School Anniversary Opening

When people immerse themselves in hard work, time flies by. In the blink of an eye, three days had passed, and it was now May 2nd, a Saturday, the day of the school anniversary.

Due to her promise to prove herself at the school celebration, the most diligent person over the past few days was Chu Lian. Whether it was band training or personal practice, she relentlessly pushed herself, only resting when she was truly exhausted.

Every night after returning home, she would wash up, write, and then immediately go to bed. In the morning, she would wake up early and train alone as soon as she arrived at school.

It was the first time Ayase had seen such a determined Chu Lian. Watching this stubborn girl, she sighed softly where Chu Lian couldn't hear, "So, to prove yourself, to quell others' doubts, and to take revenge on that behind-the-scenes manipulator, your competitive spirit has been ignited? This might be a good thing, allowing you to gradually unleash your potential..."

Last night, after finishing her writing, she went to bed before nine o'clock. Waking up an hour early in the morning, she arrived at school and found that, as expected, there were not many people in the classroom at around six o'clock.

She carried a case on her back, which contained the best twenty-one string guzheng she could find, an instrument she had commissioned someone to buy. It was the finest instrument available to fully showcase her skill in classical music.

She knew very well that she had previously posted a video of herself playing the guzheng online. Although only a few people who delved deeply understood the extent of her guzheng prowess, it was not enough to be truly impressive. Therefore, she decided to reveal her reserved trump card.

These were things she had never shown to anyone, known only to her and Ayase. She had originally planned to reveal them gradually in the future, but this skepticism incident unexpectedly provided a suitable breakthrough.

Though angry, she did not lose her ability to think clearly. She could see the huge opportunity hidden behind the doubts. If she could seize this opportunity, the so-called task would be very easy to complete, and the system would be pleased to see it happen, she was sure.

As a strategist, Chu Lian knew that taking this step was risky. Even if successful, it would inevitably bring various troubles. But she had realized that her previous concerns were somewhat excessive, much of it clearly unnecessary worry. Now, using this skepticism incident as a breakthrough, she no longer needed to worry as much.

She understood the intricacies involved and knew that as long as she didn't actively engage in various real-world affairs, the controversies or debates would eventually disappear, leaving behind only her, who had gained immense popularity.

Of course, despite this, Chu Lian had considered the possibility of failure, and the potential crises, ridicule, and instability of her foundation that might follow. She had thought through all these scenarios.

However, she didn't believe that she would fail with such thorough preparation. She would prove that this world indeed has countless things that cannot be measured by common sense, including such a super genius.

"The ball is about to begin. How many will perform on stage, how many will watch from below, how many will be winners, and how many will be losers? Today marks the start of it all. I will show you what true strength is..." Her eyes were fixed on the book in her hand, but not a single word registered as her mind was preoccupied with other thoughts.

She adjusted the guzheng case on her back and picked up the wooden box beside the table. Sandwiched between the two antique dark purple wooden cases, Chu Lian appeared petite and delicate.

The combined weight of these items was quite substantial. Carrying just one was manageable, but the weight of two was clearly a struggle for the 1.4-meter-tall Chu Lian.

Yet, she made no sound, silently carrying them out until she was stopped at the door.

Chu Lian looked up and saw an upset Li Xiuer standing in front of her. "Xiuer, good morning..." She hesitated, then smiled, trying to brush off the situation.

"I'm not good," Li Xiuer, usually gentle, shook her head. She then looked directly at Chu Lian, bit her lip lightly, and said softly, "I come early every day, and these past few days I've seen your back as you leave the classroom, but I haven't told you. However, I'm glad I have this habit of coming early, otherwise, I wouldn't have seen you like this."

She reached out and took the wooden box from Chu Lian's arms, staggering backward a bit under its unexpected weight.

Seeing Li Xiuer's clumsy movements, Chu Lian wanted to take the box back, but Li Xiuer stepped aside and said, "I don't care what your reason is, today you have to listen to me!"

"Have you thought about it? Do you have the strength to carry so many things with your current body? If you accidentally fell or got injured, wouldn't that prevent you from performing on stage? If you can't perform, wouldn't the doubts overwhelm you? Didn't you say you wanted to prove yourself?"

Chu Lian opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but just then, someone suddenly appeared behind her and took the guzheng case from her hands. Before she could react, the case was already in someone else's hands.

She turned around to see Liuli Nana. Seeing Chu Lian turn, Liuli Nana's big eyes curved into a smile. "Lian, having trouble and not telling friends is not okay."

"We know the purpose of your performance today, so Xiuer and I discussed it and decided to come even earlier than yesterday. See, we caught you being stubborn."

"Now we should carry these things. What you need to do is rest well and strive to be in the best condition before the afternoon. Got it? Nana and Xiuer really want to see your performance." After saying this, she mimicked Chu Lian's movements, tilting her head cutely.

"Be careful then, they're very heavy," Chu Lian said, seeing they were so insistent and no longer resisted, only reminding them to be careful.

"We're not as clumsy as you," Li Xiuer said with a sigh of relief, having worried that their actions might provoke a negative reaction from Chu Lian. It seemed her worries were unnecessary.

Indeed, they were unnecessary. Chu Lian could distinguish between good and bad intentions. Not only did they genuinely want to help, but even if they accidentally damaged something, she could borrow replacements from the school. The difference was merely whether she liked it or not, it wouldn't affect anything significant, so she agreed readily.

Chu Lian walked slowly ahead, followed by Liuli Nana with the guzheng case on her back and Li Xiuer carrying the wooden box. Their steps were slow, and the two girls, burdened with the heavy items, began to pant slightly but showed no intention of stopping to rest.

Li Xiuer, who always paid close attention to Chu Lian's matters, was fully aware of the doubts cast upon her. Though she didn't know who initiated this situation, she understood that someone intended harm toward Chu Lian.

Originally, she wanted to do something to help, but as the moment approached, she realized there was nothing she could do besides praying and cheering for her. Chu Lian, in her eyes, was a talented and mysterious person. However, mystery also represented the unknown. She believed in Chu Lian's capabilities, but not everyone shared her belief.

For those people, the more chaotic the situation, the more entertaining it was. Given this context, she didn't dare make hasty conclusions. Over the past few days, all she could do was silently support Chu Lian and help her in any way possible.

As for Liuli Nana, her intentions were more intriguing. Chu Lian had previously ranked her fourth among people worth befriending, indicating that Liuli Nana was not as simple as she appeared. Instead, she was quite strategic.

This girl from Japan, who received a Chinese education yet differed from both cultures, likely had her own goals to achieve, possibly involving Chu Lian's help. Hence, her enthusiasm.

Nevertheless, Chu Lian could sense her genuine desire to help this time, so she didn't mind. Although her intentions were not yet clear, Chu Lian could clearly feel there was no malice. Both her exceptionally keen sixth sense and Ayase's intuition were reliable in discerning people's intentions.

"Hopefully, nothing goes wrong this time..." Chu Lian turned her face sideways, the dawn sunlight casting a pale golden glow on her face, giving her a slightly ethereal and holy aura. This sight left the two people outside the window, watching her sit at the guzheng, somewhat mesmerized.

Today, Chu Lian was dressed in a pure white hanfu with flowing sleeves. Her long hair was tied with a white ribbon, and she wore a bracelet of white beads on her wrist. Even her shoes were white embroidered slippers. She was dressed entirely in white, both inside and out.

This all-white ensemble maximized the effect of Chu Lian's innate charm, making her appear like a celestial being descended to earth. Every gesture and smile exuded an enchanting allure, captivating those around her.

More importantly, her expression was serene and focused as she played the guzheng. Her delicate hands plucked and strummed the strings gracefully, producing elegant notes. Accompanied by her gentle singing, her charm reached its peak in that moment.

"If someone could capture this moment of beauty, I believe anyone who sees it would fall madly in love with her..." Liuli Nana whispered softly, a sentiment destined for no other ears to hear.