43. Preliminary Selection

Tang Yiyi took the bus back to Magnolia Lane. When she arrived at the clinic, Xu Bin had already opened the door. As soon as he saw her, he quietly asked, “Did you break up with your boyfriend?”

“…Yes.”

“It’s alright. Out with the old, in with the new.”

She blinked. “Brother Bin, you and Baige went to the same middle school, didn’t you? The Chinese teacher who taught him just sent him off to graduation and then returned to teach your class in the first year.”

“How did you know?” Xu Bin asked, surprised.

“…I guessed.”

“You can even guess that? You really are something.”

Near the end of the morning, Wu Siping quietly asked Tang Yiyi, “Girl, you’ve had a breakup?”

“…Yes.”

“No worries. It just so happens you and Xiao Bin are together a lot—perfect match.”

…

In the afternoon, as she was starting work, Zuo Chengjiang called out to her, “Yiyi…”

“Master Zuo, I broke up with my boyfriend.”

“Oh… so it’s true.”

At dinner, Mrs. Xu asked seriously, “Yiyi, did you really break up with your boyfriend?”

“It’s true, we broke up.”

Mrs. Xu glanced at Xu Mingtang and nodded. “Well, don’t be sad. Good men will love you.”

Back in her own room, Tang Yiyi lay on her bed, feeling as though she were a celebrity suddenly announcing a divorce and becoming the focus of the world—at least, it was a bombshell in the clinic. She supposed she ought to be heartbroken, but she almost wanted to laugh. They cared for her like family.

Any sorrow that could be spoken aloud wasn’t true sorrow. She found she could calmly say the word “breakup” to them without feeling as though her heart was being torn apart.

She sat up, sighed, and went to her desk to compare the day’s prescriptions.

Learning under her mentor, Tang Yiyi progressed by leaps and bounds. Her diagnostic thinking grew closer to Xu Mingtang’s, and whenever he encountered special cases, he would explain them to her on the spot, allowing her to understand the composition and intention behind each prescription more accurately.

Once she entered a study state, Tang Yiyi was completely focused. She only stopped when she had finished comparing all the prescriptions, stretched her shoulders and back, and put away her notes.

It was already 10:30—time to change Xiao Xie’s ear seeds.

She went downstairs, took out Wangbulizi and a moxibustion box. Xiao Xie wasn’t in the shop; Qin Baike said she was lying down in her room and told Tang Yiyi to go up. It was Tang Yiyi’s first time upstairs at Qin’s Noodle House.

The upstairs layout was similar to the clinic’s second floor. After climbing the stairs, there was a living room, no kitchen, three rooms, and a platform outside.

The furniture was simple, mostly solid wood, nothing superfluous, and everything was very tidy.

Qin Baike nodded toward one of the rooms. Tang Yiyi went in. Xiao Xie was sprawled listlessly on the bed, but called out, “Sister Yiyi,” when she saw her.

“Still in a lot of pain?”

“Yeah, it’s better than before, but still hurts quite a bit.”

“Moxibustion and auricular therapy both need three months. After that, it won’t hurt as much.”

Tang Yiyi took out the moxibustion box but realized she hadn’t brought a lighter.

Xiao Xie said, “There’s one in the boss’s room.”

“Is it okay for me to go in? Maybe I should look elsewhere.”

“It’s fine. I clean his room every day, whether he’s here or not. The lighter is on the dresser with a pack of cigarettes.”

Tang Yiyi nodded and went to his room. The door was open. She glanced in; everything was plainly visible: a solid-wood double bed with deep blue sheets—plain, not a speck of pattern. The wardrobe was old, obviously used for many years, its doors open to reveal clothes and pants in various shades of black, white, gray, and blue—no red, orange, or yellow at all.

A resistance band lay by the bed. On the nightstand, a book was open and facedown. Tang Yiyi glanced at the cover and was surprised—“The Spiritual in Art,” a book she’d never heard of.

She withdrew her gaze. The lighter and cigarettes were on the dresser. She grabbed the lighter and hurried back to Xiao Xie’s room.

“Didn’t expect Baige to smoke,” Tang Yiyi commented as she worked for Xiao Xie.

“He rarely does. A pack lasts him a month.”

“No wonder I’ve never seen him smoke. Is he actually reading that book on his nightstand?”

“Yes, every time I clean, he tells me not to lose his page. Though he reads slowly—just like he smokes.”

“Really impressive.”

Xiao Xie nodded in agreement. After a while, she said, “Sister Yiyi, Qin’s Noodle House has been recommended somewhere. People have started voting.”

“What’s Liu Xin planning to do?”

“He’s still thinking about it.”

After Tang Yiyi finished, she told Xiao Xie to rest and walked to the living room. Seeing the door leading to the platform, she couldn’t help opening it.

She stepped out and looked up at her own room—just a wall and a row of railings beside it.

She walked to the middle of the platform, closed her eyes, and imagined someone peering down from above. She felt nothing. Opening her eyes and shaking her head, she noticed the potted plants on the platform were lush and vibrant. From above, they looked small, but here they seemed enormous.

She ran downstairs and passed through the kitchen. Uncle Chen saw her and grinned, his eyes narrowing to slits.

As expected, Qin Baike was sitting at the kitchen door, looking at his phone without glancing up as she came out. She peeked; it was a military news site. Liu Xin was sitting outside. She sat across from him and asked, “The voting’s started?”

“Yeah, it has.”

“Still haven’t figured out what to do?”

“I wanted to create a WeChat public account to promote us, but my brother wouldn’t allow it. He said no using his photo, no talking about Qin’s Noodle House’s history or past stories.”

“That’s a shame. What if you only post photos of the noodles?”

“Every other noodle shop is doing that. It’s hard to stand out.”

Tang Yiyi watched a fat man in the shop devouring noodles with relish. “Watching them eat really whets your appetite.”

“Yeah, it makes me want to eat, too.”

Tang Yiyi stood up. “It’s getting late. I’ll head up.”

But Liu Xin called her back. “Did you… really break up?”

“I did.”

“Are you sad?”

Tang Yiyi looked at him for a moment. “How should I answer? I was upset, but after all your questions, I’m not sure anymore.”

“Then… don’t be sad.”

“Alright, I’m going.”

And so the much-discussed breakup faded away. Finally, no one asked about it anymore, and Tang Yiyi breathed a sigh of relief. Life returned to its peaceful rhythm, and soon it was time for Xu Bin’s band to participate in the auditions.

Their band registered as “The Radiance Vocal Ensemble,” explaining that music was a light illuminating their lives.

But Tang Yiyi was skeptical. The word “Radiance” sounded too much like “Allowance,” which made her think of people who spent all their salary every month—not a flattering association.

Xiaoxiao found someone she knew to arrange for them to perform last. Wen Tao said if the earlier acts weren’t good, the audience would be gone by then, and no one would see Xu Bin—hopefully, he was right.

And if, after a string of dull performances, their fresh style came on, they’d stand out more easily. If everyone else was great, they’d gladly admit defeat.

The show started promptly at 3 p.m. in the theater, open to the public but prohibiting loud noises.

Xu Bin lied, saying a friend had sprained an ankle and needed a massage—a rare opportunity to touch someone’s leg—and dragged Tang Yiyi out of the clinic at three.

Since Tang Yiyi’s breakup, Xu Mingtang was happy to see her spending time with Xu Bin, so he didn’t interfere.

They took a taxi to the theater, where the other four were anxiously waiting.

Wen Tao’s look was certainly striking today; his hair and eyebrows were freshly styled, making him look like a pop idol about to debut.

He greeted Tang Yiyi cheerfully. “Hurry, there are some great performances inside.”

They found seats. Their number was 51, and only act 8 was on stage.

The contestants were a mixed bag: some elderly, some just out of high school, solo acts, and those with large cheering squads.

Onstage was a woman with a strong county accent, announcing she’d sing “I Miss You.” The judges asked her to repeat it in standard Mandarin, so she obliged, still with a heavy accent, “Hao xiang ni,” which sent the audience into fits of laughter.

The judges sighed. “Go ahead and sing.”

Nowadays, viewers of talent shows have a particular anticipation: when a plain and unassuming contestant appears, they hope for a stunning voice that leaves the judges in awe.

Such moments are rare. Most are simply confident amateurs lacking real skill.

Like the woman onstage now, who was so off-key she might as well have been singing in another country, yet remained fully invested and confident.

The judges rang the bell for her to stop, but she ignored them and kept singing. When she finished, she announced, “I have another song for everyone,” and the host rushed onstage to drag her off.

The following acts were generally better, and some were quite good. The professionally trained contestants switched between different singing techniques with ease.

Amateurs were eliminated naturally, while comedic acts, determined to entertain, lightened the mood and kept the show from getting too dull.

As eliminated contestants left, by the time The Radiance Vocal Ensemble took the stage, the audience had thinned out. Even the livestream cameraman was listless, and the news reporters had already packed up.

Xu Bin glanced around and relaxed.

When they began to sing, the judges, who had been slouching, suddenly sat upright. After an afternoon of mediocrity, finally a group with real talent appeared.

Their performance was flawless. All the judges voted them through unanimously.

Xiaoxiao smiled faintly in the audience, but her eyes shone with excitement.

They rushed offstage, and Xiaoxiao and Tang Yiyi met them. Xu Bin hugged Xiaoxiao tightly.

The others watched the passionate embrace. Wen Tao nudged Tang Yiyi, “Aren’t you going to give me a congratulatory hug at a moment like this?”

Tang Yiyi laughed and gave him a quick hug. He winked triumphantly at Prison Guard and Rice Paper, but Tang Yiyi let go and hugged the other two as well.

Seeing Wen Tao’s slumped shoulders, the other two patted his head encouragingly.

After leaving the theater, the group decided to celebrate with hot pot at the same restaurant and in the same private room as before.

After ordering, the four men each got a beer. Wen Tao offered one to Tang Yiyi.

She quickly waved him off. “No, thanks!” Xiaoxiao also didn’t drink and ordered herbal tea.

Their smooth success delighted everyone. Among all contestants, theirs was the only vocal ensemble, so passing the auditions was expected. Making it past the weekly rounds would be another challenge.

Xu Bin said, “Just getting a chance to perform on Central TV is already a success. We’re not professional singers, so let’s see how far we can go.”

“What song do you want to do next?” Xiaoxiao asked. “The weekly competition date isn’t set. Just as long as it doesn’t conflict with your certification exam.”

“That’s still five months away. It won’t clash. But we should pick our next song in the next few days. The sooner we start, the less pressure later.”

“I wrote a song myself. Do you want to try my new song?” Xiaoxiao said a little hesitantly.

“Sure, let’s sing your original.” Xu Bin agreed unconditionally.

“You all agree without even hearing it? What if you don’t like it?”

“If you think it’s good, it must be.”

Prison Guard and Rice Paper agreed, and Wen Tao didn’t mind what they sang.

Xiaoxiao gently hummed the melody. It was the first time Tang Yiyi heard her sing; her singing voice was completely different from her speaking voice. When she spoke, her voice was soft and a little coquettish, making people want to protect her. But when singing, her voice was powerful and, if she sang out, probably quite impressive.

The melody was light, likely a happy song. Tang Yiyi couldn’t judge it without lyrics, but everyone said it was pleasant and uplifting.

Xiaoxiao had prepared another song as well, so they could choose between the two.

After that, Xiaoxiao returned to her usual quiet self, eating in silence. Xu Bin chatted intermittently with her.

Tang Yiyi, sitting on Xiaoxiao’s other side, wasn’t great at making conversation either, so she just ate.

Wen Tao sat beside her, occasionally giving her food and asking if she wanted anything else. She couldn’t fend him off and finally said she was full.

Xiaoxiao put down her chopsticks as well. “It’s stuffy in here. Let’s go out for some air. I want ice cream.” She dragged Tang Yiyi outside.

They sat on a bench by the flowerbed, each with a box of ice cream.

After a few bites, Tang Yiyi laughed. “I thought you were just rescuing me, but you really wanted ice cream.”

Xiaoxiao replied coolly, “I am rescuing you, but it’s not an excuse. Wen Tao’s a good guy, you just don’t feel anything for him. It’s a pity.”

Tang Yiyi smiled without replying, poking at her ice cream with a small stick.

Xiaoxiao asked, “Don’t you like it?”

Tang Yiyi said she hadn’t eaten anything so cold since studying Chinese medicine. Most women have cold constitutions, and eating cold food brings dampness and toxins into the body, which can easily cause illness.

Xiaoxiao, about to take another bite, paused and kept the ice cream in her mouth for a long time after hearing this.

Tang Yiyi said, “Sometimes I crave cold drinks, too. But my mentor is even more fastidious—he only drinks ‘restorative water.’ He pours boiling water into a thermos, lets it cool slowly, and drinks only water with condensation dripping back in.”

Xiaoxiao swallowed her ice cream and started poking at it like Tang Yiyi. After breaking it up, she suddenly turned to Tang Yiyi and asked, “Are there any simple, easy-to-learn ways in Chinese medicine to maintain heart health? Like massaging certain points, things you can do long-term for wellness?”

“Of course.” Tang Yiyi told her about several important points—Shenmen, Neiguan—and described the massage techniques. “You don’t need to do much, just a few minutes a day. If you keep at it, it’ll definitely help your heart. You’ll notice smoother breathing and better sleep.”

“How do you know I don’t sleep well?”

Tang Yiyi pointed to her lips. “Your lip and nail color are very pale—suggesting a deficiency of both qi and blood. At our age, that shouldn’t happen. Maybe you have a congenital weakness? Want me to check your pulse?”

“…No need, I know my own problems. How long until I see results? I mean with sleep.”

“Two weeks, you’ll see improvement. If you add things like donkey-hide gelatin and red dates, even better.”

“Okay.”

They sat quietly for a while until the four men came out of the hotpot restaurant. Seeing the two of them poking at their uneaten ice cream, Xu Bin reached over and finished Xiaoxiao’s in a few bites.

It was still early—they wanted to go sing karaoke. Tang Yiyi declined; she was tone-deaf and didn’t want to deal with Wen Tao’s attention, so she said her goodbyes.

Tang Yiyi returned to Magnolia Lane and waited outside Qin’s Noodle House for Xiao Xie to finish work. She waved her over. “Xiao Xie, have you heard anything interesting today?”

“Interesting? Qin’s Noodle House is ranked 21st now. Does that count?”

“Twenty-first? That’s a bit low.”

“Yeah, Brother Xin’s promotions don’t seem to be helping much.”

“It’s just the beginning. Anything else?”

“‘Starlight Avenue’ is holding singer auditions in Yicheng. That’s news, right?”

Here it comes, Tang Yiyi thought. “Did you go?”

“How would I have time? I saw it on the news. Didn’t sound like the contestants were very good.”

“Did any customers mention it?”

“Yeah, someone who went said there weren’t many good singers. Some people went just for laughs.”

“Well, that’s what open auditions are—every kind of person shows up.” Tang Yiyi quietly let out a sigh of relief.

“What kind of news do you want to hear?”

“Nothing really, just bored. I’m going back to review prescriptions.”

Since the latest gossip wasn’t Xu Bin singing on stage, the longer time passed, the less likely anyone would mention it.