The New Year’s Day of 1996 arrived as scheduled.
At 7:30 AM, each class lined up to head to the cafeteria.
Of course, Zhen Yu and Wang ng were not in the class lineup.
As hosts, they both headed straight to the cafeteria to prepare the mont they arrived at school.
The cafeteria was heated, not cold but not particularly warm either; Zhen Yu was wearing a vest and long underwear under her high-necked sweater, all bundled up.
At this mont, she was standing on one side of the stage with Wang ng and the music teacher, wearing a cotton coat and waiting for the students to enter.
After the double doors of the cafeteria were opened, a sea of heads began to surge in, and as Zhen Yu looked out, they were all unfamiliar faces.
Thinking about hosting under the gaze of so many eyes later gave her the jitters inside.
She kept pumping herself up—just think of it as giving a summary at the company’s annual eting! Nothing to worry about!
---
At 8:00 AM sharp, the singing competition officially began.
First ca the opening remarks, followed by speeches from the school leaders, and then the various class performances took their turns.
The whole competition lasted for over three hours, and when Zhen Yu’s turn for reciting English poetry finally ca to close the show, her voice was already hoarse.
After reciting, she couldn’t go down imdiately; she had to finish the closing words together with Wang ng.
Before stepping down, Zhen Yu suddenly had a phrase co to mind during her bow.
Feeling totally drained...
The school leader stepped onto the stage and announced loudly: "The school is off this afternoon! Classes resu normally tomorrow! Class leaders take your students back and then dismiss on your own."
There was no on-site scoring or announcent of competition results.
At Siying School, the results of such events were usually directly written on a large red paper and posted at the Fangshan Leader’s bulletin board.
Students would go to check it out on their own.
-
After the little friends t up, they walked ho together; Bai Xue looped her arm through Zhen Yu’s and showered her with praise.
"Xiao Yu, you were amazing today! Your hosting was fantastic! Like a host from the Spring Festival Gala!"
Zhen Yu was ntally and vocally tired, not at all in the mood to speak.
But it didn’t matter that she was silent because she had soone by her side flinging sweet nothings.
Zhen Yan held his head high and proclaid, "Of course! Who else could it be but my little sister? My little sister is the best!"
Bai Xue hurriedly agreed, "Right, right, right! Not only is Xiao Yu the best! Xiao Yu is also the prettiest!"
"Yeah! My sister is the prettiest!"
Zhen Yu, worn out from the whole morning and not quite herself due to the extravagant flattery from the two, lost her usual sharpness and didn’t notice the little antics of the Han Family Brothers behind the group.
Han Jiaoyang tried to speak several tis but was hushed by Han Mingyue, leaving him grinding his teeth and glaring as he followed the group.
Fu Yu, sandwiched between the flattery exchange team and the Han Family Brothers, had also departed from his usual chatty self, stopping and starting without working up the nerve to speak.
The walk wasn’t long, and everyone said goodbye and split off as usual to go ho for lunch.
In fact, the teachers had inford everyone about the school closing in the afternoon early on, as this ant that there was no need to bring lunch.
So each family had left lunch at ho for their children.
-
As soon as Zhen Yu entered the house, she made a beeline for the kettle, gulping down two big glasses before finally taking a deep breath, feeling revived.
"Little sister, how co you’re so thirsty?" Zhen Yan hadn’t seen his sister act so desperately and rudely for a long ti and was sowhat taken aback.
"Hey, don’t even ntion it! I was afraid of needing to run to the toilet during the competition, so I didn’t dare drink much water! I just sipped a little bit to moisten my throat when it was dry, and that’s why I’m this thirsty now!"
Zhen Yan scratched his head, "Then, you really had a rough ti hosting! Take a rest! I’ll go serve the food."
Zhen Yu sat on the kang for a while, went to use the toilet, and washed her hands. By the ti she entered the room, Zhen Yan had already started eating.
Having nothing to do after lunch, Zhen Yan went off to find Fu Yu to hang out.
Zhen Yu was ho alone reading a book while waiting for Han Mingyue, but before she knew it, it had turned dark.
"Little sister, you’re at ho! The light wasn’t on, so I thought you went looking for Han Mingyue!"
"Ah?" Zhen Yu was montarily dazzled by the light and realized that an entire afternoon had passed, and Han Mingyue hadn’t co.
"Maybe he had sothing to do today." Zhen Yu secretly thought to herself.
---
If soone asks, "Are you alright?"
Regardless of whether they are or not, most people will reply, "I’m fine."
If soone asks, "Is there sothing wrong?"
Generally, the person being asked will respond, "Yeah, there’s a little sothing."
Han Mingyue actually didn’t have any serious issue, but he indeed had a matter to deal with.
The profoundness of the Chinese language was fully exemplified in him at this mont.
The Han Family Brothers had just separated from their friends when Han Jiayang said mockingly, "A rotten potato can’t take a complint, it just falls apart when praised!"
"Jiayang!" Han Mingyue said sternly.
"Bro! Aren’t you angry? Zhen Yu, she—"
"I believe she didn’t!"
"You’re lying to ! If you truly believed her, would you still be frowning?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Han Mingyue’s expression darkened even more.
After hesitating for a bit, he still decided to share the troubles on his mind with his brother.
"Although Xiao Yu denied it, Wang ng has never responded directly. Almost everyone in our class... believes it’s true."
Upon hearing this, Han Jiayang jumped up with anger, "Beat him up!"
Han Mingyue gave his brother a sideways glance, "Stop looking for trouble!"
"Then what do you propose we do?"
Han Mingyue took out his keys to open the door, ignoring his brother’s question. What to do? If he knew what to do, would he still be this upset now!
For an entire afternoon, Han Mingyue locked himself in his room, listening to the faint sound of the TV from the living room, pondering over ways to debunk the rumor.
After much consideration, there were only two options: either convince Wang ng to co forward and deny it or, report it to the teachers.
---
The next day, from morning self-study, Han Mingyue was looking for a chance to speak with Wang ng alone.
It wasn’t until the third-period break that Wang ng finally went to the restroom.
Han Mingyue followed and waited for him not far from the bathroom.
"Wang ng!"
"Huh?"
"Co here, I need to talk to you about sothing." Han Mingyue waited for Wang ng to co closer, then led him to the middle of the playground.
"What’s up?" Wang ng felt it was a bit strange but followed him anyway.
Although his grades were also quite good, he couldn’t compare with a top student like Han Mingyue, and they didn’t run in the sa circles, so they didn’t interact much.
It was deep winter, and there weren’t many people on the playground, so Han Mingyue got straight to the point.
"Wang ng, there’s sothing I want you to co forward and clarify." Han Mingyue’s attitude was neither servile nor overbearing.
"Clarify?" Wang ng was taken aback at first, then quickly understood, "Zhen Yu? What’s your relationship with her?"
"Our families are pretty close." Han Mingyue’s answer was very vague, leaving a lot of room for imagination; at least Wang ng was thinking quite a bit.
Was it because the rumors in class were being passed off as truth, and he couldn’t stand by?
Or was it because... Zhen Yu couldn’t co forward herself, so she sent him to warn ?
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