Chapter 630: Praise Xixi (hands clasped.jpg)

At night, Ying Chanxi lay on Li Luo's bed, happily scrolling through the chapter comments.

The latest single chapter of Night Watch of Great Qian, released at noon, had a highly abstract title—"A Composer Who Can't Score 735 Isn't a Good Online Novel Author."

【WTF? Is that even a score a human can get?】

【I thought the maximum score in Qianjiang Province's college entrance exam was only 750?】

【You're insane just to avoid an extra update.】

Looking at the lively chapter comments, Ying Chanxi opened the post Li Luo had asked her to make—already filled with many replies.

【Xixi Bu Xixi】: Aren't you gonna thank me? I almost didn't beat him! Good thing he didn't win~ (image)

Ying Chanxi had attached a photo of her college entrance exam score to the chapter comments.

Instantly, a flood of praise erupted below.

【Xixi Sister lives forever!】

【Holy crap, I just found out the Silver Patron is his classmate?】

【The username seems to be a girl—WTF, Chongran, you really deserve to die!】

【Praise Xixi (hands clasped. jpg)】

【Wait, didn't I remember Chongran attending the annual meeting with Zao Shui? They seemed pretty close, right?】

【He's also very affectionate with Yuan Wanqing's daughter! Look how close he got to her in his latest concert!】

【No wonder he writes harem novels so well—does he just steal from real life?】

【Didn't you all notice? Among his Silver Patrons, besides those from other authors, the remaining three are these three girls.】

【I feel like my entire twenty years of life have been wasted.】

Ying Chanxi scrolled through the comments under her post, and whenever someone praised her, she immediately liked it.

When she saw people discussing Yan Zhusheng and Xu Youyu, she frowned and huffed, venting her displeasure.

After rereading the chapter comments once more, Ying Chanxi happily began reading Li Luo's new update.

So far, Li Luo had published over forty thousand words.

This massive update had completely ignited readers' enthusiasm to follow along.

Night Watch of Great Qian firmly held the top spot on both charts, untouched by anyone.

Meanwhile, due to trending topics and heated discussions across major internet platforms about "The Gaokao Top Scorer Is a Platinum Online Novel Author," external traffic surged dramatically.

Even Li Luo's old novel, I Am Really Not a Star, which usually ranked eighth or ninth on the bestseller list, shot up to second place overnight.

Such a scene was truly rare to see.

After all, online novels were usually treated like video games—seen by parents as digital heroin.

But now, a Gao San student had not only claimed the top Gaokao score, outshining all others, but also achieved great success in online novels.

Currently, his three novels: the first, I Am Really Not a Star, broke the average subscription record for entertainment-themed works on the main site.

Xiao Huanxi, as the first-prize winner in a realistic-themed writing contest, had been adapted into a TV drama set to premiere.

And Night Watch of Great Qian, as his new genre-transition novel, had surpassed many established authors to claim the top spot on Qidian's dual charts.

Many outsiders might not grasp the value, but once they saw the news headline "Annual Income of Ten Million," they instantly understood just how impressive it was.

Qidian responded accordingly—not only posting comments and replies across platforms like Weibo to drive traffic, but also rapidly creating a dedicated promotional page.

By evening, Qidian's PC homepage had replaced its main banner with Li Luo's personal photo and biography.

The Qidian app had even given its opening splash screen ad slot to Li Luo—the screen read: "Congratulations to Platinum Author Chongran for Scoring Top in Qianjiang Province's Gaokao."

Clicking the splash ad would directly redirect to Chongran's author page.

In other words, anyone who saw the news, grew curious, downloaded the Qidian app, and opened it would immediately see the person they were interested in—and be instantly funneled into Li Luo's novel.

This torrent of fortune, Li Luo caught every drop, without missing a single one.

In the following two days, Yin Zhicheng deliberately guided public opinion behind the scenes, gradually shifting the public's focus from Chongran's Gaokao top score to Xiao Huanxi.

The TV drama, adapted from the novel written by the Gaokao top scorer, centered on themes related to the college entrance exam.

Want to know how Chongran studied daily?

What was high school like in the eyes of the Gaokao top scorer?

What unique insights would he inject into this genre?

Whether parent or student, wouldn't you want to take a look, learn a little?

I have to say, Li Luo's top-scholar attribute boost has been an enormous help for a TV drama on the subject of "A Little Reunion"!

Gaokao, top scorer, TV drama—each fed into the others, creating a perfect promotional synergy.

If this drama still flopped, then the quality must have been terrible.

Otherwise, Yin Zhicheng couldn't even imagine how it could fail.

However, as the premiere date of Xiao Huanxi drew nearer, Fuyi High School welcomed its Gao San graduates' graduation ceremony.

……

June 28, Wednesday.

Li Luo dreamed he had fallen into the deep sea.

He struggled to breathe, as if he would drown at any moment.

The next second, Li Luo snapped awake to see Xu Youyu lying on his chest, smiling at him.

"Youyu-jie… what are you doing?" Li Luo felt pressure on his chest and sighed.

"Waking you up," Xu Youyu yawned on top of him. "Isn't today your graduation ceremony?"

"What time is it?"

"Six o'clock."

"Has the sun risen in the west?" Li Luo rubbed his forehead, looking at Xu Youyu on him, half-amused and half-exasperated. "It's not your graduation—why are you up so early?"

"Didn't you notice?" Xu Youyu grinned slyly, then slightly lifted her upper body.

The next instant, a deep cleavage surged into Li Luo's line of sight from her collar.

"I didn't mean for you to look there!" Xu Youyu noticed his gaze, slapped her hand over her collar, and said with a hint of annoyance.

"Oh, oh oh..." Only then did Li Luo realize Xu Youyu had changed out of her nightwear and was now wearing a blue-and-white school uniform, "What's this?"

"You're graduating today, right? You'll take photos to remember, won't you?" Xu Youyu leaned down again, wrapping her arms tightly around Li Luo, pressing a light kiss to his lips, then whispered, "I want to graduate again too. Okay?"

Li Luo looked at the tender, water-like Xu Youyu before him, smiled faintly, one hand circling her slender waist, the other pressing gently against the back of her head as he stroked her smooth black hair: "Of course. Then let's do it together."

At that moment, Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng on either side were also awakened by their conversation.

Ying Chanxi was startled to see Xu Youyu in the school uniform, but immediately agreed cheerfully.

After all, there was already Yan Zhusheng—adding one more didn't matter.

"But can you even get into the school?" Ying Chanxi glanced at the "2013" printed on Xu Youyu's chest, indicating she had enrolled in 2013.

"Oh, don't worry!" Xu Youyu waved her hand. "The guards won't check that closely. I'll just follow you guys in."

"It doesn't matter. I know the guards well," Li Luo said. "If all else fails, we can ask Teacher Kong to come out and get us. No big deal."

The four of them got up, washed up, changed into their uniforms, and before leaving, Li Luo picked up the guitar Ying Chanxi had given him.

"Huh?" Xu Youyu noticed him bringing the guitar and asked curiously, "Are you singing today?"

"It's graduation ceremony," Li Luo said, stepping out the door with the guitar case. "The school asked for my ideas, so I submitted two songs."

"You're writing songs like they're mass-produced," Xu Youyu couldn't help but sigh.

Leaving the Bihai Lanting compound gate, the four had breakfast at a stall downstairs, then headed straight toward the main gate of Fuyi High School.

"By the way," Xu Youyu said as they walked, noticing how few people were on campus at this hour, and suddenly remembered last year's graduation, "Why are you coming so early? Are you rehearsing for the ceremony?"

"No," Li Luo said. "School policy says we just need to be in class by nine, but our class agreed to arrive at seven."

"For photos?" Xu Youyu asked curiously.

"Sort of," Li Luo smiled. "You'll see when we get there."

When the four reached the entrance of Fuyi High, they expected an easy entry—but as they stepped forward, the guard raised his hand to stop them.

Xu Youyu's heart tightened; she thought her status as a graduate from last year had been discovered.

But the guard merely glanced at her, then grinned and greeted Li Luo: "Good morning, Provincial Top Scorer! Why are you here so early?"

"Good morning, Brother Guard," Li Luo grinned back. "I'm not the Provincial Top Scorer—the real one's right here."

Brother Guard clearly read Weibo and knew Li Luo and Ying Chanxi were this year's co-top scorers in Qianjiang Province, with Ying Chanxi ranked first.

"Same score anyway," Brother Guard teased. "Keep writing that new book—I read it every day. That ten-thousand-character update yesterday was awesome."

"Thanks for the support!"

At this moment, Li Luo didn't bother asking whether Brother Guard was reading the正版 or the盗版—no need to ruin the mood.

After thanking him, he led the three girls into the school.

Since it was still some time before seven, Ying Chanxi paused at various spots along the way, calling them over to take photos.

"I haven't been back in a while—it feels strange," Xu Youyu said, gazing at the familiar scenes, a touch of nostalgia rising.

Ying Chanxi also looked wistful, reluctant—she hadn't realized that in the blink of three years, her high school years with Li Luo were already reaching their end.

After taking photos all around, when the four reached the Gao San teaching building, Xu Youyu noticed some commotion on the third floor.

Walking upstairs to the door of Class Eight, she peered inside—and gasped: "This is..."

All of Class Eight's students were already gathered.

On the podium stood Kong Junxiang, dressed in a crisp suit, smiling warmly at the students below.

Beside him stood Ding Xiang, dressed in a pure white wedding gown, her makeup refined, cheeks flushed, head lowered shyly, unable to meet her students' eyes.

"Good morning, Teacher Kong," Li Luo entered through the front door and greeted Kong Junxiang.

Kong Junxiang smiled in reply, noticed Xu Youyu, learned she was here for the graduation ceremony, nodded warmly, and told her to stay with Li Luo.

"Is your homeroom teacher getting married today?" Xu Youyu asked curiously as she followed Li Luo to their seats.

"Not exactly," Li Luo shook his head and smiled. "Today's just for taking wedding photos—I suggested it."

Ying Chanxi had already taken her seat, gazing intently at Teacher Ding in her wedding gown, her eyes filled with envy; in her mind, she even pictured herself and Li Luo, dressed in wedding gown and suit, arms linked.

Thinking of it, she couldn't help blushing, and felt a quiet hope stir within her.

"Everyone's here. Let's go downstairs," Kong Junxiang scanned the room, looking refreshed, and smiled.

On the way down, many students gathered around Li Luo and the others.

Zhu Yufei laughed heartily: "Thanks, Vice-Class Rep, for stepping up! I watched it all last night—ten thousand characters? I barely finished!"

Ying Chanxi knew the ten-thousand-character update had been planned by Ying Zhicheng and Li Luo—it had nothing to do with her.

But hearing others tease like this, and seeing Li Luo's cheerful expression, she decided not to correct them.

Dad is so mean—he'll do anything for traffic, even make me lie to people with Li Luo.

Ying Chanxi muttered inwardly.

Ying Zhicheng didn't yet know that the idea had been Li Luo's—and now the whole blame had landed squarely on his shoulders.

Downstairs in the playground, Kong Junxiang and Ding Xiang posed under the photographer's direction.

Students gathered around the perimeter, rushing over to serve as background whenever the photographer called.

A teacher getting married, students joining in for wedding photos—this was probably rare across the entire country.

After Li Luo proposed the idea, Kong Junxiang and Ding Xiang discussed it and decided it held deep sentimental value.

They approached school leadership, received approval, and arranged today's wedding photo shoot.

"By the way, is today's graduation ceremony also on the playground?" Xu Youyu asked.

"No," Li Luo said, one hand on his hip, the other pointing toward where the gymnasium used to be. "That building's finished. This year's ceremony is inside."

"No way—you guys actually made it in time?" Xu Youyu couldn't help complaining. "That thing's been under construction for a year and a half already!"

"I thought I'd never get to use it," Li Luo said with a wry laugh. "Turns out I made it in time for the graduation ceremony."

Before nine in the morning, after finishing the wedding photos, Kong Jun and Ding Xiang changed out of their suits and wedding gowns and led the classmates back to the classroom.

"Okay, my personal matters are done," Kong Jun sighed, propping his hands on the podium and gazing thoughtfully at the students below. "Now let's talk about something serious."

"Congratulations, everyone."

"Today marks your official graduation."

(End of Chapter)