Chapter 100: Neither Owed Nor Indebted

The lights at the center of the stage dimmed instantly as the voice faded.

When the lights brightened again, a piano had appeared in the center of the stage, and the spotlight shone on Xu Heng.

Dressed in a black suit, his entire temperament changed in an instant.

Coupled with the fact that Xu Heng was handsome to begin with, the attention of most students below was immediately drawn to him, and they began to whisper among themselves.

"Wow! The 'Cover Brother' is much more handsome than in the videos."

"Didn't you notice he's so manly? He has such a cool vibe, he doesn't even look like a student."

"It's the outfit that makes him look mature, right? Didn't you hear the host? He's only one year ahead of us!"

"I wish my boyfriend were as handsome as him."

"What song is 'Decency'? How come I couldn't find it online?"

"I don't know, maybe it's a niche song."

"Why worry about that? Just listen to it, that's all. Looks like 'Cover Brother' is going to play the piano too. He can play both piano and guitar; I'm impressed."

Xu Heng bowed slightly to the audience and walked slowly to the piano, facing the auditorium from the side.

In his peripheral vision, he felt as if he could spot someone in the audience of thousands.

Ying Ziyun noticed his gaze; she did not look away, but calmly returned his stare.

"Today's song is not a cover."

Xu Heng cleared his throat and spoke softly into the microphone.

Not a cover?

Before the crowd below could react, he continued immediately.

"Although you call me 'Cover Brother'—and I have no objection to that—I actually also write original music."

"That song 'The Wind Has Risen', I wrote it. My name is Xu Heng, and I'm very happy to meet all of you freshmen."

After a brief silence, the entire auditorium erupted in an uproar.

If it weren't for the Student Union having plenty of staff helping to maintain order, it was hard to say what chaotic scenes might have occurred.

'The Wind Has Risen'!

Xu Heng!

Holy crap! 'Cover Brother' really is the composer of 'The Wind Has Risen'!

Although he didn't sing it, the music and lyrics were genuinely written by him.

The person who could write such a song was actually a senior at their same school?

That's explosive!

This news had circulated for a while back then, but as the public discourse faded, it had long been forgotten by people.

Xu Heng's nickname outside was also 'Cover Brother' rather than the composer of 'The Wind Has Risen'.

But now that Xu Heng had admitted it in front of thousands of people, it meant this news could not be fake.

The auditorium was now as noisy as a wet market.

In the audience, Xu Heng's roommates, Dan Yuyue, Fan Xi, and Ying Ziyun all had different expressions.

Sheng Bo and the others were in the know; they didn't have much surprise, only a sense of pride in his achievement.

Cheng Huaiyu patted his chest and introduced himself to the person next to him, saying, "I'm Xu Heng's roommate. Xu Heng plays CS with me in the dorm every day. I've known he was the composer of 'The Wind Has Risen' for a long time."

Wang Yi and Dong Xinxin said speechlessly, "If you knew, why didn't you tell us?"

Cheng Huaiyu chuckled: "Old Xu is my roommate. He told me to keep it a secret, so how could I dare disobey?"

As for Dan Yuyue, she was stunned for a long time. She had suspected this, but she had been blocked after asking about it later.

But now that she was told Xu Heng was truly the composer of the nationwide hit 'The Wind Has Risen', she still found it hard to believe.

Xu Heng could make money, write songs, had started a company, and was handsome—how could such a high-quality stock be thrown away like trash by her roommate?

Dan Yuyue glanced at Ying Ziyun strangely and found her expression was still as calm as an ancient well; she couldn't help but think to herself that she was truly impressive.

In fact, Ying Ziyun's outward calmness was all an act. Her mood at this moment was like a churning river, a complex mix of emotions.

On the other side, Zhao Gaoyang's face looked a bit ugly. He glanced at Fan Xi, who was sitting two seats away, and seeing the relief and joy in her eyes, his face darkened even more, and he gripped the rose in his hand a little tighter.

Why did it have to be at this time... at least give him a chance, give him some room to perform...

"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap!"

Backstage, Chang Lingling, who was helping out, cursed three times in a row. In her shock, she shook Jiang Mengyuan beside her desperately.

"Yuan, Yuan, Yuan, did you hear that? Did you hear that? Holy crap! Senior Xu is actually the composer of your favorite song!"

Jiang Mengyuan, whether dizzy from being shaken or dizzy from the shock, opened her mouth blankly but made no sound.

It must be said that for most freshmen who had just graduated from high school and stepped into university, this news was a bombshell.

It even added a layer of filter to the way everyone looked at Xu Heng.

Xu Heng, who was already quite handsome, now appeared even more handsome in everyone's eyes—handsome to the point of having a distance from the others.

After all, even if others performed on stage, they were still within the scope of students, while Xu Heng already had one foot in the celebrity entertainment circle.

To put it as a comparison, it was equivalent to Xu Shangao, who had just become popular last year, returning to Wan Yi Ke to attend the Welcome Gala; everyone's social status was different now.

A middle-aged man wearing glasses sitting in the front row of the audience asked the gray-haired old man next to him: "Who is this kid?"

"Mr. Jiang, he is the internet celebrity from our school I mentioned. But I didn't expect him to also be the author of 'The Wind Has Risen'," the school leader with graying hair replied.

The middle-aged man didn't understand what 'The Wind Has Risen' was, but he still nodded: "Not bad, the young man is quite talented."

"Then would you like me to invite this student over for a meal after the gala ends?"

The middle-aged man waved his hand: "No need. I'm just passing by this time to see my daughter; I'm a bit worried about her personality."

"Understood, Mr. Jiang."

The school leader was very respectful toward the middle-aged man's attitude; after all, the person in front of him was a ruthless figure who could move the Jinling economic development with one hand. If the higher-ups said to treat him well, donating two buildings to the school wouldn't be a problem.

Xu Heng on the stage finally spoke again: "This is also an original song, 'Decency', dedicated to us, whether we have lost or not. I hope that when facing a new life tomorrow, everyone can be more decent."

The stage lighting changed slightly, and he sat there under the spotlight, appearing exceptionally dazzling.

His ten fingers fell onto the keys, a low and slow melody rang out, and the noisy auditorium gradually became quiet.

The short, twenty-something-second prelude was both tinged with a little sorrow and pleasant to the ear, instantly gripping the heartstrings of the audience.

All eyes focused on Xu Heng until he opened his mouth to sing softly.

"Don't pile up nostalgia~ let the plot become melodramatic~"

"Loved deeply for many years~ why ruin the classic~"

"Both are adults now~ neither owing the other~"

"Wasting time is my own wish~"

"Like an actor at the final curtain watching the lights go out~"

"Too late to be passionate again~"

"Just say goodbye and keep the dignity~"

"I don't regret loving you~ and I respect the end of the story~"

The notes paused, Xu Heng tilted his head back, took a deep breath, and his fingers continued to press the black and white keys.

The images of the story emerged like a movie within his singing.

"Breaking up should be decent~ neither should say sorry~"