Chapter 289: Third Cousin’s Poem Stolen!

It was the half hour mark.

15th Junior High’s New Year’s Party officially kicked off.

The opening was a female host standing on stage. From the students shouting off stage, “Teacher Li, you are really beautiful”, “Teacher Li, you’re too cool”, it was obvious that the host was a guest appearance from the school’s teacher. There were no outsiders today, so most of the programs were performed by the students.

The female host ignored the students howling and smiled, “Dear Leaders, guests, parents, and students, Happy New Year. Welcome to the 15th Junior High’s New Year Talent Party. Next, let’s invite Principal Qian to make his opening statement.” This was a standard opening.

The host stepped down.

The principal stepped onto the stage with a smile. He was an old man, and looked like he was in his sixties. His hair was all white. He picked up the microphone and smiled, “I actually told them to cancel this segment, but they still added it in. For me, I won’t be giving a long speech. Let’s enjoy the exciting performances put on by our students. I’m already eagerly anticipating it. This way, I request the parents to witness the children’s talented performance.”

His speech was short, winning the applause of the students and parents.

The parents were all waiting for their own child’s performance, so naturally they couldn’t be bothered to hear the school’s Leader’s speech.

The moment the principal left the stage, the female host announced, “We officially begin the New Year’s Talent Party. The first program will be the second class of the second year high school students bringing us an opening dance. Everyone, please welcome them!”

Bba Bba Bba!

A round of applause echoed!

The parents of the students were on full focus!

After a while, about fifteen boys and girls appeared. The background music was an American song with a fast tempo. These high school students danced to the music and from their actions, it was obvious that they had practiced for a while. Although they did not do so neatly, as amateurs, they were pretty good.

Zhang Ye could not help but be amazed. The junior high schools these days were increasingly open. They were beginning to follow international standards, and were no longer as strict as before. For example, back in junior high, his New Year’s Party was just him singing a song with his class, or playing some games. There wouldn’t be things like foreign songs and dances. Back then, they did not have any concept of this. Besides, their teachers would not approve of it. Back in his schooling days, there were three catchphrases to his school that never changed in his three years there. Anti-fire, anti-theft, anti-love. It was not like the atmosphere in the school now, where even love songs and poems could be performed in public? Ai, they sure had it good. Just thinking about it, Zhang Ye really suffered during his schooling days!

The opening dance came to an end.

There was applause and constant kudos from the audience.

“Alright!”

“You danced so well!”

“That’s my daughter. Did you see her?”

“Haha, my son danced really well too!”

The second program was a junior high student in her first year. She chose to sing a song which was Zhang Yuanqi’s song to fame. It was also her first song in the music industry, called “I don’t Believe”.

The female student began singing.

“After all the work, all I could do was return in failure. After all the fighting, all I could do was tear while watching my dreams. After all the thinking, why is my life so lowly? After all the lamenting, why is my voice turning haggard!”

“I don’t believe, that my life is worse than others!”

“I don’t believe, that I have not one bit of talent!”

“I don’t believe, that I’m destined to be a lowly person!”

“I don’t believe, that my songs will be left unanswered forever!!!”

Upon hearing this song, the atmosphere from the audience warmed up. Compared to the English song and foreign dance, the parents were more accepting of such songs. Everyone knew who Heavenly Queen Zhang was. Everyone had basically heard her songs. Many parents and children began to hum along with the song.

Even Zhang Ye got goosebumps listening to it. Although this was the earliest work of Zhang Yuanqi from many years ago, and was not as mature as the many works she currently had, the energy and expression in the song was very impressive. Zhang Ye had only spent a couple of months in this world. This was also not the first time he had heard this song. It was often used as background music on TV or variety shows or parties. He had heard it several times, and it was covered by many people. However, every time Zhang Ye heard it, he felt that the song was full of energy. It was an expression of a singer’s thoughts.

There was a story behind it. When Zhang Yuanqi entered the music industry, she already was somewhat accomplished on TV and other arenas. However, many people criticized her for entering the music industry, as her voice was not as clear and beautiful as the traditional singers of that period. Her voice was somewhat husky, so people were unaccepting of such a voice. They criticized Zhang Yuanqi for not being able to sing, and was not suited for singing. They urged her to go back to filming movies. However, with the advent of “I don’t Believe”, which Zhang Yuanqi first sang on a variety show, the final line, “I don’t believe, that my songs will be left unanswered forever” stirred the audience. This was the opening song to Zhang Yuanqi’s dominance of the music industry. From then on, no one doubted Zhang Yuanqi’s ability to sing!

A good song!

A classic piece of work!

From a while ago, Zhang Ye did not dare underestimate this world’s literary level. For such a classic song, if it was used in Zhang Ye’s world, he dared to guarantee that it would be extremely popular.

After the song was done, the girl received a warm round of applause!

“Alright!”

You sang well!”

“Haha, it’s sung not worse than a Heavenly Queen!”

Parents were more lenient towards children. Regardless if they sang well, everyone would support them. All of them gave their encouragement, making it very lively.

The third program was also singing. It was a high school boy singing rock.

The fourth program was choral music. They sang a traditional repertoire, “Ah, My Motherland”. However, Zhang Ye had never heard of it because it had not existed in his world.

The program carried on one after another.

The New Year’s Party was almost half done.

At this moment, the bickering rival of Cao Mengmeng, Lili was no longer in the student seats. She was up next, so she was waiting backstage.

“It’s Lili’s turn.”

“She’s also reciting poetry?”

“Seems so. No idea what’s she’s reciting.”

“Finally it’s a program from our classmate!”

Once the program ended, the female host announced, “The next program will be a poetry recital. The performer is Chen Lili. Everyone, please give her a welcoming applause!”

Amidst the applause, Lili appeared on stage as she bowed slightly.

Cao Mengmeng tsked and looked up the stage, “She better not make a mistake. She looks nervous.”

Lili was indeed nervous, but she still took out her manuscript. With a deep breath, she began reciting, however, the first line stunned Cao Mengmeng!

“The furthest distance in the world is not the distance between opposite sides of the world. It is that you don’t know that I love you, when I stand in front of you. “The furthest distance in the world is not that you don’t know I love you when I stand in front of you. It is when I cannot say I love you, when I love you so madly.” Lili recited.

“She’s reciting it pretty well.”

“Flying bird and fish? I like that poem.”

A few of her classmates began to chat.

However, Cao Mengmeng cursed, “Then what am I to recite!?”

“Ah? Mengmeng? What’s wrong?” A male classmate asked with concern.

Cao Mengmeng cried loudly, “I also prepared this poem! Lili has scooped it from me!”

A party could not have two similar programs, especially poetry recital. Two people reading the same poem? That just wasn’t right.

Teacher Leng and the surrounding parents also heard this.

The middle-aged newspaper editor exclaimed, “Little friend, then hurry and change poems?”

Teacher Leng also said, “Mengmeng, you were planning on this poem for your program too? Why didn’t you report it?”

“Everyone did not report either. I only decided on the poem this afternoon.” Cao Mengmeng was also worried, and was a bit freaked out.

Teacher Leng suggested, “Then try changing another poem? Doesn’t Teacher Zhang Ye have several works?”

Cao Mengmeng said, “But, but I didn’t prepare!”

The middle-aged man said with a wry smile, “Zhang Ye’s other poems don’t suit her. ‘Dead Water’? ‘The Answer’? These are all used to deride others. Even ‘See Me or Not’ is not suited for the occasion. Besides, that daughter of Father Wei had previously recited it at his wake, so it’s not suitable for the party.”

Teacher Leng also realized that it was true, “There’s really nothing appropriate from Zhang Ye’s poems. Then…why don’t we forget it. I’ll inform backstage to cancel your program.”

Cao Mengmeng refused, “No way, no way, no way! I have to recite!”

Zhang Ye also interjected, “Mengmeng was looking forward to her performance, so you can’t just cancel it, right?”

Teacher Leng had a headache as she said, “But it’s already too late to change it now. Are there any suitable poems? Mengmeng wants to recite a love poem? Why not ‘Spring Flowers’?”

Lili stepped off stage amidst applause after finishing her recital.

However, the female host announced the next program, and it was a high school girl reciting, “Spring Flowers”!

Great, it had also been grabbed away. These poems were too popular, so it was not surprising for there to be conflicts and repeats. Like those recital competitions, they were usually filled with those few classic poems. However, this was not a competition, but a New Year’s Party. They definitely could not repeat a program!

“Mengmeng, why don’t you recite, ‘She is a Flower’?”

“That is a boy’s love poem. How can I recite that?”

“Must you recite a love poem? I think “‘Our Motherland’s Land’ is not bad. It praises the motherland. It’s on the textbook too. Check it quickly and go on stage to recite it!”

“This poem is way overused. It’s also outdated. I’m not reading it!”

Her classmates began to give Cao Mengmeng ideas, and shortly after, Chen Lili came back. Hearing that she had a conflict in programs with Cao Mengmeng, she was feeling happy.

Lili smiled, “What a coincidence!”

Cao Mengmeng gritted her teeth, “Why didn’t you tell me you were reciting ‘Flying bird and fish’?”

Lili harrumphed, “You didn’t tell me either, so why should I tell you? Anyway, I’ve already finished reciting it. I don’t mind you reciting it again, but the person who will feel the shame will be you! Hehe!”

Lili’s mother was beside her as she knocked her daughter on the head, “How can you speak to your classmate like that?” Saying that, she looked towards Zhang Ye who wasn’t far off, “Mengmeng’s guardian, sorry about that.”

Zhang Ye smiled, “It’s alright. It happens. No one would have thought this would happen.”