BXBX NOVEL Chapter 81 - 78 Big News_i
“What have you been busy with lately? We hardly see you these days,” Jian Yi asks Lin Yuan in the school’s cafeteria on the second day of April.
Xia Fan also looks at Lin Yuan. It’s true that Lin Yuan has been largely absent lately, always rather mysterious.
“I’ve been painting at the Art Society,” Lin Yuan replies.
Jian Yi is taken aback for a moment before he chuckles and nods. “I never thought you’d be interested in joining a club. But it’s good to engage in club activities occasionally. They’ve enriched half of my college life.”
Jian Yi is a mainstay of the Qin Continent Art Academy basketball club.
He has loved playing basketball since he was a child and joined the club soon after starting university.
“Oh, yeah.”
“Our school is having a basketball game next month,” says Xia Fan. “As an active member of the basketball club, will you be representing your department?”
“Definitely!”
Jian Yi grins smugly. “I am the mainstay of the performance department, after all. The game wouldn’t be complete without me. Our goal this year is to be the champions!”
“That remains to be seen.”
Xia Fan chuckles, “Your performance department was only third in last year’s basketball game.”
“We were cheated out of the opportunity by the Dance department!”
Jian Yi fumes at the memory. “We could have reached the finals, but then a guy named Xu Chang from their department violated the rules and caused me an injury.”
Xia Fan clicks his tongue. “Wow, the grudge runs deep; you even remember his name.”
Jian Yi grunts, “Just wait and see how I get my revenge this year. He is an ok shooter; I plan to block his shots every single time. You two must cheer for me.”
“I’ll be cheering for the Composition department,” says Xia Fan.
Jian Yi smirks, “Don’t worry about that. The Composition department will be out after the first round.”
IIJ II
Xia Fan interrupts, “The Composition department can at most reach the second round.”
Jian Yi laughs out loud before asking, “Speaking of which, when will the auditions for ‘Bloom’ start, Xia Fan?”
“It starts this May.”
“If I get selected in the top hundred,” Xia Fan continues, “I probably won’t be able to go home this summer.”
Lin Yuan contemplates for a while before saying, “I won’t be going home either; I have to work.”
He could take leave during the holidays, but the summer holiday is too long. Lin Yuan can’t afford to take off work for such an extended period.
Jian Yi sighs, “We’re only in our second year, and yet, it seems like everyone is getting busy. Lin Yuan has his own job, you arc trying to make a name for yourself, our opportunities to hang out together arc dwindling.”
“It’s still early,” Xia Fan replies. “We have five years of college in total. We may be busy with our thesis and job hunting in our fifth year, but at least in our third and fourth year, we’ll still be stuck in school. Of course, I’ll be busy if I become famous because of ‘Bloom’.”
“And not just you…”
Jian Yi sighs, “I might be leaving in my third year.”
Lin Yuan and Xia Fan turn to him simultaneously. “Why?”
Jian Yi shrugs, “For the same reason as you guys; for my own life. Haven’t you heard? In our third year, there’s a chance to be an exchange student. I’m probably going to the Qi Continent. As you know, there are more opportunities for acting professionals there.”
Jian Yi is a Performing Arts student.
The film and television industry is the most developed on the Blue Star in the Qi Continent.
Just as many musicians love to develop their careers in the Qin Continent, those studying performance, like Jian Yi, prefer to find opportunities in the Qi Continent.
“Exchange student, huh.”
Lin Yuan and Xia Fan fall into silence.
Jian Yi chuckles, “Don’t be so melancholic. What if I don’t get the chance to be an exchange student? You guys know that the grades required for that opportunity are quite high.”
“But we know you can do it,” Xia Fan replies, looking a bit lost. Despite his laid-back demeanor, Jian Yi has the best grades among the three.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Jian Yi grins, “But think about it, even if I stay here after you become famous through ‘Bloom,’ we would still hardly have time to hang out. Celebrities have a very busy schedule. Our school is no stranger to stars. How many classes do you think they’ve attended? They are always taking month-long leaves.”
“True.”
Xia Fan lowers his head.
Lin Yuan, Jian Yi, and Xia Fan have been inseparable since elementary school. They even managed to get into Qin Art together to avoid being separated.
But college is the last ivory tower of life.
Once you leave this ivory tower, most people find it hard to avoid pursuing their individual paths. That’s why so many college couples break up after graduation.
Exchange student?
Participating in a competition?
Starting work early?
These life decisions simply hasten the inevitable parting.
“Now that I think about it, we don’t have much time left together,” Jian Yi comments, his voice tinged with melancholy.
After dinner, Lin Yuan is at the Art Society.
Zhong Yu, who had been waiting for him, grins at his arrival. “GOAT, how many are you teaching today?”
“Two.”
Now that Lin Yuan’s Master effect has improved, he can teach an additional student each day.
“Alright.”
“Don’t call anyone yet,” Lin Yuan says. “Do you know about the exchange student thing?”
“Exchange student?”
Zhong Yu looks blank for a moment before nodding. “Exchange students are from the third year onwards. Each department has a few places. It’s intended to foster inter-university exchange among top-ranking universities. Normally, it’s the top students who go on exchange. The benefits are many: school-sponsored living expenses, tuition reduction, and it also helps in job hunting after graduation. I even tried last semester, but my grades let me down.”
Lin Yuan muses over this.
Curious, Zhong Yu asks, “GOAT, why are you suddenly interested in the exchange program? Do you or any of your friends plan on becoming exchange students?”
“Never mind.”
“Let’s start the class now,” Lin Yuan responds.
Zhong Yu nods without further questioning and starts calling students over for the class.
In truth, he doesn’t even need to call anyone.
As soon as Lin Yuan arrives at the Art Society, a crowd naturally gathers around him. Students who have been selected to be taught by Lin Yuan today have even brought their stools early in anticipation of the class.
The rest of the students just stand by and watch.
Although they can’t receive personal instruction from Lin Yuan, they can learn a lot by simply watching, just like auditing a class.
However, they can’t enjoy the blessings of the Master.
Lin Yuan has never chased these observers away.
After all, these people standing around don’t disrupt his teaching, and they do contribute towards his reputation.
In fact, Lin Yuan has considered teaching several students at a time.
But the system explained that the Master’s blessing is one-on-one. If Lin Yuan teaches a group of students, the effects of the Master’s blessing would be diluted.
Considering this, Lin Yuan abandoned the idea of tutoring more students and continued his one-on-one teaching model.
After he finishes teaching the first student of the day,
Zhong Yu mysteriously says, “GOAT, we’re planning a big news release soon!”
“What news?”
“You’ll know soon enough,” teases Zhong Yu.
“Oh.”
Lin Yuan had only asked in passing.
He wasn’t particularly curious about what big news Zhong Yu was planning..