Wobbling unsteadily, the day of the competition had finally arrived.
Early in the morning, Lin Tian bought breakfast and called Gan Yan Yu over.
The two sat across from each other in Lin Tian's living room, eating breakfast with far fewer words than usual.
Nervousness, anxiety, and a trace of excitement.
Those emotions took turns flickering across the girl's face.
"Teacher Gan."
"..."
"Yan Yu!"
"Ah?!"
Gan Yan Yu suddenly snapped back to her senses.
Her eyes widened as she looked at Lin Tian, the bun in her hand frozen halfway to her mouth.
"W-what is it?"
"Did you sleep well? You don't seem to be in very good spirits."
Lin Tian asked helplessly.
If morale was already this low before the battle, that was practically an omen of defeat.
"I-I slept fine, I think. I remember closing my eyes yesterday."
"..."
It was over.
She was already starting to talk nonsense.
"You don't look like a musician at all."
Lin Tian put down his spoon and walked over to Gan Yan Yu.
"Stand up."
"My bun..."
"Stand up!"
Gan Yan Yu stuffed the bun into her mouth and obediently rose to her feet.
"Chest out, shoulders back, head up!"
Like a military training instructor, Lin Tian directed Gan Yan Yu.
The girl chewed the bun with her cheeks puffed round, yet she still tried her best to cooperate with Lin Tian, wearing such an earnest expression that she looked ready to join the Party.
"Your shoulders aren't straight enough."
Lin Tian reached out and pressed down on Gan Yan Yu's shoulders.
He gave them only a light squeeze.
"Mm!!"
The girl immediately let out a pained groan, nearly spraying the bun from her mouth.
"They're that sore?"
"..."
After struggling to swallow the bun—
"It really is very sore..."