The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 31: Hongmen Banquet

Niu Xuan had raised his voice when he called out to Gao Yang, and a good number of his classmates turned to look at him, making him uncomfortable. He quickly scanned the crowd and spotted the birthday girl, Wan Sisi.

She was sitting on the long couch, sandwiched by two girls she was close with.

The glass table was filled with all sorts of snacks, fruit plates, drinks, and beer, and beside it was a cart with a three-layer cream cake on top. It looked expensive.

Wan Sisi had put effort into her appearance today. Her usually plain medium-length hair was blow-dried into a more puffy shape, making her look a little mischievous. Dressed in a Japanese-styled polka dot dress, her fair shoulder and collar bones were on display. Added with the black lace choker around her delicate neck, she looked like a meek and charming kitten.

It was a typical look for the style, but for Wan Sisi, it took a lot of courage and her friends egging her on for her to dress up like this.

And her effort was proven fruitful. The boys invited to her party all paused to stare at her when they arrived. Then they gave her a couple flirty compliments.

Wan Sisi lowered her head with a smile, growing confident in herself. She increasingly looked forward to Gao Yang’s arrival. She wanted to know how he would react.

After a long wait, Gao Yang finally arrived. As soon as he opened the door, her cheeks flushed red, and her heart pounded against her ribcage. Fortunately, the booth was dim enough that no one noticed.

Since they had agreed to no presents, Gao Yang didn’t bring anything but a matcha cheesecake he bought on his way here. He placed the cake on the table and said easily, “Happy Birthday, Little Si. I didn’t know what you liked, so I got you dessert.”

“Thank you.” Wan Sisi was just about to continue when the bespectacled girl by her side knowingly stood up.

“I’m gonna input some songs. Sit, Gao Yang.”

Looking at the now empty seat beside Wan Sisi, Gao Yang immediately realized what was going on.

Right, she couldn’t be more obvious about setting us up.

He was still hesitating if he should play along when Qing Ling spoke up from a corner of the room. “Come here, Gao Yang.”

Gao Yang turned around. Qing Ling was sitting alone on a two-seater in the corner with her arms crossed before her chest, her expression calm. She was dressed in plain, fitted brown sportswear with her hair tied into a ponytail, and her face was entirely free of makeup. Still, she was more stunning than anyone in the room could ever be like the goddess she was.

“Right.” Gao Yang walked up to her and sat down by her side.

Wan Sisi’s smile hadn’t even spread to the rest of her face before it froze and slid off. She quickly cocked her head and brushed her hair back, striking up a conversation with the girl beside her with feigned nonchalance.

Qing Ling had called Gao Yang over for something important, but before she could open her mouth, they were interrupted by a man’s voice. 𝒩ew st𝒐ries at n𝒐velbin(.)co𝒎

Niu Xuan hollered, “You’re the only one who got here late, Gao Yang! Shouldn’t you make up for that?”

“He’s right!” a few other boys piped up.

“Come on! Sing us a song!” Niu Xuan pushed the microphone toward Gao Yang. His lips were curved into a smile, but his gaze was derisive. He knew he was a terrible singer, but Gao Yang was even worse. He simply wanted to humiliate Gao Yang because he didn’t like him.

Niu Xuan hadn’t had anything against Gao Yang before, but over the past month, Gao Yang had been sticking out to him like a sore thumb.

Li Weiwei’s death suddenly won him the attention of many classmates. Almost everyone knew he was childhood friends with her. At the time, Niu Xuan actually pitied him like everyone else, yet somehow, Gao Yang gradually turned into the kind of person who got everything in life after Li Weiwei’s death.

First, the goddess no one dared pursue, Qing Ling, grew closer to Gao Yang.

Niu Xuan had eyed her back when they were in their first year, but he got the cold shoulder the few times he showed her that he was interested. Then there were rumors that Qing Ling was into girls, and Niu Xuan sensibly gave up on her. There were many girls who would want to be with him. He had no reason to make a fool of himself for one girl.

Yet the goddess who would never accept any man ended up hooking up with Gao Yang.

A few days ago, some of their classmates saw Gao Yang and Qing Ling walking into a train station holding hands. The news dropped like a bombshell. Behind his back, the boys in class had been cheering him on for turning an alleged lesbian straight. That was some charisma he had.

And somehow, perhaps it was due to the goddess of the school showing him the time of day, the average-looking Gao Yang seemed more and more handsome, and the impression he gave people changed. The average joe had become an aloof man who kept his distance from others. It was so fake, but girls just ate it all up.

Today was Wan Sisi’s birthday. Niu Xuan wouldn’t have attended in the past, but Wan Sisi had gotten prettier recently. Girls did that. They transformed as they grew into adulthood.

Niu Xuan had just broken up with his girlfriend. None of his exes was the cute and delicate type like Wan Sisi, and he grew interested in the girl. He ordered a 999 yuan three-layer cake and a bouquet of roses. It was so obvious that he was playing suitor.

Niu Xuan knew cakes and roses were cheesy, but they worked.

Women are all vain in their own ways, he thought. None can resist having so much money spent on them. If some do, you just have to spend more money.

Ten minutes ago, everyone was hooting when the roses arrived. Niu Xuan had thought he had won this game, yet Wan Sisi refused to accept the bouquet and even looked troubled.

Niu Xuan wasn’t one to run headlong into a wall, so he glossed over his gift with a few jokes. While he sang, he had been observing Wan Sisi’s every move. She seemed distracted today even though she had been chatting and laughing with their classmates. It appeared she was waiting for someone.

And then Gao Yang walked into the booth.

Wan Sisi lit up immediately, her eyes brilliant. She was so beautiful at that moment that she almost gave Qing Ling a run for her money.

Realization dawned on Niu Xuan, and his chest filled with fury.

Gao Yang, Gao Yang, goddamn Gao Yang again!

I’ll see what you’re made of!

“Hey!” Niu Xuan insisted in a steely voice. “Sing for us! Don’t bring down the mood!”

The more sensitive ones had already noticed the tension in the room, but they didn’t step in. Instead, they started munching on snacks while they watched everything playout.

Meanwhile, Wan Sisi was simply looking forward to hearing Gao Yang sing. She had heard that he couldn’t carry a tune if his life depended on it and might as well be torturing people with his singing. She never believed them. Someone as gentle as Gao Yang should be a good singer... Even if he wasn’t, he would be bad at it in an adorable way.

Gao Yang gave Qing Ling a look. Later?

Qing Ling met his eyes. Later.

“Sure,” Gao Yang rose to his feet and said.

The booth wasn’t that big. He moved across it in a few steps and looked for a song by the karaoke machine with all eyes on him. It didn’t take him long to pick Jay Chou’s I Find it Hard to Say.

“Ha, a classic,” Niu Xuan said mockingly. “Seems like you sing a lot! Listen carefully, boys!”

“Haha, of course!”

“We look forward to it, Singing God!”

“Come on, Singing God!”

The boys chortled among themselves.

Gao Yang knew he was a terrible singer, and he was going to let things slide after humiliating himself with a bad performance. It was more important to talk to Qing Ling. However, Niu Xuan had gone too far.

The song started with a gentle intro. The singing part would come in ten seconds.

Gao Yang grew increasingly angry as he thought about it, and on impulse, he closed his eyes and accessed the system.

[Beep—]

[Access granted.]

[You have acquired 1 Luck point. You now have a total of 26 Luck points.]

—What will help me sing better?

[Charisma amplifies all Talents related to voice. You do not have any Talent of this kind. You are advised not to put your points in Charisma.]

—Put all 26 points into it! Confirm!

[Luck points allocated.]

[Constitution: 27 Endurance: 28]

[Strength: 17 Agility: 27]

[Willpower: 67 Charisma: 55]

[Luck: 132]

[System hidden.]

...

Gao Yang opened his eyes, feeling a slight itch in his throat and a ball of energy expanding his chest. He knew the points he put into Charisma were working the magic. It took about 30 seconds.

“Why aren’t you getting started?” Niu Xuan urged. “Everyone’s waiting!”

Gao Yang took a deep breath and flawlessly got into the song, “Through the clouds, I tried hard to run to you, only to find you already in another’s arms...”

After a pause, Gao Yang stood up with his hands around the microphone, his face creased with yearning. “Couldn’t open my mouth and tell you. The simple words are beyond me. I can only look at you from afar. I can do all that, yet the one who gets to do all that is no longer me...”

The song ended.

A strange silence permeated the room. Those who had been waiting for Gao Yang to make a fool of himself realized belatedly that they had listened to him sing with rapt attention.

Gao Yang wasn’t as good as a professional singer, but he was quite good for an amateur. More importantly, he had sung with emotions.

And his choice of song couldn’t be more fitting. Li Weiwei passed away not too long ago. Through the lens of the story of Gao Yang not being able to reveal his feelings until it was too late, many of his classmates couldn’t help but be touched by his singing, and their eyes turned red. Wan Sisi was one of them.

She was at first happy that Gao Yang sang well. Then she was reminded of Li Weiwei’s death and felt sorrow and pity for her. In the end, she was filled with a sense of loss. Gao Yang must be in love with Li Weiwei. They had grown up together with more than ten years of history between them.

But I won’t give up even if Li Weiwei would forever be the white moonlight in your heart[1]. I will stay with you, and you’ll one day realize that the years I give you are the most long-lasting confession...

Wan Sisi sat with her head lowered, playing an epic, heartbreaking one-woman act in her mind.

Niu Xuan remained unmoving on his couch, visibly deflated. Inwardly, he was cursing up a storm.

Gao Yang handed the microphone to the classmate who was singing next, sighing to himself and blaming his impulsive action. He had just wasted 26 precious Luck points to one-up someone, and for what?

He had seemed so emotional and invested while he sang, but after the performance, he immediately returned to Qing Ling’s corner of the booth and sat down next to her, avoiding his peers’ attention.

“You’re pretty good,” Qing Ling said.

Gao Yang paused. He hadn’t expected Qing Ling to care about anything other than getting stronger. “You flatter me. What were you going to talk to me about?”

Qing Ling leaned toward his ear and lowered her voice. “Today, I...”

“Gao Yang!” Niu Xuan shouted again. “Get over here!”

This was the second time she got interrupted. Qing Ling’s expression darkened instantly like she was one second away from decapitating Niu Xuan.

“Miss Qing, calm down...” Gao Yang immediately stopped her from getting up. “It’s fine. Really. I’ll take care of it.”

“Do it quickly,” Qing Ling said, irritated.

“Yes, ma’am.”

1. In Eileen Chang’s Red Rose, White Rose, she supposes that every man will meet these two kinds of women. If he marries the red rose, the white rose he doesn’t get together with will become the silver moonlight before his bed, and the red rose nothing but a smear of mosquito blood on the wall. ‘White moonlight’ is thus used a lot in the modern language to refer to an old love one has lost, often because of premature death. ?