Absorbing Fresh Blood

“So that’s how it is. Zhixia and Linlin are leaving the club?” Ye Shuang wasn’t surprised by this. After all, Zhixia and Linlin were both about to graduate, and most fourth-year students spent their final year doing internships. If they wanted to continue playing music, they also had to consider their futures.

“If you really want to pursue your dreams, the process is bound to be painful, and you may not even get the result you want,” Ye Shuang said.

Besides, in the very act of pursuing your dreams, you might lose the things you originally wanted. After all, who starts out dreaming of owning a home of their own?

Although Ye Shuang felt regretful about Zhixia and Linlin leaving the club, there was nothing that could be done about it. It wasn’t as though they could really do what Keke had suggested and repeat a year. Thinking of this, Ye Shuang turned to the two girls.

“If that’s the case, why not let the Light Music Club recruit some fresh blood? You can also take this opportunity to make some new friends.” Ye Shuang smiled slightly and continued.

“So we really do have to recruit new members?” Tang Keke asked. “If we don’t have enough people, will the club be disbanded?”

“Disbanded?” Ye Shuang thought about it. In reality, that wouldn’t happen. He could simply speak to Grandpa An Shi about the club. Besides, An Shiyu and Anshi Yi were members, so there was no way things would get to that point.

Even the student council would be willing to give An Shiyu some consideration. As the granddaughter of the school’s largest shareholder, there was no reason for her club to be disbanded just because it lacked members.

“In any case, let’s expand our membership first,” Ye Shuang said. He certainly didn’t want to see Keke and Bai Yuyou give up and refuse to recruit anyone. After all, this would also help the two of them develop their ability to handle troublesome matters—experience they could put to use in society later on.

Without a doubt, Ye Shuang hoped that Keke and Bai Yuyou would eventually become capable managers.

“All right.” Tang Keke and Bai Yuyou exchanged a glance.

After lunch, it was time for the opening ceremony. As the school doctor, Ye Shuang was also considered a member of the faculty and staff, so he had to attend as well. He was merely allowed to stand off to the side, in a relatively inconspicuous corner.

More than ten thousand students gathered on the sports field, forming a vast, dark mass. Since it was the beginning of a new semester, many of the newly enrolled students were looking around curiously, apparently hoping to find some pretty upperclassmen or underclassmen.

“Damn, that one’s gorgeous.”

“That girl’s pretty too. All the girls at this school are insanely beautiful.”

“I don’t know why they have to wear uniforms, but they really do look good in them.”

“You didn’t know? These uniforms were personally designed by our school’s chairman. Both the boys’ and girls’ versions look amazing.”

The students chattered among themselves, their eyes darting around almost nonstop. Before long, however, many of them noticed Bai Yuyou and Tang Keke in the crowd. Even though they were wearing the same uniforms as everyone else, their overwhelmingly striking appearances made the girls around them seem dull by comparison.

“Damn, that girl is beautiful. And so pale.”

“What year is she in?”

“She’s a sixth-year student, Upperclasswoman Bai Yuyou. She’s pretty famous at our academy and sings really well. And if you get closer, she’s even prettier. Completely flawless from every angle.”

“Does she have a boyfriend?”

“I don’t think so. But you can forget about her. She’s incredibly aloof. You’d have better luck trying to win over the Big Backpack next to her.”

“That one doesn’t have a boyfriend either?”

“Yeah, but she’s always with Upperclasswoman Bai Yuyou.”

“Sounds difficult…”

Asking who Bai Yuyou was during opening ceremonies and other events had practically become a traditional pastime for the students. Bai Yuyou had also gradually come to be known as Upperclasswoman Bai Yuyou.

By this point, Bai Yuyou and Tang Keke had found their places and stood there without paying any attention to the gazes around them. Instead, they were thinking about the Light Music Club. They were both already accustomed to being the center of attention wherever they went—one because of her looks, and the other because of her figure.

“Big Brother wants us to recruit new members…”

“Mm.”

Bai Yuyou could tell that Tang Keke wasn’t very willing. It was, after all, a fairly troublesome task. Merely screening applicants would be complicated, and more importantly, Tang Keke’s musical ability wasn’t particularly strong. She had essentially been getting by on autopilot, so Tang Keke didn’t think she was qualified to be in charge of recruiting new members.

Having someone unprofessional evaluate professionals was obviously not appropriate.

“Keke, actually, anyone who’s interested can join the club,” Bai Yuyou said. After all, she hadn’t known how to play any instruments or understood music when she first joined. Back then, Ye Shuang had fully supported her in learning, while Zhixia and Linlin had taught her how to play instruments. That was how she had gotten to where she was today.

“As long as they’re interested in the Light Music Club, they can join.”

“That does make some sense.” Tang Keke began to think it over. At the very least, she couldn’t let the Light Music Club decline under her watch.

“All right. Let’s go recruit some new members!”

Just then, a voice came over the broadcast system.

“Testing, testing. All right, one, two, three.”

“Testing, testing. You bring the salt, I’ll bring the vinegar.”

It seemed someone was adjusting the equipment. Soon, the girl’s voice rang out again.

“Hello, everyone. I’m Luo Xi. Welcome to this year’s opening ceremony.”

Cheers rose from the students below. As the host, Luo Xi was quite popular among the student body. Hearing their cheers, she continued.

“I wonder whether everyone had a good rest over the summer vacation…”

After a brief opening address, Luo Xi didn’t waste time with unnecessary chatter. Instead, she went over the academy’s rules and regulations. These remarks were primarily directed at the new students, since Silver Mountain Academy’s rules were quite different from those of most other schools. Going through them was a necessary part of the ceremony every year.

Once she had finished, it was time for the school chairman’s speech.

After Grandpa An Shi accepted the microphone from Luo Xi, he smiled and said, “It is indeed a little hot today, and you’ve all worked hard. All right, enough with the formalities. Enjoy your campus life, everyone. You’re dismissed.”

“Class advisers and homeroom teachers, please lead your students back to their classrooms in an orderly manner.”

Some of the new students had assumed that the school chairman would be like the principals at other schools and drone on for ages. When they heard those words, quite a few of them were left stunned. The weather was extremely hot, and a chairman who showed such consideration for the students was truly rare.

“Ye Shuang, come to the office.”

Another announcement came over the broadcast.

Ye Shuang, who had been standing in a corner, was stunned when he heard it. He didn’t think much of it, however. Once most of the students had left, he turned around and headed toward the school chairman’s office.