Chapter 114: Cinnabar in the Heart and Mouth

  After a long period of inner struggle and repeated deliberation, Bai Xueya and Lu Haocen finally overcame the heavy psychological shadows, gritted their teeth and made up their minds to take the stage.

  After the two of them politely greeted the band, Bai Xiaya didn't even look at Lu Haocen and left him behind. From a distance, in the corner's small compartment, a group of dark shadows were maliciously laughing and shouting towards this side, as if expecting a good show to start. She flipped open her songbook, hastily scanned it for two seconds, then prepared to take the mic and go on stage.

  "Hey! Strong ugly girl!"

  "What's wrong?" Ignoring the anger of being called a strong ugly girl, Bai Xueya turned around and asked gruffly.

  "Have you decided what song to sing?"

  "What's there to think about?!" Bai Xueya rolled her eyes speechlessly, "Of course I'll sing songs that I can sing! Besides, what business is it of yours what I sing?!"

  "None of my business?" Lu Haocen furrowed his brow. "Are we going to sing separately then?"

  "Who said I wanted to sing with you?! You think I want to sing with a big idiot like you? Stop being so full of yourself!"

  "Otherwise... I can be your dance partner too!" Lu Haocen chuckled and hugged his arms to measure her.

  Partner dance?

  Bai Xueya's mouth was agape in shock. What kind of wind had blown into this big fool's head? He actually intended to lower himself to dance with this little girl? Was he kidding?

  Jian Bai Xiao Ya hesitated, Lu Hao Chen curved his lips and smiled lazily: "Ah... actually this young master can sing and dance well, not only is he good at singing, but his dancing skills are also exceptional! However... if you're not willing then forget it, I didn't force you anyway! However..."

  He raised his hand and pointed at those guys waiting in the corner for a good show.

  "It's just a few games, can you bear to let them watch two wonderful performances in a row? It's too cheap for them! So, I say why don't we do a simple duet together, and it'll be over with."

  Bai Xueya furrowed her brow in deep thought, and suddenly felt that Lu Haocen's words were actually not unreasonable.

  No matter how bad the big fool sings, he is a person who has won first prize in an art competition. This "five-tone deaf" music fool should be able to easily get away with it when singing with excellent contestants?

  Inside the corner cubicle.

  Luoli was eating snacks while looking up at the stage on both sides. Xiao Ya and Lu Haochen seemed to be carefully selecting songs, after a comparison, they nodded to each other and boarded the stage one after another.

  "It's starting!" Jin Yanyan exclaimed excitedly beside him, and the people around immediately stood up with excitement, jumping around like they had been injected with chicken blood.

  "Are Soo-ah and Ho-cheon planning to sing together?" Jin Jae-hwan asked in surprise.

  "What a miracle!" exclaimed Jin Yan, "These two sworn enemies can actually work together to sing a song?! Unbelievable!"

  Cheers and applause rose and fell in waves.

  On the dazzling stage, two people stood shoulder to shoulder in the center position.

  The lights grew brighter, and a familiar prelude sound gradually emerged on stage -

  "Ah! - It's 'Heart and Mouth Cinnabar'!"

  As Lori's astonished voice rang out, the crowd looked far into the center of the stage. A boy and a girl stood shoulder to shoulder in the dazzling spotlight.

  The boy's lips were slightly curved with a faint smile, but his eyes, partially hidden by his bangs, had already become tinged with melancholy as he stood at the pinnacle of the path.

  The girl, however, was tense with her eyes tightly closed, her chest heaving rapidly as if she were very afraid of this lively scene. Yet she was so stubborn and persistent, tilting her face to let the light shine on her cheeks, as if that could dispel all her fears.

  The jumping notes shuttle between the colored lights, with a melancholy and intoxicating flavor. Like this cup of enticing wine, the strong and mellow flavors are just right, complementing each other, making people reluctant to abandon it.

  On the empty stage, a clear song echoes -

  "Rainwater still lingers outside the window,"

  But I am no longer by your side.

  Faded past events, like dust disappearing.

  Descend into the mortal world, no longer wandering...

  No matter how beautiful the past is, it will always become a memory.

  Deep in the heart of struggle. Only the marks on the heart and mouth are still clearly visible...

  The girl's voice was ethereal and crisp, as clean as a beautiful jade without any impurities. Although immature and tender, each sentence contained a captivating magic that entranced the heart.

  Not far away in the compartment, Luo Li was stunned. She had never heard Xiao Ya sing before, and she didn't expect her voice to be so good. It was like a flowing stream in the mountains, giving people the most primitive and pure touch.

  She smiled with relief, but when she looked back, she found that everyone's face was filled with the same astonishment as hers.

  Jin Yan's mouth was agape in shock, the wine cup in his hand frozen in mid-air.

  Jin Han had a thick smile at the corner of his lips, nodding from time to time in praise, clapping his hands in approval.

  Yan Feng's expression wasn't overly surprised, but his clear eyes were filled with too much admiration and astonishment...

  It turns out that everyone was deeply attracted by Xiaoya's outstanding performance.

  Lori smiled and turned around, finding that not only the people beside her were deeply infected by Xiaoya's singing voice, but also the other people in the bar were staring at the stage motionlessly, as if they had already deeply merged into that beautiful singing voice.

  Lu Haocen never thought that Bai Xiaoya's song would sound so good.

  From the first time they met, he gave this girl too many negative labels - ugly girl, savage, primitive tribe...

  She is ugly enough to be detestable, savage enough to be abhorrent, and primitive enough to be looked down upon with contempt.

  However -

  It was this girl who she despised the most, who proved her astonishing transformation through her own actions. She used her metamorphosis to create a beautiful and inspiring legend.

  A lotus flower emerges from clear water.

  A voice without any embellishments, simple as a wave in the blue sky and sea.

  A person without any embellishments, clean as a sheet of spotless white paper.

  At this moment, she is the purest spirit in the world.

  Lu Haochen curved his lips, and a hint of tenderness gradually seeped into his eyes. When Bai Xiaoya finished singing the last sentence of the female part, he suddenly walked over and pulled her hand up.

  Bai Xueya was stunned, and didn't even have time to take away the microphone, staring blankly at him. It wasn't until she finally came back to her senses that the blood in her body "rushed" up to her brain, causing her face to flush red, that she remembered to forcefully pull back her hand.

  Lu Haochen tightened his grip on her, as if her departure was unacceptable.

  On the empty stage, the boy smiled and held the girl's hand tightly, picked up the microphone and sang the following song -

  Another overcast and rainy day

  Turn over our shared memories of the demon soldier king.

  A strange today, dreamed of dust smoke.

  I'm here, but lost you...

  Cinnabar in the mouth...

  Never faded away...

  Just because I'm waiting, that person in my life...

  The sound was accompanied by a faint sadness, like a wisp of smoke drifting through every corner of the bar, lingering around everyone's soul.

  ＊＊＊

  The next morning, by the time Bai Xiaobao yawned and got out of bed, his sister Bai Xiangya had already done all the household chores. The breakfast on the table was fragrant and steaming hot, just one glance made people drool.

  He rubbed his sleepy eyes and leaned over to Bai Xiaya, who was snuggled up on the couch watching TV. Although the TV was on, she seemed to be staring blankly in a certain direction, lost in thought. Bai Xiaobao scratched his head and asked curiously:

  "Sister! What's wrong?!"

  Bai Xiaya was originally reminiscing about yesterday's events, but when Bai Xiaobao called out to her like that, she was startled and almost fell off the couch. She composed herself with a lingering sense of fear, swallowed back a surge of anger, and rolled her eyes in annoyance:

  "Stinky brat! Are you stuffed from eating too much? Suddenly appearing in front of my sister, scaring her to death!" She said, turning around and walking into the kitchen to prepare the dishes.

  Bai Xiaobao pouted, shaking his head. "Older sister! You're silly! I haven't even eaten breakfast yet, how could I be full?! Besides, I didn't suddenly appear in front of you! It's just that you were too engrossed in your thoughts! Hehehe..."

  He suddenly smiled slyly and narrowed his eyes, asking: "Old sister, where did you go yesterday? Who went with you?"

  In the dining room, Bai Xiaoyu was busy preparing tableware. Hearing her brother's question, she didn't even lift her head and said: "Bai Xiaobao you little rascal! You've grown up! At such a young age, you already know how to gossip about your sister!"

  "It's not me! It's Xiaobei!" Bai Xiaobao said with a face of impatience, "It was all Xiaobei yesterday, mysteriously telling me that sister has been dressing up beautifully these days and probably went out on a date with some handsome guy... She even said she saw a handsome brother sending you back through the window last night..."

  "Brother!"

  A sudden loud shout came from behind, and Bai Xiaobao knew something was wrong. He subconsciously shrunk his neck. Turning around, he saw his sister Bai Xiaobei, who had just crawled out of her quilt with a furious face. He hastily forced a smile and said: "Xiaobei, you're awake so early!"

  "Brother hates ghosts!" Bai Xiaobei made a face in anger, pouting her mouth and climbing onto the table. Hum! That despicable little brother! He actually leaked out all the secrets she told him! How outrageous! She had clearly agreed to keep it confidential yesterday!

  "Alright, alright - you two!" Seeing the brother and sister both pouting and not speaking, Bai Xiaoya hastily intervened, "It's no big deal, Elder Sister Chai is a seasoned politician who won't stoop to your level, you little rascals!"

  As soon as they heard this, the two little guys immediately changed their faces. Bai Xiaobao's eyes sparkled and he leaned in curiously, asking: "Really? Then quickly tell us what that handsome brother's name is!"

  "Right, right!" Xiaobei also followed suit and teased Mimi, "And height, weight, age, zodiac sign, blood type, hobbies... everything must be confessed!"

  Bai Xiaya helplessly shook her head, patted the two little ones' buttocks and hurried them to wash their faces. When Bai Xiaobao and Bai Xiaobei reluctantly went to the washing room, her heart suddenly felt empty, and the scene of Lu Haocen sending her home last night slowly appeared in front of her eyes...