She Adopted Me After My Biological Mother Passed Away - Chapter 42.1

After being pestered by her roommates until nearly 10 PM, Shi Shuxue finally escaped to the shower under the guise of “getting ready for bed.” As hot water hit her face, the day’s scenes replayed in her head like a montage.

Chi Yeyu’s tenderness while helping her with the bracelet, her smile while talking about the past, and that soft kiss at the school gate that they were both loath to end.

After washing up and getting into bed, Shi Shuxue logged onto an old alt account she hadn’t used in a long time. She posted a “chuunibyou” level Weibo post to express her feelings, completely unaware of how dramatic it sounded.

[Today was a day of being knocked dizzy by her tenderness. She remembered the strawberry candy, the little stars, and the promise. Even the bracelet knew I liked things low-key. But could she please stop treating me like a child? She even teased me on purpose during the candlelight dinner. I really don’t know how someone can have so much bad taste.]

[The kiss was so light. I clearly wanted to hold her and kiss her longer, but I was afraid someone would pass by the school gate, so I stepped on her foot first.]

[Yesterday’s performance was canceled, and I was a bit let down, but today that feeling is completely gone. I have to admit that annoying person gives me much more dopamine than playing the bass. The baby’s breath and roses on Christmas Eve were very beautiful.]

After finishing the thousand words essay, Shi Shuxue scrolled through her eighty-plus previous posts. They all had zero likes except for her own. she reviewed her past emotions one by one.

The first was from the day she opened her sixteenth birthday present. The second was a week later. The third after another few days. The posts became more frequent until Chi Yeyu went abroad, and the intermittent record abruptly stopped.

The post from that day was a single line she had edited over and over.

[The wind at the airport is very cold. The sea you spoke of. I’ve listened to half of it for you.]

The time of the post was 2:17 AM, exactly when Chi Yeyu’s flight had landed.

She was very angry when Chi Yeyu left the band. But now that the bitterness had turned to sweetness, a thought occurred to her: in the future, she would be the only one who got to hear Chi Yeyu play. She felt a bit happy, which seemed a bit selfish…

Satisfied, she switched back to her main account. Shi Shuxue saw 999+ notifications in her inbox.

The alt account was ignored, but the main account was quite famous.

After the Christmas Eve special was canceled, the band’s official Weibo had posted an apology and promised compensation. Although fans commented saying “it’s okay,” many who had bought tickets were disappointed or sad.

That mood was completely dispelled by a pinned post.

【Christmas Compensation Special Confirmed! Dec 30th, 8:00 PM. Original venue. All old tickets valid. Adding a special version of “Flying on a Snowy Night”】

Countless fans regained their passion. Song Ting was one of them, a successful fan who had managed to get a photo with Shi Shuxue just after joining the fandom. When she saw the news, she was making hot cocoa, and her spoon clattered against the cup.

She opened the comments section and found that the fans she usually chatted with had already agreed to go together again. Some said they would bring the apples they didn’t get to give out on Christmas Eve, while others showed off their newly decorated glow sticks.

The official Screaming Goldfish account also updated with layout photos. The stage was surrounded by warm white gauze. The sticky notes with fan messages from Christmas Eve had been re-pasted onto an exhibition board.

The text at the bottom made Song Ting’s heart skip a beat.

【To make up for the Christmas Eve regret, fans with original tickets can collect exclusive compensation merchandise: a custom “Edelweiss” wristband, a signed postcard from the whole band, and a “Snowy Night Promise” commemorative badge designed personally by keyboardist Tiangua.】

“Personally designed?” Song Ting held her steaming cup and quickly opened her group chat with other fans.

As expected, messages were flooding in. A group member with a photo of Shi Shuxue’s bass as an avatar posted a screenshot. It was a new update from Shi Shuxue’s account: “There’s a secret hidden in the wristband. When you wear it, it’s like we are catching the Christmas Eve snow together.”

In the attached photo, she was sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor of the practice room, wearing a loose black hoodie with sleeves pushed up. She was looking down, drawing with a marker, while Tiangua leaned over to guide her. She was tilting her head to listen.

This Weibo post didn’t really match Shi Shuxue’s style. Usually, she only posted close-ups of her bass or the back of the band practicing. This kind of interactive photo was likely a candid shot taken by guitarist Yu Xiu or drummer Ci Cheng, who then helped her post it.

Song Ting remembered the last time they took a photo. Shi Shuxue was a girl of few words, but she would quietly listen to her rambling and even reminded her to fix her wind-blown bangs. They weren’t fans of an unreachable idol, but of a group of friends who treated their fans seriously and loved music.

“I just asked the staff. There’s plenty of merch, but I heard Shi Shuxue and Ci Cheng will be there early to help hand out badges. Let’s queue early, we might get to interact!” a group member messaged, attaching a map of the venue and the pickup point.

Song Ting immediately replied “Count me in” and rushed to her closet. She wanted to wear the white coat from her photo with Shi Shuxue, and she planned to print that photo out and put it in a transparent card sleeve.

After ironing her clothes, she sent a private message to Shi Shuxue’s main account: “Xue, we didn’t catch the Christmas Eve snow, but we will definitely cherish your wristband. See you on December 30th!!!”

The moment it sent, her screen lit up. It was a one word reply from Shi Shuxue: Okay.

Song Ting thought, Her favorite bassist is still so “cool.”

Shi Shuxue returned to W City after her finals. The night before the performance, the band held a long-awaited livestream.

The location was their basement practice room at home. Yu Xiu and Tiangua hadn’t been there in a while, as soon as Tiangua arrived, she familiarly went to the mini-fridge to pick a drink. It was Ci Cheng’s first time, and she was a bit stiff, but Chi Yeyu generously let her play her beloved drum kit, so she eventually relaxed.

Shi Shuxue had just finished adjusting her bass strap when she was blinded by a phone screen suddenly held up behind her.

“Don’t hide, the camera can’t find you!” Tiangua propped the phone on top of a speaker in the center of the room. The lens swept over a bewildered Shi Shuxue, and the comments flooded in instantly.

[ Xue Bao! Today’s look is so cute, did Xiao Ci do your hair?]

[Did Xiao Xue gain weight? Her face is so round!!]

[Tiangua teacher, please hold the camera higher, this angle makes everyone look so smol]

[I want to see the bassist’s peak beauty.]

So Tiangua raised the stand higher and leaned in to reply: “Round is cute. Someone wishes she’d gain weight every day.”

[Who? Hahahaha]

[Is it that person? hhhhh]

“Mhm, yeah, exactly that person,” Tiangua said.

[Which person, which person?]

[The super annoying ‘unmentionable’ person, of course!]

[I’m a new fan, can’t we say the name?]

[No, no, you’ll get scolded if you say it. There are definitely many girls whose hearts were broken by her who would come out to flame her.]

[It’s been so many years, but her fans’ combat power is still so strong.]

[LOL, most of the target has shifted to her herself now.]

[Stan-hating is still stanning.]

Yu Xiu cleared her throat, calling them over to practice. A fan suddenly noticed that the practice room looked incredibly familiar.

[I remember them practicing here a long time ago]

[Yeah, I remember too, nothing has changed]

[Except the people]

[Stop with the ‘knives’ (angst) uuuuugh]

[But they are still in contact, there was no falling out]

[Yeah, otherwise we would have been muted long ago]

[Their relationship is so good… sometimes I don’t know if I’m a fan of their playing or their bond.]

[+1] [+1 Requesting the secret to never drifting apart]

“Entering the verse,” Yu Xiu reminded. Tiangua immediately switched to a bright electric piano tone. The drummer couldn’t help but sway with the rhythm. Shi Shuxue stood in front of Ci Cheng, joining in with her drums; the bass part injected a heavy foundation into the music.

[Ci Cheng swaying her head is so cute!]

[Xiu-jie’s guitar is forever god-tier!]

[This formation, the bass and drummer are so close!!]

In the frame, Shi Shuxue and Ci Cheng were indeed standing very close. During a break in the playing, Ci Cheng even used a drumstick to ghost-tap the neck of Shi Shuxue’s bass, and Shi Shuxue gave a nearly imperceptible nod, full of chemistry.

[The bass and drums must practice and communicate the most in private.] [Two babies…]

[They made eye contact! I saw it!]

After the song ended, they were all slightly out of breath. Tiangua was the first to run to the phone to read the comments.

“Everyone says they love our new arrangement!” she reported with a smile. “They also said Ci Cheng and Xiao Xue have great chemistry.”

“They practically lived in the practice room for a while, how could they not?” Yu Xiu teased, then asked, “Why is no one praising the chemistry between me and Tiangua?”

Tiangua pouted. “Forget it, who wants chemistry with you?”

Ci Cheng lowered her head shyly and continued adjusting the angle of a cymbal. Shi Shuxue remained expressionless, silently unplugging her bass cable, wanting to grab a bottle of lemon water.

“Let’s do it one more time.” After a short break, Yu Xiu put her guitar back on. “That transition at the end, I think it can be even more perfect.”

Ci Cheng immediately nodded and looked at Shi Shuxue. Shi Shuxue had already plugged back in and gave a short response: “Okay.”

Just as it reached the time for Chi Yeyu to get off work, she herself casually stepped out of the elevator.

The four in the practice room had just finished the last run-through. The live viewer count spiked to a peak, and the comments blurred the entire screen.

Shi Shuxue’s face was slightly flushed, her breathing heavy. The moment she put down her bass, she spotted Chi Yeyu at the door.

Her entire body froze.

The camera was facing the four band members, the viewers hadn’t noticed the arrival of the “Great Buddha” Chi Yeyu yet.

Chi Yeyu waved with a grin, opening her mouth to speak.

Shi Shuxue’s pupils dilated in shock. She mouthed frantically at Chi Yeyu: WE. ARE. LIVE!

[What is Xiao Xue saying?]

[Why do the four of them have such weird expressions?]

[Huh? What is Xiao Xue looking at?]

Beside her, Tiangua gasped.

Ci Cheng instinctively covered her mouth.

Yu Xiu silently turned her face away, her shoulders shaking suspiciously.

[Hahahaha what kind of mime show are they performing?!]

[I bet fifty cents that someone who shouldn’t be there has appeared!!]

[Is it the manager coming to tell them to end the stream?]

[Doesn’t look like it. Look at that terrified look in Xiao Xue’s eyes. I’ve never seen her with such an obvious expression.]

[That person! Is that person back?! Tiangua, turn the camera quickly!]