The 100-Day Oath Ceremony was held in the school gymnasium, followed by the passage through the Adult Gateway. The school had sent out a notice early in the morning, informing parents that they were welcome to attend.
After the first big class, the homeroom teacher organized the students to carry their stools to the gymnasium. When passing by the playground, they craned their necks and saw a fully inflated red arch standing between the gymnasium and the playground entrance.
"No way! This red arch looks so shoddy. Can't the school get something better for us to walk through?" Lu Youchuan widened his eyes and was the first to protest. The crowd immediately became restless.
The homeroom teacher, walking at the back and chatting leisurely with the homeroom teachers of other classes, didn't notice what was going on in his own class.
Su Qinian lifted his eyelids slightly and looked at Lu Youchuan casually, his dark pupils tinged with a hint of warning.
Lu Youchuan immediately shivered and shut his mouth at once. He hugged his stool and squeezed into the crowded part of the crowd, trying to avoid Su Qinian's gaze that seemed as if he was about to devour someone.
Lin Jinran pursed her lips and smiled. "Lu Youchuan is right. Can't they make a better Adult Gateway? I'm sure we're not the only ones complaining. Don't pick on him."
Su Qinian smiled helplessly and said in a lazy tone, "Don't speak up for that kid Lu Youchuan. If I don't stop him, God knows what astonishing things he'll say next."
The boy leaned towards her lazily and whispered.
The suddenly shortened distance made the pleasant smell of his shower gel slowly linger around her nose. Lin Jinran moved a step away slightly. "The homeroom teacher is still watching from behind. Why are you getting so close?"
If one were to ask what had made Lin Jinran most relaxed in the past few days, it would be today's 100-Day Oath Ceremony.
She didn't think about anything else and simply immersed herself in this special day of the 100-Day Oath Ceremony, a day that belonged solely to herself and every other senior high school student.
As for other things, she'd worry about them after today. What was meant to come would always come, and she couldn't keep living in fear.
Class 1 of Senior Three entered the gymnasium smoothly. However, when they saw the shoddy red arch up close again, the students in the class let out heart - rending shouts.
Lin Jinran set up her stool and sat in the front row, so that it would be convenient for her to go on stage when it was her turn for the 100 - Day Oath.
Another twenty - odd minutes passed, and most of the senior high school students had arrived. Some of the parents who had come were standing on the second floor of the gymnasium, holding on to the railing and looking down.
The event officially started, with Song Langqing as the host.
"Now, let's welcome Lin Jinran from Class 1 of Senior Three to come on stage and lead everyone in the oath. Let's give her a round of applause!"
Thunderous applause immediately filled the gymnasium.
Amid the applause, Lin Jinran stood up, straightened her back, and strode towards the stage. Her face was calm, and her glass - like eyes were especially clear and bright.
As she passed by Song Langqing, she heard him whisper quietly, "Sis, come on, come on, come on!"
Lin Jinran took a deep breath and stood in the middle of the stage. She lowered her head and subconsciously searched for a certain figure. She saw Su Qinian wearing his unchanged black - and - white school uniform, looking up at her quietly.
When their eyes met, he slowly broke into an extremely gentle smile, with a hint of amusement in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows. He silently mouthed "Come on" to her.
The restlessness in Lin Jinran's heart suddenly settled down, and her stance in the middle of the stage became even more firm.
Suddenly, the surrounding lights went out, and exclamations came from the crowd. Immediately afterwards, a white light shone down on Lin Jinran's head, encircling her.
At the same time, a clear voice came through the microphone and spread to every corner.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Lin Jinran from Class 1 of Senior Three. Next, I'll lead everyone in the oath."
"Challenging life is our unwavering belief!"
"Challenging life is our unwavering belief!"
"Winning the college entrance examination is our persistent pursuit!"
"Winning the college entrance examination is our persistent pursuit!"
"..."
In the solemn gymnasium, all the oath - takers stood up. They clenched their fists and raised their hands above their heads, their gazes firm.
Every oath was sonorous and powerful, and every shout was a testament to their youth with no regrets.
"Oath - taker: Lin Jinran!"
"Oath - taker: XXX!"
The moment the oath ended, the huge gymnasium suddenly fell silent. Everyone looked at the oath - leader in the middle of the stage with excitement.
Perseverance and giving up, the present and the future, honor and tears were all soaked into every day before the college entrance examination.
Lin Jinran lowered her right hand and looked down at the crowd below. It was a sea of people, but their eyes were bright, full of longing and expectation for the future.
A feeling stirred in her heart. For a moment, she felt as if the light above her head was the gentle sunlight outside the gym, painstakingly penetrating the thick walls and quietly falling on her shoulders with warmth.
Looking back on the past and looking forward to the present. Those who chase the light will eventually shine brightly.
Lin Jinran took another look at the crowd, bowed deeply, put down the microphone, and stepped off the stage.
All the lights on the stage were turned on. The single beam of light that had belonged to Lin Jinran was submerged in the many blazing lights and could no longer be found.
Song Langqing stepped onto the stage again to host the next segment.
Lin Jinran quickly returned to her seat. Her calm mask finally cracked. She covered her blushing cheeks with both hands. Just thinking about how she had shouted heart - rendingly on the stage, her heart inexplicably started beating faster. She was far more excited than she had ever been when hosting any evening party.
But it was exciting, full of passion, and boiling with energy.
She didn't regret leading the senior high school students in the oath in her lifetime.
"Drink some water. I'm afraid your throat is hoarse from shouting." A bottle of water appeared in front of her. Lin Jinran blinked and peeked through her fingers, then turned her head.
Outside the gap between her fingers, Su Qinian was smiling as he held out a bottle of mineral water.
"You're really amazing, Jinran. You're so outstanding," he praised and pushed the mineral water forward a bit.
Lin Jinran reluctantly let go of her hands, took the water, and gulped down a big mouthful. The cold water spread coolness all the way down her throat, as if taking away a lot of the heat on her cheeks.
"Jinran, you don't know how charming you were on the stage. I'm almost smitten by you," Xie Wanyu said with a big smile, holding her face and praising her vigorously.
Lu Youchuan smacked his lips and smiled meaningfully. "It's a pity. Sister Lin is already taken so soon. What a pity."
"What, do you have ideas?" Su Qinian raised his eyebrows and stared at Lu Youchuan with interest, almost ready to punch him.
"No, no, no. How could I...?" Lu Youchuan immediately got nervous. But then he thought about it and became confident. "Don't you know me best? I worry about my studies all day long. Look at my hair. There's not much left."
Lu Youchuan leaned his head over and pointed at his head with one finger, looking heart - broken.
Su Qinian: "..."
He silently moved his stool a bit closer to Lin Jinran.