Chapter 71: Invisible Wings
Wang Heng: 【Never mention my name!!】
Pei Ningle: 【Why?】
Why not mention the name? Because Wang Heng knew very well that many times, ambiguous relationships between men and women started from others thinking these two had something ambiguous. Others would casually shout, “Look, those two definitely have an affair,” and as time went on, the two who originally had nothing really developed an affair. Such things were all too common.
Moreover, letting a cute girl deliberately mention his own name on stage in front of all the new students from the whole school was also too unsteady and not low-key at all. It deviated far too much from Wang Heng’s long-standing principle of making a fortune in silence.
He typed 【I’m afraid of misunderstandings】 on his mobile phone, considered it, but deleted it again.
Afraid of misunderstandings, misunderstandings about what?
With Pei Ningle’s emotional intelligence, at least for now, even if she already had a favorable impression of him, she couldn’t possibly realize it, and she definitely still treated him as a friend. But a statement like “I’m afraid of misunderstandings” — wouldn’t that already constitute some kind of hint?
So Wang Heng replied: 【You’re singing, it wouldn’t be good to speak on stage, right?】
However, Pei Ningle replied: 【I asked the teacher, she said it’s okay to say a couple of sentences, like wishing classmates a happy enrollment.】
Wang Heng: 【Then say some blessing words, just don’t mention me anyway!】
After a while, Pei Ningle replied with 【Okay】 and then there were no more texts.
Wang Heng put away his mobile phone, muttering: “Should be fine…”
————
At exactly eight o’clock, two hosts, one male and one female, took the stage and announced the official start of the welcome party.
The first program was a chorus of the school song of Telecommunications Science and Technology University by the five new student representatives with the best Gaokao grades. The learning ability of the new student representatives was beyond doubt, but from the reaction of the students in the audience, especially the sparse applause after they finished singing, it was not hard to see that their singing voices seemed pretty lackluster.
The second program was a comedy skit performed by three classmates from the Law major. In just six minutes, from the story unfolding to the plot twist, and the final theme sublimation, the logic was quite tight, with no flaws to pick—however, the performance skill was not quite there, and the carefully created punchlines failed to come across successfully. What made the classmates in the audience laugh the happiest was not the carefully arranged segments, but the moment when the clown actor deliberately fell down.
So the classmates naturally had no expectations for the third program.
“Next, please enjoy the solo performance by Pei Ningle, ‘Invisible Wings’.”
In the crowd below the stage, Fu Hanwen took out his mobile phone while complaining: “This is such an old song from years ago, covered so many times and still being sung?”
Tang Hexing: “Normal enough, at least it won’t be worse than that school song just now.”
Fu Hanwen: “If it were the original singer it would definitely be good, but who knows who’s singing this one, not necessarily… Holy crap, she’s pretty hot!”
His complaint wasn’t even finished when he saw the girl in the blue skirt taking the stage, and Fu Hanwen’s face, originally full of boredom, changed instantly, his eyes lighting up.
Wang Ke: “Another old woman from who knows where… Holy crap, this one’s good!”
From her appearance and figure, in Wang Ke’s eyes, this girl in the blue skirt didn’t seem to fit into the ‘old woman’ category.
Tang Hexing was also watching Pei Ningle with great interest, but when he turned his head, he found it a bit strange. Because at this moment, Wang Heng’s expression seemed to have a bit of… a meaningful smile?
“Teacher Wang, what are you thinking?” Tang Hexing couldn’t help asking.
Wang Heng controlled his expression and brushed it off with utmost calm: “I’m thinking about the code I wrote yesterday.”
Tang Hexing gave a thumbs up: “As expected of Teacher Wang, your state of mind is just different!”
Wang Heng shrugged: “Nothing much, let’s listen to the song.”
At this point, the prelude started, and the girl on stage took a deep breath and began to sing:
“Every time,
braving loneliness and hesitation with strength,
Every time,
even when badly hurt, not shedding tears,
I know,
I always have a pair of invisible wings,
taking me to fly, fly over despair…”
A voice as clear as moonlight flowed through the speakers on either side of the main stage into everyone’s ears. Like the nourishment of a clear spring, with a slight sweetness, it instantly calmed people down.
Originally, many classmates on the sports field were still chatting, but they immediately quieted down. Those who had been looking down at their mobile phones also lifted their heads one after another.
In an instant, almost everyone’s gaze focused on the stage.
When Pei Ningle reached the chorus, she closed her eyes again:
“I finally see,
all dreams blooming,
the youth we chase,
how resounding the singing voice,
I finally soar,
gazing with heart, not afraid,
wherever there’s wind, fly that far…”
“Holy crap,” Fu Hanwen slapped his thigh, “Too good, right!”
“Quiet!” Feng Jia Miaomiao shot him a dissatisfied look, making Fu Hanwen shut up immediately.
Tang Hexing lowered his voice and declared: “This is definitely a professional singer!”
“How old is she exactly…” Wang Ke didn’t even blink, not sure who he was asking.
Tang Hexing adjusted his glasses and guessed: “Probably, fifteen or sixteen? Can our school’s party invite underage singers?”
Wang Heng still just smiled without speaking.
————
The new students below the stage who were listening intently didn’t know that Pei Ningle closed her eyes on stage mainly because she was nervous.
So many people, so many gazing eyes, made her palms sweat and her legs go a bit soft. Luckily, this song was so familiar to her that even when nervous, she wouldn’t sing it wrong.
After all, this was the first song she had saved on her MP3 back then.
But after closing her eyes, that pressure vanished by more than half. Relieved of tension, she sang more easily as it went on, showing more of the ethereal quality in her voice.
“I finally see,
all dreams blooming,
the youth we chase,
how resounding the singing voice,
I finally soar,
gazing with heart, not afraid,
wherever there’s wind, fly that far,
invisible wings, making dreams last longer than the sky,
leave a wish to let oneself imagine…”
Finally, she sang the last line.
In the fade-out of the accompaniment, Pei Ningle opened her eyes, looked at the peers below the stage who couldn’t help starting to applaud, and smiled.
The girl wiped the teardrop at 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, hope everyone enjoys the brand new university life…”
During the brief pause, Pei Ningle hesitated.
She remembered Wang Heng’s text clearly saying never to mention him on stage. But from the girl’s heart, standing on such a stage today, receiving applause from so many in the audience, how could she not thank him?
If not for him, from the first day she arrived in Rongdu, she definitely couldn’t have turned danger into safety, definitely wouldn’t have a place to live, found work as a resident singer in a bar. Naturally, there wouldn’t have been appreciation from the party organizers, or the opportunity to solo her favorite song on stage…
How could a mage who finally unleashes her ultimate move not thank the knight who silently put in effort and silently protected her from behind?
After a brief hesitation, Pei Ningle thought of some method and immediately made up her mind.
————
Looking at everyone’s comments, about that previous chapter with the little white cat, emmm… all I can say is, fantasy supernatural developments and such are definitely impossible. I’m an author with integrity, even brain holes have to follow basic laws!
