Get rich raising pigs.
The mockery in those four words could hardly have been more obvious. Quite a few people held their breath, the atmosphere tense, looking at Song Yu as though he were a brave warrior-did he know who he had just provoked?
The teacher froze too, his face flushed as he stammered at Song Yu, "H-hey, how can you speak like that? Hurry up and apologize. It's only a speech."
His eyes full of anxiety, he gave Song Yu meaningful looks and earnestly tried to persuade him, but the boy opposite him refused to appreciate the gesture.
Although students shouldn't be told too much about society while they were still in school, some class distinctions really were fixed at birth. Now that Song Yu had offended Wang Ci like this, with the Wang Family's influence in Jing City, making trouble for him would be all too easy.
Take this freshman speech, for instance. Wang Ci wanted it, the Wang Family put in a word, and the school approved it outright.
It wasn't part of the official rules, but everyone knew how it worked. Whether they accepted it or not, they had to submit.
"Come on, young man, apologize and let this go."
The teacher wiped away his sweat, practically worrying himself sick.
Wang Ci's expression had also turned cold after Song Yu said "get rich raising pigs." Hearing the teacher, he gave a mirthless smile. "What good is an apology? He's already said it. Am I supposed to pretend I didn't hear?"
He tilted his head and gave Xie Sui a particularly sinister look, his gaze loaded with meaning. "If you'd known what was good for you, this wouldn't have gotten so ugly. I actually thought quite highly of you."
Xie Sui smiled at that without speaking. The boy stood tall and straight, his bearing cool. Cold light fell into his pitch-black eyes, as deeply chilling as snow.
Wang Ci narrowed his eyes. For some reason, he felt a little afraid, yet even more excited, his tone growing more suggestive. "Regretting it?"
Xie Sui smiled. "No."
Before he could say more, Song Yu spoke, his pale eyes filled with impatience. "Why are you still here? Don't you know you're an eyesore? Shouldn't you be preparing your secrets to getting rich?"
Everyone: "..."
The teacher: "..." He told himself, This student is beyond saving. There's no bringing him back. Give up.
Wang Ci's fleshy face twitched. Holding his speech, he walked forward. As he passed Song Yu, his eyes filled with mocking malice, and he said softly enough that only the two of them could hear, "A poor distant relative of the Meng Family, and you actually think you're somebody? All you can do is hang around with a chauffeur's son like Ma Xiaoding. You really think you're worth a damn?"
The call finally connected.
Meng Fei's voice came through the phone.
"Hello, Yuyu. What's up?"
Before answering, Song Yu held his phone and smiled at Wang Ci, saying mildly, "What century is this? Still throwing your family background around? Don't you know we're taking the socialist road now, dumbass?"
Ignoring Wang Ci's shit-eating expression, Song Yu took his phone somewhere deserted, lowered his eyes, and said mildly, "Cousin, interested in getting rich? Our schoolmate Wang Ci is going onstage as the freshman representative today to deliver a heartfelt speech on getting rich raising pigs."
-Will you fucking let go of getting rich raising pigs already?!
His punch having landed on cotton, Wang Ci was so furious that the flab all over his body shook. In the end, the sweating teacher coaxed and coddled him into going up front to prepare.
"Don't be angry, don't be angry. You'll be onstage soon."
Song Yu walked farther and farther away with his phone.
His followers were left bewildered. "Brother Ma, who's Brother Yu calling?"
Ma Xiaoding had a bellyful of things he wanted to blab about, revealing Brother Yu's identity back in City A, but reason held him back-
Brother Yu hid his identity because he wanted to be a top student in peace. I can't go courting death!
Besides, what Song Yu had just said had cowed him too! Right! They were taking the socialist road. Why talk about family background? He stuffed a whistle into his mouth and let out several frustrated "tweet-" sounds to vent.
Ma Xiaoding said irritably, "Didn't you hear him say cousin? Obviously, it's his cousin!"
His followers: "..." Of course we know it's his cousin! We want to know who his cousin is!
Song Yu went upstairs to the auditorium's second floor and stood beside the railing, where he had a clear view of the stage and steps below.
His opening remark had completely baffled Meng Guang. What? Getting rich? Getting rich raising pigs? What exactly had happened to his cousin? Had the Song Family fallen on hard times?! Surely not. With the Song Family's foundations, even a small incident would shake the entire business and political world.
A bewildered Meng Guang spoke from the other end. "I don't understand. Wait-Wang Ci?"
He finally caught the key point. After a moment's surprise, he swore into the phone. "Fuck! Wang Ci?! That useless idiot gets to give a speech as your freshman representative? Has your No. 1 High School principal got water in his brain?!"
Song Yu's pale eyes were cold. "That's what I'm calling about. I feel like if I listen to his speech today, my ten years of schooling will have been wasted."
Meng Guang burst out laughing.
Song Yu got straight to the point. "The Wang Family pressured the school into putting him onstage, taking someone else's place. Is there a way to get rid of him?"
Once Meng Guang had laughed enough, he grew serious, his tone utterly blunt. "Of course. I don't want this dumbass poisoning your brain at your opening ceremony. Letting him onstage is an insult to the entire education profession. Wait. I'll call my buddy at the education bureau and have him talk to your school leaders."
After a moment's thought, he cursed, "What the hell is wrong with the Wang Family? A whole nest of dumbasses!"
Before hanging up, Song Yu heard Meng Guang say eagerly, "Speaking of which, Yuyu, your opening ceremony's today? How can nobody be there to cheer you on? Wait for me. I'll drive over to No. 1 High School right now."
Song Yu: "??? No, no, no-"
Don't come! I just want to attend school in peace!
Meng Guang had already declared with bustling determination, "I'll show you my newest sports car!"
Song Yu: "...Seriously, don't, Cousin!"
Fuck. He only wanted to get that idiot Wang Ci offstage, not get dragged into it himself.
In the end, he managed to hold Meng Guang back.
On the auditorium stage, upperclassmen were still performing. The place usually doubled as a sports and arts hall. Lights shone from every direction overhead, dazzling and brilliant, while a boy sang in a low, husky voice, the melody flowing quietly.
As the song ended, applause erupted. A male and female host came onstage in formal attire, microphones in hand.
"In this September fragrant with golden osmanthus, as the autumn breeze brings refreshing coolness, we welcome our newest class of students. A song of dreams marks the beginning of a wonderful life. Our time of singing and dancing has ended. Next, let us welcome our school leaders to deliver their addresses..."
After the school leaders' addresses, the freshman representative would take the stage.
Song Yu hung up, went downstairs, and saw Xie Sui backstage in the preparation area.
Ma Xiaoding was chattering away beside him, having already learned about the replacement.
He was indignant.
"Hah, outrageous! Xie Sui, don't worry! Let that dumbass Wang Ci jump around for a bit. Once Brother Yu makes his move, he'll absolutely finish him! Brother Yu-hey, Brother Yu's here-"
Ignoring Ma Xiaoding, Song Yu simply asked Xie Sui, "Ready?"
The boy's hair and eyes were both pale, his skin fair. When he looked at someone seriously, his eyes seemed especially clear and pure.
Xie Sui smiled without asking anything. "Mm."
Song Yu took his hand. "Then let's wait up front."
The boy's hand was warm.
It rested against his skin.
Clean and fresh, with a scent like shampoo, or mint.
In the shadows.
The corner of Xie Sui's mouth lifted.
-A dull, childish high school freshman speech seemed to have taken on another meaning.
Wang Ci was also waiting to go onstage. He glanced casually through his speech, unconcerned and not the least bit nervous. With his fearsome reputation at No. 1 High School, probably no one would dare laugh at him anyway.
"What are you here for?"
Wang Ci's followers had arrived and surrounded him, full of swagger.
Seeing Song Yu's group, their faces filled with gloating.
"Didn't you get the notice?"
"Our Brother Ci's the freshman representative now! What fucking good are grades?"
"In the end, all you can do is stand there dumbly below the stage."
"How pitiful, after preparing for so long."
Song Yu couldn't be bothered to acknowledge these idiots.
He merely turned his head and quietly slipped a mint into Xie Sui's hand. "I like mint so much because of my childhood. Whenever I was scared, upset, nervous, sad, or in any kind of bad mood, having a candy in my mouth made me feel a lot better. It's become a habit."
Holding the papers in one hand and the candy in the other, Xie Sui didn't quite understand why Song Yu was so particularly insistent about this. He looked up, his eyes pitch-black. "You really want to see me go onstage?"
Song Yu blinked. "Didn't you start preparing yesterday?"
He had seen him holding the speech during their very first evening study session. After preparing for so long, only to be suddenly replaced-Xie Sui was just fifteen, such a sensitive age. He would be especially upset too, wouldn't he?
Come to think of it, this hadn't happened in the original novel either. Wang Ci was probably displeased about the seating incident and wanted to put Xie Sui in his place.
Started preparing yesterday?
Xie Sui smiled.
Actually, he hadn't read a single word on these sheets of paper. :)
Although the Wang Family acted above the law in Jing City, they were insignificant compared with those established families in City A. Even the Xu Family was beyond their ability to offend.
He simply couldn't be bothered with Wang Ci. Destroying the Wang Family would be easy, but right now, he preferred to prepare a gift for his uncles in the Xie Family, far away in City A.
"Yes, I've been preparing for today all along."
Xie Sui said.
He tore open the mint's wrapper and put it in his mouth. The boy's peach-blossom eyes were exquisite and striking, his smile dangerous yet meaningful.
He looked quietly at Song Yu.
"Thank you. It's sweet."
Song Yu froze.
On the other side, Wang Ci listened to his followers lavish him with praise while mocking and sneering at the others.
But Song Yu wouldn't spare him so much as a glance.
Furious, he tightened his grip on his speech.
His mind filled with hatred and scorn-what exactly was Song Yu so arrogant about? What gave him the right?
A tide of applause rose from the stage.
The school leaders' sleep-inducing speeches had ended, and all the girls perked up as though pumped full of chicken blood!
"Aaaah!" "God Xie!" "I love you!" Voices rose one after another, instantly bringing the atmosphere to a climax.
The final segment had finally arrived!
The hosts returned to the stage.
"Thank you to our respected school leaders for their earnest guidance. I believe that with a new term and a new beginning, every student entering high school for the first time will move forward without disappointing those expectations..."
The louder the cheers outside grew, the wider Wang Ci's smile became. Just wait. The person you've been looking forward to isn't even qualified to appear. Making such a big show before he's even onstage-when the result comes out, won't he just be humiliating himself?
He would make Xie Sui understand who he really ought to please.
The host's voice rang out firmly.
"Next, please welcome this year's freshman representative-"
Wang Ci turned, straightened his clothes, and prepared to go onstage. He had just stepped onto the first stair when he heard the female host say in a voice brimming with enthusiasm and delight.
"-Jing City's top scorer in the high school entrance examination, Xie Sui, to give his speech."
"AAAAAAAAAH!!!"
Thunderous screams erupted from the girls outside!
They nearly drowned the entire auditorium!
Wang Ci's eyes flew wide. His foot missed the step, and he almost fell.
His followers recovered quickly enough to catch him and steady him.
Everyone was baffled.
Why had the speaker changed again-why had it changed back to Xie Sui?
An hour ago, everyone had clearly received notice that the final speaker would be Wang Ci.
The teacher ran in from outside, panting. "Wait! The speaker's changed! Changed, changed! The education bureau called to ask, ask, change-"
He had run too fast and stumbled over his words.
But no one present wanted to hear the reason.
Wang Ci clenched his fingers. After his disbelief came humiliation and fury, his eyes all but boring a hole through Song Yu.
Song Yu told Xie Sui, "Treat them like air. Just look at me. Come on, come on."
Passing the steps, he tilted his head and gave Wang Ci a faint smile. "Sorry, looks like it's not your turn to perform yet. How long did you spend preparing?"
You. Mother. Fucker!
Wang Ci nearly ground his teeth to pieces.
The group who had been gloating moments earlier stood pale-faced and silent.
Amid thunderous applause.
Xie Sui stepped onstage.
Refined beyond compare, his movements elegant.
Another round of frenzied screams rose from his fangirls.
Some people seemed born with that kind of presence.
Suited to standing where every gaze converged.
Song Yu had no intention of sitting with Class One and joining Ou Yilian.
He entered through another entrance and sat in the farthest corner. Ma Xiaoding and the others, excitedly carrying glowing rings, bracelets, headbands, and clappers, sat beside Song Yu, shouting themselves hoarse and blowing whistles. The quiet, deserted section instantly became a madhouse. Fortunately, the fangirls were enthusiastic enough that even when they brought out rubber screaming chickens to play with, it didn't make much difference.
It only assaulted Song Yu's ears. :)
Xie Sui's voice carried a hint of coolness, slightly cold, yet every word was clear.
The entire audience listened in rapture, the girls' eyes shining.
Not a single person found the long, formal speech he read from his script boring.
Slightly cold blue light fell around him from above in countless strands, and the auditorium lights dimmed.
Around him, the black tide resembled a tranquil galaxy.
The light was a deep blue, like faint starlight.
And he stood at its center.
"May we all gain something over the next three years of high school, carrying our dreams and never forgetting our original aspirations."
His cool voice recited the formal words.
At this point, he paused briefly.
Suddenly, he smiled.
He raised his head.
His gaze passed through the dense crowd.
Through countless strands of light.
And landed on Song Yu's face.
Song Yu froze.
Beside him came the "toot-" "toot-" of Ma Xiaoding's whistle, along with the screaming chicken's heart-rending shrieks. The boys bobbed their heads, yammering away and making an unbearable racket.
But at that moment, all the sound seemed to fade away.
The auditorium became a silent universe.
Xie Sui gazed at him and smiled, reciting each word distinctly.
"The future stretches like the sea; there are many days ahead."
Many days ahead.
Those four words came gently, slowly.
And all the starlight in the universe fell into his eyes.
"Aaaaaah-!!"
Another round of frenzied screams erupted from the girls.
One of Ma Xiaoding's lackeys was a little puzzled. "Was Xie Sui saying those last four words to us? No, to Brother Yu? He kept looking this way."
Ma Xiaoding lowered his whistle and started showing off nonsense. "Hey, do you guys even know what those last eight words mean? You don't, do you? That's what you get for not reading more. They're from Zeng Guopan's 'The Youth Speaks of China'!"
Song Yu: "..."
Whatever momentary daze he had been in was thoroughly dispelled by Ma Xiaoding's half-baked knowledge.
"Liang Qichao. 'Young China.'"
Leaving him with those words, Song Yu stood and left, ignoring the screams filling the auditorium.
Jingcheng No. 1 High School's forum completely exploded!
Posts about God Xie flooded in.
[Aaaaaah my name is Fang Chang, sob sob sob, gege! My name really is Fang Chang!]
[I! Have! No! Words! Left!]
[God Xie's face aaaaaaaaaah! Oh my god, I'm going to suffocate!!]
Of course, the thread that instantly shot into the hot section had this title instead.
[Sisters, let's give Brother Yu a little green to look at tonight]
Original post: I'm cheating. Bye-bye.
Author's note: Let me recommend a no-CP novel written by my CP partner (? That's a bit of a mouthful).
"After Billions of Reincarnations" by Wu Jiudian
There was a hot thread on the universe's forum: ?
Question:
If you could be reborn endlessly, what do you think would happen? ?
1st floor: Reach the pinnacle of life! Rule the world?
2nd floor: Become as rich as a nation and turn into the universe's great demon king?
3rd floor: Become a reclusive master, well versed in keeping a low profile while showing off in style...?
Unknown poster:
My first rebirth, I became fabulously wealthy, and then I died?
My second rebirth, I built a great empire, and then I died?
My third rebirth, I devoted myself to revenge, and then I died...?
My hundredth rebirth, I had already gone mad, and then I still died...?
My thousandth rebirth, I regained my composure, and of course I still died...?
My who-knows-how-many-th rebirth, I... fuck you! Whatever! ?
Also titled: "I Lived an Entire Universe All by Myself"?
"I've Experienced All Your Lives-Just Tell Me Whether You're Scared"
Ah Jiu is amazing, with explosive imagination and a vast world.
The male lead is handsome and utterly swoonworthy. Care to meet Brother Jiang, my husband? =w=
Thank you to all the little angels who cast Overlord Tickets or watered me with nutrient solution~
Thank you to the little angel who cast [Shallow-water Bombs]: Hua Yev5, 1;
Thank you to the little angels who cast [Rocket Launchers]: Chu Huaiqi, lQinqCuan Jiu, 1 each;
Thank you to the little angels who cast [Grenades]: clown, 7, 1 each;
Thank you to the little angels who cast [Land Mines]: A-Jin hugs Gu Yun, 10; Lotus Seed Clears the Heart, 9; Shen Cheng, Wait for me to come back!(fist pump), 3 each; Intimate Friends' Intentions are Bright and Clear, 37295085, Autumn Wind Sweeps Fallen Leaves, Madman and Normal Person, Chrysanthemum Withered Everywhere Injury, South Wind, Young Master Tang, Fei Fei Fei Cheng, 2 each; Ye Cha, Mu Xiao, loamote, muamua_ua, A-Jiu, Qingguang Fei, A-Ci, Sparse Fan, A-Shu Shu Shu Shu Shu Shu, Jiu, Duomin, Lin Rongyi, Passerby, Other Shore, River of Forgetfulness, Ranzhu for a week, Smile, Jing Wu, Lanna, Yingyingying, Ah, c+, A Grain of Pupil, Kelp ah~ Kelp, Orange Inside, Shiyan Jiangzi, 1 each;
Thank you to the little angels who watered me with [Nutrient Solution]:
文狸, 71 bottles; 尘封起, 60 bottles; 一只偷懒的喵~, 50 bottles; 隔三秋, 32 bottles; j天真, 30 bottles; 燃竹一周丶, 28 bottles; 洛洛红瑾, 27 bottles; 辣条吃咸鱼, 25 bottles; 唐少爷, 白亮, 筠黎, 20 bottles each; 且今, 18 bottles; 楚歆儿, 15 bottles; jackson yee, 无葭, 12 bottles each; 555, 南风, 两小只., 殊途, 春和草木, 34236131, 打雷天, 秋月雾莳萝, 莫得梦想, 短歌未名, 鸽子°, 郑驼驼, 南风, 墨小白, 钟心又, 虚无, 祈雨, pool^, 任随我意, 结婚证, くれこ, 贺安绥, 罔悦, 10 bottles each; 霜重, 兔兔不想熬夜, 8 bottles each; 兔子爱吃窝边草, 6 bottles; 绿毛球, 漪戚, lure, 22658224, 明月清风我_, 我刚看见的灵车呢, 白鸟, 沐汐, 越离, 5 bottles each; 亚蒂亚莉, 一一, 4 bottles each; 三日月宗近, 阑珊, 枫岚, 夏鸠的, 3 bottles each; 有欲の, 苏尚酒, 止损, 吃遍天下, 苏你一脸血, 一只团子呀, 是姜辞呀, 嘿_骚年!, 云间金月, 谢岁辰, 2 bottles each; 糯米汤圆, 小小方, 陌越, 鹿, 流溢, 成美酱的酒九, 格洛夫斯, 为什么不可以叫五三, 传闻中的二喜, kon, 花楼ジ以情, 独倾, 猫奴, 星辰寥落, 夏夜蜉蝣, 万花, 百鬼黔, 二月十五, 兔子和果子, 映寒墨月, fox遥, 塔塔塔, 七元, 1 bottle each;
Thank you all so much for your support. I'll keep working hard!