Chapter 16
In mid-to-late June, the air was muggy and the cicadas were chirping incessantly.
The classroom in the afternoon was like a giant steamer, with the fan spinning futilely overhead, unable to dispel even a trace of the stuffiness.
With an ice pop dangling from his mouth, Zhang Da cursed, "What a lousy school! They took so much of our money, but they can't even afford to install an air conditioner."
Luo Kewei floated in from the corridor: "Breaking news! Breaking news! I heard from the students in Class 6 that Liang Fengshen is going to participate in the 'New Generation' singing competition on the city TV station during the summer vacation."
Upon hearing the news Luo Kewei brought back, the students in the class all rushed to the back row to ask:
"Really? It's that talent show on the provincial TV station?"
"Yeah, that's what the people in Class Six said, so it can't be false."
"With his talent, he might actually win a prize and become a star in the future."
Zhang Da turned his head and smiled, "Tsk tsk, does that mean we'll have to ask him for autographs from now on?"
"Oh, that's not necessarily true."
Sang Sui's fingers, which were holding the pen, paused slightly; she had naturally heard it.
—The New Generation.
She had a strong impression of the show. Although it wasn't very popular, she had at least caught glimpses of it occasionally when she was at home on weekends. She wasn't particularly interested in singing shows, so she just glanced at it a few times.
Even so, it is a place that is out of reach for most people. Sang Sui also felt that this matter was far removed from her world, and ordinary people could not appear on camera.
Will Liang Fengshen actually participate in this program? Does that mean we'll be able to see him on TV later?
Sang Sui's mind wandered, and her pen unconsciously traced a line in the corner of the draft paper. When she came to her senses, three slender characters had already been written there—
New Generation.
The news spread like wildfire throughout the school, and Zhao Yanqi and some of her classmates went to Song Shiyue to verify it.
After all, among the entire Class 7 of the first year of high school, Song Shiyue and Liang Fengshen had the best relationship.
Song Shiyue said, "It's still very early on, and it's not certain whether he will participate or not. After all, although Liang Fengshen has signed up and passed the preliminary selection, his parents seem to disagree."
Being able to appear on TV is such a cool thing.
But no one knows why Liang Fengshen's parents disagreed.
"If I had the chance to appear on television, my parents would definitely invite all my relatives to watch my performance on TV," Zhao Yanqi said.
Since the matter was not yet confirmed and was only in the "hearsay" stage, everyone just gossiped about it casually and then stopped discussing it.
After all, it's more practical to talk about the upcoming campus cultural festival than some vague and unrealistic ideas.
On the weekend, Sang Sui stayed at his desk in his room, his physics workbook open for almost an hour, but he didn't start writing anything.
On the desktop computer screen, the group icon named "Four Golden Flowers of Class Seven" was jumping wildly.
Zhao Yanqi said, "Breaking news! There's news that there will be a cultural performance in the middle of next month."
He Lili immediately chimed in, "Really? Isn't it almost summer vacation in mid-July?"
Zhao Yanqi: "Because our school was founded on July 16, 1933, this year marks its 80th anniversary. It would be quite fun to hold a cultural performance before the holiday."
Qiao Chunzhao: "Wouldn't that mean we'd get to see Lin Shuning dance? She'll definitely do a solo! I think she's a goddess. I wish I were as pretty as her."
He Lili sent a string of starry-eyed emojis: "I think so too. Lin Shuning is universally acknowledged as beautiful. Her dancing is simply a visual treat."
The group chat was instantly flooded with the name "Lin Shuning".
They discussed with great interest the types of dance she might perform, imagining her radiant presence on stage in her dance dress.
The topic quickly spread again.
Zhao Yanqi: "Speaking of which, Cheng Xiao, the president of the street dance club, will definitely have to go on stage, right? I wonder how badly he'll react this time."
He Lili: "And Liang Fengshen too. He sings so well, do you guys remember that a cappella performance at the radio station? Maybe we'll get to hear him sing a whole song this time."
Sang Sui silently watched the rapidly scrolling conversation on the screen, focusing on the name that was repeatedly mentioned—"Liang Fengshen." She could imagine him standing on the stage, with a spotlight shining on him, holding a microphone; he would definitely look very handsome.
She was lost in thought when she suddenly remembered someone.
Sang Sui: "What about Mingying? Lin Shuning's classes three and six are art classes, and Mingying is in class six. She should also have some talents, right?"
This sentence was like an invisible sponge, instantly absorbing all the noise in the group.
The dialog box remained silent for a good ten seconds, a subtle, awkward silence spreading through it.
After a while, Zhao Yanqi sent a message, her tone much more cautious: "Mingying, she definitely won't be going on stage."
He Lili continued, with a hint of mystery as if sharing a secret: "She's a very mysterious person, like she appears and disappears without a trace. She comes to class when she wants to, and doesn't come when she doesn't want to. She would never participate in group activities like this, and I heard that she skips class to go out and work."
Qiao Chunchao added, his tone tinged with a mixture of envy and something else: "What's most infuriating is that she can still get into the top ten in her grade while working and skipping classes. The key is that the school seems to be powerless against her. I heard her father is very influential."
"What do you mean 'her father'?" Zhao Yanqi corrected, with a hint of superiority from someone who knew the inside story. "Isn't it said that her mother was a mistress? At most, she's just an illegitimate child."
"But I don't think she did anything wrong, she just had to have a mother like that."
"Anyway, she definitely won't be playing that day," He Lili concluded. "She's beautiful, excellent, and smart, I admit that. But she's just aloof, doesn't talk to anyone, and doesn't seem to have any friends at school. So when we have school beauty pageants or anything like that, we don't include her."
Qiao Chunzhao finally sent a sighing emoji: "Sigh, never mind, I won't mention Mingying. Speaking of which, which program do you think is most likely to win first place at this year's gala?"
"Who else could it be but Lin Shuning or Liang Fengshen?"
The topic was abruptly changed, returning to the lively gossip.
But Sang Sui couldn't stand it anymore. She closed the noisy group chat, the screen went dark, revealing her own somewhat confused face.
Why was Mingying so captivating? She desperately wanted to know everything about Mingying, even though all the rumors she heard about her were unpleasant, she still couldn't help but grow more and more fond of her.
I want to get closer to her and understand her.
The Liang family was far from peaceful on this sweltering weekend.
The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the villa's white exterior in a warm gold hue. As Liang Fengshen pushed open the door, a blast of cool air, mixed with the aroma of food, wafted out.
He changed his shoes and was about to go upstairs when his mother, Zhou Jing's voice, came from the living room: "Feng Shen, you're back?"
"Um."
Liang Jianye looked up at him: "I heard you signed up for the city TV station's 'New Generation' talent show?"
Liang Fengshen stood at the junction of the entrance hall and the living room, his figure upright, like a young pine tree that refused to bend.
He did not deny it: "Yes."
"Nonsense." Liang Jianye's brows furrowed immediately, and his voice deepened. "Your mother and I disagree. Are those kinds of public appearances something respectable families should be attending?"
"What's wrong with you?"
Zhou Jing stood up, walked to her son, softened her tone, but still gave him an undeniable admonition: "Feng Shen, your grades have always been excellent, and you've won awards in competitions. Your father and I have high expectations for you. Either pursue a career in scientific research or come back to help your father manage the company. That's the right path. Music is fine to play around with, but how can it be your main profession? We agreed from the beginning that we wouldn't consider that art exam."
"Scientific research, or a company." Liang Fengshen's hands, hanging at his sides, clenched slightly as he repeated these two options, his voice soft. "Have you ever asked me what I want to do?"
“I know what you want to do,” Liang Jianye’s voice rose. “You want to stand on stage and sing for people, but what future can that have? It’s just temporary excitement. Can it put food on the table? You think you can become a star just by learning some music? The entertainment industry isn’t that easy to navigate. You’d better calm down and study hard.”
“Why not?” Liang Fengshen raised his eyes and looked directly at his father. “I am capable of balancing my studies and music. Besides, it’s something I love.”
"Like it?" Zhou Jing's tone became anxious. "Can liking something put food on the table? Feng Shen, you're still young and don't know the realities of this society. We're responsible for your future."
Liang Fengshen's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. "So responsible that you even deprive me of my right to choose what I like?"
Liang Fengshen's gaze swept over Zhou Jing's worried face and landed on Liang Jianye's tense jawline, his expression remaining unchanged throughout.
"If you're just worried about who will inherit the company, isn't there Liang Fengyu? She's still young, but she's very smart. Why does it have to be me?"
Liang Jianye's face instantly darkened to a point where it could drip water. He slammed his hand on the sofa armrest: "You bastard! What are you saying? The company is the foundation of the Liang family, and it's only natural that it be passed on to you. Your sister is a girl, and she'll eventually get married. How can we possibly entrust such a large company to her?"
“Xiaoyu is my younger sister. She may not be any less capable than me. We live in this day and age. You shouldn’t look down on her just because she’s a girl.” Liang Fengshen said indifferently, “In short, it’s my life, and no one can interfere with it.”
After saying that, Liang Fengshen turned and went upstairs.
"Stop!" Liang Jianye put down his newspaper and stood up. "I think you've been spending too much time with that girl and she's corrupted you. That's why you started messing around with music."
Whenever they argued, no matter how hurtful the words Zhou Jing and Liang Jianye said, Liang Fengshen was always able to remain calm.
But now I can't help but frown.
"This is my business, what does it have to do with her?"
"She skips school every day and is an illegitimate child..."
Liang Fengshen laughed out loud: "You've met that man, so how could you not know whether she's an illegitimate child or not?"
He used the informal "you" repeatedly, which was full of sarcasm.
In fact, Liang Fengshen knew that Liang Jianye was so angry today simply because he had long disliked him, and his participation in "New Generation" was just a trigger.
Seeing that both of them were angry, Zhou Jing quickly pulled Liang Jianye aside and tried to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, calm down. How can a father and son act like enemies?"
Liang Fengshen turned and went upstairs.
Liang Jianye's voice rang out behind him—"It's fine to go on the show, but make sure that person stays away from you in the future."
Liang Fengshen stopped in his tracks, then sneered and said self-deprecatingly, "Don't worry, it's your son who's been bothering others; they don't want to talk to me at all."
At the end of the weekend, the summer math competition class held a small meeting, organized by competition coach Li Qingheng.
The air conditioning in the small conference room was on full blast, and Sang Sui and Chu Xiran sat by the window.
The door was pushed open, and Song Shiyue walked in, followed by Cheng Xiao. Sang Sui's gaze lingered on the slender figure behind the two.
Liang Fengshen was wearing a simple white cotton T-shirt with straight shoulders. After entering, he and Cheng Xiao sat down diagonally behind them, not too far away.
Sang Sui straightened his back almost imperceptibly.
She could feel her attention being drawn by an invisible thread, always involuntarily drifting in that direction. She lowered her head, pretending to look at the documents in her hands, but her ears were straining to catch any sounds behind her.
He and Cheng Xiao were talking in hushed tones, probably about the music selection for the cultural festival competition in two weeks. His voice was low, with a relaxed tone, like a gentle breeze brushing across ice on a summer afternoon.
Sang Sui couldn't hear the specifics, but she felt the sound tickling her ears. She quickly lowered her head, but the corners of her mouth involuntarily curved into a small smile.
Li Qingheng stood in front of the podium and tapped on the table:
"I'm sure everyone here is one of the top students in math in your grade. I'm here to give you a heads-up about the competition—"
Li Qingheng talked about exam precautions and gave the competition participants a pep talk. He concluded by saying, "In short, this competition is quite difficult. I suggest that you form study groups and discuss and encourage each other."
Song Shiyue immediately turned around, his gaze sweeping over Chu Xiran and Sang Sui, then looking at Liang Fengshen and Cheng Xiao behind him, and said in a cheerful tone: "How about we form a group? We all know each other."
Cheng Xiao glanced at Liang Fengshen, then at Sang Sui, looking like he was enjoying the show, and chuckled as he chimed in, "I think it's a good idea!"
Sang Sui's heart skipped a beat, filled with both anticipation and nervousness.
If I could be in the same group as him...
"I won't." Liang Fengshen's voice came clearly, calm, and devoid of any emotion.
In an instant, several pairs of eyes fell on him.
Sang Sui's heart, which had just been lifted, instantly fell to the ground, and her joy shattered into pieces.
He looked up at Song Shiyue, his tone tinged with apology: "I'm going to participate in a competition recording during the summer vacation, and my schedule is very full. I'm afraid I won't have time to study together with everyone."
Song Shiyue was stunned for a moment: "Really? Are you sure you're going?"
Liang Fengshen: "Hmm."
Cheng Xiao: "Your dad actually let you go."
“I’m just going to a competition. If I really want to leave, he can’t lock me in the house, can he?” Liang Fengshen said. “In short, I won’t have the chance to compete and study with you guys anymore.”
Chu Xiran nodded understandingly: "It's alright, the competition is important."
The group was eventually formed, but one person was missing.
Hearing that this was the reason, Sang Sui felt a little better. Although he wasn't lucky enough to be in the same study group as him, at least he had the opportunity to stand on a bigger stage.
That's fine too.
Sang Sui's seat was very close to Liang Fengshen's; without even turning his head, he could see Liang's lowered eyelashes out of the corner of his eye.
"With your abilities, I believe you can definitely win the award," Sang Sui said softly, mustering her courage.
"Thank you," Liang Fengshen replied, his tone carrying a faint smile.
Two very short words.
A clear sky slowly rose in Sang Sui's heart.
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