Parallel Lines Chapter 10 - The Return

"Wow, Tina, where did you get such a big box of junk?" Emily asked curiously, flipping through the "costumes" that Tina brought back to everyone.

"It's a leftover from a friend's drama competition last year." That was Tina's classmate in the pipa class at the Music Office.

Emily picked up a cloth and sniffed it: "Can you bear this musty smell?"

"After all, it's been in the storage room for a whole year... People gave us unconditionally, and it's even an ancient costume, can you just take it?" Tina said helplessly.

In fact, their progress in making costumes these days is not ideal. The pieces of sackcloth that were sewn together were also far-fetched to be called clothes.

"It would be better to take it out for a while, right? Besides, we only wear it once during the performance. If we can't make the costumes in time, at least we have this as a backup."

Mandy said, picked up a linen coat, and compared it to Tina: "The size is a little bigger, otherwise you should be able to wear this when you are a boatman." The hem of the clothes actually dragged on the ground. foot and a half.

"The length of clothes can be changed. At least one ready-made item is much better than starting from scratch without a concept." After He Huiwen said, Emily stared at her. Emily took a lot of time to sew those pieces of linen, but He Huiwen went to choir to practice and didn't know.

"Who changed clothes then?" Emily asked.

"I can." Annie, Tina and Mandy said in unison.

"..."

"I'm going to practice choir during the day this week, but I can stay at night to do needlework." He Huiwen said, "It's better to choose the costume first, and use a pin to record the size. Let's take turns to change it."

Emily was a little discouraged, but there was no objection.

"How is the progress of the set board?" He Huiwen asked again.

"Jacky and I have finished painting these." Tina said, and together with Xuan Lan opened the rolls of their watercolor masterpieces.

"These are not backgrounds, we will stick these on styrofoam, and then put them in front of the stage, maybe by the table, like this." Xuan Lan explained while demonstrating. They had painted the city walls, wooden tables with wine glasses, and boats.

He Huiwen took a few steps back and looked again: "It looks three-dimensional from a distance! You guys are amazing!"

"It's all Jacky's painting skills!" Tina said with a smile, "I always follow her instructions to paint."

"You don't need to say, I know it's not your painting skills." Emily teasing Tina always raises eyebrows, but the two are good friends and have long been accustomed to the way they communicate with each other.

"We didn't seem to have finished the second half of the scene last time, and now that everyone is together, why not..." Mandy looked at the crowd and said, "Try it once?"

"Okay!" He Huiwen was the first to agree, because last week's rehearsal had not yet had her turn. She smiled again and asked Xuan Lan: "Overlord, have you memorized your lines?"

"I tried my best, but I have a bad memory."

"Liar!" Everyone couldn't help shouting.

.

The play started with Farewell My Concubine, who was not lined up last week. This time, Xuan Lan and He Huiwen's highly tacit cooperation taught everyone to be amazed.

He Huiwen fell into Xuan Lan's arms, she felt Xuan Lan's arms hug her firmly, and a heart-wrenching cry came from her chest: "Yu Ji..."

The people present watched silently without saying a word.

Then the overlord put Yu Ji on the ground, covered with a cloth, symbolizing her burial, then stumbled to the river, talked to the boatman played by Tina, and finally killed herself.

.

He Huiwen was lying under the linen, listening to Xuan Lan's steady voice, she suddenly felt that the brick floor against her back was getting colder.

.

She stayed with everyone until the first three minutes of the IMC rehearsal before He Huiwen ran downstairs to the auditorium. She was afraid that if she entered through the main door, she would meet the male classmates who knew Stephen, so she wanted to enter through the side door beside the grand piano.

Outside the side door, stood a tall and thin boy wearing a dark blue long-sleeved T-shirt and a black backpack on one shoulder. He leaned against the door and silently looked at the noisy students in the auditorium.

Just based on his back, that kind of Berry boy rarely has hermit-like temperament, and He Huiwen can already confirm his identity.

I haven't seen him in a while.

She tentatively called out from behind him, "Wilson?"

The boy turned around abruptly: "Oh, Rebecca." With a white face, a straight nose and thin lips. Behind the golden square glasses, a pair of Danfeng eyes narrowed as they smiled: "Long time no see."

"You came back today to be an audience?" He Huiwen asked with a smile.

"...Not only that. I came back to play the piano."

"what?"

"Carson has just returned to Hong Kong, and I'm just acting as SC pianist temporarily," Wilson explained.

Wilson has been IMC's pianist since last year. At the beginning of October, Carson, the pianist of Senior Boys Choir (SC), who is known as the "Qin God" in S6, had to go to several music academies in Europe and America for an interview. He did not return to Hong Kong until the end of December. The conductor had to find other students. alternative.

The accompaniment of SC's repertoire this year is very difficult, and there is a great chance that it is only "temporary". Zhang Sir, who is in charge of SC, can't find a piano player who has no position to take this hot potato. Wilson—Berry's only pianist who can match Carson's playing skills—is in danger.

.

A few days ago, Carson contacted Wison privately and told him that he had received full scholarship offers from four well-known conservatories, and that it was a foregone conclusion to drop out and go to the United States next year. He sincerely thanked Wison for his voluntary help for more than two months. This year will be the last time he will accompany Berry's brothers and sisters. When he thinks of it, he is very reluctant to give up...

.

He Huiwen felt that Wilson had been practicing with SC for two months, and the competition was approaching, so he should not change the piano; Carson threw him back when he returned to Hong Kong, as if "don't want a monk after a fasting" (chasing a monk after reading the scriptures).

But she knew that Wilson didn't mind - once entrusted by others, he would be meticulous, do things well, and ask for nothing in return - he has always been such a reassuring and trustworthy person.

At the same time, she is very fortunate that Wilson can come back to IMC, because the current IMC pianist, Peter, another 4th grade classmate of Berry, alone carries a total of four Chinese and English songs, which seems to be quite difficult: the accompaniment looks like Yes, but the details, such as some subtle (but she thinks it is very important) fill-ins, have been ignored in the past.

If Wilson had played, the show would have been perfect.

.

"So, which song will you play?" He Huiwen asked him.

"Just those two Chinese songs." Wilson suddenly remembered something: "By the way, did [Forget] choose a solo?"

He Huiwen was stunned for a moment—[Forgotten]'s soprano solo was chosen as early as before the exam in December, so no one had mentioned it to him?

(The author's note: [Forgotten] is a song written by Zhong Meiyin and composed by Huang Youdi. For the SATB version used in the Hong Kong Inter-School Music Festival, please refer to the recording of the Diocesan College Choir at the Music Festival Winner's concert in 2010 , or Lin Hu Memorial High School The recording of the choir at the 7th World Choir Competition . The interpretations of the two teams are very different. It is a matter of opinion which version is more pleasant.)

At this moment, the two heard Ms Lai shouting in the auditorium: "It's time to practice, where is the piano?"

Jieling's Ms Lai is in charge of IMC's Chinese repertoire, while Zhang Sir is in charge of the two English songs.

"Ms Lai, I'm here." Wilson hurried in and put his schoolbag by the foot of the piano, only to remember that He Huiwen didn't answer his question.

Turning her head, He Huiwen was nowhere to be seen, and probably took her place on the stage.

.

.

.

Just like yesterday, He Huiwen left in a hurry after the rehearsal, but this time it was to fulfill her promise.

It's already six o'clock, everyone has already left, right? She thought, take the clothes home and change them.

When she got to the third floor, she was surprised to find that the lights in the classrooms of the Class Three Class A were still on.

Only Xuan Lan was alone, bowing his head, silently sewing the costume.

"Xie Xuanlan, you haven't gone home yet?" He Huiwen asked curiously.

Xuan Lan raised her head abruptly—the door was not closed, and He Huiwen's footsteps were soft, and she didn't realize that He Huiwen had come in while she was concentrating on sewing.

"It's alright," Xuan Lan smiled and said, "Alright, everyone took turns changing the costumes. I didn't do it all afternoon." Because she went to paint the scenery board.

It was someone else who was talking, and He Huiwen would probably feel that the other person was talking thorny, but Xuan Lan was talking, but she taught He Huiwen's cheeks to turn red - thinking of what she said this morning, it made her work all day, and night and night. Stay and work.

But since someone accompanies her, He Huiwen doesn't say anything anymore. She thought that Xuan Lan would make plans for herself, so she wouldn't be out of line because of her words.

She took up a piece of clothing and needles, sat on the right side of Xuan Lan, lowered her head, and sewed stitch by stitch.

"Xie Xuanlan."

"Um?"

"Your play today is really good."

"No."

"I didn't expect it to be me who was the one who brought the emotions. You are more involved than me."

Xuan Lan smiled noncommittally.

In fact, in this case, the key to being able to play a role with such a heart and soul is not actually in the role, but in pulling away from yourself to play Xiang Yu—the fool who was screaming was Xiang Yu, not Xie Xuanlan, who was It was Yu Ji, not He Huiwen, who was hugging her—this hypnotized herself, and the play was natural.

"tell me."

"what?"

"What were you thinking when you played Farewell My Concubine?"

"Eh?" Xuan Lan raised her head and saw a pair of almond eyes staring at him, her long eyelashes blinking, she immediately turned her head away, and said with a smile, "I was thinking... If I don't act well, I'll definitely do it. Complain to the director."

"Yeah, do I make things difficult for people like this?" He Huiwen asked cautiously.

But seeing the other party bowing his head and opening his mouth wider and wider, did he realize that the other party was just joking.

"Xie Xuanlan, when did I feel sorry for you!" As she said that, she hit her with an elbow.

"Wow, the director hit someone." Xuan Lan hurriedly put the needle on the cloth and moved it aside.

"The needle has no eyes, don't mess around!" After saying that, they couldn't help laughing, and the two fell into a half-scuffle.

"Wait!"

During the fight, He Huiwen suddenly stopped and stared at Xuan Lan's cheeks with wide eyes.

"What's wrong?" Could it be something on his face?

"It's gone," He Huiwen said anxiously, "show me your smile again!"

Xuan Lan was annoyed: "Uh, how can you make me laugh like this all of a sudden..."

Out of nowhere, He Huiwen poked her right cheek and shouted, "It turns out that your dimple is unilateral, no wonder I haven't noticed!"

Xuan Lan never smiles at the mirror, nor does she disapprove of her unilateral wine vortex. But He Huiwen found the expression of New World on her face, which taught her to laugh.

The other party took the opportunity to poke her in the face again. This time, she deftly pushed it away: "He Huiwen, why do you always like to study me!"

"A narcissist, who would have such a leisurely interest to study you!" If He Huiwen yelled at her like that, and if she pounded a few more beatings, the narcissism that taught her to reverie would be dissipated.

Unexpectedly, He Huiwen's smile suddenly froze.

After being silent for a while, He Huiwen suddenly gave a cold "hum", and immersed herself in sewing again, ignoring Xuan Lan.

.

Xuan Lan was shocked, did she say something wrong?

Just as she was about to say some bad words to smooth things out, she heard He Huiwen muttering in a low voice, "It's not for anything, it's purely because..."