Part 3
So in Shen Bei’s older brother’s eyes, their band was just fooling around and playing. Bai Sinian smiled bitterly.
Or perhaps, in the eyes of most people, that was what they thought.
Cui Yeyi sat up straight, dissatisfied. “What do you mean ‘fool around’? We study hard too! Playing in the band is a pastime for our spare time!”
Lu Ming’s face clouded over, his lips pressing into a straight line.
Fan Hongyi spoke up, his voice not loud, offering a suggestion. “Actually, maybe you should ask Shen Bei what he thinks first… Cui Yeyi applied for a major he doesn’t like just to be closer to us. After all, he can just find a random job at his family’s company when he graduates, and Big Brother Lu, your family is so rich… Shen Bei can be whatever he likes, right?”
“Of course,” Lu Ming answered without hesitation.
But even though he said that, he wanted Shen Bei to fly to higher places and see a broader world.
Perhaps the voices in the study were too loud, because Shen Bei had appeared at the door at some point.
He was wearing cartoon loungewear, looking like a child who never grew up, standing barefoot in the doorway.
“Brother, I don’t want to go to France…”
“Shen Bei!” Bai Sinian and the others stood up one after another, looking toward the door.
The kid had visibly lost weight. His face was pale, and he looked extremely haggard.
“Why aren’t you wearing shoes?” Lu Ming’s eyes were full of worry. He hurried over, took off his own slippers for Shen Bei to wear, and then called for Auntie Chen to bring shoes over.
Lu Ming was tall, a full head taller than Shen Bei, so his shoes were large too.
Wearing them, Shen Bei looked like a child secretly wearing a parent’s slippers.
He walked to the sofa and said with his eyes slightly lowered, “I… I want to be with you guys.”
“Brother… can I stay in Zhoucheng? I’ll do anything,” Shen Bei turned back to ask Lu Ming.
Lu Ming’s heart surged with conflicting emotions. Everyone’s gaze fell on him, waiting for his final decision.
“Don’t you want to be with Mom and Dad?” Lu Ming asked finally.
Shen Bei wanted to be with his mom, but he didn’t want to be with Lu Ming’s dad—his stepfather. So, he shook his head.
Lu Ming closed his eyes deeply for a moment, then said, “Alright. I’ll talk to our parents about this again. I’ll figure out a way to let you stay in Zhoucheng.”
“Really?! Brother, you’re the best!”
Hope reappeared in Shen Bei’s eyes, and Bai Sinian and the others couldn’t help but cheer.
Only Lu Ming looked grave. His feelings were very complicated. He had planned to let Shen Bei get some credentials abroad so that when he took over the family business in the future, his subordinates would be convinced.
This was the best everything a brother could give him, but this younger brother just didn’t have much ambition and only wanted to stay in a small place like Zhoucheng.
But no matter what, seeing the smile return to Shen Bei’s face, Lu Ming felt relieved.
Whatever happened in the future, he would always be there to be his safety net.
Lu Ming kept them for dinner. Seeing the boys acting unrestrained and happy together, the gloom in Lu Ming’s heart over the past few days gradually dissipated.
Time passed like a white horse flashing past a crevice; soon, it was the day for school enrollment.
Bai Sinian’s parents drove the two boys to Zhoucheng Music Academy.
This century-old school had undergone multiple transformations and name changes. It was located at the midway point between Zhoucheng’s city center and the suburbs.
At the school gate stood a giant granite sculpture carved with the words “Zhoucheng Music Academy.” Bai Sinian and Bian Rui dragged their suitcases, ready to enter the gate.
Bai Sinian’s mom grabbed the two of them. “Wait, take a photo for the memory!”
First, Bai Sinian took a photo of his parents, who were even more excited than he was. Then Bian Rui took one of their family of three. Immediately after, Bai Sinian’s mom pulled Bian Rui in and found a passing student to take a photo of the four of them.
“Mom, we’re here to go to school, not to be tourists.”
Bai Sinian pulled his mom toward the campus. She followed behind, beaming. “Son, when I go back, I can brag to my colleagues! Getting into this school with such a sky-high score, you can pick any major you want!”
Bai Sinian’s dad quietly added, “I just don’t know if it’ll be easy to find a job when you graduate.”
“Dad, stop worrying so much. I’m so smart, I can support myself doing anything,” Bai Sinian whispered harshly, just wanting the two elders to walk faster.
Bian Rui dragged his luggage alongside them, the corners of his mouth hooked up as he listened to the family of three chat.
The campus was lush with towering ancient trees. The leaves of the plane trees lining the roads had started to turn yellow, with a few falling leaves drifting in the wind occasionally.
Walking past the wide square, the academic buildings came into view. Looking further, there was a tall building—their new library, majestic and magnificent.
Following the signs, they dragged their luggage all the way to the boys’ dormitory.
Bian Rui was a vocal major, and Bai Sinian was a directing major. Technically, they were in different colleges and should live in different dorms, but Bian Rui and Bai Sinian had made an agreement.
They had to apply to live together on the very first day of registration; otherwise, trying to change dorms later would be a hassle.
Because the school had been renovated several times, some of the old dorms were hard to repair. So, the school dorms were divided into two tiers. The old dorms were four-person rooms, and the price per semester was very cheap.
Then there was a newly built dorm building with double rooms, which was expensive.
“Live in the expensive one. Expensive definitely means good,” Bai Sinian’s dad said generously.
When Bai Sinian’s mom helped them register for housing, she chose the brand-new double room. “Naturally. Son, you have to make your dad earn more money quickly so your life can be worry-free.”
“Mom, I’m an adult. I can work part-time to earn money and support myself!” Bai Sinian said proudly.
Bian Rui smiled. “Auntie, don’t worry. I’m in the same dorm as him; I won’t let him starve.”
Bai Sinian’s mom smiled with relief. “I’ll trouble you to look after him then!”
“Definitely.”
Bai Sinian’s parents walked them into the new dorm. Pushing open the door, Bai Sinian let out a “Wow.”
“This is too cool!” Bai Sinian threw aside his suitcase and rushed into the room.
“Bian Rui, come to the balcony! Look, you can see the sports field! The view is amazing!” Bai Sinian was as excited as a country bumpkin entering the city for the first time.
Bian Rui accompanied him in looking over the entire dorm.
It was finally no longer bunk beds with desks underneath. This time, there were two 1.8-meter single beds, each against a wall. The foot of each bed was equipped with a desk, and even the wardrobes were double-sized.
The bathroom was also much larger than the one in high school, with marble tile floors and 24-hour hot water.
“Money well spent.” Bai Sinian’s mom was very satisfied.
His dad sighed. “I really don’t know if you’re here to attend school or to go on vacation. These conditions are too good.”
“Dad, Mom, I’ll cherish it and study hard!” Bai Sinian swore he absolutely wouldn’t let such a good environment go to waste!
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