Chapter 341 The Background Fiancée in Campus Novel (44)

Chapter 341: The Background Fiancée in a Campus Story (44)

"I’m so honored to stand on this podium today. Throughout this semester, countless moments have reminded me that I wasn’t cut out for this place."

"Being a transfer student in an unfamiliar environment, facing so many challenges... Fortunately, I didn’t let any of it break me! Here, I must especially thank one person..."

"Every time I faced difficulties, she supported and encouraged me unconditionally..."

Tang Qing stood below the stage, listening attentively to Xin Ke’s acceptance speech. When Xin Ke’s gaze swept down and landed on Tang Qing, her face lit up with a bright smile.

"Xin Ke has come a long way," the system remarked. "She seems much more confident now..."

It wasn’t just confidence. The first time they met, Xin Ke had been timid, unsure of herself, and withdrawn...

But now, standing on the podium, Xin Ke’s eyes shone with an extraordinary brightness. Gone was her old shyness; she exuded a newfound certainty.

"Tang Qing, Shen Shu is looking at you—on your left," the system noted, detecting the school genius staring. "Shen Shu’s affection points have also increased. It’s now at 92." (Affection Points: 92)

After the failed seaside confession, Shen Shu and Tang Qing hadn’t spoken face-to-face. The rise in affection points had come during a sleepless, restless night...

"Huh? Cao Zhong is looking at you too?" For Xin Ke’s invitation, Tang Qing hadn’t dressed to stand out, even deliberately wearing a baseball cap to avoid drawing attention.

Unexpectedly, Cao Zhong spotted her anyway.

"It really is you."

Cao Zhong had thought he was mistaken, but it was indeed her!

Weaving through the crowd, Cao Zhong pushed his way through to Tang Qing’s side, his voice barely containing his excitement. "Tang Qing, it’s so good to see you again."

"I was at the Song family’s banquet that night... Unfortunately, I didn’t get to meet you afterward."

Mentioning this, Cao Zhong’s smile faltered slightly, but the moment his eyes met Tang Qing’s face, any disappointment vanished, replaced by joy!

"Tang Qing..."

"There’s something I... I’ve always wanted to tell you."

The person he had longed to see suddenly appeared before him, and Cao Zhong’s face gradually turned beet red.

Just as he was about to confess—"I like—"

At that very moment, Cen Yinghuai’s voice boomed abruptly through the auditorium!

"No!"

The voice crackled through the speakers, the sheer volume even creating a reverberating effect in the hall!

"Cao Zhong, shut your mouth!"

Cen Yinghuai was truly furious!

He looked ready to chuck the microphone straight at Cao Zhong’s head!

If it weren’t for the student office suddenly notifying him a day earlier that he was to give a speech, Cen Yinghuai had totally blanked on it—he had indeed participated in the municipal freestyle swim meet, even smashing the record and winning a gold medal.

Slotted to go after Xin Ke, Young Master Cen had planned to take a page from her book, thanking Tang Qing for her support during his training. He even hoped to use this chance to formally apologize to her.

He’d even rehearsed it in his head!

Having been nervous all morning, it was finally his turn to take the stage...

Cen Yinghuai never in his wildest dreams expected that Cao Zhong below the stage was about to make a love confession!

I haven’t confessed yet, who said you could go first?!

No wonder he kept running into Cao Zhong again and again—turns out this guy was after the same thing as him!

In that moment, Cen eldest young master completely forgot he was still holding the microphone, even forgot he was still on stage!

Under the gaze of the crowd, Cen eldest young master glared at Cao Zhong below as if he were an enemy, his gaze so intense it felt physical. Gnashing his teeth, he declared, "If anyone’s confessing, it should be me first!"

With that one sentence, everyone in the auditorium finally noticed the person beside Cao Zhong...

"Wait... is that Tang Qing?"

"Huh? Wasn't she supposed to have left school?"

"It’s really her! The Tang and Cen families already called off the engagement. Judging by what Cen Yinghuai just said... him and Tang Qing, there's clearly still something between them..."

The murmurs grew louder. Tang Qing's cross-dressing had caused an uproar on St. John's University’s forum that very day!

This hundred-year-old male-only institution suddenly had a girl in its midst—absolutely unbelievable!

More and more people wanted to see just who this Tang Qing was. With Tang Qing and Cao Zhong at the center, the surrounding crowd grew denser by the second...

Suddenly, Tang Qing felt someone grab her arm: "Come with me."

It was Shen Shu.

No one knew when Top Student Shen had slipped to her side, but he reached out directly and led Tang Qing away from the venue!

Only when they reached the track field did Shen Shu finally stop.

"Here, drink some water."

The usually aloof top student showed rare consideration as Tang Qing took the bottle without hesitation.

"Thanks." The girl in the baseball cap tossed it off with one quick motion, her long hair cascading down as her delicate features were revealed.

This marked only the second time he'd seen Tang Qing in her feminine appearance, and just like in his memory...

She was beautiful.

"So we meet again," Top Student Shen spoke with a sigh, but his gaze remained fixed on Tang Qing’s face, unwilling to look away.

Tang Qing glanced around and recognized this as the very track where the top student had clumsily practiced his starts back then...

Seemed Shen Shu had deliberately brought her here.

Looking up, she indeed saw the unusually intense gaze in Shen Shu’s eyes. He slowly said:

"Tang Qing... I realized it a long time ago..."

"I think I've fallen for you. Maybe it began here on this track, or perhaps even before..."

"In this world, I thought everything had a standard answer, that there was always a step-by-step solution."

"But with you... with these feelings... I’ve been searching endlessly and still can’t find the solution." Tang Qing’s appearance shattered all his lifelong assumptions.

He knew perfectly well that emotions were the most worthless things for humans...

He knew perfectly well that this person came to St. John's University with other plans...

Even clearly aware that once saying he liked her, he would most likely be rejected...

Yet he still couldn't control himself.

The orderly, rule-following, day-after-day life had encountered an exception—one that couldn't be put back on track.

Shen Shu, who had always pushed people away, watched himself break through boundaries, feeling things he shouldn't: disappointment, resentment... even jealousy.

"I received the news about the Song family's banquet the earliest. I deliberately chose to avoid you..."

He had already made his choice long ago... yet in the last half-hour of the banquet, he still arrived at the venue, just in time to see Tang Qing standing beside Song Yijin.

At that moment, jealousy surged in his heart.

Shen Shu finally understood—he had completely become the kind of person he despised the most...

The usually detached scholar looked at the person before him, having completely fallen from grace, and sighed as he spoke: "Tang Qing, I'm really into you."

System announcement: "Detected increase in Shen Shu's romance points. Current romance points: 100."

"Quest complete."