41. Able to stream live

Back at the Greenery Villa, there were already elderly residents in the courtyard engaging in their morning exercises. Qin Baike suggested Tang Yiyi return to her room for a shower. Breakfast at the villa would start at seven—a buffet. He’d be at the restaurant by seven thirty, take her sightseeing in the morning, have lunch together, perform acupuncture for his mother, and then they’d return to Yicheng.

Tang Yiyi still felt too embarrassed to look him in the eye. When he explained the schedule, her gaze darted everywhere but at him. After hearing his plan, she stammered, “You must not have slept well looking after me last night. Let’s not go out in the morning—after breakfast, you should take a nap.”

Qin Baike couldn’t help but smile at her bashfulness. “I slept very well last night,” he assured her. “You don’t need to worry.”

She looked at him with surprise. “Really?”

“Really. It was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in two or three years.”

“That’s the best? You usually don’t sleep until after three in the morning—it must be hard to get good rest.”

“It’s not about the time—it’s the quality of sleep.”

“What’s wrong with your sleep?”

“Let’s not talk about that now. Go shower. Even an entire morning at the scenic area will only be a quick tour.”

“All right.”

The scenic area was quite large; Qin Baike chose two of the most representative spots. A leisurely circuit took them two full hours.

As with any tourist spot, there was a market selling souvenirs—though the array of handicrafts was dazzling, they were much the same everywhere. The Bamboo Sea’s market, however, featured many bamboo-related items, some of remarkable craftsmanship.

Qin Baike followed patiently as Tang Yiyi browsed. She wanted to buy small gifts for the three resident physicians and, after much comparison, picked out a bamboo-carved brush holder for each, each with a unique design.

The vendor asked for fifty yuan apiece; Qin Baike bargained him down to a hundred for all three. Tang Yiyi looked at him with admiration, but he said, “I’d hoped for eighty for three, but the workmanship is excellent. It’s done by an old craftsman and worth the price.”

Tang Yiyi also bought small gifts for the others in the clinic. By the time their shopping was done, it was already noon.

Back at the car, Qin Baike didn’t start the engine immediately. After a moment, a teenage boy with a backpack came running over, greeting, “Uncle Qin!” He unloaded two large bags into the trunk.

Qin Baike patted his shoulder. “You’ve grown taller again, young man.” The boy smiled shyly and ran off.

Tang Yiyi asked what was in the bags. He replied they were local specialties—all mountain delicacies, perfect for making rich broths.

These were all prepared by the families of his comrades-in-arms. The dried bamboo shoots, for instance, were carefully selected and sun-dried from the tenderest parts—once rehydrated, every piece could be eaten directly, none tough or fibrous. The dried bamboo fungus was meticulously cleaned of sand before being dried, so he could always use it with confidence.

Tang Yiyi sighed with envy. “It must be wonderful to have so many comrades.”

Qin Baike replied, “Don’t you have plenty of university friends yourself?”

After lunch back at the villa, Tang Yiyi administered acupuncture to Qin’s mother, with Sister Wu and Qin Baike observing.

Having cared for patients for years, Sister Wu wasn’t new to acupuncture, and she quickly noticed Tang Yiyi’s skill was far from the inexperience she’d imagined. She was about to probe further, but Qin Baike raised a hand to stop her. “Doctor Tang mustn’t be distracted when performing acupuncture. Complimenting her will make her too pleased and she’ll lose her touch.” Sister Wu quickly fell silent.

Once everything was tidied up, it was two o’clock as they set off for home.

Tang Yiyi was energetic and chatty in the scenic area, but soon after leaving, she dozed off, lulled by the gentle motion of the car.

Qin Baike rolled up all the windows, turned on a bit of air conditioning, and pulled a towel blanket from the backseat to cover her. Watching her sleep, mouth open and oblivious, he shook his head with a wry smile.

To be so carefree after heartbreak—there was truly no one like her. He doubted that even ten breakups could so much as scratch this girl.

About twenty minutes later, Tang Yiyi woke in a daze, picked up the towel blanket, and asked, “Where did this come from?”

“It’s always in the car, doubles as a cushion.”

Tang Yiyi fiddled curiously with it, restoring it to its cushion form. “Clever design,” she praised, then mused, “Why does it look so familiar? I think I have one like it.”

“If you like it, it’s yours,” Qin Baike said, barely suppressing a laugh.

“No need, I wouldn’t use it anyway.” She hugged it, kneading and squeezing, finding it very comfortable.

Qin Baike let her play with the cushion for a while before asking, “Do you remember what I told you this morning?”

“Which part?”

“No drinking.”

“Oh. I won’t.”

“One of my comrades once drank too much, spent the whole night with his neck craned, blowing bubbles, insisting he was a fish.”

Tang Yiyi burst out laughing behind her hand. He asked if she knew her own tolerance.

She shook her head. “After two drinks I get dizzy, and it just gets worse no matter how much I drink. I never had much chance to drink anyway—at gatherings, my ex always shielded me. Now there’s no one to shield me, so I won’t drink at all.”

Qin Baike comforted her: “Out with the old, in with the new.”

“I argued with him for months. Turns out love is far more fragile in the face of reality than I thought. I tried to find ways to stay in the provincial capital, but compared to Shengshitang, they all fell short. Who knows—maybe things will turn out even better.”

“Since you chose Yicheng, settle in with peace of mind. Nothing in life is perfect—if you can manage seventy percent, that’s already quite good.”

“These days, studying under Master, I’ve gained a lot. I’m practically ninety percent satisfied now.”

“It’s good that you can see it that way.”

“What about you? How many parts of your life are satisfactory?”

He paused. “I’ve never thought about it.”

“Well, think about it, and tell me when you figure it out.”

The car glided smoothly along. The weather was fine. Tang Yiyi leaned against the window, her hair blown into disarray by the wind. She turned and asked, “Baige, why do you have trouble sleeping?”

Qin Baike frowned, taking some time before replying, “It’s hard to fall asleep, and I don’t sleep soundly.”

“Take some herbal medicine to adjust.”

“It’s psychological.”

“Does it have to do with the comrade who saved you?”

“Yes.”

“Have you tried counseling?”

“I have.”

“And you still can’t sleep?”

…

“But last night you slept well?”

“Yes.”

“Because I kept you up?”

“Perhaps.”

“I’ll come bother you whenever I can, then—you’ll sleep better.”

“Please don’t. I’m afraid of you.”

She smiled. “Baige, you tied us together with a belt last night because you were afraid I’d wake up and do something foolish, didn’t you?”

He said nothing.

She continued, “I’m not that fragile. I know I have to live well.”

He finally couldn’t help but laugh. “I know that now.”

By the time they reached Magnolia Lane, it was just the start of the afternoon clinic. Tang Yiyi returned to the clinic and distributed her gifts.

Xu Mingtang examined his bamboo brush holder with satisfaction, nodding approvingly. “Excellent workmanship.”

Zuo Chengjiang’s was a bamboo-carved pig, which could be used as a paperweight. Tang Yiyi set it atop his prescription slips. “See, no matter how the fan blows, it won’t budge.”

Zuo Chengjiang grinned happily. “How did you know my zodiac’s the pig?”

“I didn’t,” Tang Yiyi replied, momentarily taken aback.

“Silly girl, you should’ve said you found out on purpose. Then I could praise you for being so thoughtful. Wouldn’t that make for a more pleasant conversation?”

Tang Yiyi let out an awkward laugh. Xu Bin, nearby, said, “Pleasant, my foot.”

Zuo Chengjiang exaggeratedly hurried to the other end of the counter. “You’re in a bad mood these days—I’d better keep my distance.”

Tang Yiyi eyed Xu Bin suspiciously and saw he looked dispirited, holding a massager and tapping his back absently with the attached ball.

She placed his bamboo gift in front of him and quietly called his name. He nodded slightly, then shook his head. Tang Yiyi understood: there was trouble, they would talk later.

She nodded in acknowledgment.

After dinner, Xu Bin pulled her aside.

“The preliminary round will be broadcast live by Yicheng TV,” Wen Tao announced. “Programs that might make it to the national stage are a big deal for a small city like ours. Livestreaming is a must. That’s what my classmate said.”

Everyone gathered at the Xuan Paper Shop was in low spirits. Both the prison guard and Wen Tao were civil servants—if their bosses saw them, a lenient one might let it slide as a hobby, but a petty one might use it as an excuse for a poor year-end review.

“That’s human nature,” Xuan Paper said, munching an apple. “If you dabble in something, it’s a rich and cultured hobby. But if your hobby gets big and you become famous, then you’re accused of neglecting your job. People can’t stand the success of those close to them.”

“You’re exaggerating,” said the prison guard. “It depends on the person. Anyway, it’s not easy to be successful. At our level, we probably won’t get through the weekly rounds. No need to overthink it.”

Wen Tao said, “I watched a foreign a cappella group yesterday—now *that’s* impressive. Let me send it to the group.” He pulled out his phone to share the video.

Xu Bin said, “Send it to the group—let’s focus on how to perform without my dad finding out. We’ve only got three days.”

Tang Yiyi leaned on the counter, watching Xu Bin fret. Xiaoxiao would arrive later.

The men discussed various ideas but found none feasible. Wen Tao suggested performing last, so the audience would be impatient and might leave early. The prison guard proposed disguises—sunglasses, hats, wigs. Xuan Paper, still munching his apple, added, “Don’t forget a white cane—perfect.”

Wen Tao noticed Xuan Paper eating apples nonstop. “What’s with the apples? Turning yourself into applesauce?”

“I’m going on TV! I want to lose weight and look better.”

Wen Tao found this reasonable and joined in.

Xuan Paper said, “I haven’t eaten dinner in two nights. You, eating apples after dinner, what good will that do?”

“It’s good for the skin. Maybe I’ll attract a girlfriend on TV with my good looks.”

They chatted back and forth but came up with nothing. Wen Tao finally said, “You’d better devise a backup plan in case you’re found out. Worst case, your dad scolds you—he won’t disown you.”

“If only he would! Either way, I’ll have to take care of him when he’s old.”

Tang Yiyi interjected, “Just promise Master you’ll get your Chinese pharmacist’s license this year. He’ll let it go.”

Xu Bin looked at her meaningfully and gave a wry smile. “Let’s hope so.”

Soon Xiaoxiao arrived. Hearing about the broadcast, she paused, said nothing, and joined the apple-eating brigade.

She said to Xu Bin, “Singing isn’t a crime. If anyone objects, it’ll be after the weekly round. It won’t matter much now. If you really don’t want your dad to know, wear masks—like this!” She pointed to a painting of opera masks on the wall. “Wear a half-mask—covers just half the face, won’t affect singing.”

Wen Tao protested, “What a waste of my handsome face.”

Xuan Paper added, “So my figure won’t matter?”

The prison guard chimed in, “What’s this nonsense?”

“There’s a line in the lyrics about being obsessed with opera. Wearing a mask fits,” Xiaoxiao explained.

Xu Bin laughed, “No one would have noticed us, but with masks, we’ll be headline news.”

“Fine,” Xiaoxiao said. “There are four of you—only the most handsome will be remembered. Wen Tao, it’s up to you to draw the attention. I’ll find you a stylist—give you a Korean look.”

The others patted Wen Tao’s head, pinched his cheeks, and clapped his shoulder. Wen Tao, feigning solemnity, said, “Don’t worry, gentlemen, I’ll be devastatingly handsome.”

Tang Yiyi silently prayed that her master’s wrath would burn out on Xu Bin and spare her—this was definitely a time to let others take the fall.

When they left the shop, it was still early. Xu Bin and Xiaoxiao went off on a date, Tang Yiyi decided to walk home, Wen Tao was headed the same way, and the prison guard drove off. They parted ways.

As Tang Yiyi and Wen Tao strolled toward Magnolia Lane, he complained that his feet always got blisters and itched terribly in summer from dampness. Should he take medicine?

Tang Yiyi advised him to drink porridge made with coix seeds, red beans, and millet, which was effective, and to avoid cold drinks, especially cold beer.

She winced at the last words.

Wen Tao grinned. “It’s great knowing a Chinese doctor. By the way, Xu Bin said your boyfriend’s in the provincial capital?”

“…Ah, he’s my ex now.”

“You broke up?” Wen Tao’s delight was almost comical.

“Yes, just yesterday.”

“Oh! My condolences—no, I mean, don’t be sad. You’re wonderful—you’ll find someone else in no time.”

Tang Yiyi was a little alarmed at his excitement and quickly changed the subject. “How did the four of you come together as a band?”

“Xu Bin and Xiaoxiao were middle school classmates, I went to high school with Xu Bin, Xiaoxiao met the prison guard through choir at his workplace, and the prison guard and Xuan Paper grew up together.”

She laughed. “Slow down, this web of connections is…”

“It’s simple! Xu Bin and I started as a duo in high school and kept in touch after college, often singing karaoke. We ran into Xiaoxiao by chance one day, she recognized Xu Bin, and when he wanted to form an a cappella group, Xiaoxiao brought in the prison guard, who then brought in Xuan Paper. We clicked right away and built great chemistry.”

“Xu Bin and Xiaoxiao suit each other. Why did everyone dismiss the idea of them getting married? Is it because they haven’t been together long?”

“No, you might not know—Xiaoxiao’s a confirmed single. She says she’ll date but never marry, and certainly won’t have children.”

“Why is she a confirmed single?”

“No idea. Don’t you find her unique?”

“I do—very independent. But her love for Xu Bin seems ordinary, just like any other girl.”

“What about you? What kind of guy do you like?”

“…Well, I’m not sure yet. Maybe I’ll know after some time.”

They reached Magnolia Lane. Tang Yiyi waved. “I’ll be cheering you on at the audition. Bye!” With that, she hurried down the lane.