Chapter 144

Watching Qin Wei get out of the car, Qiao Sixiao also got out of the car with a doubtful look on his face.

After crossing the road, they entered a residential area.

It wasn't a completely gated community. They could directly enter after greeting the security guard uncle at the entrance.

It was an ordinary residential area, but the landscaping inside was extremely good, with rockeries, ponds, and pavilions, like a small park.

"Qin Wei, where is this? What are we doing here?"

Qiao Sixiao asked her in a low voice, while keeping an eye on the coming and going people, afraid that like usual, someone would recognize them and cause a commotion.

But Qin Wei was very relaxed. After all, both of them were dressed very casually today compared to the other passersby, so there was nothing special about them.

When they reached the pavilion, there were many older men and women inside, some playing cards, some chatting, and a few sitting together playing musical instruments.

In short, there were quite a few people there. Qiao Sixiao subconsciously frowned, feeling a little nervous.

This time it was Qin Wei's turn to reassure her:

"Relax a little, trust me."

Just then, the music stopped, and Qin Wei waved her hand and shouted, "Uncles and aunties!"

The uncles and aunties there also seemed to recognize her and waved their hands to beckon her over.

Qin Wei looked at Qiao Sixiao and happily pulled her along to go over.

"Uncles and aunties, long time no see, do you still remember me?"

The old man nodded:

"I remember. You often came here a few months ago. Ever since you said you wanted to teach me a new song, you never came back again."

Qin Wei smiled and took the erhu from the old man's hand:

"Well, I brought my friend here this time."

After she finished speaking, she pointed at Qiao Sixiao.

The old man didn't say anything. He silently handed Qiao Sixiao a small stool, then continued speaking to Qin Wei:

"Last time you said you wanted to teach us the song 'Xi Yang Yang'. We've all been waiting to learn it."

Without another word, Qin Wei started playing.

"Xi Yang Yang, Mei Yang Yang, Lan Yang Yang, Fei Yang Yang, Man Yang Yang, Ruan Mian Mian, Hong Tai Lang, Hui Tai Lang. Don't look down on me just because I'm a sheep..."

Not only could she play, she could also sing.

As soon as she opened her mouth, it attracted a lot of attention.

Qiao Sixiao: "..."

The old man frowned: "Don't fool us. That song is from Xi Yang Yang the cartoon. Even my grandson knows it. I'm talking about..."

"Uncle, I know. I just wanted to show off a bit. I'll teach you that song later... Aunt Li, lend me your pipa. I can also play funk music on the pipa!"

As it turned out, Qin Wei really could play it.

Seeing the happy looks of the people around listening to Qin Wei, Qiao Sixiao quietly asked the old man sitting next to her:

"Do you know who she is?"

"I know her. Qin Wei, the TV drama actress."

The old man replied casually:

"I recognize you too. I've watched your TV shows as well."

Qiao Sixiao was stunned, finding it a bit unbelievable.

The old man seemed to see through her state of mind and said to her:

"You know, not everyone in society chases celebrities."

Qiao Sixiao thought carefully and realized he was right.

People are like that. If you stay in a circle for too long, you'll start to feel like that circle is the whole world.

...

With her initial wariness gone, Qiao Sixiao soon blended in. Since she didn't know folk music, Qin Wei lent her an erhu to teach her the basics.

She quickly learned to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", though the notes were unstable, she managed it decently.

The uncles and aunties were very supportive, clapping for her, making her feel a little shy and bashful as she smiled.

In all her years in the industry, this was the first time facing an audience like this.

Happy times always pass quickly. Fooling around with the instruments, casually chatting and cracking melon seeds with the aunties and uncles, the morning was soon gone. As they were leaving, the old man told Qiao Sixiao:

"Feel free to come anytime if you want to in the future. We retired folks are here every day with nothing to do. You've got talent as an erhu player, you could consider developing in that direction." Qiao Sixiao sincerely expressed her gratitude to the uncles and aunties.

......

Back in the car, Qin Wei automatically put on her seatbelt and asked:

"What do you want for lunch? My treat... Actually, you go first and tell me what you want to eat. Then I'll see if I'll treat you or not."

As Qiao Sixiao started the car, she said to her:

"Go ahead and tell me about it!"

"Tell you about what?"

"Tell me about you and your secret base."

"Oh."

Qin Wei thought for a while. She'd have to start from after she got into the car accident.

"Not even Li Yao knows about this stuff, but since you want to hear it, I can tell you about it.

At that time I didn't have any work schedules and was home all day with nothing to do.

I was the only one in the house. Li Yao had other artists to manage and would only drop by to see me every few days and bring me some daily necessities.

Later on I was just too bored and went out with a hat and mask to walk around. I happened to end up here and was about to head back when that uncle called out to me. At first he thought I was lost.

I told him I took a wrong turn. Aunt Li recognized me and I thought 'Oh no, with my reputation at the time, I'd probably get mobbed'. But instead, Aunt Li went to the shop to buy me a hot milk tea because it was a bit cold out and she said I wasn't wearing enough layers. I was so touched at the time. Plus I hadn't talked to anyone for a long time. So I went over to chat with them."

Qiao Sixiao was stunned. This was the first time hearing her talk about herself like this. She had never imagined any of this at all.

Qin Wei continued:

"Later I realized the uncles and aunties were all very nice people. They recognized me but didn't have any hostility towards me. I happened to have nothing to do so I started coming here every morning for two or three months and got familiar with them.

Oh right, in between when we had nothing to do I'd play the erhu and pipa with them. And I thought to myself, after retiring from the industry, when I have time I could form a band with the aunties and uncles. Wouldn't that be so cool?"

Only then did Qiao Sixiao understand:

"So you learned to play the erhu from them."

"Yeah, I practiced more and more and got skilled at it."

Qin Wei nodded. She couldn't very well say she was born knowing how to play it!

And her fingerwork was very stiff in the beginning. Getting back into familiarity relied not only on her own experience, but this period of "intensive training" as well.

Qiao Sixiao raised the corners of her lips in praise:

"They're quite nice people."

"Yeah. Aunt Li also told me to just go wherever I felt like going. If I got scolded by people on the street I should just cry. She said she saw it in a TV show where the female lead was an actress whose reputation had collapsed. When that girl cried, the people around her softened. It was very useful apparently, and said it would definitely work for me too if I cried."

Qiao Sixiao was curious:

"What happened afterward?"

Qin Wei shook her head:

"Aunt Li means well but that wasn't good advice at all. I did try it once out of desperation and quick wittedness. But nevermind what happened after the person scolding me... Actually after that I stopped looking at comments much either. I'm not as tough as you."

Qiao Sixiao sighed and memories of her own were involuntarily stirred up:

"Actually I don't look either. When I first debuted I would still post some daily life stuff on Weibo but got cursed out no matter what I said after that, so I just never posted anything again. The comments... let them say what they want, I'll just focus on doing my job well."

Qin Wei sighed emotionally:

"Whoa, you got cursed at too..."

"Well no duh..."

"I feel so happy right now!"

Qin Wei applauded.

Qiao Sixiao glared at her.

Qiao Sixiao opened up navigation on her phone:

"Let's go to your place then. Just make me something simple to eat."

Qin Wei immediately refused:

"If anything's getting made, you're the one cooking. Otherwise let's just order takeout."

Qiao Sixiao felt very helpless:

"I don't know how to cook. Or let's just order takeout to your place then."

Without another word, Qin Wei started setting a destination on her own navigation app.

The destination was a busy commercial district.