Perfect Superstar.

Dressed in colorful feathered dresses, the girls moved down the stairs to the backstage area with light, fluttering steps, like butterflies. The relatively small space was filled with a scent of powder that could quicken your heartbeat. 

These beautiful girls had just finished a dance performance, and the applause in the auditorium had not yet subsided. 

They chatted and laughed, their foreheads glistening with sweat mixed with a bit of makeup glittering under the light of the wall lamps.

Lu Chen, who was carrying his guitar, politely stepped aside and pressed his back against the wall to give them space.

A few girls glanced curiously at Lu Chen as they walked past him, leaving a trail of sparkling laughter in their wake.

On the stage outside, the host announced, "Let's thank the twenty-four beautiful girls for their wonderful performance. Next up is a solo act from the Computer Science Department."

"His name is Lu Chen. Let's welcome him!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen, who had been standing at the exit of the stage, stepped forward and stepped into the spotlight.

In front of nearly thousands of alumni and teachers, he flashed a confident smile.

After experiencing the lively Blue Music Night, Lu Chen was no longer nervous even in front of such a large audience.

He believed in his song.

The applause erupted; although not overwhelming, many of his classmates were quite supportive.

Especially Lu Chen's classmates, who clapped vigorously, with professional-sounding whistles mixed in.

Lu Chen was tall and handsome. Although he came from a wealthy background, he didn't have the air of a rich playboy, and he was generally very willing to help others, which earned him a good reputation among his classmates.

Many knew about the changes in Lu Chen's family situation and how he had gone out to work and earn money at an early age. Their applause was a show of support and admiration for him, because it was not easy to achieve what he had.

In row 37, seat 19 of the auditorium, Wang Ying raised her hand and clapped twice before dropping it. 

She gazed at Lu Chen standing in the center of the stage, suddenly feeling that he seemed very unfamiliar.

The girl sitting next to Wang Ying leaned forward and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong? Do you still miss him?"

Wang Ying shook her head, somewhat at a loss.

She didn't even know what was wrong with her. They had broken up so long ago, and they had both made their feelings clear.

Yet, there was still an emotion lingering in her heart!

The girl next to her earnestly advised, "You've already broken up, so don't overthink it! What's the use of him being handsome now? He looks good, but he's useless; with your qualities, you could definitely find someone better, like that Chen Peng, he's quite nice."

Wang Ying frowned and said, "I've already moved on; I don't think about him anymore."

The girl next to her laughed lightly, "That's right! As a girl, finding a suitable husband is the most important thing. Life is hard once you enter society, and the housing prices in Hangzhou are so high, it's not worth suffering with a handsome guy!"

Wang Ying half-listened, her mind wandering elsewhere.

At that moment, Lu Chen spoke into the microphone. "Thank you all for your applause. Tonight, I'm going to sing a song I wrote myself, and it's the first time I'm going to perform it in public."

"I dedicate this song to all the girls, to all the younger and older sisters, because it's you who make Jianghai University a truly beautiful campus. I hope you will always be young and beautiful!"

The auditorium erupted in laughter, and many girls clapped even more enthusiastically.

The boys, for the most part, felt envious and resentful, and some even secretly cursed.

Using original works to please girls? What a beautiful thought! If he fails, he'll be booed off the stage, and that's just what he deserves for trying to show off.

A handsome guy, especially one who can play the guitar, is the most annoying!

However, Lu Chen did not feel any resentment from the single boys. He turned to the side of the stage and gave the director a thumbs up, signaling that he was ready to begin.

Moments later, a new music video began to play on the large screen behind him.

He gently strummed the guitar strings and played a soft intro.

The first images on the LED screen showed a blurry view of Jianghai University, followed by silhouettes of girls appearing next to drawn flowers, complemented by four hand-drawn artistic words- ''These Flowers''.

"These sounds of laughter remind me of my Those Flowers, 

Silently blooming in every corner of my life. 

I once thought I would always be by her side, 

But now we have grown apart. 

They must be old by now? 

Where would they be by now? 

And just like that, we each drift our own way. 

La la la...... I miss them. 

La la la...... Are they still blooming? 

La la la...... Move on! 

The wind has already scattered them to the ends of the earth! 

..."

A hint of sadness and nostalgia flowed through the song, sung softly as it told of times gone by. Lu Chen's performance was simple yet elegant, and the beautiful melody and lyrics gave the song a poignant power.

Especially for the girls, they saw familiar and unfamiliar photos appear on the big screen in the MV, all belonging to their youthful memories - those times of running, hugging, jumping, and playing. 

Past moments flashed before their eyes- joyful, sad, sweet, and exhilarating.

They were about to graduate, soon to be scattered by the wind to distant places!

"...

Some stories are not finished, so let's forget them, 

Feelings can get mixed up over the years. 

Today there are no more flowers in the grass, 

At least I was blessed with the four seasons you once brought. 

La la la...... Missing them, 

La la la...... Are they still blooming? 

La la la...... Move on! 

They have already been scattered by the wind to distant places.

"''They must be old by now? 

Where would they be by now? 

And just like this, we each drift our own way.''"

The auditorium that could hold thousands of people was silent - no applause, no laughter, no chatter; everyone was listening and absorbing Lu Chen's performance.

Some girls were already in silent tears.

The song evoked their deep romantic hopes and involuntary heartache, like dandelion flowers blooming unexpectedly with the season, their souls seemingly drifting away with the flying fluff, unable to be reclaimed.

Lu Chen played and sang, waves of memories washing over him.

The flowers that left the deepest mark on his life were represented by an elder sister named Wan.

She appeared at the lowest point in Lu Chen's life, shortly after his father died and after he broke up with Wang Ying. He was going through tremendous changes, feeling depressed and lost, like a walking corpse.

Wan's arrival was like a ray of bright sunshine that dispelled the darkness and gloom within Lu Chen. She soothed his wounded spirit with her gentleness, helping him finally overcome his depression and face life with renewed strength.

But Lu Chen was not able to keep Wan; after graduation, she immigrated to the United Kingdom with her family.

This relationship was something even Lu Chen's closest friends did not know about; he had never told anyone.

It had always been buried deep in his heart.

Today, he sang this song for Wan here.

Her photo appeared in the MV, beaming with a dazzling smile!

"They must be old by now? 

Where would they be by now? 

And just like that, we each drift our own way.'"

Before he knew it, Lu Chen's eyes were filled with tears. He had never sung with such emotion before, his voice choked with emotion.

In the audience, many girls were already in tears, some sobbing quietly by themselves, while others hugged each other for comfort, freely expressing the feelings stirred inside them.

Wang Ying bit her lip hard, her eyes showing a complex expression.

Her intuition told her that Lu Chen's song was for his most beloved person.

And that person was not her.

Though she was equally moved by the song, thinking of this made her heart feel as if it were being bitten by a venomous snake— intense jealousy and pain, as if she had lost her most cherished treasure!

The MV finally froze on a photo.

On a drizzly afternoon, in the depths of an old street alley, the silhouette of a gentle and charming woman holding a paper umbrella.

The misty moisture made the shot hazy, preventing a clear view of her true appearance.

But her beauty, like an orchid in a secluded valley, was destined to become one of the most profound memories for all who witnessed it.

Lu Chen finished singing.

He straightened his chest and spoke into the microphone, "'Those Flowers, thank you, everyone!''

He wanted to express gratitude for all the flowers that had appeared in his life at the age of twenty-two.

Because life was brilliant with their presence!

---

''(End of Chapter)''

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