After the masquerade ball ended, everyone started chatting with each other. Since some classmates hadn't arrived yet, dinner wasn't immediately served. Wang Xiaoqiang chatted with Xu Jiyue for a while and then found a group to catch up with.

Because Wang Xiaoqiang had been pretty average and ordinary in junior high, and didn't have a wide circle of friends, he only greeted a few classmates upon entering the private room and didn't immediately find a group to strike up a close conversation with.

He simply grabbed a paper cup full of water and stood aside, observing his classmates with a smile.

Observing them after so many years was quite an interesting thing to do.

Wang Xiaoqiang looked around and saw that the room had more than thirty male and female classmates, and about twenty other men and women, who weren't his middle school classmates, probably relatives of the classmates.

From the way these classmates dressed and carried themselves, three-fourths of them didn't seem to be doing so well. All had very obvious signs of being working-class, struggling to make a living. The remaining quarter was doing slightly better, but there was no incredibly successful presence either. Of course, there might be some keeping a low profile.

Wang Xiaoqiang saw many interesting things that he could sigh about... The pretty girls from class had put on weight and turned into women of ordinary appearance; the girls who were average back then had grown tall, slender, and beautiful, dressed appropriately; the cool guys from before now had dark faces and stooped backs, a face full of ingratiating smiles; the boys who were often bullied were now wearing ironed shirts, speaking with fervor and high spirits... Such great changes, wow.

"Wang Xiaoqiang..." A voice called out; it was a calm and moderate male voice that stopped Wang Xiaoqiang.

Wang Xiaoqiang looked up and saw a man with a neatly combed pompadour, gelled, and meticulous, of average height. Still very young, but with an air of maturity about his brows, a faint sense of superiority, and an obvious leader's bearing. Full of confidence.

"Oh. Hello, class president, hello. Long time no see." Wang Xiaoqiang immediately recognized him. This man was the former class president. His grades had been very good back then, and he was in charge of fining classmates who broke the rules, holding sway over the class funds. It was said that later he got into a key university and after graduating became a civil servant.

"Yo, Wang Xiaoqiang, haven't seen you for a few years, it seems you're getting by OK, huh?" The class president eyed Wang Xiaoqiang with a scrutinizing and alert gaze. It was almost the look one would give to a competitor. Wang Xiaoqiang couldn't understand why the class president was looking at him with such an air of competition and self-defense. "This watch? Rossini, right? Must be worth tens of thousands?"

"Heh, it's a knockoff. I bought it on Taobao, just a few hundred bucks. It's for show." Wang Xiaoqiang's watch was indeed bought for tens of thousands, but he didn't want to talk about that, so he casually replied.

"Hehe," the class president stared at Wang Xiaoqiang even more. "What have you been busy with lately? Old classmate." "Just messing around." Wang Xiaoqiang didn't like the class president's interrogative tone, or his probing gaze that seemed to hook out all your secrets. So he responded rather indifferently.

This indifference, in the eyes of the class president, turned into a look of frustration. His expression softened a bit, "Classmate Wang Xiaoqiang, I get the feeling your career might not be very smooth. You don't seem to be in great spirits, a bit listless. Don't be like that, cheer up, old classmates don't get together easily. Don't be downcast. And don't wear your troubles on your face. By the way, do you still live in your rural hometown? Or have you bought a house and moved out?"

"Still living in my rural hometown," Wang Xiaoqiang shrugged. "Haven't bought a house yet."

"Oh~" The class president's face finally showed a thoroughly relieved smile, and he patted Wang Xiaoqiang's shoulder warmly, like a senior official patting a subordinate, and his tone carried a bit more of a sense of superiority. "You didn't buy a house earlier, and now you can't afford it anymore. In recent years, the housing prices in River City have soared. I also just made up my mind last year and bought a two-bedroom apartment in a development in Huidong New District. An Evergrande property; you've heard of it, right? It proves I'm quite far-sighted. As soon as the property was delivered this year, the price went up by 1000, it's like I made tens of thousands without doing anything. By the way, I'm now working at the city's Housing Management Bureau, a deputy section-level official. If you have any questions about housing, you can ask me directly. Later I'll give you my business card."

"Sure," Wang Xiaoqiang replied indifferently.

This class president named Ye Junzi only talked to Wang Xiaoqiang like this because he had just come out of jail. After several years in prison for economic crimes, he was unaware of the outside world and of Wang Xiaoqiang's current situation. So, he thought Wang Xiaoqiang was still the bumpkin from before. Although Ye Junzi had been in jail for a few years, his family had money. Seeing that Wang Xiaoqiang was getting along well with his heartthrob Xu Jiyue, he felt puzzled and envious, so he wanted to belittle him at that moment.

Wang Xiaoqiang had also heard about Ye Junzi spending a few years in prison, so he didn't bother arguing with him. After a brief chat, he went to find Xu Jiyue again; his goal that night was her.

After entering the large private room, some were drinking and chatting, others singing. Seeing Wang Xiaoqiang chatting enthusiastically with Xu Jiyue, Ye Junzi, in a fit of jealousy, prompted Xu Jiyue to sing. "Xu classmate, you were the queen of songs in our school, today you have to sing no matter what." "Yes, Xu classmate, you must sing," Xu Jiyue had no choice but to give Wang Xiaoqiang a meaningful smile and then walked to the front to take the microphone and sing.

She chose a popular song of the moment, "To Youth"...

His uninhibited face resembles the evening sky

Her washed hair like the flames in her heart

The fleeting revelry we mistook for an endless life

The long goodbye is a feast of youth

Crazy, tired, painful, the human comedy

Laughed, shouted, departed, the bizarre youth

How could such fine scenes be bitter for some and sweet for others

The years of tender youth passed, revealing wonders beyond,

Lovely times and beautiful sights, for whom do they labor, for whom are they sweet?

Those tender years passed, understanding time at last,

Driven mad, weary, and pained, a human comedy,

Laughed, cried out, walked on, youth's curious tale,

...

The school beauty, Xu Jiyue, was not only beautiful, but her singing voice was also incredibly sweet. As the song ended, thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Xu Jiyue gave a shy smile and then walked back to Wang Xiaoqiang's side.

Ye Junzi wanted to show off his singing skills as well, so he went on stage and sang an old song, "You, My Deskmate."...

Tomorrow, will you remember

The diary you wrote yesterday?

Tomorrow, will you still think of

The you who was once the most tearful?

The teachers have all forgotten,

The you who couldn't guess the questions,

I too happened upon a photo by chance,

And it reminded me of you, my deskmate,

Who married the sentimental you?

Who read your diary?

Who pinned up your long hair?

Who made your wedding dress?

You were always so cautious,

Borrowing half an eraser from me,

You once mentioned carelessly,

Liking spending time with me,

Back then the sky was always so blue,

The days always went by too slowly,

You always said graduation was ages away,

Yet in a blink, we went our separate ways,

Who has met the sentimental you?

Who comforted the teary you

Who read the letter I wrote to you

Who cast it into the wind

The days of the past have gone far away

I, too, will have my wife

I, too, will show her photos

And tell her about you, my deskmate

Who married the sentimental you

Who comforted the weepy you

Who put up your long hair

Who made your bridal gown

La

It had to be said that Ye Junzi also sang very well; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken the initiative to sing. After finishing, he glanced at Xu Jiyue to find that she wasn't paying much attention to him at all, which made him feel quite uncomfortable. So, he urged Wang Xiaoqiang, "Little Qiang, why don't you sing a song, too?"

"I can't carry a tune. Better not to sing. You sing if you want to," Wang Xiaoqiang declined.

"Don't be so modest, Little Qiang," Ye Junzi said as he firmly placed the microphone in Wang Xiaoqiang's hand.

"Go ahead and sing; I would really like to hear your voice," Xu Jiyue encouraged Wang Xiaoqiang.

Ye Junzi sneered inwardly, thinking what a bumpkin could know about singing, nonsense of a singing voice.

Just as he was looking down on him, Wang Xiaoqiang had already stepped up and started to sing "Winter Campus."

My dear brother

Walk through the winter campus with me, tell me about

The beautiful girls

The white-haired gentlemen

Take advantage of the emptiness, the lack of wind

When I left,

It was just like now

With fallen leaves in desolation, just like now

There were beautiful girls, white-haired gentlemen

A few poets of love

A few wandering singers

I remember at the pub by the school gates

There would often be loud cries

In the dark forests, there were sighs

And the tape recorder in the dormitories

Would play the song "I love you" every day

But every holiday

You all left in a rush

This winter campus remains as always

Calm and peaceful as before

With beautiful girls, white-haired gentlemen

But no one comes to sing the songs of old

I remember at the pub by the school gates

There would often be loud cries

In the dark forests, there were sighs

And the tape recorder in the dormitories

Would play the song "I love you" every day

But every holiday, you all left in a rush

My dear brother

Walk through the winter campus with me, tell me about

The beautiful girls, the white-haired gentlemen

Take advantage of the emptiness, the lack of wind

Wang Xiaoqiang really was tone-deaf, just as he said about himself. He knew Ye Junzi wanted to see him embarrassed, but he wasn't inclined to let that happen. So, he used his Spiritual Power to force the notes. In fact, he wasn't really good at singing, but with the manipulation of Spiritual Power, his voice turned into Languorous Melody when it reached the audience's ears, as if they were listening to the sound of heaven. After he finished, the room fell silent, then the applause roared like thunder.

"Good, let's have another one!" The other students clamored for Wang Xiaoqiang to sing another song.

Ye Junzi's face turned pale as ash. He had intended to make Wang Xiaoqiang a laughingstock, yet now he had turned into hero.

What made him even more frustrated was that at that moment, Xu Jiyue actually went up to the front, wanting to sing a duet with Wang Xiaoqiang.

So, the two sang "The Choice."

I hope you can love me till the end of time, I hope you can accompany me to the ends of the earth. Even if everything started from scratch I wouldn't change my decision. I have chosen you and you have chosen me, oh, I will always love you till the earth grows old. I will always be with you till the seas run dry and rocks crumble. Even if we could go back to the past, this would still be my only decision. I have chosen you and you have chosen me, this is our choice.

While singing this song, Wang Xiaoqiang also used his Spiritual Power to force the notes, making the sound quality reach the ultimate perfection. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to head to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)

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