Chapter 133: My University

After Huang Guolun and Bai Yao finished their duet, "Singing Children," they each performed a solo cover. The atmosphere in the café grew increasingly vibrant and romantic.

The energy in the live stream was even more intense. Over eight thousand active users had flooded the room, and the comment count had surpassed fifty thousand. Countless "666" messages flew across the screen. Most viewers were marveling at the stunning performance of the unlikely musical duo, while many others were incessantly urging Zhao Jing to step up and take control of the broadcast.

It was eight o'clock. Seeing that the growth of the audience had slowed and gift contributions were tapering off, Zhao Jing realized it was time to step in and set the pace.

Huang Guolun and Bai Yao’s songs had been incredibly melodic and pleasing to the ear—at times as refreshing as a spring breeze, at others as intoxicating as a midsummer night's dream; sometimes melancholic, sometimes heartwarming, they had absolutely captivated the audience. While their musical performance that evening was technically perfect, to Zhao Jing, their songs felt a bit too soulful, or perhaps too quiet, lacking a certain passion and spark.

Every red flower needs green leaves to set it off. It was time for her to bring some commotion to the room.

Finally shedding the jacket she had worn all evening, Zhao Jing revealed the slender, graceful figure she had sculpted through two years of yoga. Amidst the admiring gazes of the crowd, she stepped onto the small stage, chest held high, a confident smile playing on her lips, embodying charm and allure.

Her radiant appearance on camera instantly dazzled the countless "otaku" viewers on the other side of the screen. After a half-year hiatus from streaming, the "Brother Jing" that her fans had been longing for had finally returned!

Although her chest wasn't as "fierce" as Bai Yao’s, Zhao Jing’s ethereal beauty and curvaceous, sexy physique left Bai Yao in the dust. Her natural, multifaceted charisma was something the underage, inexperienced Bai Yao simply couldn't match. She didn't need to wear revealing clothes to show off; even in her yoga outfit, the way she was half-concealed and half-revealed perfectly showcased the most luscious and delectable side of a young woman.

Seeing her appear on screen, many viewers were practically drooling onto their phones. Those who had been waiting for her at their computers felt as if they’d been injected with adrenaline, their fingers flying across their mechanical keyboards in a frenzy of praise:

"Wow! Brother Jing is so beautiful!"
"Brother Jing, you owe me a new phone! I licked my screen until it cracked!"
"Brother Jing has reached a new height of beauty, hasn't she?"
"Anyone else here for Brother Jing? Let’s see some 666s!"
"A beauty unmatched for ages! A feast for the eyes! A face that could topple cities and kingdoms! Truly a wonder of the world!"
"Finally waited for you; glad I didn't give up. Sending you two rainbows, please accept them, Brother Jing!"
"Does Brother Jing's chest look bigger? Has someone been kneading them?"
"Admin Note: Maintain civil decorum. Those who speak out of turn will be sent to the 'dark room'."
"I thought Xiao Bai was pretty, but once Brother Jing appeared, I finally understood what true beauty is! There’s no harm without comparison! Brother Jing is absolutely stunning!"
"Is this the 'Brother Jing' you guys talk about? She’s certainly pretty; if she went into acting, she’d definitely be a top-tier eye candy."
"Aside from Gao Yuanyuan, I've never seen anyone more beautiful than Brother Jing. I want to lick the screen!"
"Brother Jing, can I be your backup? If not a backup, I'll settle for a jack! Or even just a tire pump! Please take me in; I really like you!"

As the live stream buzzed, the atmosphere in the café also heated up due to Zhao Jing's sudden "emergence." Many men had noticed her striking beauty earlier, but she had kept a low profile, busy at the computer in her black jacket like a staff member, giving no one a chance to approach. Now, having shed the jacket to reveal her best self on stage, her radiance became impossible to ignore.

She asked Huang Guolun and Bai Yao to step to the side for a break while she officially hosted this musical special. After greeting the café patrons, Zhao Jing shifted into her role as a streamer, focusing on interacting with her online audience.

"Those who have watched my streams should recognize this café, right? That's right, this is my sister's place, Salome Cafe, located on the southern bank of Houhai. My friends in the Imperial Capital, come by and show some support if you have time. I did a food special on this place before. You remember the signature coffee and desserts I talked about, right? My sister just developed a new signature set menu—it's super delicious! Foodies, don't miss out!"

While talking to the live stream, she didn't forget to push the café to the customers present: "Everyone here, have you had dinner? If not, order a few signature sets. My sister is in a good mood tonight, so everything is 10% off. It’s absolutely worth it!"

Listening from the kitchen doorway as Zhao Jing tirelessly drummed up business for the shop, Zhao Yan smiled, feeling both comforted and helpless. Sometimes she truly admired Zhao Jing’s thick skin; perhaps if she could learn to be as brazen about getting customers to order, her business would finally start to pick up.

After the advertisement, Zhao Jing promoted the film *A Corpse is a Beauty* and introduced their musical segment: "I’ve written it in the stream bio, so check it out if you haven't. One of our performers tonight is the music producer for the best zombie film in China, *A Corpse is a Beauty*—Mr. Huang. The other is his student, Xiao Bai, who sang the theme song. Tonight, Xiao Bai will perform *The Beautiful People* live."

At this, Feng Zheng and the other college students cheered for Bai Yao.

Zhao Jing continued to hold court: "Aside from that, this session doesn't have much to do with the movie. Mr. Huang has themed this musical special 'Stories of Time'—which is also the name of a beautiful original song he wrote. I hope everyone here can find their own 'story of time' in this concert... For a student like me who hasn't quite left the campus gates, the past four years of university were my most beautiful story and my most brilliant youth."

She gestured toward Shen Yumeng: "We have another beautiful classmate of mine here today—Mengmeng. Stand up and say hello to everyone."

Shen Yumeng stood up reluctantly, cupping her hands against her cheeks, forcing a smile and making a cute, flowery face for the crowd.

"I told you to say hello, not to act cute, hehe. My classmate's name is Mengmeng, and she is very 'meng' (cute), but she isn't the cutest person in China. Do you know who the cutest person in China is?"

"Han Han!"

A guy in the back shouted, having caught Zhao Jing's reference.

"Bingo!" Zhao Jing laughed and gave him a thumbs up. "You're too smart!"

Many in the crowd didn't understand why Han Han was the "cutest." The guy laughed lewdly and told them to break down the character "meng," and everyone would understand.

Zhao Jing continued like a stand-up comedian: "Since we're talking about Han Han, let me tell you a story about 'Xiao Si.' It's an interesting episode from my university days... Mengmeng, do you remember when the girls' dorm caught fire our sophomore year? It was such a coincidence that Xiao Si was on campus that night. I saw him under the burning building. He was wearing red, staring at the flames shooting out of the dormitory, so beautiful, he actually looked a bit sentimental. Suddenly, a firefighter scooped Xiao Si up, rushed into the building, and shouted, 'I found the fire extinguisher!' Haha, I nearly died laughing."

"Ooh—!" Many in the crowd were amused, as if watching a comedy routine.

"I’m not lying, I saw it with my own eyes! Haha! That’s one of my favorite memories from my four years," Zhao Jing said, feigning sentimentality. "Sigh, I miss my college days! There are many students here tonight, right? I hope you all leave with the best memories and burn with the fiercest youth! I don’t sing as well as Mr. Huang or Xiao Bai, but I still want to dedicate a song to you—'My University.' I hope you like it!"

She gestured to the waiter, Liu Xiaowei, who played the backing track for "My University." It was an upbeat song with a completely different style from the previous performances. As the music started, the café’s energy surged.

"If you know the words, sing along with me!"

Dancing gracefully on the small stage, radiating youthful hormones, Zhao Jing passionately led the students in singing their anthem of youth:

"I took so many exams / Never thought it was just to leave home"
"My hometown has no more spring or autumn / Just winters and summers passing in a blur"
"I walked such a long road / Taking it slow, I’ll eventually reach the ends of the earth"
"The girl I love is on a different path / Bless her, watch her go"
"Missed out again / Felt down for three seconds / But at least I’m better for having tried"
"Some mock me / It’s no big deal / Just wait and see, life is a marathon..."

Wang Peng, Jiang Lili, and the others knew the song. With Zhao Jing leading the rhythm, the students, who were all regular karaoke-goers, joined in. The atmosphere in the café instantly reached a fever pitch. Ginger might be spicier when it's old, but when it came to igniting a crowd, a super-beauty like Zhao Jing was far more effective!