"Wait, did you write all of this?"
Looking at the densely packed lyrics in her hands, Shen Ruoyan could hardly believe it. She never expected that her childhood friend possessed such a stunning talent. The crucial thing was that she had just listened to a preview, and he had truly performed it in a rap style. It was not only unique in its style but also incredibly pleasant to hear!
"Don't be obsessed with me, I'm just a legend~"
"Go to hell!"
Shen Ruoyan originally wanted to imitate Huang Yuzhen and twist Su Ming’s ear, but he dodged quickly, not giving her a chance at all. He couldn't let his ear get twisted again! Su Ming had no desire to make a cameo as the one-eared rat from the *Black Cat Detective* cartoons.
"But you didn't sing this part here, and you even marked it specifically—what does that mean?" Shen Ruoyan gestured to the lyrics, noting that there was even some English mixed in.
To this, Su Ming just smiled without answering.
"You—why do you keep staring at me?"
"Beautiful Miss Shen, would you be willing to appear as my special guest?"
"Me? Are you sure?"
Shen Ruoyan truly hadn't expected Su Ming to arrange a part for her. However, upon seeing the expectant look in his eyes, she found she had no reason to refuse. She was a gentle and kind girl; she had always been that way. In truth, to outsiders, Shen Ruoyan didn't come across as cold or unapproachable; she projected a very easygoing image. But it was only when you got to know her that you realized: being classmates with Shen Ruoyan was fine, but becoming friends was difficult. Not to mention reaching the level of physical closeness that Su Ming had...
After a moment of silence, Shen Ruoyan nodded. "I'm willing!"
Her answer this time held no hesitation. Beyond the anticipation of the unknown, it was mostly a reflection of her trust in Su Ming.
"Great, then I'm taking two bottles of your shampoo."
"Hey? If you take them all, what am I supposed to use?"
"That's not my problem. You said you were willing!"
"Su Ming! If you have the guts, stick your other hand out!"
"I can't stick my hand out, but I can reach into my pocket."
...
In the blink of an eye, the New Year's Eve party arrived.
There was no unnecessary flashiness; it was just a spacious open ground covered with a red carpet. The stage was assembled on the spot—as long as it looked the part, there were no real sticklers for formality. Lanterns lit with candles were hung all around, creating a jubilant atmosphere. It was New Year's Eve, after all; it was meant to be lively. In this era where there were no compensatory workdays and traditional festivals were highly valued, the first day of the New Year was a symbol of good fortune in both the North and the South.
The students were full of enthusiasm, quickly surrounding the stage three layers deep. Fandou High School, where Su Ming attended, was considered a key school, and fortunately, the higher-ups were open-minded and very supportive of students showcasing their talents at the New Year's gala.
On stage: "Hello, teachers and students!"
"I am your host for tonight's New Year's party, Bi Luochun!"
The first to appear was naturally the host. She held a simple microphone connected to a black speaker nearby, keeping things down-to-earth. It was said she was an outside hire, someone the school had specifically brought in as a professional. Since they had never seen such a beautiful face before, the male students were left dumbstruck.
"Wow! She's so pretty! If I could marry her as my wife, I'd die happy!"
"What are you thinking about? Asking for a beating again?"
"She's alright. Compared to the average girl, she definitely has a lot of class. But when you put her next to Shen Ruoyan or Liu Rumeng, she still feels like something is missing."
"That's true. Our school's two campus belles are famous far and wide."
"Speaking of which, I suddenly thought of Su Ming! That kid actually hugged my goddess while he was 'injured' a while back. I'm so furious I'm shaking!"
"I heard that kid has a performance today. Let's go buy some eggs and rotten cabbage; they'll be useful later!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion, adding to the already lively atmosphere.
"Alright, everyone! First, let's invite our principal, Li Tie, to the stage for a speech."
Accompanied by the enthusiastic applause of the students, a middle-aged man with a protruding belly walked onto the stage. Generally, students couldn't focus on speeches from people of this rank.
"Balala energy..."
The principal droned on and on with bureaucratic platitudes, just going through the motions. What the students were actually looking forward to were the talent shows that followed. After all, technology in 2002 wasn't very advanced, so live performances were the mainstream.
"Here we go!"
"First, I'd like to thank Principal Li Tie, and now for our first program—a passionate recitation brought to you by Liang Zhichao from Class Six, Grade Two!"
It was time! The most anticipated part had finally arrived! From here on out, the principal and the teachers wouldn't have much of a role; it was basically time for the students to party. When Liang Zhichao appeared, his best friends immediately gave him thunderous applause.
"Damn it!"
"This kid has good connections! He must have paid for the audience!"
Zhang Wei, watching from below, couldn't contain himself when he thought about his good brother taking the stage soon. And so, the usually stingy Zhang Wei took out his long-treasured snacks. He didn't care if the people next to him knew him or not; he started distributing bribes.
"When my brother gets on stage in a minute, you have to cheer as loud as you can. We have to crush the popularity contest!"
"These potato chips are expensive, a special treat from '82. Don't let me lose money on this, okay?"
After giving his instructions, Zhang Wei had done everything he could.
On stage, Liang Zhichao held his script and began a passionate recitation under the expectant gaze of the crowd.
"Students!"
"I have quit *Contra*, I have thrown away my discs. I have braved the stars and the moon, and I have charged forward fearlessly!"
"Just to prove that my fate is in my own hands, not the heavens'!"
"Finally! I've made it into the top ten of my class! The top hundred in the grade!"
"Students, you must study hard, get into a top university, and repay your parents and your teachers!"
The passionate and fluid recitation was met with a round of applause. The vice-principal, in particular, cheered loudly from below the stage. Oh, right, the vice-principal was also named Liang.
"Whoa!"
"What a positive speech! Let's give him another round of applause, shall we?"
"And next, a hilarious crosstalk performance. Let's welcome Ma Niu and Jin Longyu from Class Three, Grade Three!"
Soon, these two students brought a wonderful performance to everyone. As the saying goes, "in every trade, there is a master." It wasn't just test scores that defined everything; talent would always receive a certain level of support. After that came dances, skits... Though the students' professional level might have been average, they at least brought joy and bore witness to the sweat of their efforts.
"And now, for the final act—a song written and performed by Su Ming!"
"Let's give him a round of applause!!!"
When the host announced "written and performed by himself" in a booming voice, the prestige of the act was already maximized. Being able to compose a song while focusing on studies was, in itself, another manifestation of talent. But whether he was a mule or a horse, he had to be brought out for a stroll.
"Cheer for me!"
"Give it everything you've got!"
Before Su Ming even appeared, Zhang Wei’s "atmosphere team" had already started working. Those '82 chips were powerful; they made people feel incredibly spirited, and their voices had grown louder too.
"Is this for real? Is Su Ming really this popular?"
"Hard to say. I've seen him in person; he is pretty handsome."
"Sigh, it's a pity. They say he's a deep-hearted person who fell under Liu Rumeng's spell."
"That's not right. The version I heard isn't like that. He and Shen Ruoyan are childhood sweethearts; what does he have to do with Liu Rumeng?"
"You guys are all out of the loop! There's a rumor that this self-composed song is actually for Liu Rumeng!"
Hearing the gossip around her, Liu Rumeng couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile. Yes, this was the vanity she craved! Su Ming was just a useful prop; in reality, it was the praise of others that Liu Rumeng truly wanted. The better Su Ming performed, the more face she had!
"Rumeng, you look so good when you smile; you should smile more often." The one who said this was inevitably Zhao Yuanhua, one of Liu Rumeng’s two biggest bootlickers.
"Also, you don't actually believe that kid can write a good song, do you?"
"I think it's possible. At the very least, his voice is better than yours."
"Heh, Rumeng, you don't understand yet. When you pull back your blanket and it's filled with red banknotes, you'll know what really matters."
Just as Zhao Yuanhua finished speaking, the scene suddenly fell silent. The lights flickered, and the atmosphere shifted. Amidst the anticipation of the masses, Su Ming took the stage! He had dressed up specifically for today, changing into clean clothes. Most importantly, the kid had washed his hair! It was easy to foresee just how important a day this was for him. This dashing appearance captured the high-spirited nature of youth perfectly. There was no need for excess praise; one only needed to hear the chorus of "wows" from the female students below.
Not only that, even the usually aloof Liu Rumeng couldn't help but steal another glance. "This guy... he really is qualified to pursue me..."
The scene shifted again, and everyone's eyes remained fixed on Su Ming. He switched on the microphone, his voice resonant and firm.
"Good evening, fellow students and teachers."
"I will now be performing a rap-style love song."
"The title is—*Rashomon*."
He raised his hand as a signal, and the stage lights dimmed slightly. Then, a piano melody—no one knew where he had found it—slowly began to drift from the large speakers.
"Shh!"
"Follow!"