Highschool life turned out to be lots simpler than Shen Shao imagined. The scholars in his class weren’t buried in books all day both. His classmates not solely obtained good grades, they’d a stunning array of skills. Ballet, piano, pipa, guqin, portray, and so on. have been so widespread they didn’t increase an eyebrow. Probably the most astonishing factor for Shen Shao was discovering out {that a} petite, fairly woman in his class was the nationwide ladies’s martial arts youth champion final 12 months.

Because the saying goes, you may’t decide a ebook by its cowl, and that went double for the scholars in his class.

Quickly after courses started, the varsity started planning its Mid-Autumn Pageant Cultural Present. Since their class had a number of proficient college students, they weren’t frightened about having nothing to carry out. What frightened them was placing collectively a ok sketch to make it by way of the preliminary choice. In the event that they didn’t cross, they wouldn’t be capable to shine within the Mid-Autumn Pageant efficiency.

The cultural present was solely scheduled to final two hours, however the senior highschool had virtually fifty courses throughout all three grades. As well as, the varsity had invited a couple of performers to brighten up the environment. That meant just a few courses would be capable to carry out on stage.

The scholars of Class 15 held a category assembly and brainstormed for a very long time. Ultimately, they determined that the scholars who have been good at musical devices would play accompaniment for a lady who’d studied skilled singing. They, in flip, can be joined by a number of girls and boys who might dance, culminating in a closing sword dance.

The preliminary idea was good, however the college students spent a number of hours deciding find out how to combine all the weather. Shen Shao seen that a number of of the women researched dances and costumes from earlier dynasties and even discovered references for the choreography. That they had such a critical angle about doing the whole lot to perfection that Shen Shao felt inferior by comparability! Since he didn’t have a lot inventive means, he went together with the group and prevented sharing non-constructive opinions.

Though Shen Shao might play the piano, different college students in school have been way more proficient, which meant there was no want for him to play. Ultimately, he was assigned the function of a younger scholar wielding a calligraphy brush and splashing ink subsequent to Lu XiaoYu as she carried out the sword dance.

Lu XiaoYu was the woman with the hidden martial arts ability. Shen Shao’s function was supposed to distinction the heroic model of a girl’s sword dance with the gentleness of males. The choreography was meticulously designed and examined everybody’s ability.

After a number of rehearsals, Class 15’s piece efficiently made it into the ultimate efficiency. 

Liu Shuang, a member of the Cultural Committee, was wearing a Tang Dynasty costume with a flying immortal’s topknot wig. After trying round in any respect the scholars in historical costumes in entrance of her, she slapped her hand on the desk with imposing momentum. “This efficiency is the primary time Class 15 will seem in entrance of the entire college. Now we have to uphold our fame.” With that, she checked out Zhou ZeYu, who was standing within the nook, misplaced in thought. “Zhou ZeYu, when it’s time, you could beat the drum as loud as you may, in any other case there received’t be a way of spectacle when Lu XiaoYu comes out. Obtained it?!”

“OK!” Zhou ZeYu mechanically straightened his again. Shen Shao was standing subsequent to him in a jade crown and a wig. Zhou ZeYu wiped his brow and mentioned quietly, “How come all the women in our class are so powerful? They don’t even give us boys an opportunity!”

Shen Shao straightened his large sleeves and mentioned evenly, “Haven’t you heard the saying?”

Zhou ZeYu was puzzled. “What saying?” 

“Girls maintain up half the sky. With out them, be careful or half the sky will crumble and can crush you to demise.”

“Man, do you even care about your brothers in any respect?”

“Relating to sisters, all brothers are ineffective.”

Zhou ZeYu: “…” What occurred to that shy, mild-mannered center college scholar who scored first place? His brother didn’t was so shameless.

“Da Yu, I feel Shen Shao is correct. The extra highly effective the women in our class are, the higher it’s for us, clearly,” Liang Cheng got here up and mentioned with a critical face. He was wearing a ebook boy’s costume. “Liu Shuang’s choreography is so good it’s like knowledgeable’s.”

Zhou ZeYu: …

Furong No. 3 Excessive Faculty, a well-known college within the province, had at all times connected significance to growing well-rounded college students. The stage for the cultural present was fantastically designed. The lighting and sound have been dealt with by employed professionals, and the present was collectively hosted by a TV station and college students of the varsity. Along with lecturers and college students, the viewers included leaders of native authorities departments and media reporters. The varsity was pressured to take it severely.

After a crosstalk sketch, the 2 hosts stepped onto the stage amid the laughter of the viewers. They learn a speech, then raised their voices and mentioned, “Please take pleasure in this system 《Golden Age》 by Class 15 of senior 12 months one.”

“Mr. Zhang, that is your class, proper,” a instructor sitting subsequent to Zhang JiaHe whispered. “Solely two first-year courses made it into the present. The scholars in your class are actually proficient.”

“Oh, no, it’s simply youngsters playing around.” Zhang JiaHe smiled. When a flute started to play a melody on stage, he targeted severely on the efficiency. Though his face was calm, he was very proud. In any case, the scholars in his class have been striving for glory, and as their class instructor a few of the mild mirrored on him.

The music, a mixture of flute, guqin, piano, pipa, and different musical devices, didn’t sound discordant or misplaced to the viewers, however mixed to create a luxurious, magical sound. When a number of women in historical costumes started to carry out a dance from the Tang Dynasty, the group gave them thunderous applause.

Then the lights dimmed and all of the musical devices stopped. Simply when the viewers was turning into confused, the sound of drumming sprang up. It appeared to be beating on individuals’s hearts, lifting their spirits because it grew louder.

Fog regularly appeared on the stage, and a girl in a white gown emerged, dancing with a sword within the mist. The sound of the pipa and guqin returned, however now the music was barely solemn.

Then the clear notes of a flute joined in, and a lightweight out of the blue appeared in a darkish nook. A younger man in historical garments was standing in entrance of a desk, holding a brush dipped in ink.

“Wandering knight in a plain tasseled crown, scimitar shiny as snow on his waist. A silver saddle shines on his white horse, galloping like a meteor within the sky. In ten steps he kills one man, roaming freely for a thousand miles. When his deeds are accomplished, he brushes his garments, goes away, and hides his identify.” As he recited 《Ode to Chivalry》, he splashed ink on the white paper, as if he was a expertise within the affluent Tang Dynasty and the individuals within the viewers have been spectators in one other time and place.

The younger woman dancing with a sword, the younger man dancing with ink, great music and celestial singing. The whole efficiency embodied the heroic spirit of girls, the literary expertise of males, and the prosperity of the well-known Tang Dynasty.

“Principal Zhao, the scholars of your college are actually crouching tigers, hidden dragons. Wonderful at each martial and literary arts.” A number one determine within the literary circle was sitting subsequent to the principal of the No. 3 Excessive Faculty. After the efficiency, he spoke with emotion. “This efficiency was very, excellent.”

“You’re too form. I feel they’re nonetheless a bit immature.” The principal smiled with a crimson face. He seen that the media reporters have been persevering with to take photos of the stage. “It’s simply that you simply’re so tolerant of younger individuals that you simply assume they carried out nicely.”

“No, no, these youngsters are nice.” The literary determine shook his head. “The educating philosophy of your college is clearly glorious. The younger individuals produced by this sort of schooling are precisely what our society wants. That’s why it’s so commendable.”

This exaggerated reward carried a number of weight, and the reporter sitting subsequent to the scholar hurriedly wrote down his phrases. It doesn’t matter what, tomorrow’s article already had a subject.

Zhang JiaHe, who was seated within the again row, additionally felt elated. He had a sense that his class’s efficiency was going to obtain outdoors consideration, constructive consideration at that, and it was completely an important factor for him as their instructor.

The lecturers sitting subsequent to Zhang JiaHe glanced at him with envy a number of occasions. They have been all class lecturers of senior 12 months one. Why did he get such a proficient group of scholars? When the courses have been divided originally of the 12 months, they have been randomly assigned by the pc. Zhang JiaHe was just a little too fortunate. How did he handle to hoard all the scholars with good grades in addition to uncommon expertise?

After Class 15 completed their piece and went backstage, their faces have been full of pleasure and nerves. Then all of them exchanged glances—you have a look at me, I have a look at you—and everybody laughed on the similar time.

Zhou ZeYu shook his fingers and mentioned to Shen Shao, “I’m so nervous my fingers are sweating. Man, it’s superb you have been in a position to recite that poem with a lot emphasis and write so calmly whereas all these individuals have been watching you. It was actually spectacular.”

Earlier than Shen Shao might reply, Liu Shuang subsequent to him mentioned, “That’s proper, Shen Shao. Your efficiency was actually good.” Despite the fact that Lu XiaoYu was doing a sword dance beside him, Shen Shao wasn’t robbed of the limelight in any respect, and that got here all the way down to appeal and power of character. “By the best way, what occurred to the calligraphy you wrote on stage?”

“Somebody walked off with it.” Shen Shao eliminated his headwear and mentioned carelessly, “Anyway, it’s nothing particular. If somebody took it, it’s wonderful.”

When Liu Shuang heard this she didn’t say something. When she regarded round she didn’t see the paper Shen Shao wrote the poem on. She felt dissatisfied however had to surrender.

After the cultural present that night time, the scholars of Class 15 had no thought their efficiency can be proven on the provincial TV station the following day. However throughout the provincial information at midday, the anchors gave their piece excessive reward and mentioned the significance of high quality schooling.

As college students of considered one of No. 3 Excessive Faculty’s experimental courses, their efficiency was held up for example, exhibiting people who not all college students with glorious grades have been nerds buried in a pile of books on daily basis. Getting good grades didn’t imply you couldn’t have skills or hobbies.

In truth, their class’s efficiency grew to become a fuse which impressed a dialogue about exam-oriented vs. all-around schooling amongst individuals from many various walks of life. Newspapers and magazines revealed articles one after one other, which led to a full of life debate.

Training is the muse of a rustic, and lately, many well-known professors had criticized home schooling and praised overseas schooling. Subsequently, when Class 15’s efficiency made the information, some individuals used them for example to refute these well-known professors. Some public figures grew to become so offended they argued that the youngsters’ efficiency was solely inventive on the floor however in actuality had no soul, not like overseas college students who have been full of life and artistic.

“Some individuals have a look at an exquisite efficiency by our home college students and name it soulless, but when the efficiency was substandard they’d use it as proof that society doesn’t care about educating college students artwork. Why are we attacked it doesn’t matter what occurs?!” After studying the article, Zhang JiaHe was so offended he slapped the newspaper on the desk. “These professors are well-known public figures. However they’re clearly white-eyed wolves who drink milk then scold their very own moms. They’ve forgotten their ancestors!”

“They are surely white-eyed wolves.” A instructor subsequent to him added, “I actually don’t know what these individuals are pondering. Should you care about schooling, do one thing sensible. Why argue about it in magazines and newspapers on daily basis?”

“They maintain saying all these different nations are higher, as if being Chinese language is an insult to them,” a unique feminine instructor continued. “Should you ask me, individuals who decide up rubbish on the road are extra worthy than they’re. Not less than they’re serving to to recycle waste, whereas these individuals solely make waste.”

TL Notes:

I completely thought this chapter can be simple however nope, 4 strains of historical poetry took h o u r s… Orz

And I simply realized that is the 2nd MC I’ve had who dressed up as a Tang dynasty poet throughout a highschool efficiency! Hmm, who did it higher, Shen Shao or Zong Yan? Though I positively give YanYan factors for effort, I’m going to present the win to Xiao Shao. His efficiency wasn’t attended by Lovecraftian horrors, and that normally works out higher for the viewers. (✿◔◡◔)+ﾟ*｡:ﾟ+

varied stuff about planning the varsity efficiency – I took a couple of extra liberties than standard to make this part sound much less awkward. I attempt to tl as shut as doable to the uncooked, however when issues sound bizarre I make small modifications to condemn construction and so on.

pipa – 琵琶 – A plucked string instrument with a fretted fingerboard; 4-stringed Chinese language lute

guqin – 古琴 – A protracted zither with seven strings, plucked with the fingers, performed since historical occasions and historically favored by students and literati as an instrument of subtlety and refinement (Wikipedia)

(all brothers are) ineffective – 纸老虎 – paper tiger

can’t decide a ebook by its cowl – 人不可貌相 – Males can’t be judged by their seems; Don’t decide a person by his seems; You can not decide a tree by its bark

ebook boy – 书童 – In historical occasions, this was an underage servant who served a grasp or baby and helped them research (Baidu)

crosstalk – 相声 – A particular sort of comedian dialogue or comedy routine normally carried out by a pair of comedians

Ode to Chivalry – 侠客行 – A poem by Tang dynasty poet Li Bai which begins: “赵客缦胡缨”. It is a layperson’s tl that omits a number of particular phrases, please don’t have a look at it too rigorously (✿´• ᴗ •̥`);;

Li Bai – 李白 – A Chinese language poet born c. 701, acclaimed as a genius and romantic determine. Thirty-four of his poems are included within the basic anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems (Wikipedia) The thought of “white moonlight” as an object of longing comes from his poem “Quiet Night time Thought” (静夜思)

crouching tigers, hidden dragons – 卧虎藏龙 – lit. hidden dragon, crouching tiger (idiom) / fig. proficient people in hiding / hid expertise

white-eyed wolves – 白眼狼 – white-eyed wolf, thankless wretch / an ingrate

neglect their ancestors – 数典忘祖 – give all of the historic info besides these about one’s personal ancestors; be unaware of the historical past of 1’s personal nation; be ungrateful; depend the information however neglect the ancestors

Transliterated names, locations, and titles—new on this chapter:

Lu XiaoYu – 陆笑语

Liu Shuang – 刘双

brother – 兄弟 – xiōngdì – brothers / youthful brother / Generally used for pals or buddies

Da Yu – 大宇 – “Massive” Yu – A nickname

Da – 大 – large / massive / oldest and so on., generally utilized in nicknames

Mr. Zhang – 张老师 – Zhāng lǎoshī – Alternatively: Instructor Zhang

Principal Zhao – 赵校长 – Alternatively: Headmaster Zhao