Lin Zhexia responded with an “Oh” and continued preparing for her class’s performance. Because their performance was boring, their order of appearance was quite early. Similar to the speech competition day, they were preparing backstage behind the curtain.
On stage, the host was testing the sound system, with microphone feedback occasionally crackling through.
This was Chen Lin’s first time on stage.
She was extremely nervous: “I feel like my whole body is shaking.”
Lin Zhexia went to hold her hand: “Tang Shuxuan and I are both here, don’t be nervous. You did very well during rehearsal, today will be fine too.”
Chen Lin nodded.
After a while, she suddenly said: “I think I’m not so afraid anymore.”
Lin Zhexia looked at her.
Chen Lin continued: “Because I remembered that you used to be afraid of going on stage too… I thought it was nothing back then, never imagined that now you’d be the one encouraging me, so I should also be a bit braver.”
The host finished testing the equipment.
The audience entered in batches, and the school celebration officially began.
After quite some time, someone called from outside the curtain: “Year 2 Class 7, poetry recitation, get ready—”
Lin Zhexia felt this scene was very familiar.
On the day of the speech competition, she had also stood in the same position, listening to similar reminders.
Their class’s poetry recitation performance was very stable. This kind of program was hard to mess up—they just needed to read from the script.
After the poetry recitation ended, they descended via the side stairs and returned to their audience seats.
After going down, Lin Zhexia felt her school uniform pocket: “…Ah.”
Chen Lin: “What’s wrong?”
Lin Zhexia: “I think I left my phone backstage.”
“Why don’t you go back and get it?” Chen Lin suggested.
“I’ll ask Teacher Xu.”
After getting Teacher Xu’s permission, Lin Zhexia returned backstage.
There weren’t as many people backstage as before.
Xu Ting, that calculating boy, was filling in his eyebrows in front of a mirror.
Xu Ting: “How does it look, not bad, right?”
Lin Zhexia: “…”
Xu Ting: “Why aren’t you saying anything, Lin? Are my eyebrows symmetrical at least?”
Lin Zhexia, pressed for an answer, muttered: “You’d better not ask.”
“I’m afraid the words that would come out of my mouth might hurt you.”
Xu Ting: “…”
As they were speaking, the dressing room curtain beside them was pulled open.
Lin Zhexia turned her head and met Chi Yao as he walked out.
The backstage lights shone directly down on the black shirt the young man was wearing. He wasn’t wearing anything underneath, just this one piece. The fabric was thin, but fortunately not transparent. It looked somewhat loose when he walked, yet occasionally subtly outlined his figure.
Since the school wasn’t strict today, allowing costume changes and makeup,
Lin Zhexia noticed he was also wearing an earring.
A silver cross facing directly toward her.
Chi Yao was uncomfortable: “What kind of crappy clothes did you pick?”
Xu Ting: “Then take it off if you want. You look better in it than me. I don’t want you stealing the spotlight.”
Chi Yao raised his eyebrows slightly: “You call this looking good?”
Lin Zhexia hadn’t intended to speak up, but spontaneously said what was on her mind: “I think it looks quite good.”
By the time she realized it, the words had already been spoken.
She slowly added: “I mean, it’s okay, barely acceptable.”
But Chi Yao didn’t say anything more.
He didn’t say “what kind of crappy clothes” again, nor did he mention taking them off.
Maybe because he was uncomfortable in the clothes, or perhaps for other reasons, he uncomfortably lowered his eyes and raised his hand to lightly tug at the loose collar of his shirt.
At this moment, someone called from outside the curtain: “Year 2 Class 1 song performance, get ready in advance—”
Lin Zhexia realized: “It’s your turn.”
Xu Ting exhaled, walking to the front of the curtain to wait for their cue.
Chi Yao picked up the guitar placed on the seat.
As he moved, the collar he had just tugged suddenly came loose.