Chapter 27: Please Don’t Take This Personally

"Ding-a-ling—"

The alarm clock's ring pierced the morning silence. Xia Kewei rolled over in her soft quilt, a slender arm reaching out from under the covers to precisely silence the device on her nightstand.

She lingered in the warmth of the bed for another five minutes before reluctantly kicking off the covers, her smooth, long legs groping the bedside floor for her slippers.

The morning light spilled in through a gap in the curtains, casting dappled shadows across the hollow of her collarbone, while the lace trim on her chest fluttered slightly with every breath. It was a breathtaking sight, yet one that went unappreciated at this moment.

After a quick wash, she made a bowl of instant noodles, carried the steaming bowl to the dining table, and swiped open her phone to check her schedule.

"Contact equipment suppliers in the morning to confirm delivery to Shenhai University today, then go pay the rent for the new place. In the afternoon, accompany the boss (crossed out) Wang Can to interview student part-timers, and in the evening, discuss details online with the person selling the streaming website framework..."

She recited the notes to herself in a low voice and sighed.

"Another fulfilling day."

Closing the memo app, she habitually opened a news app, her fingers sliding rapidly across the screen. After skimming through international and domestic headlines, Xia Kewei clicked into the local section.

"Wife of XX Finance Executive Files Real-Name Report Against Husband for Infidelity."

She swiped past it immediately.

"Shenhai University Freshman Talent Show: An Original Song Becomes a Concert."

Xia Kewei intended to keep scrolling, but her eyes were caught by a blurry figure in the thumbnail. Instinctively, her finger tapped the link, and a melody mixed with human voices immediately poured from the iPhone 4s’s speaker.

"Moon splashing the Milky Way..."

The chopsticks holding her noodles froze in mid-air. She knew this voice all too well. Xia Kewei quickly set down her chopsticks and carefully studied the news headline.

"Original?"

She stared at the phone screen in disbelief, a ridiculous thought flashing through her mind.

"My boss, who never takes anything seriously... can actually write songs?"

...

Shenhai Conservatory of Music, vocal practice rooms in the teaching building.

Although it was still early, some diligent students had already begun their daily vocal training. Inside Room 2, three girls were seated. Two had their heads together, whispering over a phone screen and giggling from time to time, while the third girl focused intently on the sheet music in her hands, repeatedly practicing her vocalizations.

The girl practicing was Gu Feifei. She wore her hair in a high ponytail and dressed simply, yet she possessed a ravishing, femme fatale face. Her exquisitely sculpted features, peach-blossom eyes that shimmered with life, and a devilishly curvaceous figure made her the undisputed campus belle of the Shenhai Conservatory's class of 2012.

Half an hour later, Gu Feifei finished her morning practice and was preparing to pack up when the conversation between the two girls nearby drifted over to her.

"This song is absolutely amazing!"

"I never expected a freshman to write a song at this level, and he’s not even from our conservatory."

"Haha, if he were at our school, I’d definitely be the first to chase after him!"

Gu Feifei leaned over curiously, a faint smile on her lips. "What are you two so excited about?"

"A video of the military training talent show at Shenhai University."

One girl looked up, her eyes sparkling. "A guy sang an original song—it’s super good!"

"Original?"

Gu Feifei became interested. Catching a glimpse of the Renren social media logo on the video, she pulled out her own phone to take a look.

Just then, the door to the practice room was flung open, and another girl burst in, full of energy. "Did you guys see that video from Shenhai University?"

"We're watching it right now! He sings great!"

The newcomer raised her chin triumphantly. "Let me give you an exclusive scoop: that guy is actually a high school classmate of my roommate. His name is Wang Can!"

"Wang Can?"

Gu Feifei's fingers paused above her screen. The name felt inexplicably familiar. She vaguely recalled that the party on the important contract her mother had recently signed... seemed to share that name.

Could it be... the same person?

...

On the campus of Shenhai University, the early autumn sun was still scorching.

At ten o'clock sharp, the military training review ceremony concluded successfully amidst the majestic sounds of a march. This moment marked the final farewell to "military training" for most.

Life is always full of such curious paradoxes. When the blazing sun scorched the skin and sweat soaked through the camouflage uniforms, every minute felt impossibly long. But when it was truly over, the goose-stepping on the training ground, the laughter that rippled through the night during song sessions, and even the harsh reprimands of the drill instructors all transformed into cherished imprints of youth.

Just like those days and nights spent buried in books during high school, they would eventually become glittering fragments of memory.

As the instructor, Zhang Huan, prepared to leave, many girls had red, teary eyes and rushed forward to ask for his contact information. Most surprisingly, one girl even confessed her feelings to the instructor on the spot.

"Damn, this sister is too intense, right? She fell for the instructor after only seven days?"

Chen Xiaobei’s eyes widened, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.

Zhang Bailan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe it was love at first sight?"

Wang Can shook his head with a light chuckle. "What's so strange about that? You can find people with 'romantic-brain' everywhere."

"Romantic-brain? What's that?"

Zhang Bailan looked confused, feeling as though he had just unlocked new vocabulary.

Wang Can explained patiently, "It's those people who fall for their teacher in class, their instructor during military training, or their driving coach while learning to drive. Their first reaction upon seeing a member of the opposite sex is always, 'Is this person suitable for dating?'"

This trait is most common in idol dramas, where in those sickeningly sweet plots, the protagonists' careers, ideals, and families all have to give way to romance. It eventually evolves into a world where, regardless of the profession, everyone ends up as a groom.

Chen Xiaobei froze after hearing this, and it took him a long while to stammer, "Old Wang... why do I feel like you're talking about me?"

Wang Can laughed and teased, "Please don't take it personally."

...

After the military training concluded, the entire class was summoned to the classroom by the counselor, Zheng Jun. The main purpose was to elect a class monitor.

Shen Hongge, Guo Wanwan, and Yang Shuang took the podium in turn to deliver their campaign speeches, while the other two candidates opted to withdraw. The content of the speeches was largely the same, nothing more than clichés about "serving the class" and "uniting classmates." Everyone present had gone through nine years of compulsory education; their ears were calloused from these platitudes.

The voting was conducted via anonymous paper ballots. The result was a foregone conclusion: Yang Shuang, who had served as a "deputy instructor" for the seven days, leveraged the popularity he had accumulated during training and was "struck while the iron was hot" to be elected class monitor.

The moment the result was announced, Yang Shuang was beaming. Zheng Jun secretly breathed a sigh of relief; this way, he wouldn't have to make any "adjustments" to the vote count.

Additionally, the runner-up in the vote was not Guo Wanwan, who had the advantage of the female demographic, but Shen Hongge. This unexpected result led to some whispering, but Wang Can was not surprised. Although there were more girls in Class 2, Guo Wanwan was easily envied because of her beauty, and her tendency to put on airs and act superior meant it would be a wonder if she received many votes.

Zheng Jun gave a few brief instructions for Monday's classes and dismissed the students, keeping only the newly elected monitor, Yang Shuang.

The two were left alone in the empty classroom. Zheng Jun stared at Yang Shuang for a long time before suddenly dropping a bombshell: "Yang Shuang, tell me honestly, did someone give you advice behind the scenes for the things you did over the past seven days?"

The question struck Yang Shuang like a bolt of lightning. He stood frozen, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.

After a long silence, he spoke with difficulty: "Yes."

"Who was it?"

"Wang Can."