Chapter 67

Backstage

"Students from Class 2-2, please get ready."

"Okay~"

Members of the student council came over, reminding them to get ready to go on stage.

This was the final rehearsal before the school's anniversary celebration.

"Shaunbo seeks knowledge, unexpectedly encountering a knowledgeable mentor... Master, Shaunbo has something to say, not sure if I should say it..."

Raina Nan stood backstage, silently reciting her lines.

"Xiaoyu, the rehearsal is about to start."

Roxie Lin ran over and called her.

"Okay."

She closed the script.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she adjusted her cheongsam and tied her hair into a bun, securing it with a silk ribbon.

She somehow managed to look like a scholar from ancient times.

"..."

However, it still felt a bit strange.

"You look handsome~"

Roxie Lin seemed to sense her unease.

"Handsome..."

A subtle compliment.

"Well, you see, Xiaoyu is already very beautiful, so it gives off an elegant vibe..."

Roxie Lin clenched her fist and kept shaking it while hurriedly explaining.

"Thank you, Roxie~"

She smiled lightly and tapped Roxie Lin's forehead with her finger.

"I'm not nervous anymore."

"..."

Roxie Lin covered her forehead, stunned for a moment, looking at her.

"Xiaoyu, just now, you electrified me."

"Huh?"

"Really, really! Just like that, zoop!"

"What, what did you say..."

She couldn't feel happy even if she said such things...

"I'm going on stage now."

"Good luck!"

She passed through the curtains and walked to the front of the stage.

The audience below was in darkness, with only a few scattered staff members.

...

She took a deep breath.

Hopefully, tomorrow's official performance will go smoothly as well.

...

...

On the day of the school anniversary

The weather was perfect, with no rain or scorching sun, and the temperature wasn't too high. It seemed that the previous worries about heatstroke during outdoor activities were unnecessary.

Colorful ribbons hung on the school gate, and red banners were displayed.

For this relatively young school, today was an important day.

"Today, all the teachers and students of our school, close your books and put down your pens, gather here, and witness the 50th birthday of our school..."

In the auditorium, the principal read from the prepared speech in his hands.

In the middle of the auditorium, the students stood neatly in order of their grades.

On the left side were the school's teachers and staff, while on the right side were the parents of the students or alumni of the school.

...

"Ah!"

Bell Tong turned her head, as if she suddenly saw someone.

"Hey~"

Bell Tong's father seemed to notice that Bell Tong was looking at him. He raised his thumb, and his golden ring sparkled under the lights in the auditorium.

Beside him, besides Bell Tong's stepmother Min Shi, there were several tall and burly men.

An inexplicable aura made the surrounding parents unconsciously keep their distance from them.

"Xiaoling, is that your dad?"

Roxie Lin tugged at the corner of her clothes.

"Ah..."

She replied, scratching her cheek with her finger.

"If you want to laugh, just laugh."

"Snort."

"You really laughed!"

She playfully pinched Roxie Lin's waist.

"Ouch..."

Roxie Lin was speechless. Should she laugh or not? She didn't understand.

"By the way, did Nan ge come?"

She asked, slightly tiptoeing and looking to the right.

"I didn't see him..."

She frowned. If he was here, she should be able to spot him at a glance.

"Oh~ I thought he would definitely come~ That dog."

"Xiaoling!"

Roxie Lin reminded her in a whisper.

Bell Tong turned her head and realized that Raina Nan had been bowing her head since earlier, not saying a word.

How awkward."Ah, ah, uh... Fenggege must be very busy lately, with work and all."

Realizing that something was off, she quickly tried to correct herself.

"Yeah, I guess so. It can't be helped, after all, adults are often not in control of their own lives, right?"

"Haha, exactly. It's even stranger that he showed up here."

"Yeah, that's right!"

"Hahaha..."

"I have a question."

Raina Nan raised her head and looked at the two people in front of her who were in sync.

"What have you been talking about since earlier?"

"Huh?"

The two stared at each other for a moment.

"What about you? What are you doing..."

"Me? I've been listening to this."

She said, brushing her hair aside and taking out an earphone.

Bell Tong took the earphone and put it on her left ear.

"What's this?"

"The script."

It's the lines of the script, which she had pre-recorded on her MP3 player.

"..."

Bell Tong was speechless, with droopy eyelids, looking at her.

"You worried me..."

"What are you talking about..."

She stared at them blankly, seeming to understand but not quite, then put on her earphones again.

...

Out of the corner of her eye, her pupils momentarily dimmed.

That person didn't come.

...

...

After the speeches by the principal and the student representative, the school anniversary officially began.

In the morning, there were sports events, with relay races and tug of war organized by classes.

In the afternoon, there would be a cultural performance in the auditorium, with each class from every grade preparing a program except for the senior class due to their exams.

Half a day went by quickly.

In the afternoon, they returned to the auditorium.

But Class 2 seemed unhappy...

The reason was that they came second to last in the morning's relay race.

Their homeroom teacher was a physical education teacher, so this result would surely become a laughingstock among others.

"Ah..."

Bell Tong stretched her arms, slightly dissatisfied.

Intentionally raising her voice, she said:

"The first leg of Miss here ran in first place. How did we end up in last place?"

"Why... why is that..."

The boys next to her stammered, avoiding eye contact.

"You tell me, why is that?"

She placed her hand on the shoulder of Gu Zihang, who was closest to her.

"Who knows?"

Gu Zihang looked somewhat embarrassed, glancing to the side.

The relay race was paired with one female and one male runner from each class. Their class had females running in the first few legs and males running in the later ones. The process was a bit complicated, and it seemed like the advantage they gained at the beginning was forfeited by the male runners at the end.

"Well, we did our best..."

"Yeah, that's right."

"Haha... oh... but those other classes had so many track and field team members."

"Yeah, there's nothing we can do about it. Let's just do our best."

"Do our best?"

Bell Tong's voice interrupted the boys' mumbling.

"So you're saying..."

She widened her eyes, staring at them expressionlessly.

"No matter how hard this lazy fish tries, it's still a lazy fish, right?"

A look as if she was looking at trash...

"..."

The boys suddenly fell silent, bowing their heads low.

"Quiet down, we're up next."

William Wei walked over.

Now wasn't the time to dwell in sadness.

"Oh..."

Looking back, they realized the auditorium was already packed with people. In addition to the students and parents, there were many unfamiliar faces.

With this many people in the auditorium, it was impossible for it to be completely silent. The sounds of conversation and movement kept overlapping, causing distractions and restlessness.

"Next up, from Class 2 of the second year, a drama performance - 'The Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai.'"

"Here we go!"

"Xiaoyu, good luck..."

Roxie Lin placed her hand over her heart, silently reciting.She seemed to be more nervous than the people on stage.

"Where is Yuyu? Where is she?"

Bell Tong stood up directly and looked towards the stage.

"Bell Tong, you're blocking me, move!!"

Gu Zihang next to her was getting anxious, he even had his camera ready.

Bell Tong ignored him, took a step forward, and stood in his way.

...

The curtain slowly lifted.

She was the first one to walk out from behind the curtain.

Dressed in a blue robe, with a bamboo hairpin holding her hair.

The noisy auditorium suddenly quieted down.

"A girl?"

After a while, sporadic whispers emerged from below.

The lights came on.

She looked up and realized that she could see the faces of the people below so clearly.

Indeed, it was completely different from the rehearsal...

"A girl playing Liang Shanbo?"

"Cross-dressing?"

"Who cares, this girl has such beautiful eyes~"

"I like her, what's her name again?"

"Raina Nan from Class 2, don't you guys know?"

...

Before it even started, the people below were already discussing in strange directions.

"Leaving hometown, leaving family and friends, studying in Hangzhou City, experiencing the beauty of spring throughout the journey"

She composed herself, opened her mouth, and recited her lines that she had memorized perfectly.

No problem.

Although she felt a bit nervous.

But, no problem...

"Wow~"

Faint cheers came from below.

"Don't panic, smile~"

"Hahaha!"

A burst of laughter.

"Where did this idiot come from?!"

Bell Tong, angry, stood on a chair, looking left and right, but there were too many people in the auditorium, she couldn't tell where the voices were coming from.

She lost focus for a moment, and then spoke again:

"From afar, we gazed at each other, at the corner of the Wansong Academy..."

"Wait! There's another line in front!"

The girl playing Zhu Yingtai opposite her reminded her softly with a slightly panicked expression.

"Huh?"

She was momentarily confused.

"Butterflies fluttering by the river, by the river...fly..."

Huh?

What's going on?

She had rehearsed these lines so many times, but suddenly couldn't remember them.

"What's wrong with her?"

"Huh?"

"Forgetting her lines?"

"Oh no~ this is embarrassing..."

...

The murmurs grew quieter...

But why could she hear them clearer and clearer...

"Hey, can't be..."

William Wei stood below, completely unexpected by this situation.

"Is this going to work..."

"I heard she's the top student in Class 2, but she forgot her lines?"

"Come on, there's a difference between memorizing books and memorizing lines, okay?"

In addition to the voices of the boys, there were vague comments from the girls.

It turned out to be so difficult to stand in front of so many people.

She wanted to cover her ears and not hear any of this.

So noisy

So noisy

...

"Raina Nan!!!!!!"

A voice, with a high decibel level, roared through the crowd from behind.

Everyone in the auditorium turned to look at the back.

A tall, skinny man with a duckbill cap was standing in the last row of the stepped auditorium.

That shout just now seemed to have made him a little out of breath.

"Phew..."

He adjusted his breathing, after a moment, he raised his head.

He turned the brim of his cap to the back.

"Samson Nan?!"

William Wei finally saw the face of this person, for a moment, he thought he saw it wrong and rubbed his eyes.

"Big Brother Nan?"

Roxie Lin, who had been burying her head and dared not look at what was happening on stage, finally looked up and covered her mouth in surprise.

On stage

Raina Nan widened her eyes, her mouth slightly open.

"..."

He didn't say anything, just gazing at her with clear pupils.

His gaze pierced through the crowd in the middle and stared right at her.Reach into the collar.

Unbutton the shirt.

"Wait, what is he going to do..."

"What's going on?"

"Oh!"

The girl below half covers her eyes with her hand, feeling a bit embarrassed.

He suddenly tears open the shirt, revealing a white T-shirt with big words printed on it:

"I ❤ Raina Nan"

The whole venue falls silent.

"Huh? What is this?"

"A confession?"

...

Whispers start to echo through the crowd.

"Raina Nan!! Keep it up!!!!!"

A sharp female voice overwhelms the murmurs.

Bell Tong steps on the shoulders of two boys, barely balancing herself.

"Come on, Xiaoyu!!!!"

Roxie Lin yells at the top of her lungs, her face turning red due to lack of oxygen.

"What is this... a support group?"

The audience watches the two exhausted people yelling.

A moment passes.

"Well... that's interesting."

"Keep it up!"

"Keep it up, girl!"

Gradually, the venue seems to have some cheering voices.

Scattered applause.

...

"..."

The noise disappears.

Time seems to rewind to before the performance started.

There's a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.

Taking a deep breath as if relieved, she lifts her head.

...

He seems to have noticed that she is looking at him and pats the big words on his chest again.

...

What is it with that arrogant look? Does he want to be a hero?

...

I'm not such a loser hero.

Idiot...

"Butterflies dancing by the river, the gentle breeze intoxicates, Shanbo is originally a commoner, ordinary but hard to please in his lifetime."

I remember now.

Standing opposite her, "Zhu Yingtai," finally breathes a sigh of relief.

"From now on, I will study diligently, seeking achievements and honors."

I remember now.

Isn't it just like before?

Her gaze becomes trance-like. She seems to see the girl from the past who couldn't do anything without her brother watching beside her...

Really, there hasn't been any progress...

Why do I always have to do these things, idiot...

It's all because of you, making me become someone who can't do anything without you, idiot...

But why? Whenever you appear in front of me like this, I'm still so happy?

Stupid brother...

...

Whoosh.

When she listens again, there are no more irrelevant murmurs, only unending applause.

And the person who stands farthest away from her, clumsily claps his hands till they turn red.

...

When all the performances are over, it is already evening.

She stands in front of the sink in the restroom, adjusting her hair. It takes some effort to change from Liang Shanbo's hairstyle back to her own.

"Raina Nan, you did a great job today."

A girl pats her from behind.

She turns her head, and it's the girl who just played Zhu Yingtai.

"Not really, I caused trouble for you all..."

"Haha, don't mind it. Your class's performance really caught everyone's attention."

"Haha..."

"Your boyfriend is so handsome, my friends are all talking about it."

"..."

She opens her mouth, wanting to say something, but the girl has already walked out of the restroom.

...

Is that how everyone sees it?

It's clearly not like that...

...

Outside the auditorium.

"Nan gege, we're heading home!"

Roxie Lin waves to Samson Nan.

"Is that so? I was planning to treat you guys to dinner."

He says that and takes it as a way to thank them for supporting Raina Nan.

"Huh? Really? Let's go, let's go!"

Bell Tong raises her hand high when she hears he wants to treat them.

"Xiao Ling, let's go! Don't you have something else to do tonight?"

Roxie Lin quickly pushes her away."Ah? What's the matter?"

Bell Tong was taken aback and looked at her inexplicably.

"If there's something, there's something! Let's go! Hurry up!"

"Ah? Don't push me."

"Goodbye, Nange."

Half-pushed, Bell Tong was led away by her.

"..."

He stood there.

William Wei said he had to handle the follow-up work for the school celebration, and Jocelyn York was staying at the vocal department to arrange the instruments. Neither of them could go.

In the end, he was the only one left.

"Ah."

Thinking like this, he accidentally bumped into a girl who had just come out of the chapel.

It was Raina Nan.

"You're still here?"

She looked at him and said so.

"What do you mean I'm still here? Wasn't I waiting for you?"

He snatched the bag from her hand without a kind tone.

"What is this?"

He opened it and took a look.

"Clothes."

Inside were the clothes used for the performance just now.

"Little one, are you planning to wear this to school from now on?"

"Hmph!"

"Ouch!"

With a red face, she kicked his shin.

"Just, just keeping it as a memento..."

She turned her head and looked aside.

"Huff."

"Fine, find it funny then..."

"Not at all."

He chuckled lightly and turned his head to look at her.

"It was a wonderful performance today."

"Eh?"

Being told this, she felt a little embarrassed.

"Well, yes... anyway..."

She turned away, not daring to look at his face.

After a while.

"Thank you."

"What?"

He bent down, putting his ear close to her.

"You heard me, so why ask? Annoying!"

This time, she didn't fall for it.

"Haha."

"No laughing allowed!"

She swung the bag and tried to hit him.

"Ha!"

He dodged beautifully.

Then, facing her, he suddenly opened his shirt, revealing the T-shirt with the words "Ⅰ ❤ Raina Nan" on his chest, still very eye-catching.

"Wha-what's going on..."

She was stunned, not knowing where to look.

"That T-shirt..."

"I had it specially made yesterday. What do you think?"

"Throw it away! It's- It's embarrassing..."

Her face was getting hot, and her gaze started to wander.

"It's not embarrassing at all."

"Eh?"

He restrained the smile on his face and stood about half a meter away from her, watching her like this.

"Because this is my..."

His voice filled the air and reached her ears.

"confession of love."

"..."

The evening breeze mixed with warmth, blowing the sand on the playground.

The sound of breathing was clearly audible.

After a moment of silence, a slight smile appeared on the corners of her mouth.

"I'll take it seriously, you know."

Her heart was calm, unexpectedly calm, even she couldn't believe it.

"Mhm."

He nodded, smiled lightly, and eagerly waited for her answer.

"Well then..."

With her hands behind her back, she thought for a moment.

After taking two steps forward, she stopped.

Turning back, she squinted and smiled.

"I want a seaside villa."

"Why?"

"As a dowry."

"I can't afford it, let's change it."

"Then hot pot..."

"That can be arranged."

"..."

She fell silent, lowered her eyes, and looked at him.

"You're useless."

"..."

He paused for a moment, then caught up.

"Wait for me! Which hot pot restaurant do you want to go to?"

...