Chapter 54 Part 2

“So shameless!”

“I used to think Wang Shiya was strict but fair. Now I realize I was too naive.”

“She deducts points from others without mercy, nitpicks everyone else, but saves all the praise and high scores for her own people!”

“Question: Why did the No. 1 High School contestant get 100? Because 100 is the maximum!”

These noisy discussions surged from all directions, and even the Beian High School students sitting nearby started giving them strange looks!

Qian Jie didn’t hold back and shot Lu Ping a massive eye-roll, muttering a couple of curses in dialect.

Lu Ping: “…”

Chen Miaomiao: “…”

The No. 1 High School students under siege were at a loss for words. What could they say? How could they explain? “Shen Yuze deserves this score; there’s no insider dealing!” or “The other judges gave him high scores too, proving his excellence!”

It was useless. Completely useless.

In the face of that blatant “100,” all their explanations would just come off as laughable cover-ups.

Wang Shiya was too “clever.” If she were an ordinary person, giving Shen Yuze the lowest score right now would offend both the school and Shen Yuze’s father. But by deliberately awarding a perfect 100, she was logically impeccable—she could claim Shen Yuze was excellent enough to deserve it.

The rules stipulated that the highest and lowest scores would be discarded, so her score wouldn’t affect Shen Yuze’s final tally much. Yet it effortlessly shifted everyone’s perception of him.

In the audience seats, Lu Ping clenched his fists in anger.

He finally understood what Wang Shiya was up to—she was trying to hype him to death!

…

The first round ended, with Shen Yuze taking first place at an average of 94.7, followed by Experimental Middle School’s female contestant at 94.0. The two of them pulled far ahead, leaving a four-point gap over third place.

But many people didn’t buy these results.

During the intermission, Lu Ping and Chen Miaomiao went outside for some fresh air and overheard others gossiping that “No. 1 High School’s first place was unearned.” They weren’t wearing uniforms, so those loose tongues had no idea the No. 1 High School cheer squad was right there.

Chen Miaomiao was furious and rolled up her sleeves to argue, but Lu Ping quickly covered her mouth and dragged her back.

Back at their seats, Chen Miaomiao’s eyes were red with rage. “Lu Ping, why didn’t you let me curse them out earlier? Shen Yuze spoke so well, and one perfect score just wipes it all away!”

She still couldn’t believe Wang Shiya had given Shen Yuze such a controversial 100!

“Would yelling back help?” Lu Ping stayed rational and clear-headed. “The madder you get, the more they’ll think you’re guilty. Didn’t you used to stan idols? If someone accused your fave of having shady dealings behind their success, what would you do?”

Chen Miaomiao thought for a moment and spat out, “‘Proof in hand, laugh at the haters.'”

Lu Ping: “…” He’d prepared a whole speech of inspirational pep talk, like believing in your idol’s innocence or strength.

But after pondering Chen Miaomiao’s words, he figured stan lingo was more spot-on and vivid.

Lu Ping nodded firmly. “NICE! The first round was just a warm-up. We have to believe in Shen Yuze—the improv speech in round two is where he’ll show his full power.”

“Good!” Encouraged, Chen Miaomiao perked up again.

Lu Ping used the same lines to calm the other classmates. “This is Experimental Middle School’s turf. We can’t get physical, or they’ll make a big deal out of it… Don’t you trust Shen Yuze’s skills? Those claiming insider stuff are just jealous… Focus on ourselves, ignore the barking… The more they provoke, the calmer we stay…”

Lu Ping talked until his mouth went dry, finally rallying the shaky team spirit.

Once everyone was settled, Lu Ping pulled out his phone and texted someone.

In stark contrast to his composed expression, Lu Ping hammered the screen furiously, rage boiling up from his heart.

Lu Ping: Shen Yuze!!!!!! Take her down!!!!!!

Lu Ping: Slap them hard in the face!!!!!!!

Lu Ping: Don’t come back if you don’t get first!!!!!!!

Lu Ping: (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

After firing off the barrage, his phone pinged almost immediately.

Shen Yuze: As you command, Your Highness.

…

The fifteen-minute break flew by, and the second round officially began.

The second round had even more tension—this was the improv speech segment. Each contestant went up one by one to draw a topic, had one minute to prepare, and three minutes to speak.

Don’t think three minutes is short; in reality, even in Chinese improv speeches, many couldn’t fill the full time alone. Speech contests emphasized outlines: clear themes, structured layers, and real-world relevance—no empty platitudes. English speech contests weren’t just about perfect pronunciation or vocab size—they tested depth of thought and rhythm control.

Some contestants nailed prepared speeches but blanked on improv; others were mediocre on prepared but exploded in improv with brilliant lines. So the improv round was the most exciting—full of potential upsets and crashes.

Sure enough, the early contestants showed huge variance. The biggest surprise was Beian High School’s contestant, who had gotten the lowest score in round one but shone in improv. Combined, he pulled off a stunning reversal.

Qian Jie’s mood visibly brightened, and she didn’t glare at the No. 1 High School cheer squad as much.

Next up was Experimental Middle School’s female contestant, who drew “Introduce My Best Friend.” It seemed simple—even elementary school essays could handle it—but she handled it cleverly.

She opened with, “I have a friend who’s been by my side since childhood,” and dove into describing this peer. In her story, the friend was a vain girl-next-door type: average looks but beauty-obsessed; smart in studies but lazy on homework sometimes; sometimes vain, sometimes generous; sometimes solitary, sometimes craving company…

In the last minute, she pivoted dramatically—the “friend” was herself.

Everyone’s most important friend is themselves, and greatest enemy too. We must battle our own negative emotions and learn to motivate ourselves in tough times…

Lu Ping’s English had improved lately, so he caught most of this motivational spiel.

Chen Miaomiao’s English was abysmal—she was totally lost. Qian Jie’s was pitiful too.

They both turned to Lu Ping for a translation.

Lu Ping: “…My English just barely passed.”

Qian Jie: “No worries, mine never has.”

One dared to translate, the other two dared to listen.

Lu Ping recapped the speech’s theme, earning blank stares from the two girls.

Chen Miaomiao: “So she’s a twin?”

Qian Jie: “You didn’t get it—she’s an only child. That ‘friend’ is her imaginary other self!”

Chen Miaomiao: “So she has no friends? Like, real ones you can see and touch?”

Qian Jie: “Being friends with herself—shouldn’t she see a doctor?”

Chen Miaomiao: “She’s so pitiful…”

Lu Ping: “………………………….”

Though they weren’t impressed, the judges loved it—even Wang Shiya unusually gave over 90. (Lu Ping suspected the organizers had talked to her during break, toning down her antics.) Combined scores put Experimental Middle School in first.

When the scores flashed, their students erupted in cheers, as if the championship was already theirs.

But when Shen Yuze took the stage, those cheers turned to meaningful boos.

Lu Ping shot Chen Miaomiao a look. They both raised their banners, waving them in the stands and chanting Shen Yuze’s name in unison. Under his lead, the rest of the No. 1 High School cheer squad joined in.

“Shen Yuze! Shen Yuze! Shen Yuze!”

“Champion! Champion! Champion!”

“No. 1 High School—Fight for First!”

Though few in number, they were up front and in sync, actually overpowering Experimental Middle School’s boos. Even the judges in the front row couldn’t help turning to look at the banner-waving group.

Lu Ping straightened his back—this wasn’t the time to be shy! Shen Yuze needed their support, their voices. Lu Ping wouldn’t back down just because of a few glances.

Center stage, under the lights, Shen Yuze watched Lu Ping cheering desperately for him, and his heart softened further.

But when his gaze swept over Wang Shiya in the judges’ seats, that softness hardened back into a blade.

If Wang Shiya wanted to play dirty and make him look bad, Shen Yuze wouldn’t let her have her way. His scores were earned fair and square—dragging him into the mud was a pipe dream!

Plus, he’d promised Lu Ping the championship… and Shen Yuze never broke his word.

The teen stood tall in the spotlight, raising his right hand and pressing his index finger to his lips in a silencing gesture.

Lu Ping in the stands immediately signaled the cheer squad to quiet down, no more noise.

On the big screen, words and patterns jumped randomly, each hiding a speech topic.

“Stop—” Shen Yuze said into the mic.

The scrolling halted. Seconds later, it resolved into English: “Describe a Trip of Great Significance.”

The moment the topic appeared, Chen Miaomiao gasped beside Lu Ping.

“This topic is perfect for him!” she exclaimed excitedly. “Antarctica! What could be more fitting!”

Lu Ping agreed completely.

Modern cities were all starting to look the same: uniform commercial districts, faux-antique streets, Instagram cafes… Even other countries or cities offered little novelty.

But Antarctica was different—the most unique, pristine place on Earth. Snowy and vast, brutally cold yet breathtakingly majestic.

Lu Ping still remembered the envy and bitterness that surged in his heart the first time he heard Shen Yuze say that he had been to Antarctica. That was a distant continent he could never set foot on in his lifetime, a vision his impoverished imagination could not even depict.

At that moment, Lu Ping had considered for a second whether to delete the @fake-diaond account. But when he heard that Shen Yuze had been to Antarctica, an indescribable sense of disparity shattered him, ultimately leading him to don his disguise once more.

Later, Lu Ping posted the photos of Shen Yuze’s trip to Antarctica on the @fake-diaond account, sparking a frenzy among the fans. This was enough to prove just how powerful the allure of “Antarctica” was to ordinary people.

So, Shen Yuze would definitely choose Antarctica, right?

This speech topic was bound to stun everyone.

Lu Ping held his breath in anticipation.

One minute later, Shen Yuze’s preparation time ended. The young man parted his lips and, under the gaze of all the audience, slowly revealed his topic.

“Someone once said that travel is going from the place you’re bored of to the place others are bored of.

“The trip I want to share took place in a very small city.

“A boy invited me to visit the place where he grew up. That was the first time in my life I had seen endless market stalls along the riverbank embankment, and crowds of people stretching as far as the eye could see.

“That was also the first time I realized that the meaning of travel doesn’t lie in how many scenic views I encountered, but in the person who accompanied me through those views.”