You didn’t accept my confession, why are you crying because I changed my mind?

Chapter 62

The curtains at the front of the stage slowly drew back.

Under dazzling lights, the welcome party officially began.

Heavily and lightly made-up hosts walked onstage and greeted the audience warmly.

They began with heartfelt words welcoming the freshmen, then announced the opening act:

A group dance performance called “Bloom.”

But the audience clearly wasn’t very interested.

The dance was too plain. They were just some girls waving around oversized plastic flower petals.

To them, even a comedy skit would’ve been more entertaining.

Su Nan watched for a while and suddenly said, “I need to remember how the audience looks right now.”

Huang Qi didn’t get it. “Why?”

“Look. Don’t they all seem pretty quiet?”

“Yeah, almost asleep.”

“I bet once Classmate Feng goes on stage, this entire auditorium will blow its roof off.”

Hearing that, everyone turned to look at Feng Siruo.

And in that moment, they all felt that Su Nan wasn’t exaggerating one bit.

After tonight’s performance, Feng Siruo would absolutely be the school beauty.

Who knew how many boys would instantly fall for her and turn into lovesick puppies?

Just then, a figure appeared behind the backstage curtain.

“Jiang Zhou, I’m here. What did you need me for?” Ding Yue walked up to them.

Jiang Zhou looked at Feng Siruo. “She’s a little panicked. Take her to get changed and talk to her a bit.”

“Alright, I’ll take her.”

A while later, the welcome party was already halfway through.

Jiang Zhou and the others were quietly watching when footsteps suddenly sounded behind them.

Feng Siruo walked out of the dressing room.

She was wearing a violet chiffon gown, decorated at the chest with silver leaves and tiny blossoms.

Her fair collarbones were like carved jade — flawlessly delicate and graceful.

The dress was custom-made for her by Jiang Zhou based purely on memory.

Apart from the color, it was exactly like the one she wore in their past life’s wedding.

The four of them turned and were immediately stunned into silence.

Even though Feng Siruo was still wearing a mask, the three girls who had already seen her face all suddenly felt inadequate.

Just then, the host’s voice rang out from the front stage.

“The next program is brought to you by one of our event sponsors.

“You’ve all used ganfanren.com, right? That food site practically tailors content for hardcore foodies!

“And the next song you’ll hear is its very first theme song.”

“Oh, and one more piece of good news! ganfanren.com’s online food ordering system is officially live!

“From now on, if you’re craving anything nearby, a single tap gets it delivered.

“Now, please enjoy the performance: The Anthem of the Foodies.

“Performers: Su Nan, Han Rou, and Huang Qi!”

Hearing this, the three girls snapped back to reality.

It was their turn to go on!

Led by Su Nan, they rushed into the backstage corridor in a panic.

Feng Siruo looked way too stunning in that dress.

They were so mesmerized they nearly forgot they had a show to perform.

As the host’s voice faded, the stage curtains slowly parted.

One pink, one red, one black — three Lolita-dressed girls struck their opening pose, appearing before the audience.

Boom!

The applause from the crowd crashed like a tidal wave.

Just minutes ago, some of the boys were dozing off.

Now, they were practically flying out of their seats.

They couldn’t believe what they were seeing, especially the ones who had fallen asleep.

Woken by friends, they stared wide-eyed at the stage.

“Holy crap! Is this the sweet-style campus idol group mentioned on the program?!”

“Totally worth the ticket price!”

“Han-senpai, the cold, queenly goddess, actually wore a black Gothic Lolita outfit and played a yandere character?!”

Amidst the overwhelming cheers from the audience, the once-nervous Han Rou finally relaxed.

She didn’t expect that just changing her outfit could drive people this wild.

Meanwhile, music began to play.

Su Nan and Huang Qi skipped adorably to the front of the stage.

With sparkly gold-glitter eyeshadow and confident sass, they placed hands on hips and winked at the crowd.

Instantly, it felt like invisible blades stabbed through every otaku’s chest.

Their voices were naturally sweet, so when they sang, the air itself felt sugary.

“Finally it’s mealtime, the meal man’s time to shine, first to the buffet line!

“Skip a meal, you’re barely human. Fill up and feel superhuman!

“Boss, not full yet! Bring another bowl!”

Then, Han Rou took center stage.

Her walk was all cool confidence, black leather shoes clicking with authority.

Just as the crowd anticipated her next move, she suddenly raised her hand and let out a creepy laugh.

At that moment, the whole room felt the chilling thrill of being targeted by a yandere queen.

“I let out a yawn and looked up to see the time. Oh my god! Still five minutes till lunch bell chimes!”

—

The audience below was now in complete frenzy.

They turned on their phone flashlights, waving tiny points of light like mad.

“Sweet girls!”

“Sweet girls!”

“Sweet girls!!”

The explosive cheers reached all the way backstage.

The performers who had already finished their acts were stunned.

What the hell?

Were these nerds all hiding in the walls earlier?!

When we were performing, your snoring drowned out the speakers.

Now your cheering is about to shatter them!

“This is on par with Kana Hanazawa’s ‘Renai Circulation,’” Jiang Zhou couldn’t help but sigh, remembering the insane otaku energy he’d seen on Bilibili in his past life.

Feng Siruo slightly opened her mouth in awe. “That was amazing…”

“Pretty awesome, right?”

“Mm-hmm!”

“Alright then, let’s go get ready too.”

“Okay.”

So, just as The Anthem of the Foodies neared its end, Jiang Zhou took Feng Siruo’s small hand and led her to the prep area.

As the song concluded, the three cute girls bowed to the crowd.

They were already covered in a sheen of sweat, but their eyes sparkled with brilliance.

“Please support ganfanren.com’s online ordering!

“Just a tap, and all your favorite dishes are here!

“Hungry and thirsty? Tap me now!”

With that, the three Lolita girls lined up and walked offstage.

However, the cheers from the audience still didn’t stop. In fact, they grew even louder.

Everyone was chanting, “Encore! One more song!”

Even the host who stepped back onto the stage was startled by the roar.

In the face of such a grand spectacle, who would dare to underestimate the power of otakus?

“Ahem, everyone please calm down a bit.

“The next performance is also brought to you by our sponsor for tonight’s event, Jiang Zhou.

“Please support student entrepreneurship, and every bit of hard work and dedication!

“Now, please enjoy the song ‘The Wind Rises.’

“Lyrics: Jiang Zhou.

“Composer: Jiang Zhou.

“Performers: Jiang Zhou and Feng Siruo.”

As soon as the words fell, the curtain was suddenly drawn open.

Feng Siruo, dressed in her purple gauze evening gown, stood under a beam of silver light.

The cold-toned spotlight illuminated her long, trembling eyelashes, softening her delicate features with a misty glow.

Yet none of it could hide the sparkle of purity and liveliness in her eyes.

But right now, she looked a little panicked.

Her pale, delicate hands were tightly clasped at her chest, her innocent gaze full of confusion and alarm.

This wasn’t acting. It was real.

Because the person who was supposed to come onstage with her, Jiang Zhou, was nowhere to be seen.

Her eyes scanned the audience anxiously.

Where is Jiang Zhou?

They had agreed to go onstage together, so why had he left her alone?

At the same time, the rowdy audience instantly fell into complete silence.

Everyone stared at the girl on stage, bathed in light, breathtakingly beautiful.

Their eyes were filled with astonishment.

Her pitiful and lost appearance seemed to reach into their chests and tug at their hearts.

“Is… is that an angel?”

“Oh my god, who is she looking for? My heart’s breaking!”

“Damn it, which bastard left her there all alone?!”

“Bro, seriously. Are we sure this girl is even from our school?”

“What kind of dumb question is that? I don’t even know if she belongs to the mortal world!”

“Don’t leave her up there! I swear I’ll charge the stage myself!”

Just then, the intro of “The Wind Rises” began to play.

The smooth piano melody slowly grew louder.

Suddenly, a breeze swept through the hall from south to north.

The auditorium’s 3D surround system made the wind feel almost real.

With the music rising, Jiang Zhou finally stepped onto the stage.

At that moment, Feng Siruo visibly relaxed.

The panic and helplessness disappeared from her face, replaced by a warm, springlike smile.

Then, Jiang Zhou’s voice echoed throughout the auditorium, “I once was lost in the vastness of the world, and indulged in the dreams within it.

“I no longer seek truth or lies, nor do I fear being mocked.

“I once turned youth into her name, and played a summer tune with my fingertips.

“When the heart moves, just follow where fate leads.

“Walk against the light, let wind and rain fall as they may.”

In that instant, the audience was stunned.

They weren’t sure anymore. Was this a welcome party performance, or had God paused the world to stage a play about an angel descending to Earth?

And that song, what the hell was that?

Just a few lines in, and they already had goosebumps all over.

It wasn’t just the audience at the front.

Backstage, Han Rou, Huang Qi, and Su Nan had just finished performing.

The moment they heard Jiang Zhou sing, they froze.

They had never heard “The Wind Rises” before.

They’d assumed it was some cheesy, basic tune like “Counting Ducks.”

But what was that just now?

“I once was lost in the vastness of the world…

“…and indulged in the dreams within it…”

Han Rou snapped out of it. “Did the host say my brother wrote this song?”

Su Nan and Huang Qi looked shocked. “Isn’t he supposed to be a scumbag? How could he write something like that?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never heard it before!

“I danced otaku dances for him all the time, and he never sang for me!”

Meanwhile, the performance at the front was nearing its end.

Silver light scattered across the stage like falling snow.

Feng Siruo sat in the center, quietly gazing forward, as if time had frozen, as if the entire stage had paused for her.

The only one still moving was Jiang Zhou.

He reached out his hand and gently took hers.

At that moment, the tempo shifted dramatically.

The next line of the song came in.

“The evening wind brushes your greying temples, soothing the scars left by memory.

“In your eyes, light and darkness intertwine, and one smile makes flowers bloom.

“Twilight covers your faltering steps, entering the room where old paintings lie hidden.

“In the painting, you’re speaking with your head bowed.”

Boom!

As the song ended, the entire audience stood up.

The goosebumps hadn’t even faded, but they gave thunderous applause without hesitation.

Everyone would remember that girl who descended into the mortal world.

Everyone would remember that line: “I once was lost in the vastness of the world.”

Amazed.

What other word could describe this performance but amazed?

A song no one had heard before, yet pierced the heart so easily.

A girl no one knew, but who made everyone fall for her at once.

This was a divine pairing!

“This show didn’t deserve a performance like that. It was too good!”

“How is there such a beautiful song? What if I never hear it again?”

“Who’s that girl? Feng Siruo? Why have I never heard of her?”

“Are you all just simping for her looks? That song was a classic!”

“Wasn’t Jiang Zhou the one people called a scumbag? How does he have this kind of talent?”

“Writing songs, starting a business, and being a troll. What window did God close for this guy?”

“No, he doesn’t live in God’s house. He lives in God’s private garden. And that girl does too!”

At that moment, Jiang Zhou and Feng Siruo stood and walked toward the edge of the stage.

He handed her over to the rushing Han Rou, while he stayed behind and raised the mic once more.

“Tonight, ganfanren.com’s online ordering service officially launches — free delivery for all orders.

“Also, on the homepage, you can download recorded versions of ‘Anthem of the Foodies’ and ‘The Wind Rises.’

“Hungry or thirsty? Come tap me! Thank you all for your support.”

After that, Jiang Zhou turned and walked off stage.

Putting on a show was exhausting. His nerves had been taut the entire time.

But now, his mood was euphoric.

Because this wave of promotion had been absolutely perfect.

His startup had truly stepped onto the road of business.

“Bro! Bro!” Just then, Han Rou came running in a panic.

Jiang Zhou paused. “What’s wrong?”

“Sis-in-law suddenly ran off. She looked like she was in pain!”

“In pain?”

“Yeah, she was clutching her chest and breathing hard!”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhou’s heart sank.

It was a stress response from her social anxiety.

Normal people relax offstage, but people with social anxiety were the opposite.

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They replay everything over and over in their heads, terrified of attention and judgment.

Which meant the stage anxiety hadn’t faded, it was growing worse inside her.

“Where did she go?”

“She left through the emergency exit backstage. I couldn’t catch her.”

Jiang Zhou took off his jacket and handed it over. “Sis, get some people and help me look for her.”

“Got it! I’ll go find help!”