NOVEL NEXT Chapter 197: Champion in my heart
Xia XiaoXi couldn't hide the smile on her face as she watched HuMing on stage.
With a guitar slung across his back, HuMing adjusted the microphone before him.
He looked out at the classmates below and the panel of judges seated in the front row.
He knew that Han ShuYi must have used some underhanded means to secure the first-place spot. Leveraging the Han family name for such things was entirely in line with Han ShuYi’s usual modus operandi.
Han ShuYi was no longer the confident person he once was. Under the weight of HuMing’s growing brilliance, he now appeared small and insecure. It was no surprise to HuMing if this led Han ShuYi to act out.
Yet, for HuMing, the question of who won hardly mattered. This song was meant for one person only.
As long as she thought it surpassed Han ShuYi's, that was enough.
“This song is dedicated to those who are striving forward.”
The music began, and HuMing strummed his guitar. His clean, magnetic voice resonated alongside the melody.
The night gives me the right to dream,To believe for a moment,That endless dawnWill climb across the earth at my feet.The crowd of students fell silent, enraptured by his voice. Sitting in the audience, Wu Qing stared in a daze at the boy on stage.
The lyrics seemed to reflect her dreams.
It didn’t take long for the audience to remember yesterday’s events—this song was clearly a tribute to ordinary people yearning for their dreams.
If only I could grasp destiny in my hands,Instead of being a coin tossed into the air.I may be as small and ordinary as an ant,But I’ve never thought of giving up.
Suddenly, the large screen behind HuMing lit up with bold subtitles.
Han ShuYi froze in place, stunned—he hadn’t heard anything about HuMing arranging such theatrics! Instinctively, he looked toward the stage crew, but they, too, were captivated by HuMing’s performance.
Don’t ask about the ninth torrential rain,It’s not meant to drown me in the mud.The darkness thought it had left me gasping for air,But it never guessed I’d still bloom in springtime.
The stage lights shifted dramatically, the tempo surged, and HuMing’s voice grew even more impassioned.
He raised a hand, inciting deafening cheers from the audience, who now resembled a fervent crowd at a concert.
The students sang along, their voices swelling with HuMing’s rhythm.
Kang Xin, standing quietly amidst the crowd, held no glow stick and didn’t join the singing. She simply gazed at the boy on stage.
If she were to say it aloud, it was the transformed HuMing who had shown her a new side of the world.
The old him—immature and insecure—had been replaced by someone entirely unrecognizable.
In her heart, she had already forgotten what he used to be like. Clutching her chest to suppress the fluttering inside, she felt emotions quietly changing.
The night gives me the right to dream...
At this moment, every step HuMing took was brimming with energy. Even his simplest gestures sent waves of cheers through the crowd.
Xia XiaoXi jumped up excitedly, shaking her glow stick in fervor.
No matter how many times she witnessed it, HuMing never failed to surprise her. His stage presence was impeccable, his voice overflowing with passion.
“HuMing! HuMing!”
Her voice was joined by countless others, chanting his name.
Han ShuYi clenched his fists tightly, unease gnawing at him. Things were beginning to slip out of his control.
Even if it’s just an illusion,An unreachable goal in this life, I still want to push forward With everything I’ve got. Even if I’m ridiculed, Even if countless sneers and disdain come my way, I will still reach The place of my dreams.
As the song concluded, beads of sweat covered HuMing’s forehead. He looked out at the crowd of students, his face glowing with joy.
Grabbing the microphone, he called out loudly, “All of us have dreams. Though there may be endless mockery and scorn in their pursuit, don’t lose heart—keep moving forward boldly!”
The thunderous applause was deafening, like a volcano erupting and transforming the students’ fervor into molten lava that soared skyward.
HuMing bowed slightly and walked offstage.
There, Han ShuYi was waiting, watching him.
Staring at that all-too-familiar face, Han ShuYi’s heart filled with loathing. Yet, for an instant, even he was moved by HuMing’s words—a fact he found inconceivable.
But it didn’t matter. The results were already determined. No matter how much HuMing tried, winning wasn’t in the cards for him.
“Not bad, HuMing.”
“Han ShuYi, do you really think that rigging the champion guarantees your victory?” HuMing smiled, sending a wave of unease through Han ShuYi.
But the latter quickly regained his composure, attributing it to HuMing’s empty bluster.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You’ll understand soon enough.”
With that, HuMing turned and left, leaving Han ShuYi staring at his retreating figure.
…
Even after the performance ended, the students were still buzzing with excitement over HuMing’s song. They discussed him endlessly, labeling him the school’s new icon.
If Ye QiuXue had once been the school’s face, then HuMing had now risen to stand alongside her.
The host stepped onto the stage, signaling for quiet before inviting all contestants back up.
“I will now announce the winner of tonight’s cultural festival talent show.”
Flipping open the results, she hesitated visibly before regaining her composure.
The hall fell silent as everyone listened, though their hearts already held a clear favorite.
“The champion is… Han ShuYi!”
A hush fell over the hall, followed by sparse, scattered applause that quickly faded.
On stage, Han ShuYi’s once-confident smile froze. He couldn’t believe the scene before him.
The host hastily encouraged the audience to clap.
“Let’s all give him a big round of applause!”
Reluctantly, the students clapped again, though the scattered rhythm made it clear how forced it was.
“Now, we’ll have Xia XiaoXi present the award.”
Under the spotlight, Xia XiaoXi appeared in a new gown, holding a bouquet and a trophy as she walked toward the stage.
This moment eased Han ShuYi’s embarrassment. He knew she would present the award to the winner.
He looked at her expectantly as she approached, his heart brimming with excitement.
When Xia XiaoXi handed him the trophy with one hand and a nod and turned away without a word, however, he was taken aback.
Before he could recover, Xia XiaoXi had moved toward HuMing.
She placed the bouquet in his hands with a smile, then took the microphone and declared, “No matter who the official champion is, HuMing is the champion in my heart!”
The crowd erupted in cheers, echoing her sentiments.
Then someone yelled, “It’s rigged!”
The chant spread like wildfire, piercing through Han ShuYi’s composure like knives.
Holding the trophy, Han ShuYi stood on stage alone, looking like a clown.