071 Invisible Wings
Wang Heng: 【Do not mention my name!!】
Pei Ningle: 【Why?】
Why not mention his name? Because Wang Heng knew very well that the ambiguous relationship between a man and a woman often began when others thought there was something ambiguous between them. It was all too common for others to constantly say, “Look, there’s definitely something going on between them,” and then, over time, the two people who originally had nothing to do with each other really did develop something.
Besides, having a cute girl specifically mention his name on a stage in front of all the new students was just too imprudent and high-profile. It deviated too far from Wang Heng’s long-held principle of making a fortune quietly.
He typed “I’m afraid people will misunderstand” on his phone, considered it for a moment, and then deleted it.
Afraid people will misunderstand? Misunderstand what?
With Pei Ningle’s emotional intelligence, at least for now, even if she already had a good impression of him, she wouldn’t realize it and would definitely still treat him as a friend. But wouldn’t a statement like “I’m afraid people will misunderstand” constitute some kind of hint?
So Wang Heng replied: 【You’re the singer. Isn’t it not so good to talk on stage?】
However, Pei Ningle replied: 【I asked the teacher. She said I can say a few words, like wishing the students a happy start to the school year.】
Wang Heng: 【Then just say some words of blessing. Anyway, just don’t mention me!】
After a while, Pei Ningle replied with an 【Okay】 and then there were no more messages.
Wang Heng put away his phone and muttered, “It should be fine…”
**
At eight o’clock sharp, a male and a female host took the stage and announced the official start of the welcome party.
The first act was a chorus of the University of Electronic Science and Technology’s school song by the five freshmen representatives with the highest college entrance exam scores. There was no doubt about the academic ability of the freshmen representatives, but from the reaction of the students below, especially the sparse applause after they finished singing, it was not difficult to see that their singing voices were not very good.
The second act was a comedy sketch performed by three students from the law school. In just six minutes, from the story’s development to the plot twist, and the final sublimation of the theme, the logic was quite rigorous, with no faults to be found. However, their acting skills were not quite up to par, and the carefully crafted jokes failed to be successfully expressed. What made the students below laugh the most was not the carefully arranged plot, but the moment when the clown actor deliberately fell.
So the students naturally didn’t have much expectation for the third act.
“Next, please enjoy the solo performance by Pei Ningle, ‘Invisible Wings’.”
In the crowd below, Fu Hanwen took out his phone and complained, “This song is so old. It’s been covered so many times, and they’re still singing it?”
Tang Hexing: “It’s normal. At least it won’t be worse than the school song just now.”
Fu Hanwen: “If it were the original singer, it would definitely be good. But we don’t know who’s singing this, so it’s not certain… Holy shit, she’s kind of pretty!”
Before he could finish his complaint, upon seeing the blue-skirted girl who had taken the stage, the bored expression on Fu Hanwen’s face instantly changed, and his eyes lit up.
Wang Ke: “Where did this old wom… Holy shit, this one’s good!”
In terms of looks and figure, in Wang Ke’s eyes, this blue-skirted girl didn’t seem to be classifiable as an ‘old woman’.
Tang Hexing also looked at Pei Ningle with great interest, but when he turned his head, he was a little strange. Because at this moment, Wang Heng’s expression seemed to have a hint of… a meaningful smile?
“Teacher Wang, what are you thinking about?” Tang Hexing couldn’t help but ask.
Wang Heng controlled his expression and evaded with great composure, “I was thinking about the code I wrote yesterday.”
Tang Hexing gave a thumbs-up. “As expected of Teacher Wang. Your level of thinking is just different!”
Wang Heng shrugged. “It’s nothing. Let’s just listen to the song.”
At this moment, the intro started to play, and the girl on stage took a deep breath and began to sing:
“Every time,
I grow stronger in lonely wandering,
Every time,
Even when I’m hurt, I don’t show a tear,
I know,
I’ve always had a pair of invisible wings,
That take me flying, flying over despair…”
A voice as clear as moonlight flowed through the speakers on both sides of the main stage and into everyone’s ears. It was like the nourishment of a clear spring, with a slight sweetness, instantly calming people down.
The playground, which had been filled with chatting students, immediately fell silent. Those who were looking down at their phones also raised their heads one after another.
For a moment, almost everyone’s gaze was focused on the stage.
When Pei Ningle reached the chorus, she closed her eyes again:
“I finally see,
All my dreams are blooming,
The youth I’m chasing,
The singing is so loud and clear,
I’m finally soaring,
Gazing with my heart, unafraid,
Wherever the wind blows, I’ll fly that far…”
“Holy shit,” Fu Hanwen slapped his thigh. “This is too good!”
“Quiet!” Fengjia Miaomiao cast a dissatisfied glance at him, making Fu Hanwen immediately fall silent.
Tang Hexing asserted in a low voice, “This is definitely a professional singer!”
“How old is she…” Wang Ke’s eyes didn’t blink, and it was unclear who he was asking.
Tang Hexing adjusted his glasses and guessed, “Probably fifteen or sixteen? Can our school’s party even invite an underage singer?”
Wang Heng still smiled and said nothing.
**
The freshmen below, who were listening intently, didn’t know that the main reason Pei Ningle had closed her eyes on stage was because she was nervous.
So many people, so many gazes, made her palms sweat and her legs feel a little weak. Fortunately, this song was too familiar to her, so familiar that she wouldn’t sing it wrong no matter how nervous she was.
After all, this was the first song she had saved on her MP3 player back then.
But after closing her eyes, most of that pressure instantly disappeared. Releasing her tension, the more she sang, the more relaxed she became, and the more she showed the ethereal quality of her voice.
“I finally see,
All my dreams are blooming,
The youth I’m chasing,
The singing is so loud and clear,
I’m finally soaring,
Gazing with my heart, unafraid,
Wherever the wind blows, I’ll fly that far,
Invisible wings, let dreams last longer than the sky,
Leave a wish for myself to imagine…”
Finally, she finished the last line.
At the end of the accompaniment, Pei Ningle opened her eyes, looked at the peers below who couldn’t help but start to applaud, and smiled.
The girl wiped away the tears that had welled up in the corner of her eye with the back of her hand and said into the microphone, “Thank you, thank you everyone. The new semester has begun. I hope everyone enjoys their brand new university life…”
During the brief pause, Pei Ningle hesitated.
She remembered Wang Heng’s text message clearly stating that she should not mention him on stage. But in her heart, how could she not thank him for being able to stand on such a stage today and receive the applause of so many people?
If it weren’t for him, from the first day she arrived in Rongdu, she definitely wouldn’t have been able to turn danger into safety, definitely wouldn’t have had a place to live, or found a job as a bar singer. Naturally, she wouldn’t have been appreciated by the party organizer and gotten the opportunity to sing her favorite song solo on stage…
How could a magician who had finally cast her ultimate spell not thank the knight who had silently supported and protected her from behind?
After a brief moment of hesitation, Pei Ningle thought of a way and instantly made up her mind.
