Chapter 94 – Me, Play Guitar? Seriously?

“I want to be in a band with Miss Lin Xi for the rest of my life!”

The moment the words left her mouth, Yang Shanshan’s face flushed all the way to her ears.

Being in a band for the rest of her life or whatever… That was so embarrassing.

Mortifying!

The classroom fell instantly silent, and the gazes of her classmates and teachers made Yang Shanshan want to crawl into a hole in the floor and disappear.

She had gotten way too worked up…

Yang Shanshan had been afraid she wouldn’t get a spot in Lin Xi’s band, so she had struck with such “speed, precision, and ruthlessness.”

For someone with ultimate-level social anxiety, making herself the center of attention like this could become a lifelong nightmare.

The one silver lining was that no one laughed at her.

Su Xiangxue asked, “Miss Yang Shanshan, what instrument can you play?”

“I can play bass. My level is… probably okay?” Yang Shanshan said without much confidence.

She had learned bass purely because she liked the long, straight black-haired bassist in a girls’ band anime. That was what got her interested, so she bought one and taught herself for quite a while.

She felt like she played decently enough. She had just never performed in public before.

“Mm.” Su Xiangxue nodded. “I can play keyboard, and I can write lyrics and compose. We still need a guitarist and a drummer.”

“Is anyone interested?”

Since this was the kind of activity where they would be “going into battle” on behalf of the class-and on top of that, teaming up with Lin Xi, the “Sun Goddess”-the students were all a little reserved.

Someone “volunteered for battle.” The person who raised her hand was Ms. Huang, standing at the podium, beautiful and dignified.

Huang Haiyao said a little sheepishly, “I was a drummer back in college. Miss Su Xiangxue, do you think I could join?”

“Of course,” Su Xiangxue said with a smile. “You were in a band in college? That’s wonderful. We need experienced band members like you.”

Huang Haiyao volunteered mainly because she wanted to get closer to the students in her class.

Forming a band with them was the perfect opportunity.

Especially with Lin Xi. Huang Haiyao was very curious about how Miss Lin Xi had become so incredibly popular in class.

When it came to handling interpersonal relationships, she, the teacher, might have to learn a thing or two from Miss Lin Xi.

Huang Haiyao had imagined Lin Xi as some social butterfly, completely unaware that this socially anxious introvert was already sweating bullets.

Before Lin Xi could even come back to her senses, Su Xiangxue had practically assembled the whole band.

As expected of the fan club’s operations officer. Her coordination and management skills were something else!

Wait, now was not the time to admire Su Xiangxue’s abilities… Lin Xi realized that everyone was looking at her in unison.

No way… Lin Xi’s heart began to pound.

Me, play guitar? Seriously?

“Miss Lin Xi,” Su Xiangxue said, calling her out by name. “The guitarist has to be you.”

Lin Xi pulled out her strongest counterattack weapon-the honest truth. “Sorry, Miss Su Xiangxue, but I don’t know how to play guitar. I don’t know how to play any instruments.”

“That’s fine. If you don’t know, you can learn. With Miss Lin Xi’s outstanding learning ability, picking up guitar should only take a minute, right?”

Everyone nodded one after another, thinking Su Xiangxue made perfect sense.

“It’s just a measly guitar. Miss Lin Xi will definitely go from beginner to master in no time.”

Lin Xi: “…”

From beginner to master???

More like from beginner to buried six feet under!

“I really don’t know how.”

“And I don’t have any musical talent.”

“Also, I don’t have a guitar.” Lin Xi listed a whole series of difficulties, using them as shields.

The thoughtful Miss Su Xiangxue solved them for her one by one.

“I have a guitar.”

“If you don’t know how to play, I’ll teach you.”

Lin Xi suddenly understood. Su Xiangxue had come prepared!

Was she trying to increase the size of her fan club by starting a band?

With everyone staring at her so expectantly, Lin Xi found it hard to refuse.

What was she, some Z City native who couldn’t bring herself to say “no”???

In truth, Lin Xi wasn’t against joining a band.

Just like Yang Shanshan, she loved anime about all-girl bands.

She simply didn’t have Yang Shanshan’s level of follow-through, where she’d actually go buy an instrument and practice it.

Maybe this was the perfect chance to give herself a push and try stepping into the world of all-girl bands???

Could someone like me really enter that kirakira-dokidoki realm???

Lin Xi drew in a breath. “Can I really do it?”

Su Xiangxue smiled and told her, “You’re the girl who’s going to become the super star who dominates Z City No. 1 Middle School. Of course you can!”

Lin Xi was so embarrassed she wanted someone to drag the Study Committee Member out of the room…

“You can definitely do it,” Yang Shanshan encouraged her from behind. “Even someone like me managed to learn bass. With Miss Lin Xi’s brains, you’ll definitely master guitar in seconds.”

At the podium, Huang Haiyao also offered some gentle encouragement.

“The great musician, Mr. Lu Xun1, who abandoned medicine for music, once said: No one in this world is born knowing how to play an instrument. Practice enough, and you will.”

The classmates who loved a good spectacle began offering warm encouragement one after another, helping Lin Xi strengthen her resolve.

The atmosphere in the classroom instantly caught fire.

Lin Xi was like Tiga, having absorbed countless rays of light, rising back to her feet to fight Gatanothor once more.

Hmph!

A mere guitar? Easy!

Scientific facts proved that when people were sufficiently hyped up, there was a very high chance they would make decisions that went against their ancestors’ wishes.

In a moment of hot-blooded impulse, Lin Xi thought, If someone has to do it, then I can too!

All that mattered was keeping the hype going.

“Okay!”

“Miss Su Xiangxue, I’ll study seriously.”

“Nothing in this world is difficult as long as you’re willing to give up-ah, no, as long as you’re willing to climb!”

And just like that, on this perfectly ordinary day, Z City No. 1 Middle School gained a campus band.

When a band was first founded, what was the most important thing?

A name, of course!

Just like rebels needed to raise a banner, a newly formed band had to have a name that could rally people’s hearts.

Su Xiangxue mobilized the wisdom of the masses and asked the class for band name suggestions.

“We need a band name that’s impressive without losing its elegance.”

“Any ideas?”

“I do!” One student immediately stood up. “How about ‘Loyal Orange Band’?”

Lin Xi: “…”

She held back again and did not ask anyone to drag this classmate out.

Fortunately, Su Xiangxue rejected that abstract proposal.

Just then, Yang Shanshan quietly raised her hand from behind.

“Miss Yang Shanshan, go ahead,” Su Xiangxue said.

Yang Shanshan stood up, glanced at Lin Xi, and said, “Let’s call it ‘Sun Goddess Band.'”

Su Xiangxue clapped her hands. “Good! This name is impressive without losing its elegance. Brilliant!”

Brilliant, my foot! Lin Xi cursed inwardly.

She strongly suspected Yang Shanshan and Su Xiangxue had exchanged looks and conspired in advance.

“I object,” Lin Xi refused under her real name. “I think Ms. Huang won’t agree either.”

“I agree,” Huang Haiyao said, ending the “battle” with a single sentence.

Of the four band members, three votes were in favor and one was against. The objection was invalid.

Su Xiangxue announced with great fanfare, “Our Class 1 band, Sun Goddess Band, is officially founded today.”

Thunderous applause immediately erupted.

Lin Xi: “…”

These classmates really knew how to make a scene…

Footnote:

1. Lu Xun(鲁迅): A famous modern Chinese writer who studied medicine before turning to literature. The line deliberately twists that history into “abandoned medicine for music” for comedic effect.