Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Dubbing Results
Ji Wanqiu glanced down at the doormat and saw an unfamiliar pair of men’s sneakers.
’Did a guest come over?’
"Mom, you’re finally back! I missed you so much!" Lin Xiaoman ran out from inside the house and excitedly hugged her mother’s leg.
"Mm-hm, Mommy missed you too." Ji Wanqiu stroked Lin Xiaoman’s head and asked, "Xiao Man, is there a guest in the house?"
"It’s Brother Jiang Xia!" Xiao Man giggled.
As she spoke, Jiang Xia walked out of Lin Yanwan’s bedroom, looking inexplicably awkward. He had originally planned to leave before her mother got home but had been so focused on editing a video that he’d lost track of time.
"Hello, Aunt Ji." He scratched his head.
Seeing this boy walk out of her daughter’s room, Ji Wanqiu’s heart skipped a beat. ’Even though I agreed just two days ago that he could come over, isn’t this progressing a little too fast?’
’And Yanwan, too. Who brings their boyfriend home right at the beginning of a relationship?’
"Hello." She nodded coolly. "Xiao Xia, are you here to see Yanwan?"
"Mom, Brother Jiang Xia came to see me! He taught me how to draw a big doggy. Look!" Lin Xiaoman held up her drawing paper, her face lit with a brilliant smile.
Jiang Xia could only nod awkwardly. ’I can’t believe I’m being bailed out by my little sister-in-law.’
Ji Wanqiu glanced at the drawing, and her mood softened considerably. ’Not bad,’ she thought. ’He didn’t just focus on being alone with Yanwan; he remembered to play with Xiao Man.’
"You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Why don’t you eat with us before you and Yanwan head to school?"
"Oh, I couldn’t possibly impose, Auntie. Let me help you," Jiang Xia said, his face breaking into a wide smile.
Hearing this, Lin Yanwan silently turned her head away. ’Could this guy be any more shameless? Saying he couldn’t possibly impose, but on the inside, he’s probably blooming with joy, right?’
Ji Wanqiu’s expression froze for a moment as well. ’This young man doesn’t play by the book. Under normal circumstances, aren’t you supposed to go through a few rounds of polite refusal before tactfully accepting?’
’Someone with a thinner skin would have even used the chance to slip away unnoticed. Why does it seem like he was just waiting for me to say that?’
Besides, as the elder, Ji Wanqiu couldn’t possibly let someone from the younger generation assist her. She could only say, "No, no, that’s not necessary. Just stay out here and play with Xiao Man."
Seeing a rare opportunity to impress his future mother-in-law, Jiang Xia of course refused her refusal with righteous conviction.
"Auntie, please don’t stand on ceremony with me. You’ve had a long day at work. Just let me handle these small chores."
His eagerness reminded Ji Wanqiu of an old saying: the drinker’s true interest isn’t in the wine. His motives were plain to see.
Although she knew what he was after, his words were still very pleasant to hear.
He was simply trying to make a good impression in front of his future mother-in-law. Since that was the case, she decided to grant him his wish.
"Alright then, Xiao Xia. You can help me peel these potatoes, and wash this head of cabbage..."
"No problem."
Watching the two of them walk into the kitchen, Lin Yanwan couldn’t help but stare wide-eyed. When it came to seizing an opportunity, she had to hand it to Jiang Xia; he was in a league of his own.
At least, if their roles were reversed, she knew she could never be this composed in front of Xia Shanshan.
’Hmph, she’s not his mother. All this uncalled-for attentiveness... he must be up to no good.’
Then she suddenly realized who the object of his "villainy" was, and her face inexplicably started to burn.
◇
A short while later, Jiang Xia emerged from the kitchen, looking triumphant. Just now, he and his future mother-in-law had a delightful conversation, during which he had answered all her questions with perfect fluency.
Seeing how sensible he was, Ji Wanqiu’s opinion of him was skyrocketing. And, of course, his own outstanding qualities were a major bonus.
’These days, not many people have the guts to meet their partner’s parents while they’re still students,’ Ji Wanqiu mused. ’Let alone acting like the son-in-law position is already a done deal. He’s being absurdly attentive.’
"What are you smiling at?" Lin Yanwan shot him a sidelong glance.
"Nothing. I’m just happy I finally got a chance to help Mom out."
Jiang Xia sat down beside her. "So? Did you figure it out?"
"Yeah, I have a general idea. Watch the video, and I’ll play it for you to hear."
She hit play on the video. Before the picture even appeared, Lin Yanwan struck a series of light, brisk notes, and Jiang Xia could practically see Jerry scrambling away in a panic.
Then the visuals appeared, and the music shifted, perfectly capturing Tom’s nonchalant swagger. It was followed by Jerry escaping from Tom’s clutches, mistaking a mouse hole drawn on the wall with ink for his own home, and crashing into it, leaving him dazed and confused.
Lin Yanwan perfectly rendered the entire 30-second scene using various instrumental sound effects she simulated on the piano.
Without a doubt, a silent version of Cat and Mouse and the version with sound are two completely different works. It is precisely with the support of its perfect sound effects that Cat and Mouse became a timeless masterpiece.
As the final note faded, Jiang Xia’s eyes were sparkling. The soundtrack for Cat and Mouse was no longer an issue.
"What do you think? Does it meet your expectations?" Lin Yanwan turned her head to look at him.
"It does!"
Jiang Xia nodded emphatically. "This is already so much better than I ever expected. You’re incredible, babe. A one-woman orchestra."
Lin Yanwan subconsciously glanced toward the kitchen, terrified that Ji Wanqiu might have heard him say "babe."
"My mom’s home. Watch what you say."
"Hehe, don’t worry. I kept my voice down. Our mom couldn’t have heard," Jiang Xia chuckled.
She felt a wave of helplessness. ’There’s no way this guy will ever listen when it comes to things like this.’
"Actually, there’s still a lot of room for improvement. Some scenes would be better with an ensemble of several instruments, but right now I can only use the piano as a substitute."
Jiang Xia waved his hand dismissively and looked her in the eye. "I don’t know anything about soundtracks, babe," he said seriously. "But if I asked you to handle all the music for Cat and Mouse from now on, could you do it?"
"All of it?"
"Just for now, I mean. Once I have the funding, I’ll definitely find a more professional team to do the sound design. But for the time being, I’ve got nothing, right? So we have to keep it simple."
Lin Yanwan let out a soft breath and nodded, agreeing.
"I can’t make any guarantees for future episodes, but for now, it shouldn’t be a problem. Just send me the finished cut of the first episode, and I’ll do my best to make it perfect."
Jiang Xia let out a huge sigh of relief. He could handle the animation effects, but he was completely clueless when it came to the score. Having his girl solve the problem was a massive help.
"I love you to death, babe."
Lin Yanwan gently pinched his thigh. "Shut up."
Jiang Xia chuckled. "I just don’t understand, how do you manage to simulate so many different sound effects on a piano?"
Lin Yanwan gently shook her head. "This is nothing. I was once lucky enough to see a master who could simulate eighteen different instruments on a pipa. I still have a long way to go."
Hearing this, Jiang Xia clicked his tongue in silent amazement. ’A skill like that... it’s already reached the realm of gods, hasn’t it?’
...
(It’s the third day since my family tested positive. My throat is getting itchy, I’ve started coughing, and my limbs feel weak. I think I’ve probably caught it.)
