Chapter 41

The school organized this choir competition on a large scale, inviting not only the first and third year high school students but also the junior high school students to participate.

Anyway, there are always a lot of people involved in anything that has nothing to do with studying, and before long, the decorated gymnasium was full of people.

The classes in the second year of high school that participated in the competition had fixed seats, and most of the students in the class had already gone.

Apart from me and Wu Qi.

Wu Qi dragged me and pushed open the door to a storeroom in the gymnasium.

I only had time to confirm if the warehouse was empty before the world spun around and I was pinned against the wall by Wu Qi.

Loud music and noise seeped in through the crack in the door, and we squeezed into the gap between the cabinets, breathing heavily.

I suddenly felt like doing something naughty.

In various romantic novels, it is said that the Adam's apple area is the most sensitive spot on a man's body, and I want to try it out today.

So I pulled out Wu Qi's school uniform, stood on tiptoe, and breathed on his neck.

Trembling, warm.

Wu Qi's breath hitched for a moment.

Is it really that taboo?

I lowered my eyes, not daring to look up, afraid that if I did, I would lose my confidence. "So, how dare you still treat me like a child?"

I don't know who approached first, but when I came to my senses, Wu Qi had already covered my head with one hand, pinning me against the wall so I couldn't move.

I was kissed so hard I couldn't speak, and when I did, I lacked the power to do so.

Wu Qi moved even closer to me, forcing away half the air between us. I had nowhere to escape, and my back ached from the pressure.

My mouth also hurts.

I clearly felt a sharp pain in the lower left corner of my mouth, and my mouth instantly filled with the taste of blood; someone must have bitten me.

Those born in the Year of the Dog.

I forced my head up to respond, but eventually I couldn't catch my breath.

Just as he was about to suffocate, Wu Qi released his grip at the opportune moment.

I leaned to the side, maintaining a slightly more rational distance from him. I covered my lips with the back of my hand, also to mask my barely suppressed breathing.

Wu Qi's eyes grew increasingly sinister, and there was something else unreadable in them.

"Weren't you just feeling energetic?"

He laughed at me.

ha.

I moved my hand down, showing the bloodstains on the back of my hand that I had used to wipe my upper lip. "You're much stronger."

Wu Qi: "..."

The lipstick was completely eaten and wiped clean; the homeroom teacher had applied it for nothing.

Just then, the loudspeaker announced: "Next, please enjoy the chorus performance of 'Rice Fragrance' by the students of Class 4."

"We're almost at our classroom."

I calmed my breathing and suddenly felt that the small storeroom was unbearably hot. "Aren't we going out?"

Wu Qi moved closer, bracing his arms on the cabinet behind me, completely enveloping me.

He asked me in return, "Are we going out?"

I lifted my reddened eyelids: "Or what?"

“It feels like…” Wu Qi lowered his voice and brought his face closer and closer. Just before they were about to touch, he almost whispered, “We can kiss for a while longer.”

I pulled my hand back, pressing down on the red string on Wu Qi's wrist, my fingertip against the copper coin, leaving a fingerprint.

If we kiss again, it will really be too late.

I silently told myself that.

Although the atmosphere is really good right now, we can't continue like this.

Beauty can lead to trouble.

It doesn't matter if our voices are missing from the class choir, but if we're not in the group photo, then nothing can be hidden.

I wasn't in the mood to get into character anymore, so I kicked Wu Qi in the shin. While he was stunned by the pain, I slipped under his arm, pushed open the door, and ran away.

She ran a few steps and then looked back to see if he was keeping up.

good.

We caught up.

Even just rubbing his face, you could tell he was a little reluctant.

When we got back inside, the class was already all dressed up and waiting to go on stage. We jogged around the seats and barely made it into the line.

Meng Xiaoqiong was the first one to stand next to me and asked me where I had been.

I have little experience in lying, so I stammered for a long time without giving a response.

Meng Xiaoqiong glanced back at Wu Qi, then turned to look at me, her expression instantly conveying, "You don't need to explain, I understand everything."

I found her confident demeanor quite amusing, so I asked her, "What do you know?"

She leaned close to my ear and whispered, "They went to do something naughty."

"..."

I got goosebumps all over again.

I don't know if my ear has become more sensitive and can't withstand the slightest disturbance, or if she saw through my lie, but the memory of our intimate moments from earlier keeps replaying in my mind.

The host announced on stage, "Thank you to the students of Class 4 for their performance. Young people are like the rising sun, like dandelions covering the mountains and fields, and are the epitome of spiritedness. Next, please enjoy the choral performance by Class 5 – You Were Once Young."

As soon as we finished speaking, Meng Xiaoqiong and I stopped joking around and got into character instantly.

Just like we had practiced 36 times before, we followed the class team and quickly found our positions on the stage.

After standing still for a few seconds, the lights went out.

The accompaniment music slowly began to play.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, we sang the first line of the lyrics together, keeping time with the beat.

The lights slowly shone down, focusing attention on us.

The heart beats slowly and steadily, with resonance in the chest cavity.

As soon as he opened his mouth, his voice disappeared into the crowd.

Many years ago

You have a pair of clear eyes

Running like a bolt of lightning in spring.

I want to see all the world

Go to the farthest place

It feels like I have wings and can fly over mountains and oceans.

Many years ago

I was once a simple boy.

When you fall in love with someone, you're not afraid to give your whole life.

Believe that love will last forever

Trust every stranger

...

The song gradually became a chorus sung by the entire stadium.

The homeroom teacher hadn't expected such a good result. He stood up for himself again in front of Mr. Wang from the next class and casually remarked, "It sounds better when young people sing songs for young people."

Old Wang's class is singing "The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style" today, I don't want to talk to her.

We changed formation for the third time. The final formation change required us to run to find our positions.

Suddenly, a gust of wind seemed to rise on the stage, and the boys swayed like wild grass, restless and uneasy. After a brief moment of confusion, they finally reached a spot, where they found the meaning of life and embarked on a journey of no return.

The singing grew increasingly passionate, like a declaration of "the prime of life".

The song may end, but youth continues.

We bowed in gratitude amidst applause and left the stage in unison.

The stage curtains were drawn.

Everything comes quickly and goes quickly.

Li Guangheng, still reeling from the earlier aura, asked blankly, "It's... over just like that?"

"Yeah," Xu Feng said, "It's over. I really didn't get enough of singing."

Meng Xiaoqiong chimed in, "It feels like we'll be staying for rehearsals again tonight..."

Wu Qi watched them all looking completely bewildered and couldn't help but admire them for a while.

Then, lifting the lyric book next to him, someone smacked him on the head: "You've gone crazy from practicing singing, and you don't even realize it. If you haven't sung enough, go home and sing your heart out under the covers."

Everyone: "..."

Just when everyone was angry but dared not speak out, a classmate came over to relay the homeroom teacher's message: "Everyone worked hard singing today. The homeroom teacher said that no matter what the result is, everyone has worked hard. Let's go for hot pot tonight!"

In an instant, the classroom, which had been lifeless just moments before, erupted into a frenzy, with a group of boys howling and screaming like ghosts.

Meng Xiaoqiong and Tian Qingqing hugged me from both sides, rubbing against me excitedly, just like two sloths.

I cast a pleading look at Wu Qi, only to find that he was even more surrounded, with Li Guangheng practically riding on his head.

Cheers and laughter mingled together; everyone was anticipating victory.

Despite being tormented like this, Wu Qi didn't seem to let anyone off the hook. However, his expression remained calm, with a clear smile playing on his lips and brows.

You must be enjoying your youth too.

My boy.

-

We chose to eat at a snack street not far from the school.

During the day, it looks rather deserted, with oil stains left on the ground from who-knows-when, which cannot be washed clean by wind and rain. But at night, covered by colorful neon lights and the darkness of the night, it transforms into a paradise.

The hot pot restaurant owner knew the homeroom teacher and specially booked the entire place.

The seating wasn't too particular; people just sat at the same table based on how well they usually got along.

"All the hard work paid off! Congratulations on winning first prize!" The homeroom teacher poured a full glass of beer, clearly pleased. "This is a testament to everyone's efforts. I'll drink this first as a toast, and everyone, please eat and drink to your heart's content, it's on me!"

This time she redeemed herself, not only shining brightly in class activities but also taking the opportunity to improve her relationships with her classmates. She has a good chance of being appointed as the head of the department again tomorrow.

However, Meng Xiaoqiong said something quite insightful:

"Whether she becomes the director or not has nothing to do with us, and how much money she earns has nothing to do with us. We only care whether she has her heart on us."

"Teacher, is it okay to drink alcohol?" a student stood up and asked.

My thoughts returned to their original focus.

The homeroom teacher didn't want to be too strict anymore, and besides, there were so many people that she couldn't control them all, so she waved her hand and told everyone to do as they pleased.

"Drink less, or I won't be able to explain it to your parents."

But as the facts show, her words had no effect whatsoever.

Li Guangheng brought over a case of Tsingtao beer, stepped under the table, and declared, "Everyone at this table has to drink it all up. Nobody's getting out of here."

Wu Qi took a bottle: "Playing this high?"

“Yeah, right,” Li Guangheng said. “It’s rare to be this happy, so don’t give me any excuses to skip the drinks.”

"Run away my ass."

Meng Xiaoqiong performed a special skill, picking up a disposable chopstick and placing it against the mouth of the bottle, then using a clever trick in front of everyone.

With a bang, the bottle cap was opened, and dense foam rushed out rapidly.

The atmosphere was great, and we couldn't sit still any longer. Each of us claimed a bottle, poured it into a glass, and started making a ruckus while downing glass after glass of wine.

Li Guangheng was a little tipsy, probably remembering when I first came last year, and said, "I still remember when Sister Yue first came to the class last year, we guys were all stunned, she looked like a little doll."

Little doll?

I repeat myself, I am a product of the East, not the West.

If it's going to resemble anything, it should resemble something like a puppet or shadow play.

"Later on, she did more and more outrageous things. Not only did she get first place in the grade, but she also got into fights. I mean, seriously."

Li Guangheng downed another glass of wine and continued, "Just when I was getting used to it, Qi Ge came along, and he's even more outrageous than the last."

Everyone laughed after hearing that.

Including me and Wu Qi.

Having lived in this world for so long, we've all reached the point where we can reminisce about the past.

I suddenly remembered that afternoon.

I was reciting Qu Yuan's "Li Sao" when the cicadas outside the window were chirping noisily. I was sitting under the shade of a tree, gazing at the azure sky through the gaps in the branches.

Back then, I found life boring.

Another year has passed, and spring has arrived once again.

This is the season we arrived in.

Suddenly, the food in front of me tasted tasteless. I felt a tightness in my chest that I couldn't exhale, and even my head started to spin.

I put down my chopsticks and said I wanted to go for a walk.

The others just thought I was probably a little drunk and didn't think much of it. They made a few remarks and then continued talking about their grand ambitions for the future.

Not long after I got up, I heard the sound of a stool being scraped open next to me, and then I went out the door.

Even a second thought would tell you who it is.

The street outside grew increasingly noisy, with music filling the air and shouts of people trying to solicit customers coming from all directions. I turned into a small alley and finally got a chance to catch my breath.

Wu Qi's voice came from behind: "What's wrong?"

I didn't intend to share my frustration with him anymore, so I just said, "I'm feeling a little dizzy, I'm going out to get some fresh air."

It's not exactly lying, I really do feel a little dizzy.

I tried to change the subject and chatted with Wu Qi for a bit.

He talked about the trees in my yard and the potted plants in his house, wondering if anyone waters them.

They also said that the Heavenly Emperor was watching us from heaven, like watching a TV drama.

Unexpectedly, after taking two steps, the dizziness worsened, and he could no longer speak clearly. After a bout of dizziness, the world spun around him, and he felt like he was walking on cotton, and he couldn't stand up for a moment.

"A-Yue." Wu Qi caught me with one hand, then noticed something, his expression instantly hardening. "You..."

The wind was blowing strangely, making me feel itchy. I groggily grabbed Wu Qi's hand and said, "Can you scratch my ears?"

"Your, your ears—"

Wu Qi spoke vaguely, and before he could finish, he abruptly stopped. Suddenly, a strange aura swept over him.

The aura was eerie, bringing with it a thin mist that trapped us both in the middle.

Almost instinctively, Wu Qi took off his school uniform jacket and wrapped it inside my clothes. Then he stared intently at a spot in front of him, his expression instantly turning cold.

An ordinary person might not be able to explain this scene, but as a lesson that even immortals must learn, Wu Qi immediately realized what was going on.

In an instant, a golden magic circle appeared on the ground centered on the two of us, radiating light and illuminating the person at the center of the mist.

“A demon?” Wu Qi asked coldly.

Seeing that he could no longer hide it, the other party suddenly laughed and slowly walked out of the fog, his steps steady yet agile in the alley.

His gaze first fell on me, then on Wu Qi's face, his alluring peach blossom eyes slightly upturned. Beneath his black trench coat, two long legs encased in slim-fitting trousers paused before us.

A black snake coiled around his neck, silently flicking its tongue at his collarbone.

He made a very exaggerated funny face—

"I'm a demon," he introduced himself.