Chapter 6: Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém

Wang Jun held his notebook in his hand as he looked at the painting of Farinelli, the famous castrato singer.

The exhibition that the composition class was looking at was a gallery of famous opera singers throughout the ages. From the dawn of opera to the stars of the 20th century, the exhibition explained not only the works these singers were involved in but also their impact in their respective societies.

'Baroque opera has a very distinct, bell-like sound. I guess it's due to people like you. No woman can imitate the kind of voice a castrated man can produce.'

Wang Jun jotted down a few motifs inspired by the painting and moved on to the next one.

"Bzzt." His phone vibrated in his pocket. He had put the phone on silent so as to not disturb others.

He took his phone out to check.

Mei Yun: What would you like for lunch? (^人^)

Wang Jun smiled at the kaomoji she used.

'It's like a dog wagging its tail, waiting for its master to come home.'

Wang Jun: I have no preference. Anything will do :)

Mei Yun: There must be something you want to eat. You looked quite sad today so I'm willing to eat whatever you like []~(￣▽￣)~*

Wang Jun paused.

'Did I look sad? I guess when we were talking about performance earlier, I did pull a nostalgic expression. Did she mistake that for sadness?'

He pondered on what to reply. He was hesitant to tell Mei Yun how her question reminded him of the times he and Tao Xinyin would squabble over musical interpretation before coming to common ground. He was over her but the memories still remained. He didn't want to subject Mei Yun to talks about his ex again but,

'Knowing her, she will find out eventually. I wouldn't want to be called out on it.'

Wang Jun: I was just nostalgic. I want to eat hotpot.

Mei Yun: Ah~ I see. About Tao Xinyin, I bet (￣▽￣)" And why hotpot so early in the day??

Wang Jun: You said I could have whatever I want.

Mei Yun: (.>︿<)_θ

Wang Jun: Is hotpot for lunch that bad??

Mei Yun: No, no! It's just weird, that's all. Let's get hotpot when you're done (ง •_•)ง

Wang Jun put his phone back in his pocket before continuing with the paintings. Perhaps due to his anticipation to eat lunch with Mei Yun, he found himself analysing each painting faster than he expected.

Mei Yun was still sitting at the gallery lobby, staring at the recent exchange between her and Wang Jun.

'Seriously this guy…who eats hotpot for lunch??'

She never pegged him as someone who would have peculiar eating habits. But then again, the last time she invited him for lunch was weeks ago and he hardly ate anything.

'I wonder if he's getting revenge for the time I dragged him to Lovely Duck and forced him to eat duck.'

"Ping!" Her phone message notification rang, bring her back from her thoughts.

She checked her phone.

Tao Xinyin: The audit is complete. Half of the administration have been laid off. As for Director Luo and the Principal, they have been charged with embezzlement and will stand on trial on a later date.

Mei Yun frowned,

'Only for embezzlement, huh? But then again, the more they investigate the more they find. I'm confident she will be facing additional charges as time passes.'

Mei Yun: I see. Thank you for your help in all this.

Tao Xinyin: It's no problem. If not for your courage, I wouldn't have done it. By the way, the arrest has been leaked out to the public so school will be closed for a week to let things cool off with the media. More information will be sent to you soon. I'm sorry I don't have anything more.

Mei Yun: I see. Thanks for that.

"Ping!" Another chat box opened. It was Xiao Lingling and Wu Jiahui.

Xiao Lingling: Mei Mei! Any news?? I'm sitting on my sofa dying with anticipation ヽ（≧□≦）ノ

Mei Yun rolled her eyes.

'Typical Xiao Lingling.'

Mei Yun: Director Luo and the Principal have been arrested for embezzlement. The school is undergoing an audit. Half the administration has been fired.

Wu Jiahui: （⊙ｏ⊙）

Xiao Lingling: JUST embezzlement? What about the abuse and the threats??

Mei Yun: The evidence was only sent yesterday. They probably only skimmed the top when they made that arrest.

Wu Jiahui: Oh, that's true. I just wonder what will happen to the me and the midterms.

Xiao Lingling: Midterms are not for another three weeks. As for Jiahui…

Mei Yun: New developments are still coming in. Relax for now. I'll update if there is anything urgent.

Wu Jiahui: d=====(￣▽￣*)b

Xiao Lingling: d=====(￣▽￣*)b

Mei Yun laughed, they used the exact same kaomoji.

She put her phone down and looked up at the ceiling.

'I didn't tell them about school being closed for two weeks. Big things like that shouldn't be revealed so fast since there are a lot of changes going on.'

She smiled wryly,

'I hope they don't get mad at me if any of our classmates find out first and blurt it out to everyone.'

**

Wang Jun and Mei Yun were in a well-known hotpot restaurant having their lunch as promised.

Mei Yun drank water for the umpteenth time that afternoon.

'Why did he order such spicy hotpot!! Sob, sob…'

Wang Jun looked at Mei Yun struggling to eat, "That's why I told you to order half-spicy and half-non-spicy. You didn't have to insist on a full spicy one…"

Mei Yun took a breath to cool her mouth, "I said you can have anything so I'll go along with it."

Wang Jun looked at Mei Yun pitifully,

'I shouldn't have insisted on eating anything I wanted. She took it literally…'

"After lunch, I'll buy you ice cream."

Mei Yun looked up from her bowl, "You don't have to. I'm alright, truly."

Wang Jun shook his head, "I insist. Just accept it."

Mei Yun sighed, "If you say so. Thanks for caring."

With the promise of ice cream in the air, Mei Yun found the meal more tolerable to eat afterwards.

Some time later at 2pm, Mei Yun was standing outside a convenience store eating a block of ice cream Wang Jun bought for her. She felt her mouth cool down and she visibly relaxed.

"Why didn't you tell me you can't eat spicy food?" Wang Jun asked after a period of silence passed between the two of them.

"I never knew what you liked to eat." Mei Yun replied.

"Still, you could have stopped me." Wang Jun retorted, unsatisfied with her answer.

"But I promised you could have whatever you wanted. I don't break my promises."

Wang Jun sighed but kept a small smile, "Then the next time we go out for a meal, we shouldn't tell the other to 'eat whatever you want'."

Mei Yun was surprised, "So you would rather fight over dishes you want to eat?"

Wang Jun nodded, "I'd rather it'd be that than seeing someone else suffer due to my selfish choices."

Mei Yun giggled, "How noble of you. I'll keep that in mind for the next time."

Wang Jun started to walk and Mei Yun looked at him confused.

"Taking you back to the gallery. Your parents invited you to their workplace. It's best that you go home with them."

"Oh." Mei Yun followed Wang Jun.

'Speaking of parents, I wonder what Wang Jun's parents do?'

"Wang Jun, are your parents musicians too?" Mei Yun asked.

"Hm? Oh, Yes, they are. They play for the S-City Philharmonia Orchestra." Wang Jun replied.

"Amazing!" Mei Yun exclaimed, "What instruments?"

"My dad plays the French horn; my mum plays the flute."

"Oh~ but you play the piano though. I would have thought you would take after them." Mei Yun expressed her surprise.

Wang Jun chuckled.

"Hm?"

"That's what they said to me when I first expressed my desire to learn the piano. They thought I would take after one of them at least."

"Haha." Mei Yun laughed along.

Once the pair reached the gallery, Mei Yun entered the doors but Wang Jun remained outside.

"Are you not coming in?" She asked.

Wang Jun shook his head, "No, I have to go back to the university to start my composition."

"Oh." Mei Yun looked a little crestfallen, "Well, see you tomorrow for rehearsal."

Wang Jun nodded, "It's a dress rehearsal tomorrow so be prepared."

"I know. Your professor will be coming, yes? I will be ready."

Wang Jun smiled softly before turning around and walking away.

Mei Yun watched his retreating figure from the door.

'He looks happier now.'

Mei Yun entered the lobby and saw her father at the reception counter, speaking to the staff there. Once he noticed his daughter enter the gallery, he called out to her.

"Yu Yu, you're back."

"Hi dad. Is there something you need?" Mei Yun threw away her ice cream stick and walked towards her father.

"Oh, nothing too important. I was just checking on the reception staff to see how things were going."

The staff gave puzzled looks at Mei Kong's answer which didn't go unnoticed by Mei Yun.

"Uh huh dad. I see." Mei Yun cryptically replied which caused the staff to nearly burst out laughing.

In actuality, Mei Kong noticed his daughter leave with Wang Jun which made him worried. He didn't dare follow them as Mei Yun would have noticed so he stayed at the reception area, doing his work under the pretense of 'checking up on reception staff' until they returned.

Once her father returned to his office, Mei Yun could only sigh and shake her head.

'My silly father, it was clear that you were watching me and Wang Jun talking outside the gallery.'

Mei Yun sat back on the chairs in the lobby and pulled out her phone, there was a message from her mother.

Fu Qing: Yu Yu, there has been some news from the school. Can you come to the curator's office?

'Hm? Ok mum.'

Mei Yun: Ok!

She put away her phone and made her way to the second floor which is where the curator's office is. She opened the door with her access card and entered inside.

The curator's office was more like an art studio, covered with paintings all around. Fu Qing was at the giant table in the middle of the studio, busy working on one of her restoration pieces.

"Hi mum." Mei Yun greeted, "Is there something you need?"

"Oh Yu Yu!" Fu Qing greeted back, "Oh! I can't hug you because I'm covered in paint and chemicals."

Mei Yun took a step back and Fu Qing laughed in response.

"Not that far!"

Mei Yun took a step forward, "So what is the important news you have to tell me."

"Oh yes, that!" Fu Qing removed her gloves and picked up her phone before showing it to Mei Yun.

"School will be closed for a week since the arrest of the Director of Music and the Principal made massive headlines today. You have online classes until then."

Mei Yun feigned surprise, "Oh! Is that so?"

"Yeah. Yu Yu, I'm not sure how you did it but I'm glad you managed to fish out the crimes within your school" Fu Qing let out a sigh, "Had I known this was going on, I wouldn't have enrolled you at St Mary's but since it's your last year and you have six months left until graduation, I think it is ok."

"Thanks mum." Mei Yun looked at the painting, "What are you working on?"

"Oh that?" Fu Qing gestured to the painting, "It's a painting of Lizst when he was younger." She impishly whispered to her daughter, "He's pretty good-looking if I do say so myself."

"Mum," Mei Yun rolled her eyes, "Don't let dad hear you."

"Oh, I know! Your father will always be my greatest love but it doesn't mean I can't admire such beauty." Fu Qing gushed.

"Beauty?" Mei Yung wasn't convinced, "He looks more put-together than a beauty. The clothes suit him and he can pull off the long-haired look."

"Not a connoisseur of beauty, aren't you?" Fu Qing laughed, "I guess you're the kind of woman who looks at a man's bearing than his appearance. The more mature and reliable, the better."

"…I don't know about that." Mei Yun mumbled, not knowing how to respond.

"Hm, well you are still young. Boyfriends and the like are not that serious at this point in life. Most people at your age date to test the waters." Fu Qing put her phone down and put on her gloves.

"I guess."

"But if you find someone that you truly feel something for, don't hesitate to confide in me." Fu Qing picked up her paintbrush and began to mix colours.

"Thanks mum."

"No problem, dear. At least I'm better than your father when it comes to these matters. He'll probably do or say something ridiculous in response."

Mei Yun giggled and remembered how her father was roaming at the reception area keeping an eye on her and Wang Jun talking outside the gallery.

"I'll keep that in mind. See you later, I'll be waiting at the lobby when you're done so we can go home."

Fu Qing didn't turn around; only waved to indicate she was listening.

Once outside the curator's office, Mei Yun placed her hand on her chest and smiled wryly.

'With my cold relationship with my parents in my last life, I deserved my abysmal dating luck. I'm glad that we get along in this life.'

Giving thanks to whoever gave her the chance to relive her teenaged years, she walked back down to the lobby.