Chapter 603: Done For. Everything

Drifting across the sea of knowledge~ riding the wind and breaking waves~

Cloud-sailed hoisted~ determined to sail far~

With confidence in heart, heading toward~ the distant place of my longing~

As the clear flute melody of the prelude rang out, like a divine brush stirring ripples across the lake, Yan Zhusheng gripped the microphone and his light, joyful voice spread out.

Youthful years~ transcribed upon paper~

Between every line~ lies growth~

Please join me~ as we step onto the battlefield~

At the same time, the large screen behind the main stage lit up appropriately.

A video specially filmed to accompany this song began playing, paired with the lyrics scrolling at the top.

Close-up shots of Gao San students bent over their studies, gripping pens, writing answers on exam papers.

Then the scene shifted, revealing the grand spectacle of the hundred-day oath-taking ceremony.

One after another, scenes both unfamiliar and deeply familiar flashed by, matching the upbeat, uplifting lyrics and leaving many momentarily spellbound.

Soon, the verse reached its end, emotions rising steadily toward the chorus's climax.

From now on~ boldly embrace youth's fleeting moment~

Let's meet~ atop the peak, riding the storm's wild surge~

Can we truly settle for~ admiring the setting sun halfway up the mountain~

At this moment, Yan Zhusheng and Li Luo had each gradually walked to the center of the stage from opposite sides.

They exchanged a glance, then smiled at each other.

The next instant, both turned to face forward, picked up their microphones as if they were pens, and sang out the answers in their hearts.

Flowers bloom in this world's dreamland~

Why not give everything to let them burst into full bloom!

In that instant, the video on the screen behind them shifted.

Campuses of major universities across the country flashed past one after another.

As the chorus reached its final line, the screen shifted again, showing the countdown to the Gaokao on a classroom blackboard.

100 days, 90 days, 80 days…

Do not betray~ this precious time~

A thrilling, unrestrained performance.

Li Luo had been slightly nervous before going on stage, but under Yan Zhusheng's lead, he became fully immersed.

Though still not matching Yan Zhusheng's level, he had already exceeded his own expectations.

His Memory Palace operated at full capacity, etching firmly into his mind the segments that Yuan Wanqing and Yan Zhusheng had deemed nearly perfect during practice.

So much so that Yuan Wanqing in the audience was slightly startled.

This child, Li Luo…

Logically speaking, even the most famous singers could never perform live with absolutely perfect pitch.

Live singing inevitably involves imperfections—even Yuan Wanqing herself was no exception.

But Li Luo's performance just now, if one ignored minor technical flaws and focused purely on pitch accuracy, had almost no mistakes.

Could it be… he also has exceptional talent in this area?

Just as Yuan Wanqing was lost in thought over this small matter,

The audience members had already been stirred by the song's emotion.

Especially with the promotional video on screen, everyone felt deeply connected.

Even many audience members who no longer needed to take the Gaokao—already in university or long since entered society—

When the imagery in the lyrics, paired with the scenes on screen, crashed over them in Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng's rapid-fire singing, many instantly recalled their own hard-fought youth.

Listening to this song… made one wish they could pick up a pen and re-enter the exam hall this year.

But that was just a thought.

When the song ended and the music faded, Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng stood at the center of the stage, bowing slightly in thanks.

Yuan Wanqing slowly walked forward from behind the stage, wrapping one arm around each child, smiling at the audience: "Did you like it?"

"Loved it!!!"

"Sing another one!!!"

"Haha~ looks like everyone still really likes your songs," Yuan Wanqing laughed, then teased, "So, how about one more? Did you prepare anything else?"

"No, no more," Li Luo shook his head rapidly.

He hadn't practiced any other songs—couldn't afford to mess up now.

But Yan Zhusheng turned his head, winked, and asked curiously, "Aren't there several more songs?"

"Yes! Yes!"

"Sing more!"

"Really? There are more?" Yuan Wanqing looked surprised. "Didn't you say you only prepared one?"

"It's Li Luo who insisted on singing only this one," Yan Zhusheng pointed at the culprit, feigning innocence. "He said to keep the audience hooked, one step at a time, and save the others for later promotion."

The audience erupted in laughter and playful curses, shouting that Chongran was too sneaky, urging Yan Zhusheng to sing more.

Li Luo immediately wore an exasperated expression: "You can say that privately, but don't publicly undermine me like this."

"So what exactly are you promoting?" Yuan Wanqing continued, curious. "Isn't this song your Gaokao anthem?"

"It is," Li Luo nodded. "But it's also tied to one of my books."

"Oh~ I remember," Yuan Wanqing smiled. "Your book, Little Joys? I heard it's being adapted into a TV series?"

"Yes." Li Luo smiled slightly and recommended to the audience, "My novel 'Little Joys' is also about the college entrance exam, telling a series of stories about three troubled families facing the exam—this song was written by me for this book too."

"Has it been released yet?" Yuan Wanqing asked again.

"It came out at the end of June," Yan Zhusheng reminded her. "Mom, stop pretending—you already knew about it before."

"You little brat... I'm helping Teacher Chongran with promotion. Why don't you just keep quiet?"

Yan Zhusheng made a displeased face and stepped two paces away, pulling out of Yuan Wanqing's arm.

The audience below burst into laughter, finding Yan Zhusheng utterly adorable.

The next second, everyone saw Yan Zhusheng pick up the microphone, take a deep breath, and suddenly begin to hum:

"Be your own light~ No need to shine too bright~"

"Who says flying means fighting the wind!"

"On this lonely road~ still..."

"Hey hey hey!" Li Luo rushed over, snatched the microphone from Yan Zhusheng's hand, and gently pleaded, "Please don't sing, okay? This song's for next time."

Yan Zhusheng said nothing, only glanced sideways at him, then looked down at the microphone he'd taken.

Li Luo quickly smiled apologetically and returned the microphone.

"Keep singing!"

"Holy shit, that was amazing!"

"More! We want more!"

But Yan Zhusheng didn't continue. She lifted the microphone and shook her head. "No more. If I sing again, he'll get mad."

"Cough..." Li Luo cleared his throat. "Don't make it sound like I have a terrible temper."

"Mm." Yan Zhusheng nodded. "Teacher Chongran has a wonderful personality—humorous, charming, mature, steady, brilliant grades, good-looking, writes great songs, and his novels are incredibly captivating. He just wrote a new book called..."

"Stop! Stop!" Li Luo quickly pressed her microphone down. "Time's up. We need to head back and review."

"Oh." Yan Zhusheng nodded obediently and fell silent.

"Alright," Yuan Wanqing chuckled. "The TV adaptation of 'Little Joys' will premiere on Friday, June 30th, punctually. We hope everyone will support it."

"Also, there's only one month left until the college entrance exam."

"Here, I, Teacher Chongran, and our daughter Zhusheng, jointly wish all this year's examinees—"

"Ten years of sharpening the sword, one cry stuns the world!"

"That's all for now. Goodbye~ Thank you all so much for your support tonight!"

After stepping offstage, Li Luo let out a long breath.

But he didn't know—

While he'd just been bantering with Yuan Wanqing and Yan Zhusheng on stage, Jiang Feiya below was conversing with Xu Yinghuan.

"So you know Li Luo too?" Jiang Feiya asked curiously.

Earlier, they'd paused their chat to listen to the song.

Now, after Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng finished singing, Jiang Feiya could no longer hold back her curiosity and asked the girl beside her.

Song Yu leaned in even closer, unable to resist asking: "I didn't quite catch what Yuan Wanqing called Li Luo—what was it again?"

"Chongran," Xu Yinghuan blinked, glancing between Jiang Feiya and Song Yu. Hearing Song Yu call Li Luo "senior," she assumed they were first- or second-year students. "You don't know? That's strange—didn't this spread across the whole school?"

How could anyone at Fuyi High not know who Li Luo was?

Hadn't they even read the Fuyi High Bible?

Yet as Xu Yinghuan wondered, Jiang Feiya and Song Yu were equally baffled.

Jiang Feiya didn't even mind Song Yu pressing close to her side; her mind raced with thoughts.

Spread across the whole school?

According to this girl, Li Luo should be famous on campus.

But Jiang Feiya had been at Qianjiang University for nearly a year and had never heard anyone mention Li Luo.

If this girl was telling the truth, did that mean...

Li Luo wasn't even a student at Qianjiang University?!

Was his roommate just embarrassed—she'd gotten into Qianjiang University but didn't want others to know her boyfriend hadn't even made it in, so she lied and claimed Li Luo was from Qianjiang?

Thinking of this, Jiang Feiya pressed further: "So Li Luo isn't from Qianjiang University?"

"How could that be?!" Song Yu instinctively objected. "Isn't Li Luo Senior a second-year in the Computer Department?"

"Second-year?" Xu Yinghuan stared at them in surprise. "He's not even at Qianjiang University anymore."

This conversation drew Zhao Rongjun and Qiao Xinyan over.

"When did our class monitor become a second-year?" Qiao Xinyan asked.

"Where did you even meet him?" Xu Yinghuan asked, puzzled.

Seeing the two girls ask like this, Jiang Feiya grew even more certain of her suspicion.

Li Luo probably hadn't passed the entrance exam at all—maybe he just attended some ordinary undergraduate school.

He'd fooled them so many times, and it turned out he was just putting on a show?

Thinking of this, Jiang Feiya suddenly felt relieved.

She'd vaguely envied Xu Youyu before.

Now she realized there was nothing to envy at all.

"If Li Luo isn't from Qianjiang, then which university is he from?" Song Yu pressed on.

"Does it even matter which university he's from?" Jiang Feiya sneered. "There's no better university in the province than Qianjiang. And he's probably not even a second-year—why are you calling him 'senior'?"

"Uh..." Hearing Jiang Feiya and Song Yu say this, Xu Yinghuan realized they'd misunderstood something. She explained: "Li Luo hasn't even entered university yet. Look at what he's wearing—that's still our school uniform."

At this moment, Li Luo was still interacting with Yan Zhusheng on stage.

Jiang Feiya and Song Yu finally realized a problem.

What had Yuan Wanqing just said?

We were too busy chatting with Xu Yinghuan to pay much attention.

"We're still in Gao San," Qiao Xinyan kindly reminded them. "Even though Li Luo isn't yet at Qianjiang University, with his grades, getting in is pretty easy."

"What?!" Jiang Feiya froze solid upon hearing this. "Wait… Gao San?! Are you serious???"

Song Yu also opened his mouth wide, momentarily stunned.

Fine, we'll accept that Li Luo isn't a sophomore.

But he's actually a Gao Zhongsheng…?

This is fucking insane!

Song Yu also remembered that Li Luo occasionally showed up at Qianjiang University on school days to visit Xu Youyu.

Which Gao Zhongsheng sneaks out of school just to hang around Qian Da?

"We're from Fuyi High School," Xu Yinghuan said. "Right next to Qian Da."

Oh… no wonder…

Song Yu suddenly understood.

Jiang Feiya's mind clicked into place too.

So that guy's a bad student, then?

He probably climbs over the walls all the time to sneak out and meet Xu Youyu, huh?

Thinking of this, Jiang Feiya couldn't help asking: "How good could his grades possibly be?"

"I see he has time to come sing at concerts."

"And Fuyi High isn't even a top school…"

"How is our school not good?!" Xu Yinghuan bristled at this. "Don't you dare say that!"

Qiao Xinyan pulled her back and turned to the two: "Li Luo is second in our grade. He ranked 89th overall in the last mock exam. He's definitely getting into Qianjiang University this year."

"Also."

"We haven't asked you yet—how did you meet Li Luo? Your reactions suggest you know almost nothing about him."

"He's my roommate's boyfriend," Jiang Feiya said flatly. "He lied to us, said he was a sophomore. Who knew he was still a Gao Zhongsheng?"

"Boyfriend?!" Xu Yinghuan and Qiao Xinyan gasped in unison, staring at each other.

Even Zhao Rongjun nearly blurted out a sound.

"Your roommate is…"

"Xu Youyu," Jiang Feiya said. "Come to think of it, she mentioned before that she also went to Fuyi High."

"Hss…" Zhao Rongjun, sitting in the middle, involuntarily sucked in a sharp breath.

He glanced left and right; seeing Qiao Xinyan and Xu Yinghuan fall silent, he too stayed quiet.

His right hand had already slipped into his pocket, wondering whether to warn Li Luo privately.

The next second, Xu Yinghuan pressed his hand down and grinned: "Jun Ge, what are you up to?"

"N-nothing…" Zhao Rongjun chuckled awkwardly.

"Don't you dare tip him off," Xu Yinghuan warned. "Or won't my Zhusheng be at a disadvantage?"

"You're so mean, Senior," Qiao Xinyan whispered. "I wonder if Chanxi even knows about this."

(End of Chapter)