In the blink of an eye, it was Wednesday.
The “Top Ten College Students” awards ceremony was held at the Sports Center.
Not only would the leaders come, but the presidents of major universities in the Imperial Capital were also invited.
“Principal Xiao? Why are you standing at the door instead of going in?”
Xiao Shan lowered his wrist, hid his watch under his sleeve, and at the same time suppressed the irritation in his eyes. He smiled politely at the other person: “Oh, Principal Li, I just felt it was stuffy inside, so I came out to get some air!”
“Mm, mm.” Principal Li nodded repeatedly. “After all, this is the annual grand event of our university circle. So many media reporters and guests came. It’s definitely crowded.”
“Are you going in?” Xiao Shan quickly stepped aside to make way.
“I was planning to, but after hearing what you said, I’ll stay out here for some air too. Anyway, it hasn’t started yet.”
The corner of Xiao Shan’s mouth twitched: “……” Why did he have to talk so much!
He didn’t come out to get air at all.
He was obviously angry—
At this time already and Jiang Fuyue still hadn’t shown up!
Was she really going to stand them up?
He had already guaranteed her attendance to the organizers in advance, and they had even arranged a speaking segment for her.
Xiao Shan didn’t dare imagine the consequences if Jiang Fuyue bailed.
He might as well “cut”—except it would be the “cut wrists” kind of “cut.”
Principal Li had no idea about Xiao Shan’s current frustration and worry. He kept chatting cheerfully—
“What have you been busy with lately, Principal Xiao?”
“Has Ming University gotten some new good news again?”
“Aiya, I’m really so envious! Why didn’t Jiang Fuyue apply to our school back then?”
After all, they were all “wild chicken universities.”
Xiao Shan barely responded with a couple of perfunctory hums, but his eyes were fixed on the elevator the whole time.
Principal Li: “There are only ten minutes left before it starts. Aren’t you going in?”
Xiao Shan forced a smile: “In a bit……”
“Right, I almost forgot your seat is in the very front. Ming University is really something now. This year you’ve secured at least three CNS papers, and I heard you took first place in the Seven-School Joint Training Exercise. Half a year ago, no one would’ve dared imagine Ming University becoming what it is now.”
Xiao Shan nodded: “Yes, yes, yes……”
Why isn’t she here yet?!
This Jiang Fuyue!
Principal Li’s tone was full of envy: “I heard you even poached a professor from Q University to teach classes. Most students have started studying seriously again. The campus atmosphere is improving day by day. You’re impressive!”
“Right, how come I haven’t seen Jiang Fuyue?” Principal Li looked around. “She’s the highlight of this ceremony. Many media reporters came just for her.”
Xiao Shan was already anxious. Hearing that only made him more panicked.
When there were only five minutes left before the ceremony, Principal Li finally stopped talking and went inside.
His seat was farther back, unlike Xiao Shan’s. If he went in late, he wouldn’t even be able to squeeze in.
Finally, at the last two minutes, the elevator doors opened, and Jiang Fuyue stepped out.
Xiao Shan let out a long breath of relief: “My little ancestor, you’re finally here! Spare me, okay? I can’t handle this kind of heart attack…”
Jiang Fuyue looked confused: “Wasn’t I here long ago? I just went downstairs to buy a bottle of water.”
Xiao Shan: “?”
“……I didn’t say? Oh, I thought you saw me.”
Principal Xiao took a deep breath, mainly afraid that if he got too emotional, he’d trigger a heart attack: “Enough! Say nothing. Hurry inside!”
Their seats were both in the front row. Especially Jiang Fuyue, among twenty-one chairs arranged in a row, she sat in the very center, the true “C-position.”
To her left was a chubby boy. Despite his baby face, he was already a senior and held more than thirty invention patents.
On her right sat a girl her age, with delicate features, light makeup, stylish clothes, clearly from a wealthy family.
After Jiang Fuyue sat down, the girl proactively greeted her: “Hello, I’m Mo Shiran, a freshman from Ocean University.”
“Hello, Jiang Fuyue.”
After that, they had no further interaction.
Jiang Fuyue wasn’t the type to warm up instantly, and the other person clearly wasn’t trying to get close either.
Soon, the ceremony began.
First, the leaders took turns giving speeches, then Zhou Zhengqi, speaking as the university representative.
After these steps, they finally entered the main segment, awards!
Every year, the Imperial Capital Education Bureau selected the “Top Ten College Students,” for a total of twenty-one spots, open to students from all universities in the city.
Ming University hadn’t failed to apply before. They just never got selected.
Almost half of the twenty-one spots each year were taken by B University, Q University, Finance University, and Ocean University, with B and Q topping the list.
Although they were all “Top Ten College Students,” all twenty-one counted equally, there were still subtle differences.
Mainly reflected in the order of receiving the award.
According to tradition, the earlier the order, the greater the advantage.
In other words, if one day the twenty-one slots were reduced to ten, the ones eliminated would definitely be the eleven in the back.
Thus, people came up with a term: “first-sequence selection.”
When the host held the list and read the first name, Jiang Fuyue, the entire venue burst into thunderous applause.
She rose under the spotlight and walked calmly to the stage.
Not suppressing anything. Not pretending to be composed. Just a natural, innate kind of ease, as if she was born to win everything, to receive everything.
Then the host announced the second name……
Mo Shiran was fifteenth, a spot in the middle–back.
She had known this long ago, and since she was satisfied just to be selected, she didn’t care about being fifth or fifteenth.
She even thought: fifteen isn’t bad. At least there are six people behind.
But now that Jiang Fuyue was first, the contrast made it feel like she had been thrown far behind.
No wonder……
No wonder Lin Zhaodong liked her!
Looking at the dazzling girl on stage, Mo Shiran’s eyes tightened again and again, her chest squeezing again and again.
She tried to find a flaw on Jiang Fuyue, even just a gesture, a look, or a micro-expression……
But no.
None!
Her posture was upright. Her gaze clear. Her expression calm, as serene as still water.
With so many people on stage, you could spot her instantly from the audience.
A swan among ducks, a phoenix among geese.
Outstanding.
More beautiful in person than in photos.
Mo Shiran stared blankly. She didn’t even react when the host called her name.
“……Is student Mo Shiran here? Mo Shiran?”
“Hey! Isn’t he calling you?”
“……What?” Only then did she snap out of it, hurriedly standing and walking to the stage.
When all twenty-one names were read, they automatically arranged themselves into two rows.
Mo Shiran happened to stand diagonally behind Jiang Fuyue.
Staring at the girl’s slender, graceful back, her eyes darkened. Why was even her back so perfect?
Host: “Next, let us welcome leaders XX, YY, ZZ from the City Education Bureau… as well as university representative Zhou Zhengqi, to present the awards to this year’s ‘Top Ten College Students’!”
With stirring music, the group walked up.
Jiang Fuyue received her trophy and certificate from Zhou Zhengqi.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Zhou Zhengqi seemed to want to say something else, but after moving his lips, no words came.
Soon, the award presentation ended, and the host asked them to step down.
Only then did Jiang Fuyue hear a sigh slip from his lips—
“You’re outstanding. It was Q University who missed out.”
Jiang Fuyue really couldn’t bring herself to tell him that she had never considered Q University from beginning to end.
The host: “Students, please hold your trophies and certificates, and let’s walk to the front and stand in a row for a group photo, okay?”
Mo Shiran stepped forward and naturally stood beside Jiang Fuyue.
The host glanced over, somewhat dissatisfied, and began directing everyone to adjust: “That student, could you move a little to the left? A bit more to the left… yes, right there. Okay, everyone follow and shift left.”
Just as Jiang Fuyue moved, a foot suddenly stretched out from the side.
At this moment, she was holding the certificate in her left hand and gripping the trophy in her right. If she retracted her foot immediately, her center of gravity would be unstable.
So the next two choices: either fall directly, or drop the trophy and certificate and use both hands to steady herself.
Either choice would be extremely rude and embarrassing.
But in the end, Jiang Fuyue chose neither. She chose to change the premise—
Not retract her foot, but step directly on it!
“Ah—” A scream was buried under the stirring, rousing music.
The next second, everyone saw a girl on stage fall backward. Just then the music ended, and a brief silence appeared. A dull thud sounded exceptionally clear.
Then she fell solidly.
The stage even shook twice.
The scene froze like a stuck tape.
Everyone: “?”
The students on stage preparing for the group photo were also confused.
“Ah!” Jiang Fuyue exclaimed, “Student, are you okay?”
Mo Shiran’s eyes were blank. She had no idea what had happened.
Jiang Fuyue apologized repeatedly: “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you stretch out your foot. It must hurt a lot, right?”
Saying that, she decisively tossed her trophy and certificate aside, preparing to help her up personally.
But Mo Shiran looked as if she had seen a ghost, pupils shrinking. Ignoring the pain in her tailbone, she leaned her upper body back and dodged Jiang Fuyue’s hand.
“You, stay away—”
“Student Mo, right? I don’t think I remembered wrong.” Jiang Fuyue’s eyes showed concern. “You fell so hard in front of everyone just now. It must hurt a lot, right? Let me help you up, it’ll feel better.”
Afraid the other party didn’t know how big an embarrassment she had just made of herself, Jiang Fuyue even deliberately reminded her.
Hearing “fell so hard in front of everyone,” Mo Shiran’s expression cracked, and her eyes reddened.
“You, you’re still pretending?! You clearly made me fall on purpose, and now you’re pretending to help? Afraid I didn’t fall hard enough and want to add a couple more hits?!”
Jiang Fuyue looked stunned, then hurt appeared in her eyes: “I’m trying to help you, but you… how can you slander me?”
Her beautiful peach blossom eyes brimmed with tears, as if they would fall the next second.
Mo Shiran: “?” What… what is she talking about? Why that expression?
“You say I did it on purpose. What did I do on purpose? Purposefully made you stretch out your foot? Sorry, I’m not an alien, nor a deity. I don’t have the ability to control someone else’s actions.” After saying that, Jiang Fuyue pressed her lips lightly together and lowered her eyes. Even her eyelashes fluttered uneasily.
Innocent and harmless.
Only wronged and… pitiful.
Mo Shiran was completely dumbfounded.
The stage used surround-sound recording, then played through a pure audio system, so although the two spoke quietly, their voices actually spread to every corner of the hall.
Woosh—
“So she stretched her foot out on purpose? What was she trying to do?”
“Sister Yue is so kind, but some people don’t deserve it.”
“That’s how my Sister Yue is, soft or fierce as she wants, switching seamlessly between warflower and little lily.”
“Who is this person? So ungrateful. Sister Yue tried to help her, and she bites back.”
“From Ocean University, I heard she’s the campus beauty of the business school.”
“With that attitude, how did she get into the Top Ten?”
“Seems her talents stand out. She’s won awards in international dance and piano competitions, and her grades are good, so she got nominated.”
“That’s far worse than my Sister Yue. Three CNS papers have way more weight than dance or piano awards.”
“Of course. Otherwise why is Sister Yue first, while she dropped to fifteenth?”
“Could she really be stupid enough to stick her foot out to trip Sister Yue?”
“…Don’t say it, it might actually be possible!”
Seeing this, the host immediately stepped up to help Mo Shiran up and smoothed things over with a laugh: “Some students must be a little too excited to receive this award.”
A burst of laughter rose from below.
But not friendly. Listening closely, mocking tones dominated.
The host also felt a bit awkward.
Mo Shiran gritted her teeth and stood straight. A stabbing pain came from her ankle.
“Hiss…” She sucked in a breath.
Looking at her own embarrassed appearance, hearing the mocking laughter below, and seeing Jiang Fuyue remain calm and composed, she trembled with anger.
Below the stage, her best friend Little You had also come today.
Although they had had a falling-out earlier, they made up quickly.
She looked up with worry, full of anxiety.
Before this, she had vaguely sensed Mo Shiran would do something. But based on her understanding, at most it would be a warning or a threat. She never imagined she would be bold enough to pull something in full view of the public!
Did she really think everyone was blind?
Even if she avoided everyone’s eyes, there were so many cameras here. As long as one caught it, it would be solid evidence.
Too irrational!
For the first time, Little You realized she might not truly understand Mo Shiran, even though they considered each other best friends.
Next came the student representative speech. The host organized everyone to leave the stage in order, leaving only Jiang Fuyue.
Then he handed her the microphone.
Jiang Fuyue lifted her eyes, sweeping over the audience. She spoke unhurriedly: “Respected leaders, teachers, and fellow students, good morning. I am from Qiming University…”
The girl’s voice was clear and cool, like a stream poured into one’s ears, instantly refreshing the mind.
When she said “Qiming University,” each word was pronounced distinctly through the microphone, ringing through the hall.
Not the slightest inferiority, awkwardness, or guilty evasion.
A school others saw as a bottom-tier, shameful “wild chicken university” sounded from her mouth like something to be proud of.
In an instant, the whole hall fell silent.
Many eyes shifted to Xiao Shan in the front row. He sat upright with calm confidence, accepting everyone’s attention as if it were only natural.
He and Jiang Fuyue both radiated strong confidence from the inside out.
Not ashamed by outsiders’ prejudice toward Ming University, nor self-deprecating because of its current weakness.
Zhou Zhengqi looked stunned.
He couldn’t understand where their confidence came from.
He was confident because Q University had the capital to make him proud, because Q students’ excellence gave him the foundation to look down on other schools.
Then what about Xiao Shan and Jiang Fuyue?
What capital did they have, and what right did they have to be proud?
As if answering his question, the girl on stage happened to say—
“I was able to complete three CNS papers because of my own love for and exploration of academics, and even more because of the school’s understanding and support. I have my own lab, where I can conduct all experiments. Besides that, I am free to invite other experts and professors to collaborate.”
“From this, it’s not hard to see that Ming University is an open, people-oriented school that fully respects students’ creativity and generously provides material support.”
“Although we are still wandering on the eighteenth tier today, please believe that one day we will amaze the entire country and even the world. Here, on behalf of Qiming University, I extend an olive branch to outstanding lecturers, professors, researchers, and students at home and abroad, choose Ming University, and it will be a new beginning in your life!”
Her acceptance speech instantly turned into an advertisement. The ceremony became a giant promotion event, but was it okay?
Anyway, Jiang Fuyue and Xiao Shan couldn’t be happier.
As for everyone else…
Zhou Zhengqi gritted his teeth: “Shameless! Sly! How can there be someone so thick-skinned?!”
The Finance University president smacked his lips and after a moment squeezed out a line: “…As expected of Jiang Fuyue.”
The Trade University president stroked his chin: “Another trick learned.”
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