Chapter 78: The School Flower’s Arrival

Chapter 78: The School Flower's Arrival

Actually, when Ning Song's face appeared on the big screen, Pu Yu felt a bit regretful for letting him go up.

He was just too eye-catching.

Ning Song sat in his seat, leaning over to look at the trending topics with Qiao Qiao.

Sure enough, he had made it onto the trending list.

The trending topic read: "Amateur Hunk from 'Tomorrow’s Idol'."

It was highly suspected that the show's production team had bought the trending spot.

When he clicked on it, he saw that Sheng Yan's fans were dominating the comments section. Tonight, their camp and the 'Idol 101' camp were locked in a fierce battle, and Sheng Yan's fans, known as the "Three Fires," all had little flame emojis in their names, giving off a fiery vibe.

Top comment: "A random amateur is crushing the face of the other show."

Of course, the fans of the other show weren't to be underestimated, posting various pictures of their idol. Ning Song looked through them and thought they weren’t as good-looking as him.

Regardless, he had inadvertently added some heat to Sheng Yan and the show.

This was indeed an unexpected bonus.

He held his phone, browsing the information about himself online. The most widely circulated photo was one of him standing next to Sheng Yan. He seemed to be answering the host's question while Sheng Yan turned to look at him, one face full-on, the other in profile. People were digging up his information.

His information was easy to find because many of Sheng Yan's fans already knew him, given their interactions on FB.

There were also many shippers, which made him feel slightly awkward. He quickly glanced at Pu Yu, feeling guilty.

Sure enough, Pu Yu was looking at his phone.

He put his phone in his pocket and said, "All nonsense."

Pu Yu didn't say anything.

He secretly hooked his hand around Pu Yu's.

Pu Yu moved, but then settled down, experiencing a conflicting emotion—jealousy mixed with enjoyment.

Thinking about it carefully, Ning Song had always been decisive. When he didn't like someone, he directly rejected them; when he liked someone, he told them outright. His lack of security was his own issue—he was sensitive, suspicious, and possessive, yet Ning Song kept getting more beautiful.

Suddenly, Ning Song's phone started vibrating wildly in his pocket. He let go of Pu Yu, initially thinking someone was calling, but upon checking, it turned out to be a flood of private messages on FB.

The phone kept vibrating non-stop, making him nervous. He quickly set up a block, but he had already received dozens of messages, and his number of FB followers had increased by several thousand.

He felt the power of being on the trending list.

As the championship contender, Sheng Yan was scheduled to perform last. As the crucial moment approached, there were more ads, people playing with their phones or going to the restroom. Qiao Qiao and the others became dedicated fans, comparing data between 'Tomorrow’s Idol' and 'Idol 101.'

In terms of show popularity, 'Tomorrow’s Idol,' a singer-songwriter competition, couldn't compare with 'Idol 101,' an idol training show. Their target audiences were different, but in terms of individual popularity, Sheng Yan had finally surpassed Bai Yujie, the most popular contestant from 'Idol 101,' with both index scores and fan discussions exceeding the other by over a thousand.

However, neither show had reached the final championship moment, so who would come out on top was still uncertain.

Ning Song was excited and confident.

Because he believed that none of the original songs Sheng Yan had performed on the show were as good as "Jasmine." While "Jasmine" wasn't as profound lyrically as Sheng Yan's current hit "Moment," "Moment" was somewhat niche and hard to sing, whereas "Jasmine" struck a perfect balance and had a catchy intro. He was sure it would become even more popular.

About fifteen minutes later, it was finally Sheng Yan's turn to perform.

He changed into a light green shirt, cinched at the waist. The stage had already gone dark, with staff members moving around. Then, all the staff retreated, and the host's voice came over: "Next up is our contestant number sixteen, Sheng Yan. His championship song is 'Jasmine.' Please enjoy."

This was a song the production team took very seriously, and the stage effects were spectacular. The dark screen lit up slightly, revealing a green jasmine flower on stage. The green was hazy and blurred, except for one small flower that was crystal clear, enveloping the entire stage in a soft green glow.

Ning Song pursed his lips.

He wanted to cry.

It was hard to describe the feeling—perhaps it was the uniqueness of the experience. He was about to hear a song written for him in front of thousands of people.

Sheng Yan sat at the piano, and as the intro began, he got goosebumps.

It was a melody he had never heard before.

"Holy crap," Qiao Qiao said, "That's good."

It was dreamlike, like echoes from a time tunnel, accompanied by stars lighting up on stage, causing the crowd to erupt.

Ning Song was moved to tears.

How talented Sheng Yan was!

He had remixed it again.

The intro had a fateful quality that could be legendary, something many would use as a ringtone!

Like the overwhelming fragrance of jasmine on a rainy day, thousands of jasmine flowers swayed. Everyone fell silent as a spotlight shone on Sheng Yan, his fingers dancing on the keys, his profile handsome and cool.

"If you've seen April's jasmine, listen to this melody, and you'll smell its fragrance.

I want to build a big house, with jasmine in the courtyard, writing the blooming spring flowers into a song, so everyone knows I love jasmine.

A hundred springs can't compare to you, incomparable, incomparable, how do I describe your beauty, like the wind blowing, like ripples, like a fleeting light through a century,

people far away have a return date, loved ones will be together, jasmine says 'don't leave,' I say let's stay together.

I say let's stay together, I say let's stay together, I'll build a big house, with jasmine in the courtyard, sunlight shining on you."

It was still the same song he had listened to countless times, but the rhythm was much slower now. The climax, starting from "I say let's stay together," was extended, ending with a few seconds of piano music, melancholic and serene, like jasmine petals gently swaying with water droplets. At the end of the song, Sheng Yan added a soft chant, "But oh, but oh, they say jasmine is more beautiful in the rain."

A line of song finished, abruptly ending.

Pu Yu turned to look at Ning Song's focused expression, his eyes moist, clearly deeply moved.

This was truly a big move.

A big move that ordinary people couldn't pull off; with him doing this, who could forget?

Ning Song noticed his gaze and turned to look over, perhaps feeling a bit guilty, then turned back, joining others in applause. However, while Qiao Qiao and the others screamed as before, Ning Song didn't join in.

Pu Yu would rather he screamed like before.

The things he cared about, Ning Song also noticed. Fortunately, the following moments were all exciting: voting, waiting for results, and finally, Sheng Yan won the championship of this session without any doubt. Ning Song finally got the chance to scream along with Qiao Qiao and the others.

With an unprecedented voice.

Li You looked at him with a grimace.

Pu Yu couldn't help but laugh.

Thinking that Ning Song was quite perceptive.

When dispersing, both Qiao Qiao and Ning Song had hoarse voices from shouting. When using the restroom, Ning Song went to buy drinks, and Li You followed after he finished ordering.

After ordering the drinks, they waited nearby for Pu Yu and the others. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was around, Ning Song asked, "How did you get hurt?"

Li You said nonchalantly, "Just a minor scuffle."

"A minor scuffle could hurt you?" Ning Song asked.

Li You smiled, biting the straw and drinking a few sips of icy lemonade, making a face from the sourness.

Ning Song said, "Didn't you say you wouldn't do this anymore?"

He felt close enough to Li You to care about these matters. Li You couldn't keep living such a dangerous life. He had even talked to Zheng Xiaobo and learned that although Li You lived alone, his life wasn't bad, possibly better than Ning Song's own. There was no need to continue this way. Li You had quit his job fighting in the Underground City and started focusing on studies. Except for the Mahjong Hall in Lower Harbor, he rarely went anywhere else. Ning Song thought he had changed.

Li You said, "This time it was an accident."

Ning Song remained silent. Li You seemed to care and said, "Really, this time it wasn't me causing trouble; I just happened to be there."

Ning Song's gaze fell on his hand. The tattoo on his hand was no longer complete; previously injured, a patch of skin had peeled off, and now his whole hand was bandaged, forcing him to use his left hand to drink water. Ning Song felt heartbroken, as if everyone's lives were improving except for Li You's.

"Those who encountered the incident with you, did they all break a tendon like you?" he asked Li You.

Li You remained silent.

Ning Song said, "What if the injury was worse? Have you thought about what to do? It might seem like a small injury to you, but to us, it's terrifying. You really can't keep doing this, Youge."

Li You seemed indifferent, nodding vaguely, not minding the sourness as he drank water. Just then, Zheng Xiaobo and the others came out, so Ning Song stopped talking.

Everyone came out and headed straight back to school. Li You said, "I have something to do and need to go home; you guys go ahead."

Ning Song glanced at him and said to Zheng Xiaobo, "Xiaobo, keep an eye on him."

Zheng Xiaobo said, "I can't watch him twenty-four hours a day." He told Ning Song, "Tell him; he listens to you."

"I've told him many times," he glanced at Li You, "maybe he's annoyed by my nagging?"

Li You still smiled.

Back at school, Ning Song went straight to his dormitory. Everyone stayed up, watching trending topics.

Sheng Yan's name topped the trending list, surpassing Bai Yujie, making fans ecstatic. Even Ning Song and the others were delighted. Ning Song's name ranked in the teens, and his FB followers grew to over three thousand!

Private messages piled up too numerous to read.

Qiao Qiao said their school forum was dominated by him and Sheng Yan.

From the morning when he went to eat, many boys watched him, an unprecedented level of attention. Entertainment companies even contacted him, asking if he was interested in entering the entertainment industry.

Ning Song had no intention of entering the entertainment industry but began to actively manage his FB. Pu Yu browsed his recent posts, which were mostly interactions with fans. Ning Song said everyone was so kind to him that he felt compelled to respond. Among his fans, besides girls, there were occasional boys, even some male influencers leaving comments, which made Pu Yu nervous for several days. But he felt it was too much to interfere with normal social media usage, so he held back and only stalked his new posts daily.

One day, he saw Ning Song reply to a fan with a CP name saying, "Yan Ge and I are just good friends. I have my own boyfriend."

Pu Yu couldn't resist liking the comment and replied, "Good to know."

He underestimated the activity of Ning Song's fans. For someone as handsome as Ning Song, becoming an influencer was easy. Despite having only four or five thousand followers, they were active, rivaling those of minor celebrities. After his reply, his phone buzzed constantly with replies and likes, eventually pushing the comment to the top with thousands more below.

"Handsome guys belong only to other handsome guys!"

"[Sardine] Brother's FB looks like a secondary account; he only follows one person."

"Curious about [Sardine] Brother's appearance. Why is his FB only text?"

"The texts are so mushy, sweet and sticky."

Pu Yu's FB posts were usually short sentences. In the week before and after the start of the semester, he posted frequently. On the day Ning Song came to Xiadong Province to find him, he posted several times.

"Baby came to see me. We opened up to each other; communication is crucial in relationships. As a quiet person, I made my baby suffer."

Then tagged Ning Song.

"Today, playing with my baby, my luck was great; I won his favorite plush toy. Happy." Tagged Ning Song.

"Who's this baby, so bad yet loves to play." Tagged Ning Song.

This was when he sent him a video.

After they separated, Pu Yu posted even more. Sometimes late at night, around three or four in the morning, without tagging Ning Song, he simply wrote, "Missing my baby."

He rarely called him by such intimate terms in person; the one time he had called him "baby" was when he couldn't help himself. But when texting, he used "honey" all the time, probably because typing didn't require speaking aloud and thus wasn't as embarrassing. Now that everyone had found these messages, the repeated "honeys" looked quite mushy, making him seem like a boy with a sweet tongue, skilled at sweet talk.

This completely stunned Qiao Qiao and the others.

Their group chat exploded.

"Bro Pu Yu actually has a FB?"

"Bro Pu Yu actually has a FB."

"What does it mean, following only Ning Song?"

"Bro Liu Fang, forget it, we're just not worthy."

Everyone started spamming "we're just not worthy."

After a few minutes, Pu Yu obediently followed them all.

Liu Fang: "Better late than never, but still cheap."

Qiao Qiao: "Better late than never, but still cheap."

Everyone started picking up on this phrase.

Qiao Qiao: "Is this really Bro Pu Yu's alternate account?"

Liu Fang: "[Honey.]"

Qiao Qiao: "[Honey.]"

Everyone started spamming "honey" again.

Ning Song held his phone, laughing uncontrollably, unable to do his homework.

Today was Saturday, and Mrs. Pu had specially asked Pu Yu to invite Ning Song over to play. He and Pu Yu were doing their homework together, but now they couldn't focus due to laughter. Feeling awkward yet amused, Ning Song realized his foot was resting on Pu Yu's foot.

Pu Yu's face turned red from the group chat antics, feeling as if his secret had been exposed. But with no other choice, he lifted Ning Song's foot onto his lap, holding it with one hand while continuing to write with the other.

Ning Song shivered at the touch and tried to pull his foot back, but Pu Yu held it firmly.

He had long suspected this guy had a foot fetish!

Putting down his phone, Ning Song supported himself on the carpet with both hands and said, "Being discovered by Qiao Qiao and the others is one thing, but do you plan to let Aunt Sun see you like this?"

Pu Yu, already embarrassed, remained expressionless and said, "Do your homework."

Ning Song found this oddly cute and started acting mischievous. Seeing that Pu Yu wouldn't let go, he stepped on Pu Yu's crotch. Pu Yu immediately lifted his foot, looked up at him, then released it.

Ning Song didn't want to withdraw his foot and instead stepped on Pu Yu's abs, asking, "Call me 'honey' once and let me hear it."

Pu Yu pressed his foot against his chest, caressing his white toes.

The more Pu Yu did this, the less Ning Song wanted to let him off, urging, "Say it."

Pu Yu replied, "When you stop calling me 'Bro Pu Yu' with them, then we'll talk."

Ning Song paused, tilting his head and smiling, "Then what should I call you? Should I call you 'honey' too?"

Pu Yu looked up, wanting to deflate Ning Song's arrogance a bit, "I want to hear you call me 'husband.'"

Ning Song's face fell silent.

Pu Yu pursed his lips, also silent.

Just saying the term made him react internally.

Ning Song whispered, "You should be calling me 'husband' instead."

He stepped on Pu Yu a couple more times, but Pu Yu didn't hold on, and his foot slipped away, landing on something sensitive. He quickly pulled it back.

Pu Yu continued writing, head lowered.

Ning Song sat cross-legged for a while, tilting his head to look at Pu Yu, "Our president looks proper, but he's not innocent inside."

He leaned back slightly, supporting himself with both hands, looking somewhat carefree.

After a while, Ning Song sat up straight and continued his homework. After a bit, he laughed, picked up his phone, and took a photo of Pu Yu.

Pu Yu's eyes were slightly downcast, and the angle made it hard to see his full face, but it was clear he was a very fair and handsome boy. Pu Yu looked up at him, and Ning Song took another photo, saying, "Forget it, you're too handsome. I don't want others drooling over you. You can continue being my mysterious boyfriend who only texts."

Pu Yu responded with a simple "Mm."

He also thought this arrangement was perfect. As long as he could claim ownership, it was enough. After all, every post Ning Song made, his comments always topped the list, and they both had their own CP fans now.

No matter what Ning Song posted daily, Pu Yu's FB was always filled with Ning Song, Ning Song, Ning Song. He was incredibly proud to be Ning Song's boyfriend.