Chapter 171: How could this happen?

Shi Yao practically stumbled out of Daisy's office, dazed and disoriented.

At that moment, her phone vibrated.

Mom: "Yao Yao, is the performance list for Professor Mingzhuo's work coming out? How did you do? Is the opening violin performance set for you?"

Before Shi Yao could reply, the next message popped up.

"It has to be you, don't let Mom down."

Shi Yao's fingers gripping the screen turned white.

"Yao Yao, you must win first place in the violin competition, don't let Mom down."

"Yao Yao, you must rank in the top three on this final exam, don't let Mom down."

"Yao Yao, you must keep your diet low in salt and oil, otherwise you'll get acne, your skin will worsen, your image will suffer, don't let Mom down."

"Don't let Mom down..."

These words kept echoing in Shi Yao's mind like a spell, and like a thin fishing line tightening around her neck, growing tighter and tighter.

She felt she could barely breathe, as if she were about to suffocate.

"Hey, student ahead, move aside!"

Two workers in work uniforms carried a large lighting rack past Shi Yao, one in front and one behind.

Recently, the lighting on a certain stage of the grand theater is being upgraded and renovated, with workers coming and going, and the project looks sizable.

Shi Yao numb ly moved aside.

Suddenly.

In her peripheral vision, she unintentionally caught sight of a person passing by downstairs across the way.

Pei Muyin.

The girl carrying a violin case walked through the backstage of the stage toward another exit; as she passed, a noisy welding sound came from the steel framework overhead.

Shi Yao knew that was the door Pei Muyin took after practice each day; going around that way would make her trip home more convenient.

"..."

Shi Yao stared blankly as Pei Muyin's figure disappeared from her view, and suddenly she recalled the words of the teacher who had brought her.

"It's a shame, Yao Yao; among the violinists, you and Pei Muyin are the most outstanding. Without Pei Muyin, you would definitely have been chosen to play the opening of Professor Mingzhuo's piece."

"Either it's Pei Muyin, or it's me."

"So, if Pei Muyin can't perform, could I take her place? Then the name on the list sent to Mom for the opening violin performance would become mine."

It was as if a demon whispered something into her ear.

A terrifyingly bold idea took root in Shi Yao's heart, yet at this moment she had no awareness of how terrifying it was.

Because for her, nothing was more terrifying than Mom's disappointment.

…

Last night, Shu Shu mentioned that a new specialty restaurant had opened nearby, and the three of them agreed to go there for dinner tomorrow.

The next day.

The violin training camp was held in the auditorium.

Shi Yao many times gazed with a wistful look at Pei Muyin, who practiced violin with her head down, earnest and focused, wondering what she was thinking.

In the afternoon, practice ended.

Pei Muyin packed up her things, said goodbye to her senior fellow students nearby, picked up her bag, and got up to leave.

Someone noticed an empty seat in the back row and asked curiously, "Huh, did Shi Yao leave already today?"

"She hasn't left; her violin is still here. She probably just went to the restroom."

"Oh oh, I was saying, leaving early doesn't at all match her usual style as a little exam king."

…

"Muyin, we're at the entrance."

Upon receiving Shu Shu's message, Pei Muyin quickened her pace; at that moment, her mind was solely focused on hurrying out to meet Shu Shu and Shu Lingchen, her steps light as she walked and lowered her head to reply to Shu Shu's message.

Just then.

"Pei Muyin! Move aside!"

Accompanied by a panicked, hurried female voice, a creaking sound came from above, as if some object was loosening.

Pei Muyin looked up, her pupils constricting; she saw a section of steel framework hurtling down from above, and in the blink of an eye she reflexively sprang backward.

"Bang—!"

The steel framework hit the ground with a tremendous crash.

Pei Muyin slowly lowered the arm she had instinctively raised to shield herself, turned around, and saw the floor scored with glaring marks where the sharp edge of the steel framework had scraped it.

She stood frozen in place, her hands and feet icy cold.

Had she taken just a step further forward and been unable to dodge, she would have been the one struck.

"What happened? What happened?!"

The sound was so loud it drew everyone running over.

"Muyin!"

"Sis!"

Pei Muyin, standing at the side, turned her head to see Shu Shu and Shu Lingchen rushing toward her.

Shu Shu anxiously scanned her daughter's whole body: "Muyin, are you okay?"

"... I'm fine." Pei Muyin, still not recovered from the fright, said softly: "I, I managed to dodge in time."

Only then did Shu Shu and Shu Lingchen breathe a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing? How could you leave such a huge safety hazard!" The theater's backstage manager, with a stern expression, demanded of the workers: "Fortunately no one was hurt; otherwise, what would we do?!"

The lead worker said firmly: "Impossible—we inspect after work every day; this kind of thing wouldn't happen!"

"Impossible? Then why did a steel frame just fall down out of nowhere?"

The workers still insisted their work had no mistake: "Please don't rush, let us check first and then we'll reply."

……

Pei Muyin suddenly recalled that female voice that had called out to her just moments ago.

If it weren't for that warning shout, she would definitely have been hit by the steel frame, yet she didn't see who shouted at her.

Sis?

Pei Muyin came to her senses: "Huh?"

Shu Lingchen asked: "What are you thinking about? Were you scared?"

Pei Muyin nodded slightly: "Yeah, a little."

"It's fine, we're not scared; later I'll buy you something tasty to calm your nerves." Shu Lingchen naturally reached out his hand to Pei Muyin: "Come, give me your bag—I'll hold it for you."

Thanks, bro.

Pei Muyin handed the violin case on her shoulder to Shu Lingchen, then instinctively reached into her pocket.

Empty.

The girl's face changed instantly—where's her recorder?!

Pei Muyin felt all her pockets over and over, but couldn't find the recorder.

She had clearly put the recorder in her pocket.

How could it be gone?

Pei Muyin began to wonder if she had misremembered—maybe the recorder wasn't in her pocket but in the violin case.

So she asked Shu Lingchen for the bag back.

The zipper was opened.

Pei Muyin first checked the compartment where she sometimes puts the recorder.

It was empty too—nothing there.

Then she took out the violin and sheet music one by one, turned the bag inside out, but still couldn't find the recorder.

Now Pei Muyin panicked completely.

Seeing her daughter's expression was off, Shu Shu crouched down and asked: "What's wrong, Muyin? Did you lose something? What did you lose? We'll help you look."

"It's my recorder." Pei Muyin explained: "I had a recorder; when I left the classroom earlier it was still in my pocket, but by the time I got here it was gone."

By the time I got here…

Right.

Her recorder must have been dropped somewhere nearby.

Pei Muyin instantly turned her head toward the backstage where the accident had just occurred, and without thinking she sprinted over.

Shu Lingchen, quick-eyed and quick-handed, grabbed her: "Hey—sis, where are you going?"

My recorder fell there; I need to go look for it.

It was clear Pei Muyin was truly anxious; her voice even started to become incoherent.

"It must have fallen out when I was just running; the recorder contains a violin piece that's very important to me—I have to find it…"

"Alright, Muyin." Shu Shu took her daughter's hand, soothing: "Let's go look over there, okay? Let's not rush."

…

Two workers were cleaning up the aftermath at the spot where the accident had just happened.

Shu Shu politely approached and asked if they had seen a recorder.

"A recorder?" one worker asked: "What does it look like?"

Pei Muyin immediately pulled out her phone, opened the photo album, and opened a picture: "Like this."

Shu Shu glanced at it, and when she saw clearly the black recorder in the photo, she froze.

This recorder…… why does it look so familiar.

At that moment.

"Hey? Little girl, is this your recorder?"

Pei Muyin's face lit up, and she followed the direction the worker pointed.

The next second.

The girl's smile froze on her face.

The recorder that had been intact was now lying on the ground, broken into pieces.

It had been smashed by the steel frame.

It was the kind that couldn't be repaired at all.

…

They never ended up going to that newly opened restaurant.

At the moment she picked up the recorder, Pei Muyin's tears fell instantly; her hands holding it trembled.

Shu Shu and Shu Lingchen were startled badly.

Shu Lingchen, at a loss, tried to comfort his sister, asking what brand the recorder was, offering to buy her a new one—maybe even a hundred—would that be okay?

Pei Muyin shook her head, utterly devastated.

... No, even a brand-new recorder wouldn't be hers.

That night.

Shu Shu gently closed the bedroom door and walked to the living room.

Shu Lingchen immediately asked in a low voice: "How is the little sister?"

Shu Shu sighed: "She fell asleep crying."

"Ah..." Shu Lingchen said: "What violin piece exactly is recorded on that recorder? Can't we buy a new one and record over it?"

What violin piece.

Shu Shu looked thoughtful, took out her phone, opened the online mall, searched for a certain brand, opened the customer service chat interface, and sent a message.

Several seconds later, the other side replied:

"We're sorry, esteemed member customer, the recorder model you asked about has been discontinued for seventeen years."

Shu Shu did not give up.

"I know your brand keeps a few sets of samples for each model as memorabilia; could you please check the warehouse for me?"

…

The next day, Pei Muyin went out to the Grand Theater with swollen eyes.

Shu Lingchen was uneasy and offered to send her to the Grand Theater.

"No need, thanks, bro."

The girl's smile on her face looked worse than crying; she felt listless.

Shu Lingchen scratched his head, feeling anxious, but he didn't know what to do for his sister.

"Ding—"

The doorbell rang.

Shu Lingchen walked over to open the door; it was a delivery.

"Mom, you have a delivery."

"Give it to me." Shu Shu took a small knife and opened the package.

"What did you buy? Is it super express?" Shu Lingchen asked curiously, then seeing the contents of the box, he exclaimed in surprise: "Oh! It's exactly the same recorder as your sister's!"

Shu Shu tore off the packaging, tested the recorder's function, then patted her son on the head.

"Come on, keep me company going out."

Twenty minutes later.

Shu Lingchen looked up at the sign and read aloud: "Cool Thought Recording Studio? Mom, why are we here?"

Shu Shu: "Borrow a violin."

…

That day.

Pei Muyin returned home from the Grand Theater.

Before dinner, Shu Shu mysteriously said to her daughter: "Baby, guess what I found when I was cleaning the bedroom today?"

The girl blinked her eyes.

"Ding ding ding ding!" Shu Shu lifted the object in her hand: "It's your recorder!"

Pei Muyin widened her eyes in disbelief: "But my recorder isn't..."

"I found this in the corner of the wardrobe." Shu Shu said: "You must be misremembering; you didn't bring a recorder out yesterday, so the one broken at the Grand Theater definitely isn't yours."

Shu Shu nudged her son with her elbow under the table.

"Ah, right, right! Sis, nobody in our family uses a recorder except you—who else could it be?" Shu Lingchen immediately agreed, and to boost credibility he added: "Sis, you said there's a violin passage important to you inside, right? Quick, listen and see if it's this one."

Shu Shu nudged her son with her elbow again.

You silly kid, if you try any harder it'll be too fake!

Pei Muyin blankly took the recorder, pressed play, and after a moment, a melodious violin sound came from it.

Only the first three seconds were heard—

Pei Muyin got excited: "It's, it's my recorder!"

Opposite, Shu Shu quietly let out a sigh of relief.

It seems she guessed correctly; her daughter's recorder is actually her old one.

…

Regaining something lost is probably one of the most fortunate things in the world.

Pei Muyin clung to the "regained" recorder, refusing to let go even for a second, listening to its recording over and over to continually prove that the recorder's return wasn't a dream.

She even really began to agree with Shu Shu's claim, and in her mind formed a false memory of not having taken the recorder out.

The girl wore headphones, listening while lovingly stroking the recorder with her fingers.

Suddenly.

Her finger paused—she felt no scratch.

Her recorder's tail end originally had a scratch less than a centimeter long, but this one in her hand is completely smooth, with no trace at all!

Pei Muyin instantly felt a sense of doubting life.

The violin piece in the recorder is correct, but the recorder's trace is wrong.

How could this be…