Together Forever - Chapter 11
Volume 1, Chapter 11: Those Little Moments of Beauty (2)
The anniversary gala started at 6:00 PM, and everyone began preparations at 3:00 PM.
For the hosts' convenience, her and Gu Pingsheng's changing rooms were set up in the dressing room area. The backstage area of the school auditorium wasn't exactly like a hotel, with all the amenities. The "changing rooms" were simply partitioned off with folding screens. Tong Yan hadn't thought much of it at first, but when she actually had to change, she realized the problem.
What did a folding screen imply?
It meant the lower half of her legs and her feet were visible…
More directly, it meant that every movement she made while changing and putting on her high heels, along with a faint silhouette of her figure, was on full display.
She hesitated for a long time before finally, under the makeup artist's coaxing and threats, taking her evening gown and walking behind the screen to change. As she slipped into the dress, as expected, the makeup artist, her partner in crime for the past two years, started teasing, "Oh my god, from this angle, it's so… erotic… a glimpse of the hem of the dress, bare feet…"
Tong Yan almost lost her balance in her high heels. "Turn around! Don't let Teacher Gu see you talking."
The makeup artist chuckled. "Don't worry, Teacher Gu didn't see me talking."
Hearing this, she relaxed.
She stuffed her clothes into a paper bag, finally finished changing, and stepped out. Gu Pingsheng was leaning against the dressing table, reading. His silver-gray suit jacket was draped over an empty chair beside him.
Perhaps he saw her from the corner of his eye. He looked up, and Tong Yan quickly averted her gaze.
Ever since she realized her own feelings on the subway last Sunday, she had been increasingly flustered.
The most obvious sign was that she started paying attention to every little movement he made.
She noticed he liked to hold the steering wheel with his left hand, his right hand resting lightly on top, which looked elegant. She noticed he didn't grip the microphone tightly like she did, but held it loosely in his left hand, looking relaxed. She noticed the tattoo on his arm was indeed an English name, written in his own handwriting…
"Tong Wuji," a burst of laughter came through her earpiece. Zhou Qingchen said, "Ask the makeup artist to come to Dressing Room 1. We need to do makeup for the teachers who are going on stage first."
Tong Yan finally understood why Zhou Qingchen had made her wear the earpiece since 3:00 PM. He was clearly using her as a free messenger.
She looked at the makeup artist. "Dressing Room 1. President Zhou is looking for you."
The makeup artist hurriedly packed her bag, then added, "A custom-fitted gown is so much better! Tong Yan, you look absolutely perfect! I'll make sure you and Fatal Beauty Gu are the golden couple tonight."
Then she rushed out of the room.
Because the makeup artist hadn't closed the door, several junior girls immediately crowded around the entrance, chattering excitedly. "Senior, will you leave this dress behind after you graduate?" "Senior, can we come in and take a look?"
Before Tong Yan could respond, Gu Pingsheng turned, subtly shielding most of her body from view, and silently remedied a potential wardrobe malfunction.
He zipped up the side of her dress.
Within two seconds, the junior girls rushed in. Tong Yan stared at Gu Pingsheng, dumbfounded. He had already returned to the dressing table, picked up a book in a foreign language, and continued reading.
He looked like he was deep in thought…
As they waited backstage, standing behind the curtain, Tong Yan finally said, "Thank you… for earlier." Seeing her blushing, Gu Pingsheng lightly tapped her head with his rolled-up script, lowering his voice slightly. "Tong Yan, some things don't require, and shouldn't, be thanked for."
Tong Yan, already embarrassed, blushed even deeper at his gesture.
Fortunately, the familiar opening music started playing.
The noisy auditorium instantly fell silent.
The silence of 3,500 people.
She closed her eyes, clearing her mind.
"Tong Yan," Zhou Qingchen's voice, slightly strained, came through the earpiece. "Go. You're the most beautiful tonight."
When she opened her eyes, the stage was completely dark.
Holding up the hem of her dress slightly, she stepped out from behind the curtain. Blinded by the spotlight, she couldn't see anything except Gu Pingsheng's footsteps behind her, clear and distinct.
Twelve steps, no more, no less, until she reached the silver mark taped to the floor.
She stopped, smiled, met Gu Pingsheng's eyes, and finally looked straight ahead.
"Distinguished guests, teachers, students, and all alumni watching the live broadcast online, good evening…" After the formal greetings, she breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "I'm Tong Yan, a student from the Law School, class of 2008. Standing next to me is my teacher, and also my partner for tonight." She turned and smiled at Gu Pingsheng. "Gu Pingsheng, Teacher Gu."
Before she could finish the last word, the entire auditorium erupted.
Gu Pingsheng only said three words: Good evening, everyone.
His voice, amplified through the speakers, sounded unexpectedly deep and alluring.
"Oh my god," Zhou Qingchen exclaimed through the earpiece. "That's Teacher Gu's real voice…"
Tong Yan was also surprised. Compared to the rehearsals, this was professional-level.
Fortunately, the following lines were Gu Pingsheng's. She stood beside him, listening to the director's continuous praises through the earpiece, her remaining nervousness dissipating, replaced by an urge to curse.
"Give me one word to describe my future senior's voice."
"Magnetic."
"Too common!"
"Sexy."
"Also too common!"
"Pleasant."
"Are you a physics student? You don't even know any adjectives."
…
As the spotlight dimmed, the director's frantic instructions for the next act filled the earpiece.
Tong Yan and Gu Pingsheng couldn't go backstage and could only sit at the side of the stage to rest.
She looked at him as he took the bottle of water offered by a stagehand, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. "What's wrong?"
"Have you had professional training or studied broadcasting, Teacher Gu?"
He didn't deny it. "I've had some training."
"Some? How much is 'some'?" Tong Yan sighed. "Teacher Gu, be careful, you might get stuck doing this forever."
Gu Pingsheng's relaxed demeanor helped not only her but also the drama club members waiting backstage. Amy, not far away, dramatically clutched her chest, making Tong Yan laugh.
The first time she hosted an event, she had been surprised by the chaotic backstage, filled with every sound imaginable except loud talking. Later, standing in the audience, she realized the sound system was loud enough to cover everything.
So, every gala created two contrasting scenes.
Newbies, nervous and holding their breath.
Veterans, running around and making a racket…
She took a sip of water, and a voice came through the earpiece: "Without You, Zhao Jianan, ready."
The current act was the symphony orchestra, so "Without You" didn't require any introduction. The orchestra would play the accompaniment for Zhao Jianan after their performance. So, she just listened and continued to rest.
"Shit," Zhou Qingchen suddenly cursed. "We're screwed, Tong Yan. We have a situation. You have to save the day."
…
Her heart skipped a beat. It was a one-way communication; she couldn't ask what had happened.
The front curtain began to slowly descend, marking the end of the current act. Once the curtain concealed the symphony orchestra, the next act would begin…
"Tong Yan, the next two acts aren't ready. There's no time to notify the orchestra. You sang this song at the 2008 singing competition. You're up."
She was completely stunned.
The curtain had already fallen, and the piano intro began to play, the notes landing like tiny weights on her heart.
"Go!"
…
By the time she finally stood up, she had already missed the first line.
On the other side of the stage, Shen Yao, seeming to realize no one was singing, improvised an intro, then smoothly transitioned back to the original slow tempo…
"No, I can't forget this evening"
Tong Yan raised the microphone and, before even stepping out from behind the curtain, sang the first line.
Backstage fell silent.
No one knew what was happening. Everyone was shocked.
"Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way
The story goes…"
In the darkness, Tong Yan seemed to see Gu Pingsheng's eyes.
In that instant, she reached out, pulled back the curtain, and walked onto the stage.
A silver spotlight shone on her, and the auditorium fell silent.
Half a second later, the entire auditorium erupted in screams, gasps, and applause, almost drowning out the music.
The program had been distributed. No one expected the host to perform.
As planned, she sang softly, walking towards Shen Yao at the piano.
Then… she saw Shen Yao's suppressed smile.
After the chorus, the entire orchestra joined in.
Tong Yan took a breath and saw Shen Yao look up… silently mouthing, "Get ready for the climax. One, two…"
"I can't live"
She had just sung half the line when a clear male voice suddenly filled the auditorium.
"I can't live
If living is without you
I can't live
I can't give anymore…"
Tong Yan turned around in disbelief, looking at Gu Pingsheng walking out from the other side of the stage.
At some point, he had taken off his suit jacket, just like the first day of class, and even loosened his tie, casually holding the microphone. He was smiling faintly, slowly, slowly walking towards her from the darkness.
His dark eyes fixed on her…
He subtly gestured, and she immediately understood.
She put down the microphone, standing quietly in the spotlight, watching him in the half-light.
"I can't live
If living is without you
I can't live
I can't give anymore…"
After the climax, the orchestra stopped playing, leaving only Shen Yao at the piano, perfectly complementing Gu Pingsheng's voice.
"No, I can't forget this evening"
He seamlessly took over the lead vocals.
With a gesture, she picked up the microphone and sang softly in harmony.
After each line,
She would echo him.
What was madness?
The roaring cheers of the students, the never-ending screams. She finally understood.
A perfect collaboration.
From the piano accompaniment, the orchestra, to him and her.
He had remained outside the spotlight, watching her, until the final climax, when he finally reached out his hand.
She didn't remember how she reached out.
As if under a spell, she took his hand, his grip firm.
…
"I'm going crazy, I'm going crazy," Zhou Qingchen finally shouted, his voice trembling, as Tong Yan and Gu Pingsheng walked off stage hand in hand. "Did you see that? That's what professional hosting looks like! Did you all see that…"
The earpiece was filled with excited chatter and laughter.
But she couldn't find her own voice…
"Tong Wuji," Amy hugged her tightly. "I'm awesome, right? I was mouthing the lyrics to your Fatal Beauty Gu to keep him on tempo. Seamless! Perfect!"
The Sunshine Drama Club members, seeing the two hosts come off stage, immediately went on, smoothly introducing themselves.
A perfect transition to their act.
The dramatic stage voices filled the auditorium, while backstage was in an uproar.
Everyone was acting as if they had saved the day. Gu Pingsheng stood beside her and handed her a bottle of water. "Fortunately, it was an old song. Otherwise, I could only have watched helplessly."
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