Returning from the Immortal World

“Sister Chen, it’s no use to lure Tang Xiu!” Zhang Xinya tenderly smiled and said, “He wouldn’t agree to it however good your offer may be! All right, since we’ve found the right person, the freshmen welcoming party should be fine; you can go take care of your work! Let’s wait for the host to call us, and then we’ll perform on the stage.”

“All right!” Vice President Li nodded.

Afterward, Zhang Xinya continued having her makeup done with the makeup artists, while Tang Xiu stroked the strings, flashback scenes of playing the zither in the Immortal World in his mind.

Sweet as well as heartrending scenes of the past.

“Tang Xiu, you see, I didn’t have many idols since I was small. Maybe it’s because I’m too smart and there had been few people more intelligent than me. But you become my idol. I’m sure you will become a famous superstar in a short time if you enter the entertainment industry.” Zhang Xinya said with a smile.

Coming back from his reverie, Tang Xiu chuckled, “I’m not interested in becoming a star. I’m a student, and my studies are the most important thing.”

“I know that becoming a star doesn’t interest you. I was just a bit regretful because of the matter just now, that’s all,” Zhang Xinya said with a smile. “Anyhow, let’s mark a date for after the freshmen welcoming party. If your dorm is closed we can go to a hotel.”

“Zhang Xinya, can you not say ‘go to a hotel’? People may misunderstand it, you know!” Tang Xiu reluctantly said, “I don’t care about it, since I’m a man. But you’re a woman; a big star, as well. You have to be prudent with your words.”

“Why should I be afraid?” Zhang Xinya said with a smile. “I may be concerned if it was someone else, but I don’t care if I have an affair with you. Worst comes to worst I will just announce you as my boyfriend, so as to avoid others having crooked ideas about me.”

“Don’t! Have mercy, will you?” Tang Xiu forced a smile and said, “You are a superstar and a goddess in many men’s minds. If you were to announce me as your boyfriend, I’d become a bug that anyone wants to trample anywhere I go. Some will probably pour cold water on me while I’m sleeping.”

“Hehehe…”

Zhang Xinya couldn’t help giggling and let out a brilliant smile.

As time passed by, the Shanghai University’s freshmen welcoming party finally began. After the university leaders’ speech, the hostess stood under the spotlight, watching the dense audience, the campus’s teachers and students below the stages. She then smiled and said, “Everyone, to fuel our celebration for our campus’ freshmen welcoming party, our Shanghai University’s leaders have invited a mysterious, honored guest tonight. Do you all want to know who this mysterious guest is?”

Thousands of freshmen, including a lot of seniors, looked confused. Except for a handful of people, the rest shook their heads, indicating that they didn’t know who the guest was.

The hostess smiled, “Well, since nobody can guess, then let me announce! I believe that you will be excited and jubilant once I announce her name. Even I, at this moment, am very excited and can’t wait to see her performance. All right. Let us invite the world superstar, Ms. Zhang Xinya, who brings us the classic song, ‘Oasis in the Desert’!”

Wearing an evening gown, Zhang Xinya walked from the side door of the backstage. Followed by the shining spotlight, she smiled and stood on the stage.

“Heavens! Am I not dreaming? It’s really Zhang Xinya?”

“God! I, I, I… I’m really excited. Zhang Xinya is actually in our campus? She’ll sing at our campus’ freshmen welcoming party this year?”

“Can anyone pinch me! Am I dreaming or something?”

“What a goddess! I can finally see the goddess of my dreams!”

“Zhang Xinya! I love you…”

”...”

All the students in the campus auditorium were excited. Everyone got up from their seats and waved their hands vigorously, loudly shouting and yelling to express their excitement.

Holding the microphone, Zhang Xinya stood in the spotlight and smilingly said, “Thank you, everyone. I’m very honored to be invited by Shanghai University’s leaders to come to your campus to attend this year’s freshmen welcoming party. After looking at your youthful faces and lovely appearance, I have to tell you the truth. I’m very happy. So very happy to meet you. As you all know, Shanghai University is a major university in China, and those who can enroll here are the elite. You’ll all become the pillar of our society and country in the future.”

“Today I’ll present everyone with a new song. I hope you’ll like it.”

Having said that, as the audience below quietened down, the students sat down right as the melodious tune of a zither reverberated. The whistling of the north wind and the musical notes created a desolate atmosphere. For a moment, all the teachers and students in the campus’ auditorium thought they saw an endless desert.

“Once I saw a place in my dream. It’s a paradise in the desert…”

Accompanied by the sound of the zither, Zhang Xinya held the microphone and affectionately sang. Her voice was a feast to the ear. The enchanting zither melody accompanied her, as she seemed to pull everyone into an endless desert. Gradually, as her voice undulated in the song, the audience’s eyes suddenly lit up, as though they were seeing an oasis in the middle of the yellow sandy desert.

The zither melody and her singing voice reverberated for four to five minutes. As Zhang Xinya’s singing gradually faded, and the last note of the zither dissipated in the air, everyone got up and waved their arms excitedly, shouting, “One more! One more song!”

Yet Zhang Xinya didn’t rush to leave. Instead, she stood in the spotlight and smilingly said, “To be honest, I’d love to sing again for you. But today is your holy day, and there are still many people behind waiting to perform. Hence, I won’t delay everyone’s time. If everyone likes my song, please wait for my concert at Shanghai New World Center four days later. I’ll be looking forward to seeing everyone there.”

After saying that, she then left under everyone’s excited yells.

Behind the stage, Tang Xiu had already packed the zither as he saw Zhang Xinya coming over. He gave here a thumbs-up and smiled, saying, “You sang well!”

A brilliant smile appeared on Zhang Xinya’s face. Previously she didn’t have any passion at all when performing at Shanghai University. She wouldn’t have come here if it wasn’t because of her friend’s invitation. However, the situation was different now after meeting Tang Xiu, the person she wanted to see the most.

“You were great as well!” replied Zhang Xinya.

Giving a tranquil smile in response, Tang Xiu then picked up the zither and said, “Anyways, I gotta go back first. I need to prepare for my performance.”

“I’ve just finished mine, can I go with you?” Zhang Xinya’s eyes turned bright as she hurriedly asked.

“No.” Tang Xiu shook his head and said with a smile, “If you were to come with me, my classmates would probably see us and become restless for a long time. Go rest! Or you can go watch the other performances.”

Feeling a bit disappointed inside, Zhang Xinya reluctantly nodded, “Then I’ll go watch the other performances. But I’m looking forward to your performance, though.”

Tang Xiu smiled and nodded.

When he returned to the rest lounge for the History Department’s students, he saw Han Qingwu there, frowning. It was unknown what she was thinking.

“Where have you been, Tang Xiu?” Han Qingwu immediately asked upon seeing Tang Xiu.

“The campus’ leader was looking for me just now, asking for my assistance. Just finished with the matter, so I came back here.” Tang Xiu said.

Han Qingwu already knew that the campus’ leader had called Tang Xiu. Therefore, when she heard his reply, she nodded and curiously asked, “What did he ask your assistance for?”

“He wanted me to accompany someone with musical play.”

Accompaniment?

Stunned, Han Qingwu stared blankly at the zither held by Tang Xiu. A thought flashed in her head as she exclaimed, “So, the accompaniment for Zhang Xinya just now, was you…”

“Hey, don’t shout!” Tang Xiu hurriedly interrupted her, before saying in a low voice, “Do you want for everyone to know?”

Knowing Tang Xiu’s low-key disposition, Han Qingwu immediately sighed in praise in a low voice, “That zither accompaniment was just awesome! I thought it was a recorded zither play. I would never have thought that it was you! How was it? Does Zhang Xinya look beautiful?”

“Yeah,” Tang Xiu was silent for a moment and then answered, “More beautiful than you.”

“You…”

Han Qingwu was incensed, yet she knew that the occasion was improper. She could only endure, even though she really wanted to beat Tang Xiu. However, she still went to Tang Xiu’s side and twisted his waist. Turning her head, she said, “Your performance is listed at the 17th position. Just listen to the announcement. Go to the backstage and wait to get called.”

Tang Xiu couldn’t tell that he had hurt her due to his words. However, after seeing Han Qingwu’s hurt and angry face, he secretly forced a smile. It was not his intention to hurt her, yet the woman always appeared before him.

In the last row, in the corner of the auditorium, Chi Nan held her arms, leaning on the corridor wall with a faint smile on the corner of her mouth. It’s said that those on the waterfront are the first to see the rising moon. Because she was always in Shanghai, and often followed Tang Xiu around, she became aware of many things about Tang Xiu.

Just like now.

If his subordinates in the Everlasting Feast Hall knew that Tang Xiu would go on stage in the Shanghai University’s auditorium tonight, every one of them would probably want to come and watch. But in the end, she was the only one who could enjoy their Boss’ performance.

She was looking forward to it, anticipating her Boss’ wonderful performance.

In the first row, Mu Wanying had a smile on her face while listening to her three dorm sisters chat in low voices. They, too, looked forward to Tang Xiu’s performance.

Suddenly, Jiang Feiyan turned her head to Mu Wanying and said, “Sis Wanying, I remember hearing that Tang Xiu would take part in tonight’s show. When will he go on stage?”

Li Xinjie and Hu Wei exchanged glances, before they also looked at Mu Wanying.

“How would I know?” Mu Wanying said with a smile.

“I’m looking forward to Tang Xiu’s performance.” Jiang Feiyan said, “I’m sure he’ll get everyone’s high appraisals!”

“Feiyan, aren’t you thinking way too highly of Tang Xiu?” Li Xinjie tenderly smiled and said, “I heard he’ll be playing the zither. Do you think a grown man could play the zither while singing well?”

“Let us just look at what he has in store for us, okay?” Hu Wei also commented, “Besides, Tang Xiu is a male student. The number of male students who can play zither nowadays is very few, so let us not expect much from him. Anyhow, it’s kind of a pity that Xue Chao isn’t taking part in the talent show, though.”