Chapter 067: A Bit of Temptation

“How could I possibly like her? Besides, don’t I already have a wife?” Yang Tian had never imagined that the reason for Huang Juan’s distress was her fear that he might fall for Liu Lu. He couldn’t help but laugh heartily, teasing her with a mischievous grin.

“What are you talking about? Where did you get a wife?” Huang Juan retorted shyly.

“You, of course! Have you forgotten? We were betrothed as children. From what I can tell, your parents have no intention of breaking off the engagement, so this marriage is pretty much set in stone!” A few years ago, Yang Tian would never have dared to make such a remark; they’d both been so young then. But things were different now. Huang Juan was beginning to understand the ways of the world between men and women, and the occasional joke was harmless.

“Don’t flatter yourself! As long as I don’t agree, the engagement can be broken at any time, hmph!” Huang Juan threatened sweetly, smiling as she spoke.

“By the way, Juan, do you know what other admirable qualities country folks have?” Yang Tian seized the opportunity to ask, grinning.

“What qualities?” Huang Juan turned toward him.

“Sincerity! People from the countryside always mean what they say. So, your family would never break off an engagement lightly—and neither would you!” Yang Tian declared confidently, his laughter making Huang Juan stamp her foot in frustration, for he’d hit the nail right on the head.

In the grand auditorium of Binhai No.1 High School, the singing competition was still going strong. The director of the City Cultural Bureau, along with other bureau officials and the school principal, sat below the stage, watching the students perform and chatting amongst themselves with laughter.

Compared to the previous days, the number of students in the audience had not diminished; instead, it had grown, nearly filling the entire school. Though the later performers were not particularly impressive, there were still some highlights, and the cheers from the crowd only grew louder.

Huang Juan and An Qi sat with their homeroom teacher, Bao Yuehong, on the left side of the viewing gallery. Since all the teachers had come to watch the competition, classes were suspended for the day. With midterms approaching, any lessons would have only been for review.

“Hmm, where’s Yang Tian?” Bao Yuehong glanced around, then lowered her head to ask Huang Juan.

“He said he had something to take care of at the internet café, so he might not come,” Huang Juan replied with a smile. Remembering what Yang Tian had said to her yesterday, she seemed to have realized something, and now brimmed with newfound confidence.

Soon after, the stage lights suddenly dimmed, and a single beam illuminated the left side of the stage. It wasn’t part of the school’s lighting setup; rather, someone in the audience had brought a large flashlight, apparently to add a special effect to the performance.

A wave of surprised murmurs and applause rolled through the hall. Because the school’s equipment was lacking, contestants were allowed to bring their own devices—Yamaha keyboards and the like.

But what truly astonished Huang Juan and her friends was that, within the circle of light cast by the flashlight, stood none other than Yang Tian. He wore the same sky-blue T-shirt and well-worn jeans, looking composed and quite at home on stage.

“Yang Tian?! Look, it’s Yang Tian! Everyone, give him a hand!” The students of Class 8, Grade 12, leapt to their feet, clapping with all their might. Still, Yang Tian’s plain attire didn’t draw much attention, so the applause was scattered. The novelty of the flashlight, however, earned a smattering of appreciative claps.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Yang Tian. Technically, this stage no longer belongs to me, since I missed my turn this morning. But thanks to the school leaders’ wisdom, I’ve been given another chance. So, could I trouble you all to give a round of applause for our wise school leaders?” Yang Tian’s casual words instantly fired up the atmosphere. The leaders shook their heads with a smile, while the students clapped vigorously—though some muttered under their breath, “What a shameless bootlicker!”

“All right, next I’ll bring you a very tender, romantic song. But I’ll need a partner—would Miss Huang Juan from Class 8, Grade 10, be willing to join me in a duet?” As soon as Yang Tian spoke, the big flashlight swung to illuminate the left side of the gallery, spotlighting Huang Juan and making her the center of attention.

A chorus of shrieks erupted from the audience. Since the singing contest began, there had not yet been a boy-girl duet, and this prospect excited students from every grade. Though the school had rules against romantic entanglements during study hours, high schoolers were the ones who dreamed of love most ardently. Their innocence made them yearn for romance—love like a prose poem.

A boy inviting a girl to sing a duet on stage was bold and romantic. Even though the school leaders at the judges’ table were stunned, the students’ enthusiasm was soaring.

Huang Juan was both shy and delighted, surprised first by Yang Tian’s appearance on stage and even more so by his invitation to sing together. She looked at him with anticipation.

Yang Tian, always daring, saw that though Huang Juan hesitated, she didn’t refuse. So he strode off the stage, took her by the hand, and brought her up with him, to the wild cheers of the crowd.

“Xiao Tian, what are we going to sing?” Huang Juan asked nervously as he handed her the microphone.

“The one I taught you a few days ago! Don’t be nervous—just sing like we do when practicing together. Relax,” Yang Tian whispered softly in her ear. His real intention was to give her another chance on stage, to help her gain confidence.

“A little moved?” Huang Juan replied with a surprised, happy smile. In her excitement, she didn’t realize the microphone was already in her hand, and though she spoke softly, her words echoed through the entire hall.

The cheers erupted once more. “A Little Moved” was currently the most popular love duet, and the students went wild with excitement. Huang Juan quickly covered her mouth, giggling in embarrassment.

“That’s right—‘A Little Moved’ by Jeff Chang and Carina Lau!” Yang Tian announced loudly, and the applause swelled.

The speakers on the left blared out the accompaniment. The school had no backing tracks, so Zhou Bing, acting as the sound technician in his carefully chosen outfit, had brought a CD player and speakers from the internet café.

As the music began, Yang Tian sang first, his voice not as sharp as Jeff Chang’s, but powerful and full. The crowd cheered for this classic love duet.

“You’re not just talking about yourself, you’re including me. Should we go on, should I respond, letting love draw closer, step by step…” Despite the overwhelming noise, Huang Juan managed her nerves by focusing solely on Yang Tian, her voice directed only at him.

But what she hadn’t expected was that, as soon as she began to sing, the cheers from the audience grew even louder—far surpassing those for Sun Haibo of Grade 12, Class 3, or Liu Lu of Grade 11, Class 7.

“I’m a little moved by you, yet so afraid to look into your eyes. There’s just a little bit of feeling, a little hesitation. I can’t believe my feelings are slipping out of control!” As Yang Tian sang, he boldly took Huang Juan’s hand, sending the atmosphere into a frenzy.

Huang Juan was taken aback. She’d never imagined that, dressed as simply as they were, she and Yang Tian could cause such a sensation on stage.

Yet Yang Tian was not surprised in the least. High school students were the ones who most longed for love and romance; as long as you understood their hearts, it was easy to stir up excitement.