Chapter 75: Martial Arts Manual


Compared to her, the other students' singing was simply at an elementary school level.

The homeroom teacher of Erniu immediately designated her as the lead singer.

Being praised so highly by Shen Lie, Erniu smiled shyly and pursed her lips. "Actually, Yingdi also sings very well. Teacher An originally wanted to select two lead singers."

"Yingdi?" Ning Tang was taken aback. Why did that name sound so familiar?

Shen Lie reminded her, "Wang Di's three daughters, Wu Pandi, Wu Zhaoji, and Wu Yingdi. Wu Yingdi is the youngest and in the same class as our second child."

Ning Tang remembered now. She had seen these three sisters a few times on the road, timidly following behind Wang Di. She couldn't quite see their faces clearly, but she remembered they were thin and had dry, yellowish hair. They were shorter than their peers and didn't talk much.

"Why didn't Wu Yingdi become the lead singer?"

Erniu explained, "Because Teacher An said that our class chose to perform a choir. Every afternoon after class, we have to spend an extra hour practicing. Being the lead singer is a crucial position that requires additional practice. Wu Yingdi doesn't have the time."

In other words, being the lead singer meant practicing for an extra hour every afternoon after school.

Teacher An initially chose Erniu and Wu Yingdi as the lead singers for the choir. Both girls had clear voices that were suitable for leading the passionate revolutionary songs.

Erniu was fine with it, but Wu Yingdi encountered a problem.

After a few days of rehearsals, Wu Yingdi quietly approached Teacher An and said she couldn't be the lead singer anymore.

Teacher An was puzzled. Wasn't everything going well during rehearsals? So she asked why.

Wu Yingdi hesitated and said it was because her mother didn't agree.

The Wu sisters, from top to bottom, shared all the household chores, including laundry, cooking, sweeping, and wiping tables. The three sisters took turns doing these tasks, regardless of their size.

Wu Yingdi wanted to participate in the choir practice as the lead singer, which required an extra hour of rehearsal. That meant she couldn't come home in time to buy groceries and cook.

Naturally, Wang Di disagreed and told Wu Yingdi to go talk to the teacher, saying she didn't want to be the laborious lead singer.

If the choir didn't require the participation of the whole class, Wang Di would have wanted Wu Yingdi to skip it as well.

Therefore, even if Wu Yingdi was reluctant, she had to find Teacher An and explain the situation.

When she spoke, she looked at Teacher An with teary eyes, clearly feeling reluctant to give it up.

But Teacher An couldn't do anything because it was the parents' request.

She had to go along with Wang Di's decision, and as a result, only Erniu remained as the lead singer.

The school anniversary celebration, the choir performance—what joyous days and wonderful programs they were. There would be so many leaders, parents, and teachers watching.

And Wu Yingdi would have stood out among her classmates as the lead singer, bringing honor to her family.

Unfortunately, Wang Di believed that the trivial household chores were more important than having her child as the lead singer in the choir.

Ning Tang shook her head, truly not understanding what Wang Di was thinking.

In the following days, the three little ones practiced the choir and recited poems. Shen Lie prepared delicious meals for them, buying chicken, duck, fish, and meat as if they were free.

That day, after school, when they returned home, Erniu asked Dawa, "Brother, do you feel scared when you recite poems on stage?"

Dawa was taken aback, "Why are you asking this?"

Erniu pursed her lips and said, "Today, when I was on stage as the lead singer, when I got to the line 'The East is Red, the sun rises,' I suddenly couldn't sing anymore. Teacher An thought my voice had gone hoarse and asked me not to sing today, telling me to rest at home. But the truth is, I can sing, I'm just scared."

Sanwa asked, "Sis, what are you scared of?"

Erniu couldn't explain it clearly, "Just scared. Think about it, when we were practicing, it was just within the class, with only the teacher and our classmates as the audience. But on the day of the school anniversary celebration, leaders, principals, teachers, and parents will all come to watch our performance. They will be sitting in the audience, countless pairs of eyes staring at us." She shivered, "Just imagine that scene, I can't even sing a single word."

Dawa also imagined it and shook his head, "Didn't feel that way." Excitedly, he added, "So many people watching us, how impressive, how honorable."

A trace of doubt appeared in Sanwa's eyes, "Could it be because we recite together as a class, but in her class, there are a few lines that she has to sing alone. When she sings, everyone is definitely looking at her."

Erniu immediately nodded, "Yes, yes, that's what I'm afraid of. Whether it's reciting poems or singing in a choir, when the whole class recites or sings together, even if we make a mistake in one or two words, nobody notices."

But it's different when she's the lead singer. At that time, all eyes in the audience will be focused on her. If she goes off-key, someone will definitely notice it immediately, and there will be laughter throughout the hall.

And there will definitely be many uncles and aunts from the military community coming to watch. If she doesn't perform well, it will embarrass her parents.

Thinking about this, Erniu's legs went weak, and she became so nervous that her palms were sweating.

The more she feared making mistakes, the more she forced herself to practice diligently.

She stopped going out to play and stayed hidden in her own room, practicing the song "The East is Red" over and over again.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and the more Erniu practiced, the worse she sang.

Teacher An was somewhat disappointed but still comforted Erniu, advising her not to put too much pressure on herself. She gave Erniu a two-day break to adjust herself.

On Saturday morning, when Ning Tang took Erniu to buy groceries, they ran into Wang Di.

Wang Di still held a grudge from their previous conflict with Ning Tang and had heard from Wu Yingdi that Erniu wasn't in good shape. She intentionally mocked, "If you can't sing, then don't be the lead singer. Don't drag down the whole class and ruin our chances of getting a good ranking."

Ning Tang smiled sarcastically, "Then you don't need to worry about it."

Back at home, Erniu tugged at her clothes, pursing her lips. "Mom, should I go and tell Teacher An that I don't want to be the lead singer anymore?"

Ning Tang placed a bowl of mung bean soup with dried tangerine peel in front of her. "Wouldn't that just be following Wang Di's wishes? If she says you can't sing, does it mean you really can't sing? Who does she think she is, the almighty?"

Erniu picked up a spoon and stirred the mung bean soup. "But I really didn't sing well." She lowered her head, and a tear dropped into the bowl. "I feel like I've let Teacher An and my classmates down."

She lifted her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "Should I go and tell Teacher An to let Yingdi be the lead singer instead?"

Ning Tang handed her a handkerchief and wiped away the little girl's tears. "After practicing for so long, is it appropriate to change now?"

Erniu choked, "But I don't want to sing anymore, I'm scared."

Ning Tang pondered for a moment and said, "Are you afraid of singing, or are you afraid of the audience watching you from below the stage?"

Erniu replied, "I'm afraid of the audience below the stage. Every time I think of them staring at me, I get nervous."

She really loved singing, otherwise, she wouldn't be singing along with the radio every day at home.

Ning Tang gently patted Erniu's head. "You have to believe that Teacher An chose you because she believes you have the ability to be the lead singer. Your classmates feel the same way. When you didn't sing well, did they say anything?"

Erniu shook her head. "No."

Her classmates even comforted her and encouraged her, saying that she was just too nervous and that if she adjusted herself, she would definitely sing as well as she did the first time.

Erniu remembered the encouragement from Teacher An and her classmates and gradually calmed down. She didn't continue sobbing.

Ning Tang patiently explained to her, "Erniu, it's normal to be afraid. Everyone feels afraid."

Erniu raised her head in confusion. "Is Teacher An also afraid?"

Ning Tang chuckled. "Of course, she is. Your other classmates as well. They all feel the same fear. Every person is the same. The emotions you're experiencing now, they have them too. That's why they need you as the lead singer to stabilize their hearts."

Erniu thought carefully and recalled that the classmate standing next to her during practice was also nervous and had sweaty palms when they didn't sing well.

So everyone was the same.

Erniu gradually relaxed, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

Ning Tang teased her, "Don't tell me Teacher An is scared too. If I were to go on stage and lead a big chorus, I would be scared too. I'd probably feel weak all over, my legs trembling, and I'd sing off-key."

Erniu imagined that scene and burst into laughter. "Hahaha, Mom, you would be like that too."

"Why wouldn't I?" Ning Tang said. "If you don't believe me, go ask your dad. When he's called to speak at a meeting in the military, see if he feels nervous or not."

Erniu looked at Shen Lie, "Dad?"

Shen Lie nodded. "Of course, I feel nervous. That's why I always prepare my speech in advance."

"So," Ning Tang summarized, "feeling nervous and afraid is a very normal thing."

Ning Tang pointed to the radio. "You like listening to Sister Lijun sing, right? Do you think she was born to be a singer and never feels nervous when performing in front of an audience? That's impossible. It's all gradually developed through practice."

Erniu laughed, "Mom, after hearing you say that, I don't feel as nervous anymore."

Ning Tang said, "That's not true. When you actually get on stage, you'll still feel just as nervous."

Erniu immediately deflated and held her face in her hands. "Then what should I do?"

"You don't need to do anything," Ning Tang said, "In order to help you avoid nervousness, your mom, me, is going to teach you a set of martial arts secrets."

"Martial arts secrets?" Dawa's eyes lit up, and he immediately moved closer. "What kind of martial arts secrets? Like the ones shown on TV that allow people to fly and break trees with a single palm?"

Sanwa pouted, "Wow, Mom, you're keeping secrets. You have something so amazing, and you're only mentioning it now."

Ning Tang waved away the two mischievous troublemakers. "Go, go play over there. This skill is only passed down to girls, not boys."

Shen Lie leaned in, "What about passing it to the husband?"

Ning Tang glanced at him, and Shen Lie immediately quieted down, covering his mouth. "Fine, pretend I didn't say anything."

Erniu, upon hearing that Ning Tang was going to teach her "martial arts secrets" and that it was only passed down to girls, became extremely excited. She urged Ning Tang, "Mom, tell me quickly."

Ning Tang glanced at her. "Listen carefully. The most amazing thing about this set of martial arts secrets is that it will make you no longer feel nervous when you go on stage to sing."

"Ah..." Erniu elongated her voice, feeling disappointed.

She had actually believed that she could really learn to fly and break trees with a single palm, just like Dawa had said.

Ning Tang stared and asked, "Do you want to learn or not?"

Erniu immediately straightened her face and said, "I want to learn. I must learn."

Ning Tang cleared her throat and coughed. "The method is actually very simple. Just imagine the audience below as radishes and vegetables."

"Radishes and vegetables?" Erniu repeated.

"Yes, radishes and vegetables," Ning Tang said. "The ones we usually eat at home, or the radishes and vegetables that Sister Luo grows in her yard." She added, "If you don't like radishes and vegetables, you can imagine them as mushrooms, tomatoes, potatoes, or peas."

Erniu made a sound of surprise and wrinkled her little face. "Will that really work?"

"Why wouldn't it work?" Ning Tang said. "If you were singing to a group of radishes and vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes, or peas, would you feel nervous?"

Erniu imagined herself singing to a group of radishes and vegetables, and she burst into laughter. "I wouldn't feel nervous, but I would laugh."

Shen Lie chuckled and said, "Laughing is better than being nervous. This method is good, quite effective."

Ning Tang directed Dawa, "Go to Sister Luo's house and get some radishes and vegetables." She continued, "It doesn't have to be radishes and vegetables specifically; any vegetables will do. Just pick whatever Sister Luo has."

Dawa acknowledged and left.

Not long after, he returned carrying a basket full of vegetables.

Ning Tang took a look and found potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and even a handful of green beans. Sister Luo probably thought Ning Tang wanted to cook and gave her so much.

She picked out the vegetables one by one and placed them in front of Erniu. "These are your audience. Start singing."

Erniu looked at the round potatoes and the red tomatoes and chuckled. "My audience is quite picky, huh?"

Shen Lie went to the yard and plucked two small chili peppers for her. "Now, can you sing?"

Erniu was delighted by their playfulness, and her nervousness disappeared completely. She cleared her throat and, facing these fruits and vegetables, started singing "The East Is Red," a song she had practiced for a long time. "The east is red, the sun rises..."

Erniu's voice was crisp and loud. Because she wasn't nervous anymore, her performance was incredibly stable. Listening to her sing was truly enjoyable.

Dawa and Sanwa closed their eyes to listen, while Ning Tang and Shen Lie clapped along.

After finishing the song "The East Is Red," Dawa applauded enthusiastically and cheered, "One more song, one more song!"

Erniu took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It had been a long time since she had sung a song so freely and completely.

Previously, when she sang in her room, she would only manage a few lines before nervously hiccuping. The more she feared going off-key, the more out of tune she became, and her performance was nowhere near her usual level.

Ning Tang said, "During the school anniversary evening, you should do the same. Just imagine the audience below as potatoes and tomatoes. Imagine that you are singing to a group of potatoes and tomatoes. Will you still feel nervous?"

Erniu shook her head, smiled, and said, "No more nervousness."

Ning Tang nodded with satisfaction. "In addition to that, you also need to change your mindset."

"Change my mindset?" Erniu asked.

Ning Tang said, "Yes, it means you shouldn't always think that you, Shen Erniu, are performing for the audience below. You should change your perspective and think that the people in the audience below are there for your performance, Shen Erniu."

Erniu shook her head, "I don't understand."

Ning Tang sighed, "It means you should think like this: these people in the audience are privileged to watch Shen Erniu's performance."

"Privileged?" Erniu tilted her head.

Ning Tang explained, "Yes, just think that way. Whenever you feel scared or unsure, think that everyone is here to serve you, Shen Erniu, and you are the protagonist."

"I am the protagonist," Erniu repeated, her eyes lighting up.

Shen Lie said, "Of course, you are the protagonist. The school anniversary evening will set up the stage, arrange the lighting, and invite the audience just to listen to your class's performance of 'The East Is Red' chorus and hear you lead the singing. Your mother is right. Just think like that."

Ning Tang added, "Let's consider the worst-case scenario. Even if you didn't sing well, no one would blame you."

"No one would blame me?" Erniu asked, "Are you sure no one would blame me?"

Ning Tang asked her, "Would Teacher An and your classmates blame you?"

Erniu shook her head. They wouldn't. They would only comfort her and cheer her on because it's a program that involves the whole class.

"Well, there you have it," Ning Tang clapped her hands. "Your dad, Dawa, Sanwa, and I wouldn't blame you either. There's nothing to blame. So what if you sing off-key? Let anyone who dares to laugh at you go up on stage and sing themselves. There are plenty of people who go off-key and forget the lyrics."

Ning Tang looked at Dawa and Sanwa. "The same goes for both of you. If your poetry recitation doesn't go well, your dad and I won't blame you. Let me put it this way, even if all three of your performances go wrong on the school anniversary evening, it won't affect our family having one less meal tomorrow." She waved her hand. "We'll eat fish if we want fish and eat meat if we want meat."

Shen Lie said, "No, in fact, you should eat a bit more. After all, you three worked hard last night."

Erniu felt warm inside. "I understand, Dad, Mom. Don't worry. I won't embarrass you."

There were still nearly two weeks left until June 1st, the day of the school anniversary evening.

The group of children were all working hard to practice their class performances, striving not to embarrass their class.

If they achieved a good ranking, the school would give rewards.

This motivated them even more.

During the weekends, you couldn't even see the children playing on the streets. When asked, they were all practicing their class performances at school with their teachers.

Ning Tang took a piece of fabric and went to Zeng Xinlan's house to find her. "I want to ask you to help make a little skirt for our Erniu."

Zeng Xinlan unfolded the fabric and praised, "Such a beautiful fabric."

It was a piece of bright red cotton fabric, which felt very smooth and neat to the touch. Nowadays, most of the clothes on the streets are in blue, green, or gray. This piece of red fabric stood out brightly, but of course, it was not cheap.

This fabric was given to Ning Tang by Sun Aiju when she visited last time. She said it was sent by Ning Jun to make clothes for her sister.

Ning Tang hadn't added new clothes for herself in a while. She originally planned to use this fabric to make a set of clothes for the Spring Festival, but due to various reasons during the Spring Festival and the troubles with Zhao Qing and Sun Minghui, she forgot about it.

Now that Erniu was going to lead the chorus, Ning Tang thought of using this piece of bright red cotton fabric to make a red skirt for Erniu as her performance costume.

Ning Tang gestured to Zeng Xinlan, saying, "... make a kind of sleeveless dress, the skirt should be a bit fluffy, and we can sew a yellow five-pointed star on the chest with yellow thread."

Zeng Xinlan listened carefully and took notes, "Don't worry, I will definitely make it well for you."

She acted quickly, and on May 30th, she brought the finished little red skirt, saying, "Take a look, if it doesn't fit, I'll make adjustments right away."

Ning Tang unfolded the little red skirt and found that it was exactly as she had imagined, or even better.

Following Ning Tang's instructions, Zeng Xinlan made a simple and elegant sleeveless dress. The collar was a standing collar, and instead of sewing a yellow five-pointed star on the chest, she made some modifications. She sewed a pair of opposite five-pointed stars on the corners of the collar.

Ning Tang called Erniu to come and try it on, saying, "Take a look, do you like it or not?"

Erniu couldn't believe it, "Is this for me?"

"Of course," Ning Tang teased her, "You tell me, who can wear this dress, me or your Aunt Xinlan?"

Erniu smiled, hugged the little skirt, ran upstairs to change, and bounded down the stairs. "How is it? Does it look good?"

Erniu had a tall and slim figure, and this little red skirt fit her perfectly. It made her look dignified and graceful while still retaining a lovely and cute appearance.

Zeng Xinlan applauded, "It looks fantastic, especially on you."

Erniu said, "Thank you, Aunt Xinlan. I really like it."

Dawa pouted, "Why does Erniu have a new dress to wear, but me and Sanwa don't?"

Sanwa also said, "Yeah, you two are being unfair."

Ning Tang explained, "Because we only had one piece of fabric left at home, and besides, both of you are boys. Wearing all red wouldn't be suitable, would it?"

One reason for the fabric choice was that Dawa and Sanwa didn't have individual performances like Erniu. They were reciting poems together with the whole class. If they were given eye-catching new clothes, it would seem a bit out of place. Suddenly, amidst the group of plain-looking students, there would be a splash of red, attracting everyone's attention.

Dawa pouted, "I don't mind. As long as we have new clothes to wear."

Ning Tang couldn't resist the two brothers and asked Zeng Xinlan to use the remaining fabric from making the little red skirt for Erniu to make two red bow ties for them.

Making the bow ties was simple, and as Zeng Xinlan chatted with Ning Tang, she made them. It took less than an hour to finish.

Ning Tang tied the bow ties for them.

Dawa and Sanwa were wearing white shirts and black pants today. With the addition of the red bow ties, they had a touch of a little gentleman's style.

Sanwa chuckled and imitated the stride of the characters on TV. "Brother, do I look like Charlie Chaplin?"

Dawa shook his head, "Not really. You need a hat and a cane to look like him."

Ning Tang let them have their fun and pulled Erniu along with Zeng Xinlan to inspect.

Erniu was wearing a beautiful little red skirt and the plastic sandals she bought earlier. She hopped and skipped, full of joy.

Looking left and right, it seemed like something was still missing.

Ning Tang caught a glimpse of Erniu's loose long hair. Right, her hair hadn't been tied up yet. She touched Erniu's thick, long, and shiny black hair. "What do you think? How about we tie a cute little braid for Erniu?"

If only her mother were here, she wouldn't have to think about it. Her mother would definitely come up with a unique and beautiful hairstyle.

Zeng Xinlan shook her head, "I can't think of any."

She could make clothes, but she had no idea about hairstyling. After all, she had only one boy in her family, and Dahu's hair was still in a simple crew cut. She couldn't even practice on him.

Ning Tang had a sudden inspiration. She could tie Erniu's hair into a popular hairstyle from the 1990s called "Wan Jun hairstyle."

Thinking of the spirited appearance of Xiao Wan Jun from her memories, it overlapped with Erniu's image. Ning Tang quickly came up with an idea.

She divided Erniu's hair on the top of her head into two sections and then twisted each section into a twisted braid from the top.

Erniu's hair was black and long, and the twisted braids appeared glossy and jet black, like crow feathers.

Finally, Ning Tang tied two butterfly bows made of red ribbons at the ends of the twisted braids. Success!

Erniu looked at herself in the mirror and opened her mouth wide, "Is this really me?"

It looked so beautiful!

Erniu didn't want to undo her hair anymore. She wished she could sleep with this braided hairstyle tonight.

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