The last act was fairly entertaining: a sizzling dance performance by several sophomore girls that left Wang Dachui thoroughly excited.
After that, the welcome gala came to a successful close, and quite a few people started getting up to leave. Yet the host still hadn't delivered the closing remarks.
"Freshmen, please wait a moment."
Everyone who had been getting up looked at the host in confusion.
All the performances are over. What are we waiting for? You don't seriously think we enjoy listening to your closing speech, do you?
The host gave a mysterious smile.
"Actually, our welcome gala has one secret performance saved for the very end. This was arranged by the University Student Art Troupe. We kept this surprise until last and left it off the program. On behalf of the troupe, I'd like to apologize to everyone, and I hope you'll enjoy the surprise we've prepared."
"When people mention Jiangda, they think of our computer science department. And when people mention the computer science department, they think of her."
"As for who she is, let me keep you in suspense a little longer. Feel free to take a wild guess."
"Now, let's welcome our special guest, who will sing 'You Beyond' as the final performance of tonight's welcome gala."
The audience froze for a moment.
Some of the freshmen seemed to have guessed something and obediently sat back down. The others were completely baffled, but seeing everyone else sit down, they followed suit.
Hearing those words, Luo Ye seemed to realize something, and anticipation stirred in his heart.
"No way," Wang Dachui said in confusion. "When you mention the computer science department, the first person who comes to mind has to be Goddess Su Baizhou. But they say Goddess Su is as cold as ice. Why would she ever take part in a welcome gala?"
"But who else is famous in computer science besides Goddess Su? Could it be Li Meng from the artificial intelligence major?"
Wang Dachui sank deep into thought. Naturally, he also hoped the special guest was Su Baizhou.
Although Su Baizhou was known as an unapproachable Iceberg Goddess, she really was a feast for the eyes.
With her mature, statuesque figure, fair skin, beautiful features, and long, graceful legs, coupled with her peerlessly lovely, frosty face and an air that invited admiration from afar but forbade any familiarity, her appearance at the welcome gala would be explosive news across Jiangda.
The host went backstage, and soon the lights went out.
The venue fell pitch-black.
Suddenly, a crisp clicking sound rang out, echoing through the silent hall.
High heels. A girl?
For some reason, Luo Ye suddenly remembered his Fairy Senior in her crystal-blue gown and high heels the night before.
Could it really be her Fairy Senior?
Soon, the sound of heels stopped. The figure onstage came to a halt in the center, and the venue remained utterly silent.
The University Student Art Troupe's little stunt had certainly built up their anticipation. Everyone watched the stage intently.
Then a lovely accompaniment began, and a spotlight shone on the very center of the stage.
There stood a girl as beautiful as a fairy, holding a microphone.
Her long hair flowed loose, and she wore a lavish crystal-blue evening gown. Its fitted waist traced the alluring curves of her figure, making her breathtakingly beautiful.
"It really is Su Baizhou from computer science."
"Su Baizhou is already a peerless beauty without makeup. With makeup this stunning, she's simply the only choice for Jiangda's campus beauty."
Everyone nearby nodded in unison. No one disputed the statement, because Su Baizhou was simply too beautiful onstage at that moment. She looked like a fairy descended to earth, with a fresh, ethereal grace.
Thunderous applause rolled on and on, even drowning out the accompaniment.
Seeing his Fairy Senior onstage, the center of everyone's adoration, Luo Ye was delighted and surprised too.
But.
An indescribable ache welled up inside him.
He couldn't feel happy.
Only now did he understand just how popular his Fairy Senior was at this university.
Someone like her was far beyond the reach of a mere freshman like him. Having two brief encounters with his Fairy Senior was already a blessing others couldn't earn in eight lifetimes.
The jacket his Fairy Senior had left him was probably just repayment for his earlier help. Given her personality, she surely wouldn't want to owe anyone a favor.
"Wild Kid! It's Su Baizhou! Su Baizhou, who's even prettier than Goddess Qin!"
Wang Dachui shouted excitedly, only to find Luo Ye sitting beside him in dejected silence.
"Wild Kid, what's wrong?"
Wang Dachui grew puzzled. Suddenly, he seemed to realize something. Giving Luo Ye an odd look, he lowered his voice and asked, "Wild Kid, you look like you just ate shit. Did you get your heart broken?"
"Screw you."
Luo Ye's face darkened as he spoke.
Still, Wang Dachui's guess wasn't far off. It was just that, for Luo Ye, it had ended before it had even begun.
With someone like Su Baizhou, he was destined only to watch her dazzling figure from a distance.
Gradually, the noise in the audience faded, because Su Baizhou had begun to sing.
Her beautiful voice reached every corner. The audience fell silent, everyone gazing dazedly at the fairy-like figure onstage.
She wasn't just as beautiful as a celestial maiden.
Even her voice was sweet and captivating.
Perhaps after tonight, there would no longer be any dispute over who was Jiangcheng University's one true campus beauty.
The freshman campus beauty, the goddess of classical Chinese-none of them mattered.
Everyone present agreed that no one could surpass Su Baizhou's beauty and bearing at this very moment.
She was so beautiful that she seemed not to belong to this world.
Some people took out their phones and photographed Su Baizhou onstage. Her pictures were shared frantically across Tieba, Douyin, and other platforms.
At that very moment, Su Baizhou's personal account gained hundreds of followers, and the number kept climbing by the second, even though all she posted were a few insights on computer science.
Becoming an internet celebrity was simply a matter of whether she wanted to.
The more dazzling she became, the more clearly Luo Ye felt the distance between them.
But...
Even Luo Ye didn't know exactly how he felt about his Fairy Senior.
He had begun to feel drawn to her at their first meeting in the rain, and then they had met again the night before.
In Luo Ye's heart, his Fairy Senior was like a moonlight that could only be admired from afar.
Luo Ye wasn't sure whether that counted as love.
Falling for someone could be difficult, or it could be simple.
Perhaps a fleeting feeling in a single moment took hold, slipping into your heart without your knowledge and deciding who that heart belonged to.
Just like the girl he had secretly loved for three years-he had fallen for her without even realizing it.
But did feelings for someone you had never really spent time with truly count as love?
That was only a one-sided crush.
Remembering his Fairy Senior's peerless face, Luo Ye silently looked toward Su Baizhou onstage.
She was beautiful.
And all he could do was quietly admire that beauty from a corner of the crowd.
Just like everyone else, he could only watch that fairy from afar.
Perhaps that was what a secret crush was.
Wang Dachui glanced at Luo Ye's unusual expression, then turned his attention back to the stage.
When the song ended, Su Baizhou turned to leave. The host walked onto the stage and took the microphone from her.
At that very moment!
From the audience.
An unexpected voice rang out.
"Goddess Su!"
Luo Ye stared wide-eyed at Wang Dachui beside him, utterly stunned by his move.
Why did this guy suddenly stand up?
What was he trying to do?
Wang Dachui gave Luo Ye an inexplicable smile.
It was like the reassuring look an old father might give his hopeless son.
Then Wang Dachui shouted toward the stage, "Senior! What did you think of 'Rainy Day,' the song a freshman sang a couple of days ago?"
The host froze. What the hell? This wasn't in the script!
Su Baizhou looked toward Wang Dachui and almost immediately noticed Luo Ye sitting beside him.
Without a word, she took the microphone back from the host.
"Not bad."
Those two brief words were the highest praise she had yet given Luo Ye.
Wang Dachui smiled and shouted even louder, "He's right here beside me!"
"We want to see you sing a duet with him!"
Before you continue