The All-Powerful Lin Zhengran

"The New Student Evening Gala is about to begin! Welcome to all the teachers and students here today. Next, please welcome our principal to the stage for a speech."

There actually weren't many town middle schools that formally held a New Student Evening Gala like this. In many schools, the principal would simply gather the new students together in broad daylight, say a few words, and be done with it.

It was only because the town's economy had improved over the past two years and the school had earned some money that they had started taking the New Student Evening Gala seriously for the sake of publicity.

The venue for the New Student Evening Gala was right in front of the Teaching Building, using the steps of the Teaching Building as a stage.

At the very front below the stage sat the judges—the Dean of Studies, the principal, and other staff in similar positions. Behind them were the Class Teachers from each class, and only farther back were the students.

Several hundred people sat below in perfect order. Banners hung all around, and rows of barrel lights moved back and forth to create an atmosphere. It really did look the part.

As one of the top students in class, although Lin Zhengran wasn't performing, he could act as a student supervisor and move back and forth between the audience and the performers' backstage area.

Why did he have that authority? Because good grades made it easy to discuss anything with teachers.

While the principal was speaking, Lin Zhengran and Jiang Xueli stood off to the side and looked toward the second row, where the Class Teachers were seated. Among them were a few people from outside the school, dressed casually and holding professional equipment.

Because he often investigated people from Child Star Studio, Lin Zhengran could still recognize them.

"The ones with cameras should be from Child Star Studio. They're cooperating with our school, so they'll be handling the editing and filming for this show. Later, if your voice is good and your breath control and technique are excellent, those people will naturally notice you."

Jiang Xueli pressed one hand to her chest and inhaled and exhaled with all her might.

She looked extremely nervous.

Lin Zhengran glanced at her. As usual, Jiang Xueli shot back, "Big Dummy, what are you looking at me for? I'm not nervous at all."

For once, Lin Zhengran didn't tease her like he usually did. Instead, he smiled. "It's fine even if you're nervous. I believe you can do it. With your ability, there definitely won't be any problem."

He didn't say such gentle things often. Usually, he only said them at crucial moments. Jiang Xueli also hadn't seen him look and speak so gently in a long time, and it only made her even more nervous.

She looked away and replied shyly, "You're so annoying. I know." Her chest was still rising and falling heavily.

"Your performance is seventh. There's still some time before it starts. Take your time adjusting. I'll go check on other places."

Seeing Lin Zhengran turn and walk away, Jiang Xueli suddenly called out to him again. "Big Dummy!"

Lin Zhengran turned back.

Jiang Xueli stared at him blankly. She could always find confidence in him, because in Jiang Xueli's heart, Lin Zhengran was capable of anything. "Say what you just said to me again. That line..."

Lin Zhengran understood at once. "I'll also be watching your performance carefully from below later. I believe you definitely can do it."

Jiang Xueli slowly smiled. "I definitely won't let you down."

After the show began, Lin Zhengran returned to his class and sat down to rest.

Han Wenwen sat beside Lin Zhengran and looked at him playfully. "Was Jiang Xueli a little nervous? I saw her covering her chest the whole time while you two were chatting."

Lin Zhengran looked ahead and said without thinking, "She's a child, after all. It's normal to be nervous. But with her ability, it won't be hard for her to attract attention. Even if she makes a small mistake, it'll be fine."

Han Wenwen smiled. "When you speak, Lin Zhengran, you really have the feeling of a big brother. Speaking of which, I was surprised for quite a while when I found out you were helping Jiang Xueli take part in the show so she could be chosen by people from the child star company. Students our age are all playing around, but you two are actually planning something this big?"

"Jiang Xueli has no background, after all. In an environment like this, if no one helps her or gives her an opportunity, even if she has strong singing and songwriting talent, she'll only be buried among the crowd and become an ordinary person. Even gold fears being hidden at the bottom of the sea."

After saying that, he noticed Han Wenwen looking at him strangely.

That gaze was filled with admiration and deep meaning. She propped her elbow on her knee and rested her cheek in her hand. "Then can Lin Zhengran help me become a singer too?" she said with a beaming smile. "You can name any reward you want. When I make money in the future, I'll definitely give it to you."

Lin Zhengran continued looking at the stage. "To be honest, if you really could sing, I don't think it would matter whether I helped or not. You have far more thoughts in your head than He Qing and Jiang Xueli. You're not the type to sit around waiting for death."

Han Wenwen froze in surprise. "It feels so strange when you praise people, Lin Zhengran. But no matter how many thoughts I have, I can't compare to you. I've met plenty of boys too, but you're the only one whose thoughts I can't see through at all."

She also sat up properly. "And you're right. If I had any talent, I would've found a way to do something with it long ago. But talent isn't something everyone has. I also hope that one day, someone can tell me exactly what my talent is." She continued, "When that time comes, I'll definitely thank him properly."

After the two of them finished watching the first performance, Han Wenwen suddenly asked gently, "Lin Zhengran, you've been spending quite a lot of time with Jiang Xueli lately. Did you notice Qing Qing has been a little unhappy? You haven't really kept her company these past three weeks."

Lin Zhengran gave an mm. "Once I'm done being busy with this, I'll keep her company."

"Having two Childhood Sweethearts really keeps you busy. Lin Zhengran, what exactly do you think of them? Can you secretly tell me?"

"I don't have any thoughts about twelve-year-old little girls. What do they know? Their minds aren't even mature yet."

Han Wenwen smiled and looked at Lin Zhengran again, then suddenly lay over her own knees and tilted her head to scrutinize him. "I don't believe that. No matter how stubborn Lin Zhengran is, you're still twelve, after all. Would a boy this age really have absolutely no interest in pretty female classmates? I'll just say it directly. Little Qing Qing will win. In these three years of Middle School, I'll definitely make sure you two get together."

Lin Zhengran looked at her out of boredom, but soon remembered what had happened that day. After Middle School, Han Wenwen would have nowhere to go.

With her personality and her current grades, it would be almost impossible for her to make it to high school on her own, so she wasn't joking when she said that. This Fox knew very well that there were only a few years left in which she could eat with Little He Qing every day, go to school and come home with her, and be her Bestie.

When Han Wenwen saw him staring at her, the corner of her mouth curled up, unwilling to back down in the slightest. "Staring at your Childhood Sweetheart's best friend all the time isn't good behavior, you know. If Lin Zhengran weren't different from other boys, I'd misunderstand and think the reason you aren't with Little Qing Qing is actually because you like me."

Her gaze was Soul-Seizing as usual, but Lin Zhengran wasn't affected in the least. The two of them stared at each other until the end.

Instead, Han Wenwen was the first to look away. Some scenes from the bus stop on that snowy day flashed through her mind, and she lost to Lin Zhengran.

Her slender fingers unconsciously tightened. Her face was a little red, and her voice was very small. "I already told you not to keep staring. As a girl, I do get embarrassed too."

Only that blush and those words made it impossible to tell what was real and what was fake.

"Watch the show," Lin Zhengran said.

The two of them were seated right next to each other. Han Wenwen opened a pack of snacks and gave Lin Zhengran half. From a distance, they looked very well matched.

Of course Lin Zhengran accepted the snacks, because in the system's eyes, things given by this Fox also counted as Miraculous Elixirs.

Jiang Xueli's performance began, and everything was within Lin Zhengran's expectations.

Under his careful cultivation over the past four years, this Jiang Guniang with Double Ponytail had already completely surpassed most professionally trained children her age in ability.

The original song, dazzling voice, practiced technique, and playful, adorable image instantly made the female boss in the audience, whose job was to scout child stars, cry out in surprise.

"What a talented girl. This is the first time I've ever seen a girl this gifted!"

Today was Han Wenwen's first time hearing Jiang Xueli sing, and she was shocked by her voice too.

And while she was stunned by Jiang Xueli's talent for singing, she was also shocked by her ability to perform on the spot. With her proud, tsundere personality, at this age, she logically shouldn't have been able to show such confidence the first time she went onstage—unless someone had been subtly giving her confidence year after year, changing the shyness in her nature.

She realized something almost instantly and glanced at Lin Zhengran beside her.

Could everything Jiang Xueli had managed to do up to now really have been because of Lin Zhengran...? If that was true, then could I also take control of my own life with his help?