So this was Chen Mengyao – truly dazzling. Sheng Xia’s gaze briefly rested on her face before politely moving away.
Chen Mengyao queued at the end, several boys letting her go first. She thanked them courteously, then said to Zhou Xuanxuan: “Xuanxuan, wait for me.”
“Of course!” Zhou Xuanxuan responded.
So Sheng Xia could only wait along with them.
Chen Mengyao finished getting water, and linked arms with Zhou Xuanxuan, “Let’s go.”
So Li Shiyi linked arms with Sheng Xia, the four walking side by side.
Sheng Xia felt increasingly uncomfortable, the feeling was strange, like being inexplicably pulled into an unfamiliar girls’ gathering.
Zhou Xuanxuan said: “Are your rehearsals all done?”
Chen Mengyao said: “Still have dress rehearsal tonight.”
Zhou Xuanxuan said: “Is your training in Dongzhou finished? Still going?”
Chen Mengyao said: “Of course, I still have to go, will be commuting until the art college entrance exam.”
“What about your regular subjects,” Zhou Xuanxuan asked concernedly, “The schools you want to go to require high scores too?”
Chen Mengyao sighed: “I don’t know either, probably still need extra tutoring, but it’s all so expensive.”
“Ask Zhang Shu. Why not use such a good resource?”
Chen Mengyao pouted: “We’ll see, don’t want to deal with him.”
Zhou Xuanxuan freed her arm to pat Chen Mengyao’s shoulder, “Hey! Is it okay to leave our Class 6’s big shot, top student, and handsome guy hanging like this?”
Chen Mengyao just smiled without speaking.
Chen Mengyao was in Class 4. When they reached her classroom she went in, turning back to call to Zhou Xuanxuan before entering, “Wait for me for lunch?”
Zhou Xuanxuan made an OK gesture.
Chen Mengyao also made a heart shape, squinting one eye in a wink, looking very energetic and pretty. Before withdrawing her gaze, her eyes inconspicuously swept across Sheng Xia’s calm profile.
Walking with her head slightly lowered, Sheng Xia naturally didn’t notice, nor did she notice the boys whispering behind her.
“I think you’re right, Sheng Xia seems prettier.”
“Right?”
“Beautiful, and not even dressed up much. Very obvious when they stand together – Chen Mengyao is what she is, but Sheng Xia is still a blank canvas.”
“Yeah, I have about the same feeling, just couldn’t describe it.”
“No wonder Zhang Shu was flirting so hard.”
“Hahaha!”
…
On Teachers’ Day evening, the whole school watched performances in the lecture hall. The third years were like caged beasts finally released, unusually excited, the entire senior building boiling over.
The gala once again overturned Sheng Xia’s perception of the “top student” group, the quality of performance incomparably higher than No. 2 High School. Sometimes she really couldn’t understand why God was so partial – how could some people excel at everything from academics to sports to arts?
Sheng Xia had studied guzheng for many years and was once a main performer at school events, but her guzheng was broken during one of Sheng Mingfeng and Wang Lianhua’s arguments. After that, though Sheng Mingfeng bought her an even better one, she never touched it again.
Seeing the complete traditional music ensemble on stage, Sheng Xia’s fingers twitched on her knee.
Chen Mengyao’s dance number set off the climax of the entire gala, paying tribute to “High School Musical” with singing, dancing, and dramatic performance, creating a very lively atmosphere. When the performance ended, besides Class 4, Class 6’s seating area had the most enthusiastic cheers.
When Chen Mengyao took her bow, she waved in Class 6’s direction, causing another round of hooting as everyone looked at Zhang Shu, and then at Lu Youze.
The drama off-stage was even better than on-stage.
“Will Zhang Shu go give flowers later?”
“Probably, isn’t he Chen Mengyao’s number one fan?”
“And expensive peonies too, tsk tsk, for Shu-ge that’s really like plucking feathers from an iron rooster!”
“Hahaha!”
“Love is so strange, right? Even like this the goddess still didn’t end up with him, how tragic.”
“If Zhang Shu can’t win her over, who can?”
“Money can! Like Young Master Lu!”
“Hey, if it were you, would you choose the crown prince or the school heartthrob?”
“I’m not the school beauty, how could I have such choices?”
“True, but will their story have another update before graduation? Hope I’m not still gossiping about the high school beauty, heartthrob, and rich kid’s drama triangle when I’m in college.”
“Haha, who knows.”
Sitting towards the back, Sheng Xia heard all the whispers around her.
She looked at that head in front of her, his elbow propped on the armrest supporting his chin as he watched the stage – what expression would he have? What look did he have when watching someone he liked?
Probably like that day watching rehearsal, focused and entranced.
At least not the look he gave idiots.
Sheng Xia shook her head – what was she thinking about?
When the gala ended, all performers went on stage for the finale. The background music was youthful and passionate, with streamers flying creating a lively scene. Many audience members rushed up to give flowers, Chen Mengyao holding several bouquets that almost covered her entirely, but among them, there were no peonies.
As the audience gradually left the lecture hall, Sheng Xia saw that handsome head walking ahead, having never appeared on stage to give flowers.
Sheng Xia returned to class and studied for a while before packing up to go home, not noticing it had gotten quite late. In the deep night, she took a shortcut through Wenbo Garden. As her bike passed the neighborhood garden, she suddenly heard a familiar voice.
“Don’t you already have lots of flowers?” Zhang Shu sat coolly on the edge of the pavilion stone table.
“Shu-ge, are you jealous?” Chen Mengyao stood nearby, still in her stage makeup, eyebrows flying up to her temples, lips red and teeth white, especially gorgeous in the night.
Zhang Shu sighed heavily.
He stood up and walked in front of Chen Mengyao, looking down at her from above, very close – from Sheng Xia’s angle, if he lowered his head slightly he could kiss the girl opposite him, the atmosphere ambiguous and tense.
And because of the movement, he seemed to notice the sound of the electric bike on the path, his gaze sweeping over.
Sheng Xia hurriedly accelerated, eyes straight ahead as she quickly drove away from the romantic drama scene.
Hidden by the night, she didn’t know if he had seen her. After all, running into him repeatedly, and always during rather private moments, made Sheng Xia quite flustered.
Zhang Shu watched the white bike tail disappear around the corner, his eyebrows lifting slightly.