NOVPUBOn the evening of December 31, the secret base was particularly lively.
Tonight was the night they were to perform on stage, and, apart from Wu Lingyu’s parents who couldn’t make it due to the distance, the adults from each family were present.
Four mothers and the stylist invited by Zhang Chunxue were in the master bedroom helping the girls with their makeup, while Lin Qiaoshan and Xu Aiguo sneaked under the banyan tree to smoke and share fishing tips. Xiao Ruawen’s grandparents were looked after by Xu Qingfan, who didn’t need makeup.
"These leftover foods are for the dog, then put the dirty bowls here, lock the door and press this button to wash them automatically." He tidied up the kitchen after dinner while introducing their daily routine to Xiao Ruawen’s grandparents.
"Xiao Fan, where does the cat usually go to the toilet?" Xiao Ruawen’s grandmother asked, pointing at the little brother sleeping on top of the refrigerator.
"In the cat litter box in the yard, it goes out by itself, and doesn’t wander off."
"That’s so convenient, it doesn’t go into the rooms, does it? Cats are full of bacteria!" the grandmother asked again after nodding in agreement.
"We don’t let it into the rooms, it usually prefers catching bugs outside to eat."
"That’s good." The elderly lady nodded again, then she opened the refrigerator, a double-door filled neatly with vegetables, fruits, and other foods, all pleasing to the eye.
"It’s good to drink more milk!" Xiao Lijian also said kindly, smiling when he saw that the fridge was filled with yogurt and milk.
"Yes, grandpa, we usually only drink milk and tea, never soda or carbonated drinks!" Xu Qingfan said with a secretive smirk, as their beverages and snacks were hidden in another fridge.
"You really are good kids, I am very reassured with Ruan Wen staying with you!"
"Mmm, mmm, mmm!" He nodded vigorously, "Grandma, I’m going out to feed the dog and take out the trash."
After gathering the leftover food and trash bags, Xu Qingfan left the kitchen. It was the first time so many guests had come to their house, and Little White became visibly excited, rhythmically slapping the floor with its front paws like in a lion dance.
"Sit!" He commanded after pouring the leftovers into the dog bowl, and Little White immediately obeyed quietly.
"Good dog, eat!" Xu Qingfan patted the dog’s head before picking up the trash and walking out of the yard.
"Why don’t you need makeup, Xiao Fan?" asked Lin Qiaoshan with a laugh as he passed under the banyan tree.
"What makeup for a man!" Xu Aiguo said, patting his shoulder as he came over.
"Tonight is their stage, they’ve all rehearsed. I’ll just sit at the back and play the drums, going in my school uniform is fine." Xu Qingfan opened the trash bag to show them to toss their cigarette butts in, explaining at the same time.
"Aren’t you at a loss?"
"What loss? I’m off to take out the trash. Dad, don’t throw cigarette butts here, the neighbor’s auntie will scold people." Xu Qingfan picked up the cigarette butts dropped on the ground, waved his hand, and continued to take out the trash.
Close to six o’clock, the sky was neither dark nor light; the sun and moon were both high in the sky, a sunset glow to the west and a silvery moon to the east.
At this hour, every household was likely dining at home; the neighborhood was very quiet, walking along the grassy path one could occasionally hear the chirping of unnamed insects, bringing an overwhelming sense of solitude, similar perhaps to what Liu Zongyuan described in "A Record of a Little Stone Pool" as "being too clear in its surroundings, not suitable for long dwellings."
Upon returning home, the five girls, now fully made up, had come down to the first floor.
"Brother Qing Fan!"
"Does Brother Fan look good?"
The five were dressed in Tang Dynasty attire, from the Early Tang, Golden Age of Tang to Late Tang, each with distinct features, their garments fluttering as they moved, with glittering embroidery, as though they were divine empresses and fairy maidens.
Xu Qingfan stood at the doorway as if an immobilization spell had been cast on him, motionless. In the seventh year of their acquaintance, he had felt astounded for the first time; no wonder ancient people always loved to say, "Graceful and gentle at the age of barely thirteen, with the breath of March on the tip of a budding cardamom."
"Xiao Fan is so stunned by your beauty he can’t even speak!"
"Why is Xiao Fan staring so dumbfounded?"
"Hahaha~" The adults laughed and joked upon seeing this.
Xu Qingfan came back to his senses; compared to a year ago, the five girls had transformed gloriously from immature to delicate, and he felt quite accomplished, probably feeling the sentiment of having a daughter who had matured.
"Beautiful!" Xu Qingfan gave a thumbs up, "I think I know the mood Li Bai was in when he wrote How the clothes yearn to emulate the flowers, the spring winds touch the porch, heavy with dew!"
The room erupted into laughter once again.
After a while, they gathered all the items needed for the evening performance, locked the door, and the group of more than ten people marched toward the school.
The performance stage was set up on the sports field, and before school ended in the afternoon, the students had already moved the chairs down, and the stage and lights were also ready.
At 7:30 p.m., the 2008 New Year’s Eve party began on time.
Class 7 (6)’s performance was scheduled in the middle, and upon arrival, they sat in the front row VIP section arranged by the school along with their parents.
After the host’s conventional announcement, the stage lights suddenly went out, followed by the muffled prelude of "Nobody".
A cylindrical spotlight hit the stage a second later, illuminating five students with distinctive hairstyles of the era, dressed in white T-shirts and jeans, dancing energetically to the music.
[Really a long-lost feeling.] Xu Qingfan thought to himself, [But dancing without black stockings is a direct negative mark!]
Sketches, standup comedy, magic... and of course, the indispensable "Glory Days," in an era when 3G networks were just emerging and entertainment shows were still very rare, the entire school’s teachers and students played the role of the best audience, with laughter rising wave upon wave.
"Next, Class 7 (6), with Xu Qingfan, Xia Xiaoxiao, and Lin Wanning, will present an original song ’Peeping.’ Please welcome them with applause!"
"It’s the kids’ turn!" Xu Qingfan and the others had come backstage early to prepare. When their names were called, the parents enthusiastically waved their glow sticks, shouting the names of their children.
"In a world where flowers bloom~" Xia Xiaoxiao and Xiao Ruawen opened their mouths in unison with their stunning Peking opera singing style, and in a second, the stage lights shone on five girls in Hanfu, looking like celestial beings in a painting.
"Wow!" The audience was silent for a brief moment, then suddenly burst into overwhelming exclamations.
In an era when makeup meant heavily painted eyes and cheeks, the appearance of the five girls was a dimension-reducing blow.
The five stood side by side, like celestial maidens descended to the mortal world, and for a moment, everyone felt this was not a stage of a simple middle school New Year’s performance, but a grand CCTV New Year’s Gala.
Unaware of when, the audience instinctively waved their glow sticks, and the five girls, standing on the stage, saw a sea of glow below, feeling a sense of recognition and an inexplicable surge of emotion.
When the last note echoed across the field until it faded, the girls bowed in gratitude.
