A Springtime Short Story: "Lin Siying"
Characters:
- Lin Siying: An erhu player, embodying quiet grace and gentleness during her youth, yet carrying a deep passion for the arts.
- Old Ma: A cellist with a resonant voice, his signature song is Song of the Waves. He is always the most outgoing and enthusiastic among the group.
- Old Sun: A flutist and the humorist of the troupe, known for his impromptu name poems that bring laughter to any gathering.
- Friends from the Guochu Chinese Orchestra: The group of spirited boys and girls who shared their youthful dreams and passion for music.
Timeline:
- 1981–1982: The fervent and dream-filled years of the Chinese orchestra at Guochu High School.
- 2025: A reunion in the season of cherry blossoms, more than four decades later.
Locations:
- NJC’s Fourth-Floor Music Room and Classrooms: Where memories of music and laughter filled their youthful days.
- The Present Moment: Each fleeting second blossoms like cherry petals in their hearts.
1. The Overture of Youth
One weekend afternoon in 1981, the NJC’s fourth-floor music room was bustling with life. Lin Siying adjusted her erhu, her fingers gently gliding over the strings. The tuning notes flowed like a spring breeze.
Nearby, Old Ma sat with his cello, softly humming Song of the Waves:
“Facing the wind hey, riding the waves yo…”
His long-drawn-out notes painted an image of a vast, rolling sea.
“Old Ma, there you go stealing the spotlight again!” Old Sun whistled as he walked over, twirling his flute in his hand. “But you do sing well—deep and resonant, just like your cello.”
Suddenly, he smirked and handed Lin Siying a piece of paper. “Miss Lin, have a look. Here’s a name poem I wrote just for you!”
Lin Siying took the paper and read aloud softly:
Among the woods, the erhu sings of spring breezes,
Into the melody flows endless charm.
Cherry blossoms, a tree under the bright moon,
The sweet sound lingers in the hearts of all.
At the last line, her cheeks flushed slightly, but she couldn’t help smiling. “Old Sun, you really are something!”
2. A Reunion Under the Cherry Blossoms
Spring 2025 brought the cherry blossoms to full bloom. The old friends from NJC’s CO gathered once more, this time under a canopy of cherry trees. They reminisced about the past while playing the echoes of their youth.
“Old Ma, give us one more round of your Song of the Waves! It’s your signature!” Old Sun teased with his usual mischievous grin.
Old Ma chuckled heartily. “All right, one verse for old times’ sake!” Clearing his throat, he began to sing in his deep, rich voice:
“Facing the wind hey, riding the waves yo…”
Though decades had passed, his voice carried the same unyielding spirit, as if time had never dulled the sharp edge of his youthful vigor.
Lin Siying smiled as she lifted her erhu to accompany him. The lilting melody swept through the cherry grove, like a gentle breeze stirring the branches of memory.
3. Blossoms of Memory
During a break, Old Sun couldn’t resist showing off his talent again. He scribbled a quick poem on a piece of paper and handed it to Old Ma. “Hey, old pal, today isn’t about you being the star. This one’s for Miss Cherry Blossom!”
Old Ma read the poem aloud, word by word:
Beyond the woods, spring wanes but youth remains,
Emotions linger in the sound of the erhu.
Cherry petals fall yet mirror a pure heart,
Time cannot dim the beauty of youth.
The group burst into laughter, while Lin Siying, smiling with pursed lips, playfully retorted, “You all are getting cheekier with age!”
4. Music Never Ages, Friendship Always Renews
As night fell, the cherry grove was lit with warm, glowing lights. They sat together, playing their instruments and humming the old melodies of their youth. For a moment, music became a bridge spanning the years, connecting their vibrant past to the present.
“Though our youth has passed, music and friendship remain ageless,” Lin Siying said softly, her eyes glimmering with emotion.
Old Ma nodded in agreement, raising a cup of tea. “Siying’s right. Each of us has a cherry grove in our hearts. The moment the music starts, it blossoms again.”
5. Epilogue: The Eternal Blossoms
As the performance ended, cherry petals blanketed the ground. Lin Siying gazed at the night sky, a gentle smile on her face. “Life is like these cherry blossoms. They bloom and fall, but every petal once bloomed with all its might. Isn’t our reunion today the most beautiful bloom?”
Though the petals fell, the cherry grove of their shared memories, filled with music and friendship, remained forever in full bloom in their hearts.
With a springtime concert, Lin Siying and her friends rekindled the fire of their youth, rediscovered their original joy, and proved that while time passes, the beauty of music and camaraderie endures—eternally flourishing on the branches of life.
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