Thanks After the Performance

Mo Yuqing and several members of the dance club wore long, wide-sleeved dresses in an ancient style, their graceful figures in red drawing every eye.

As the undisputed lead, she stood at the center of the group like a flower bud.

Unlike the somewhat nervous girls around her, she held her head slightly raised, her expression composed, while seeming to steal glances across the audience.

She had long since grown used to having the whole crowd watching her, even with so many cameras trained on her today.

Every girl in the dance club was beautiful, but all of them paled in Mo Yuqing's dazzling light.

The girl Chen Lu had once loved so deeply was just that radiant, and that was precisely the source of her pride.

She had every reason to be proud.

The college students of today stayed true to form: as soon as the girls came onstage, everyone put down their phones.

As the only one who had known in advance, Liu Yan quietly turned to watch Chen Lu's reaction.

Chen Lu and Liang Zhirou both froze when they heard the name. Liang Zhirou recovered first. Without a word, she silently screwed the cap back onto Chen Lu's bottle, afraid he would spill the water again.

Then she took out a tissue and began wiping the water from his clothes.

Chen Lu now understood what the counselor had meant by "I knew you'd definitely come."

But his gaze soon returned to Liang Zhirou. "Thank you," he said softly.

The girl looked up and saw Chen Lu's gentle smile.

She felt much more at ease at once, though even she didn't know why it had felt as if a stone had been weighing on her heart just now.

"Wasn't she supposed to be coaching them? How did she end up performing herself?" Jiang Chao asked Chen Lu. When Chen Lu didn't answer, he turned to Liu Yan. "Did you know all along?"

"Yeah."

Jiang Chao found it amusing. "Did she think the dance club members were so lousy that she decided to go onstage herself?"

Liu Yan shook her head, at a loss for words. Looking at the beautiful figure in the center of the stage, she said seriously, "She has another reason."

She knew Mo Yuqing intended to dance for Chen Lu.

After saying that, she looked over at Chen Lu again. Seeing that he was still chatting with Liang Zhirou, she wore a complicated expression.

Just then, the female host onstage said in a sweet voice, "Thank you to the drama club for that wonderful performance."

Li Sinian took over, sounding a little nervous. "Next, please enjoy 'Big Fish,' a performance prepared for us by the dance club."

The two walked to opposite sides, leaving the stage to the girls.

It was a dance choreographed to "Big Fish," the theme song of the movie Big Fish & Begonia.

As the prelude began, the girls around Mo Yuqing slowly moved aside. Mo Yuqing walked unhurriedly to the front, and the moment she lifted her right arm slightly in front of her, the whole audience erupted in cheers.

As the singing began, the girls danced lightly in their places, just as they had rehearsed all this time, like heavenly maidens.

"Afraid you'll fly far away,

Afraid you'll leave my side,

Even more afraid you'll stay here forever.

Every drop of tears,

Flows toward you,

Back into the sea beneath the sky."

The audience watched with growing attention, and the atmosphere reached its peak with Mo Yuqing's stunning backward kick.

Seeing how absorbed the three people beside him were, Chen Lu couldn't help giving a wry smile. "I'm going to the restroom."

"I suggest you don't," Liu Yan said very quietly as Chen Lu walked past.

"Why?"

"What if she's dancing for you?"

Chen Lu paused, then continued on his way. "When I used to play guitar, she didn't always listen to the end either."

The dance ended just as Chen Lu returned from the restroom.

"Perfect timing," Jiang Chao said with a laugh.

Chen Lu said nothing. He was about to sit down when he noticed someone was already in his seat.

Chen Mo was looking at him with a mischievous grin.

"Bro!"

"What's wrong with you? Move." Chen Lu was at a loss for words.

Chen Mo huffed, then obediently sat down to Liang Zhirou's left.

"When did you get here?" he asked, turning to his younger sister.

"A while ago. I only just found you, though. I didn't expect Sister Zhirou to be so reluctant to use her mobile data when she's out, so I thought she just hadn't replied to my messages."

Remembering the person who had originally been sitting to Liang Zhirou's left, Chen Lu asked, "They were that nice? Willing to switch seats with you halfway through?"

Chen Mo smiled. "Easy. I told him my seat was in the very front row, where he could be face-to-face with the pretty dancing girls. He went right over without another word."

"..."

For a moment, none of them had anything to say.

But thanks to Chen Mo's mischievous antics, the awkwardness from moments ago vanished without a trace.

That made Chen Lu quite happy. My little sister is useful after all, he thought.

Just then.

Chen Mo poked Liang Zhirou's arm. "Sister, don't worry. Even though I really like Sister Yuqing, who was dancing just now, you're my favorite now."

She didn't dare say, I'd still rather have you as my sister-in-law.

Chen Lu's face darkened as he considered how to get back at her.

Guileless Liang Zhirou couldn't figure out why Chen Mo had said that. A little embarrassed, she nodded.

Afterward, the group watched the performances while listening to Chen Mo's commentary, and they all found it entertaining.

Before long, it was time for the interviews near the end of the show.

In previous years, they would casually interview performers from acts that had been better in rehearsal, and the hosts would finish by reciting a prepared speech.

The interviewees and hosts had also agreed on the dialogue in advance.

Amid a round of applause, Mo Yuqing walked slowly onto the stage and stood between Li Sinian and the female host.

"That really was the most beautiful dance I've ever seen," the female host said with a smile. "Yuqing, is there anything you'd like to say?"

Mo Yuqing gave a slight nod. "First, thank you all for liking it."

The moment she finished, waves of cheers rang out across the venue. Some people even shouted declarations of love.

Chen Lu scrolled through his phone, paying no attention to what was happening. He remembered clearly that back then, the one person this girl hadn't thanked was him, even though he had been running around taking care of everything.

"Next, I'd like to thank..."

The girl suddenly drew out her words.

"Chen Lu."

The female host and Li Sinian both froze. Clearly, this wasn't in the script they had agreed on.

"I'm sorry. I think I should have said these things when I performed in my freshman year.

But I ended up waiting until my second time onstage. It's rather late."

A bitter smile appeared on Mo Yuqing's exceptionally pretty face.

"Thank you for helping me so much. Thank you for staying by my side all these years.

I can't believe I only realize it now. I'm sorry.

I got used to how good you were to me and took it for granted. I'm sorry.

I ignored everything you did for me. I'm truly sorry."

The crowd grew quieter and quieter, and for the first time, Mo Yuqing felt nervous. "I hope that when the graduation party comes, I can still see you by my side. May I?"

Then she bowed deeply to the audience, as if apologizing for her own willfulness.

Seeing that his cohost had turned to stone, Li Sinian thought, Chen Lu, you really fucking deserve to die. He hurriedly smoothed things over. "I'm sure that student can feel Yuqing's heartfelt feelings. Now, let's welcome the drama club to the stage!"

At first, the entire venue fell deathly silent.

Then it erupted into an uproar once more.

"Fuck, who's Chen Lu? You'd better sleep with one eye open tonight!!"

"Fuck, that's my goddess!"

"What class is Chen Lu in? I'm taking that bastard down with me!"

"I only just fucking fell in love, and now I've already had my heart broken?!"

In the audience directly in front of the stage.

Liu Yan looked anxiously at Chen Lu and asked with deep concern, "Will she get disciplined for this?"

She had only known that Mo Yuqing wanted to dance for Chen Lu. She had never imagined her good friend would pull a stunt like this.

Chen Lu looked unexpectedly calm. "No," he said indifferently. "In previous years, people even rushed up to the stage to confess their love, and they weren't disciplined. Besides... you don't know who her father is."

Despite what Chen Lu said, Liu Yan still hurried over to Mo Yuqing.

Chen Lu paid it no mind. He turned to Liang Zhirou and said, "It's over. Let's go."

Mo Yuqing had just reached backstage when Liu Yan grabbed her by the shoulders.

"This is going to end up online, isn't it... Yuqing, are you crazy?" Her voice was anxious.

"Not only am I not crazy, I don't think I've ever been as clearheaded as I am now."

Mo Yuqing met her eyes with a smile.

But the smile soon became twisted, until all that remained were two streams of tears.

"It's okay. I didn't cry up there, so my makeup didn't run." Mo Yuqing wiped away her tears as she spoke with a smile. "He still saw me looking my best. He'll definitely have a change of heart..."

Just like when you confessed, I've made a fool of myself in public too.