Eight Schools Mock Joint Examination
Jin Can sat on an unused prop box backstage, holding her somewhat old guzheng in her arms.
The semi-finals are about to begin, it would be a lie to say I'm not nervous.
With her eyes lowered, she gently traced the zither strings with her fingernails again and again, producing an almost inaudible hum, as if soothing this silent comrade-in-arms who was about to go to war with her, and also as if soothing her own heart that was beating wildly like a drum.
Next to her were classmates hurriedly changing into formal attire and applying makeup, while she herself was bare-faced, wearing her sports uniform.
"I'm sorry... Anyway, just play however you want later. It doesn't matter if you lose, since our project has already failed anyway." Shi Yanxi called out to Jin Can before the competition.
Did their project fail?
Jin Can thought to herself that she had been forced onto this stage to complete a system "task" that she herself didn't quite understand.
Now that the system has crashed and the mission has failed, she seems to have lost her reason for having to stand here.
She can leave now.
Going back to the classroom to do a set of math problems is much better than sitting here on pins and needles.
But... do we really have to leave?
Jin Can's gaze fell on the guzheng in front of him.
She recalled that during the preliminary round, although she played haltingly, the long-lost sense of familiarity and excitement she felt when her fingertips touched the cold strings was real and genuine.
The mother-of-pearl inlay patterns on the zither have become smooth and lustrous from being rubbed by fingertips during long practice, shimmering with a soft light.
This was a gift from her parents when she was very young. In a time when pianos and violins were all the rage, she had a particular fondness for this ancient instrument.
She loved its clear, melodious tone, as gentle as a flowing spring and as serene as a deep valley.
However, as academic studies became more demanding and various pressures increased, this passion gradually faded and became a tool for exams and competitions, eventually being completely forgotten in a corner of the room.
It was the system, and the three of them, who, in a bizarre way, made her pick it up again.
If you want to work hard, force yourself; if you want to give up, do so casually; come and go as you please...
"I'm so angry!" Jin Can thought.
Since we're already here, why leave?
Why should she give up this stage that belongs to her just because of the success or failure of an already absurd task?
I'm going to poop a big one!
"Next contestant, Jin Can, please get ready," a staff member called out from the doorway.
Jin Can took a deep breath and stood up.
"I want to play a piece I like," she thought to herself.
When the spotlight shone on her, Jin Can was dazzling for a moment.
She could see the dense crowd below the stage, and the serious faces of the judges, faces that seemed to freeze the air. Holding her guzheng, she walked to the center of the stage, sat down quietly, and set up the instrument.
According to the procedure, she needs to state her song.
She picked up the microphone, and her clear voice resonated throughout the auditorium through the speakers: "The piece I'm going to play today is an adaptation of a popular online song called 'Senbonzakura'."
As soon as he finished speaking, a barely suppressed commotion arose from the audience, mixed with scattered applause.
On the judges' panel, an older teacher even frowned, seemingly extremely dissatisfied.
Jin Can ignored the whispers and put down the microphone, placing her hands on the zither strings. The whole world fell silent instantly.
She closed her eyes, her mind devoid of sheet music or techniques, only filled with that melody that made her sway along every time she heard it.
Then, she moved.
The first note that rang out surprised everyone.
That wasn't the traditional "sweeping" of the guzheng, but rather a "scratching" with a metallic quality, like lightning tearing through the night.
Immediately afterwards, a series of explosive rhythms poured out from under her fingers, igniting the entire space.
She completely abandoned the ethereal style of playing the guzheng, and her body swayed to the rhythm.
The zither strings produced a wild, psychedelic sound under her hands, full of electronic music elements.
The audience was shocked and unconsciously swayed to the rhythm.
On the judges' panel, some frowned, while others were surprised.
Jin Can was immersed in it, not for the competition, but for the self who once loved life but lost happiness in the process of growing up.
The last string plucked abruptly, and the auditorium fell silent.
She opened her eyes, looked at the shocked faces below the stage, and felt at peace.
The outcome of this match is actually not important.
Someone, I don’t know who, was the first to clap. It sounded particularly abrupt in the silence, but it was like a pebble thrown into a lake, instantly creating ripples.
Then, a second, a third... applause quickly spread from the back of the audience to the front, eventually merging into a single burst.
The students stood up, whistling and cheering loudly.
They may not understand the techniques of the guzheng, nor the catchy tune, but they can feel the vibrant life force and the courage to break through all shackles in the music.
That sincerity and passion is more moving than any technically perfect but soulless classical masterpiece.
On the judges' panel, several judges gave a token applause.
Although the older teacher did not applaud, his gaze fell on Jin Can, and his initial anger seemed to have been replaced by a more complex scrutiny.
Jin Can stood up and bowed deeply to the audience.
She knew she had no chance of making it to the finals.
But she also knew that she had won something more precious than a spot in the finals, and she felt very happy now.
The result of the competition was no surprise; Jin Can's name did not appear on the list of finalists.
She calmly accepted the result, packed up her guzheng, and walked out of the auditorium.
The sun was shining brightly, its warmth dispelling the chilly, tense atmosphere backstage.
Chao Ningning, Zhou Yu, and Shi Yanxi were already waiting by the flower bed in the center of the campus.
The three figures appeared somewhat unreal in the sunlight, as if they might vanish at any moment.
“We saw it, a great performance.” Zhou Yu spoke first, still expressionless, but Jin Can knew there was a hint of sadness in her voice that she had never seen before.
"Our plan has completely failed." Shi Yanxi's gaze towards Jin Can softened considerably.
“Ge Ouchen was also in the audience just now and watched your entire performance…”
"Huh?" Jin Can suddenly became a little shy.
"Our initial goal was to make you a winner in the traditional sense, to keep pace with Ge Ouchen. But instead, you guys just blew up the system."
Jin Can scratched his head: "Sorry."
"It was a lucky accident, but everyone's happy." She adjusted her glasses again, a relieved smile playing on her lips.
So, this mission, which started inexplicably, ended in an equally inexplicable way.
The three remained silent for a moment, and the atmosphere in the garden suddenly became somewhat heavy.
"So..." Jin Can looked at them, "you're leaving?"
"Yes, we're going home." Shi Yanxi nodded, stepped forward to pat Jin Can's shoulder, but stopped halfway through her hand and just smiled.
"Jin Can, you must take good care of yourself from now on. Don't let other people's expectations hold you hostage anymore. Just like you were on stage today, do what you want to do."
Zhou Yu also came over, took out a beautifully packaged chocolate from her pocket, and stuffed it into Jin Can's hand: "There's a lot of sugar in this world, remember to eat more."
He paused, then added softly, "You look better when you smile than when you cry."
Finally, there's Chao Ningning.
She stood before Jin Can, her gaze calm.
"Jin Can, we're leaving. But remember, the question of 'What kind of person do I want to become' is not dependent on anyone's existence. Even if the system and we are gone, you can, and should, continue to think about it."
Her voice had a calming and guiding quality.
"This is a question that runs through a person's entire life, and there's no need to rush to find the answer right now. Allow yourself to be confused, allow yourself to make mistakes, and allow yourself to slowly explore and shape the future in the river of time."
Jin Can's eyes suddenly felt hot.
These three people who suddenly barged into her life pushed and pulled her out of that conventional but lifeless campus life in an absurd way.
Now, they're leaving.
She looked at the three of them, a thousand words stuck in her throat, but in the end, they only turned into a soft "...thank you".
Thank you for showing me another possibility.
The three of them smiled at her.
"Hey, aliens!" Shi Yanxi shouted, pointing behind Jin Can.
Jin Can subconsciously turned his head, his gaze passing over the flower bed and looking at Ge Ouchen, who was walking out of the auditorium with the crowd of spectators not far away.
Sunlight shone on his white shirt, outlining his clean silhouette.
He walked away peacefully, occasionally exchanging a few words with the students around him.
He still seems to be the same old Dog Bro, with excellent grades, self-discipline, and composure.
But something was different; he looked relaxed and more at ease.
Jin Can suddenly felt that he had found a small, temporary entry point into Chao Ningning's grand proposition.
What kind of person should I become?
Looking at Ge Ouchen's retreating figure, she felt that taking "Brother Dog" as a role model for the moment seemed like a good idea.
It's not about imitating him or catering to anyone's expectations, but about learning his pure, upward-looking focus.
First, strive to become a better version of yourself than you were yesterday.
Jin Can said to himself.
because--
"Our duty as students is to study right now."
When she turned around again, there was no one in front of her.
The next day, all sorts of bizarre and outlandish news began to circulate on campus.
First, Zhou Yu from Class 4 of Grade 11 was in a car accident.
The news was quite detailed, saying that this morning she was hit by a truck and thrown into the green belt while trying to save a stray cat that suddenly darted out, and died on the spot.
Jin Can sat in his seat, twirling a pen in his hand, listening expressionlessly.
She had only one thought in her mind: This guy, who seemed so cold on the surface, chose such a dramatic way to go offline. His character has completely gone out of character. This is just too much.
So much so that the news of Chao Ningning transferring schools to participate in competitions and Shi Yanxi's family immigrating to North America seemed so ordinary...
Car accidents, competitions, going abroad...
Jin Can lay face down on the table, his forehead pressed against the cold surface, his shoulders trembling slightly involuntarily.
What a dramatic and meticulously planned farewell spectacle!
The three of you even have such bizarre ways of saying goodbye; the competition is fierce.
He left, but he still left a lasting mark on the legend of No. 2 Middle School.
She vented her frustrations, and the sadness she felt from parting was somewhat lessened by this sense of absurdity.
Without the system, without the "task issuer," and without the "harem" surrounding her and Ge Ouchen, Jin Can's life seemed to be instantly muted, returning to its former tranquility.
No, not entirely.
After all, her heart is no longer the same.
With the end of the semester fast approaching, the latest news released by the Academic Affairs Office has sent chills down everyone's spines: the final exams for Grade 11 students this semester will be a mock joint exam with seven other key high schools in the city with the highest teaching quality.
This means that the difficulty of the exam will be hellish, and the rankings will no longer be limited to the school itself, but will be a brutal city-wide ranking.
The news sent shockwaves through the entire grade, and a tense atmosphere of studying permeated the air.
Jin Can sat in his seat, looked at the date circled in red on his schedule, and let out a long sigh.
Without systematic skills, there are no shortcuts to rely on.
From now on, she must rely on herself to take every step.
To become a better version of myself than yesterday, I need to be more attentive and work harder than before.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com