244: bamboo flute

“This is truly something. Not only can it be broadcast, but the effect is also excellent. This is a unique selling point for them.”

“It really seems to be the case. Besides BP, if other girl groups did this, their fans would surely tear each other apart.”

“With Zoe suppressing the fans, they won’t cause trouble. We can edit with peace of mind. This is all bonus money, so satisfying~”

“Huh! The fans are going to go crazy. I heard Zoe has a lot of resentment towards our editing team. Don't forget her track record.”

“She's just running her mouth. With her temper, if she really wanted to beat us up, she would have done it already.”

“But…”

“No buts. Even if it comes to that, we have the president to back us up. There's no need to be afraid of her.”

“That’s true!”

“……”

In Thailand, Xu Zhiyou was sprawled out on a park bench, leisurely eating potato chips.

Crunch: “Such peaceful times, this is life!” Crunch, she grabbed another chip and put it in her mouth, “So comfortable!”

Park Chaeyoung couldn't stand it anymore and pulled her up: “Lying down right after eating isn't good for your health. Get up and help me take pictures.”

“Too lazy to move.” She sat cross-legged on the chair, crunch, and popped another chip into her mouth, making Park Chaeyoung envious.

Park Chaeyoung reached out to grab some, but was met with a smack. Before Park Chaeyoung could get angry, another sentence followed.

“You have no sense of moderation. If you crush them, I'll fight you.”

“Yah! Most of my snacks are gone because of you, and now I can't even have a little bit? Are you even human?”

Xu Zhiyou ate all the good ones, then threw the crumbs and the bag into Park Chaeyoung's hand: “Here, the rest are all yours.”

“Aish!” Park Chaeyoung threw the bag directly at her head, “If you touch my snacks again, I'll kill you.”

“Hmph!” Xu Zhiyou was too lazy to argue with her.

It wasn’t that she was narcissistic; when it came to raiding Park Chaeyoung's snack stash, her mind was incredibly sharp.

“Yah! What do you mean…”

Xu Zhiyou looked up at her: “I'm just too lazy to move right now. If you keep nagging, I'll…”

“Huh!” Park Chaeyoung quickly ran off, trying to stay as far away from her as possible. Play is play, and joking is joking, but she didn't want to get beaten up.

“Hmph!” Xu Zhiyou rolled her eyes, then scanned the three people, including Kim Ji-soo, who were watching the show.

“You guys have had enough. Are you done taking pictures? If so, let's go back to sleep. We have to wake up early tomorrow.”

Lisa had finally returned to her home country; how could she stay in the hotel? She suggested, “It's still early, let's go shopping.”

“Alright, I ate a bit too much just now, so it’s good to walk it off.” Xu Zhiyou stood up and patted her backside, “Lead the way.”

“OK, let's go.” Lisa led them to a shopping mall, “This is it. They have everything inside.”

While Lisa was chattering on, Xu Zhiyou was drawn to a shop selling traditional musical instruments.

“Sawasdee ka!” She made a respectful wai gesture.

The owner, a middle-aged man, smiled when he saw a beautiful girl: “Sawasdee ka, did you see any instruments you like?”

Xu Zhiyou didn't waste time. She pointed to a dark purple bamboo flute, three centimeters in diameter and sixty centimeters long, in the glass display case.

“Could I see that bamboo flute?”

“Of course, no problem.” He opened the cabinet and pulled out the flute with its box. “Here, little girl, this is my prized possession…”

While the owner was enthusiastically promoting the flute, Kim Ji-soo and the other three also caught up.

Xu Zhiyou didn’t listen; she focused on examining the bamboo flute. The color was beautiful, and the feel was good.

She just didn’t know how the sound was. She looked up at the owner: “Can I try it?”

“You can, but the dizi membrane hasn't been applied yet. I'm not very skilled at it, so it might take some time.”

“I can apply it. I'll do it.” Xu Zhiyou opened the accessory box, took out the tools, and started applying the membrane.

Her skilled movements left Park Chaeyoung dumbfounded. She thought about how she was called a musical prodigy just for playing the guitar and piano.

Then she looked at Xu Zhiyou, who had seen at least five different instruments. Compared to her, Park Chaeyoung felt quite inadequate and disheartened.

She wasn't the only one with this thought, but their dejection only lasted a moment. While Xu Zhiyou was applying the membrane, they looked at the other instruments in the shop.

“Lisa, what is this?” Kim Ji-soo asked, pointing to a drum that resembled an elephant's trunk.

“Oh~” Lisa tapped her forehead, “What was that elephant-like thing called again? Let me try to remember.”

“Is it an elephant trunk drum?” Kim Jennie asked, unsure.

“No, not that one. This thing is very common. I used it when I was little, but I can't remember it right now. Let me think.”

Xu Zhiyou glanced over and rolled her eyes at Kim Jennie: “That's called an elephant-foot drum, you idiot.”

“Yes, yes, that's what it's called.” Lisa quickly agreed.

Kim Jennie pouted and said, dissatisfied: “I haven't seen it before, is it strange not to know it?!”

“Alright, alright, my fault.”

“Hmph~”

“Stop pouting.” Kim Ji-soo pinched her fish lips, “So many people are watching, aren't you embarrassed?”

“I…”

Before Kim Jennie could speak, Park Chaeyoung asked again: “What's this one that looks like a small boat called, and how do you use it?”

Lisa glanced at it: “I've seen this one too, what was it called?” Seeing Xu Zhiyou about to speak.

She quickly stopped her: “Zoe, don't speak yet, let me think, I definitely know.”

Xu Zhiyou rolled her eyes at her: “It's a xylophone, and a twenty-one-key one at that. If you don't know, you don't know, why pretend you do? Hmph!”

“Yah!” Lisa felt so annoyed.

Xu Zhiyou didn't even look at her, continuing: “From the xylophone to the right are the panpipe, gaohu, coconut shell huqin, crocodile zither…”

She listed them all. After speaking, she continued to apply the dizi membrane. It was only because the owner didn't understand Peninsula language, otherwise he would have been thoroughly impressed by Xu Zhiyou.

Park Chaeyoung genuinely admired Xu Zhiyou's knowledge, giving her a thumbs up and exclaiming: “Amazing! But where did you learn all this?”

“Instrument knowledge is a compulsory course for composition majors. You just have to memorize it; there's nothing special about it.”

“Uh???” Park Chaeyoung had expected her to show off a bit; this was quite uncharacteristic.

“It's done.” Xu Zhiyou picked up the bamboo flute with the membrane applied and twirled it in her hand, “The feel is pretty good.”

Park Chaeyoung's eyes lit up: “Then quickly play a song, let us appreciate your skill.”

Xu Zhiyou didn't hesitate, playing the flute version of her EP track “Far Away From Home.”

As soon as she started playing, the people around them were drawn in, all looking towards their direction.

Because of Lisa, BP's popularity in Thailand was not bad. Some BP fans recognized them and eagerly squeezed closer.

“Excuse me.”

“Thank you~”

“……”

As the passersby crowded around, Kim Jennie looked at her in astonishment. This was called 'knowing a little bit'? It was more like 'knowing a billion'.

Kim Ji-soo sighed as she watched Xu Zhiyou quietly playing the flute, wishing she were mute.

Park Chaeyoung closed her eyes, listening. She hadn't realized this song could sound so soft and beautiful when played on the flute; she completely fell in love with it.

Lisa, meanwhile, was snapping away with her digital camera. The sight of Xu Zhiyou quietly being a goddess was too rare; it had to be documented.