In the audience, Xu Ting sat next to Chi Yao, chattering:
“Nanxiang Street, is that where you live?”
“That’s nice. I wish I had childhood friends, too. When I was little, I was the only child at home. Although there were other kids in the neighborhood, we weren’t close.”
Lin’s speech was quite authentic, speaking from experience. It feels much better than the previous ones. She’ll probably get a good ranking.”
Lin Zhexia’s speech was primarily narrative. She was actually quite interesting when telling stories, describing life on Nanxiang Street vividly.
“Wow,” Xu Ting commented in real-time, “my Lin even got into fights when she was little. I couldn’t tell.”
Xu Ting was a person with extremely divergent thinking: “But you know, when Lin gets a boyfriend in the future, won’t her boyfriend mind you?”
“After all, you two are so close, like you’re one person.”
“They say male best friends are often resented…”
As he was saying this, Chi Yao interrupted him: “Are you done?”
“?”
“If you’re done, shut up. You’re disturbing my ears.”
“…”
Xu Ting pouted, shrank back, and didn’t speak to Chi Yao again.
Chi Yao’s seat was near the corner, where the light wasn’t good.
Half of his face was covered in shadow, his expression unclear.
The person on stage had glanced in his direction before her speech. The girl was wearing a clean school uniform, the too-long trouser legs were rolled up, revealing thin, delicate ankles. She was very nervous at first, but halfway through her speech, she was already speaking more and more fluently.
Her clear voice, with a hint of gentleness, was amplified through the microphone and carried over.
The speech ended.
He applauded along with the people around him.
The teacher of Class 1, Grade 2, looked back to check on their class’s spectating situation, and seeing their orderly behavior, turned back with relief.
However, what he didn’t know was that Chi Yao, after listening to this contestant’s speech, immediately leaned back, closed his eyes, and said to Xu Ting: “I’m going to sleep for a while, help me keep an eye on the teacher.”
Xu Ting: “You’re not going to listen to the ones that follow?”
Chi Yao was uninterested: “What’s there to listen to in this kind of speech?”
Xu Ting: “…”
But you were just listening—
In the evening, during a self-study class before school ended.
Tang Shuxuan came back from the teacher’s office with a stack of documents, including a yellow certificate. She handed the certificate to Lin Zhexia: “Your certificate has been issued, here, first prize!”
Although the rankings had already been announced when the competition ended, actually receiving the certificate felt quite different.
Lin Zhexia took it: “Thank you.”
She added, “You also performed very well.”
Tang Shuxuan smiled: “Don’t comfort me, I don’t care much about the ranking. Compared to the ranking—” she lowered her voice, “I’ll tell you a secret, after I came off stage, the senior complimented me.”
Chen Lin interjected: “Not bad.”
Tang Shuxuan smiled sweetly: “He said I performed very well and that he was happy for me. Rounding up, we’re getting married tomorrow.”
Lin Zhexia: “…That’s a bit too much rounding.”
But regardless, the end of the competition called for a celebration, so Tang Shuxuan suggested: “Should we have a dinner gathering tonight? There are several restaurants near the school. Let’s invite that surname Chi too, and all eat together?”
Lin Zhexia thought for a moment: “I don’t have any problem with it, but he might not. Let me ask him.”
She secretly sent a message to Chi Yao.
Sure enough, he quickly replied with two words: Not going.
Lin Zhexia typed and sent two sentences—
You dare to refuse me—
Do you know whose invitation you’re rejecting?
Chi Dog:?
Lin Zhexia: You’re rejecting the first-place winner of the 10th Chengan No.2 Middle School Speech Competition.
After Lin Zhexia sent this message, the other side remained silent for a long time.
After about half a minute, Chi Yao replied with two sentences—
Two minutes—
Wake up by yourself
Lin Zhexia: “…”
You’re the one who’s not thinking clearly.