Chapter 28: Those Years

Next, Long Junhao sang “Fairy Tale.” He performed it with such feeling that he had clearly practiced it countless times—perhaps enough to reach the level of a second-rate professional singer. When he finished, most of the people present voted for him.

Seeing this, Long Junhao gave a proud smile. “Well, Chu Nan? If you can sing this song better than I did, I’ll admit defeat!”

Chu Nan smiled faintly. “You don’t need to admit defeat. I’ll make sure you understand exactly how you lost.”

“Hey, Chu Nan, watch your damn mouth! Are you looking to die?” Luo Xiang could no longer hold back. He yanked the microphone away and began shouting.

Long Junhao, however, was so furious that he laughed. “Enough. This kid won’t shed a tear until he sees the coffin. Let him sing.”

“Chu Nan, I’d love to see how you’re going to make our boss ‘die’! If you lose later, I’ll make sure you regret it!” Luo Xiang glared with bulging eyes, looking vicious enough to devour someone.

“Your songs are all dedicated to Zhou Xiaonan. I’m different. This song is dedicated to myself—and to all the seniors preparing to graduate.”

With that, Chu Nan turned around and looked at all the students gathered outside the field.

Under their expectant gazes, his fingers began to move...

A graceful melody, flowing like water, suddenly filled the air. The moment it began, some people wore puzzled expressions. No one present had ever heard this melody before, yet from the way he played and sang it, it was obvious that he had not made it up on the spot.

“Not ‘Those Years’?” Zhou Xiaonan froze. “Could this be another original song of his?”

She had heard more than a thousand songs and believed that she could recognize the title of any remotely popular song from its melody—even many obscure ones.

If she could not recall it, then it was very likely an original song!

For a moment, Zhou Xiaonan was filled with anticipation. She believed that someone capable of writing “Those Years” could never produce a bad song.

The next moment, Chu Nan began to sing, his voice soft and gentle.

No—instead of soft, it was more accurate to call it tender.

“Back again at the place where it all began,
Your youthful face still lingers in my memory.
At last, we have arrived at this day...”

The instant Chu Nan’s voice rang out, the entire crowd erupted in unison with a chorus of excited cries.

He sounded simply too good—too tender.

His clear, captivating voice seemed to have been stripped of every impurity, leaving behind only its purest essence.

More importantly, none of them had ever heard this song before. The lyrics were beautiful, the melody enchanting, and together they seemed to carry the scent of first love.

Most of those present had never experienced first love, but that did not stop them from imagining it.

As Chu Nan continued, they became increasingly convinced that this was the most beautiful song they had heard all day.

“Back again at the place where it all began~
Standing foolishly before the mirror~
Clumsily tying the knot of a red necktie~
Combing my hair into an adult’s style,
Putting on a handsome suit~
When I see you later, you’ll surely be more beautiful than I imagined~~

I want so badly to return to those years,
Back to the classroom, sitting before and behind you,
Deliberately coaxing you into scolding me gently.
On the blackboard, the permutations and combinations line up—
Can you really bear to solve them?
Who sits beside whom, and who loves her~~”

“No way! Old Chu is this incredible? This sounds way too good!” Yang Jingtian was so astonished that his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Hearing this, Zhang Hao, who had been watching the show nearby with a roasted corn cob between his teeth, let the corn fall to the ground without even noticing.

He Qianqian and Tian Jiaojiao likewise widened their eyes. They stood there as if under a spell, completely dazed.

Amid the crowd, Huang Jingjing silently watched everything unfold. Deep down, she was happy, yet also dispirited—and even somewhat inferior.

Zhou Xiaonan, meanwhile, wore a sweet smile. She had never expected Chu Nan to surprise her so greatly once again.

“Weiwei, Chu Nan... Chu Nan is way too handsome!” Yang Liuqing was bursting with excitement. “This song speaks straight to my heart. It’s just a shame I’ve never been in love!”

Yet at that moment, she had already decided to make the first move. A boy like this, possessing such a gift for music alone, was destined never to be ordinary.

Jiang Yuwei’s eyes had always been calm, but this song sent ripples through their clear depths.

“All the heavy rains we missed in those years,
All the love we missed in those years,
I want so badly to hold you,
To embrace the courage we once lacked.
I once dreamed of conquering the entire world,
But when I finally looked back, I realized
That every drop and every speck of this world
Was you...”

When the song ended, it was not until Chu Nan thanked everyone that the crowd finally came to its senses and burst into applause.

At that moment, a vote was hardly necessary. With the exception of those who particularly disliked Chu Nan, nearly everyone began shouting over and over:

“Another song! Another song!”

Chu Nan merely looked at Long Junhao with a grin. “Well? I won, didn’t I?”

Long Junhao and Luo Xiang looked terrible. But the facts spoke louder than words. Even if they were unwilling to admit defeat, they had no choice. Not only did everyone else think Chu Nan’s performance was excellent—Long Junhao himself had to admit that the song had been sung beautifully and at an exceptionally high level.

He had never expected to kick an iron plate this time. Compared with him, this fellow was even more suited to study in the music-specialty class.

“Long Junhao, you didn’t lose and then decide to deny it, did you?” Zhou Xiaonan suddenly stepped out of the crowd with calm confidence.

The moment they saw her, countless people erupted in commotion.

Could it be that these two boys had been fighting over Zhou Xiaonan?

That would make sense. Zhou Xiaonan was the goddess of Qiling High School. It was only natural that this unknown boy would be willing to stand up to Long Junhao for her.

“Hmph! A true man keeps his word and accepts defeat. But this matter isn’t over yet!” Long Junhao tossed out a threat before leaving dejectedly with Luo Xiang and several other lackeys.

If they stayed any longer, they would only humiliate themselves further.

After the three of them left, most people realized that there was no more entertainment to be had and began dispersing as well. Even so, several girls still came over to find Chu Nan.

“Hey, what’s the name of that song? It was so beautiful!” asked a gentle-looking girl expectantly.

“Those Years.”

“Those Years? It really was beautiful! Did you write it yourself?”

“Uh... you could say that.” Chu Nan gave an awkward laugh. In this era, the song had not yet been released, so he could only shamelessly claim it as his own. Otherwise, he would have no way to explain it.

“My name is Lin Xue. What’s yours? Can I add you on QQ?”

“Why are you asking for his QQ? Can’t you see that his girlfriend is standing right beside him?” her companion teased with a giggle.

Chu Nan hurriedly explained, “Zhou Xiaonan is my friend, not my girlfriend. Don’t misunderstand.”

“Oh, so that’s how it is. Good! What’s your name, then? Which class are you in? I want to add you on QQ too!”

“Me too, me too.”

“And me! I want to add you as well!”

Several outgoing girls immediately crowded around him.

At any time—and especially during one’s school years—the opposite sex was always drawn to those with talent. What was more, Chu Nan was not bad-looking. Naturally, girls in the midst of adolescence hoped that something romantic might happen with a gifted young man like him.

When had Chu Nan ever received such treatment? He had once been nothing more than an insignificant nobody. Now, surrounded by fair skin and the occasional waft of feminine fragrance, he was momentarily at a loss.

So... he could actually be this popular?

“Chu Nan, if you’re going to add them, hurry up. If not, come with me!” Just as Chu Nan was still immersed in the atmosphere, a pleasant yet unmistakably displeased voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

It was Zhou Xiaonan.

She stood with her arms crossed, expressionless, staring at him and the several girls beside him.

She had the imposing air of a lone warrior standing against an entire army...