Wouldn't it be better to open before Christmas? By then, the custor flow should be quite significant."
Li Si thought about how, although Christmas was a foreign holiday, people nowadays placed increasing importance on it. Every year, during this ti, they would gather and spend money.
Cui Hao nodded in agreent and said enthusiastically, "We think alike! Today is the 9th. Why don't we open on the 15th, which is a weekend? By then, we can invite so singers and perforrs to liven up the atmosphere and promote our shop!"
Li Si clapped her hands in approval, rembering the matter of her aunt working at the shop. She specifically instructed Cui Hao not to ntion to anyone that she was the behind-the-scenes owner of the shop. If her aunt asked, Cui Hao was to say that his daughter was Li Si's classmate and leave it at that.
On Saturday the 15th, the weather was bright and sunny, sweeping away the previous cold and warming up a bit. Li Si, wearing a white down jacket and matching white boots, arrived early at the large warehouse behind the shop. Taking advantage of the quiet before anyone arrived, she used vegetables and fruits watered with diluted river water from her space and filled the shelves to the brim.
She planned to assess the usage after opening and resupply once a week. Dusting off her hands, Li Si left with a light spring in her step.
That evening, Cui Hao called Li Si to report on the day's opening. Business had been good, and they both expressed excitent and optimism for the future.
Li Si knew that all of this success was thanks to Cui Hao's work ethic and social connections. If she had undertaken this endeavor on her own, it might have taken at least half a year to a year to make a na for herself.
Around Christmas, just as they had anticipated, the shop's business flourished. The fruits and vegetables Li Si provided, enhanced by diluted river water, had an excellent effect. Many custors, impressed by the quality, brought along friends. The shop's reputation grew steadily, and daily revenue increased significantly.
New Year's Day was fast approaching, and the winter break was set to start in two days. At school, there was an upcoming New Year's gala, and many talented students signed up to perform.
Li Si was nominated by her classmates to play a piano piece. After considering a few songs she was proficient in, she ultimately chose *A Maiden's Prayer*, as it was her father's favorite piece of her repertoire. She wanted to play it for him—to hope and pray that he was happy and content in heaven.
On the day of the performance, she wore a white long dress as her performance attire. Sitting at the piano, she looked like a music sprite from the audience's perspective. During makeup, Bai Shasha suggested she push back her bangs with a headband to reveal her smooth forehead. With sparkling eyeshadow and simple mascara enhancing her bright eyes, she imdiately transford into a breathtaking and beautiful young lady in everyone's eyes.
The audience was noisy at first, but as soon as Li Si played a few introductory notes, the crowd fell completely silent.
Yin Xian, invited by his high school classmate to visit the school, happened upon this New Year's gala. When he heard the announcer state the perforr's na—Li Si—he thought to himself, could this be the sa Li Si who saved Beibei?
As the piano notes of *A Maiden's Prayer* filled the room, he focused intently on the perforr. For a mont, he felt dazed. The lody was so familiar, echoing countless tis within his mories.
"Brother Xian, how does Weiwei play? In the future, I'll play for you all the ti, okay?"
"Okay, I'll only listen to the pieces you play in the future!" mories surged forward like a tidal wave, vivid as if happening right before him.
But it was the past—all of it was in the past. The girl on stage now was not his Weiwei but a completely unfamiliar girl. Yet, as he stared at her, Yin Xian noticed a faint resemblance between Li Si and Weiwei, especially in her full forehead and the temperant of her eyes.
Li Si was entirely imrsed in her music, oblivious to what was happening below the stage. The piano notes shifted from uplifting joy to a profound lancholy, like sighs emanating from her heart. Later, during the variation, the emotions of the music climbed from somber back to cheerful, though not as grand as its earlier peak.
The audience empathized deeply with the lancholy expressed in the music. As the final variation concluded with the passionate main the, it brimd with vigor, enthusiasm, and the vibrant energy of a young girl filled with bright hopes for the future.
When the piece ended, the audience erupted in thunderous applause. Li Si stood, bowed, and retreated to the backstage area, where Bai Shasha was the first to rush up to her. "Oh my god, Si, that was amazing! You're definitely going to win first place this ti!"
Li Si was also elated. After years of piano practice, this was the most satisfying performance she had ever given. "What first place? Don't forget, the drama performance by the Chinese departnt was also really good."
"Oh, you're right; I almost forgot. Still, it's not about winning. I'm just so happy. How about we grab sothing to eat after everything's done?" Bai Shasha said as she helped her change out of her performance attire.
"Sure!" After working so hard, Li Si's stomach was already growling.
Just then, Yin Xian and his classmate appeared backstage and found Li Si as she was getting ready to leave. "Hey, Li Si! I didn't expect it to be you!"
Li Si looked at him, puzzled. He seed familiar. "You are...? Oh! You're Beibei's uncle, right? Wait, why are you at our school?" She suddenly rembered, although his outfit was quite different from that day—a beige cotton shirt, jeans, with a black winter coat slung over his arm. For a mont, she had mistaken him as a senior from the school.
"That's right. Your piano performance was incredible! This is my classmate, Jia Yuejing. He's also from North City and a senior in his final year!" Yin Xian gazed intently at the now makeup-free Li Si. Without the stage's glamour, she looked more like an exquisitely carved porcelain doll, fair and flawless.
"What na?" Bai Shasha, caught in the noisy backstage, misheard it as sothing rather awkward—Jia 'Yuejing' (nstruation). Stifling her laughter, she asked again.
Jia Yuejing chuckled shyly; it was clear his na often drew such confusion. "I'm Jia Yuejing. 'Yue' as in Cantonese, and 'Jing' as in unexpected."
Li Si tried to hold back her laughter. "Nice to et you. I'm Li Si, and this is my good friend Bai Shasha."
Yin Xian nodded in acknowledgnt. "Nice to et you. I'm Yin Xian."
Bai Shasha greeted them as well, silently musing to herself about the peculiar combination of an "insidious guy" (Yin Xian's na sounding like 'insidious' in Chinese) and "nstruation" (Yuejing). Truly a strange pair!
The four of them joked and chatted for a while, gradually becoming more familiar. Li Si then invited them out for a al, and everyone gladly agreed.
They all piled into Jia Yuejing's Audi and headed to Uncle Bo's Ho Cooking, a restaurant he had suggested. Li Si had no objections. Ever since the restaurant's opening, she had only been visiting the warehouse to supply goods weekly. This was a perfect opportunity to evaluate the restaurant as a custor herself.
When they arrived at Uncle Bo's Ho Cooking, the parking lot in front was already packed with cars. They had to search for a bit before finding a spot near the restaurant.
The night sky over North City was clear, with a high-hanging moon and a few twinkling stars. As Li Si got out of the car, she looked up at the sky and inhaled deeply the crisp, chilled air. This kind of mont felt truly wonderful.
Upon entering the restaurant, they were greeted by a bustling scene, with waitstaff hurrying about. Jia Yuejing had already reserved the Tulip Private Room beforehand, and they followed the server up to the second floor in single file.
As they walked, Li Si examined every detail. She was very satisfied with what she saw; Uncle Cui's managent skills were indeed impressive. However, she hadn't seen him downstairs earlier and assud he must be busy elsewhere.
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