Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 48 Unexpected

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Chen Hui clapped his hands and looked at Xiao Hong, saying, "Not bad, not bad, your voice is very good. The whole song was perfect, no cracks or wavering. It's just that you rushed a few notes. Is this your first time singing here?"

Xiao Hong nodded, but her excitement had worn off, and she blushed deeply, resting her head on Xiao Wei's shoulder, too embarrassed to show her face.

Chen Hui said, "Is this really your first time? You're really good. Practice some more and you'll sing even better."

Xiao Wei said, "I couldn't tell if it was good or bad, but I felt her voice was a bit abnormal, a bit trembling, which isn't normal."

Chen Huibai glanced at Xiaowei and said, "If you're so good, you try it! Sing right now, and if you can hit a whole note, you'll be amazing. Let me tell you, the first time I sang this, my whole body was shaking, I couldn't produce a complete sound at all, and I was completely off-key, it was unbearable to listen to. But I got used to it and wasn't nervous anymore. This is her first time being nervous, you know how people tremble when they're nervous and scared?"

Xiao Wei said, "Why would I be nervous? I've never been afraid of anything since I was a child. I've never trembled before. I don't know what's wrong with me. Old Xia, have you ever trembled?"

Xia Maosheng raised his head and thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "I can't remember. Maybe it happened when I was a child? It hasn't happened since I grew up. People do shake when they're nervous."

Li Guangzhao, holding a teacup, said, "Xiaowei, you go up and sing one for them."

Then a few people started urging Xiaowei to sing a song. Xiaowei scratched his head, thought for a moment, and frowned, saying, "Sing what? I don't know a single complete song. I don't usually have time to listen to songs. I just listen to a few tunes while riding my bike back and forth. I usually just hum along randomly."

Xiao Hong, having recovered somewhat, interjected, "Don't you know how to sing 'Hometown Clouds'? I've heard you sing it several times."

Xiao Wei's face stiffened; he hadn't expected to be betrayed by his wife.

While they were talking, the people at those tables started singing. If they had all requested songs, they would take turns singing one song per table, which was somewhat similar to some large karaoke bars in later generations.

Chen Hui called the waiter over, ordered two more songs, and then said to Xiao Wei, "You ordered them, so you have to sing them. Even if you sing off-key, you have to finish them. It's not embarrassing to finish them, but it's embarrassing to not sing them or to sing only half of them."

Xiao Wei's face turned a little red, but he stubbornly said, "Singing is fine, it's no big deal." Only Xiao Hong could tell that he was a little nervous, but she didn't say anything and just covered her mouth and laughed.

"Horses gallop across the vast grasslands, steel guns are gripped tightly with gleaming bayonets, the mountains and rivers of the motherland are connected to my heart, and I will never allow jackals to invade..." On the other table, a sung song was really good. The voice was bright and clear, and the melody was well-controlled. Many onlookers shouted along, and the second half sounded like a chorus.

Xiao Wei felt the pressure and muttered under his breath, "Damn, if you sing so well, why don't you go on TV? What are you doing here? Is it fun to show off like this? How am I supposed to sing like this?" Xiao Hong chuckled, then stifled her laughter and kept bobbing her head against Xiao Wei.

Chen Hui turned his head and asked, "What's going on? Why are you laughing like that?"

Xiao Wei looked up at the people singing, as if it had nothing to do with him, and said, "I don't know, I'm just having a fit." Then, someone pinched and twisted his waist, making him wince in pain and hiss. Chen Hui asked, "What's wrong with you now?"

Xiao Wei chuckled and said, "It's cold. Don't you feel the wind is getting stronger?" Xiao Hong, half-hiding behind Xiao Wei, was already laughing uncontrollably.

Finally, it was Xiaowei's turn. The young man handed him a microphone and encouraged him, saying, "Sing loud, bro, I'll applaud you." This group of eight people spent ninety yuan, which is considered a big spender these days.

Xiao Wei stood up with the microphone in his hand and suddenly became nervous. It was as if the world had suddenly become quiet and everyone's eyes were on him. Even the microphone in his hand felt much heavier. He nodded to the direction of the music playing, just like Chen Hui and the others did. Then he stared nervously at the projection screen, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the microphone.

He felt his legs shaking a little, so he stomped his feet and took two deep breaths, but it didn't help much; they were still shaking, and even his hands were shaking a little.

As the music started, the white lyrics turned green and slowly moved. He quickly sang along: "The clouds of my hometown drift across the sky, constantly calling to me. When the breeze gently blows, a voice calls to me, 'Come back, come back...'" Xiao Wei's voice was still good. Because he had been doing physical labor for many years, his lung capacity was strong enough. Although it was the first time he had sung along with the music, people back then remembered the lyrics well, so it was easier than singing karaoke now.

However, due to nervousness, he started too high, hitting the climax of the first line. As a result, his voice cracked when he reached the climax, and everyone at the table except Wang Zhilong burst into laughter. They were all leaning on the table and chairs, shaking and trembling. Even the people at the next table were laughing, and you could tell that he had started too high.

After finishing the song, Xiao Wei felt like he had used up all his energy over the years, but he was also excited. It felt great!

The young man who came to get the microphone took it and said, "Brother, your voice is really loud. My ears are ringing over there." The laughter, which had just subsided and slowed down, grew louder, and even many of the onlookers outside the fence joined in the laughter.

Xiao Wei slowly sat down, controlling his breathing. His face was burning, but it felt pretty good. After the initial nervousness passed, all that was left was excitement. He suddenly realized that singing wasn't so difficult after all.

Xiao Hong asked softly, "Do you still want to sing?"

Xiao Wei turned to look at her and immediately understood. He said, "Sing if you want to. You sing well. Let Chen Hui choose what to sing."

Xiao Hong hesitated for a moment, glanced at the people at the other tables, and whispered, "I want to sing about my hometown."

Chen Hui, standing to the side, asked, "Hometown? Who sang that?"

Xiao Hong said, "Wang Mingquan, such a beautiful song."

Chen Hui thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I really haven't heard of it. Let me ask if they have it. It's not like they have every song. Each disc costs several hundred yuan. If we bought all the songs, we wouldn't need to do this job. There are so many other things we could do with that money."

When I asked, they said yes. They might not have all the mainland Chinese songs, but they definitely have all the Hong Kong and Taiwan songs. They're so popular! These days, Hong Kong and Taiwan songs are everyone's thing; no matter the language, every song they release becomes a hit.

"Green grass carpets the foot of the mountain, wildflowers bloom along the roadside, and the river meanders around it—this is my home. The wind rustles the flowers and branches, and colorful clouds hang in the sky."

A peaceful and serene place, this is my home…

Xiao Hong's performance in this song was quite normal. Her voice didn't shake, and her breath control was much more stable. She sang it much better than the first song. Moreover, it was a slightly mischievous upbeat song. In an era where the whole country was filled with rousing slow songs, such an upbeat song felt refreshing and drew applause.

……

Time flies when you're focused on doing something.

It was late at night, the music had ended, and everyone had packed up. It was 10 o'clock, and if they didn't pack up soon, the police would be coming.

When it came time to pay the bill, something unexpected happened. Wang Zhilong, who had been silent the whole time, took out a hundred yuan and handed it to the waiter, still with that smug look on his face, saying, "Check, keep the change, it's just a small amount."

Amidst the waiter's repeated thanks, Wang Zhilong walked out of the courtyard first, head held high, followed by seven bewildered people.