After everyone in the auditorium left, we also left the auditorium and headed to the Chinese Orchestra room.
"Based on the story direction, the boss for this stage should be Xin Qin. In the end, she resented losing the performance opportunity and then activated the card's power," Zi Qian speculated.
"Why do people get jealous of others? Is it because they can't get certain things?" Xin Hui sighed and looked at Zi Qian. "Are girls more likely to be jealous? Don't you guys get jealous?"
"Everyone feels jealous sometimes," Zi Qian thought seriously for a moment. "It probably has nothing to do with gender!"
"What's wrong? Why have you been so down since leaving the auditorium?" I felt that Xin Hui had become very dejected ever since she saw Xin Qin.
"Nothing, I'm not down," Xin Hui gave a light laugh. "Zi Qian, what were you saying earlier?"
"Assuming Xin Qin is the boss for this stage, the card must be with her. We just need to get the bag and return to the auditorium to start the fight? Isn't this setup much simpler compared to the previous marching practice?"
Zi Qian made a good point, but what happened next wasn't as simple as he thought.
"You three came just in time! Come and help!"
As soon as we opened the door to the Chinese Orchestra room, we found the people inside in chaos. Before we could even ask about looking for the item, we were called by an NPC to join an ensemble.
The piece to be performed was Canon. The NPC classmate who called us over gave us three different types of sticks.
I saw Xin Hui frowning intently at the sticks and thought she was still reflecting on the boss representing jealousy. I comforted her: "Jealousy is a very normal human emotion. Don't worry too much about it; sometimes jealousy can be a driving force."
"Wu yi is right. For example, I also get jealous when others play sports better than me, so I practice harder..."
Xin Hui looked at Zi Qian and me, puzzled: "What's wrong with you two? Why are you suddenly saying these things?"
"I saw you staring blankly at those three sticks and thought you were still upset about Xin Qin's situation..." I hadn't finished speaking when Xin Hui laughed and said:
"I wasn't thinking about Xin Qin. I was just trying to decide which stick to choose."
"I have severe choice paralysis. Every break time, I stand in the cafeteria for a long time before I can decide what to eat." Xin Hui held the three sticks and offered them to us. "You guys choose first!"
"Let me distribute them," Zi Qian took the three sticks and randomly handed them out to Xin Hui and me.
After we each took a stick, the NPC who gave them said: "Player ID001 (Wang Wu yi) is the conductor. Player ID133 (Xin Hui) plays the xylophone. Player ID134 (Zi Qian) plays the yangqin (hammered dulcimer) ."
The NPC pointed to an electronic board on the wall and said: "The score above shows your ensemble's overall score. If it falls below 50, you have to start over. If you exceed 80, you pass."
We took our positions. As soon as I waved the conductor's baton, the ensemble officially began.
Being the conductor should be the easiest part because a red glowing track would appear in front of me. I just had to follow the track with the baton. No matter my speed, the other students had to play along.
We always got stuck in the first part of the ensemble—that melody right before the yangqin solo, without any other instruments accompanying it. Zi Qian and I just couldn't coordinate.
"Sorry, I hit the wrong note," Zi Qian said apologetically.