Chapter 20

A few lonely stars dotted the quiet night sky. A cool evening breeze brushed past, scattering the redness on He Yuxuan’s cheeks.

The carefree, comfortable atmosphere still let the tipsy feeling radiate freely from his chest, spreading through his whole body. There was no need to be on guard.

The two walked side-by-side, shoulders almost touching. Neither reached out to put an arm around the other. They simply immersed themselves in the moment, walking deeper into the park.

Many of the rides were already closed, a stark contrast to the bustling, crowded scenes of the daytime. In their silence, they seemed to be contemplating something, and He Yuxuan was enjoying this tranquility just as much.

He thought Chu Ci was, too.

Actually, Chu Ci wasn’t thinking about anything at all. The only thing on his mind was the person walking beside him. He couldn’t quite explain it, but he just felt at ease.

“Fireworks,” He Yuxuan’s eyes lit up as he pointed in a certain direction.

They couldn’t see the castle clearly, but they happened to have a perfect view of the vibrant, colorful fireworks adorning the night sky, along with their reflections on the river. It felt like a calm, private celebration.

The crowds were mostly gathered around the castle, with music and laughter endlessly ringing out. They could hear some of it, but their senses were more focused on each other.

The flow of breath, the meeting of eyes, and faint expressions of enjoyment.

“Do you like watching fireworks?” Chu Ci also looked up, asking the key question.

He Yuxuan nodded and answered, “How could I not? This kind of atmosphere is great.”

“Mhm, I understand,” Chu Ci quietly noted it down in his mind.

But then he heard He Yuxuan say, “I like all beautiful and brilliant things.”

He Yuxuan, slightly tipsy, let himself get a little lost in the thought. He was someone who liked celebrations. In his past life, he had family with him, his career was booming, and everything was within reach.

Now, he would also slowly overcome every difficulty, make friends and close companions, and get the things he desired.

“Good,” Chu Ci contemplated the words and memorized them.

Right now, he had a different feeling. He Yuxuan wasn’t just some naive fool; he was actually a very perceptive person.

“Mommy, why are those two uncles at the amusement park together, too?” A little girl, about four or five years old, passing behind them mumbled quietly. Her big eyes were full of confusion, as if she couldn’t understand why two grown men were here just like little kids.

“Xuanxuan, amusement parks are so fun, anyone can come. If Grandma and Grandpa didn’t have bad hearts, they’d want to come too,” the young woman carrying the little girl said, not wanting to offend anyone.

He Yuxuan chuckled and looked back. The little girl was stunned.

She’d thought they were uncles because his companion wore a suit like her dad. She hadn’t expected such a beautiful older brother.

“Brother…”

Xuanxuan hesitated, wanting to walk forward.

Indeed, no matter one’s age, the concept of beauty was universal. Even a little girl could be captivated by a pretty boy’s charms.

But her mother held her back, unsure of what the two men were thinking. She was probably worried that He Yuxuan and Chu Ci’s relationship was special. After all, society was becoming more and more open-minded, and this situation was quite common. She didn’t want her daughter to disturb them.

“Sorry about that, kids say the darndest things.”

“It’s fine.” He Yuxuan smiled faintly and shook his head. He thought the little girl was cute, completely without guile. If he’d had candy on him, he definitely would have given it to her.

The two continued towards the Ferris wheel, their steps not hindered by anything else.

And Chu Ci spent the entire way looking at the person beside him, doing exactly what the little girl hadn’t dared to do.

Under the moonlight, Chu Ci thought the other’s slightly flushed cheeks were indescribably captivating.

The legend of the Ferris wheel was romantic and dreamlike.

However, Chu Ci, who was allergic to romance, naturally knew nothing about it. And He Yuxuan, who had never been in a relationship, hadn’t heard of it either.

But as they stood beneath the Ferris wheel, both felt a strange sensation in their hearts. Especially since, at this hour, almost everyone else coming to the Ferris wheel was a couple, surrounded by intimate, coquettish whispers.

“I heard that if lovers ride the Ferris wheel together, they’ll eventually break up. But if they kiss at the very top, they’ll stay together happily forever.”

They both overheard this and exchanged a baffled look.

He Yuxuan felt a bit weird. Even though he and the Young Master were just friends, it seemed like if they didn’t do something, they’d end up on bad terms…

Chu Ci didn’t believe in that kind of thing. As long as it was someone he liked, there was no way they could ever be separated.

The crowd wasn’t too large, so the management of the capsules was very relaxed. Basically, each couple could get their own.

The middle-aged female attendant, though unsure what to make of the two handsome young men, He Yuxuan and Chu Ci, also assigned them a capsule.

“It’s pretty nice. It’d be awkward if we had to share with others, right?” He Yuxuan said as he sat down. After all, in such an enclosed space, it was easy to sense each other.

Chu Ci thought to himself that if there was a chance of sharing with others, he’d just buy all the tickets.

The capsule slowly rose, and the scenery unfolding before their eyes gradually expanded. The fireworks show in the distance hadn’t ended yet, and the various lights throughout the amusement park filled their view.

At this moment, they were separated from everything around them. They were the only two spectators.

Before reaching the highest point, He Yuxuan felt a nervous, prickly sensation in his heart, as if just sitting there doing nothing wasn’t right.

And Chu Ci had been watching him the entire time, from start to finish.

Until that moment.

Chu Ci reached out and grasped the other’s wrist. “This way, we’ll be best friends forever.” He felt the beat of the other’s pulse and his warm body temperature, a tingling numbness still spreading across his own back.

He Yuxuan nodded readily. “Mhm!” He felt much more at ease and turned his head back to the scenery outside.

Chu Ci felt he was also part of the problem. He was often away from school, so he couldn’t always be with He Yuxuan. It was understandable for the other to make other friends, otherwise he’d be too lonely.

After he got through this busy period, he absolutely wouldn’t give anyone else an opportunity to get close.

“If you’re too bored normally, it’s fine to hang out with him. But you have to share it with me.” Chu Ci deliberately used the word “share” to avoid making his possessiveness too obvious.

Mainly, that Zhang-something looked like an ordinary straight man, not at all on He Yuxuan’s level, which was the only reason he felt barely reassured.

What had initially angered him more was simply that he hadn’t known about it, which made him feel insecure.

“Alright,” He Yuxuan agreed without overthinking it.

“Or you can come find me. I’ll find fun things for you to do,” Chu Ci added.

Although he might not have time to accompany him, he could certainly think of plenty of things for He Yuxuan to eat, drink, and enjoy to kill time. He definitely wouldn’t let him be bored.

In Chu Ci’s mind, He Yuxuan was still that simple-minded, idle pretty face with nowhere to go, someone who needed him to take good care of them.

“Okay,” He Yuxuan accepted his goodwill, but he himself was quite busy and probably wouldn’t have much time. When things got less hectic, he’d definitely go see.

“So… see you next time.” Just before the dormitory curfew, He Yuxuan was dropped off at his door by Chu Ci. He waved towards Chu Ci.

The alcohol had completely worn off, but the feeling remained. Chu Ci was indeed special to him. It made no sense to him, yet he inexplicably trusted him.

“See you next time.” Chu Ci also waved, standing at the door and watching him go in before driving away.

But he never expected that by the next time they met, his treasure would already be known to everyone.

The Drama Club’s welcome party was always the most anticipated event of the semester’s opening season. After all, no other department’s welcome event could boast the Drama Club’s level of talent and sheer visual appeal.

Thus, the free tickets distributed at various stations on the Main Campus were snatched up within just a few hours of being released.

Besides the first-year newcomers, the crowd also included senior students, and even freshmen from other campuses who made the trip despite the hassle, since members from all branch campuses gathered at the Main Campus to perform.

An hour before it started, the Jinghai University forum already had a dedicated thread.

【Review of the 2022 Drama Club Welcome Party】

OP: Welcome everyone, feel free to grab a spot~ The main post will link to legendary performances from previous years! These include the 2021 three-person skit ‘No Money, Sorry’, the 2019 solo mime performance ‘Morning Rush Hour’, and the 2018 duet ballet ‘Le Corsaire’. Also, the senior brother and sister from the ballet duet are already married!

1L: First~

2L: This face-judger only cares about this year’s looks. Watching, watching, I’m watching!

3L: The quality’s lacking. Besides recruiting the Campus Belle, Bo Yuanyuan, none of the other newbies are heard of. Feel like there won’t be much to see.

4L: Don’t even get me started. This year’s freshman class is subpar, their quality is low. Haven’t there been enough scandals on the forums lately?

5L: Meh, I’ll wait and see, it’s about to start…

He Yuxuan didn’t think it was anything complicated. He just had to put on his clothes at the right time and go backstage to wait. He’d even squeezed in a part-time job this morning to make up for the money he didn’t earn last night.

But almost everyone else looked like they were facing a formidable enemy.

Rehearsal and a live performance felt completely different.

Even during rehearsals with just the seniors watching, many had been nervous. And today, the auditorium holding nearly 1000 people was packed to capacity.

“Yuanyuan, don’t be nervous. Your skills are solid; just perform as usual,” He Yuxuan checked on his partner’s state of mind and comforted her.

Bo Yuanyuan looked at He Yuxuan and nodded. Right, she wasn’t alone; there was no need to be nervous.

As time ticked away, the hosts took the stage, and the program list slowly unfolded.

22L: The opener is a girl group dance, looks pretty interesting!

23L: Hahaha, the center’s alright, quite pretty and dances well. No wonder she’s the center. But that girl on the left still has plenty of room for improvement!

Reply 23L: LOL, I thought she was about to dance right off the stage. How did she even get up there…

Reply 23L: What kind of eyes do you have? She’s clearly just average.

24L: Hehe, the center girl gets priority mate selection rights~

…

“Holy crap, the forum is doing a live review, are they sick?…” Someone backstage was so nervous they couldn’t stand it, and seeing this news made them furious.

“Calm down, it’s just the usual. The mockery will pass soon enough. It’s not like anyone recognizes you on the street. Our school forum doesn’t even have that much traffic,” someone comforted.

But some who had already been mocked couldn’t take it, their eyes already red-rimmed, refusing to listen even when told to ignore the forum.

Because of this, the pressure on everyone was immense, especially for those aiming for the entertainment industry, who desperately didn’t want this kind of embarrassing history.

As this year’s Campus Belle, Bo Yuanyuan’s pressure was naturally even greater.

But He Yuxuan, having already been mocked before, was as calm as still water. It genuinely hadn’t affected his life much, only making him uncomfortable when he initially got stuck in a mental rut.

“It’ll be late by the time it’s our turn. There might not even be half the audience left by then,” He Yuxuan analyzed for Bo Yuanyuan. So it was all a small matter.

“You’re right,” Bo Yuanyuan nodded emphatically, showing a smile.

Although her partner gave off a feeling of being alternately distant and close, he was actually quite caring. And thinking about it, she figured that when they finally performed, everyone’s attention would probably be completely drawn to He Yuxuan’s face. Who would have the time to notice any mistakes they made?

He Yuxuan chatted idly with Bo Yuanyuan to distract her.

“Actually, I don’t usually check the forum. I bet not many people do, either.”

“And your playing is on point. You’re the most outstanding girl I’ve ever seen.”

“…”

Meanwhile, the thread had already reached several hundred posts.

468L: This year’s crop is really no good. The guys especially aren’t good-looking. I see they’re in the same club as the Campus Belle. They better not try any ‘close proximity, first come first serve’ nonsense!

469L: The performances are all pretty average. Nothing memorable. There was one awkward one that still makes me want to dig a castle to hide in. Does the screenwriter think they’re a genius? Writing such a terrible skit.

470L: After all this back and forth, turns out the male host is the hottest. How ridiculous.

471L: The Campus Belle’s performance seems to be the finale. I don’t even want to sit anymore, my butt hurts.

472L: Looks like it’s an instrumental duet. No idea who the other guy is. Partnering with the Campus Belle, he’s basically hit the jackpot!

As the students continued their roast of the entire Class of 2023, the party finally reached its closing segment.

“Ready? It’s our turn.” He Yuxuan extended his arm, looking at Bo Yuanyuan.

In that instant, her nervousness vanished completely.

“Mhm.”

As the stage lights came up, the two slowly walked to the front together.

Other club members had seen it countless times already, so the impact wasn’t as strong for them, but they were still deeply envious.

But for the audience in the stands, it was completely different.

Almost the moment they bowed in their introduction, half the remaining audience was stunned, eyes locked, not knowing whether to focus on the female lead or the male lead. The other half were on their phones and hadn’t looked up at the stage yet.

“Hurry, hurry! He’s so handsome!” A girl tugged on her friend next to her, telling her to stop being a Keyboard Warrior on her phone, or she’d miss it entirely before it was over.

After a moment of silence, the melody began, and a world belonging solely to them enveloped the venue.

Nobody dared to speak.

The girl in the white formal dress and the boy in the Zhongshan suit looked perfectly matched. Both possessed faces seemingly blessed by the heavens, yet they were playing a sorrowful piece.

At that moment, a story leaped vividly to life on stage. The bittersweet beauty of La La Land’s aesthetic, combined with the contrasting potential for limitless futures of the two young people on stage, struck a chord in everyone’s heart.

855L: !!!!!!!!!!!!!

856L: I’m sinning by sneaking a forum update, but I HAVE to say, this is THE showstopper of the night!

857L: Where is my butler?! I need all the information on this guy in one minute!

858L: So perfect together, so perfect! Are they a couple?! Holy crap they made eye contact!

859L: Oh heavens! Completely blows everyone on this year’s Campus Hunk Leaderboard out of the water. What’s the deal with this hidden gem?! How can he be this perfect?! Looking at his lips makes me want to kiss him! SMOOCH SMOOCH SMOOCH!

860L: Don’t care, don’t care! Handsome guys belong to everyone! I’m a hardcore solo fan! Please don’t let them be a couple!

861L: Can I timidly say something? I think the guy’s skill level is even more impressive than his looks. I’ve studied cello… it’s really hard, insanely hard…

862L: The handsome guy is also super talented, that’s what truly makes him awesome! Listen to my command: effective today, the Campus Hunk Leaderboard gets a new top spot!

Even the teachers in the audience cast appreciative gazes. In their eyes, these two were a perfect match of talent and beauty.

In any case, the moment He Yuxuan and Bo Yuanyuan stepped off the stage hand-in-hand, they had no idea they’d just become overnight sensations.