Chapter 55 The Evolution of a Class Flower

Chapter 55 The Evolution of a Class Flower

Pu Yu felt that he should restrain himself.

Unable to hold back, he could only secretly post on FB, hoping Ning Song would see it.

Unexpectedly, Ning Song actually did see it.

Not only did he see it, but he also replied.

Looking at Ning Song's reply, Pu Yu's lips curved slightly before he sent Ning Song a message saying, "Tonight, I was going to bring you an umbrella, but I saw you and Shen Lingsi running past me with clothes over your heads."

Ning Song: "Really? I didn't see you."

Pu Yu said, "You were too busy laughing, weren't you?"

Ning Song laughed and replied, "Well, you didn't tell me beforehand. You could have sent a message or called ahead next time."

Pu Yu said, "I thought your meeting wouldn't end so quickly."

Ning Song saw through him: "Afraid I'd reject you if you texted, so you just ran over quietly, right?"

Pu Yu didn't refute it.

Ning Song's thoughts lightened, finding it all rather amusing.

Pu Yu said, "There's water everywhere outside your dorm."

Ning Song had a sudden idea and replied, "I came back wearing Brother Shen's flip-flops, so I'm not afraid of the water."

Pu Yu didn't respond.

Ning Song laughed again, feeling much more relaxed, and said, "Don't overthink things, Missy. Go to sleep early."

After sending the message, Ning Song felt a sense of relief, lying on his arm for a while before falling asleep.

Pu Yu replied, "Good night."

The next day, Thursday, the annual Spring Festival finally arrived.

Although it started raining early in the morning, it didn't dampen the school's atmosphere at all. Ning Song, holding an umbrella, walked through the campus, noticing how everything had changed.

The campus radio played cheerful music, and the rain added to the festive mood. Large banners, balloons, and ribbons adorned the school, creating a celebratory air. For the first time, he saw many students in casual clothes instead of their usual strict uniforms. The colorful outfits of the boys were both youthful and pleasing to the eye.

He rushed to the classroom, where they were to have a class meeting in the morning. When he entered, Chen Mo and others were drawing the Spring Festival board on the blackboard. The classroom was noisy, and he saw many classmates in casual clothes for the first time.

Everyone was there except Jin Yang, who had been absent for two days.

It seemed the impact from that day was truly significant.

Most people wore casual clothes, but Pu Yu was dressed in a formal suit with a tie—black suit, black tie. He looked not more mature but more youthful. Ning Song couldn't help but glance at him a few times before suddenly hearing a familiar song on the radio.

The song was familiar, and the voice even more so. Ning Song leaned out to open the window fully, listening to the lyrics: "Be a beam of light in the romantic universe, a beam of light, a beam of light, speeding by, giving you a moment of joy that rivals the vast Milky Way."

It was Sheng Yan's song!

On this spring morning, with drizzling rain, the radio station kept playing this song. After the meeting, he went directly to the theater to help. Along the way, raindrops weighed down the leaves, and the breeze made the greenery sway. In the damp rain, his mind was filled with images of Sheng Yan singing.

The school's radio station was located in a corner on the first floor of the theater. He peeked through the glass window in the door and saw Sheng Yan and Li Qingyuan sitting inside. He smiled and knocked on the glass. They looked over, and Sheng Yan immediately stood up, opened the door, and leaned against the frame, looking at him.

His smile was captivating, and Ning Song felt a bit shy, perhaps due to some awakening within him. His uneasy premonition from last night resurfaced.

Sheng Yan asked, "Why are you here?"

Ning Song originally wanted to joke, "Your singing lured me over," but he changed his words and said, "I'm here for work."

Sheng Yan said, "Working today?"

"It's the busiest day; I need to help." Ning Song turned to leave, smiling at Sheng Yan and saying, "The song is really good."

Sheng Yan boasted, "Of course, who do you think sang it?"

Ning Song walked upstairs amidst the song, noticing Sheng Yan still leaning against the doorframe, looking cool and aloof.

When Ning Song was already upstairs, Li Qingyuan patted Sheng Yan's shoulder, "Stop staring; he's long gone."

Sheng Yan returned, closed the door, and had a sudden idea, "Let's do something special today."

Ning Song arrived at the president's office, where Shen Lingsi and others were already working. Upon entering, Shen Lingsi smiled and said, "Perfect timing, help me hang this up."

It was a new welcome banner, dark blue, with the character "Pu" on it. Unfolding it, he realized it was welcoming Pu Guanting.

Pu Guanting was merely one of the directors at their school, with a nominal position, rarely involved in school affairs due to his busy schedule. Today, he managed to attend the Spring Festival, and senior brother Zhang said, "I heard the principal personally invited him, probably because his son is delivering the opening speech this year."

With Pu Guanting's arrival, the seating arrangements needed to be adjusted. Fortunately, most other positions remained unchanged. Ning Song noticed Pu Guanting's seat was arranged like the principal's, a double C position.

Additionally, he found another name added to the board of directors, Qin Tong, surnamed Qin.

He wondered if there was any connection to Qin Yi. The names suggested they might be family, seeking harmony and difference.

Carrying the banner out of the office with Shen Lingsi, someone approached Zhou Lü and asked, "Why is the president doing everything himself these days?"

Zhou Lü coldly looked at their backs and said, "Probably having a fit."

As the president, Shen Lingsi had been doing many tasks he didn't need to, especially those involving Ning Song.

Others couldn't tell, but he had been Shen Lingsi's vice president for over a year. How could he not see through him?

I wonder why someone as picky as him, who has remained single for so long, would end up with Ning Song, a scrawny kid.

Ning Song does look much better now than when he first entered school, but in the Upper East Boys' School, where handsome boys abound, there are plenty who look better than him!

I remember Shen Lingsi being very particular about appearances. He's been known to harshly critique many good-looking guys.

Shen Lingsi and Ning Song arrived outside the theater. It was still raining, and Shen Lingsi brought a ladder over himself. He asked Ning Song to hold it while he climbed up to fix the banner. Just then, the music on the broadcast suddenly stopped, followed by faint voices. He frowned, thinking something might have gone wrong with the broadcasting club. He was about to call someone to check when the music started again. This time, it sounded less clear, more like guitar music through a microphone, and then Sheng Yan's voice rang out.

Ning Song, holding the ladder, brightened up immediately and smiled at Shen Lingsi: "It's Brother Yan singing."

Sheng Yan is well-known in their school; he has performed on stage many times. Everyone recognized his voice instantly. The gentle rain and Sheng Yan's singing created a mesmerizing atmosphere, drawing people to stop and listen, some even taking videos.

The broadcast club's music was meant to set the mood for the Spring Festival, but Sheng Yan's live performance drew more attention than any recording. People were even coming out of classrooms to listen.

His voice was magnetic, somewhere between mature and youthful. Under the drizzle, the school heartthrob's singing was more moving than any music.

Shen Lingsi's lips tightened as he heard Sheng Yan say, "Next, I'll sing a song by elope, 'A Thousand Times.'"

Ning Song's heart skipped a beat: "Ah."

Shen Lingsi looked down at him. From above, Ning Song's face seemed delicate yet vibrant, like a bud about to bloom: "My favorite song!"

The guitar melody was cheerful and uplifting. Sheng Yan sang: "A thousand times I think of you, a thousand times I love you, across a thousand light-years, meeting you among thousands."

Ning Song was truly stunned into silence.

Elope isn't a very famous band, but their songs are unique. He had never heard a version that surpassed the original.

But perhaps because it was sung by someone he knew, or maybe due to the romantic spring drizzle, he found Sheng Yan's rendition incredibly moving, turning a long song into a charmingly fresh one, making his heart race.

Pu Yu stood in the hallway outside the classroom, watching the spring rain and listening to Sheng Yan's song, feeling a bit startled.

He had a premonition that Sheng Yan was about to rise to prominence.

He didn't think Sheng Yan or Shen Lingsi were inferior to him. In some ways, they might even have a natural advantage. His recent advantage came from confessing his feelings.

Ning Song originally didn't like boys, but after his confession, it seemed Ning Song made some adjustments. Pu Yu felt like he had just cracked open a door, but if someone else confessed to Ning Song now, while his feelings for boys were still vague and budding, they might slip in.

Wouldn't he be helping others achieve what he wanted?

He found Sheng Yan more threatening than Shen Lingsi. His youth, beauty, and bright personality were all appealing to Ning Song.

He was familiar with elope's songs too. He had listened to "A Thousand Times" countless times recently. Back in the dorm, Ning Song often played it and sometimes sang along. He wondered if Ning Song had heard it; it felt like a confession in itself.

The rain was blown into the hallway by the wind. Shen Lingsi's hair was damp when he finished hanging the banner. He took off his glasses, wiped them with a handkerchief, and without glasses, his phoenix eyes looked particularly sharp. Ning Song hummed along with Sheng Yan's song and helped him fold the ladder.

Shen Lingsi felt an uneasy agitation and said to Ning Song: "Give it to me; you can't carry it."

Ning Song smiled and easily carried the ladder away. Shen Lingsi followed behind, looking at his slender white neck and fingers, which were slightly pink, and his pale wrist. Even his ears looked beautiful from behind.

There was no hiding it anymore; Ning Song looked refined and handsome even from behind.

He had a premonition that Ning Song would blossom this summer.

They worked until noon. Sheng Yan and Li Qingyuan came to invite Ning Song for lunch.

Shen Lingsi wasn't done yet. Watching Ning Song leave with Sheng Yan, he scribbled quickly on his documents. By the time he finished, Ning Song and Sheng Yan were already gone.

Because of the song earlier, Ning Song kept zoning out when he looked at Sheng Yan. He sensed something was off but couldn't pinpoint what. Sometimes, male friendships can be so close it's hard to distinguish between friendship and love. With the seed of doubt planted, he couldn't interact with Sheng Yan as before. Every time Sheng Yan smiled at him, he felt nervous.

He thought Sheng Yan was really gentle with him.

Sheng Yan wasn't always like this. When they first met at a KTV, Sheng Yan was bright and a bit cocky, cool and rebellious, smoking, fighting, and riding his scooter with him.

Now, Sheng Yan strums a guitar and sings love songs.

This subtle emotion persisted until the evening performance. During rehearsal, he wasn't nervous, but as the actual performance approached, he felt a bit anxious. For perfection, all actors had to wear makeup, even though Sheng Yan resisted, claiming he could dazzle the audience without it.

Chen Mo insisted on uniformity and applied heavier makeup on Sheng Yan. After finishing his makeup, Ning Song went to the restroom and saw Li You waiting upstairs.

Their poetry recitation team wore matching suits, shoes, and white shirts. This elegant attire wasn't Li You's style, but it highlighted his handsomeness. His long sleeves hid his tattoos, except for the one on his neck, making him stand out among the clean-cut boys. He stood in the back row, yet everyone else seemed to fade in comparison.

"Brother You," he said, holding the hem of his costume.

At first, Li You didn't recognize him, staring intently: "Such heavy makeup."

Ning Song laughed, feeling surprisingly relaxed seeing Li You: "They said it looks good."

Li You pursed his lips, gazing at him: "It does look good."

So good he almost didn't recognize him, making his heart race.

Li You's taste was quite masculine. He preferred striking features, and his initial attraction to Ning Song was purely emotional. Seeing Ning Song's delicate yet striking features now, his heart thumped uncontrollably, unable to look away.

Ning Song glanced around and asked: "What number are you performing? Are you near the end?"

Li You nodded: "Near the end."

Music was already playing downstairs, and Ning Song checked the time; the performance was about to start.

It began at six, and the broadcast was calling everyone to their positions. Holding his robe, he headed to their group. Their play was scheduled early, right after Pu Yu's opening speech, a group dance, and two songs. They were waiting backstage on the first floor. Passing through the crowd, he found their group and saw Pu Yu standing with the two hosts at the entrance.

One host was a female teacher who taught broadcasting, and the other was Zhou Lü. The female teacher wore a glamorous dress, while Zhou Lü was in a suit and bow tie. Pu Yu turned to look at him, and the hosts did too.

Ning Song let go of the robe and squeezed through the front row to Sheng Yan's side. Li Qingyuan looked at him and said: "Thought you'd bail at the last minute."

Ning Song smiled: "Just saw Brother You and said hi."

He saw the school leaders in the front row of the audience stand up. A familiar middle-aged man walked over amidst the principal and others, shaking hands lightly with the leaders before sitting down in the middle.

It was Pu Guanting.

The performance entered its final countdown. Pu Yu turned to look at Ning Song again, seeing him standing with Sheng Yan. The stage was dark, but the backstage lights were on. Both of them were dressed as handsome men from the Middle Ages, looking so well-matched that it made his heart skip a beat.

Sheng Yan turned slightly and asked Ning Song, "Are you hot?"

Ning Song smiled at Sheng Yan, "A bit."

Their clothes were too thick.

But in the moment he turned his head, he froze.

Because he saw that Sheng Yan had also put on makeup.

He was already breathtakingly handsome, and now with a touch of light makeup, his sharp brows and bright eyes made him even more striking, stunning Ning Song to the point where he could hardly breathe.

Seeing Ning Song's stunned expression, Sheng Yan asked awkwardly, "Am I ugly?"

Ning Song, still in awe of his beauty, managed to say, "Not bad."

The group of about a dozen boys performing before them arrived late. They were dancing a wild ethnic dance, dressed very distinctively, with tattoo-like patterns painted on their faces. Each one was tall and imposing. Since there were many of them, they had to move back, which slowed Ning Song's heartbeat. He thought to himself that Sheng Yan's face was truly handsome; he had assumed that any makeup would detract from his beauty.

Suddenly, he saw Shen Lingsi behind them, seemingly looking for him, so he waved quickly.

Shen Lingsi glanced at Sheng Yan's face and felt a jolt, thinking it was almost too beautiful. But this only made Ning Song appear even more delicate and clean, making his makeup seem lighter. Ning Song walked through the crowd and asked, "What's up?"

Shen Lingsi smiled and said, "Nothing much, just finished my work and came to see you."

He really had been too busy, only managing to see his beloved now.

He asked Ning Song, "Nervous?"

Ning Song smiled, "A little."

Shen Lingsi smiled and said, "Being nervous is normal. Everyone is nervous. Don't worry. I'll be watching your performance from the audience. Good luck."

Just as he finished speaking, someone called him from behind. Shen Lingsi sighed helplessly, patted Ning Song's shoulder, and left immediately.

Chen Mo, holding a cardboard box, said, "Hand in your phones here if you still have them."

"Still some time left, class monitor."

Everyone was busy taking photos as keepsakes.

Sheng Yan immediately called out to Ning Song, "Come over, let's take a photo together before the show!"

Ning Song smiled and squeezed through, leaning against Li Qingyuan. Sheng Yan held up his phone, and other classmates gathered around. They took several group photos, making silly faces. Ning Song's expressions were particularly exaggerated, even giving a rock gesture. Chen Mo laughed, "Stop showing off, hand in your phones."

Outside, the stage lights suddenly illuminated, and the backstage lights went out, causing a small commotion. Seeing Chen Mo still holding the props, Ning Song offered, "I'll help you."

Chen Mo handed him the cardboard box, and Ning Song started collecting phones. Sheng Yan posted on Facebook before putting his phone away. Ning Song hadn't brought his phone, leaving it in the rest area. Seeing no movement on stage yet, he picked up Sheng Yan's phone to check the time. As he lifted the phone, the screen lit up. Then he saw their photo on Sheng Yan's phone.

It was a photo they took when they visited the jasmine fields.

Ning Song almost froze instantly. Chen Mo asked, "Done collecting?"

He hurriedly put the phone down and handed the box over, "Done."

Chen Mo went to put away the phones, and Ning Song stood in the crowd, hearing the grand music start. The host stepped onto the stage.

Returning to his spot, his heartbeat seemed to catch up, racing wildly, not much different from when Pu Yu confessed. He thought, "Oh, my suspicion was right. My intuition was true." Perhaps because he had already sensed something, he didn't feel embarrassed or angry, just a rapid heartbeat.

Suddenly, Sheng Yan moved closer, his shoulder touching Ning Song's, saying, "It's starting."

Feeling the warmth from Sheng Yan, Ning Song couldn't hear what the host was saying. Amidst the thundering heartbeat, he saw Pu Yu step onto the stage, a spotlight shining on him, making him look extraordinarily handsome.

His eyes were fixed on Pu Yu, while his mind was filled with Sheng Yan... the Sheng Yan on the phone screen, leaning on his shoulder, clean and handsome.

So... two such leading men, both... liked him?!