Yueyue also sent her blessings to her sister, feeling a little nervous, knowing it would soon be her turn to perform.
Luo Qiao saw Yueyue’s nervousness and took her hand: "Mom and sister believe in you, just do as you would at ho when you practice."
Yueyue felt reassured by her mother’s words.
Half an hour later, Yueyue’s na was called.
Yueyue walked to the center of the stage, introduced herself in perfect English, and then in Chinese, bowed, and moved to the piano.
Luo Qiao really hadn’t expected Yueyue to be so thoughtful, and she felt a surge of excitent.
Once Yueyue finished her piece, the room erupted in warm applause, and it was then that Yueyue took a deep bow before retreating backstage.
Luo Qiao was all smiles, the mother and her two daughters embraced. Yueyue’s piece was perfect in every note – accurate, smooth, clean, and flawless.
The results were announced quickly. Although Yanyan’s scores were not as good as Yueyue’s, both children made it into the finals, and that was enough.
Yanyan looked at her sister: "Yueyue, how did you think to introduce yourself in two languages? I didn’t think of that."
Yueyue smiled and said, "All the kids before us only introduced themselves in English. It’s normal you didn’t think of it, sis. I was a little nervous when I first went on stage, but then I rembered what mom always says, that we are Chinese, and we shouldn’t forget that no matter where we go. I don’t know why, but it made want to introduce myself in Chinese, and doing that, I wasn’t nervous anymore."
Yanyan laughed: "You’re really aweso, sis."
Luo Qiao praised them: "Both of you were fantastic today, mom is so proud."
The three of them shared a laugh.
The mother and her two daughters took the sa train back to Boston at four, and today Luo Qiao didn’t forget the ti difference, so she didn’t call Lu Yichen.
That was tough on Lu Yichen, who’d been waiting by the phone until dawn. He’d thought about calling, but not knowing their situation on the other side, and fearing he would disturb them, he eventually fell asleep on the couch.
It wasn’t until Luo Qiao and the girls had returned to Boston and finished their late night snack that they called him.
Lu Yichen, not wanting his wife and daughters to feel guilty, didn’t ntion that he had been waiting by the phone. Upon hearing both his daughters had made it to the finals, he stood up, his empty hand clenched into a fist, ecstatically excited.
He exclaid with excitent: "My girls are truly great, making their ol’ dad so proud!"
Hearing this, Luo Qiao thought, "Well, he’s so thrilled he’s even calling himself ’ol’ dad’."
Yanyan and Yueyue briefly spoke with their dad and then hung up to rest.
Watching her two daughters off to bed, staying until they fell asleep, Luo Qiao kissed their foreheads, turned off the light, and left the room.
She then made sure the boys’ blankets were tucked in before returning to her own room.
No sooner had she lain down than the phone rang. "Hello, Qiao Bao?"
Luo Qiao checked the ti: "Where are you now?"
Lu Yichen laughed quietly: "Don’t worry, I’ve closed the door. No one will hear."
Luo Qiao asked: "It seems you are even more excited than the girls."
Lu Yichen, amused by his wife’s teasing, replied: "Of course, they’re still so young. Even if they don’t win any awards, my girls made it to the finals. I’ll brag to everyone in a bit. They’ll be green with envy."
Not hearing Luo Qiao’s response, he asked, "Qiaoqiao, why aren’t you talking?"
"What should I say? Besides, I have to be able to get a word in edgewise."
Lu Yichen burst into laughter at his wife’s response: "Sorry, sorry, I got carried away with my pride."
Then he added, sounding a bit disappointed: "It’s a pity I can’t be there with you to celebrate in the mont. Qiao Bao, my dear, I miss you, I miss you terribly."
Luo Qiao knew he ant it, and she felt the sa: "Brother Chen, it’s less than four months now before we return, and then we’ll never be apart this long again."
Lu Yichen got sentintal: "Okay, my dear, I’m counting down the days, eagerly awaiting your return."
Luo Qiao heard a knock on the other end: "Brother Chen, have you got sothing going on there? I heard a knock."
Lu Yichen humd in acknowledgnt: "Qiao Bao, you should rest. I have to work. Love you, darling. Waiting for you to co back on ti."
After hanging up, Lu Yichen got up and opened the door, greeted by Qiu Guangming and several others. Today, feeling good, he didn’t greet them with his usual stern face: "What’s going on?"
Qiu Guangming, followed by a few people, walked in: "You’re locked up here in broad daylight, we thought you were up to no good in your office?"
Everyone laughed.
Lu Yichen poured himself a glass of water: "Help yourselves to water if you want."
Sitting behind his desk with a smile, he said: "I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll let it slide."
Qiu Guangming got up and poured himself a glass of water: "Tell us, what’s the good news?"
Adding, jokingly, after considering the locked office door: "Sis-in-law still has a few months before coming back, could it be she praised you over the phone? Is that why you’re happy?"
Lu Yichen didn’t beat around the bush: "My daughters Yanyan and Yueyue entered an international youth piano competition. Today was the semifinals, and they made it to the finals."
Everyone sitting there started clamoring for the chief to treat them, and Lu Yichen, in good spirits, agreed: "Alright, stop making noise, I’ll treat you at noon. But we are only having a al, no drinks, let’s not interfere with our work."
Surprised that the chief had actually agreed, they finished their conversation happily and got ready to leave.
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