Chapter 34 If You Can't Act Well, Go Home
"It's already 11:30, why don't you leave?"
Shen Xingzhi took out his mobile phone from his pocket with his left hand, glanced at the time on the screen, and slowly retracted his right palm, bent it inward, and took the phone in his left hand.
"I'll be leaving soon. I have something else to do."
Ren Limeng smiled softly, looked at Shen Xingzhi and asked softly, "Where is the senior? It's so late, aren't you leaving?"
In the bar, the sound of music, louder and louder, mixed with voices, was like a powerful wave, constantly hitting every corner and pushing the surrounding atmosphere to a climax.
Ren Limeng was wearing a microphone, but in such a noisy atmosphere, she was sure that she could keep the sound of her conversation with Shen Xingzhi between the two of them. She didn't want to cause any more trouble.
Ren Limeng deliberately avoided the low volume of the radio, and the volume was extremely soft, as if the breeze at night was caressing her face. Shen Xingzhi's ears moved slightly, "I have something to do too."
There was a hint of inexplicable meaning in the similar answers. In the noisy bar, Shen Xingzhi and Ren Limeng stared at each other quietly in the corner.
They stood very close to each other, yet deliberately kept a certain distance. With the hazy and changing lighting atmosphere, they created a special ambiguous atmosphere around them, just like a crystal clear cocktail that was slightly rippling, and it had been mixed just right, making people slowly sink into the unspeakable excitement and sweetness while being slightly drunk.
"Then... Senior, please go first?"
Ren Limeng stared at Chen Xingzhi motionlessly for a long time. She looked at Chen Xingzhi who seemed to be nailed to the spot, and finally couldn't help but speak. Her polite words accompanied by a faint smile made it seem as if everything was so light and peaceful.
"Schoolgirl, you're at the bar...what else is going on?"
As if he finally couldn't help it, Shen Xingzhi frowned slightly, looked at the crowd dancing in the dance floor in front of him, and then his gaze returned to Ren Limeng.
A very inappropriate question.
Ren Limeng couldn't help but complain harshly behind the smiling mask. She exuded the aura of a private itinerary. Didn't Chen Xingzhi get it?
Or is he just sabotaging things out of pure bad taste again?
It’s no wonder that Ren Limeng’s first reaction was so bad. She has suffered a lot of such losses in the past two days.
What's more, Ren Limeng originally wanted to quietly find the drummer boss, leave her contact information, exchange ideas and ask for advice, and then quietly surprise everyone. At this moment, Shen Xingzhi's persistent questioning completely disrupted her plan.
Ren Limeng had a headache. She gently rubbed her solar plexus with her right hand, with a gentle smile on her face. She was as calm as a mannequin, and her ups and downs in tone were too professional. Only the voice full of emotion could reach Shen Xingzhi's ears.
"I met a drummer here whom I really admire, and I'd like to learn some drumming techniques from him. Although the banggu isn't a modern drum, the emotion of the music and certain percussion techniques are probably related. I only have a few days to practice, Senior Xingzhi, and I'm a little worried. What if I don't perform well in a public performance?"
When Ren Limeng said the last sentence, she seemed to be deeply moved and raised her voice unconsciously. She tilted her head slightly, and her worried face was perfectly introduced into the camera following Xiao Zhang. She just happened to see the position where Xiao Zhang secretly filmed. Even if the program crew might not edit these shots, it would never be a bad idea to lay some groundwork for a rainy day.
"If you can't perform well, go home."
Chen Xingzhi had just noticed Ren Limeng looking around. Seeing her worry "acting" in front of the camera, his voice was particularly cold, "Sister, stop thinking about those crooked ways. Concentrating on practicing drums is better than anything else."
"Yes, yes, yes."
Ren Limeng felt the hot and cold tone in Shen Xingzhi's voice, and was a little confused. She smiled and nodded perfunctorily, and her intention to end the conversation became more obvious.
They didn't say anything else, but the big shot Chen Xingzhi didn't move. It seemed a bit impolite for Ren Limeng to leave directly. She could only turn sideways with anticipation in her eyes. The meaning of asking her to leave was very clear. She was just short of extending her hand and bowing, making the gesture of a waiter seeing a guest off.
The rock dance music played in the bar gradually reached its climax. Everyone around was immersed in the cheerful and exciting atmosphere, but Ren Limeng did not feel excited at all. She listened carefully to the music in her ears. The drum beats were in a disjointed rhythm. One beat was too loud, and the next beat suddenly had a shrill sound, like a sharp blade scratching across glass, or as if thunder was coming one after another in her ears. The harsh sound was very chaotic and not very beautiful.
Ren Limeng frowned, she turned her head and stared closely at the band stage in front of the dance floor. They had the same formation, similar black short-sleeved shirts, but through the layers of dancing figures, she couldn't see the whole band or the drummer's face. But this drum was so wrong, it wasn't even as lively as her, a half-baked drummer. She couldn't believe the melody in her ears, but it seemed to be like this in front of her.
Could it be that she was in a trance after training for too long and made up a drum master in her mind?
Ren Limeng turned her head and met Shen Xingzhi's eyes. The moment she saw the strange look that flashed across his eyes, she couldn't help but doubt herself even more.
As a musician, Chen Xingzhi was much more professional than her. Although he didn't say anything, Ren Limeng was already prepared to be questioned by him.
Is that all you're capable of? Do you have such poor taste? Do you admire just any drummer?
Ren Limeng could almost imagine the scene of these questions being coldly thrown out from his handsome thin lips, and she could only smile awkwardly.
"Let's go back to the hotel together."
Chen Xingzhi stared and noticed that Ren Limeng's hands were tightly grasping the shoulder bag straps. The disappointment in her eyes was fleeting, but anyone who paid attention would not miss it.
He suddenly understood what she meant by "something else". Shen Xingzhi seemed to have forgotten other things, slowly approached her, and extended an invitation to go back.
"Ah, Senior, don't you have something else to do?"
Ren Limeng opened her mouth slightly and her gaze fell on Shen Xingzhi again.
"It's not a big deal. Just let the production team help with the rest."
"I...then wait for me."
Unlike Shen Xingzhi's casualness, Ren Limeng was a little conflicted. However, after a change of mind, she finally decided to go back to the hotel with Shen Xingzhi.
It was late at night, and I was still a little nervous going back to the hotel with a group of unfamiliar people from the program crew. With the addition of Chen Xingzhi, the tense atmosphere disappeared in an instant. When it was time to take advantage, Ren Limeng would not show mercy.
But before that, she still had some hope.
After talking with Shen Xingzhi and making an appointment to meet at the bar later, Ren Limeng pulled her black baseball cap down and trotted past the crowd on the dance floor. She walked to the front of the band stage and whispered to the tuner who was dancing to the rhythm, "Hello, big brother, is the drummer for tonight's band the same person?"
Under the colorful rhythmic lights, the tuner looked over in surprise. He didn't see the girl clearly, but he didn't care. He just replied casually, "Of course not, I met a big shot tonight! That drummer up front is so tough. If he could stay in our Changye for a few more days, our Changye bar would definitely become the king of the dark night in Lin City!"
Ren Limeng's eyes lit up. As expected, she felt that such a good drum should not be left unnoticed. It would be hard for anyone with a little professional to not take notice. Although, in such a noisy bar, most of the customers were just there to have fun and would not care about the subtle differences in the music, or even whether the musicians on the stage were out of tune.
It’s dry enough, that’s enough.
Ren Limeng nodded repeatedly as the tuner praised her, and couldn't help but ask, "Big Brother, do you know where the drummer is now?"
"It seems to have gone upstairs..."
The tuner glanced at the stairs regretfully, his tone somewhat uncertain. "He left suddenly, while we were having so much fun! You can go to the bar and ask our boss. He brought that guy here himself!"
Ren Limeng walked towards the direction pointed by the tuner. In the middle of the bar, in addition to the guests and bartenders in groups of three or four, there were also a group of familiar figures - the staff of the "Mountains and Seas" program team and Shen Xingzhi!
"Teacher Shen, Director Li!"
Ren Limeng slowly walked towards the bar. She looked calmly at Li Ming, who was chatting happily, the young man who looked like the bar owner, and Shen Xingzhi who was wearing a mask. An unbelievable thought flashed through her mind. Could the drummer be related to the program crew?
Could it be Shen Xingzhi?
She remembered that in addition to the piano, Shen Xingzhi's club seemed to have many musical instruments, and he was also very good at playing the guitar.
But the drums, his drum set in college was just so-so. Even if he practiced for ten years, it would be difficult for him to reach the level of this big shot tonight. Shen Xingzhi was a big star, how could he have so much time to practice?
Besides, didn’t he ask her for advice in the afternoon?
Ren Limeng, who was full of doubts in her heart, still had a very friendly smile on her face. She walked to Shen Xingzhi, greeted everyone, and her eyes fell on the young man who was suspected to be the bar owner.
"Li Meng, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Li from Changye Bar. Thanks to Mr. Li for providing the venue today, the filming went so smoothly! Mr. Li, this is another guest of our show, Chen Li Meng."
"Hello, Boss Li!"
"Hello! You're worthy of being the show's female guest, you're so beautiful! And, you look much better in person than on the show tonight!"
Boss Li had already noticed Ren Limeng on the dance floor.
If it was because of the program crew's camera that he paid more attention to her in the beginning, when Ren Limeng walked towards the bar counter against the colorful lights, Boss Li, who gradually saw Ren Limeng's face clearly, glanced at her and was completely attracted.
Ren Limeng's eyes were as bright as water, clear and luminous. Under the vibrant, colorful ambient lighting, her gaze towards the bar was like the most dazzling diamond, flawless and sparkling with glittering light. She smiled softly, and her posture was light and graceful, like a deer straying into the jungle. Every step seemed to enter his heart.
Ren Limeng heard the compliment in Boss Li's words. She smiled faintly and expressed her gratitude politely and courteously.
As her eyes moved, Ren Limeng seemed to glance at Shen Xingzhi, who was turning the wine glass silently beside her, and raised her eyebrows secretly for a moment.
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