Chapter 180

When Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng arrived at the backstage preparation area, they immediately saw Kong Junxiang standing there, face tense with nervousness.

Only then did Li Luo realize that after Kong Junxiang had accompanied them to sit on the open ground in front of the stage, he had vanished shortly afterward.

Li Luo had originally assumed he had gone to the restroom, especially since Teacher Ding had also brought a chair over—Kong Junxiang could never let Teacher Ding sit alone watching the show.

But he never expected to see Kong Junxiang here.

Walking over with curiosity, Li Luo asked, "Teacher Kong, what are you doing here?"

Suddenly greeted, Kong Junxiang, already tense, jolted violently—he'd clearly been startled.

Only after turning his head and seeing Li Luo did he finally exhale in relief.

"It's you," Kong Junxiang recovered, "you and Yan Zhusheng have a rock club performance tonight, right?"

"Yeah," Li Luo nodded, then asked again, "So what are you doing here, Teacher Kong?"

"Cough, cough…" Kong Junxiang cleared his throat, looking slightly embarrassed, and instead asked, "After I left, did Teacher Ding say anything?"

"Nope, she's just watching the show," Li Luo said.

"Good," Kong Junxiang took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, finally telling Li Luo, "After this performance ends, the next one is mine."

At these words, Li Luo raised an eyebrow.

Yan Zhusheng beside him also looked curious: "What are you performing, Teacher Kong?"

"Not as talented as you two," Kong Junxiang forced a awkward laugh, "I'm just going to sing a song."

"Oh," Yan Zhusheng nodded, "singing it for Teacher Ding."

Li Luo coughed twice and warned Yan Zhusheng, "Don't say things so bluntly—we should be more tactful, or Teacher Kong will be too embarrassed."

"Then how should I say it?" Yan Zhusheng tilted her head.

"You should say," Li Luo thought for a moment, "Teacher Kong, this song—you're planning to sing it for someone you like, right?"

Kong Junxiang's face darkened: "…You two can just stay quiet if you can't speak properly."

"See?" Yan Zhusheng turned to Li Luo, "Aren't you saying the same thing I did?"

"Same meaning, but mine's more tactful," Li Luo said with a grin, "Teacher Kong, go for it! We'll cheer for you from behind!"

"Stop talking, the more you talk the more nervous I get," Kong Junxiang rubbed his hands, exhaling a puff of white mist into the cold wind, "During rehearsal, I kept missing the lyric entrances, always half a beat late."

"What song is it?" Li Luo thought for a moment, "If you're going to be late, I can help cue you during the performance."

After discussing the details with Kong Junxiang, Li Luo pulled Yan Zhusheng aside backstage and gave her instructions.

Yan Zhusheng nodded and immediately left the backstage area, off to do something unknown.

…

The bonfire party began around seven p. m., and after several dazzling performances, the Gao Er senior hostess returned to the stage to announce:

"Thank you to the Gao San Class 13 seniors for their wonderful performance, showcasing not only the spirit of dedication toward the college entrance exam, but also the small joys of daily campus life."

"And after our students' brilliant acts, one teacher has volunteered to perform a song that perfectly matches the theme of our bonfire party."

"Next, please welcome your Gao Yi Class 8 homeroom teacher, Kong Junxiang, as he performs 'A Fire in the Winter'!"

"Pfft…" Zhang Guohuang, who had been sitting upright with binoculars fixed on the stage, nearly burst out laughing the moment Kong Junxiang appeared on screen, paired with the words "A Fire in the Winter" in his ears.

"What kind of taste does Old Kong have? Such a cheesy song…"

"Who cares if it's cheesy—it's a classic," Zhu Yufei chuckled, "and it really fits the bonfire party theme."

Xu Yinghuan, sitting beside Teacher Ding, was startled upon hearing the announcement, then immediately turned to look at Teacher Ding.

Teacher Ding herself also looked surprised.

When she saw Kong Junxiang truly appear on stage, microphone in hand, visibly nervous, she covered her mouth, eyes filled with emotion.

Then an uncontrollable smile spread across her face.

The number one shipper of Class 8, witnessing this scene, beamed with pure happiness, her lips curling upward, silently screaming support for Teacher Kong inside her heart.

Who would've thought.

Sure, Xu Yinghuan had gotten used to eating the everyday home-cooked meals from Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng, but she never expected to now regularly feast on dishes personally prepared by their homeroom teacher.

"Teacher Ding, it's Teacher Kong," Xu Yinghuan leaned close to Teacher Ding's ear, suppressing her excitement, and ventured cautiously, "Didn't he just say he was going to the restroom?"

"I didn't expect it either," Teacher Ding's emotions were clearly turbulent, but before her students, she maintained her composure as a teacher.

"This song must be for you, Teacher Ding," Xu Yinghuan pressed on, determined to extract every drop of sweetness.

Teacher Ding's lips curled slightly, but she shook her head with a wry smile: "Don't say that—he's your homeroom teacher; this song is for all of you too."

Wow~

Though she hadn't gotten Teacher Ding's direct confirmation, this very consideration for Kong Junxiang made Xu Yinghuan's mouth feel flooded with sugar.

Good, good, good—what a perfect thing to say!

Xu Yinghuan happily chatted with Teacher Ding.

Soon, music began playing on stage.

Kong Junxiang stood nervously on stage, carefully listening to the musical rhythm.

He had originally planned to find Teacher Ding's seat the moment he stepped on stage, then sing while locking eyes with her.

But he had clearly miscalculated.

Even if he searched carefully, he could have found her.

But he was too nervous after stepping on stage; his gaze swept the crowd, only to be abruptly interrupted by the music.

He panicked, quickly pulled his eyes back, and strained to identify the prelude.

Under the original plan, he would likely have entered the main verse half a beat late.

But this time was different.

Just as the music approached the main verse, three sharp "tap-tap-tap" drumbeats suddenly echoed from backstage.

To the audience, the drumbeats were nearly inaudible.

But for Kong Jun, who had been fully focused and waiting, it was like three thunderclaps, instantly pulling him into the rhythm of the main verse.

"You're like a fire in winter~"

"Your blazing flames warm my heart~"

Once the main verse smoothly kicked in, Kong Jun instantly slipped into state, singing with great fluency and naturalness.

Though his voice still trembled slightly from nervousness, no one at the bonfire party would notice such a thing.

Ding Xiang sat at the very front of Class Eight, utterly absorbed in listening to Kong Jun's song; a smile unconsciously spread across her face, growing wider and happier, without her even realizing it.

Only Xu Yinghuan, who had been munching on candy all along, secretly caught this scene, and immediately began stomping her feet in delight, her face radiating satisfaction.

When Kong Jun sang, "Your big eyes shine bright and glittering, like the brightest star in the sky," two faint blushes clearly appeared on Ding Xiang's cheeks.

The classmates behind her burst into knowing laughter and cheers.

Zhang Guohuang even stood up and shouted loudly toward the stage: "Teacher Kong, awesome! You're amazing!"

Kong Jun, who had been singing perfectly, nearly stumbled over his lyrics because of that shout from Zhang Guohuang.

But thanks to Zhang Guohuang's shout, Kong Jun followed the sound and instantly spotted Zhang's position.

Then, moving forward from Zhang's spot, he immediately found Ding Xiang.

The next moment, their eyes met across the distance; Ding Xiang shyly lowered her head and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

But soon, she lifted her head again, gazing toward Kong Jun on stage, and waved at him.

Kong Jun, on stage, waved back at the same time.

Others assumed Teacher Kong was waving to his own class.

But only the students of Class Eight knew exactly who their homeroom teacher was signaling to.

Xu Yinghuan, who had witnessed all of this, happily swayed her body from side to side.

Just then, Yan Zhusheng suddenly appeared before Class Eight, standing before Ding Xiang.

"Zhusheng?" Xu Yinghuan stared, startled by Yan Zhusheng's sudden appearance. "Why are you back? Didn't you say you were going to the backstage to prepare?"

"Li Luo sent me," Yan Zhusheng said, then suddenly pulled a small bunch of flowers from behind his back and offered them to Ding Xiang. "Teacher Ding, here you go. Li Luo said, whether you go up or not, it's your choice."

Ding Xiang took the flowers, stunned, and gave them a quick glance.

There were four or five blooms, their faint fragrance unmistakably real.

The stems were wrapped only in a few tissues, and beneath them, the faint scent of earth still lingered.

"Yan Zhusheng, where did you get these flowers?" Ding Xiang couldn't help asking.

Yan Zhusheng blinked, recalling something: "It was the scent of love that guided them to your hands, Teacher Ding."

Ding Xiang: "..."

"Teacher Ding, hurry up and go," Xu Yinghuan whispered beside her. "Teacher Kong will finish singing soon."

Prompted by Xu Yinghuan, Ding Xiang temporarily set aside the question of where the flowers had come from.

She turned her gaze back to Kong Jun on stage, bit her lip, and before even rising, her own thoughts and fantasies had already flushed her cheeks red, her ears burning faintly.

Yet in the end, she stood up, walked steadily between the seats, and headed toward the stage, under Xu Yinghuan's expectant gaze.