Best Male Singer and Best Female Singer

Over by the stage, a few students who had also prepared singing programs exchanged glances, their expressions none too pleasant.

"We're doomed. One of the singing slots is probably going to be taken."

"How does their class have this kind of talent..."

"Do you think it's too late to switch acts now?"

"Too late. You've only prepared one song."

"..."

The students who had prepared dance, recitation, and comedy skits, on the other hand, all looked relaxed. Some even shouted "Bravo!" as they clapped.

After all, they weren't competing for the same slots. The better the singing, the more they enjoyed it.

At the judges' table, a few teachers leaned in to exchange a few brief words.

Director Huang twirled his pen between his fingers a couple of times, finally putting it down on his scoring sheet. He nodded toward the stage.

The music teacher was the first to stand up. "That was a lovely song. Both of your voices have their own unique qualities. Unfortunately, the guitar playing was a bit rough, and there were some issues with your breath control."

Fang Jun immediately shrank back and could only nod repeatedly.

"But, there's still time to practice. I'll give you some personal guidance when the time comes."

With that, the music teacher sat down.

Those words essentially meant the art festival performance was as good as settled.

The two of them expressed their thanks once more before turning and walking offstage.

Fang Jun was still shaky as he came down from the stage, his guitar in hand.

Luo Ruiyu walked beside him. Neither of them spoke. They didn't say a word until they reached a corner of the auditorium, where Luo Ruiyu leaned against the wall and let out a long breath.

"I almost forgot the first line of the lyrics when I went up there," she said.

Fang Jun turned his head to look at her. "...If you'd given me a hint, I would have started singing."

"It was too late. Luckily, I remembered the beat."

Fang Jun didn't know whether to be happy or miserable.

He was happy that their act had passed, but miserable because they'd probably have to perform on the real stage. At that time, they'd be facing the entire school, not just a couple hundred people crammed into today's auditorium.

Back to Lin Mo and the others.

An Yuexin immediately applauded. "Let's welcome the Best Male Singer and Best Female Singer!"

Fang Jun rolled his eyes. "Cut it out. It'll be a real joke if we get dropped later."

"Have some confidence. You passed, at least," Lin Mo said, patting Fang Jun on the shoulder.

Fang Jun talked tough, but he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from twitching upward. He was practically walking on air.

An Yuexin muttered under his breath, "Look at him. He's totally faking it."

Lin Mo pulled out his phone, swiped a finger, and directly uploaded a clip he had recorded earlier into the class group chat.

By the time Fang Jun realized what was happening, it was too late.

"Damn it! Old Mo, are you trying to get me killed?!"

"The masses have sharp eyes. What are you afraid of?" Lin Mo said, shoving his phone back into his pocket with a look of smug self-satisfaction, as if he had done a good deed.

An Yuexin doubled over laughing. "Fang Jun, congratulations. The whole class knows now."

Fang Jun was so angry he lifted his foot to kick Lin Mo, but An Yuexin grabbed him from behind.

"Stop! You two, stop right now!"

"Luo Ruiyu sings really well too," Jiang Yunlu said from the side. "I think Luo Ruiyu is definitely the Best Female Singer."

Luo Ruiyu was taken aback.

She had been fine on stage earlier, but being complimented so directly to her face made her ears turn red.

Luckily, her skin was a bit darker, so it wasn't too noticeable.

"Thank you..." Her voice was much quieter than it had been on stage.

An Yuexin seized the moment to lean in. "Luo Ruiyu, I think you and Fang Jun should form a duo and debut. Call it 'Big Yu, Little Jun'."

"Get lost!"

Fang Jun and Luo Ruiyu said it in unison.

That shout made the whole group burst out laughing. Even Luo Ruiyu couldn't help but laugh herself.

After a while of joking and roughhousing, the group didn't hang around the auditorium much longer.

The remaining acts had little to do with them anymore.

A stand-up comedy act from Class Eight had already been eliminated.

The guy had prepared well enough, but he lacked any real stage experience. Once he got up there, his rhythm completely collapsed. His punchlines fell flat, and the judges simply shook their heads.

There was no way around it—writing a good stand-up routine was one thing; delivering it well on stage was another.

Back in the classroom, the class group chat had already exploded.

Almost everyone had seen the video Lin Mo posted. The moment Fang Jun pushed open the classroom door, he was met with a dozen eyes.

"Ooh, if it isn't the Best Male Singer and Best Female Singer!"

The boys by the window stood up and clapped, their applause somewhere between sarcastic and sincere.

"Don't forget us when you're famous!"

Fang Jun didn't even know where to put his hands. "Alright, alright, it's just an art festival act. You guys are seriously..."

"No seats!" A boy in the front row slammed his desk and cut him off. "Fang Jun, how come your English songs sound so good? Your English in class doesn't sound anything like that!"

That comment got a round of laughter.

Fang Jun's pronunciation in English class was indeed a world apart from when he sang.

"Singing and talking are different!" Fang Jun finally found some confidence. "You don't stutter when you sing either."

The boy shot back: "...You're the one who stutters."

A few classmates crowded around, chattering nonstop, praising Fang Jun for suiting English songs, asking what music he usually listened to, whether he had covered anything else.

Fang Jun was overwhelmed by the barrage of questions and kept turning his head to look back at Lin Mo, his eyes screaming: This is your fault.

Lin Mo sat at his seat, grinning like a total jerk.

Some of the girls were complimenting Luo Ruiyu too, mostly those who had gotten closer to her in the past few days. They praised her voice and asked if she had any vocal training.

Luo Ruiyu shook her head, saying no, which made them even more surprised.

The classroom was buzzing with noise and lively energy.

Near the window, Cai Junhuang didn't say anything.

A test paper was spread out on her desk. Her pen had been resting on a blank in the third big question for a long time without moving.

Tomorrow, she was going to record the show.

The sounds around her felt both distant and close.

Fang Jun's name kept coming up, mixed with laughter and cheers. Every word found its way into her ears, crystal clear.

What attitude was she supposed to show?

Smile along? Compliment along?

Or just act like she didn't care and keep doing her test?

She chose the last option.

These past few days, she had been keeping her distance from Jiang Yunlu and the others too.

It wasn't exactly that she was deliberately avoiding them. It was more like she couldn't find a reason to go over to their group anymore.

Looking back, she had only been able to join that small circle because of Fang Jun.

Cai Junhuang tightened her grip on the pen and filled in an answer in the blank.

Her handwriting was neat, but the force she used was heavier than usual.

After school.

Cai Junhuang packed up her things and left quickly.

Quite a few classmates glanced at her retreating back and pursed their lips.

Lately, Cai Junhuang had been missing that spark she used to have.

She was even starting to seem perfunctory.

But no one had brought it up to her face.

By now, she was already being quietly edged out of Class Eight.

Why?

She had thought about it herself. It was because she was falling out of sync with everyone else.

But then she comforted herself: only lone beasts walk alone; cattle and sheep always flock together.

Yet, to be misunderstood is always the fate of those who express themselves.