The sound of points being deducted was like a sudden death knell, making Lu Shizhen's head buzz and leaving her stunned on the spot.
She could hardly believe her ears. Just as she got up to lash out, the points system alerted her again.
+0.1
-0.5
+0.01
-0.1
"?"
Lu Shizhen listened to the continuous fluctuating scores, a big question mark above her head.
She knew the points system would deduct or add points, but why were there still points as small as 0.00?
She turned to look at the little ball that had argued with her last time about whether the points system was reliable, and asked, "Qiuqiu, do you think it's possible that... this points system was overwhelmed and broken by the original owner's massive amount of data?"
Qiuqiu's attitude remained firm: "Absolutely impossible, host!"
As it spoke, it quickly flipped through the system's instruction manual, explaining to Lu Shizhen, "There are two possibilities. One is that the host's situation fluctuates, but the host hasn't entered the dangerous phase of the plot yet, and the world's stability is S+, so this possibility won't occur. The other possibility is that Xu Shiyue's thoughts are fluctuating quite violently at the moment..."
The darkness of night deepened, and dark clouds drifted by, obscuring the moon's bright light.
Perhaps the jubilation just now was too intense, as the room now felt unusually somber and desolate.
In the stillness of the moonlit night, the upright figure on the wall collapsed.
Lu Shizhen sat on the bed, slowly turning her head to look out the window, her eyes filled with melancholy.
That was one point for her.
Her first point.
Qiuqiu sensed Lu Shizhen's frustration and quickly comforted and encouraged her, "Host, don't be like that. Look, we've earned three bonus points today!"
“But I went from 1 to 0.01.” Lu Shizhen was still frustrated.
“Even a small 1 is still a 1,” Qiuqiu comforted her. “Actually, whether Xu Shiyue is awake or dreaming, this is a very good sign. The fact that Xu Shiyue is experiencing such emotional fluctuations means that her previous dislike for you is slowly changing, and she is finally having a positive impression of you.”
"And you've already got the bonus points, so how many you get still depends on your hard work and efforts later on, right?" Qiuqiu said, landing on Lu Shizhen's crossed legs. "Think about it, your legs are waving to you in the not-too-distant future!"
The small ball, with its light weight, rolled onto Lu Shizhen's legs, and even though it was a faint sensation, she could feel it very clearly.
Beneath that fair and supple skin flowed vibrant blood, far better than being pale.
“You’re right.” Lu Shizhen recovered somewhat from her frustration and sadness, picked up a pillow and hugged it to her chest, agreeing with Qiuqiu, “0.01 is still a penny, at least I have a positive income today.”
As she said this, Lu Shizhen rested her face on the pillow in her arms.
The road ahead is long, and psychological barriers are not something that can be repaired overnight.
At least I've managed to persuade her to take back her cello and reclaim her rightful place.
Things will definitely get better and better.
Xu Shiyue is the same.
The next day, the sun seemed to have foreseen what was going to happen that day, and it hung in the sky with exceptional brightness.
The home camera was just as good as Qiuqiu's high-definition video, and seeing Qiuqiu's expectant look, Lu Shizhen still chose the recording provided by the camera.
Just as Xu Shiyue said, at noon the orchestra's rehearsal room was filled with students rehearsing, arranged according to the orchestra's seating arrangement.
The person standing in front of the orchestra is the homeroom teacher and Teacher Chen, whom Xu Shiyue mentioned.
Xu Shiyue said the time was neither too fast nor too slow, and the cello group, at Teacher Chen's instruction, set up their bows and began their ensemble performance.
Sun Chenchen, who was showing off that she had become the principal cellist, was sitting at the very front of the cello section. Her posture, with the cello on her back, was upright and somewhat affected, like a taut bow.
She is not as good as Xu Shiyue at all.
Lu Shizhen, like a die-hard fan, scoffed at Sun Chenchen from afar through the window.
Then she heard the cello group's rehearsal was nearing its end. She took a deep breath and hurriedly pushed open the door: "Teacher Chen."
"Shi Zhen?" Somewhat unexpectedly, the orchestra's teacher recognized Lu Shi Zhen.
Lu Shizhen was so focused on Xu Shiyue's matter that she didn't even notice that Teacher Chen knew her.
She handed the USB drive she was holding to Teacher Chen and said, "Teacher Chen, Xu Shiyue is very disappointed that she can't participate in the symphony orchestra competition. This is a performance video she just recorded yesterday. She would like to come back if possible."
Lu Shizhen's volume wasn't very loud, but it was just enough for the cello group closest to Teacher Cheng to hear.
As soon as she finished speaking, she glanced at Sun Chenchen out of the corner of her eye.
I only saw the left side of the person inside from outside the window and didn't notice that Sun Chenchen had a medical gauze on her face.
It's unclear whether this person was being pretentious or not, but upon hearing the name "Xu Shiyue," the previously calm expression on their face instantly became unnatural.
Yesterday you were speaking so confidently, but today you're already scared before even watching the video?
She thought she was so amazing.
Lu Shizhen snorted coldly in her heart, and then she heard the sound of high heels walking away.
Teacher Chen stood next to the computer connected to the projector, plugged in the USB drive, and said to the symphony orchestra members in the room, "Let's take a look together."
She understood why Lu Shizhen chose this time, and of course, she could also see who had asked Lu Shizhen to come at this time.
A love for talent is a common trait among all teachers, and she especially favored Xu Shiyue.
Actually, this recording wasn't necessary. As long as Xu Shiyue agreed, she could have made her sit in the chief seat. But since she had already planned it, she was willing to go with the flow and make it legitimate for her.
The roses swayed gently in the wind, and a few strands of Xu Shiyue's long hair were lifted by the breeze, causing her raven-feather-like eyelashes to droop slightly.
The girl held the bow with ease, and the music flowed slowly and gently from the speaker like an autumn stream.
The sound system in the rehearsal room was a million times better than headphones. Lu Shizhen stood there, and even though she had watched the video many times, she was still drawn into Xu Shiyue's music.
Freedom, longing, melancholy, anger...
Various complex and contrasting emotions intertwine in the music, yet are expressed by the strings drawn by the bow without any sense of disorder.
Lu Shizhen stared at Xu Shiyue on the big screen, her calm eyes surging with emotion.
Xu Shiyue was cold and distant towards herself and the world, only showing this rare relaxation when she was engrossed in her own affairs.
The endless roses were merely a backdrop to her beauty, which left people speechless with its grace and composure.
Lu Shizhen suddenly wished that Xu Shiyue could stay like this forever.
And she was meant to stay like that forever.
"As expected of Xu Shiyue, her performance is still so perfect."
"You think she dropped out of school because some music academy poached her? With her skills, even after what happened to her family, any music academy would be willing to accept her without tuition fees. That's the level of talent of a principal."
"Of course! Isn't this better than someone who was still playing a single wrong note yesterday?"
"She's more than just strong. As long as Xu Shiyue is around, no one can be her chief."
...
The melodious sound of the cello surrounded everyone in the orchestra, and the surrounding chatter piled up one after another.
Sunlight streamed through the glass of the corridor into the rehearsal room, illuminating Sun Chenchen's position with the best light source. This not only made her stand out during the orchestra rehearsal but also clearly captured her expression and demeanor.
Pride turns to ashes. Whether it was arrogance or haughtiness, the head that was proudly raised yesterday suddenly sank down, like a clown who stole the queen's crown but couldn't bear its weight.
Ultimately, who is inferior to whom?
Was it a natural talent that led to her learning the piano at the age of three, or a natural talent that she only started learning in elementary school?
And who is it that is unworthy of their position?
As the music ended, a hint of joy appeared on Teacher Chen's composed expression.
She stood in front of everyone and spoke fairly: "Everyone has seen Shiyue's level. Our orchestra has precedents of students who have taken a leave of absence from school participating in activities normally, but due to special circumstances, Xu Shiyue cannot guarantee to attend every rehearsal, so I would like to ask for everyone's opinion on the selection of the principal this time."
"Those who agree that Xu Shiyue should continue to serve as chief, please raise your hands."
As soon as Teacher Chen finished speaking, the students in the orchestra raised their hands one after another.
The rows of slender, fair-skinned girls were a striking sight, but Sun Chenchen's expression was grim. Her hands, which hung limply, gripped the neck of the violin tightly, filled with a self-satisfied resentment.
“That way we won’t have to vote for anyone else.” Teacher Chen finally showed her first satisfied smile of the semester. “Our future training will follow Shiyue’s video, and everyone should cooperate to get closer to Shiyue’s version.”
People with real talent are more likely to gain respect, even with a bit of privilege. The students in the orchestra gave a particularly straightforward answer.
After everything settled down, Lu Shizhen answered some of Teacher Chen's concerns about Xu Shiyue, said some words to reassure Teacher Chen, and then left the orchestra without waiting.
There is one, most, most important thing she hasn't done yet.
—I wanted to share the good news with Xu Shiyue.
The midday sun was bright and radiant, warmly bathing Xu Shiyue on her way back to her room.
She didn't have the habit of staying in the living room, and estimating that it was almost time, she went back to her room after finishing lunch.
Sure enough, the moment the door lock clicked shut, her phone vibrated in her pocket.
Xu Shiyue answered the phone skillfully. As soon as she responded with a "hello", a girl's joyful voice came from the other end: "It's done, it's done! Teacher Chen and everyone else have agreed that you are still the chief. Sun Chenchen's face is as sour as a rotten gourd. You didn't see it."
Perhaps because she lost her sight, Xu Shiyue was always able to capture other senses very accurately.
She could hear every word Lu Shizhen said clearly, and even the laughter in her voice was palpable.
Unlike the subtle meaning behind their past interactions, their smiles now seemed flamboyant, yet not offensive.
It is straightforward and clean; it can shine like the sun even for something that has nothing to do with her interests.
The sunlight outside the window shone through the glass and fell on Xu Shiyue's shoulder, casting a bright glare in her vision.
Xu Shiyue didn't particularly like people who mocked or ridiculed others, but whether it was because this person was someone she wanted to get revenge on, or for some other reason, a smile crept into her heart.
"Okay, I understand."
Xu Shiyue answered softly, her voice carrying away much of her emotion as it passed through the phone's receiver.
She didn't initiate any conversation with Lu Shizhen, and the two ends of the phone fell silent.
Lu Shizhen tightened her grip on her phone, somewhat annoyed that she had just revealed the outcome of the matter and Sun Chenchen's expression.
This was something that could have brought her and Xu Shiyue closer.
Now that everything has been said, what else can I say to her?
Making conversation, Lu Shizhen asked, "Um, have you had lunch?"
"I ate," Xu Shiyue replied.
"Oh." Scratching her head, Lu Shizhen, who was not good at dealing with this kind of situation, chose to escape: "I haven't eaten yet, I'm going to go get some food first."
Just as Lu Shizhen was about to hang up the phone, she heard a soft voice calling her name again: "Lu Shizhen".
It was Xu Shiyue's voice.
As if by reflex, Lu Shizhen quickly put the phone to her ear again and said, "I'm still here."
The osmanthus branches swayed on the window, and sunlight shone through the golden buds onto Xu Shiyue's face, revealing no emotion.
She didn't know why she suddenly called out to Lu Shizhen; she just felt it was a bit rushed to hang up the phone like that.
The girl pursed her lips slightly, paused for a moment, and then said, "Thank you."
The voice was soft and gentle, just like always, yet it seemed slightly different from before.
Lu Shizhen's eyes suddenly lit up, and her lonely heart burst into a burst of light like a firework, exploding brilliantly in the sky, like stars surrounding her.
Lu Shizhen was overjoyed.
It's not just the kind of utilitarian happiness that comes with points.
Over these past few days, she had heard Xu Shiyue thank her far too many times.
But this was the first time she had specifically called out to thank him like she did today.
It's as if the distance has been shortened.
Finally, after Lu Shizhen ran many steps toward Xu Shiyue, Xu Shiyue also took a small step toward her.
That noon, Lu Shizhen ate two bowls of rice in one go and also packed a chicken leg for Qiuqiu.
Although I've already said thank you, it wouldn't be unreasonable to give myself a little extra credit, right?
Thinking this, Lu Shizhen propped her head up and waited and waited.
From the moment I hung up the phone at noon until the bell rang for the end of the two consecutive Chinese classes in the afternoon, his expectant and hopeful look was like that of a woman waiting for her husband.
Instead of receiving extra points, I was summoned to the disciplinary office.
A classmate walked up to Lu Shizhen's seat and said, "Lu Shizhen, Director Dou wants to see you at the Academic Affairs Office."
"Huh?" Lu Shizhen looked surprised.
She has never been to any disciplinary office.
Moreover, in various novels, nothing good ever comes of going to the disciplinary office.
The senior high school teaching building was very close to the school's office building, and Lu Shizhen quickly arrived at the teaching affairs office.
Her hand rested on the doorknob, her anxiety even greater than when she pushed open the door to the symphony orchestra's rehearsal room at noon.
After saying "Report," Lu Shizhen pushed open the door.
As soon as I entered the door, I was stunned by that familiar crying sound.
Sun Chenchen leaned against her mother's chest, tears streaming down her face.
When Lu Shizhen saw the medical gauze at noon, it had been removed, leaving a bright red mark on her right cheek, with a deeper handprint than the one from yesterday.
Lu Shizhen felt a surge of anger, as if she had been falsely accused. She looked at Sun Chenchen with utter disgust.
But then she noticed that amidst the weeping, a stunningly beautiful woman was sitting remarkably calmly on the sofa opposite Sun Chenchen.
Her thick, black hair was styled in large, wavy curls, and the bright red suit did nothing to diminish her fair complexion; on the contrary, it made her even more beautiful.
Lu Shizhen was stunned for a moment.
It wasn't just because of this beautiful woman, but also because of the aloof and unapproachable person sitting next to her.
Xu Shiyue sat here for some reason.
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