TIMO - Chapter 19
Chapter 19
This was a question Fu Zhao had pondered countless times.
Ever since she became the Little Island Master of Nanke Island, became the Fu Zhao in this book, she had been searching for the answer to this question.
If she were the original host, had gone through everything the original host had experienced, and ultimately faced the same situation, or even... one day felt the same emotions, loving Shi Nan as much as the original host did, would she make such a choice?
The answer was no.
But perhaps because she had just finished the movie, her emotions hadn't yet recovered from the “life-or-death love of the story's protagonists.” So she waited quietly for a moment, letting the impulse surging in her heart subside, waiting for the wind to dry the moisture that had gathered in Shi Nan's glistening eyes. Only then did she speak, revealing the answer she believed in from the depths of her heart.
“No. Even if I really died, I would still be unwilling.”
“How could anyone be willing to do something like that?” she said, her tone declarative, her expression calm.
She knew clearly that she had always been someone who wasn't emotionally effusive. After all, in all her years, right up until she transmigrated into this world, she had never had anyone in her life with whom she shared a deep emotional connection.
The people she interacted with were just the dean, teachers, and classmates-no friends, family, or lovers.
Her personality seemed gentle and even-tempered, without any sense of distance, but in reality, she simply didn't want to deal with complex social relationships. She could smile at everyone, be friendly to everyone, but her heart would always be veiled by a layer of gauze, separating her emotions from her reason.
Therefore, she had never met anyone who could enrich her emotional world.
No matter how many movies she watched or stories she heard, she couldn't understand the original host's actions.
In the end, she was just a selfish and cold person.
She fell silent for a moment, then looked at Shi Nan and added, “It’s a pity, but I’m far more selfish than you imagine. I-”
“How is that a pity?”
Shi Nan interrupted Fu Zhao, letting out a soft breath. Her lowered eyelashes trembled, and after a moment, she looked up, the corners of her mouth lifting into a smile. “That’s an entirely correct choice. Nothing could be more correct.”
“Whether you’re willing or unwilling,” she paused, tucking away a strand of hair that had been blown loose, “you yourself are always the most important.”
“You’re not wrong. There’s no need for pity.”
After saying this, Shi Nan stood up from her chair as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and smiled again. “Let’s go. It’s time to head back.”
Fu Zhao stood frozen for a moment, watching Shi Nan’s figure slowly recede and the hem of her clothes flutter gently in the wind. In the end, she didn’t call her back to say anything more.
She could clearly sense something was wrong from the way Shi Nan looked at her, from the words she had spoken.
But she still couldn't figure out what exactly was amiss, which part of it all had gone wrong.
Was Shi Nan talking about the movie, or something else entirely?
The next day.
Before Fu Zhao had a chance to figure out the answer to her question, or decide what kind of relationship she should maintain with Shi Nan, she was dragged into a rehearsal room by Kong Weiyan. There, she found herself face to face with a room full of musical instruments, Jiang Wenqing and Ye Er who had dutifully come to practice after school, and... Fu Wanqing, who was silently standing to the side, holding a glass of red wine and handling work with a Bluetooth earpiece.
Before she could even react, an excited and thrilled Kong Weiyan pushed her down onto the drum stool behind the drum set. She even subconsciously took and gripped the drumsticks Kong Weiyan handed her.
Fu Zhao glanced around at the others. It seemed everyone but her had prepared well in advance, standing seriously at their respective positions, ready to perform their roles. She sighed softly and looked at Fu Wanqing, who was standing to her left. She must have just gotten off work, as she was still in a formal suit. She was adjusting the keyboard with a raised eyebrow, her movements swift and smooth. She looked nothing like the meticulous, mature, and composed Island Master during work hours, nor the gentle mother Fu Zhao remembered.
“Alright!”
Kong Weiyan tossed her hair and clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. She spoke with great enthusiasm, “Everyone should have practiced the song I sent out at home these past few days, right? Let’s do a run-through together now.”
“...What song?”
Fu Zhao asked. Kong Weiyan mumbled, “It’s on the stand in front of you. Just listen for now. We’ll let the others play through it once.”
And so, before Fu Zhao could ask why she hadn't received the music when everyone else had already practiced, she saw Jiang Wenqing and Ye Er nod and pick up their instruments. Fu Wanqing also smiled at her before turning back and placing her hands on the keyboard.
The first note was played.
Then, Fu Zhao stared blankly at the sheet music in front of her. The drum score wasn't difficult, and since she had joined her school's band club out of interest and played the drums for a few months before, she could understand it.
But this did little to ease her confusion.
With questions swirling endlessly in her mind, she listened to the entire song. The style was more lyrical, with a slow, crisp, and melodious tune-not the rock style she had expected.
She hadn't expected that Kong Weiyan, who usually seemed so boisterous, would choose such a nice song.
And... for a first run-through, the result was better than she had imagined.
“Great, great!!” Kong Weiyan clapped enthusiastically. “I told you, forming a band is a fresh new act for the program. We still have two weeks, so we can keep practicing and try to master another song.”
“Finally!!” Jiang Wenqing put down her guitar, her previously tense expression finally relaxing. She hadn't said a word during the song, focused solely on not making a mistake. She stuck out her tongue. “I hope I didn’t hold everyone back.”
Ye Er set down his bass and flipped through the sheet music in front of him, frowning as he thought about the few notes he had played incorrectly.
Fu Wanqing walked over and patted Ye Er and Jiang Wenqing on the head, smiling gently. “You both did great~ Thank you for your hard work helping us prepare for the show.”
“I might not be able to come often after this, but I'll try my best to be here, and I'll use my break time to practice. In any case, thank you all for accommodating me.”
“Not at all, not at all~” Kong Weiyan said with a friendly and fawning smile. “The Island Master is busy with many affairs. It was my idea to form a band in the first place. The fact that you could make time to rehearse with us already shows your sincerity.”
“Besides, Fu Zhao is here anyway. If you have something to do and can’t make it, you can have her go back and tell you about the daily rehearsals.”
“Mhm~” Fu Wanqing hummed in agreement, looking at Fu Zhao and winking. “With Zhaozhao here, I’m not worried.”
“Right, Zhaozhao?”
Following Fu Wanqing's words, everyone in the room turned their gaze to Fu Zhao. She paused, then pressed her lips together in resignation. “I can be. But...”
She took a deep breath. “You guys at least have to tell me what’s going on. For example, when are we practicing? When did you all start? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Also... has the lead singer not arrived?”
“Okay, okay, I’ll answer one by one.” Kong Weiyan exchanged a glance with Fu Wanqing, then cleared her throat with a soft cough. “Before the closing ceremony, we basically have to practice every day. The time will be about the same as today-we’ll wait for Ye Er and Jiang Wenqing to get out of school. On Saturdays and Sundays, we’ll practice in the afternoon.”
“I sent the music to them beforehand so they could practice on their own at home, and then we could play together here.”
“As for why I didn’t send it to you, it’s purely because... I forgot.” Kong Weiyan grew a little embarrassed as she spoke, trailing off. She looked at Fu Zhao and gave a dry laugh. “But the others didn’t get it that much earlier. And you already know how to play the drums, so it should be fine, right~~”
Fu Zhao quietly crossed her arms. After Kong Weiyan finished, she neither nodded nor responded, only asking, “What about the lead singer?”
“The lead singer...” Kong Weiyan frowned and glanced at her watch. “She asked for a bit of time off earlier, said a lot of packages suddenly arrived at her house that she needed to receive. But she should be here by now...”
“Who is she? Do I know her?” Fu Zhao pressed her lips together, unable to resist asking. Although she had already picked up on some clues from the others' expressions and had an idea in her mind, she still wanted to hear the answer from Kong Weiyan's lips.
Kong Weiyan couldn't tell if the expression on Fu Zhao's face was good or bad, but she could only answer honestly.
“Not only do you know her, you know her very well.”
Fu Zhao already had the answer in her heart. She closed her eyes, her tone a little uncomfortable.
Still, using a declarative tone, she spoke before Kong Weiyan could say the name.
“It’s Shi Nan, right?”
Author's Notes
She believes herself to be selfish and cold.
But the other believes her to be the warmest person in the world.
Comments
Post a Comment