Chapter Seventy-One: The Finals Are Coming!

His fingertip gently brushed the corner of Jiang Muwen’s lips, the warmth of his touch quietly spreading along her mouth, making her heart race uncontrollably. Her cheeks burned; she looked at him, momentarily lost and uncertain.

Moonlight poured tenderly into his eyes, scattering delicate shadows within them.

She watched as Wen Yichen slowly lowered his hand, then cast his gaze downward, using a tissue to wipe the cream from his fingers.

His movements were gentle, making it difficult for Jiang Muwen to look away.

Wen Yichen glanced at the tiramisu set aside, then asked casually, "Not eating anymore?"

"I am..." Jiang Muwen, reminded by his words, recalled the tiramisu beside her—the treat he had given her, something she couldn't possibly waste.

As she answered, she picked up the tiramisu, scooped a small piece, and brought it to her lips.

Wen Yichen sat quietly nearby, occasionally casting a sidelong glance at the tiramisu in her hand—he had to admit, the one he bought today tasted quite good.

Jiang Muwen seemed to sense Wen Yichen’s intense gaze; she looked up at him. Their eyes met—only for a brief second—before Wen Yichen quickly looked away, feigning nonchalance as he turned toward something else.

"Do you want some?" Jiang Muwen looked at him, her tone tentative.

"You go ahead," Wen Yichen replied, eyes lowered, staring at his shoe tips.

With that, Jiang Muwen didn’t think much of it; she turned her head, scooped another bite, and ate it.

Piece after piece, she savored the cream melting in her mouth—rich, smooth, and endlessly delightful.

The air was quiet, and the atmosphere around them seemed to shift subtly.

"Jiang Muwen..."

Suddenly, Wen Yichen’s voice slipped into her ear, causing her hand holding the spoon to pause. Before she could look up, his voice sounded again beside her.

He spoke softly, his tone drifting through the air and landing in her ear like a kitten begging for its meal: "Ah—"

"......"

That lazy, languid voice was like a sudden blow to Jiang Muwen.

She looked up at Wen Yichen; the boy before her had his mouth slightly open, his eyes fixed intently on the tiramisu in her hand.

If he had a tail, it would surely be swaying leisurely behind him.

She gazed at Wen Yichen, momentarily entranced. After a moment, Wen Yichen realized his own behavior, blinked a few times, then quietly closed his mouth and coughed twice, as if to cover his embarrassment.

Jiang Muwen watched him awkwardly avert his gaze, unable to suppress a quiet laugh. Her eyes returned to the tiramisu in her hand; she scooped a small piece and offered it to his lips...

...

On Monday, Jiang Muwen had just arrived at school when she saw Yin Lizhe handing out sheets of paper throughout the classroom. The papers were small, and once they landed in her classmates’ hands, everyone examined their contents with serious attention.

Finally, a sheet landed on Jiang Muwen’s desk—small, like a ticket.

She gently picked it up, her gaze falling on it.

It really was a ticket.

"Starlit Voices—Finals in City A..." Jiang Muwen read aloud, her fingers gripping the ticket.

As soon as she finished, the air fell silent. After a while, Jiang Muwen finally looked up, stunned, at Yin Lizhe. "City A Finals???"

"Yep!" Yin Lizhe replied, the corners of his mouth curling upward uncontrollably—he looked just like a child who’d done something clever and was hoping for a treat.

As he spoke, he placed a ticket on Wen Yichen’s desk.

"This Friday at the city gymnasium, it’s my singing competition—I reserved VIP seats for you guys, so you must come!" After announcing this, Yin Lizhe returned to his seat.

The news came so suddenly that Jiang Muwen was momentarily caught off guard—not just her, but the whole class seemed slow to react.

Nobody knew Yin Lizhe had signed up for a singing competition; to his classmates, it was as if he’d secretly done something extraordinary.

Starlit Voices was held annually in City A, open to all high school students in the city. In this competition, not just winning, but even reaching the finals was a tremendous recognition for any contestant. Some participants went on to debut as singers years later.

Watching Yin Lizhe’s retreating figure, Jiang Muwen could almost see the future superstar shining on stage.

As she pondered this, she saw Gu Nianxi enter through the classroom door.

Her gaze locked onto Gu Nianxi, and once Gu Nianxi sat at her desk, Jiang Muwen leaned over, deliberately lowering her voice as if she had some earth-shattering news to share. "Xiao Xi, did you know—Yin Lizhe made it to the finals of Starlit Voices!"

Hearing this, a fleeting smile crossed Gu Nianxi’s eyes, but it faded quickly. "Really?"

Her expression barely changed, as if everything was well within her expectations.

"..." Jiang Muwen stared at her, the thrill in her eyes dimming—Gu Nianxi’s reaction was not what she’d imagined. Wasn’t she supposed to be shocked, then delighted, then incredulously ask if it was true?

Jiang Muwen looked at her, suddenly bewildered. "That’s all you’ve got?"

Only then did Gu Nianxi realize—her reaction was perhaps a bit too calm.

She adjusted her expression, then feigned exaggerated surprise. "Oh??? Really! The finals?? That’s amazing—"

"......"

Gu Nianxi’s performance was so over-the-top that Jiang Muwen knew instantly it was an act.

"Xiao Xi, did you already know Yin Lizhe made it to the finals?"

Gu Nianxi smiled, nodded at Jiang Muwen—she knew far more than just that; she was aware of every round Yin Lizhe participated in. Using the singing competition as a reason, he’d repeatedly rescheduled tutoring sessions with Gu Nianxi, and every time he advanced, she was the first to know.

As she watched Gu Nianxi tidying her desk, Jiang Muwen suddenly noticed there was no ticket on it. "Didn’t Yin Lizhe just hand you a ticket?"

"Hm?" Gu Nianxi looked up, her eyebrows arching slightly. "He gave it to me a couple of days ago..."