Chapter 27: Children’s Palace (1/2)

Tang Jinyu’s solo performance was scheduled this weekend. Teacher Xia made it very formal. He specially arranged the house and set aside an open space in the living room as a small stage. On the side there were green plants on the side. The whole family was dressed neatly and sat down.

Xia Ye felt too hot, he wore a shirt and a waistcoat with a pair of sports underneath. His dad ordered him to go back and change a pair of pants.

In the empty space in the living room, the child wore a set of overalls with a small shirt, and a small gray tie around his neck. He was playing the harmonica there with bulging cheeks, playing very hard.

Xia Ye was listening indifferently, holding his chin boredly on the sidelines, he felt that harmonica didn’t sound any different from someone blowing air into a tube.

Now that the child is standing and playing the harmonica seriously, it is not as fun as when he was just learning a few weeks ago, sitting on the sofa holding a cup of milk while blowing bubbles into it.

Xia Ye happened to be brainwashed by Old Ape’s mentioned a few fantasy novels. When a child came to play with him, he fooled his younger brother and lied to him that he had to blow up the milk bottle in order to gain a lot of skill. His father got mad at him and smacked him on the head.

Tang Jinyu was standing and playing the flute earnestly, with a simple music stand beside him. He looked up from time to time on his music stand whenever he was confused. Whenever he did mess up, he seemed a little vacant when he glanced at his music sheet and was able to blow his way back to the right note by himself.

When the last note fell, Teacher Xia took the lead in applauding: ”Very good, very good, Xiaoyu's breath is very strong!” He said this sincerely, playing the flute requires a lot of air, like blowing a balloon. Even if his kid made a small mistake in the middle, but he jumped back by himself, at least he has good physical strength!

The family agreed, and the others immediately began to applaud enthusiastically.

Tang Jinyu blushed a little from where he stood, scratching his cheek.

Although the harmonica seemed complicated, it wasn’t hard to play. The music sheet made it a whole lot easier. His current level is estimated to be-selected in the primary school preliminary competition?

Thinking of this, the child's self-confidence was encouraged.

Xia Ye, who was standing opposite, felt that something was wrong. Why did he see a little encouragement in Tang Jinyu's eyes? Xia Ye continued to clap without any expression, he thought that the little fool must not know that they were mobilizing the whole family to cheer him up.

At the end of the special performance on the performance day, Tang Hongjun wanted to celebrate and invited the two to eat at a new western restaurant in the city.

Today’s dinner was to celebrate Teacher Xia’s finding a new job. After a few months of recuperation, Teacher Xia found a job at the City Children’s Palace and gave music lessons to the children on Saturdays and Sundays. Teacher Xia knows how to play all kinds of instruments. The people who interviewed him at the Children's Palace heard him play three kinds of musical instruments on the spot, and they immediately signed the employment contract.

Teacher Xia originally wanted to apply for another place, but the Children’s Palace was much closer and easier to get to, he could go out for two days on weekends and bring students at home during weekdays. He a,so wanted to take Tang Jinyu out to meet other children as long as he was there to supervise, so that he wouldn’t be scared.

When Teacher Xia discussed this with Tang Hongjun and his wife, they thanked him repeatedly.

The adults talked about these things and avoided saying it too loud for the little guy to hear, so Tang Jinyu sat there eating steak seriously, just as if it was a celebration for Teacher Xia, and didn't know it had anything to do with him.

Tang Hongjun sat there teaching the two children Western food etiquette. When he cut Tang Jinyu steak, Xia Ye watched him carefully, after learning the basics. He took the knife and fork in his hand to cut steak for his brother.

The steak on Tang Jinyu's plate is tenderer, suitable for children to eat, but the beef is still hard for him to eat, so he prefers side dishes.

After eating his own, he carefully ate a piece of potato on the side of Xia Ye's plate while watching Xia Ye.

Xia Ye was busy cutting him meat and didn't care.

Tang Jinyu ate another piece of bread.

Xia Ye cut his steak into small pieces for him, followed Tang Hongjun's way of dipping a little vanilla butter and feeding it to him. The cut was a bit big. The child sat motionless and chewed for a long time, his cheeks full leaving him no room to eat anything else.

Chen Suling held back her laugh, and asked the waiter in the restaurant for a camera and took photos of them together.

Chen Suling held up the camera and said, ”Xiao Ye, you cut another piece, no no, cut a big one like the one Xiaoyu just ate.”

Xia Ye: ”…I'll cut it down more next time.”

”Don't, this is so funny!”

Xia Ye had to cut another piece and lift it up. They asked him to take a photo of the little guy's face. He couldn’t help but feel embarrassed, It seemed that it was a bit big, and it was difficult for his brother to eat it.

Halfway through the meal, Teacher Xia began to sing with Tang Hongjun, and began to talk about how good the Children's Palace was.

Tang Jinyu was immersed in the joy of being fed by his brother, and didn't listen at all.

Tang Hongjun got closer to his son and said loudly: ”Is the Children’s Place really so good? Children who can play the harmonica are so amazing! Every orchestra needs one, right?”

Teacher Xia smiled and worked hard to cooperate with him: ”Yes, a group that I am instructing today is looking for a harmonica player, and it’s not only them, but other orchestras and bands welcome harmonica players.”

Tang Hongjun said: ”Xiaoyu, shall we go too?”

Tang Jinyu: ”What?”

Tang Hongjun: ”It's a pity that Xiaoyu plays so well and could only play at home. Let's go to play in the Children's Place and listen to other children play, okay?”

Tang Jinyu shook his head. He was out of tune today, it would be best if he didn’t.

Tang Hongjun didn't give up, and said: ”Look, your teacher Xia said, many children over there want you to go, they lack harmonica players. You will be very popular if you go and you’ll be able to meet new friends… ”

Tang Jinyu understood what his father meaning. He looked at the people around him, his eyes paused on his mother's side, and then asked, ”Is Teacher Xia going to the Children's Palace?”

”Yes, that's the Children's Palace!”

”Then go.”

Both Tang Hongjun and Teacher Xia were very touched. Tang Hongjun felt that his son liked him a lot and that he would listen to everything he said.

Teacher Xia felt that this was simply a cotton little padded jacket. Sure enough, it was right for him to choose the Children's Palace, once he heard that he was also going to be there at the Children’s Palace, he nodded and agreed to go!

Tang Jinyu continued to eat, and was very satisfied with the arrangement in his heart.

His mother is usually too busy, and she has to take time off work to take care of him every day. She takes her work home on Saturdays and Sundays to do it. Spending some time at the Children's Palace can reduce her burden. It's a good deal!

The child ate a lot and was full of joy.

***

Han Yichen tried to plan to meet up with Xia Ye, but the two of them couldn't match their schedules.

The younger sister of Han Yichen's family went to the Children's Palace on Saturday, and it happened that Xia Ye was going to accompany Tang Jinyu to the Children's Palace on Sunday to participate in the orchestra activities.