Chapter 15: School Celebration Performance

After school in the evening, Shen Jia Yan waited for Wen Wan Ning and Lü Yue, and the three of them walked toward the school gate together.

The streetlights cast three swaying halos on the asphalt road, their shadows overlapping and separating at times. Lü Yue walked at the front, the little doll hanging from her backpack swaying lightly with her steps.

Suddenly, she turned her head and asked, “Jia Yan, I heard you’re performing a joint act with Cheng Xiao from our class?”

“Yeah, the two of us together.”

“Cheng Xiao even said you helped her stay in, otherwise she would’ve been eliminated,” Lü Yue added.

Shen Jia Yan hadn’t expected Cheng Xiao, who seemed so proud, to tell others about it.

She smiled. “I didn’t really do much, just made a small suggestion. The teachers made the final decision.”

Wen Wan Ning didn’t say much along the way; it was clear she was a bit unhappy.

Shen Jia Yan tentatively asked her, “Wan Ning, what’s wrong? You look—not very happy?”

Wen Wan Ning didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly, “Do you really want Cheng Xiao to stay?”

Shen Jia Yan was stunned; she hadn’t expected Wen Wan Ning to ask that. She thought for a moment before responding, “It’s not that I really wanted her to; I’m not that close to her, it’s just—“

Wen Wan Ning pressed when Shen Jia Yan didn’t continue, “Just what?”

Shen Jia Yan wasn’t sure if she should say it was because Cheng Xiao was her classmate and she didn’t want her to be disappointed over their class’s program falling through.

She worried that saying it would make Wen Wan Ning overthink, feeling like she cared too much about her.

But if she didn’t say it, she feared Wen Wan Ning would misunderstand.

After weighing it several times, she decided to speak.

Worst case, she could explain it as caring for her classmate and good friend.

“It’s just that she’s your classmate, and your class only had that one program. I was afraid you’d be disappointed if she got eliminated. Nothing else,” Shen Jia Yan answered softly.

A warm current surged in Wen Wan Ning’s heart; she hadn’t expected that to be the reason. She’d thought Shen Jia Yan was—particularly fond of Cheng Xiao too.

Shen Jia Yan always thought of her in every way, considerate and attentive.

She felt fortunate to have made such a friend, one who kept her in mind.

“Jia Yan, don’t always think about taking care of others’ feelings. Consider yourself more; don’t keep compromising.”

Shen Jia Yan pursed her lips and nodded. “Mm.”

You’re not others; you’re the person I like, the one I have to consider.

Rehearsals went on for several days, and finally, the school celebration arrived.

The event started at 7 p.m., while during the day, classes continued normally for everyone except the performers.

In the afternoon, all the performing students gathered on the playground at the fully set-up stage for the final rehearsal.

Shen Jia Yan and Cheng Xiao’s performance, being particularly exciting, was placed last on the program.

The school had hired makeup artists to do everyone’s makeup.

The final rehearsal followed the evening show’s program almost exactly, with everyone performing in full makeup.

Following the makeup artist’s suggestions, Shen Jia Yan and Cheng Xiao wore white shirts paired with black ties. The artists gave them a fresh yet cool and edgy look.

With the same makeup and outfits, Shen Jia Yan and Cheng Xiao exuded different styles. Though both looked great, Shen Jia Yan had an extra dash of dash and handsomeness.

While they waited, several male and female classmates came over to chat them up. Most praised how cool the two girls looked playing the drum set, but a few even pulled out paper and pens asking for Shen Jia Yan’s phone number or WeChat, all of which she turned down.

It was high school, after all; studies came first, no time for distractions.

As she used that excuse to refuse, she secretly held back a laugh.

If she really had that kind of resolve, she might’ve been in the same class as Wen Wan Ning by now.

After days as partners, Cheng Xiao and Shen Jia Yan had gotten familiar. Cheng Xiao nudged her with an elbow, drumsticks in hand, and laughed, “You’re really popular, huh.”

Shen Jia Yan twirled her drumstick. “Can’t help it; personal charm can’t be hidden.”

Cheng Xiao rolled her eyes helplessly. “You’re not humble at all.”

Shen Jia Yan said seriously, “I respect objective facts.”

“Hahaha, don’t make me laugh.”

Over those few days, Shen Jia Yan’s personality had really won Cheng Xiao over.

“Double drum set, prepare.” The performance teacher’s voice came from the stage.

The two walked onstage, helping the staff set up the drums.

They sat down, exchanged a glance, then Shen Jia Yan nodded to the teacher offstage.

The performance began, their coordination even more seamless, flawless.

Rehearsal time spanned class periods and breaks, so the audience below always included students from PE classes, activities, or just passing by.

“Girls playing drum set? So cool!”

“Look at the one on the left—so pretty and badass.”

“Two girls on drums? Way too pleasing to the eye.”

“Which class is the girl on the left from? I wanna meet her.”

······

Lü Yue returned to the classroom from outside and excitedly called to Wen Wan Ning, who was studying, “Wan Ning, Wan Ning, I heard Jia Yan and Cheng Xiao just rehearsed—super cool!”

Wen Wan Ning stopped writing. “Are they still rehearsing now?” She wanted to go see.

Lü Yue sat on her stool. “It’s over already. We’ll have to wait for tonight.”

A bit regrettable.

Just as she said that, Cheng Xiao returned to the class to grab her spare drumsticks.

“Wow······” Everyone was stunned by her made-up look.

“Cheng Xiao, you look so handsome, so pretty,” a nearby girl said.

Cheng Xiao grabbed the sticks and said shyly, “It’s alright. Gotta go—see you tonight.”

Seeing Cheng Xiao’s makeup and outfit, Wen Wan Ning couldn’t help thinking of Shen Jia Yan.

If she had a similar look, she’d definitely be even more stunning······

Time reached 7 p.m.

The school celebration officially began.

Twilight washed over the playground like a tide, the string lights above the stage lighting up one by one, diffusing a hazy glow in the deepening night.

The principal’s voice echoed through the mic in the dimming air.

Backstage, the waiting students exchanged excited glances.

The principal finally ended his speech, and all lights suddenly went out, drawing scattered gasps in the darkness.

The show started. The stage filled instantly with upbeat melodies.

One exciting act after another played onstage, while below, students waved glow sticks like a spilling galaxy, tracing flowing light trails in the dark.

The finale arrived.

Stage lights dimmed sharply, leaving only two cold white spotlights slicing through the darkness.

Cheng Xiao and Shen Jia Yan took the stage, sitting behind the drum kits.

Shen Jia Yan had rolled her white shirt sleeves to her elbows, revealing defined forearms, her loose tie slung diagonally around her neck. Black cargo pants tucked into Martin boots below.

“So badass,” someone in the crowd shouted.

Shen Jia Yan raised a brow and smiled.

She exchanged a glance with Cheng Xiao.

Then, she raised her left drumstick, twirling it at the tip.

“Thump!”

The bass drum boomed like thunder, igniting the crowd instantly. Her movements were crisp and clean, no excess; even the arc of her short hair rising seemed calculated, trembling slightly with the beat.

“Da, da-da, thump!”

Snare and hi-hat rhythms interlocked precisely, her gaze focused and sharp, lips curving in a faint smile—as if the deafening beats were just a casual flick of her fingers.

Gasps rose nonstop from the audience: “Too cool!”

Her loose tie swung with each hi-hat strike, tracing deep blue afterimages under the spotlights.

Wen Wan Ning watched with a tight throat, like cotton stuffed in her chest.

Turns out girls could be this······

She couldn’t find the words.

Every move Shen Jia Yan made carried a destructive beauty, like shattering and reassembling the whole world.

Wen Wan Ning felt her ears burning, heart rampaging in her chest.

Lü Yue, beside her, grabbed her arm, fingers trembling with excitement. “Oh my god! How can Shen Jia Yan be this cool!” Her voice was low, but the thrill burst through.

Wen Wan Ning’s eyes stayed glued to Shen Jia Yan. “Yeah, really cool.”

The explosive chorus rhythm hit, and Shen Jia Yan suddenly flung her stick up, clashing beats with Cheng Xiao in the air. Sweat-damp short hair stuck to her forehead, gilded under the overhead lights.

Her shirt back showed faint sweat stains, the cotton clinging tight to her arched back, outlining sharp shoulder blades that briefly separated from her skin as she raised her arm.

“Third variation!” She raised a brow at Cheng Xiao beside her.

They both whipped their sticks, using rimshots on the snare for alternating sixteenth notes.

Screams erupted from the crowd, drowned in the dense beats, but she just hooked her lips, speeding up the final solo.

At last, her drumstick spun three times in her fingers before slamming the crash cymbal.

As the final note trembled in the air, she let go, the sticks dropping free—”Pa!”

Both drumsticks landed precisely on the bass drum at the same time.

The crowd went silent for two seconds, then erupted in a roar that nearly flipped the playground.

Shen Jia Yan stood, picking up the fallen sticks.

She looked up, her gaze cutting through the swaying lights to meet Wen Wan Ning’s. In that instant, the screams and music blurred into distant background.

Wen Wan Ning saw only the smile lifting Shen Jia Yan’s lips—bold and unrestrained, like a direct heart-pounding beat, stalling her breath for half a beat.

She really······ was captivating.

The school celebration’s clamor settled into the night, stage lights extinguishing one by one.

Undoubtedly, Shen Jia Yan became the focus of this celebration.

Since it was the school celebration, teachers turned a blind eye to students using phones. Thus, right after it ended, the School Tieba flooded with photos and videos of Shen Jia Yan and Cheng Xiao drumming.

—Which year and class are these two girls from? Their drum set skills are insane, especially the one on the left.

—I’m a guy who’s practiced drums for years and I bow down.

—The girl on the left is from Year 2 Class 11—pretty, great personality too.

—Tell the left girl: wait one year for me, I’ll confess after graduation.

—Hahaha······

Exhausted after the long day, Shen Jia Yan went home, showered, and lay down to check her phone before bed.

A WeChat notification popped up.

Yuxin: [Jia Yan, you’re blowing up on the school Tieba right now.]

Shen Jia Yan: [Headscratch.jpg]

Yuxin: [It’s all photos and videos from your performance tonight. So cool. You’ve got a bunch of guys and girls crushing—some even saying they’ll wait till graduation to confess. (Smirk.jpg)]

Shen Jia Yan held her phone, lips curving up as she replied: [Psh, as expected. No big deal.]

Xia Yuxin climbed into bed and lay down. [(Thumbs up.jpg) You’re you, a firework in a different color.]

Shen Jia Yan: [Haha, quit messing around. Get some sleep; early class tomorrow. Night.]

Xia Yuxin: [Night.]

Shen Jia Yan set her phone down and stared at the ceiling.

Among all those attracted guys and girls, she wondered if Wan Ning was one······