Chapter 59: Xu Ke vs. Yao Yanyan

Xu Ke's action caught Qin Luo slightly off guard.

He asked instinctively, "What are you doing?"

Xu Ke bit her lip, her voice tinged with a mix of defiance and stubbornness, "I want to sit on the inside!"

With that, she squeezed into the narrow space between Qin Luo and the desk.

Qin Luo raised an eyebrow but didn't react, merely casting a subtle gaze at Xu Ke, who was now standing impossibly close to him.

As everyone knows, forces are mutual.

That unprecedented sensation made her heart race and her limbs go weak. It was a very short distance—she could easily have slipped past Qin Luo's front in a split second—yet she inexplicably felt as though she were sinking into a quagmire, fearing she might be swallowed up at any moment.

A distinct flush spread from the lobes of her ears all the way across her face. Gritting her teeth, Xu Ke finally squeezed past the "quagmire."

She dropped heavily onto the chair, lowering her head to catch her breath, letting her chest heave as she struggled to calm the unprecedented turmoil in her heart.

The surrounding classmates all sucked in a sharp breath simultaneously, making a hefty contribution to global warming.

They glanced back and forth between Qin Luo and Xu Ke, then looked over at Yao Yanyan, clicking their tongues repeatedly. At this very moment, how desperately they wished they had a tub of popcorn and a cola in their hands.

As Xu Ke squeezed past Qin Luo just now, Yao Yanyan had also given her a playful, appraising look before withdrawing her gaze and walking slowly toward the podium.

The teacher was clearly a clever man, well aware that he should not meddle casually in such a war without gunpowder. On the spot, he channeled his inner Lee Sin master, committing fully to the art of turning a blind eye.

Once Yao Yanyan reached the podium, he pulled out his phone and asked, "What song are you going to sing? Do you need accompaniment?"

Yao Yanyan smiled and replied, "You Are the Human April Day. There's no accompaniment available online, so I'll just sing it a cappella."

Hearing that familiar song title, the expressions of the classmates turned even subtler.

The teacher also forcefully restrained himself from looking toward Qin Luo and Xu Ke, saying with a calm expression, "Student Qin Luo's song is indeed very good. After hearing it last time, I wanted to practice it myself, but unfortunately, there's no sheet music..."

When he finished, he ultimately couldn't help casting a resentful little glance in Qin Luo's direction.

Qin Luo remained impervious to his gaze, while Xu Ke, triggered by the familiar song title, couldn't help raising her head to look at Yao Yanyan on the podium.

At the same time, Yao Yanyan parted her red lips and began to sing the love song that Xu Ke had secretly listened to countless times.

Many classmates initially listened with an attitude of disdain, but after a short while, their expressions turned somewhat surprised.

Because they discovered that Yao Yanyan actually sang this song quite well. Though still falling short of the high-caliber singers in the class, it was vastly superior to her past performances.

This must have been secretly practiced behind the scenes—many classmates thought to themselves.

The teacher also nodded involuntarily; he could sense Yao Yanyan's improvement.

Unfortunately, if this was the extent of Yao Yanyan's ability, even if she signed up for the school anniversary celebration, she wouldn't make it past the student union's screening.

Qin Luo listened quietly to Yao Yanyan's singing. From a professional standpoint, he could easily pinpoint her strengths and weaknesses.

Yao Yanyan possessed a magnetic voice and a charming vocal timbre, which could be considered her natural advantages. Put her in a KTV and she would be a powerhouse; even with an unfamiliar song, as long as she didn't pitch-shift, her voice alone could make it sound pleasant.

Yet upon closer inspection, her skill level fell somewhat short of professional standards. At first glance it sounded fine, but in reality, she fell behind the classmates who had previously performed on stage.

This caused Qin Luo to furrow his brows involuntarily—not because he harbored any dissatisfaction toward Yao Yanyan, but rather because his high-level musical appreciation made him look down on her vocal proficiency.

Xu Ke, sitting nearby, glared resentfully at Yao Yanyan for a moment, then shifted her gaze to Qin Luo, only to find him frowning in deep thought.

That expression of his... was he deeply displeased with Yao Yanyan's singing?

Xu Ke blinked, as if struck by a brilliant idea. The corners of her lips curled upward, and the resentment on her face melted away significantly.

"Clap, clap, clap, clap—"

As Yao Yanyan's song came to an end, although everyone felt her skill still lagged behind most of the class, many still offered affirming applause after she finished.

The teacher spoke up, "Not bad. Are you planning to sign up for the school anniversary celebration?"

Yao Yanyan didn't answer immediately. Instead, she glanced at Qin Luo not far away, then smiled and said, "Mm, I'd like to sign up."

"I see..."

The teacher hesitated for a moment. Part of him wanted to tell Yao Yanyan that signing up with this level of skill was a waste of effort, but wanting to spare her confidence, he compromised, "Alright then. After class, go with the other students who signed up to the student union for the audit. Whether you pass or not depends on you."

"Okay, thank you, teacher."

Yao Yanyan offered a polite expression of gratitude, then walked toward the back of the classroom under the watchful eyes of the surrounding crowd.

She kept a beaming smile directed at Qin Luo the entire way back, but when her eyes met Xu Ke's, her expression turned somewhat suspicious.

This wasn't because Xu Ke had taken her seat, but because she noticed Xu Ke staring right back at her. For some reason, Xu Ke's expression held a hint of eager anticipation, and her gaze burned with intense fighting spirit.

This made Yao Yanyan slightly hesitant, fearing that Xu Ke might throw a reckless temper tantrum right here in the classroom—that was not the outcome Yao Yanyan desired. If such a scene played out, everyone would end up terribly embarrassed.

Ordinary girls might not do something like that, but with Xu Ke, it was hard to tell.

Based on Yao Yanyan's understanding of Xu Ke, her old self certainly wouldn't have pulled such a brainless stunt, but her current mental state was clearly abnormal. It seemed as long as the matter involved Qin Luo, she was capable of anything.

If the once cold and aloof campus belle could now actively chase after a man, what else was impossible?

Muttering under her breath, Yao Yanyan took her seat beside Qin Luo. At the exact same moment, Xu Ke suddenly stood up from her chair.

Qin Luo and Yao Yanyan instinctively looked toward her, only to find she had no intention of throwing a tantrum. Instead, she addressed the teacher, "Teacher, can I go up and sing a song?"

As soon as those words left her mouth, Qin Luo couldn't help raising an eyebrow, while Yao Yanyan instantly grasped the hidden meaning behind them. Alongside her surprise, her expression took on a keen sense of relish.

The teacher on the podium froze slightly, unable to help asking, "You want to join the school anniversary celebration too? Then you should go talk to your class advisor."

Xu Ke shook her head, "I don't want to."

"Then you..."

"I just purely want to sing a song, is that okay, teacher?"

"Ah, this..."

The teacher sucked in a breath through his teeth, feeling a dull ache in his back molars. In the end, he couldn't bring himself to refuse and bit out, "Fine then, come on up."

"Thank you, teacher."

How should I put it? College really is remarkably accommodating... many classmates couldn't help complaining internally.

Xu Ke politely thanked the teacher, and without waiting for Qin Luo to react, she squeezed right past him again.

Practice makes perfect; this time, although Xu Ke still felt somewhat awkward, her movements were much more practiced and fluid.

That subtle contact was fleeting for both of them—yet the sensation remained distinct.

Qin Luo kept his face expressionless, while Xu Ke feigned composure.

Then, she looked at Yao Yanyan sitting on the other side of Qin Luo, attempting to force her back with a glare.