The record store was located in a comprehensive park in the High - tech Development Zone of Jiangcheng. Most of the buildings there were high - tech industrial bases, and the rent for the lots was quite high.
A classical music record store in such a place was destined to have few customers.
Nan Yu looked at the address on the business card and decided to go and check it out.
The door of the record store was ajar, and a sign that read "Closed Temporarily" was hanging on the doorknob. Nan Yu held the business card and gently pushed the door open.
The store was in such a mess that there was hardly any place to step. Scattered on the floor were either sheet music or all kinds of musical instruments.
Afraid of stepping on them, Nan Yu squatted down to pick them up. Suddenly, someone shouted, "Don't touch my stuff!"
Nan Yu was so startled that her hand trembled, and the sheet music fell back to the floor.
"Can't you see the sign outside?" A young and handsome man poked his head out from behind the cabinet full of albums. "The store is closed today!"
The man had silver hair. He was wearing a black hoodie, khaki long pants, and a pair of Dr. Martens boots with metal buckles. He even had a lip stud.
His looks and dressing style made him resemble those temperamental and arrogant pop stars in the entertainment industry.
Nan Yu remembered the name on the card. She asked tentatively, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Zhou? Miss Li Xiya recommended me to come here."
He was very tall and walked up to Nan Yu in just a few steps. His tone was impatient, and his handsome eyebrows were tightly knitted. "What's your name?"
"Nan Yu." Nan Yu directly introduced herself.
Hearing this name, a look of surprise flashed across Zhou Yu's eyes. "… Nan Yu who graduated from Berklee College of Music?"
Nan Yu was also a bit confused. "Do you know me?"
"Not just know you." Zhou Yu squatted down and picked up the sheet music in front of her feet. His tone was casual. "I'm your senior, the little piano princess."
This was the affectionate nickname that her classmates had given Nan Yu in college. Hearing this long - lost nickname suddenly, Nan Yu felt a bit embarrassed.
At the same time, she was also surprised that Zhou Yu turned out to be her senior.
"Li Xiya finally knows to send a normal person to me." Zhou Yu murmured to himself while making a path for Nan Yu. "Come on, the piano is on the second floor."
When Nan Yu followed him to the second floor, she found that it was even messier than the first floor.
But she wasn't surprised. Before, her art - loving senior sister could stay in her rental house for a week without eating or drinking just to find inspiration.
The behaviors of those in the art field were often hard for ordinary people to understand.
The recording equipment here was very complete. It could be regarded as a recording studio.
"You came at a good time. A new set of equipment just arrived today. Could you play an impromptu piece? I'll test the equipment."
Nan Yu agreed and sat in front of the piano.
Zhou Yu helped her set up the equipment, then walked into the control room. He made a gesture through the glass, indicating that she could start.
After Nan Yu finished playing, Zhou Yu waved at her. They listened to the recording together in the control room, and the effect was really good.
"Okay, you've passed the interview." Zhou Yu looked at the sound track on the screen and snapped his fingers at her. "From now on, you'll work in my record store."
Nan Yu couldn't help laughing. "Senior, I haven't made up my mind yet."
"Are you worried about the salary?" Zhou Yu immediately looked unhappy. "I have plenty of money. You can ask for whatever amount you want."
He looked worried that Nan Yu would reject him. "It's okay if you come three times a week. No, even once a week is fine."
"Is your place short of staff, senior?" Nan Yu asked him.
"I'm short of geniuses." He smiled at her, and the silver stud on his lip glistened. "So, how about partnering with me?"
Nan Yu said with a smile, "Then I'll ask for a high price and take senior for a ride."
"Coincidentally, I've got so much money that it's burning a hole in my pocket."
They smiled at each other.
After the laughter faded, Zhou Yu chatted with Nan Yu for a while. He said that he had been idle since returning from studying abroad and didn't want to do commercial music, so he asked his family to open this record store for him. He usually recorded songs and tinkered with equipment.
He asked Nan Yu what she had been doing recently. Nan Yu gave a vague answer, and he didn't press further.
Maintaining a sense of boundaries was the social etiquette among adults.
When talking about recording songs, an idea flashed through Nan Yu's mind. She said that she wanted Zhou Yu to help her burn a CD. She wanted to give it to a little girl who loved music.
Zhou Yu said it was no problem. "But let's get this straight first. There's a charge for recording in my place."
Nan Yu said with a smile, "Deduct it from my first - month salary."
By the time they re - recorded the piano piece and burned the CD, it was already evening.
Nan Yu asked Zhou Yu if he wasn't going to close the store and go home. He said he was inspired and planned to stay here tonight.
Nan Yu held the burned CD and was about to say goodbye. "Then I'll go back first."
Zhou Yu leaned back on the chair with his long legs crossed on a low stool. "Oh, right. There's one more thing I haven't asked—have you got a boyfriend?"
Nan Yu turned to look at him. "Does senior need to inquire about this?"
"Can't I ask?" Zhou Yu glanced at her. "I sometimes like to discuss inspiration at night. I'm afraid it'll disturb your private life."
Hearing this reason, Nan Yu shook her head with a smile. "Senior, you don't need to worry about this. I'm single now."
"Really? That's good."
Zhou Yu leaned to one side, folding his arms across his chest. "Okay, then go back, my dear little piano princess."
After spending an afternoon together, they had already become familiar with each other.
Nan Yu was speechless. "… Senior, could you not call me that? It's so embarrassing."
"I also think it's too long. How about just calling you princess?" Zhou Yu deliberately teased her.
"… Zhou Yu!" Nan Yu blushed with anger and shouted his full name.
"Not bad. Finally, you're not calling me senior all the time." Zhou Yu waved his hand. "Hurry up and leave. Your shouting is hurting my ears."
…
Nan Yu found an opportunity to invite Qu Jiaran out.
She planned to hand over the burned CD to Qu Jiaran and ask her to take it to Nian Nian when she went to give her violin lessons.
"But I don't give Nian Nian violin lessons anymore." Qu Jiaran replied and blinked at her.
Nan Yu realized that Tan Linyuan and Qu Jiaran were almost like a couple now. She didn't need to get close to him through Nian Nian anymore.
Qu Jiaran stirred her coffee with a spoon. Guessing what Nan Yu was thinking, she defended herself with a smile. "It was Ms. Wen who didn't let me go for the lessons."
"Why?"
"I don't know. She said Nian Nian doesn't need any lessons now." Qu Jiaran shrugged. "Maybe Nian Nian's illness flared up again."
Hearing this, Nan Yu's heart skipped a beat.
She knew better than anyone that the sick person wasn't Nian Nian but Wen Ruoyi.
It was her own impulsive behavior that had made Wen Ruoyi wary and confined Nian Nian in that house.
Before, Nian Nian was just not allowed to go out. Now, she wasn't even allowed to take courses to communicate with the outside world.
She felt sorry for Nian Nian.
"Yuyu, what are you thinking?" Qu Jiaran noticed that Nan Yu was in a daze and waved her finger in front of her.
Nan Yu came back to her senses and gave her a few vague answers. She was thinking about how to get this CD into Nian Nian's hands.
Maybe she could ask Tan Linyuan for help.