Chapter 31: Junior Sister, Are You Free Tonight? (Please Favorite, Please Recommend)

"Today is the fiftieth birthday of our great alma mater. On this wonderful day, we..."

On a stage decked out with flowers, Yang Mi read from her script with visible verve.

The reason Old Wang had her go on stage was simple: first, she was quite famous, both online and offline.

Second, she had only graduated not long ago, which made her a great inspiration to current students.

Not far off, the students of the Class of 2006 Performance Track all wore looks of longing — every girl imagined she would be the next Yang Mi, while the boys wore expressions that said "I could take her place."

As for Qi Hui... he was playing Snake.

Phones these days weren't smartphones — you could only play little games like Snake and Sokoban.

If this weren't a restroom, Qi Hui would be bored enough to read the ingredient lists on shampoo and body wash bottles.

Not having a smartphone really was inconvenient.

Before long, Yang Mi returned after finishing her speech and plopped down right next to Qi Hui.

"How was my speech just now?" Yang Mi asked proudly.

"Great," Qi Hui said without looking up. "Beautiful music, rich content, clear theme, captivating."

Yang Mi's face darkened: "When did I have music during my speech just now?"

"Pfft..." Yuan Shanshan nearly burst out laughing.

"Oh, really?" Qi Hui looked up, glanced at Yang Mi, and said, "Mm, you spoke very well just now."

"... Forget it, let's not talk about this." A vein twitched on Yang Mi's forehead; she nearly got so angry by Qi Hui that something went wrong with her.

Before graduation, Qi Hui had always been like this — showing no interest in her.

He wouldn't even throw her a few compliments.

"What did you think about that thing I mentioned just now?" Yang Mi asked.

"Which thing?" Qi Hui thought for a moment, then asked in confusion.

Yang Mi: "..."

Qi Hui spread his hands: "Don't look at me like that. You said so much just now — how would I remember it all?"

Yang Mi gritted her teeth: "The one about recommending you to join a crew and act!"

She was utterly frustrated — she couldn't even pull off showing off smoothly!

"Oh, that one." Qi Hui suddenly understood, then shook his head and said:

"Better give the slot to someone else. I'm heading to the Magic Capital in half a month — there's a drama where I'm playing male lead."

Hearing this, Yang Mi and Yuan Shanshan instantly widened their eyes.

"You're playing male lead?" Yuan Shanshan exclaimed. Luckily she remembered where she was and didn't shout it out loud.

Qi Hui shrugged and said honestly: "Got lucky — picked it up."

Yuan Shanshan grew even more sour. Why couldn't I have picked something up like that?

Beside her, the look in Yang Mi's eyes as she gazed at Qi Hui instantly changed.

As *Chinese Paladin 3* gradually finished airing, the rumors about her and Hu Ge were losing buzz and appeal.

Right now, she urgently needed something that could grab public attention to maintain her current fame.

If she stirred up some rumors with Qi Hui... that wouldn't be a bad idea either.

In any case, she and Qi Hui were classmates — no matter how things developed later, there'd be an explanation.

For example, if she wanted to shake off the rumors, she'd just tell the media the two were only classmates who'd been close back in school.

If the two of them got closer, she'd tell the media she'd taken a liking to him back in school.

Thinking this through, Yang Mi suddenly felt Qi Hui was very suited to stir up rumors with her.

"I thought my career was already going pretty well — turns out you're the most impressive one in our class." Yang Mi smiled sweetly, praising Qi Hui, her voice turning coquettish.

Qi Hui's expression darkened — why the sudden cutesy voice?

Instantly, alarm rose in his heart — was this woman about to cause trouble?

"Ahem, not bad," Qi Hui brushed her off with one line, then turned his attention to the leaders' speech on stage.

The leaders' speech, originally unbearably dull, suddenly became pleasant and full of wisdom at this moment.

Mm... this is something I, Qi, enjoy!

As for Yang Mi... before she got married, Qi Hui would never be alone with her.

A boy out in the world must know how to protect himself!

After roughly two hours of leaders' speeches, next came all sorts of fun activities and games.

Things like blindfolded nose-pinning, word riddles, bouncing balls on ping-pong paddles, plus plenty of skits and dance performances.

It was all lively and festive — pretty much like a Children's Day event.

Qi Hui made up an excuse and slipped away. The look in Yang Mi's eyes as she watched him was a bit off, like she wanted to eat him alive.

He'd better hurry and find someone to block her.

But after walking a circle, he didn't find anyone he knew.

Those alumni and the like had left right after serving as the atmosphere crew. Qi Hui wanted to find Teacher Zu Feng, but couldn't.

"Am I going to have to use the same trick again?" Qi Hui looked around, preparing to find some big shot for shelter.

If he chatted business with a big shot, Yang Mi probably wouldn't come over, right?

But before he could find a target, a boy called out to Qi Hui.

"Senior, you're here! I've been looking all over for you."

Qi Hui turned his head and saw a boy — long face, hair at his forehead swept up, exposing his brow.

You couldn't really call him handsome — just normal, at best.

However, the person had a small black mole on the left side of their upper lip, just like the spirited Song Yu Zhi... no, that was Lu Qingcheng, no, it should be Li Qian.

The mole by this person's mouth bore a certain resemblance to Li Qian's.

Qi Hui felt a sense of familiarity; after a moment's thought, a name quickly surfaced in his mind.

Zhai Tianlin!

The person that university graduates hated with a vengeance.

No one hates Zhai Tianlin every single year, but every year someone hates Zhai Tianlin.

A single question, "What is CNKI?", caused the requirements for plagiarism checks to skyrocket exponentially, and he single-handedly ushered in the Tianlin Era, making the lives of graduates miserable.

The misery lay not only in having to rack one's brains to lower the plagiarism rate, but also in the fact that each check cost a significant amount.

Students were already counting on graduating quickly and starting work to earn money, yet before they had earned a dime, they lost hundreds of yuan just for the plagiarism check.

Every graduation season, no one could resist asking each other, "What year of the Tianlin Era are you?"

Those who had already graduated sighed with emotion, those currently graduating gritted their teeth, and in the end, everyone cursed Zhai Tianlin together.

Qi Hui had initially been relieved, as he was from the pre-Tianlin Era and had been lucky enough to avoid the fallout, but those juniors had suffered.

"Ahem... hello, what do you need?" Qi Hui snapped out of it, coughed lightly, and asked.

Zhai Tianlin smiled and said, "Senior Yang Mi is looking for you; she said it's a class reunion and asked me to pass along the message."

"Hmm?" Qi Hui's brows furrowed: "How does she know I haven't left yet?"

He, Qi, had slipped away early this morning; if Yang Mi hadn't been loitering by the school gate, he would have left the school long ago.

"Well..." Facing the question, Zhai Tianlin hesitated, and after a moment of deliberation, said, "A classmate of ours just happened to spot you here, so..."

Qi Hui glared at him: "Your classmate? I think it was you!"

With that, he snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and walked away.

Zhai Tianlin's face turned green then white; afterward, he spat viciously: "Tsk, isn't it just that he got lucky and built a good reputation?"

"He hasn't produced a single work, so what's with all the posturing?"

Just wait; once I finish my master's degree and get into the doctoral program, I'll show everyone who's the real boss... Zhai Tianlin clenched his fist and thought silently.

On the other side.

Yuan Shanshan blocked Qi Hui.

"Is there something you need?"

"Our class is having a reunion tonight; are you coming?" Yuan Shanshan looked around and said.

"Really? Who organized it?"

Yuan Shanshan said, "Of course, it's Yang Mi."

Qi Hui raised an eyebrow: "Is it really a class reunion?"

"More or less; since they're all classmates, it's naturally a class reunion." Yuan Shanshan winked at him and said with deep meaning.

"... I see." Qi Hui understood instantly: "Then I won't go."

"You can't do that." Yuan Shanshan grew anxious: "How can you miss a class reunion?"

"Just do me a favor, okay?"

As she spoke, she clasped her hands together with a look of pleading.

Qi Hui: "... Fine."

"Hehehe, goodbye." Yuan Shanshan's face lit up with joy; she returned in high spirits, certain that Qi Hui had understood her meaning and would prepare accordingly.

Watching her leave, Qi Hui shook his head; women are such a trouble...

After thinking for a moment, he took out his phone, composed a text message, and sent it:

"Junior sister, are you free tonight?"