In this competition, the orchestra received the group silver award, and Nuonuo won the third prize in the junior category.
Her two senior sisters, one won the first prize in the youth category, and the other won the second prize.
On the way back to R City, the car was bustling, and a dozen teenagers eagerly called for using the prize money to celebrate.
This is a fairly reputable provincial-level competition that has been held for over ten sessions, carrying a high level of significance. Therefore, even Teacher Fan, who is always calm and composed, was now smiling while watching the orchestra cause an uproar, not stopping them, and seemingly not opposing the idea of celebrating.
After Nuonuo won the award, Brother Dabao had already called Le Tong, and Le Tong excitedly exclaid that the family must celebrate well tonight. So Brother Dabao was actually reluctant for the orchestra to choose today for celebrating.
Seeing Teacher Fan about to say sothing, Brother Dabao quickly spoke up.
"Teacher Fan, everyone is quite tired today. Wouldn’t it be better to celebrate tomorrow?"
The older boys in the orchestra, who were a few years older than Nuonuo, took good care of her. Before, he never noticed this, but this ti, accompanying them throughout, he saw it clearly.
The boys’ special care like handing tissues and offering water might be seen by others as a concern for a younger sister, but in Brother Dabao’s eyes, he saw different intentions.
He actually understood well that as Nuonuo slowly grew up, she would have her own social circle and interpersonal interactions, including these boys vying for attention. So, even if he trendously disliked those boys, he didn’t oppose the celebration, because with him watching, those boys wouldn’t cause any trouble. But the timing, he felt, should prioritize family first.
Not sure if this is due to his parents’ subtle influence or if Brother Dabao himself held this belief, he always felt that happy events should be shared with family first, not with insignificant outsiders.
Teacher Fan looked at the ten-sothing faces in the car, although they were all enthusiastic, they couldn’t hide the tiredness beneath the excitent.
"That’s right, everyone is indeed quite tired. Why not go ho and rest well today and celebrate tomorrow night? That’ll also give so ti to prepare."
The celebration was thus decided.
That night, Nuonuo happily celebrated with her family at ho, then turned on the computer wanting to check so study materials to make up for today’s howork. Upon logging online, her QQ avatar set on automatic login kept flashing.
"Si Han, what is your brother’s QQ number? Can you tell ? I want to apply to R University and have so questions for him."
This was a ssage from her senior sister Sun Yuhuan, who won the first prize.
Nuonuo hadn’t replied when another avatar flashed, this ti from her senior sister Gu Xinyu, who won the second prize.
"Si Han, can you tell your brother’s phone number? My sister is in the sa departnt as him and wants to ask about graduation internships."
Nuonuo stared at the screen and the two ssages, dazed for a while, silently raised her eyelids to glance at Brother Dabao who was typing away across from her, seemingly busy.
As if they had so telepathic connection, Brother Dabao stopped his hand and looked at his sister, raised his thick and handso eyebrows as if asking Nuonuo what was up.
Nuonuo shook her head without saying a word and lowered her head back to look at the screen.
Since she could rember, she particularly disliked when sa-aged people inquire about her brother. She never ntioned this problem to others.
And this issue never improved; it even seed to get increasingly serious as she grew older.
The brief eye contact with Brother Dabao further solidified certain ideas in her mind.
"Senior Sister, my brother has internet phobia, doesn’t use QQ, nor any other online communication tools." This was the reply to Sun Yuhuan.
"Senior Sister, my brother is currently writing his thesis, and all phone and contact thods are suspended. Sorry, I can’t help you." This was the reply to Gu Xinyu.
Then, to prevent them from asking again, she copied these sa two ssages and sent them out.
"I’m tired, going to sleep now, Senior Sister goodnight."
Then, she promptly logged off.
During the celebration party the next night, Nuonuo unusually insisted on not letting Brother Dabao go along.
Brother Dabao was puzzled, this young girl used to wish he could accompany her even for eating and sleeping, and clung to him when going out. Today, how co she changed?
No matter how Brother Dabao asked, Nuonuo refused to reveal the real reason, only saying she had grown up and didn’t need her brother to constantly accompany and shield her.
Brother Dabao felt a vague sense of loss, thinking perhaps this young girl had entered the rebellious phase, or maybe, she truly grew up and no longer needed her brother by her side.
Yet since his sister insisted he didn’t need to follow, he didn’t force it. Even sending Nuonuo to the celebration site was done by Ji Rui himself.
The celebration party location, about twenty minutes’ drive from Ji Family, was a rather elegant and quiet western restaurant, with two floors.
The group prize wasn’t much, Teacher Fan originally planned to add so of his own money after using the prize, but Ji Rui, upon hearing they wanted to hold a celebration party, directly asked Xiao Li to reserve the second floor of this western restaurant. The venue fee already included drinks and food for the party.
Consequently, the usually indifferent Teacher Fan saw Ji Rui and unusually took the initiative to greet, repeatedly expressing gratitude.
"Teacher Fan, you’re too polite. Si Han persisted all these years thanks to your ticulous guidance. She won an award this ti, giving as a businessman much face. This restaurant is a friend’s business, offered a discount, not overly extravagant. Enjoy your ti."
Ji Rui exchanged pleasantries with Teacher Fan while Sun Yuhuan and Gu Xinyu dragged Nuonuo aside and kept searching for signs of her brother.
"Si Han, didn’t your brother co with you today?"
Sun Yuhuan’s voice was not loud, but Ji Rui heard it clearly, glanced at the two girls, about seventeen or eighteen, quite attractive, yet compared to his beautiful daughter, still lacking.
"No, my brother wasn’t available; my dad drove over."
Ji Rui felt it strange, obviously Nuonuo insisted not letting Brother Dabao send her, yet now it turned into her Brother Dabao not being available?
Of course, the father didn’t want to dwell on these teenage thoughts, exchanged a few final words with Teacher Fan, glanced at the two girls with visibly disappointed faces, naturally hugged Nuonuo, bent down to kiss her on the cheek.
"Girl, dad will leave first, pick you up at ten, have fun."
Nuonuo returned the kiss on his cheek, "Okay, thanks dad, drive carefully!"
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