Chapter 854: Then Don

Xu Youyu was forced to follow her three roommates through the gymnasium's entrance and, under the class monitor's guidance, found their class's seats.

In fact, these five seats weren't specially reserved for them—this entire area was simply designated for second-year students.

Just sit wherever you like once you get there.

The school administration's requirement was simple: just make sure no seats on the bleachers remain empty.

Xu Youyu, unusually, did not sit between her roommates; instead, she made Xie Xiuying sit beside her, while she herself took the far-right seat among the five.

In fact, Jiang Feiya and the others didn't continue teasing her, since there were outsiders nearby.

After realizing Xu Youyu didn't want more people to know about her masterpiece, the three roommates silently agreed to keep quiet and said nothing further.

Thus, this secret became one shared only by the four of them in their dorm.

When Xu Youyu saw they weren't bringing up the topic anymore, her body gradually relaxed, and she quickly pulled out her phone to ease her mood.

【Xu Youyu】: Where are you all? I just got into the gymnasium.

In the group chat, Xu Youyu sent a message.

【Ying Chanxi】: I'm still on my way with Xinyan.

【Yan Zhusheng】: We're still at the club.

【Xu Youyu】: Huh? Don't you need to wait backstage?

【Li Luo】: Our performance is at 11 p. m. tonight; backstage space is limited, so we can only enter to prepare around ten.

【Xu Youyu】: Oh right, so I'll have to sit here for over four more hours before I see you?

【Li Luo】: This New Year's Eve gala will last over six hours—just enjoy it.

【Xu Youyu】: Ugh~ How about we slip away right after your performance?

【Li Luo】: We could, but where to?

【Xu Youyu】: Home.

【Xu Youyu】: Let's go home and ring in the New Year together—can Butler Liu help us prep the barbecue stuff on the rooftop ahead of time?

【Xu Youyu】: @Ying Chanxi @Yan Zhusheng

【Yan Zhusheng】: Agreed.

【Ying Chanxi】: Sure, I'll just tell Xinyan.

【Li Luo】: Fine.

【Xu Youyu】: Then I'll leave first and drive over to pick you up!

【Li Luo】: Okay.

Just as Xu Youyu and the others finalized tonight's plan in the group chat, the New Year's Eve gala in the gymnasium was about to begin.

Two hosts took the stage first, exchanged brief greetings and introductions, and invited school leaders to come up and speak.

Around seven p. m., the principal announced the official start of the New Year's Eve gala on stage.

Qianjiang University's New Year's Eve gala was still rich and spectacular.

A grand opening dance, majestic in scale.

Various ethnic and classical dances took the stage in succession.

There were both pop song performances and classic group choruses.

And various medleys of song and dance.

Symphonic music, folk instrument performances, piano solos—all present.

In addition, skits, crosstalk, and situational dramas, all original content by Qianjiang students.

In addition, magic, martial arts, and various sports performances were all included.

Even clumsy robot dances and drone formation performances made an appearance.

These acts were mostly submitted by school-affiliated clubs, and now they were all taking the stage.

The official website's program list stretched over ten pages—just flipping through a few pages couldn't cover it all.

At first, Xu Youyu had the mood to joke around with the other three in the group chat, but she soon became immersed in the brilliant performances.

Time slipped by unnoticed until half past ten p. m.

At this moment, Li Luo's band, Shengsheng Buxi, had finished makeup backstage and waited quietly for their turn.

In the audience, Ying Chanxi held her camera, checked the time on her phone, and was fully prepared.

When eleven p. m. arrived quietly, after a drama performance ended, the hosts returned to the stage.

"Thank you very much to the drama troupe for their wonderful performance."

"The joys, sorrows, separations, and reunions on stage, the struggles and perseverance, still seem to echo in our hearts."

"Stories about dreams, choices, and finding light in an ordinary life—have they touched some corner of your soul?"

The male host said softly.

The female host immediately chimed in: "Yes, sometimes life is like a grand yet tiny drama—each of us may have once felt like an anonymous figure lost in the crowd."

"But believe this: every figure striving forward deserves to be seen; every cry from the heart carries its own power!"

"Then," the male host continued with firm clarity, "carrying this emotion and reflection, let us hand the stage to a group of companions who interpret youth and passion through music!"

"They are the campus's brilliant creative force, the musical dreamers who soar freely in melody."

"From the Ziyu Qiyin Club—the Shengsheng Buxi Band! They will perform their original song, 'The Unknown,' singing out the youthful defiance and stubbornness, echoing the boundless brilliance of shining brightly in the ordinary!"

The female host then proclaimed loudly: "Now, let's welcome them with our most enthusiastic applause and cheers—"

"Shengsheng Buxi Band!!!"

The final six words were shouted together in perfect unison by both hosts.

The next second, white mist rose across the stage, and the two hosts swiftly departed, hidden by the fog.

As the mist gradually cleared, five figures of the band appeared on stage.

Niu Qingling sat behind and to the right, behind the drum kit, controlling the entire band's rhythm and starting the intro.

Soon, Xie Shuchen's keyboard, Shao Youpeng's bass, and Yan Zhusheng's guitar joined in sequence.

Li Luo stood at the very center and front of the band, facing the tens of thousands of spectators, gripping the microphone standing vertically on the ground with both hands, eyes tightly closed.

"The city's dawn lights~ always shimmer with halos~ imitators one after another~"

"A role with no one to notice~ who do you choose to worship~ who do you resent~"

On the large screen behind, as Li Luo's slightly hoarse and magnetic voice rose, the visuals began to play.

Students in classrooms, graduate students in labs diligently researching STEM subjects, event planners working behind the scenes on campus activities…

One scene after another flashed by, paired with Li Luo's lyrics, countless busy people appeared one by one, then swiftly passed.

"Feigning warmth in coldness~ feigning freedom in chains~ what did you ultimately become~"