Yueyue Shows His Talent for Piano

Seeing how happy his younger brothers were, Fu Yanzhi smiled and said, "It's still early. How about we go to the mall?"

Kong Fanxing grew even happier at the mention of the mall. "I want to go, big brother!"

Kong Fanyue nodded. He wanted to spend a little more time with his big brother too.

Since his brothers both agreed, Fu Yanzhi had Zheng Long drive them to the mall. He told Zheng Long to park first, then took a child by each hand and led Xingxing and Yueyue inside.

As soon as they entered the mall, a toy store caught Kong Fanxing's eye. He tugged on Fu Yanzhi's hand and said, "Big brother, I want to look in that store."

Fu Yanzhi nodded with a smile and took them into the toy store. Kong Fanyue looked around, and suddenly his eyes lit up. He stopped in front of an exquisite model. Noticing his gaze, Fu Yanzhi asked, "Do you like this one, Yueyue?"

Kong Fanyue nodded, a little embarrassed. Fu Yanzhi immediately asked the clerk to wrap up the model.

Just then, Kong Fanxing picked out a toy robot and ran over excitedly. Fu Yanzhi chose some other toys for his brothers as well.

Fu Yanzhi bought Huanhuan a little pink rabbit, Xiaoxiao the latest figurine, the third brother a new skateboard, and for the second brother, he chose a little cowboy lamp that could record sounds.

Fu Yanzhi knew the second brother had always been afraid of the dark and slept with the light on every night. With this, perhaps he wouldn't be so scared anymore. After paying, Fu Yanzhi carried the toys in one hand and continued leading the boys along with the other.

As they walked past a dessert shop, Kong Fanxing sniffed. "Big brother, I can smell cake."

Fu Yanzhi affectionately patted his head. "Then let's go in and have some dessert." They found a place to sit, and Fu Yanzhi ordered each of his brothers his favorite dessert. Watching them eat with such satisfaction filled Fu Yanzhi's heart with warmth.

After dessert, Fu Yanzhi noticed a crowd gathered up ahead. He left their things at the dessert shop, and, driven by curiosity, took Xingxing and Yueyue over for a look.

Xingxing and Yueyue were too small to see what was happening inside, so Fu Yanzhi picked them up, one in each arm.

Once he had lifted them up, Xingxing and Yueyue could see what was happening. There was a piano inside, and someone was about to play it. Before long, a lilting melody filled the mall.

The nimble notes flowed out like a babbling stream, echoing through the mall. Kong Fanxing's eyes sparkled as he bobbed his little head to the rhythm, softly humming a tune of his own that was all out of key.

Kong Fanyue rested quietly against Fu Yanzhi's shoulder, listening intently, his eyes full of enchantment.

Just then, the piano music suddenly changed, quickening as though a storm were about to break. A gasp of amazement rose from the crowd, and Fu Yanzhi couldn't help being swept up in the stirring melody. The performer's fingers flew over the keys, sweat sliding down his forehead without disturbing his concentration in the slightest.

When the piece ended, the crowd burst into enthusiastic applause. Kong Fanxing clapped his little hands excitedly and shouted, "That sounded so good, big brother!"

Fu Yanzhi smiled and nodded, then put his brothers down and took their hands, ready to leave. A voice came from inside: whoever could play the piece he had just performed again would receive a valuable music training course voucher.

Kong Fanyue tugged at Fu Yanzhi's clothes, eager to have a go. "Big brother, I want to try."

Fu Yanzhi was a little surprised. He hadn't expected Yueyue to ask of his own accord, but he encouraged him nonetheless. "If you want to try, Yueyue, go ahead."

Kong Fanyue ran to the piano, plopped his little bottom down, and placed his small hands on the keys. At first, he stumbled through the piece, drawing a few chuckles from the crowd.

But little by little, he found his stride. Though he was still a long way from matching the earlier performer, he managed to play the basic melody.

Surprise showed on the crowd's faces, and in the end, they applauded him too. When he finished, a staff member handed Kong Fanyue the course voucher and said with a smile, "You're amazing, little one. How long have you been practicing piano?"

Kong Fanyue shook his head. "I've never practiced piano. Today is the first time I've ever seen one."

Everyone was shocked by Kong Fanyue's words, and a buzz of discussion broke out. The staff member's eyes widened even further, and he asked in disbelief, "You've never practiced piano, and you can play this well on your first try? You're a genius!"

Fu Yanzhi was delighted too. He hadn't expected Yueyue to have such talent.

Just then, a man in a suit and leather shoes stepped out of the crowd. He was the head of the piano training institute at the mall. He said excitedly to Fu Yanzhi, "Sir, your younger brother is a rare musical talent. Our institute would be willing to provide him with the best teacher free of charge."

Fu Yanzhi hesitated. He was worried it would put too much pressure on Yueyue.

Fu Yanzhi lowered his head and asked Kong Fanyue, "Yueyue, do you want to learn the piano? You can tell me."

Kong Fanyue held Fu Yanzhi's hand and said, his eyes full of anticipation, "Big brother, I want to try."

Fu Yanzhi looked at his brother's determined eyes and finally nodded.

Beside them, Kong Fanxing jumped up excitedly too. "Big brother, you promised to let me learn to sing and dance before. I want to start now!"

Fu Yanzhi smiled and patted both his brothers on the head. "All right, you can both learn."

Fu Yanzhi asked the person in charge and learned that they also offered a performing arts program.

Then, led by the person in charge, they went to complete the necessary paperwork.

Afterward, Fu Yanzhi took Kong Fanyue and Kong Fanxing back to the dessert shop to collect the toys they had bought, and they prepared to head home.

Just as they were about to go downstairs, Kong Fanxing spotted a pet store. In front of its floor-to-ceiling window, a palm-sized, milky-white puppy rested its front paws against the glass, its round belly pressed against the cold pane. Its little pink tongue occasionally poked out of its slightly open mouth, leaving a small damp patch on the glass.

After Kong Fanxing saw the adorable puppy, he couldn't take his eyes off it. Fu Yanzhi felt them slowing down and looked down to see Xingxing gazing at the pet store in fascination.

Fu Yanzhi followed his gaze and understood what he wanted.

Fu Yanzhi smiled and asked, "Xingxing, do you want that puppy?"

Kong Fanxing nodded vigorously, clasped his hands together, and said with eager eyes, "Big brother, I want it. It's so cute! I'll take good care of it."

Seeing how much his younger brother wanted it, Kong Fanyue added, "Big brother, I'll help him take care of the puppy."

Fu Yanzhi patted Yueyue's head and said with a smile, "All right, then. Remember your promise."

Kong Fanxing and Kong Fanyue nodded, and Fu Yanzhi led them into the pet store.

A clerk came over to greet them warmly and told them about the puppy's breed and condition. It was a bichon frise, healthy and lively.

Fu Yanzhi thought it over and asked Kong Fanxing and Kong Fanyue what they thought. Kong Fanxing pointed at a fluffy black-and-white border collie puppy by the pet store's floor-to-ceiling window and said, "Big brother, I want this one."

The little border collie was turning circles against the glass. The white "meteor" marking on its forehead was especially striking. Its front paws took turns scratching at the window, and its sky-blue eyes shone as though steeped in light. Head tilted, it watched the footsteps of passersby outside, even the tips of its ears turning gently with its gaze.

Fu Yanzhi thought the puppy was very nice and decided to buy it. The clerk helped put the puppy in a pretty little cage. Kong Fanxing carefully took it, his eyes curving into crescents as he smiled and talked to the puppy nonstop.

Kong Fanyue came over too, looking at the puppy curiously. After Fu Yanzhi paid, he carried the toys in one hand and held his two brothers' hands with the other. With their new member, they left the mall in high spirits and headed for home.

When they left the mall, Zheng Long was already waiting at the entrance. After putting their things away, Fu Yanzhi lifted his brothers into the car, and they set off for home.

All the way there, Kong Fanxing chattered about what to name the puppy. Kong Fanyue suggested one name after another, but Xingxing shook his head at every one, dissatisfied.

Fu Yanzhi sat in front and looked back, seeing that Little Xingxing had nearly shaken his head into a pellet drum.

Suddenly, Kong Fanxing's eyes lit up, and he said excitedly, "Big brother, I've got it! Let's call it Meteor."

Fu Yanzhi smiled. "Why Meteor?"

Kong Fanxing stroked Meteor and said, "Because Meteor's blue eyes are as beautiful as the stars, and my name has the word 'star' in it too, so let's call it Meteor."

Kong Fanyue thought about it and nodded, agreeing that it was a good name.

Fu Yanzhi smiled. "All right, Meteor it is."

When they got home, Fu Yanzhi had only just led Xingxing and Yueyue inside when the sight before them left all three stunned. Bo Qing and Wen Shiming had flour all over their faces, while Feng Yunxiao and Li Huanhuan were covered in it from head to toe.

Kong Fanxing held his belly and laughed. "Brothers, are you pretending to be little painted cats? You look so funny!"

Seeing Fu Yanzhi and the others return, Bo Qing and Wen Shiming smiled awkwardly. Wen Shiming scratched his head and said, "Big brother, we wanted to make you a cake, but we didn't get it quite right."

Feng Yunxiao and Li Huanhuan lowered their heads in embarrassment too.

Fu Yanzhi smiled and shook his head. "It's all right. I'll teach you how to make one in a little while."

Just then, Kong Fanxing lifted the cage containing Meteor and said excitedly, "Brothers, look! This is the puppy big brother and I bought. Its name is Meteor!"

Feng Yunxiao's eyes lit up. "Wow, what a cute puppy!"

Li Huanhuan came over too and reached out to stroke Meteor's head gently. Everyone gathered around Meteor in delight.

Kong Fanyue took out the music training course voucher and said, "I played the piano at the mall today and got this."

Bo Qing said in surprise, "Yueyue, you can play the piano too? That's amazing!"

Everyone praised Kong Fanyue. Fu Yanzhi watched the lively scene as Huanhuan, Xiaoxiao, and the others all gathered around. When they saw the course voucher, they thought it was impressive.

Seeing his brothers all praising Yueyue and no one saying how amazing he was, Kong Fanxing said loudly from the side, "I signed up too! I'm going to learn to sing too. I'm amazing too!"

Seeing Little Xingxing so eager to show off, everyone laughed and said, "All right, our Little Xingxing is amazing too."

Kong Fanxing smiled. "Of course! I'm going to be a big star someday."

Smiling, Fu Yanzhi took out the gifts for his other younger brothers and handed them out.

"Huanhuan, come here. Big brother bought you a new little doll," Fu Yanzhi said with a smile.

Huanhuan happily hugged his new doll and said with a smile, "Thank you, big brother. You're the best."

Fu Yanzhi took out a robot figurine. "This one is for you, Xiaoxiao."

Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up when he received the figurine. "Thank you, big brother."

"This skateboard is for the third brother. The day before yesterday, I saw you looking at skateboards several times while you were on your phone, so I thought you probably liked them and bought one for you."

The moment the third brother saw the skateboard, he threw his arms around his big brother and said, "Big brother, you're so good to me that I almost want to marry you."

Fu Yanzhi reached out and pushed Wen Shiming away. "Go on, get lost, get lost, get lost. Don't come gross me out."

After being pushed away, Wen Shiming couldn't wait to try out his new skateboard.

Finally, Fu Yanzhi took out the little cowboy lamp and said with a smile, "Second brother, I know that because of what happened before, you're a little afraid of being alone and afraid of the dark. I'm giving you this little lamp. Carry it with you from now on, and let it bring you light."

Bo Qing took the little lamp his big brother handed him, his face full of emotion. "Thank you, big brother. You're the light that truly brings me brightness."

Fu Yanzhi smiled. "You can turn it on and listen. There's a surprise inside."

Bo Qing pressed the lamp's switch. First came a passage of piano music, followed by a young child's voice singing, "The dark, dark sky hangs low, bright, bright stars follow along. Fireflies fly, fireflies fly, who are you thinking of..."

Kong Fanxing, who had been playing with Meteor alongside Huanhuan, heard his own singing and ran over. "Big brother, when did you secretly record me?"

Fu Yanzhi raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Why, when you performed for the teacher today, of course."

Kong Fanxing jumped up and down. "Second brother, hurry and delete it! I'll record it for you again when I can sing better."

Bo Qing quickly protected the lamp behind his back and said with a smile, "I won't delete it, I won't. Xingxing, your singing already sounds very nice."

Seeing that he couldn't snatch it back, Kong Fanxing stamped his feet in a huff. Just then, the third brother came whooshing past on his skateboard and nearly ran into him. Luckily, Fu Yanzhi reacted swiftly and pulled him behind him.

The third brother braked sharply and scratched his head in embarrassment. "Sorry, Xingxing. This skateboard is so smooth that I couldn't control it properly."

Everyone burst out laughing. Looking at the warm, lively scene, Fu Yanzhi's heart was full of comfort.

He decided to cook a feast for everyone himself that night. In the kitchen, Fu Yanzhi skillfully chopped vegetables while several of his younger brothers helped out. Though mishaps cropped up from time to time, laughter and chatter filled the whole house.

At dinner, everyone sat together, eating the delicious meal and sharing the amusing things that had happened that day.

Kong Fanxing held Meteor as he ate, grease smeared all around his mouth, looking utterly adorable.

That night, Fu Yanzhi lay in bed, thinking back on what had happened at the mall that day, his heart full of comfort. He knew these children all had limitless possibilities, and he would do his utmost to help them grow up healthy and happy and pursue their dreams.