Chapter 44: Music Class (Part 1)
It was a bright and sunny afternoon.
Golden sunlight poured through the windows and spread across the desks in the classroom without restraint.
Because the weather was cold, this gentle sunshine only made people feel comfortable, so the students sitting by the windows did not bother closing the curtains.
At that moment, Li Nuo was looking down at his phone, completely unconcerned about being caught by the teacher.
The main reason was that even if he got caught, nothing much would happen, because this was music class. Music teachers usually did not care much if students played with their phones during class.
The teacher who taught them music was named Xiao Ying.
She was a young female teacher, probably in her early twenties. It seemed that she had come to teach at Nanqin High School shortly after graduating.
Because she was young, Xiao Ying got along very easily with her students. Many of them treated her more like a friend than a teacher and were not afraid of her the way they were afraid of other teachers.
She was also the only music teacher in the entire school.
Since third-year students did not have music classes, she only taught first-year and second-year students.
There were ten classes in each grade, meaning she taught many different classes. On average, she had about four classes a day and came to school almost every day. Her job was not nearly as easy as many people imagined.
Because she had so many classes to teach, she often spent a little time teaching material from the music textbook before letting the students study on their own.
As a result, music class felt more like a self-study period in a different classroom.
Still, there was one thing that made it different from regular self-study.
Even when she was not actively teaching, Xiao Ying would use her own speakers to play pleasant music for the students.
Inside the music room, most students were like Li Nuo, looking down at their phones.
Some were taking naps.
Others, the hardworking students, were still studying their books seriously.
Wearing earphones, Li Nuo stared at the Annual Top Songs ranking on his phone and kept refreshing the page.
Ten days had passed since [The Girls] released their new album.
Every day during those ten days, he had checked the rankings, desperately hoping that at least one song would enter the top ten.
After all, there were less than twenty days left before the end of the year.
If none of their songs entered the top ten before New Year's Day, then The Girls would have no choice but to officially disband.
Although he had not been with the band for very long, he had already become attached to it.
Everyone in the band treated him well, and he did not want to see them disappointed.
…………………………
At the teacher's desk.
After a song finished playing, Xiao Ying pressed the pause button.
She stood up, clapped her hands, and said,
"Alright, everyone. Stop sleeping and put away your phones for a moment. I heard that there's a student in this class who's in a band. Can someone tell me who it is?"
The moment she finished speaking, the entire class turned their eyes toward An Ran'er, who was sitting in the back row.
An Ran'er had been listening to music through her earphones with her head lowered.
Feeling everyone's gaze on her, she took off one earphone and looked up in confusion.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Xiao Ying looked at her and clasped her hands together with a smile.
"Oh, so it's you."
She glanced down at the attendance book.
"An... An Ran'er, right?"
"Uh... yes. Is there something you need, Teacher?"
"Nothing serious. I just heard that you're in a band, and I'd like to invite you to come up and perform something for the class. Is that okay?"
"Perform something?"
"That's right. Can you do it, Student An?" Xiao Ying smiled warmly.
"Well... I guess that's fine." An Ran'er replied calmly.
Then she glanced at Li Nuo, who was still looking down at his phone beside her.
After thinking for a moment, she added,
"Teacher, can I bring someone with me?"
"Of course. Who do you want to bring?"
An Ran'er looked at Li Nuo and smiled mischievously.
"My desk mate, Li Nuo."
Meanwhile, Li Nuo was still completely unaware of what was happening.
It was not until Zhou Qikuan, who sat behind him, tapped him on the back that he finally looked up.
"Huh? What?"
Zhou Qikuan did not answer. Instead, he motioned with his eyes for Li Nuo to look around.
Confused, Li Nuo turned his head.
Only then did he realize that the music teacher and the entire class were staring at him.
He nearly jumped out of his seat.
"Y-You all... I... W-What's going on?"
Xiao Ying smiled at his panicked expression.
"You're Li Nuo, right? An Ran'er just invited you to perform on stage with her."
"Huh? Perform?"
Li Nuo became even more confused. Beside him, An Ran'er smiled like she had successfully pulled a prank.
"Come on, Student Li Nuo."
"W-Wait, what!?"
………………………
The two of them walked to the front of the classroom one after another.
Xiao Ying asked, "Do you need any instruments?"
"Yes."
An Ran'er answered immediately.
She looked at Li Nuo and added:
"Teacher, two guitars, please."
"Two guitars?"
Xiao Ying looked around.
"Uh... I think there's only one guitar."
Since this was a music room, there were various instruments available, but there were not many of each type.
"It's fine."
An Ran'er thought for a moment.
"I'll use the piano. Let Li Nuo use the guitar."
"Okay. Then what are you going to perform?"
Xiao Ying tilted her head curiously.
"A song from The Girls' new album."
"Carousel."
The moment An Ran'er said that, the entire classroom erupted in cheers.
After all, getting to hear an actual member of The Girls perform one of the band's own songs live was an amazing opportunity.
Once they had decided, Xiao Ying adjusted the speaker settings and picked up a microphone.
"Alright. So who's the lead singer? Or are both of you singing together?"
"For the lead singer, let Li Nuo do it."
As soon as she said that, the classroom exploded into discussion.
"What? Him?"
"Isn't he a guy?"
"Yeah, aren't The Girls' songs supposed to be sung by girls?"
"If not her, just pick another girl."
"Can he even sing? He doesn't look like he can."
"If he's singing, I might as well go up there myself!"
A chubby boy covered in acne shouted from his seat. The boys around him immediately burst out laughing.
"Sure, sure! Then you go!"
"Yeah, get up there!"
The chubby boy laughed as well.
"No way. At least I know my limits."
Doubts.
Mockery.
Ridicule.
The voices came from every direction, stabbing into Li Nuo like needles as he stood at the front of the classroom.
The scene reminded him of his middle school days.
Back then, after singing at school, he had been laughed at by everyone.
The humiliating memories replayed vividly in his mind.
Ashamed, he lowered his head.
His eyes drifted toward An Ran'er, who was sitting at the piano testing the keys.
He could not understand why she had dragged him up here.
Why she was making him relive the same embarrassment he had suffered back in middle school.
Why she was making him stand in front of everyone and become a laughingstock once again.