Awakening Elementary School System in University
Chapter 28 - 27: Listen More, Learn More

Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Listen More, Learn More

When Chen Lin spoke, every head in the room turned in unison, following his pointed finger.

Yunqing was completely stunned. Her hands, which had been enthusiastically clapping just moments before, froze in mid-air. She couldn’t lower them, but she couldn’t keep clapping either. She lost all control of her expression.

The friends sitting around her immediately zeroed in on her, their gazes a mixture of shock, curiosity, and a silent accusation of ’you’ve been hiding this from us.’

The girl with twin ponytails and big, round eyes sitting to Yunqing’s left was the first to react. She grabbed Yunqing’s arm, her eyes burning with the fierce flame of gossip. "Qing! What’s going on? Spill the beans! When did you meet this handsome guy?"

"Yeah, yeah! And singing ’Two Tigers’? Is that some kind of special secret code between you two?" another girl chimed in, leaning closer with a suggestive smile.

Yunqing finally snapped out of it, instantly understanding Chen Lin’s malicious intent.

’That jerk! He’s setting me up on purpose!’

Her lovely eyes went wide as she shot Chen Lin a fierce ’you just wait’ glare from across the room.

But within seconds, the faint anger on her face was replaced by a playful smirk. She leaned back against the booth, leisurely crossing her arms with an air that said, ’Alright, let’s see what you’ve got up your sleeve.’

Of course, Chen Lin’s courage lasted all of three seconds.

That little stunt was purely for dramatic effect—a way to catch Yunqing off guard and get a little revenge for her constant teasing.

To complete the system’s mission, he still had to get on with the singing.

Thankfully, "Two Tigers" was a really short song. Chen Lin steeled himself, closed his eyes, and began to sing a cappella, not even waiting for a backing track.

"Two tigers, two tigers, run so fast, run so fast..."

...

"One has no ears, one has no tail. How strange, how strange!"

He finished the song in a completely flat, emotionless monotone.

When the song ended, the bar fell deathly silent.

Forget applause; you could have heard a pin drop.

After a few seconds, a few scattered boos broke the silence.

"What the hell was that? There are no kids here. Singing that song in a bar is completely out of place, isn’t it?"

"Seriously. I thought he was going to turn a kids’ song into a romantic confession. I was all ready for the drama, but he just... actually sang a nursery rhyme?"

Yunqing found it strange, too. In her memory, Chen Lin could be a smart-aleck, but he was generally a pretty straightforward person. Why would he suddenly pull a stunt that made no sense at all?

As the atmosphere grew increasingly awkward, beads of sweat appeared on Brother Wang’s forehead. He quickly grabbed a microphone to smooth things over and calm the crowd.

Just then, a young man at Yunqing’s table suddenly stood up.

He was dressed in expensive brands and stood a little taller than Chen Lin. While not as handsome, his features were sharp and well-defined. He exuded the kind of sunny confidence that girls on campus found irresistible.

He strode to the front of the stage, took the microphone from Brother Wang, and shot Chen Lin a contemptuous glance. In a tone bordering on arrogant, he announced, "Since this singer doesn’t feel like singing properly, I’ll sing a song."

His words were met with an instant explosion of cheers and applause from the audience.

The bar didn’t normally allow customers to perform, but today was a special case. Brother Wang was desperate for someone to clean up this mess.

He made a snap decision and projected a payment QR code onto the screen behind the stage.

This was the same QR code used during Chen Lin’s performances. Audience members could scan it to send a tip if they enjoyed the show, with the earnings split fifty-fifty between the performer and Brother Wang.

To save the show tonight, Brother Wang took a big hit, telling the tall young man that he could keep all the tips he earned from his performance.

While the young man was doing a quick soundcheck on stage, Brother Wang pulled Chen Lin over to the bar. "Chen, what was that all about?" he asked in a low voice. "Are you gonna be okay to perform?"

Chen Lin’s face showed no sign of panic. "Don’t worry, Brother Wang," he promised. "Just wait until this senior is done. I guarantee I’ll get the crowd fired up again."

Brother Wang knew Chen Lin was a dependable guy. Seeing his confidence, he didn’t press the issue. He just patted him on the shoulder. "Alright, then. Go get ready." With that, he turned and went back to work.

Chen Lin finally had a moment to check his system notifications.

[Mission Requirement Met: Host has completed one full performance of ’Two Tigers’!]

[Mission Complete! Reward has been issued!]

The young man on stage was ready. "Hello, everyone. My name is Song Cheng," he said into the microphone. "I’d like to dedicate this next song to my girlfriend, Qi Wanwan."

Then, just as Chen Lin had done, he raised his arm and pointed in the exact same direction.

Once again, every head in the room swiveled in that direction.

This time, all eyes landed on the girl to Yunqing’s right. She froze for a second, then her pretty face instantly flushed crimson. She quickly covered her face with her hands, murmuring something to Yunqing.

Even though Chen Lin was far away, his vision was part of his physical constitution. Enhanced by "Little Champion," he could see the scene with perfect clarity.

He could clearly see that although the girl, Qi Wanwan, was covering her face, the eyes peeking through her fingers were filled with a sweet, irrepressible smile.

’Well, well. So they’re here to put on a show of public affection,’ Chen Lin grumbled to himself.

On stage, Song Cheng continued, "This is ’You’ by the great Tu Honggang. I hope you all enjoy it."

The powerful, melancholic intro began to play.

Song Cheng gripped the microphone, his entire aura shifting. The moment he began to sing, he captivated everyone in the room.

"You, you who fell from the sky, landing upon my horse’s back,"

"A face like jade, eyes like clear water, a faint smile that sets my heart ablaze."

Just then, Chen Lin’s phone screen lit up with a notification for a new WeChat message.

He glanced up and saw Yunqing sitting bolt upright, putting on a show of watching Song Cheng with rapt attention, as if she were seriously appreciating the performance.

But her right hand, hidden below the table, and the occasional downward glances completely gave her away.

Chen Lin almost burst out laughing.

’Are you trying to be a secret agent or something?’

He unlocked his phone, opened WeChat, and saw Yunqing’s message.

Yunqing: [Song Cheng was one of the Top Ten Singers at our school last year, you know. He and Wanwan—he sings, she’s a national dancer—are the ’it’ couple of our arts academy. Impressive, right? [smug]]

Chen Lin glanced up to get a better look at the girl, Qi Wanwan. She wore her hair in a neat, high ponytail. She was tall, but not skinny; instead, she radiated a healthy strength. ’So she’s a national dancer,’ he thought. ’That actually fits the song quite well.’

Chen Lin: [Very impressive.]

Yunqing: [You should listen and learn. If you could pick up even a fraction of Song Cheng’s skill, you might get a few more tips in the future. [eyeroll]]

Chen Lin: [Ah, yes, yes, yes. You’re absolutely right. [fist and palm salute]]

To be fair, setting aside Song Cheng’s arrogant attitude, Chen Lin had to admit the guy was genuinely talented. His raw skill was undeniable.

Chen Lin himself was a big fan of the song "You." He had tried to sing it at karaoke before and knew just how difficult it was to replicate the original artist Tu Honggang’s vocal dynamics—a blend of infatuation and delicacy, of dominance and tenderness.

A perfect replica was impossible, of course. But listening to Song Cheng, he could hear flashes of that same dynamic control.

"You stand at the center of the crowd, basking in a glorious light,"

"I cannot see your eyes, I wonder if they hide your tears."

Song Cheng’s voice grew more passionate, the emotion building layer by layer, perfectly conveying both the anguish of unrequited love and the desolation of a fallen hero.

"You, you who never look back, spreading your wings to fly,"

"Searching for your path, a path that lies ahead, while a single sigh chills me for a lifetime."

...

"I don’t have the strength, I try to forget but I never can,"

"I can only wait for the darkest night, to dream once more of that beloved girl—"

He held the final note, long and steady, in a soul-stirring finish.

When the song ended, the bar was silent for two seconds before erupting in thunderous applause and cheers.

"Incredible!"

"That was amazing!"

The DJ at the bar chimed in at the perfect moment, his magnetic voice booming, "Let’s thank our patrons for tipping this handsome singer 647 yuan!"

Amid the rowdy cheers, Yunqing and another girl laughingly pushed a reluctant Qi Wanwan onto the stage.

It’s not clear who started it, but soon the entire bar was chanting in unison.

"Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!"

Onstage, Qi Wanwan, who had been shyly covering her face, seemed to make a decision amidst the roaring encouragement. She suddenly threw her arms around a flustered Song Cheng’s neck and planted a firm kiss on his lips!

"WHOA—!"

The crowd below erupted in an even more ferocious round of whoops and cheers, bringing the atmosphere to a fever pitch.

After a while, as the cheers gradually died down, the young couple walked off the stage hand in hand.

As Song Cheng passed Chen Lin, who was waiting at the side, he stopped. He handed the microphone to Chen Lin and said in the condescending tone of a senior lecturing a junior, "I don’t know what that little stunt of yours was about, but I hope you’ll cherish this stage and sing properly from now on."

Chen Lin took the microphone, a warm smile on his face.

"No problem, Senior Brother Song."