“Yeah, everyone says that we’re a couple who kind of looks alike,” Xiaotu said to Zhai Shiyu with a proud expression on her face.
“Uh…a couple who kind of looks alike?”
Zhai Shiyu felt a little bit caught off guard when she’d heard what Xiaotu had just said, and she had no idea what to say next in response.
Cheng Zhiyan, however, appeared to have no intention of explaining anything further. He simply patted Xiaotu on the head and said, “Quick, go follow Teacher Zhao to your seat.”
“All right…” Xiaotu unwillingly released her hand from its grip on Cheng Zhiyan’s shirt. As she walked away, she continued to glance back at him as she shouted, “Brother Orange Juice, remember to come look for me after your performance is over.”
“I will.” Cheng Zhiyan waved good-bye to her.
“Yo, Cheng Zhiyan, isn’t that your little girlfriend?” Xia Feng was wandering around backstage looking for Cheng Zhiyan. He’d just happened to see Xiaotu leave, so he wandered over to gossip.
“Girlfriend?” Zhai Shiyu’s face instantly paled.
“Huh, Zhai Shiyu, you’re here as well? I heard that your class received the first slot in the lottery for the order of performance, so you’d better go break a leg.” Xia Feng had only now caught sight of Zhai Shiyu standing beside Cheng Zhiyan after he’d turned around.
“Was that…Cheng Zhiyan’s girlfriend?” Zhai Shiyu stared straight ahead at Cheng Zhiyan, and she sincerely hoped that Xia Feng would answer in the negative.
Cheng Zhiyan glanced at her nonchalantly with a faint smile on his lips as he said, “The performance is about to begin. You should hurry up and return to your class as you’re scheduled to go on first.”
“But you…”
She stopped talking, but continued to think to herself, “…You haven’t answered my question yet.”
Zhai Shiyu then heard music start up on the stage, and along with the music, the host was beginning his opening remarks:
“1997 is about to come to an end. During this year, we have welcomed the special administrative region of Hong Kong back into the arms of our motherland, our intercept valve for the Yangtze River’s Three Gorges Dam has come to fruition, and our nation is getting stronger by the day. Right now, the trees outside are embellished with dazzling lights, the night has almost come to an end, and along with the rhythmic chimes of bells, we welcome this year’s Christmas…”
“Zhai Shiyu, Zhai Shiyu, hurry up and come over here!” Zhai Shiyu’s classmates were calling her name from near the stage area.
“I’m coming,” Zhai Shiyu promptly responded, yet still felt unable to resign herself to this situation. She glanced one final time in Cheng Zhiyan’s direction, before she finally turned around and headed toward her classmates.
“Hey dude, didn’t you refuse to admit that Xiaotu was your girlfriend before? How come you’re acknowledging it now?” Xia Feng patted Cheng Zhiyan on his back and asked, as he teasingly snickered at him.
“In this way, I can avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble,” Cheng Zhiyan replied nonchalantly. “Do you have anything to do right now? If you don’t have anything to do, can you go help me by keeping an eye on Xiaotu.”
“All right, I’m most happy to do things like keep an eye on women.” Xia Feng grinned in response, and then turned around and left.
Xiaotu followed Teacher Zhao up to the front of the stage and found a seat in the second row.
Teacher Zhao smiled at Xiaotu as he said, “You’re tiny, so you have to sit in the second row to be able to see clearly. Let me tell you, only officials and the principal can sit in the first row, so you see, you’re very lucky to be so close to them.”
“Oh, thank you. When is Brother Orange Juice going to appear on stage?” Xiaotu smiled and said.
“Let me tell you, the one sitting in the middle of the first row is the mayor, and the person sitting next to him is the head of the Education Bureau…”
“Oh, okay… But when is Brother Orange Juice going to appear on stage?”