On the day of the sports festival, Uncle Fu instructed the kitchen staff to come early to prepare a table full of nutritious breakfast for Su Bei and Su Xiaobao.
"Xiaobao, Xiaobei, you two should eat more. You will have to work hard after this and need more energy." Uncle Fu smiled while adding one boiled egg each for their bowl.
"Thank you, Uncle Fu." Su Bei took the egg and explained: "But we did not have any competition in the morning."
The schedule for the first day of Weiming Middle School sports festival was an opening ceremony in the morning, and the sports competition itself would only begin after lunchtime. Moreover, Su Bei also didn't sign up for many events, only women 400m middle-distance. On the contrary, Su Xiaobao was going to participate in seven to eight competitions, almost all of this sports festival's major categories.
As for the reason...
Su Bei felt that their class' sports committee simply didn't have the guts to bludgeon Su Xiaobao to death. This guy signed up for so many events because of a boy's typical competitive spirit: because this time, Xie Minxuan also signed up for almost all major categories.
Hearing Su Bei's explanation, Uncle Fu nodded: "Then I will let the kitchen prepare two lunch. The food in the school cafeteria is definitely less delicious and nutritious than our home." Right after his words fell, Uncle Fu was stunned for a moment. He lightly hit his own head: "Look at my memory, I almost forgot that Sir will also go with you." Since Mr. Qin would also come to school, Xiao Chen would take care of their lunch, so he didn't need to worry about it.
Hearing Uncle Fu's words, Su Xiaobao stopped his chopsticks and looked at Qin Shao in surprise: "You are also going?"
Qin Shao: ...
Su Bei: ...
If Mr. Qin and Uncle Fu weren't here, and not for her who was still willing to preserve her brother's face, Su Bei really wanted to flick this boy's forehead and said: "My brother, you are so stupid." Mr. Qin has always been so busy. If he wasn't going to the school sports festival with them, how could he have time to take breakfast together like now.
"What? You aren't happy?" Qin Shao raised his eyebrows at Su Xiaobao.
"Whatever. It all the same for me." Su Xiaobao shifted his gaze and said in a low voice: "Just go if you want to." Su Bei was the one who invited him anyway.
On the side, Su Bei pretended to not see the expectation and happiness hidden below her brother's seemingly annoyed expression, and continued to keep her eyes down to peel the boiled egg in her hand. Afterward, she handed the peeled egg to Qin Shao with a smile, "Dad, I've peeled it for you."
Mr. Qin: My daughter is indeed the most sensible.
Mr. Qin glanced at his stinky son with disgust.
Uncle Fu: Miss Xiaobei is more and more caring for Mr. Qin.
Su Xiaobao: Haha.
So what? He knew the reason: Su Bei didn't like hard-boiled eggs, but also didn't want to reject Uncle Fu's good intention.
Uncle Fu looked at the siblings again, then spoke with some worry: "In sports, friendship is the first and competition is second. The ranking is just one aspect. So, you must be careful and pay attention to not get injured, alright?"
Immediately after, Mr. Qin glanced at Su Xiaobao lightly: "Don't show others your embarrassing performance."
Su Xiaobao: "..."
Suddenly he didn't want this guy to go.
...
Not long after, Chen De arrived at Jingyuan. After sending Mr. Qin and the two children to school, he went back to deal with the company's work. Mr. Qin has been very busy recently, and as a hardworking assistant, Chen De also couldn't be idle. Especially because Mr. Qin took three 'days off' for Su Bei and Su Xiaobao's sports festival.
...
Today, there were a lot of people at school. Su Bei didn't care about others' curious gazes and directly took Mr. Qin to the sports ground. "Dad, here." Su Bei tugged Mr. Qin's cuffs and pointed to an area not far away: "That is the parent's seating area."
Qin Shao glanced at the direction pointed by Su Bei and nodded: "Alright, I know. You can go now."
Su Bei: "Dad, you are going by yourself?"
Qin Shao: "Mm." He then smiled and looked at Su Bei again: "What? Are you afraid I cannot find a seat by myself?"
Su Bei's face instantly burned: She almost forgot, this is Qin Shao.
Su Bei: "Then I'll go back to my classroom to prepare. Our class is 8-7. Dad, don't forget."
Mr. Qin nodded and waited until his children were far before turning at the headteacher who stood in the distance.
Headteacher Liu has been waiting for Mr. Qin: "Mr. Qin, follow me, please."
...
Mr. Qin followed the headteacher to the guest seats, while Su Bei, Su Xiaobao, and their classmates were changing into their costumes in the preparation area.
The costumes they were going to use this time were all designed by a team from the studio owned by Dong Wenqi's mother. Although they were based on students' attire from various eras and periods, many unique design elements had been added to the basic style, and thus, all the costumes looked from the same series. Each has its own characteristics without losing the sense of integrity.
The boys had finished changing and waited outside. A few minutes later, the girls also came out. Seeing the most dazzling Su Bei among the crowd, Su Xiaobao's eyes lit up, and he felt a sense of 'big brother pride.'
"How is it?" Su Bei ran to Su Xiaobao.
Su Xiaobao: "Not bad."
Su Bei: "Just not bad?"
"Is it important? You are obviously the most beautiful." In Su Xiaobao's eyes, his Su Bei was the most beautiful, no rebuttal was accepted.
Hearing this, Su Bei smiled back: "My Xiaobao is also the most handsome."
The clothes that Su Xiaobao and Xie Minxuan wore were personally designed by Dong Wenqi's mother. The style was similar to student half-tunic uniforms from the Republic of China era. With a lot of modern and fashionable touches, the two boys looked very handsome in it. They had both the rigor of gentlemen and the sunny cheerfulness of teenagers.
Although Xie Minxuan merely standing on the side without making any comment, he couldn't help but murmur secretly: Why is Su Xiaobao the most handsome? Is he not exist?!
Su Bei patted Su Xiaobao's arm and asked: "Su Xiaobao, are you nervous?"
The boy inwardly said: 'Not at all,' but he simply replied: "I'm not nervous."
Xie Minxuan took the chance to barge in. He raised his chin lazily and said: "Just be honest if you are nervous." Now it still wasn't too late for him to replace Su Xiaobao.
Xie Minxuan's gaze was directed at Su Xiaobao, but he was stunned seeing Su Bei, who was standing next to her brother. The costume she wore was also designed based on student uniform of the Republic of China era. It was very different than their usual school sports uniform, which basically had a 'protection against early love' design. Su Bei's current attire was very 'fitting' and clearly showed the outline of her slender and graceful figure.
The upper part was a white shirt, and although the collar had traditional buttons, modifications had been made on the neckline, just enough to show part of her collarbone. The black skirt below was also designed cleverly, which emphasized Su Bei's appearance. To match, she put her hair partially curled up, with the lower part was softly scattered on her shoulder, creating a perfect combination from top to bottom.
The word 'beautiful' suddenly popped inside Xie Minxuan's mind. He suddenly discovered that the girl in front of him right now was very different than the impression he initially had. When Xie Minxuan saw Su Bei for the first time, the girl was indeed a 'dried bean sprout,' there was nothing wrong with this comment. However, in an instant, before he even noticed it, Su Bei actually had grown much healthier and no longer so 'dried.'
"I'm a little nervous." Su Bei held Su Xiaobao's arm and said honestly.
"Nothing to be nervous." Xie Minxuan said again: "That, I mean, if you are nervous, we still have time. Let's practice again."
"Alright!" She also wanted to.
Su Bei: "Let's review the process after entering the venue, then start practicing from the part after we reached the main stage."
Xie Minxuan: "Okay." When Su Bei approached, the boy subconsciously held his breath.
Other students were busy taking selfies and making posts on their WeChat Moments, so no one noticed that the legendary male god Xie actually blushed.
Xie Minxuan: "Then, let's start."
...
Around fifteen minutes before the opening ceremony started, all audience and guests had been seated. All students were standing in the waiting area, in line with their respective classes. The order of the entry has been decided beforehand. Ninth grade went first, continued by eighth grade, and finally seventh grade. Su Bei class was the seventh of the eighth grade, so they had plenty of time. They were whispering to each other when a sudden burst of cheer attracted their attention.
Dong Wenqi also pulled Su Bei's hand excitedly: "They come, they come! Su Bei, look, it's class 8-2!"
Class 8-2, it was Song Xinyi and Ye Chen's class. This time, they were one of the strongest contenders for the parade formation ranking. Su Bei looked at the direction of the podium. Sure enough, she saw a gleaming golden light. Song Xinyi was wearing Athena's long dress, holding the iconic golden scepter in her hand, and with a long, conspicuous purple wig on her head.
Song Xinyi proudly walked at the forefront. On her left and right sides stood Ye Chen and another tall boy from class 8-2, with other classmates following behind. Her appearance was really similar to the goddess Athena's image.
Without waiting for the queue to finish, the school forum has been lively by the comments about class 8-2 parade formation.
[OMG, Song Xinyi is a true goddess. How divine!]
[All Golden Saints, class 8-2 is too luxurious.]
[Win, win. They definitely will win again this time.]
[I don't want to watch the rest of the parade, haha. Other classes aren't their opponents.]
[You say that. Our class already lost our will to compete.]
[The goddess really did not disappoint us.]
......
After browsing the forum, Dong Wenqi looked at Su Bei sadly: "Su Bei, ah. What should we do? Are we going to lose?"
Su Bei comforted her: "Don't be pessimistic. You have to be confident in your mother's design."
"Right." The class art committee also chimed in: "They simply looked so blindly flashy. Our class is not only not lost to them but also has a more meaningful theme."
"Those people who are now flooding the forum must be Song Xinyi's brain-dead fans. They previously talked in a small thread that they must create early momentum for their goddess..."
"Get ready, it's almost our turn!" The class leader called. She turned to Su Bei and said: "Su Bei, don't worry. Just do like you usually did at rehearsal."
Art committee: "Yes, if you really forget, then just move as you like."
Anyway, the costume show was only one part; the key was to rely on popularity. In this aspect, Su Bei, young master Su, and male god Xie won't lose to anyone!
The art committee wasn't wrong. Right after Su Bei led her class to enter the venue, someone shouted: "They come!"
From the students' area, there was a burst of cheer that didn't exist when class 8-2 entered.
"Wow! Su Bei is so beautiful!"
"My 'husband' is so handsome!"
"Young master Su is the most handsome!"
"Aaaah! Male god Xie is so handsome!"
"Sister-in-law, cheers!"
"Our thermos little sister is flying high! Follow her!"
...
Meanwhile, the school forum:
[Class 8-7 doesn't lose to class 8-2.]
[How is class 8-2 performance? Sorry, I have no impression.]
[Haha, class 8-7 costume is the simplest of all, except class 8-1.]
[You are right, their costume is pretty good!]
[To tell the truth, as a girl, even if my class is 8-2, I prefer class 8-7 costume than ours.]
There was only one Athena. All girls beside Song Xinyi could only wear warrior costume, even though they actually wanted to dress up beautifully.
[You girls in class 8-2 are still okay. I'm a boy from class 8-8, having to cosplay as Chunli is simply a torture.]
......
Regardless of the cheers in the venue or the loud talk among the audiences, Su Bei's mind didn't even register any of it——at this moment, her whole focus was on when to enter, when to stop, their next movements...
Although she was playing solo in front of similar audiences at the previous piano performance, the stage was completely dark at that time, so Su Bei didn't feel nervous at all. But now, in broad daylight, in a full view of everyone, Su Bei started to be nervous.
Taking a deep breath, Su Bei stopped in front of the podium. After counting her steps, she turned around perfectly. Right after she raised her eyes, a figure fell into Su Bei's sight.
Su Bei: Mr. Qin? He actually sat in the podium's front row!
From the moment Su Bei class entered the waiting arena until their parade started to move, Mr. Qin's attention was always on his two children. Sitting on the podium, looking at his beautiful daughter and handsome son, Mr. Qin's face was glowing with parental pride.
Su Bei also looked at Qin Shao. Normally in this situation, a child would be nervous seeing their parent so close, but somehow, Su Bei felt calmer instead. Smiling towards the podium, she began their 30-second dance.
After successfully completing the part with Su Xiaobao, Su Bei moved to the final steps with Xie Minxuan. The moment they held hands, Su Bei clearly felt a slight stiffness from the boy's movement. This has never happened during their practice seasons.
So, male god Xie is actually having stage fright? Su Bei smiled inwardly.
"It's alright, don't be nervous." Like how she comforted Su Xiaobao before, she whispered to Xie Minxuan.
Xie Minxuan: "..."
Will he be nervous because of this small event?!
He just......
—
"Class 8-7 performance is very good." The principal nodded in approval. Other teachers and guests on the podium also gave their praises with a smile. During the 30-second dance, the students cooperated nicely, giving out a complete and vivid performance, with teenagers' unique youthful vitality.
Among all the people who were full of smiles, there was a single person whose expression was terrifyingly dark at this moment——Mr. Qin.