Chapter 31: Bustling and noisy, our city

“Hold on.”

Guchuan Xing tapped her drumsticks.

Her light red long curly hair slipped off her shoulders with the movement, covering half her face, leaving only one eye with a playful smile visible.

“It seems like we haven’t decided what song to play yet, right?”

“Original or existing? We need to decide first, right?”

Guchuan Xing rested her chin on her hand, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.

“Right, Huanzi~”

Qin Huan secretly glanced at Ju Zhenli.

Guchuan Xing’s address was a bit too intimate.

Would Ju Zhenli get the idea to take her out?

Fortunately, Ju Zhenli didn’t seem to have any special reaction.

She just leaned quietly against the wall.

But…

With Ju Zhenli’s personality, even if she had a thought, she wouldn’t show it in front of so many people.

“Um…”

Zuo Xi raised her hand.

“I think an original song would be better. After all, it’s the cultural festival performance. If we can play our own song, it’ll definitely leave a deeper impression on everyone!”

As she said this, her gaze turned to Qin Huan, and she showed a bright, energetic smile.

“And Qin Huan, haven’t you had a band dream since childhood? If you can play a song you composed, then that dream will surely be even more complete!”

Zuo Xi’s smile was very bright, and her tone was normal, completely showing no trace of what had happened on that street yesterday evening.

But Zuo Xi was right.

This was Starfall’s first performance, and it might be their only one.

If they could play a song that truly belonged to them, it would surely make this cultural festival performance even more special, and Zuo Xi’s conquest progress would definitely skyrocket.

But…

An original song…

Qin Huan bit her lip unconsciously.

She wasn’t capable of writing a song.

In her past life, she was just an otaku who liked playing gal games and watching anime.

She couldn’t even read sheet music properly, let alone compose a complete song.

Wait.

Anime?

An idea suddenly emerged from the depths of her mind.

‘Crying, Girls Band. That was her favorite band anime from her past life, and its opening theme that she had looped countless times: “Bustling, Our City.”‘

‘If… if she could bring that song to this world.’

‘Miao Heavenly Emperor, do you have the sheet music for “Bustling, Our City”?’

“Meow?”

‘That one, the OP of “Crying, Girls Band.”

I loved that song in my past life.

Aren’t you a god?

You should be able to do anything, right?’

“Qin Huan, are you misunderstanding something, meow? I’m not your world’s jukebox, meow! How could I possibly have something like that, meow! I’m just a cat, don’t have unrealistic expectations of me, meow!”

‘Alright, as expected, counting on this stupid cat is useless.’

Qin Huan sighed inwardly.

But…

So what if there’s no sheet music?

She remembered every melody and every lyric of this song clearly.

“Qin Huan?”

Zuo Xi’s voice pulled her back to reality.

Qin Huan snapped out of it and realized everyone was looking at her.

Zuo Xi tilted her head, her eyes carrying a hint of concern.

Fu Lan remained expressionless, but a trace of curiosity seemed to appear in her light purple eyes.

Guchuan Xing rested her chin on her hand, a meaningful smile hanging on her lips.

Ju Zhenli leaned against the wall, her calm gaze fixed on Qin Huan.

Qin Huan took a deep breath.

“Well… about the original song… actually, I’ve had a song hidden in my heart for a long time.”

Zuo Xi’s eyes lit up.

“Really? Qin Huan, you’ve written a song?”

“Yeah, I have the lyrics in my head, and the melody too. I just… need everyone to help me flesh it out.”

“Then let’s start.” Fu Lan suddenly spoke. “Big sister, hum the melody. I’ll write the sheet music.”

Qin Huan was taken aback.

“Fu Lan, you can write sheet music?”

“Yeah.”

Fu Lan nodded lightly.

“I learned.”

Qin Huan silently marveled at the educational level of the nobility.

“Then… I’ll start.”

She closed her eyes.

The guitar intro sounded in her mind, crisp and bright.

Then the bass joined in, low and powerful.

The rhythm of the drums gradually rose, growing denser.

Qin Huan softly hummed the first line.

Fu Lan’s fingers landed on the keyboard, following her humming, pressing down note by note.

Zuo Xi’s fingers unconsciously touched the guitar strings, gently strumming, trying to find a rhythm that harmonized with the piano.

Qin Huan’s voice unconsciously rose.

Those lyrics seemed to surge up from the depths of her memory, carrying a strange familiarity.

Even though it was the first time she was singing these words in this world, it felt like she had sung them countless times.

She stopped and opened her eyes.

Zuo Xi was staring at her blankly, her fingers frozen on the strings.

Fu Lan’s fingers hovered above the keys, her light purple eyes reflecting a beautiful light.

Guchuan Xing had put down her drumsticks, and for once, she wasn’t showing that playful smile.

Even Ju Zhenli, leaning against the wall, had a trace of joy in her usually cold brown eyes that Qin Huan had never seen before.

“Qin Huan…”

Zuo Xi murmured.

“This song…”

“It’s not over yet.”

Qin Huan smiled.

“There’s more.”

She closed her eyes again and continued humming…

“Well… that’s about it.”

After humming, Qin Huan scratched her head sheepishly.

“The chorus should be more powerful, and the drum beats need to be denser… but I don’t really know how to arrange it specifically…”

“It should be in G major.”

Fu Lan suddenly spoke.

“The time signature is 4/4, with a switch to 3/4 in the chorus.”

Qin Huan was stunned.

“How did you know?”

“By listening.”

Fu Lan tilted her head.

“When big sister hummed, the rhythm kept changing.”

“Huh? I heard it too.”

Guchuan Xing shook her leg.

“The verses are pretty steady, and the chorus just takes off, right? BPM… around 170?”

She looked at Fu Lan, who nodded lightly.

Qin Huan was completely shocked.

So this was what professionals were like?

She had just casually hummed, and they could pick out the key and BPM just like that?

“Um…”

Zuo Xi said a bit sheepishly.

“I think the chorus should use power chords on guitar, but the verses should be cleaner…”

“Okay.”

Guchuan Xing nodded.

She turned to look at Qin Huan, a curve forming at the corner of her mouth.

“Huanzi, what’s the name of this song?”

Qin Huan looked at her, then at the others in the rehearsal room.

Zuo Xi’s expectant eyes, Fu Lan’s quiet gaze, and outside the window, the gradually darkening sky and the city lights beginning to shine.

“Bustling, Our City.”

Then she picked up her bass and showed a smile to the cute beautiful girls.

“Then, let’s rehearse this song fully.”

Zuo Xi nodded vigorously, her fingers on the strings.

Fu Lan softly murmured “mm,” her hands hovering above the keys.

Guchuan Xing twirled her drumsticks once and gripped them again.

Ju Zhenli quietly leaned against the wall, her gaze falling on Qin Huan.

Qin Huan’s fingers pressed down on the bass strings.

“One, two, three, four—”

Zuo Xi took a deep breath and sang the first line.

“Remaining heartbeat, covers this night…”