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We finally arrived in Huai City around 1 p.m.
Upon getting off the bus, the first thing I noticed was that Huai City's bus station was much larger than Taoyuan County's, and there were also more buses.
"Xiaoyan, Tiantian, grab your things. We're going to the guesthouse now," Niu Dajun said. "There's a canteen there. If we eat well and get a good rest, we'll be in good shape for tomorrow."
"I understand," Qi Xiaoyan said crisply, showing great curiosity about her surroundings.
He Tiantian brought toiletries and a change of clothes, while Qi Xiaoyan had two extra books in her schoolbag. Although she usually studied very hard, Qi Xiaoyan felt uneasy without her books.
These music theory books didn't belong to He Tiantian; they were found by Niu Dajun.
The bus station wasn't far from the guesthouse; they walked there.
Niu Dajun carried all of Qi Xiaoyan and He Tiantian's large bamboo-woven suitcases.
As Niu Dajun walked, he explained, "It's only a ten-minute walk to the guesthouse. Let's eat first, then go check out the exam venue and familiarize ourselves with it. After dinner, get some rest."
"This arrangement is quite reasonable," He Tiantian said, agreeing with Niu Dajun's plan. Niu Dajun had done his best for Qi Xiaoyan.
We arrived at the guesthouse shortly afterward.
Niu Dajun produced the necessary documents and booked two rooms: one for himself and one for He Tiantian and Qi Xiaoyan, which were next door to each other so they could look after each other.
People were very wary at this point. The staff member saw that Niu Dajun was a man with two women of different surnames, and questioned them for a long time, checking all the documents they submitted, before finally letting them check in.
While He Tiantian and Qi Xiaoyan were packing their things, Niu Dajun had already gone downstairs to buy lunch.
After they finished tidying up, call them down for dinner.
After eating, we went to check out the examination venue.
Qi Xiaoyan wasn't nervous at all before, but once she arrived at the examination room, she suddenly became nervous and tightly gripped He Tiantian's hand.
"Relax, relax. You're very talented and work so hard, you can definitely do it," He Tiantian comforted her. "If you're so nervous, it will definitely affect your grades."
Qi Xiaoyan gave a dry laugh and said, "Don't you think those people are here to take the exam too?"
He Tiantian looked in the direction Qi Xiaoyan pointed and nodded, saying, "I guess so. This is the exam venue! We wanted to come and take a look, and others would have thought of it too. If you're the only one taking the exam, it's not an exam. You need to be confident. Think about the song you prepared; it made all of us cry!"
He Tiantian said that Qi Xiaoyan's first rendition of "My Motherland" was particularly beautiful.
It will move and shock those who hear the song!
It's incredibly infectious!
"Really?" Qi Xiaoyan asked cautiously, looking at He Tiantian and Niu Dajun.
"Yes, of course it's true. You're the best singer I've ever heard," Niu Dajun praised.
He Tiantian nodded and said, "Try your best! Don't think about the result."
Qi Xiaoyan nodded and said, "I'll try my best, but I don't want to think about the outcome. It's no use thinking about it; it's in someone else's hands."
"Mom and Dad, I'm sure I'll pass the exam this time!" A girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old looked at He Tiantian and Qi Xiaoyan with a clear voice, "Singing isn't something just anyone can do!"
The woman covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "Hehe, yes! But Xiaoxue, you can't underestimate your opponent. Maybe they really are better than you!"
"I'm not afraid at all!" said Xiaoxue triumphantly, full of confidence.
He Tiantian smiled and said, "Can you see all the cows in the sky?"
Niu Dajun was stunned. He had just been thinking of going to confront that mother and daughter!
Qi Xiaoyan knew what He Tiantian was going to say, and continued with a smile, "Wow, so many! You're exaggerating to the heavens."
Upon hearing this, Niu Dajun burst into laughter and said, "Yes, that's quite a boast, it's blown to the heavens."
"Who are you talking about?" Being young and impatient, the one named Xiaoxue questioned He Tiantian and her group.
He Tiantian feigned surprise, shrugged, and said, "Who are you? We don't know you!"
Xiaoxue was so angry she was jumping up and down, but she didn't know how to refute it.
"Young lady, watch your mouth. This is Huai City, not some backwater. You can't just say whatever you want here." The woman squinted, as if threatening He Tiantian and Qi Xiaoyan.
He Tiantian wanted to say something more, but Niu Dajun stopped her, stepping forward and saying, "Yes, this is Huai City, everyone here is here to take the exam. In that case, wait until after the exam before spouting nonsense, why are you saying these sarcastic things now!"
Seeing Niu Dajun's upright demeanor and his neither servile nor arrogant attitude, the middle-aged man also realized that he was no ordinary person.
These days, you can't be arrogant. If you offend someone, you have to be prepared for retaliation. But it's best to be kind to others and avoid offending anyone.
“Young man, you’re right. Since you’re here to take the exam, just focus on it. What are you dawdling around for? Come on, let’s go take a look over there.” The middle-aged man said with a smile, nodded to Niu Dajun, and led him away.
After everyone left, Qi Xiaoyan said with a bitter face, "Sister Tiantian, are we really that shabby? People can tell at a glance that we're from the countryside?"
He Tiantian chuckled and said, "Our clothes aren't bad, it's just that our accents made them realize we're not from Huai City."
Qi Xiaoyan suddenly realized and said, "So that's how it is! That woman wasn't dressed any better than us! She looked down on us because we're not locals."
"Alright, don't think about it too much," Niu Dajun said. "Keep in shape and do well on the exam tomorrow. Let's go, we haven't looked at the east side yet! Let's go take a look."
The three of them spent half an hour reviewing the assessment and simulating the exam sequence so that Qi Xiaoyan would have a clear understanding of the process.
There was still some time left, but Qi Xiaoyan didn't want to go shopping, so He Tiantian followed her back to the guesthouse to keep her company.
Qi Xiaoyan reviewed the notes again, and studied the relevant music theory knowledge.
The exam is divided into two days. The first day is a written test in the morning, which tests relevant music theory knowledge. Only those who pass the test can participate in the interview on the second day.
Qi Xiaoyan got tired of watching alone, so she asked He Tiantian to ask questions.
Qi Xiaoyan could always answer He Tiantian's questions without missing a single word, which showed that Qi Xiaoyan usually worked very hard.
After dinner, Qi Xiaoyan still had to study.
"Xiaoyan, you've already memorized both books, so you don't need to look at them anymore. Relax, a good state of mind is essential for good results," He Tiantian said. If you've worked hard during the exam, there's no need to cram before the test.
Qi Xiaoyan smiled and said, "It's fortunate I brought you with me, otherwise I definitely wouldn't have been able to control my emotions." (To be continued.)
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