93

 Xiang Ran looked down at Liu Shuyao in his arms. Her long eyelashes fluttered, seemingly unaware of anything around her.

He held a cup of milk tea in one hand while the other hand was firmly wrapped around Liu Shuyao's waist, keeping her from moving.

“Honey?”

Liu Shuyao asked softly again. The school beauty was obedient; once Xiang Ran held her, she really didn’t move at all. The only sound was the rapid heartbeat that felt like a drumbeat, leaving one perplexed about its meaning.

Xiang Ran stared at her for a while before finally releasing Liu Shuyao, creating some distance between them. He handed over the milk tea.

“Let’s just eat here. We can go out after finishing.”

Liu Shuyao looked at the cream on top of the milk tea. It seemed to be stable, neither melting nor softening. She didn’t think much of it or ask why. She obediently took it, saying she wanted to keep some distance to let Xiang Ran chase her, but when he offered her the milk tea, she immediately accepted it and took small sips until it was finished.

Behind the display board, people came and went, and they could hear snippets of conversation clearly.

“Where did the No. 5 piece go?”

“Is this the right position?”

“Where’s the school beauty? Shouldn’t we let her take a look?”

“Who bought this milk tea?”

“Wow, it’s so sweet!”

“Is it sweet?”

Xiang Ran asked as Liu Shuyao licked the last bit.

“It’s salty~” Liu Shuyao replied honestly, knowing Xiang Ran clearly had never had it before; this cheese milk cap was supposed to be salty.

“Do you have any demands to discuss with me?”

She inserted the straw back into the cup, tilting her head as she searched for Xiang Ran’s computer.

“Nothing much, really.”

“I just saw you were busy outside and thought you could come in to take a break.”

“Phew~”

Seeing this, Liu Shuyao patted her chest in relief and made a funny face.

“You scared me! I thought something was wrong before going online!”

“There won’t be any problems,” Xiang Ran assured her before pulling over a chair for her to sit on.

They didn’t take long, and soon the remaining milk tea from Liu Shuyao ended up in Xiang Ran’s hands.

“Brother Ran, is Teacher Wu asking if you’re ready for deployment?”

Qi Dong asked when he saw Xiang Ran approach.

He then glanced at the milk tea in Xiang Ran's hand, muttering, “Did Brother Ran bring milk tea when he went in? I didn’t notice.”

Zhao Ying, who was sitting next to Qi Dong to take a break, looked at the obvious red lipstick mark on the straw Xiang Ran was holding.

What else was there to ask? It was clear they shared the same drink. After all, when Liu Shuyao went in earlier, they had only taken one cup of milk tea together.

Xiang Ran sat next to Qi Dong, and as soon as the school beauty showed her face, she was called away again.

The deployment for the art department was going relatively smoothly. Liu Shuyao was busy checking the processes one by one.

Many tasks were still handled by Xiang Ran.

By the time they finished, Qi Dong originally planned to wait for Xiang Ran for a bit, hoping they could all have a meal together. However, Zhao Ying insisted on pulling him away.

After most people had left, Liu Shuyao and Xiang Ran strolled toward the cafeteria, with Liu Shuyao mumbling about the upcoming arrangements.

“Hmm~”

“After we get back, I need to do some record comparisons.”

“Tomorrow I have to prepare a report and write a draft.”

“And then I’ll need to show the big screen to the leaders on-site.”

“Is it that busy?”

Xiang Ran frowned as he listened to the school beauty’s schedule.

“It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t rejected me back then, I wouldn’t have had to go and volunteer for this task!”

Liu Shuyao pouted a bit, raising her small fist and playfully nudging Xiang Ran’s shoulder.

“Originally, I could be lying in the dorm eating snacks and checking out gossip right now.”

“And the cultural gala is starting soon, isn’t it?”

“I haven’t had time to care about this lately!”

“Has the program list come out?”

Liu Shuyao wasn’t very hungry in the evening, just casually ordering a cold dish and skipping the main course.

Xiang Ran was taken aback; he knew Liu Shuyao was busy but hadn’t realized she didn’t even know about the program list.

“Is it out?”

“What do you want to see?”

Hearing this, Liu Shuyao rested her chin on her chopsticks and thought for a moment.

“Hmm~”

“Not really anything special I want to see~ It always seems to be the same old stuff for these galas.”

“But we can sit together that day, right?”

Liu Shuyao started off a bit sulky, but her interest piqued at the last sentence as she raised her eyebrows at Xiang Ran.

“Sure, I already got front-row tickets from Wang Hao.”

On the day of the gala, Liu Shuyao was extremely busy during the day. Zhao Ying and Li Meixun, both in the know, deliberately kept things from her, so Liu Shuyao was unaware of Xiang Ran’s rehearsals.

After all, Xiang Ran wasn’t well-known during such artsy events. Besides the students in his own department and a few from the math department who vaguely knew he was planning to confess, there weren’t many who were aware. Occasionally, a few posts would pop up on the forum, but that was about it.

Even though Liu Shuyao had no plans to go on stage this time, the discussion threads were still buzzing with excitement.

Everyone wanted to see the art department showcase their talents and see which students from the science departments would finish at the bottom.

The school auditorium had been renovated for the anniversary, with all new equipment.

Although Liu Shuyao didn’t have a performance, she still dressed up for the occasion.

After all, there would be plenty of beautiful girls on stage today, and her competitive spirit as a girl came out.

Liu Shuyao styled her long, waterfall-like hair into curls that cascaded down her waist. She applied light makeup that emphasized her best features, making her big, sparkling eyes stand out. Her lips were a natural soft pink, gentle and pure, like morning dew.

She wore a pure white shirt, the hem flowing gracefully, and her slim waist was gently accentuated by her skirt, which ended just above her knees, revealing her fair, straight legs.

Standing there, she looked like a pristine lily.

Liu Shuyao and her friends arrived early, and after just a couple of minutes at the entrance, the passing students made her feel a bit shy.

She quickly hid behind Li Meixun.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling shy about your own beauty now?”

"Is it only possible for Xiang Ran to look at?"

"Not at all~"

Liu Shuyao weakly retorted.

"Oh come on~ In a situation like this, you usually just take about fifteen minutes to get ready~"

"And then? If I were to go on a date with Xiang Ran, just trying on clothes would take 30 minutes~"

"That says it all!"

Hearing this, Liu Shuyao bit her lip, now completely unable to refute. However, she was still a bit confused. Previously, Meixun and Zhao Ying had only teased her lightly, but recently they had been bringing up her relationship with Xiang Ran quite frequently.

"Why have you and Ying Ying been bringing up me and Xiang Ran with such gritted teeth these past couple of days?"

Li Meixun chuckled helplessly and pulled the school beauty out from behind her.

"We're just feeling jealous."

As soon as Li Meixun finished speaking, Xiang Ran and the others arrived.

Xiang Ran was wearing a casual shirt paired with black jeans, which at first glance looked like matching outfits with Liu Shuyao—something the school beauty had chosen specifically.

"Let’s go in~"

Wang Hao waved the tickets in his hand as the group walked in one after another.

As soon as they entered, Xiang Ran took Liu Shuyao's hand, showing no intention of avoiding others’ gaze.

However, they arrived a bit late, and the lights in the venue had already dimmed significantly.

The sound of the host testing the microphone signaled the start of the evening's performance.

The countdown appeared on the big screen behind the stage:

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

The lights in the audience went dark, leaving only the beams on stage, and the crowd erupted in excitement!

The screen changed to display the words "70th Anniversary Celebration of Ningzhou University."

The host's clear voice rang out:

"Distinguished leaders, dear teachers and students, and beloved alumni, good evening!"

"Tonight, we gather at Ningzhou University to celebrate its 70th anniversary. Over these seventy years, we have weathered storms, persevered, and witnessed Ningzhou University transform from its humble beginnings into an outstanding institution of higher education."

"We have traveled this journey for seventy years, shaping generations of talented individuals and nurturing countless dreams, upholding the mission to carry forward the past and continue moving ahead. On this special day, let us reflect on the past, look towards the future, and witness the magnificent journey of Ningzhou University's growth together!"

"On this celebratory occasion, let us remember Ningzhou University's mission and continue to uphold the values of excellence, innovation, and service to society as we strive for a better future."

"Tonight's cultural gala will present a spectacular audio-visual feast, featuring dazzling dances, beautiful music, passionate recitations, and various talent performances to add brilliance to our anniversary!"

"Now!"

"Let us welcome the members of the Ningzhou University Choir to bring us the symphonic piece: 'Chasing After Dreams'!"

"Everyone, give a warm welcome!"

As the host finished speaking, thunderous applause surged from the audience.

This cultural gala was held at the start of the anniversary celebrations, serving more as a means of communication among students—a symbol of youth. Therefore, aside from the opening performance being somewhat formal, the rest of the programs varied widely, including skits and lively performances.

The dance department did not disappoint, appearing at the climax of the gala, their long flowing skirts creating an ethereal scene.

As soon as Fang An'an appeared, she attracted a lot of attention from the audience.

Waves of applause followed her entrance.

Yet, the excitement around her left Liu Shuyao feeling restless.

Because a couple of songs ago, Xiang Ran had excused himself to go to the restroom, and now, after more than ten minutes, he still hadn’t returned.

Just then, the host’s voice announced:

"Next, please welcome Xiang Ran from the School of Computer Science and Technology to perform 'Seven Li Fragrance'!"

As the announcement ended, the lights on stage suddenly went out!

A spotlight then shone on Xiang Ran.

With his handsome features, his previously neat hair had been styled backstage into a slightly tousled look.

He sat on a chair in the center of the stage, holding a guitar.

Xiang Ran took a deep breath, his gaze dropping to the school beauty in the audience, and he raised his hand to strum the first note.

The prelude of "Seven Li Fragrance" began to play softly.

"Rain falls all night, my love overflows like the rain. The fallen leaves in the courtyard pile up thickly with my longing. A few disputes cannot cool my passion. You appear on every page of my poem."

"Rain falls all night, my love overflows like the rain. The butterflies on the windowsill are beautiful chapters flying in my poems. I continue to write, Putting 'I will love you forever' at the end of my poem. You are the only understanding I desire."

As the lyrics changed, the big screen behind Xiang Ran displayed a flurry of code, which then ran as if a painting of a sunrise began to gradually take shape.

As the notes flowed, the code began to run like magic, each character and command seemingly coming to life, working together like sprites to create a brand new digital world.

Liu Shuyao watched the screen as her painting transformed into another representation, her heart racing.

By the time the last line of lyrics ended, the picture displayed a scene of sunrise. The sun slowly rose, and the sky turned orange-red.

Thinking that Xiang Ran's performance would conclude there, she was surprised when, after the last note, he stood up, slung the guitar over his back, and, looking at Liu Shuyao, spoke in a clear and firm voice:

"This song is for the person I like!"

"Thank you, everyone!"

Their eyes met, and Liu Shuyao's face flushed deeply as she stood there dazed. Xiang Ran's focused gaze contained nothing else, but it made her heart race, nearly taking her breath away.

Xiang Ran's last sentence ignited the enthusiasm of the audience, and waves of cheers nearly lifted the roof off the auditorium!

Until Zhao Ying beside her excitedly grabbed her hand, almost jumping up, Liu Shuyao finally realized what was happening. Compared to the ruckus around her, she covered her burning cheeks, feeling overwhelmed.

"Ahhhhh!"

"How is there such a treasure in the School of Computer Science!"

"Can someone tell me which direction I should bow to get a boyfriend like that!"

"Help!"

"Who’s the girl? I need all her info within a minute!!!!"

"Marry him! I’ll bring the civil affairs bureau to you!"

At that moment, the group of boys sitting in the audience were startled by the comments behind them.

"Brother Ran is so bold!"

"I declare that Brother Ran is the new face of our School of Computer Science!"

"With this performance, it’s even better than any drone show!"

The audience below was in an uproar, clearly intrigued, and the school's forum exploded with activity.

Threads flew up, filled with silhouettes of Xiang Ran and recordings of his performance. Most importantly, everyone was digging to find out who the leading lady was.

In no time, the dance department’s performance that had just been at the top of the page was pushed down.

After all, compared to beautiful dancers, people were far more interested in the gossip.

Anyone with inside information was coming forward.

The big names from the School of Computer Science were also unusually active under the cultural gala posts. Soon, Xiang Ran’s identity was thoroughly uncovered.

Competitions he participated in, projects he had worked on, even his score of 46 in the exams were revealed.

Xiang Ran had always had good relationships, and now he was receiving positive publicity.

Until a thread speculating about the leading lady popped up on the front page, prominently featuring the name of school beauty Liu Shuyao.

Some people didn’t believe it, while others were skeptical.

Of course, the boys noticed that thread as well.

"Someone said the girlfriend is the school beauty!"

"How come it’s written so convincingly?"

"There are even photos for proof!"

"Wait, isn’t that taken at the entrance of 306? But something seems off..."

"Oh my gosh!"

"This photo cropped me out! I was right next to them! Look at that corner of the outfit—that’s my Mario sweatshirt!"

The boy showed his phone to Qi Dong, but Qi Dong just looked past him.

Sure enough, the spot where the school beauty had been sitting was empty!

Previous Chapter Next Chapter