The choir performance of Class One, Grade Two, was indeed something the entire school had never seen before.
While the concept of a choir was not uncommon, the routine nature of it made the performance by Class One, Grade Two, seem a bit dull once they had taken their positions.
Some students were sneaking off to the bathroom, others were sipping water, and most were yawning out of sheer boredom.
Sitting in the same spot for an extended period of time listening to songs was inevitably tiring.
Once all the students were in place on stage, Class Teacher gave a signal to the sound technicians, indicating that they could begin.
The passionate prelude started, and a student who was drinking couldn't hold it in, spitting water onto the seat in front of him.
The solemn and orderly choir voices filled the auditorium, silencing the previous chatter instantly.
There's no denying that some songs can deeply move people.
You might not appreciate this particular song, but you can't deny that it's not beautiful.
Class One, Grade Two, performed exceptionally well, especially since Shi Li was the only one who didn't contribute much. Without her dragging them down, they were able to give their best performance.
Everyone worked hard for this, not for the sake of group points. Honestly, even if they won first place, it would only add five points, which, when divided among the thirty-plus students, amounted to a mere 0.16 points per person. Such a small number held little attraction.
After the song ended, the thunderous applause from the audience brought joy to the students, each of them beaming with happiness.
Around 4 PM, the performance concluded. Qianpu Middle School worked with high efficiency. While the host was announcing the results, the voting outcome was already out—Class One, Grade Two's choir performance had won first place.
For Shi Li, winning awards was a common occurrence, but she had never been this happy before.
The final part of the event was for the winning class's creators to go on stage to receive the award. For a group performance like Class One, everyone was considered a creator, usually with the Class Teacher going up to receive the award.
However, Class Teacher turned to the class monitor and said, "You go. You've done a lot for our class, so you should go."
Shi Li, who overheard this, couldn't help but think, [He finally realized that.]
The class monitor didn't decline the offer. He accepted the Class Teacher's goodwill, tidied his hair, and strode confidently onto the stage.
While the winning students posed with the trophy, the school's professional photographer captured the moment, but that didn't stop Class Teacher from taking photos with his phone.
In fact, Class Teacher had already started recording the entire performance with his phone when the students were on stage.
The class monitor led the way with the trophy, followed by the rest of the class.
The trophy was placed on the top shelf at the back of the classroom, alongside the trophies from the previous sports meet and other collective honors of the class.
Today there were no classes, and after the New Year's performance, everyone could pack up and go on vacation.
Class Teacher stood on the podium and asked, "Since we won and each of you gets 0.17 points, keeping these points stored up doesn't make much sense. How about this, I'll treat everyone to a meal today. Spending two to three hours together will count as your 0.17 points, neither adding nor subtracting, okay?"
With Shi Li leading the way, many students occasionally used group points to exchange for dinner outings or lunch breaks.
Hearing about the class dinner, especially since it was Class Teacher footing the bill, the students were instantly thrilled, shouting "Yes!" in unison.
Class Teacher smiled and said, "Then you can start packing your bags."
After saying that, he looked at the duty group leader, indicating that she didn't need to add points.
After the class quieted down, Shi Li slowly spoke up, [But the holiday already starts tonight, so it's not like we're asking for leave. Why should points be deducted?]
Class Teacher: Enough! You know too much, and that's not good for you.
The entire class looked at Class Teacher, who slightly averted his gaze, feeling a bit guilty, then his expression hardened. After all, it wasn't Shi Li who had spoken.
He didn't believe anyone would dare to repeat Shi Li's words, risking being discovered.
Yes, no one dared, so Class Teacher felt secure.
It was just 0.17 points, not worth the trouble.
Thus, Class Teacher deducted 0.17 points from the entire class.
However, during the meal, the students didn't let Class Teacher off the hook. They ordered relentlessly, hoping to make him pay more.
Class Teacher had anticipated this and, when choosing the dining place, deliberately avoided upscale venues.
He picked a place known for its large portions and low prices. The students ate their fill, but the total cost was under a thousand yuan.
After dinner, Class Teacher went to pay, smiling as he returned to the private room with the bill. He said with a hint of disappointment, "You're still kids, at an age where you can eat a lot. Don't always think about saving money for the teacher. Even if I'm not rich, I can still afford to treat you to a meal."
He placed the bill on the table, "You're quite understanding. Thirty-plus people spent less than a thousand yuan. If you're still hungry, don't be shy, ask the waiter to add a couple more dishes."
The students were already stuffed, some holding their stomachs in discomfort. Seeing Class Teacher's somewhat smug face, they really wanted to order another five hundred plates, but their capacity wouldn't allow it—not even one more bite.
In the end, all the students left the restaurant leaning on the walls.
Not only did they fail to make Class Teacher pay more, but everyone also ended up overeating.
It was also worth noting that the boss knew this restaurant well, known for its large portions, low prices, and great taste.
Even if they wanted to make Class Teacher pay more, they wouldn't touch anything that didn't taste good, which was a kind of tacit understanding.
Fortunately, the students were young and digested quickly. Despite being stuffed the previous night, they were lively and energetic the next day.
While other students were enjoying their New Year's break, Shi Li was at home packing her luggage. She wasn't going on vacation; after the holiday, she, Rongrong, and Fu Huixing were heading to a national competition. They would be in a fully enclosed environment for a month, so she needed to prepare clothes and daily necessities.
This was Shi Li's first time being away from home for such an extended period, and Huang Jie was very worried, even though she wasn't doing anything dangerous.
As a mother, the thought of not seeing her child made her anxious.
While packing, Huang Jie kept reminding Shi Li not to forget anything.
Shi Li found it both amusing and a bit exasperating, "Mom, I'm going to school, not to war. There's no danger, so don't worry. If I forget something, I can use my classmates'."
The training camp was not in Blue City, so Shi Li and her friends needed to leave a day earlier.
Considering Rongrong, Shi Li and Fu Huixing only bought economy class tickets.
Upon arriving at the training camp, the first thing was for the participants to introduce themselves to each other.
Among the crowd, Shi Li spotted Dong Wenhao at first glance.
Shi Li greeted him enthusiastically, "Hello, nice to see you again."
Dong Wenhao's classmate didn't recognize Shi Li and asked, "Who are you?"
Shi Li waved it off, "You don't know me, but you must have read the thank-you letter I wrote."
