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Chapter 511: Chapter 341 Gift_2
The award ceremony proceeded in sequence, and it finally came to the group awards.
"May I invite the female tug-of-war champions from the first, second, and third-year classes to come on stage!"
The representative for Class 8’s awards presentation was none other than Yu Wen, who had been injured during the tug-of-war. Out of consideration, everyone gave her the opportunity to bask in the glory.
Yu Wen set down her iced milk tea, revealing a confident and composed smile.
Her foot had recovered a lot after resting for an entire afternoon, and she could walk normally.
"Qing E, Yanan, Qiqi, I’m going now," said the class monitor.
Yu Wen passed by the formations of each class, accompanied by thunderous applause, which nearly distorted her smile to the point of stiffness on her face.
In reality, Yu Wen had never experienced such a scene before.
But in her fantasies, she had long been a heartthrob.
She walked onto the stage with overflowing enthusiasm, smiling from beginning to end, even imagining whether she should improvise and give a self-introduction right then and there.
Oh my God! It would definitely shock all the students!
And she, Yu Wen, would be the epitome of beauty, elegance, and nobility.
"Hello, please take the highest spot," said the sister in the ceremonial dress, gently indicating, as if a breeze in spring.
After hearing this, Yu Wen glanced at the dense crowd of spectators below, the sea of people watching her in unison, including the handsome and dashing class monitor.
At this moment, it seemed the whole world only had her in it, and she was stunning enough to touch the heavens.
She lifted her left foot, emulating the elegance of an international model, stepping onto the award platform.
To ascend the stage in one go, Yu Wen gracefully and pretentiously lifted her right foot and took a step.
Midway through her step, the stage shook slightly. Yu Wen lost her balance, suddenly slipping and falling backward, crying out in misery, "Ah!"
Her scream was so forceful, the pitch so sudden, it startled the ceremonial sister into trembling, and the tray in her hands clattered to the ground.
The flowers and medals fell, swirling into Yu Wen’s mind, causing a mess.
She sat on the red carpet, dumbfounded, as a hush fell over the crowd.
...
At five in the afternoon, the school celebration closing ceremony ended, and the students headed back to their classes with the tide.
Yu Wen was vacant throughout the procession, having forgotten how she had even come down from the stage.
Shen Qing’e and Jiang Yanan had complex expressions.
If it had been them making such a blunder, they probably would have wished for death.
Jiang Yanan signaled to Shen Qing’e, trying to think of a way to comfort Yu Wen.
Despite not wanting to admit it, Shen Qing’e was certain of one thing—Yu Wen probably didn’t need any comforting.
It wasn’t the first time Yu Wen had embarrassed herself; although the scene was bigger today, her strong inner self would likely recover quickly.
"Time to pick up trash!" Wang Longlong picked up a trash bin and gripped a broom.
After the school celebration, there was trash to be cleaned up from the field, which would be taken care of by the first-year students who got off early.
Ma Shicheng, having nothing better to do, decided to clean up with Longlong and then go to Yucai Internet Café to play a few rounds of video games.
The entire field bathed in the sunset, like a scene from an oil painting.
In the basketball court to the northeast, Wu Xiaoqi played basketball alone, his shadow dancing on the concrete, the basketball with it.
Now was the time school let out, and tomorrow would bring the May Day long weekend. All the equipment on the field had been removed, and even the red carpet from the stage had been taken up.
The sun no longer intense, a refreshing breeze arose, with students walking in pairs or sitting somewhere, enjoying the time just before sunset.
In this tranquil setting, Wang Longlong leisurely dealt with the trash: plastic bags, plastic bottles, sunflower seed shells.
Class 8 was responsible for the area around the stage, where two girls sat, one of them with a ponytail fiercely playing a video game, cursing excitedly as she did so.
Wang Longlong glanced at her and immediately knew she was a noob.
Players like Brother Ma, who were video game masters, always kept their cool during play, everything under control.
The gaming girl frantically tapped her screen, playing so vigorously that she accidentally knocked over the bottle next to her elbow.
The empty plastic bottle rolled off the concrete platform onto the ground.
After the bottle fell, the girl continued her game, utterly ignoring it and remaining engrossed.
As the cleaning crew leader, when Wang Longlong saw litter, he moved forward. He shook his broom and dustpan, and the bottle effortlessly landed in the trash bin Brother Ma held.
Having done a good deed, Wang Longlong left cheerfully.
A few steps later, the girl beside the gaming girl said, "Qianqian, he picked up your trash for you. He’s quite nice, aren’t you going to say thank you?"
The corners of Wang Longlong’s mouth curled up, his body in darkness but his heart yearning for light, eager for his classmates’ recognition.
However, Wen Qianling didn’t even glance at him. Still fiercely tapping the screen, she said with impatience,
"Did I ask him to pick it up for me? Mind your own business, and I haven’t even blamed him for affecting my play!"
Wang Longlong, who had not gone far, heard everything clearly. His cheerful mood vanished in an instant, goddammit, doing a good deed and getting scolded for it.
However, Wang Longlong is an honest person and rarely has head-on conflicts with others.
Ma Shicheng, carrying the trash bin, frowned. He went back, took a plastic bottle out of the bin, and placed it beside the girl:
"Practice your cooking more and stop blaming others."
...
At the entrance to Class 2, Qi Tianheng stood in the corridor, gazing into the distance at Yang Sheng until her figure disappeared from view. Then, he slowly shifted his gaze back.
"Xiao Feng, what do you think of my little stars?" Qi Tianheng asked for feedback, "Be honest."
"Brother Tian, for a first try, it’s really good," Zhao Xiaofeng replied.
Qi Tianheng took out a star and examined it closely, always feeling it wasn’t perfect enough, lacking something.
He said, "The person I asked you to contact, you took care of it, right?"
Zhao Xiaofeng nodded: "Brother Tian, he’s waiting in the class for you."
With that, the two went upstairs together.
In Class 8, only a few students remained, including Chen Qian engrossed in studying a classic to improve his moral character and Dan Xiao, focused on self-improvement.
Miao Zhe, in the back row, was playing with his phone.
Miao Zhe’s learning abilities were good; he maintained top ten rankings in the highly competitive Class 8 while still finding time to have an online romance with Yun Ni.
After arriving at Class 8, Qi Tianheng’s first glance was toward Yang Sheng’s seat.
It was empty; Yang Sheng had just left the school, and it was Qi Tianheng himself who had escorted her to the gate, well, saw her off.
"How about these little stars?" Qi Tianheng took out a few more little stars.
Miao Zhe didn’t look; instead, he asked, "Did you give her little stars?"
Qi Tianheng didn’t catch on at first and blurted out, "Of course they’re little stars."
Miao Zhe looked at him intently, his eyes sparkling. He said with conviction, "What you gave her aren’t little stars, but the myriad stars in your heart!"
Zhao Xiaofeng didn’t understand, but he was greatly impressed.
Qi Tianheng, however, understood; his expression first confusion, then reflective, and finally, realization.
Brilliant, truly brilliant!
He had never imagined Miao Zhe could think so profoundly!
"What should I do?" asked Qi Tianheng humbly, like a seeker in search of a path.
Miao Zhe advised, "Follow the ideas in your heart and act boldly."
Qi Tianheng got it; what he was giving wasn’t just the 999 little stars he had folded by hand, but the hard work he had put in day and night.
He had spent three days folding little stars during the sports meet, his fingers blistered from the effort—no one knew how hard it had been.
He had planned to give them to Yang Sheng that afternoon, but hesitated and missed his opportunity.
No matter, as the saying goes, "A good meal is worth waiting for."
He would make his move after the extended holiday ended; in the meantime, he could prepare even more thoroughly.
"Xiao Feng, remember to take a trip to An City during the holidays," Qi Tianheng instructed. The gift he was giving not only included the heartfelt little stars but also a ladies’ watch.
Zhao Xiaofeng’s face lit up with joy: "Don’t worry, Brother Tian, I will have it prepared for you!"
During these two days off, he would help Qi Tianheng get the gifts; all expenses paid by Qi Tianheng, amounting to a fully-funded trip.
While they were talking, Dan Xiao came to the back to throw out the trash.
He overheard—gifts.
A wise light flickered in Dan Xiao’s honest face.
...
Outside the school gate.
At the bustling crossroads filled with traffic, Guo Kunnan stood by the roadside, gulping down a cold Coke:
"Brother Quan, have you really decided?"
Dan Kaiquan replied, "Some things need to be done at some point."
Guo Kunnan knew what he meant; Kaiquan was planning to confess his feelings after the extended holiday.
He sighed, "Won’t you wait for next year’s sports meet? Another year of training, more thorough preparation."
Dan Kaiquan shook his head slowly: "Year after year, I’m about to graduate!"
Thinking of Bai Yuxia’s stunningly beautiful face and her every smile, Dan Kaiquan’s love surged uncontrollably—can love wait? Clearly, it couldn’t.
He said firmly, "I have a feeling that now is the best time."
Guo Kunnan didn’t speak. When he had come clean about his identity to Manman, he too believed it was the best time.
But, he lost, and he lost miserably.
Guo Kunnan said earnestly, "At this point, I won’t advise you anymore; I will witness your confession!"
