The school beauty is aloof? Whatever, she has a younger sister.

Chapter 78 Secret Operation
School auditorium.

The selection of the New Year's Day program will take place at 12 noon.

After having lunch, Zhang Muchen, Chu Jiuli, and the others went to the auditorium together.

Although Wang Shishi did not sign up for the New Year's Eve party, she still came along with her good buddies just to join in the fun.

The auditorium at No. 1 Middle School is very spacious. The school invested a lot of money in this New Year's Eve party and 50th anniversary celebration, and the venue and equipment are very comprehensive.

After signing their names at the registration desk, Zhang Muchen and his group walked into the auditorium together. Many students who were participating in the program were already seated inside, chatting in small groups.

Zhang Muchen glanced around but didn't see many familiar faces.

This year's New Year's Eve party was aimed at three grades, but he wasn't familiar with most of the first and second year high school students.

Although he didn't know these people, they all clearly knew Chu Jiuli.

As soon as Zhang Muchen entered the room, he could feel many eyes being cast at Chu Jiuli, and quite a few people were also secretly observing him.

Gee tut.

Are you looking at handsome guys?
Zhang Muchen returned the gaze without any hesitation. Seeing Zhang Muchen's gaze, the boys who had been secretly observing him immediately lowered their heads.

The guy who was with Chu Jiuli had a very strong presence.

Wang Shishi chose a secluded spot where she could clearly see the stage and sat down.

It was getting closer to midnight. Several student council members went up on stage, picked up the microphone, and began to announce the selection guidelines.

Upon seeing that it was a student council member, Zhang Muchen couldn't help but shake his head slightly.

The student council at No. 1 Middle School existed in name only, at best serving as a menial task force.

Many students have never even heard of the student union.

After all, in the northern education system, schools place more emphasis on academic performance. Teachers generally view extracurricular activities and student council as negatively impacting academic learning.

Just like this New Year's Eve party, many senior high school classes were explicitly prohibited from registering to participate.

They claimed it wouldn't affect their studies.

"The selection process will be chaired by Zhao Qingfeng, the school's vice principal, and Cao Nuo, the director of the Academic Affairs Office, will serve as the vice chairman. Please come up to the stage to perform when you hear your name called."

The student council staff's voices echoed clearly in the auditorium as they announced the start of the selection process.

Upon hearing the vice principal's name, Zhang Muchen immediately stood up and looked towards the first row.

Sure enough, he saw a middle-aged man with thinning hair sitting there, seemingly bored as he flipped through the program in his hand.

Compared to him, Director Cao Nuo, standing to the side, appeared somewhat younger, chatting with the vice principal with an ingratiating expression.

He wasn't familiar with Vice Principal Zhang Muchen, but he had heard of Cao Nuo from the Academic Affairs Office for a long time.

He's a sycophant of the leader, always serving him respectfully at every event. But when facing students, he reveals his true, ruthless nature.

It seems that they are venting their pent-up frustration of currying favor with leaders onto the students.

Zhang Muchen could be said to really dislike Cao Nuo.

"The vice principal actually came to review the program in person?" Wang Shishi said in a low voice, surprised.

“After all, leaders from the Education Bureau are here this time, so the program definitely needs to be carefully reviewed,” Zhang Muchen replied, his gaze lingering on the vice principal for a few seconds.

The first person to go on stage was a girl who chose the song "Chasing the Light".

Music played on stage, and the girl sang quietly.

If you were fireworks on the sea...

I am a bubble in the waves.

In the quiet atmosphere of the stage, the girl's singing voice seemed to blend into every inch of the air.

However, just as she reached the climax of the song, Director Cao suddenly picked up the microphone and interrupted her performance.

"Alright, alright, get down now."

As Director Cao interrupted, the music backstage immediately stopped.

The girl froze, standing there for a few seconds.

A murmur of bewilderment erupted from the audience.

However, Cao Nuo didn't say much, but impatiently gestured for the girl to come down quickly so as not to waste time.

The girl lowered her head, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Huh? She sang really well! How come she was kicked off so quickly?" Wang Shishi asked, puzzled.

Chu Jiuli looked at the girl walking down from the stage, slightly puzzled: "Her voice is not bad, I don't understand why."

Next up on stage was a boy.

The song he sang was Eason Chan's "Lonely Patient".

The boy started singing a few lines, but before the climax, Director Cao picked up the microphone and said, "Alright, alright, student, come down now."

The boy was also stunned.

At least let me sing the climax, right?
He turned to Director Cao and pleaded, "Give me two more minutes, could you...?"

Director Cao glared at him without any politeness: "Don't waste your time, get down here right now."

The boy shrank back, lowered his head, and walked off the stage. The scene became somewhat awkward.

Several more students went on stage, but they were asked to leave by Director Cao after only a few lines.

Some sang quite well, while others were clearly off-key. But Director Cao seemed to treat everyone equally, interrupting each one without hesitation.

Finally, after the sixth girl took the stage, Director Cao listened for a few minutes without interrupting.

However, the good times didn't last long. When the girl finished singing a chorus, Cao Nuo picked up the microphone and said, "Student, come down."

There was silence.

Everyone looked at each other.

Does Cao Nuo understand songs or not?
Hearing the students' chatter, the vice principal standing next to Cao Nuo glanced up. Then he looked down again and continued watching the stock charts on his phone.

The stock market is falling again.

"Next up, Cao Yanyu, song 'This Life, No Regrets'."

Wearing a neat school uniform, Cao Yanyu stepped onto the stage with confidence in her eyes.

As the accompaniment began, he slowly opened his mouth.

Time flows on relentlessly into the past.

The profound changes are not far away.

……

"She sang alright, but not as amazing as the others," Wang Shishi commented softly.

“I also think it’s pretty average.” Zhang Muchen shook his head.

Cao Yanyu was still singing on stage. Unlike the previous students, Director Cao in the audience did not immediately interrupt him.

Looking back, we haven't gone far.

[My gaze remains unchanged, unwavering for a lifetime]

……

"Damn, he's already singing the chorus and hasn't been booed off yet?" Wang Shishi exclaimed in surprise. Zhang Muchen frowned and stroked his chin.

It's unreasonable and doesn't make sense.

He opened his phone and sent a message to Liu Ziyang.

Meanwhile, Cao Yanyu on stage had been singing for two minutes. Director Cao, sitting in the audience, remained seated, smiling and talking quietly with Vice Principal Zhao Qingfeng.

"Vice Principal, this child sings quite well."

The vice principal looked up, nodded slightly, and said, "Yes, that's good. I have to go now, so I'll leave the rest to you."

Cao Nuo immediately stood up and respectfully saw the vice principal to the door. As soon as the vice principal left, he hurriedly returned to his seat with a smug smile.

Cao Yanyu on stage finished speaking.

"Very good, you sang well." Cao Nuo said with a smile as he picked up the microphone.

?

? ?
???

The students in the audience immediately erupted in questioning.

When it comes to singing, good or bad is immediately obvious.

Cao Yanyu's performance was only at a karaoke level. Compared to the first girl who sang "Chasing the Light," his performance was far inferior.

However, although the students were dissatisfied, they only dared to whisper among themselves and did not directly voice their objections.

Next, three more students took the stage.

Cao Nuo didn't interrupt anyone. He smiled and praised each student after their performance, as if everyone had performed exceptionally well.

However, judging from the students' eyes, these people's performance was not particularly amazing.

The only obvious thing is that their relationship with Director Cao seems to be extraordinary.

Zhang Muchen stared at his phone as Liu Ziyang replied to his message.

I know Cao Yanyu; he used to be at No. 2 Middle School. He got into a fight and committed some offense, so his uncle got him transferred to No. 1 Middle School.

His uncle seems to be the director of the academic affairs office.

Zhang Muchen narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Just as I thought," he thought to himself.

The party originally only had four spots for pop songs. Cao Nuo seemed to have arranged all of them perfectly.

Many students in the audience began to understand what was happening, but no one dared to question it out loud. A small number of students left the auditorium on the spot, expressing their dissatisfaction.

Cao Nuo looked around, his gaze sweeping over the list in his hand, and continued in a calm tone, "The students who performed just now all did very well. Now there are two students left, Chu Jiuli and Chu Youting, please come up on stage as well."

When she heard Cao Nuo call her name, a hint of panic flashed across Chu Youting's face.

She also saw clearly Cao Nuo's attitude towards other students, and realized that she would not be treated with leniency.

"It's alright, go on stage first," Zhang Muchen comforted her softly.

Wang Shishi stood beside her, encouraging her, "Don't worry, Youting. You sing very well, you'll definitely be fine."

"Let's go."

Zhang Muchen gently patted her shoulder and led her towards the stage.

The two stood side by side on the stage, the background lighting was dim, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.

Cao Nuo merely glanced at it indifferently, then lowered her head, seemingly not intending to pay any more attention.

As the music began, Chu Youting's hands trembled slightly. But as the prelude gradually unfolded, she took a deep breath and began to sing the first line.

I always want to see through your eyes.

[Go find the most primal wildness]

……

Her voice was clear and ethereal, with a unique charm and full of emotion.

However, just as Zhang Muchen was about to sing a duet, Cao Nuo, who was in the audience, suddenly raised the microphone and said, "Okay, okay, come down now, next one."

The music abruptly stopped as the figure was silhouetted against the backdrop of the background.

Chu Youting stopped speaking, her hand holding the microphone paused slightly, and her eyes dimmed instantly.

She lowered her head and slowly walked off the stage.

Several students in the audience whispered among themselves, and the atmosphere became somewhat heavy.

"Hey, why are you still on stage?"

Cao Nuo looked at Zhang Muchen, who had not yet stepped down from the stage, and his tone was slightly impatient.

"The next song is a duet between her and me."

As Chu Jiuli passed by Cao Nuo, she casually uttered a sentence.

She walked over to Zhang Muchen and handed him the guitar.

The background music started playing again.

I wish I could become a fixed star.

The buzzing that protects the seabed

……

Before the chorus even started, Cao Nuo raised the microphone: "Classmate, that's enough, come down now."

The students in the audience looked disappointed.

They were utterly amazed by Chu Jiuli's few words.

Chu Jiuli pursed her lips slightly and walked off the stage with Zhang Muchen.

Cao Nuo heard the murmurs growing louder, but he remained completely unconcerned.

He strode onto the stage and looked around: "There are four spots for pop songs at the New Year's Eve Gala. I've compiled the rankings here, and the first to fourth places are Cao Yanyu, Wu Qinghan, Zhong Hui, and Qiao Tao."

"The other students also did very well, so don't be discouraged."

cut.

A murmur of disapproval rippled through the audience.

Cao Nuo smiled, seemingly unconcerned.

A bunch of little brats.

What waves can it create?
Just as Cao Nuo was observing everyone's expressions, a figure suddenly darted to the spot where the microphone was placed below the stage.

"Hello, Director Cao." Zhang Muchen picked up the phone.

"What kind of garbage did you choose?"

"Are you a manure collector, specializing in sorting manure?"

……

(End of this chapter)