Compared to her, the other students' singing is simply at the level of elementary school students.
Erniu's homeroom teacher immediately chose her as the lead singer.
Being praised so highly by Chen Lie, Erniu smiled shyly, "Actually, Yingdi's singing was also very good. Teacher An originally wanted to appoint two lead singers."
"Yingdi?" Ning Tang was stunned. Why did this name sound so familiar?
Chen Lie reminded her, "Wang Di has three daughters here: Wu Pandi, Wu Zhaodi, and Wu Yingdi. Wu Yingdi is the youngest and is in the same class as our second daughter."
Ning Tang remembered that she had seen these three sisters several times on the road, following Wang Dilai timidly. She could not see their appearance clearly, but she only remembered that they were thin and small, with dry and yellow hair, shorter than their peers, and didn't talk much.
"Then why doesn't Wu Yingdi lead the singing?"
Erniu said, "Because Teacher An said that our class has chosen the chorus, we have to spend an hour practicing every afternoon after class. The lead singer is a very important position, so we need to practice for an extra hour. Wu Yingdi doesn't have the time."
That is to say, as the lead singer, I have to practice for two hours every afternoon after school.
Teacher An originally chose Erniu and Wu Yingdi to lead the chorus. Both little girls have loud voices, which are perfect for leading this passionate revolutionary song.
Erniu is fine, but there is a problem with Wu Yingdi.
After rehearsing for a few days, Wu Yingdi quietly found Teacher An and said that she could no longer be the lead singer.
Teacher An was very surprised. Why was she doing this without rehearsal? So he asked her why.
Wu Yingdi stammered and said that it was her mother who disagreed.
The three sisters take turns doing all the housework, big and small, in the Wu family, including washing clothes, cooking, sweeping the floor and wiping the table.
Wu Yingdi has to participate in the class choir practice. As the lead singer, she has to practice for an extra hour, so she definitely won't be able to get home in time to buy groceries and cook.
Of course Wang Dilai disagreed, so she asked Wu Yingdi to tell the teacher that she didn't want to be the lead singer anymore.
If the chorus didn't require the whole class to participate, she would have wanted Wu Yingdi to push it too.
Therefore, even if Wu Yingdi was unwilling, she had no choice but to find Teacher An and explain the situation.
When she said this, she looked at Teacher An with tears in her eyes, and it was obvious that she was reluctant to leave.
But Teacher An had no choice because this was the parents' request.
We had no choice but to do as Wang Di suggested, so Erniu was the only one left to lead the class.
School anniversary party, chorus, what a happy day, what a wonderful program, and so many leaders, parents and teachers watching.
Moreover, Wu Yingdi was able to stand out among her classmates and become the lead singer, which was a great honor for her family.
But Wang Dilai felt that the trivial household chores in her family were more important than letting her child lead the chorus.
Ning Tang shook his head. He really couldn't understand what Wang Dilai was thinking.
In the next few days, the three little ones should practice chorus or poetry recitation.
Chen Lie cooked delicious food for them in various ways, including chicken, duck, fish and meat, and bought them as if they were free.
When Erniu got home from school that day, she asked Da Wa, "Brother, do you get scared when you stand on the stage and recite poetry?"
Big Baby was stunned. "Why are you asking like that?"
Erniu pursed her lips and said, "Today I was leading the singing on the stage. When I sang the line 'The East is Red, the Sun is Rising', I couldn't sing anymore. Teacher An thought my voice was hoarse and told me not to sing today and go home and have a good rest. Actually, it's not that I can't sing, I'm just afraid."
Sanwa asked, "Sister, what are you afraid of?"
Erniu couldn't explain it. "I'm just scared. Think about it, when we were practicing, we were just practicing in the classroom, with our teachers and classmates as the audience. But on the day of the school anniversary party, leaders, the principal, teachers, and parents all came to watch our performance. We sat in the audience, with countless pairs of eyes staring at us." She shuddered. "Just imagining that scene, I can't even sing a single word."
The eldest child also imagined it and shook his head, "I don't think so." He said excitedly, "With so many people looking at us, it would be so impressive and proud."
A hint of doubt crept into Sanwa's eyes. "Could it be because we both recited together as a class, while her class had to sing a few lines alone? When she sang, everyone must have been looking at her."
Erniu nodded immediately. "Yes, yes, that's what I'm afraid of. Whether it's a poetry recitation or a chorus, the whole class recites and sings together. Even if we make a mistake in singing or pronouncing a word or two, no one will notice."
But it's different when she's leading the singing alone. The whole audience's attention is focused on her. If she sings out of tune, someone will definitely notice it immediately, and then everyone will definitely burst into laughter.
And there will definitely be many uncles and aunts from the military families' home who will also go to see her. If she doesn't behave well, it will be such an embarrassment to her parents.
When Erniu thought of this, her legs and feet became weak and her palms began to sweat from nervousness.
The more she fears making mistakes, the more Erniu forces herself to practice harder.
He stopped going out to play and just hid in his room, practicing the song "The East is Red" over and over again.
Unfortunately, the opposite happened. The more Erniu practiced, the worse she sang.
Teacher An was a little disappointed, but still comforted Erniu, telling her not to put too much pressure on herself, and gave her two days off to adjust herself.
On Saturday morning, when Ning Tang took Erniu to buy groceries, he ran into Wang Di.
Wang Dilai, still harboring resentment from her previous disagreement with Ning Tang, and having heard from Wu Yingdi about Erniu's poor form, deliberately taunted her, "If you can't sing, don't be the lead singer. Otherwise, you'll drag down the entire class and ruin your ranking."
Ning Tang said with a forced smile, "Then you won't have to worry about it."
When she got home, Erniu tugged at the corner of her clothes and pursed her lips, "Mom, do you want me to go tell Teacher An that I don't want to be the lead singer anymore?"
Ning Tang placed a bowl of mung bean paste with tangerine peel in front of her. "Doesn't that flatter Wang Di? If she says you can't sing, then you can't sing? Who is she? The king of heaven?"
Erniu picked up a spoon and stirred the mung bean paste. "But I really didn't sing well." She lowered her head and a tear fell into the bowl. "I feel like I've let down Teacher An and my classmates."
She raised her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "How about I go and ask Teacher An to let Yingdi lead the singing?"
Ning Tang took a handkerchief and wiped away the little girl's tears. "We've been practicing for so long, is it appropriate to change people now?"
Erniu choked up and said, "But I don't want to sing anymore. I'm scared."
Ning Tang thought for a moment and said, "Are you afraid of singing, or are you afraid of the audience watching you?"
Erniu said, "I'm afraid of the audience. I get nervous when I think about them staring at me."
She really likes singing, otherwise she wouldn't sing along with the radio at home every day.
Ning Tang patted Erniu's head. "You have to believe that Teacher An chose you because she thought you had the ability to lead the singing. The same goes for your classmates. Did they say anything when you didn't sing well?"
Erniu shook her head, "No."
Her classmates even came to comfort her and encourage her, saying that she must have been too nervous and that that was why she didn't perform well. As long as she adjusted herself, she would be able to sing as well as the first time.
Erniu thought of the encouragement from Teacher An and her classmates, and gradually calmed down and stopped crying.
Ning Tang patiently told her, "Erniu, it's normal to be afraid. Everyone gets afraid."
Erniu looked up in confusion, "Will Teacher An be scared too?"
Ning Tang laughed. "Of course they will. Your other classmates are the same. They will be afraid too. Everyone is the same. They will feel the same emotions as you do now. That's why they need you as the leader to lead them and calm their hearts."
Erniu thought carefully and recalled that during practice, the classmate standing next to her didn't sing well and was also nervous with sweaty palms.
It turns out that we are all the same.
Erniu slowly relaxed, a faint smile appearing on her face.
Ning Tang teased her deliberately, "Don't say your teacher An is scared. If I were asked to lead a chorus on stage, I would be scared too. I'd probably go limp, my legs would tremble, and I'd even sing off-key."
Erniu imagined the scene and burst into laughter. "Hahaha, Mom, you can do the same."
"Why not?" Ning Tang said, "If you don't believe me, go ask your dad if he gets nervous when he's called to speak at a meeting in the army."
Erniu looked at Chen Lie, "Dad?"
Chen Lie nodded, "Of course I'm nervous, that's why I always have to prepare a speech in advance."
"So," Ning Tang concluded, "being nervous and afraid is a very normal thing."
Ning Tang pointed at the radio. "Don't you like listening to Sister Lijun sing? Do you think she was born to be a singer? She's not nervous at all in front of the audience? How is that possible? It's all acquired through practice."
Erniu smiled and said, "Mom, after hearing what you said, I don't think I'm so nervous anymore."
Ning Tang: "It's fake! When you actually get on stage, you'll still be just as nervous."
Erniu immediately became discouraged and held her face in her hands, "Then what should I do?"
"No big deal." Ning Tang said, "In order to prevent you from getting nervous, your mother is going to teach you a set of martial arts secrets."
"Martial arts secrets?" Big Boy's eyes lit up and he came over immediately. "What martial arts secrets? Like on TV? The ones that allow people to fly over rooftops and walls, and break trees with one palm? Martial arts secrets?"
Sanwa pouted and said, "Okay, Mom, you kept it a secret. You know such a powerful thing, and now you want to teach it to us."
Ning Tang waved the two little troublemakers away, "Go, play somewhere else. This skill is passed down to girls, not boys."
Shen Lie came over and asked, "Then tell your husband?"
Ning Tang glanced at him sideways, and Chen Lie immediately fell silent, covering his mouth and saying, "Alright, just pretend I didn't say anything."
When Erniu heard that Ning Tang wanted to pass on the "martial arts secrets" to her, and that it was only for girls and not boys, she immediately became extremely excited. Lian Lian urged Ning Tang, "Mom, tell me quickly."
Ning Tang glanced at her and said, "Listen carefully. The most powerful thing about this set of martial arts secrets is that it can help you not be nervous when singing on stage."
"Ah——" Erniu stretched out her voice, very disappointed.
She actually thought it was true, as Da Wa said, that she had learned to climb walls and could break a tree with a single slap.
Ning Tang glared and asked, "Do you want to learn?"
Erniu immediately put on a serious face and said, "Learn, I must learn."
Ning Tang coughed and cleared his throat. "Actually, the method is very simple. Just imagine the audience in the audience as carrots and vegetables."
"Carrots and vegetables?" Erniu repeated.
"Yes, radish and greens," Ning Tang said, "the ones we usually eat at home, as well as the ones your sister Luo grows in her yard." He added, "If you don't like radish and greens, you can imagine mushrooms, tomatoes, potatoes, and peas. Anything is fine."
Erniu uttered an "ah" and frowned, "This? Is this possible?"
"Why not?" Ning Tang said, "Would you be nervous singing to a bunch of carrots, greens, potatoes and tomatoes?"
Erniu imagined herself singing to a bunch of people and burst out laughing. "I won't be nervous, but I will laugh."
Chen Lie chuckled, "Laughing is better than being nervous. This is a good method, quite effective."
Ning Tang instructed Da Wa, "Go to your sister Luo's house and ask her for some radishes and greens." He added, "It doesn't have to be radishes or greens, just vegetables. Just pick whatever your sister Luo has."
Big Brother responded and left.
Not long after, he came back with a basket of vegetables.
Ning Tang took a look and saw potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a handful of cowpeas. Mrs. Luo probably thought Ning Tang was going to cook, so she gave him so many things.
She picked out the vegetables one by one and placed them in front of Erniu. "This is your audience. Sing."
Erniu looked at the plump potatoes and red tomatoes and laughed, "My audience is so vulgar."
Chen Lie went to the yard and picked two small peppers for her. "Now you can sing, right?"
Erniu was so amused that her nervousness disappeared without a trace. She cleared her throat and actually sang "The East is Red" which she had practiced for a long time to these fruits and vegetables, "The East is Red, the sun is rising..."
Erniu's voice is very clear and loud, and because she is no longer nervous, she seems very "stable". Listening to her sing is simply a pleasure.
The eldest and third child closed their eyes and listened, while Ning Tang and Shen Lie clapped the beat for them.
After the song "The East is Red" was played, Da Wa clapped his hands and shouted, "One more song, one more song."
Erniu took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. It had been a long time since she had sung a song so freely and heartily.
When I used to hide in my room and sing, I would always hiccup nervously after singing a few sentences. The more nervous I was, the more out of tune I sang, and my singing level was nowhere near what it used to be.
Ning Tang said, "On the night of the school anniversary party, you should do the same thing. Just treat the audience as potatoes and tomatoes. Just imagine, just like now, you are singing to a group of potatoes and tomatoes. Will you still be nervous?"
Erniu shook her head and smiled, "I'm not nervous anymore."
Ning Tang nodded with relief. "Besides that, you also need to change your mindset."
"Change your mindset?" Erniu asked.
Ning Tang said, "That's right, just don't keep thinking that you, Shen Erniu, are performing for us, the audience. You should think from a different perspective and think that these people are here for your performance."
Erniu shook her head and said, "I don't understand."
Ning Tang exclaimed, "What I mean is, if you think so, you guys, it's your honor to watch my Shen Erniu perform!"
"An honor?" Erniu tilted her head.
Ning Tang said, "Yes, think like this. Whenever you are afraid and hesitant, just think that everyone is serving you, and you, Shen Erniu, are the protagonist."
"I am the protagonist." Erniu repeated, her eyes lighting up.
Chen Lie said, "Of course you're the star. The school anniversary party requires a stage, lighting, and an audience, all just to hear your class sing the chorus of 'The East is Red' and to hear you, the lead singer, sing so loudly. Your mother is right, just think of it this way."
Ning Tang said, "Even if you really didn't sing well, no one would blame you."
"No one will blame me." Erniu asked, "Really? No one will blame me?"
Ning Tang asked her, "Will Teacher An and your classmates blame you?"
Erniu shook her head and said, no, she would only comfort her and cheer her up. After all, this was a show for the whole class.
"That's it," Ning Tang clapped his hands. "Your dad, Da Wa, San Wa, and I won't blame you either. What's so strange about it? He just sang out of tune. Who dares to laugh at you? Let him go on stage and sing by himself. There are so many people who sing out of tune or forget the lyrics."
Ning Tang looked at the eldest and third child. "It's the same with you two. If you don't recite the poem well, your father and I won't blame you. Even if you three mess up your performances at the school anniversary party, it won't mean we won't have to eat less tomorrow." He waved his hand and said, "Eat fish when it's time to eat fish, and meat when it's time to eat meat."
Chen Lie said, "No, you should eat more. After all, you three worked hard last night."
Erniu felt warm in her heart, "I understand, Dad, Mom, don't worry." I will definitely not embarrass you.
There are still nearly two weeks until June 1st, the day of the school anniversary party.
A bunch of kids were all putting their best efforts into practicing their class programs, trying not to embarrass the class.
If you get a good ranking, will the school give you rewards?
Now they are even more excited.
On weekends, you can't even see children playing on the streets. When you ask, you find out that they are all practicing programs with their teachers at school.
Ning Tang took a piece of cloth and went to Zeng Xinlan's house to find her. "I want to ask you to make a little skirt for our daughter Erniu."
Zeng Xinlan unfolded the cloth and praised it, "What a beautiful cloth."
This is a piece of bright red Dacron cloth, which feels very smooth and flat. Nowadays, most clothes on the streets are blue, green and gray, and this piece of red cloth looks very eye-catching among them. Of course, the price is not cheap either.
This piece of cloth was given to Ning Tang by Sun Aiju when she came last time. She said that Ning Jun sent it back to make clothes for his sister.
Ning Tang hadn't bought new clothes for a while. She had originally planned to use this piece of cloth to make a set of clothes to wear during the Spring Festival, but there were many things to do during the Spring Festival, and Zhao Qing and Sun Minghui's troubles happened, so she forgot about it.
Now Erniu was going to be the lead singer of the chorus, so Ning Tang thought of using this piece of bright red polyester cloth to make a red skirt for Erniu as her performance costume.
Ning Tang gestured to Zeng Xinlan, "...When making a vest dress like that, the hem should be a little puffy, and you can sew a five-pointed star on the chest with yellow thread."
Zeng Xinlan listened and took notes carefully, "Don't worry, I will definitely do it well for you."
She worked quickly and delivered the finished little red dress on May 30th. "Take a look and see if it fits. If not, I'll alter it right away."
Ning Tang unfolded the little red dress and saw that it was exactly the same as she had imagined, even better.
Zeng Xinlan followed Ning Tang's advice and made a simple and elegant vest dress with a lapel collar. There was no five-pointed star sewn on the chest with yellow thread. Instead, she made some changes and sewn a five-pointed star facing each other at the corners of the collar.
Ning Tang called Erniu and asked her to come over and try it out, "See if you like it."
Erniu couldn't believe it, "This? Is it for me?"
"What else?" Ning Tang teased her, "Look at this skirt. Can I wear it, or can your Aunt Xinlan wear it?"
Erniu smiled crookedly, hugged the little skirt, ran upstairs to change, and jumped down the stairs in three steps. "How is it? Does it look good?"
Erniu is tall, and this little red dress fits her perfectly, making her look dignified and elegant, yet cute and lovely.
Zeng Xinlan was very supportive, "It looks great, and it suits you very well."
Erniu said, "Thank you Aunt Xinlan, I like it very much."
The eldest child puffed up his cheeks and asked, "Why does the second girl have a new dress to wear, but the third child and I don't?"
Sanwa also said: "That's right, you two are biased."
Ning Tang said, "Because there is only one piece of cloth left at home, and you two boys are wearing red, don't you think it's dirty?"
The cloth was one reason, but the main reason was that the eldest and third children were not like the second girl, who came out to lead the singing alone. They all recited poems together with the whole class. If they were given conspicuous new clothes separately, it would seem a bit abrupt. A touch of red suddenly appeared among a group of gray people, attracting the attention of everyone in the audience.
The eldest boy puffed up his cheeks and said, "No problem." As long as I have new clothes to wear, that's enough.
Ning Tang couldn't persuade the two brothers, so he asked Zeng Xinlan to use the leftover fabrics from making a little red dress for Erniu to make two red bow ties for them.
This is easy to make. Zeng Xinlan did it while chatting with Ning Tang, and it took less than an hour to finish.
Ning Tang tied the bow ties for them.
What the eldest and third sons wore today were white shirts, black pants, and red bow ties, looking like little gentlemen.
Sanwa was amused and imitated the people on TV pacing, "Brother, do you think I look like Charlie Chaplin?"
The eldest boy shook his head. "It doesn't look like it. It needs a hat and a cane to look like it."
Ning Tang let them go on and on, while Zeng Xinlan took Erniu to look at her.
Erniu was wearing a beautiful little red dress and the plastic sandals she had bought earlier. She was jumping around and having a lot of fun.
Looking left and right, still? Something is missing.
Ning Tang caught a glimpse of Erniu's long, loose hair. Oh, right, her hair wasn't tied up yet. He stroked Erniu's long, thick, black, shiny hair and said, "What do you think of the pigtails we should give her?"
If only her mother were here, she wouldn't have to think about it, she would be able to make a new and beautiful braid.
Zeng Xinlan shook her head and said, "I can't think of it."
She can make clothes, but she knows nothing about braiding hair. It's because she only has one boy in her family and Da Hu has a short flat head, so she can't practice even if she wants to.
Ning Tang had a flash of inspiration and decided to give Erniu a Wanjun hairstyle, which was very popular in the 1990s.
Thinking of the lively appearance of Xiao Wanjun in his memory, which overlapped with Erniu's appearance, Ning Tang quickly came up with an idea.
She divided the hair on Erniu's head into two strands, and then started to comb it into two pigtails from the top.
Erniu's hair is long and black, and the braids she combs into are as shiny and black as lacquer, just like crow feathers.
Finally, tie a bow made of two red ribbons at the end of the braid, and you're done.
Erniu looked at herself in the mirror and opened her mouth wide. "Is this me?"
This? It’s so beautiful.
Erniu doesn't want to let her hair down anymore, and she can't wait to sleep with this braid tonight.
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