On the third day of the exchange students’ visit, an R Nation diplomatic delegation from the imperial capital also arrived in Linhuai for inspection.
That same day, the location for the cultural exchange event was finalized—it would be held at No. 1 High School.
Upon receiving the news, the school was immediately thrown into a frenzy, organizing hospitality and setting up the venue simultaneously.
Two days later, the exchange event took place as scheduled. Attendance was mandatory for all exchange students, and the school was also allowed to send several student representatives.
Jiang Fuyue was the first to be selected.
Well, what could they do? She was just too outstanding—and was personally named by the old principal.
Along with her, other chosen students included Ling Xuan, Liu Bowen, Lin Qiao, Zhong Ziang, and Yici.
Ling Xuan and Liu Bowen were selected for their top academic performance, while Lin Qiao was picked as a “student influencer” and online celebrity.
As for Zhong Ziang and Yici, one had the advantage of his influential uncle, the other of his powerful father—both with “special status.”
Since this was an exchange event, naturally there had to be some “differences” to allow for sparks to fly.
Jiang Fuyue, representing the Chinese students, was arranged to speak on stage.
Beforehand, worried she might refuse, Hu Yongwei specifically called her into the principal’s office and launched into an emotional, reasoned persuasion campaign.
In the end, he even brought out heavy terms like “national honor,” “rise and fall of the people,” “great nation bearing,” and “diplomatic confidence.”
With one lofty ideal after another stacked on her shoulders, how could Jiang Fuyue possibly say no?
Of course, she never intended to refuse in the first place.
After all, serving one’s country is everyone’s duty! And besides…
Tosaki Naohara would also be speaking as a representative of R Nation.
Other honored participants included Edmond from F Nation, Jelena from XXlia, and other exchange students from various countries.
On the day of the exchange, the moment Jiang Fuyue stepped onto the stage, her tall frame, graceful poise, and stunning appearance immediately drew every gaze in the room.
“That Chinese girl is so beautiful!”
“And her figure—amazing.”
“Whoa! What’s her name? Looks like an angel.”
“Jiang, or Yue? Whatever, both sound great.”
Representatives from both the Chinese and R Nation sides of the delegation nodded simultaneously.
The Chinese side: with pride.
The R side: with awe.
Hu Yongwei might have considered her appearance when choosing her, but hey, it clearly paid off.
Over in the school’s student representative section, the applause practically shook the walls—
“Goddess Yue is so calm! Total bad*ss.”
“Well duh, she’s been on IPhO and IOI international stages. This? Child’s play~”
“Those foreign curly-heads nearly popped their eyeballs, stunned silly. Hilarious!”
“Even the delegation members were dazed—bet they didn’t expect a Chinese girl to be this amazing~”
“Please! Look at Sister Yue’s legs, that waist, that face—she’s absolutely dominating the stage!”
“Sigh, another goddess who could make it on looks alone but insists on eating with her brains.”
“I don’t care! Sister Yue is the coolest!”
In contrast, Tosaki Naohara’s entrance was met with lukewarm reaction.
Everyone was still reeling from the visual impact of Jiang Fuyue. No one had quite recovered.
What’s more, standing next to Jiang Fuyue, he was a full head shorter. His messy bangs drooped over his eyes, hiding them completely—like dull gray marbles, totally outshined by gemstones.
But he didn’t seem to care. His face remained calm, without the slightest trace of irritation or jealousy.
He calmly faced the disinterested crowd.
Then, the corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly. With a sidelong glance at the radiant Jiang Fuyue, a trace of mockery flashed in his eyes.
Doesn’t she know? The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.
On the contrary—when expectations are low, the surprise later feels twice as sweet.
This is called:
“First suppress, then rise.”
Next came Edmond, who naturally took the spot on Jiang Fuyue’s other side. His refined looks and charming smile instantly drew more admiring gasps.
Shallow as it may sound, looks do matter. A good appearance can bring unexpected advantages.
At 9:00 a.m., the exchange event officially began.
The agenda had three parts: speeches from officials, student representatives sharing in English on assigned topics, and a final summary.
Clearly, the main focus was the second part.
Fortunately, everyone was prepared. Everything went smoothly, and it seemed the event would wrap up uneventfully.
But then—
Tosaki Naohara suddenly took the microphone from the host.
“I think… only exchanging words feels too shallow. True cultural exchange requires real expression. Everyone knows R Nation and Huaxia are friendly neighbors—why don’t I and the Huaxia student representative do a live demonstration?”
An R Nation diplomat chimed in:
“What kind of demonstration?”
“It’s said Huaxia culture is vast and profound, with five thousand years of history. R Nation culture is also unique—a treasure of the world. So, why don’t we compare the two and explore through a friendly competition?”
“That’s… an interesting idea. How do you propose we compare?”
“Since it’s a comparison, we should pick elements that both cultures share yet differ on—only then can we determine superiority or strength. How about using the theme of ‘qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting’?”
