I really don't want to date a girl addicted to the internet!

"I just think most people aren't that bad. Many people are trying to live their lives. It's arrogant of you to define them on your own. I think it's your existence that's bizarre."

"What's so strange about it?"

"I can't understand the logic behind your words and actions; I feel that your very existence is a desecration of this world."

"While I may be a little special, calling it blasphemy is an exaggeration. I haven't done anything in the past fifteen years." The boy shook his head. "By the way, Teacher Shen, I have a question for you. Please answer me seriously."

"Let's skip the boring and vulgar questions."

"Do you regret asking me to pursue Lin Xuanqi?"

The girl paused for a second, then turned her face away and sneered, "Now that you've realized you can't do it, you're resorting to roundabout tactics against me again?"

"How could I not do it? I was just afraid you'd be sad and secretly lose your little pearls."

"There's a limit to being self-righteous. The point was to let you pursue her and then dump her, so why should I be sad or upset? Besides, I'm the kind of person who never regrets things."

"Then I'm relieved." The boy breathed a sigh of relief in an exaggerated manner.

"What do you mean?" The girl narrowed her eyes.

"It's nothing, Ms. Shen. To wrap up our date today, may I hug you?"

"I've never agreed to any dates with you, so stop daydreaming." The girl quickly covered her chest and backed away.

"Looks like you two had a great time today?" Nagasaki Asuna's nonchalant voice interrupted them.

"Nana, when did you arrive?" Cheng Fei asked the girl who was carrying a bass guitar with her hands hidden behind her back.

"Just arrived. Wasn't today supposed to be the last practice session? Shuangshuang is on her way too, but it seems like Lin isn't coming."

"If she's not coming, so be it. I wasn't expecting her anyway." Shen Xi snorted and strode towards the club activity room.

……

After rehearsals ended, before leaving the school, the four band members went to the gymnasium where the performance was scheduled.

The stage facing the basketball court was pitch black because the lights were off.

"I never imagined I'd be singing here a month ago. I hope everything goes well tomorrow." Nagasaki Asuna stretched.

"Teacher Shen, are you nervous?" Cheng Fei turned his head.

"What's there to be nervous about? It's just part of the project, and I'm never nervous." Shen Xi tossed her hair.

"Master Ye, do you think her lack of various emotions might be a type of mental illness?" Cheng Fei looked to the other side.

“I think your excessive talking is more like a symptom of mental illness,” Ye Shuang said with a smile.

"Master Ye, please don't say that. I am your apprentice."

"I told you I wouldn't teach you, and you're annoying anyway," Ye Shuang continued to smile.

"Got it." Cheng Fei zipped up his mouth.

At that moment, another group of four walked towards them.

"Cheng Fei, we meet again! Are you here to watch the performance too?" the fashionable girl from the Light Music Club said with a smile.

Accompanying her were Liang, the senior student Cheng Fei had met before, and Lonely Sauce, as well as a girl with a ponytail wearing a pinafore dress.

"Who are these people?" The girl with the ponytail tilted her head.

"These are the ones I mentioned before..." the fashionable girl whispered in her ear.

"Ah~ I see. Hello, I'm Yin Hongxia, the head of the Light Music Club." The girl with the ponytail greeted them warmly.

Shen Xi responded expressionlessly.

The two groups of people who will be on stage tomorrow had a brief exchange of their feelings at the moment.

"Let's do our best together tomorrow!" Yin Hongxia clenched her fist as she said goodbye.

Watching the four girls leave, Cheng Fei clicked his tongue in admiration, "Such a harmonious team relationship, unlike ours, sigh."

No one paid any attention to the boy.

……

So, the next day.

"The Sakura Autumn Cultural Festival is finally coming to its last day! Various arts clubs will be presenting their long-prepared programs in the gymnasium. This part is hailed as the pinnacle of campus performances in Academy City every year. I wonder what it will be like this year? Let Wenwen take you to see!" A girl with a bun and round-framed glasses walked into the gymnasium holding a selfie stick.

"Wow, there are so many people! Not only students from our school, but also many spectators from outside the school. Is it because it's Friday afternoon? Luckily, Yinghua's gymnasium is big enough."

"Hello students, your school uniforms don't look like those of ours. May I ask which school you are from?"

"We are from the No. 18 Middle School next door."

"I see. Welcome to Sakura Flower Garden."

As the girl walked through the venue with a selfie stick in hand, she said, "By the way, let me tell you a secret: almost every year at the cultural festival, there are public confessions on stage. It seems to have become a tradition in recent years. Wenwen has already received some information about it, and this year will be no exception. Please look forward to it."

“Look closely, that beautiful lady in front is the current student council president of Yinghua. Wenwen has decided to interview her.”

"President, what is your opinion on the fact that public confessions on the cultural festival stage have become a common practice?"

"Oh, I think it's quite interesting."

"I didn't expect that as the student council president, you're not worried about puppy love at all. Could you explain why?"

"The students at Yinghua are either academically excellent or come from very wealthy families, so it's okay for everyone to date early."

"As always, President, you're very outspoken. May I ask a question if I may? Are you in a relationship?"

"Not at the moment."

Do you have someone you like?

"If I had to say, there's one junior in the first year of high school who really attracts me."

"Oh, can you tell me your name?"

"His name is Cheng Fei."

"Cheng Fei again? President, haven't you heard any bad things about him?"

"I've heard of it. If I remember correctly, you wrote that report in the news department's special edition, right? I've been wanting to talk to you about what happened, and it just so happens that today..."

"President, I suddenly remembered I have another interview assignment. That's all for today. If you have any questions, please contact our department head. Goodbye!"

……

118. The performance begins.

In a busy corner backstage, young men and women are waiting to go on stage.

"So that girl in the light music club is named Xu Yudai," Cheng Fei muttered to himself, holding the program list.

"Still researching other girls' names at a time like this, you're really persistent," Shen Xi said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Teacher Shen, if someone refuses to say her name, wouldn't you be curious?"

"I'm not that bored."

"How can this be called boring? Human progress is driven by curiosity."

"You're mistaken, curiosity is not lust."

As the two were bickering as usual, Nagasaki Asuna came over carrying her bass. "Shuangshuang went to pick up Lin-kun. I didn't expect her to come in the end."

"Even if you come, don't even think about going on stage. I told you this is the last rehearsal, so if you can't come, you don't need to come at all." Shen Xi said coldly.

“Teacher Shen, I support you. People like this who are disorganized and undisciplined are a black sheep,” Cheng Fei echoed.

"It's quite lively here." A lazy voice suddenly rang out.

Lin Xuanqi walked with her chin held high, scanning her surroundings as she went. Ye Shuang followed behind her, her unhurried demeanor giving off the feeling of someone inspecting work.

In fact, the students waiting in line who were targeted by her were indeed intimidated by her imposing aura and subconsciously straightened their backs.

"What are you talking about?" she asked Cheng Fei.

"Xuanqi, you're finally here! I was just saying that the band can't do without you." Cheng Fei breathed a sigh of relief, looking quite serious.

"Really?" Lin Xuanqi narrowed her eyes slightly, and a smile curved her lips.

"If you don't believe me, ask them." The boy pointed to the two people next to him.

Shen Xi took a deep breath, frowned, and turned her gaze away.

Nagasaki Asuna blinked, her hands behind her back.

Lin Xuanqi remained noncommittal, then yawned, "How much longer until it's our turn?"

"Soon," Cheng Fei replied quickly.

"How long it takes to come is none of your business. Those who said they weren't coming yesterday don't need to come today," Shen Xi said coldly.

"Cheng Fei, I've been wanting to ask you this for a while now, who chose these three songs?" Lin Xuanqi completely ignored Shen Xi, took the program list from the boy's hand, and looked at it listlessly.

“She chose the first song, and I chose the next two. How’s my taste? Not bad, right?” Cheng Fei pointed at Nagasaki Asuna and then became smug. “Especially the second one, it might just win the most popular performance at this festival.”

"With such childish aesthetics, you think you can get the most popular vote? You're dreaming." Shen Xi sneered.

"Teacher Shen, just you wait and see what popular aesthetics are all about."

"Not bad, I also think you made a good choice." Lin Xuanqi put down the program list and nodded lightly.

"Xuanqi, you're so wise."

“Especially the third song, it fits your persona perfectly.” Lin Xuanqi reached out and pinched the boy’s face, her smile not without malice.

"Xuanqi, you really understand me." The boy let the girl do as she pleased.

Shen Xi watched the two interact and showed an expression that was even more disgusting than if she had eaten a cockroach.

At this moment, a senior student wearing a student council badge interrupted them, "Corridor Research Department? Come and get ready, it's your turn next."

The group then became serious, and everyone except Ye Shuang picked up their instruments.

"Let me make this clear from the start: if anyone slacks off during practice and drags the team down, they shouldn't stay in this club anymore," Shen Xi said, looking straight ahead.

"If you make a mistake, will you resign and apologize?" Lin Xuanqi sneered.

"You think I'm like you? Hurry up and ask someone to warm your hands, or you'll blame the cold weather later." Shen Xi sneered.

"We'll see." Lin Xuanqi frowned unhappily.

"Fine, we'll see," Shen Xi sneered, having regained the upper hand.

"You two, would you like to keep things harmonious once you're on stage?" Nagasaki Asuna peeked out.

Ye Shuang remained silent.

Cheng Fei dared not speak.

In this atmosphere, the five members held their first performance as a band.

……

The stadium was packed with people.

Students continued to pour into the venue, and due to the large number of people, school staff had to start directing the crowd.

"Hurry up, hurry up, we're going to be late."

Zhou Han pulled Ruan Jingyi through the dense crowd.

"Over here." Chen Hao, with his sharp eyes, waved to the two girls.

Du Xinhua, the vice class monitor, and the class monitor were looking at the stage; this was their little corner.

"Cheng Fei hasn't started yet, has he? The sudden restriction on entry scared me to death." After sitting down, Zhou Han patted her chest and exaggeratedly breathed a sigh of relief.

"We'll be there soon." The vice class monitor, holding the program, adjusted his glasses.

A lottery was being held on stage according to seat numbers. A male student excitedly went up to receive a mystery prize, only to find it was a CET-4 vocabulary list. Amidst laughter, he returned to his seat with a bitter expression.

"I'm so nervous, so nervous." Zhou Han swayed her arm around Ruan Jingyi's, as if she were the one going on stage next.

Ruan Jingyi looked at the stage and pursed her lips.