Chapter 1342: Holding Hands before the Audience / With You Forever
Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
Xu Qianxing’s current att.i.tude was utterly pleasing to Yang Ming and Chen Mengyan. He felt that he could make a good impression with Yang Ming and Chen Mengyan by slapping Ning Chen’s face.
In fact, this slap was wasted. Yang Ming was clear about Xu Qianxing’s plot. How could Yang Ming not know what he was planning?
He was sacrificing a girl who loved him secretly to please the friend of the girl he pursued. Such a man was so despicable. Yang Ming despised him.
If Yang Ming’s impression of Ning Chen weren’t bad, then he would have beat this Xu Qianxing up indignantly. But now, both of them were doing it willingly. That Ning Chen was simply pleasing Xu Qianxing. Yang Ming also did not have a good impression of her. If he had slapped her, then let him be. It was the other people’s affairs, so he wouldn’t meddle in it. Yang Ming even wanted to scream “nice slap,” but Chen Mengyan would definitely feel that he was too bad, so Yang Ming decided not to say it.
On Chen Mengyan’s side, although she also had a bad impression of Ning Chen, she couldn’t help but sympathize with Ning Chen because Xu Qianxing could slap a girl who was pursuing him hard like this. How could this person be so shameless?
Chen Mengyan felt sweet in her heart as she thought of Yang Ming never beating her. Although Yang Ming had never held back when he fought others, Yang Ming would always show her a smiling face no matter how angry she made him or how she troubled him; he didn’t even touch her. Even the time at the dormitory when she made his hand swell from the door, Yang Ming didn’t even say anything. He also kept saying sorry…
It seems that my choice is really correct. At the same time that Chen Mengyan was feeling guilty, she felt more tender in her heart. I was indeed headstrong in the past. Now that I think about it, I was still young, so I couldn’t see past these things.
But now, even if Lin Zhiyun and Zhou Jiajia joined in, her position in Yang Ming’s heart had not decreased, but it had become even more important. Yang Ming could accompany her to go on stage again. That explained everything.
Looking back at the crying Ning Chen and Xu Qianxing, who was standing by the side watching her and Yang Ming go on stage with a smile, Chen Mengyan could not help but shake her head. Even if Yang Ming was devoted to her, if he were like Xu Qianxing, who would be violent to his woman, then she might as well give up on him. Therefore, Chen Mengyan immediately felt satisfied with Ning Chen in comparison.
When Yang Ming and Chen Mengyan went to the stage, Xu Qianxing immediately put away his smile. His face changed into an expression of care and heartache. He turned to Ning Chen. “Little Ningning is a good girl. Please don’t cry. Brother Qianxing really had no choice.”
Initially, Xu Qianxing actually ignored her after he slapped her, and she felt more aggrieved and unhappy. She kept wiping her tears by the side. But just when she was about to be desperate, Xu Qianxing changed his expression and became gentle suddenly.
When Ning Chen heard Xu Qianxing calling her name, she stopped crying as she felt warm in her heart. She said with some grievances. “Why did you have no choice? Why did you want to slap me?”
Xu Qianxing bowed his head and helped Ning Chen wipe her tears. He comforted her. “Ning Chen, you are the emcee of this event. Are you aware who you are speaking for? You represent the Student Union. Your every single move represents me. If you are rude to the performers backstage, how would the others look at the Student Union? If it gets spread to the school leaders, what would they think? They might think that I’m indulging my people, and then my position as the Student Union president may be removed!”
When Ning Chen heard that Xu Qianxing said that “Your every single move represents me,” her heart was very happy. Although she knew there was no special meaning in Xu Qianxing’s words, Ning Chen still couldn’t help but be thrilled. She was a person who liked to fantasize. She indulged in comforting herself as she regarded Xu Qianxing’s words as a hint.
After Xu Qianxing explained why she was slapped, Ning Chen immediately felt relieved. Indeed, it would lose her decency to criticize loudly the other students who were going on stage. She represented the Student Union. If she did that, it would be putting shame on Xu Qianxing. If the school leaders knew about this, they might blame Xu Qianxing!
Thinking of this, Ning Chen suddenly became afraid. If she really got into trouble, then would Brother Xu Qianxing be blamed for her mistake!? Ning Chen quickly said, “Brother Qianxing, I am sorry; I didn’t think so much! This time should be alright, right? Or should I apologize to them after they come down from the stage…”
For her beloved man, Ning Chen was actually willing to maintain a low profile and bow down her proud head and apologize to those who had conflicts with her. It could be seen how much she loved Xu Qianxing.
“No need.” Xu Qianxing waved his hand. “I have already slapped you just now; they should be satisfied with it. Does it hurt Little Ningning? I really had no choice. Please don’t blame Brother Qianxing for slapping you.”
Xu Qianxing’s face was extremely sorry, and his words were also caring, but his heart was not. He thought, You apologize? Please don’t go! I have made you a villain image. You provoked Yang Ming and Chen Mengyan. I could only show my enthusiasm by slapping you to flatter Chen Mengyan and Yang Ming. If you apologized, then what I did would be ineffective.
This Xu Qianxing was, indeed, a very insidious person. Although he didn’t like Ning Chen and had to put her on hold all the time, he never gave her a reply nor rejected her to have her always think about Xu Qianxing. If this dragged on and on, then it would achieve Xu Qianxing’s objective to make her work for him.
How would Ning Chen know so much? She would put down her pride, lower her att.i.tude, and rather endure the humiliation to carry out important tasks, but what could she get in the end? This was the sad part about this girl.
However, the poor person must have his own hateful self. If she could confront herself and confront her relations.h.i.+p with Xu Qianxing, she wouldn’t end up to such an extent. He was fooling her, but she still thought he was a nice guy.
Yang Ming and Chen Mengyan walked together on the stage. Suddenly, Yang Ming grabbed Chen Mengyan’s hand when she was unprepared. Chen Mengyan was shocked as her face blushed. She wanted to let go of Yang Ming’s hand, but she suddenly realized that she was on the stage. What would happen if the audience below the stage saw her letting go of Yang Ming’s hand? Wouldn’t that cause Yang Ming to lose face?
Moreover, Chen Mengyan naturally did not resist holding hands with Yang Ming because she also liked this kind of feeling herself, but she was a little shy for her hand to be held under the eyes of the audience.
The students below the stage suddenly exclaimed, seeing Yang Ming’s shocking move. They whistled and waved their light sticks because many boys felt that Yang Ming did things they wouldn’t dare to do for a lifetime! He actually dared to hold his girlfriend’s hand in front of the teachers and students! Would they have such courage if it were them?
And those girls, their eyes were obviously full of envy! They admired Yang Ming, but when they saw Yang Ming holding another girl’s hand, they suddenly felt disappointed. They admired Chen Mengyan, but they also felt envious. They fantasized about how good it would be if it were them.
As for the school leaders, they were watching this with amus.e.m.e.nt and great interest. The current princ.i.p.al was younger, and he was more open-minded. Otherwise, he couldn’t hand over the art festival party to the Student Union without the school interfering at all.
Students were allowed to fall in love in college. Many underground love relations.h.i.+ps during high school were also publicized. According to the current law, college students could get married, and graduate students could take their children to cla.s.s. What was wrong with falling in love then?
Therefore, the princ.i.p.al did not feel that there was anything wrong with it. He only had some appreciation for this daring boy. He then said to the vice princ.i.p.al from the moral education department, “This student is very bold!”
The moral education vice princ.i.p.al didn’t know what the princ.i.p.al meant after hearing it, and he didn’t know how to respond. What does this mean? Do you agree with it or you disagree with it?
Chapter 1339: With You Forever
The moral education vice princ.i.p.al in the university usually focused on giving guidance to the students. Still, he would not care about students falling in love because it was normal to fall in love in college. He simply did not bother about them.
Now the princ.i.p.al suddenly said this sentence, so he couldn’t think of an appropriate answer. To say that this student’s action was inappropriate and that he should not hold his girlfriend’s hand while walking to the stage seemed unreasonable. To say that this student was doing it right also felt like he was trying to flatter the princ.i.p.al.
Just as the moral education vice princ.i.p.al was in a dilemma, the princ.i.p.al continued to say, “The young men nowadays dare to act and dare to take responsibility; this is very good! His doing so means that he is responsible for the girl. You see. Aren’t the students very excited? This art festival that you organized is quite successful.”
Upon hearing the praise of the president, the moral education vice princ.i.p.al immediately showed a delighted expression. It turns out that the princ.i.p.al is praising me, then it’s easy to say! The moral education vice princ.i.p.al quickly said, ” En , I also see that this guy is good. Why don’t we award him the first prize at this art festival!? At the very least, this young man has courage! He can go on stage twice!”
“Oh ?” The princ.i.p.al was stunned. He didn’t look at Yang Ming carefully just now. He only noticed that Yang Ming and Chen Mengyan were holding hands. Now, when he heard the moral education vice princ.i.p.al said this, the princ.i.p.al suddenly remembered it. “Right, it was he who performed the knife-throwing before. Why did he go on the stage twice?”
“The previous knife-throwing program was arranged by the Student Union. According to the student’s opinion poll, they hoped that the student named Yang Ming would perform on stage, and his partner is one of the campus belles selected by the students, Lin Zhiyun.” The moral education vice princ.i.p.al had often studied these things, so he quickly described it to the princ.i.p.al. “So, they are greatly supported by the students. When Xu Qianxing asked me, I agreed with the show.”
” En , not bad. Now, it is fine for these activities to get more variety. I think many schools are making campus belle selections, so it’s fine for our school to do so.” The princ.i.p.al nodded and agreed with these things.
The moral education vice princ.i.p.al did not expect the princ.i.p.al to support these extracurricular activities. He was a little surprised. He nodded quickly, expressing that he would prepare for it in the future and organize an official contest show.
“Right, you haven’t said why this Yang Ming got on the stage twice?” asked the princ.i.p.al.
“Yes, he was performing with Lin Zhiyun before.” The moral education vice princ.i.p.al said, “This time he is performing with his girlfriend, Chen Mengyan. Chen Mengyan is the vice president of the Student Union of School of Economics and Management. Initially, she was performing this show with You Zhengmin, the Student Union President of the School of Economics and Management, but You Zhengmin had a stomachache, so he went to the toilet. Therefore, Xu Qianxing temporarily adjusted the show to let Yang Ming perform together with Chen Mengyan.”
“Oh ? So it is an impromptu performance?” The princ.i.p.al suddenly came to interest.
“Yeah, there should be no time for rehearsal. I don’t know how the performance would be.” The moral education vice princ.i.p.al nodded.
“I can’t tell the standard for those programs that are rehea.r.s.ed. I think this impromptu performance is not bad. I’ll have to take a closer look.” Once the princ.i.p.al heard that it was an improvised performance, he suddenly became more interested. “Old Liu, you should watch, too. Stop dozing off!”
After that, the princ.i.p.al patted Liu Weishan, the teaching vice princ.i.p.al.
Liu Weishan rubbed his eyes and smiled. “Who said that I don’t want to watch? Of course, I have to watch this kid’s performance carefully.”
“Oh ? You know him?” The princ.i.p.al looked at Liu Weishan, baffled.
“He’s my G.o.dson. How can I not know?” Liu Weishan smiled. “He is also Xiao Qing’s younger G.o.dbrother.”
“So, there is such a relations.h.i.+p; then I’ll have to watch it carefully!” The princ.i.p.al did not expect Yang Ming to be Liu Weishan’s G.o.dson, so he became more interested.
Yang Ming still didn’t know that he was chosen internally to be the first place winner of this event. Of course, this was not because of his relations.h.i.+p with his G.o.dfather, Liu Weishan, but his performance was indeed recognized.
Although Chen Mengyan didn’t know what Yang Ming wanted to recite, since Yang Ming vowed not to worry her, she would blindly trust Yang Ming. Thinking up to here, Chen Mengyan sighed about Ning Chen’s matter.
Isn’t Ning Chen the same as well? I blindly trust Yang Ming, and Ning Chen will blindly trust Xu Qianxing, right? It should be like this. The only difference is that the way that Yang Ming treats me is different from the way that Xu Qianxing treats Ning Chen. Chen Mengyan was very sure of this.
Sitting in front of the piano, Chen Mengyan took a deep breath. Then, her white fingers began to move over the keys, and the melodious music sounded throughout the auditorium along with the movement of Chen Mengyan’s fingertips.
Many of the students who read the program guide on the campus network beforehand were a bit surprised. Wasn’t this poem recitation from w.a.n.g Meng’s “Long Live Youth,” and the background music was set to “Mystery Garden,” but now the background music… was actually Shuimu Nianhua’s “With You Forever?”
Did the program change? However, when they saw that the performer had changed from You Zhengmin to Yang Ming, then it wasn’t surprising for the song to be changed. It was just that they still weren’t sure if Yang Ming was going to recite “Long Live Youth.”
Accompanied by the sound of Chen Mengyan’s piano playing, Yang Ming’s powerful and charming masculine voice sounded:
“When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;”
This was the famous poem “When You Are Old” by the Irish poet, Yeats [1]. It was a cla.s.sic love poem. When Yang Ming’s voice sounded, the students below stage immediately erupted!
On the stage of the school art festival, in front of the whole school, Yang Ming was reciting a love poem for his beloved girl. How many people wanted to do this but dared not to?!
And Yang Ming did it!
Everyone finally understood why the background music was “With You Forever” because the artistic conception of “With You Forever” was very similar to the artistic conception of “When You Are Old!”
Everyone understood, and Chen Mengyan understood also. She only felt that her breathing became rapid and hot at the moment, and her fingers on the keys trembled a little! She wanted to stand up immediately, jump into Yang Ming’s arms, and kiss him.
Having her own man express his love in front of ten of thousands of people in the audience, most probably a woman’s most blissful moment was no more than this!
“How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;”
Yang Ming still used his neither overbearing nor servile voice to read this poem.
Yang Ming accidentally saw it on the Internet previously. After seeing it, he deeply memorized it and planned to find a suitable opportunity to read it to Chen Mengyan. Now, there was an opportunity. Yang Ming wanted to express his love for Chen Mengyan in his heart.
“And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.”
After Yang Ming finished the whole poem, the audience immediately cheered! This was destined to be the most popular program in this event! This was an age of youth, love, and incitement. The students yearned for a wonderful love, so they were all impressed by Yang Ming’s poetry!
Whether they had a boyfriend or not, they would wish that there would be a boy who loved her enough to read this poem, “When You Are Old,” to her after the end of this art festival.
At this time, Chen Mengyan’s play of “With You Forever” was close to the climax of this song. Yang Ming followed Chen Mengyan’s rhythm and sang, “How many people have adored your youthful face, but who can afford the change of time -”
Yang Ming sang and walked toward Chen Mengyan. He reached out and made a gesture of holding hands, and then he continued to sing. “How many people have come and gone in your life, but I know that you and I will be with you all your life——”
Chen Mengyan couldn’t hold the excitement in her heart. She gave her hand to Yang Ming and stood up; she had already burst into tears.