Su Xun's smile on her face disappeared:"Oh, you seem to know a lot, but I also know your secret."
She moved closer to Yuan Luoyi and said:"Last time when you were confessing in the bathroom, I was vomiting in the next stall."
"You're a fake evil girl, I'm a fake pure girl."
"Why don't we become friends? I see you're always alone and pitiful. I'll help you fit into the girls' clique. We can go to the bathroom together, do activities together, and chat during breaks. You'll have someone to talk to."
Yuan Luoyi said:"I was isolated in Class A mostly because you instigated it."
Su Xun said:"Yeah, so I also have the ability to make everyone accept you again. You know, both boys and girls really like me. Also, in this talent show, we can work together to eliminate others and I'll be first, you can be second. How about it, it's a good deal, right?"
Yuan Luoyi grabbed her pendant back:"I refuse!"
Su Xun was very angry:"Do you still want to compete with me for first place? You'll lose miserably!"
Yuan Luoyi said:"You're the one who's going to lose!"
Su Xun said:"Ridiculous. You've already lost to me once!"
Yuan Luoyi smiled and said:"It felt great!"
Su Xun was stunned. She didn't expect Yuan Luoyi to answer like this. It felt like punching cotton, failing to inflict the intended harm on the other party. Instead, it made her look ridiculous.
She pointed at Yuan Luoyi and said:"You'll regret rejecting me today!"
Yuan Luoyi said:"I've rejected you more than a dozen times. I've never regretted it once!"
Su Xun stomped to the door. Just as she was about to leave, she turned around:"If you spread word about me, no one will believe I'm a fake pure girl. So I suggest you don't do that."
Yuan Luoyi retorted bluntly:"If you spread word about me, no one will believe I'm a fake evil girl either. You know what, this look suits you better than that fake smile. Isn't it tiring to pretend all the time?"
Su Xun walked out and slammed the door forcefully. She couldn't refute Yuan Luoyi's words.
Yuan Luoyi felt like a heavy rain just came pouring down, washing away all the irritations that were pent up in her heart.
When she was in Class A, she knew Su Xun was making trouble behind the scenes and Teacher Su was targeting her. But she didn't have the determination to leave Class A, because Class A symbolized glory and being demoted would be very embarrassing.
Now Yuan Luoyi realized that when people stop caring about face, they can live a much happier life.
Also, there's more than one path to success. Leaving Class A didn't mean she had failed.
The broadcast sounded:"Contestants, please come on stage."
Yuan Luoyi walked out. The stage lights were dazzling. The contestant candidates stood in a row, some nervous, some excited, some brimming with confidence.
The audience below was boiling. Reporters were scrambling to cover the event.
Right across stood a huge screen, with layers upon layers of danmu flying by.
Skimming through the impassioned danmu, Yuan Luoyi noticed one that seemed exceptionally tranquil. It said:
"You will reclaim what is rightfully yours."
It was elder brother Yuan Ao. Though he had matters to attend to today and couldn't make it in person, he had been following his sister's progress remotely the whole time.
Yuan Luoyi's somewhat restless mood instantly calmed down significantly. Things were different this life. She would change the Yuan family's fate of death!
So this was what it felt like to stand on stage.
Look up and you can see the barrage of danmu on the big screen, netizens wisecracking ceaselessly, leaving the viewer overwhelmed.
Look down and you can see the faces of every audience member, each wearing different expressions.
Some were excited, some laughing, some with lifeless eyes half-asleep, and some even secretly doing homework.
The stage lights were more blinding than they appeared on TV, the music more deafening, much louder than plaza dancing.
A female host walked to the center of the stage. She wore an elegant cheongsam, an hourglass figure, and walked like a spring breeze swaying slender willows, exuding charm and grace. A pair of long, fair legs peeked out teasingly from the cheongsam's thigh slit.
She was called Na Lan, a famous host. She announced loudly:"Dear audience, good morning! The talent show at Star Galaxy Middle School officially begins! Now let's invite the principal to speak!"
The principal stepped on stage, grabbed the mic:"Ahem! Hello everyone, I'll keep it short."
Just like all leaders making empty promises, the principal did not keep it short at all. He spoke nonstop for 15 minutes. He talked about life, dreams, how awesome he was when he was young, and how his first love left him for being poor then begged to get back together later, which he regretted rejecting.
Na Lan at the side was very embarrassed, barely keeping a smile on her face.
The danmu exploded with people demanding the camera be switched to the contestants. They didn't want to watch the bald old man ramble on and on about his last century love story.
Yuan Luoyi, however, listened with great interest.
Go on!
Keep talking!
She really wanted to know how things ended between the principal and his first love.
Just like in class, Yuan Luoyi may not remember the textbook content teachers lectured about, but she could recite word for word all the bragging and love stories teachers told.
Director Zhang held up a sign offstage. It read:"Viewership plummeting, wrap it up!"
The principal saw it. He cleared his throat:"Alright students, I'll stop here."
Director Zhang breathed a sigh of relief.
The principal stepped down but suddenly recalled something. He returned, grabbed the mic:"Oh, let me add two more sentences, just two!" When I was your age, I had one leg busy with schoolwork and the other leg already starting a business. Students, you must also have this persevering spirit, why? Because..."
The principal started waxing poetic again, his exhibitionistic tendency always ample.
Director Zhang threw down the sign, covering his forehead in frustration.
But Director Zhang was no ordinary man either. He had directed dozens of super popular variety shows and dealt with many tricky sudden situations, performers stealing camera time being a common one. With his wit, he could easily handle the principal.
Director Zhang said:"Unplug the wire on the principal's mic."
A staff member grabbed a black wire and gave it a hard yank. The principal's voice disappeared. He knocked the mic in confusion but it remained unresponsive. He had no choice but to leave the stage.
Director Zhang smiled confidently. Top-notch schemes often required the simplest brute force solutions.
Na Lan immediately understood Director Zhang's intention. She put on her professional smile:"Dear audience, there seems to be some malfunction with the mics. Now let's turn the camera to the contestant side."
