"Exactly," I said with a smile.
After that, we arrived at the smoothly auditorium.
Standing at the auditorium entrance, we could hear the sound of a violin.
"Wrong! That's not how it's played! What are you doing?"
The auditorium fell silent. The female NPC on stage stopped playing, and the atmosphere was very tense.
"The Xin Ya I want is not like this! Xin Ya is blind. She wouldn't look at her fingers while playing the violin. How many times have I told you?" said a middle-aged female NPC from below the stage.
"I'm sorry, Teacher Huang! I'll remember next time," apologized the female NPC on stage, who looked exactly like the quest NPC Sin Qhing.
"The performance is tomorrow. How many 'next times' do you have? If your sister were here, she could easily handle this role." NPC Teacher Huang angrily threw the papers in her hand to the ground.
"I'm sorry! I'll start over," the female NPC on stage prepared her violin and bow.
"No need! There are only a few minutes left in the rehearsal. Xin Qin, I don't want to see this kind of Xin Ya at tomorrow's gala." Teacher Huang left without looking back, heading towards the auditorium's side exit.
"I'm sorry, Teacher Huang. I'll practice hard at home. I won't let you down tomorrow." Xin Qin bowed towards Teacher Huang's retreating figure.
Only after Teacher Huang left through the side exit did the NPCs in the auditorium collectively let out a sigh of relief, and everyone began whispering.
Xin Qin stepped down from the stage. A male NPC walked over to her and said, "Xin Qin, I'm really sorry. I asked you to play the role of Xin Ya at the last minute, causing you to always get scolded by Teacher Huang."
"President Cai, please don't say that. I volunteered to take my sister's place for this role. I really don't have a talent for acting. I need to practice very hard at home." Xin Qin still maintained a smile on her face.
"How is Sin Qhing's leg recovery? I saw she came back to school today?" NPC President Cai asked.
"My sister has mostly recovered. The doctor said she still can't run or jump, but normal walking is fine. She said she'll attend tomorrow's gala to support everyone," Xin Qin said.
"Sin Qhingcan walk now?" another female NPC excitedly ran up to Xin Qin. "The role of Xin Ya only involves walking a few steps and standing to play the violin. If Sin Qhing's leg is okay, then..."
President Cai suddenly pulled her aside and said, "Yan Lai Hong, go help clean up the props on stage. The next group is coming for rehearsal."
"Why do I have to help? The stage crew will come clean up later," NPC Lai Hong said, puzzled.
President Cai gave Lai Hong a meaningful look, and she immediately understood: "Got it, I'll go right away."
"President Cai, if there's nothing else, I'll leave first. I have a meeting later, and I also need to look for my lost metronome and music score. I'll come back to the auditorium later," Xin Qin said.
"Alright, go ahead with your things," President Cai said.
Just as Xin Qin was about to leave the auditorium, President Cai called her again: "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I heard someone from the Chinese Orchestra saw your lost metronome."
"Really? That's great!" Xin Qin turned around to thank President Cai. "Thank you for telling me."
"Sin Qhing's leg is already healed. Should I call and ask her if she wants to come back and play the role of Xin Ya? To be honest, even though they're twins, there's a big difference in their acting and musical skills.
Although Teacher Huang's standards are particularly high, Xin Qin really can't perform this role well." Another female NPC spoke to President Cai after seeing Xin Qin leave.
"I wanted to tell Xin Qin face-to-face to let Sin Qhing play Xin Ya tomorrow, but the President deliberately stopped me from saying it," Lai Hong said while tidying up the props on stage.
"Xin Qin is already very busy, but she still stepped up to help when we were most short of actors. Even though she's just a supporting character, she never missed any of our practices. Everyone can see her effort. It's just too cruel to replace her at the last moment..." President Cai sighed. "If only Sin Qhing hadn't gotten injured in the first place..."