CHAPTER 25
A door away from Room 405.
The discussion threads on the school forum were exploding with increasing popularity, and new posts kept popping up. These new posts were not from the residents of Room 405 but from other students.
Title: Huo Yuke has been confirmed as the representative of the excellent graduating students this year. What does everyone have to say about it?
Main post: As the title suggests.
1st comment: Haha.
2nd comment: Haha.
3rd comment: Haha.
4th comment: Haha, let's maintain the formation before speaking. I asked our teacher, but they beat around the bush and refused to give a direct answer. I just don't understand it. Huo Yuke, someone who lacks virtue and talent, is she really capable of representing us? It seems like there's something hidden.
5th comment: Huo Yuke's academic records from previous years have been dug up, along with attached photos as evidence. See for yourself [images][images][images]...
6th comment: It's like a public execution! How did Huo Yuke, who just entered the top ten of the class, manage to secure the position? It's a confusing behavior.
7th comment: With Huo Yuke here, all I see is Tang Ruoyao. Her grades are impressive. Is she the legendary top student?
8th comment: I'm sorry, but when I first looked, I only saw Tang Ruoyao. Wasn't she supposed to be the first? And their dormitory is incredible, with four people consistently in the top five [mind-blown.jpg].
9th comment: I remember she started acting in her sophomore year. Where did she find the time to study? And she even won Best Actress for her movies! Seems like she's cheating, right?
10th comment: The world of top students is different from us ordinary people [sighs while smoking.jpg].
11th comment: Wen Shuxian has also been acting all along, and her grades have consistently been in the top three. I think she's much better than Huo Yuke, who only got Best Newcomer and tenth place.
12th comment: Fu Yujun, who starred in this year's "Great Tang," played the role of Empress Xi. I really like her, how can an actress be both cute and elegant? Fu Yujun is such a treasure girl, aww. By the way, has Huo Yuke acted in any notable works? Does anyone remember? [Indifferent.jpg]
14th comment: Doesn't anyone think there's something fishy about Huo Yuke winning the Best Newcomer at the Golden Laurel Awards? Did anyone dig into it?
15th comment: Don't you guys know that the Best Newcomer award can be bought?
16th comment: Wow, it sounds like someone knows something big. Front row, selling sunflower seeds and cola.
17th comment: Hold on, 15th guy! Tell us more about it. We're not familiar with this industry, so we don't know the inside story.
18th comment: No wonder I always felt Huo Yuke's acting was awkward and couldn't connect with it. I have no idea how she was selected alongside other seasoned actors.
19th comment: I'm the 15th commenter, and let me explain. Everyone knows that in recent years, whether it's the Golden X Awards or other awards, their credibility has been declining and has faced constant questioning. The reasons for this are long and extensive, and I won't go into all of them. I'll just give you the conclusion. Except for the "Best Actor" and "Best Actress" of the three major awards, the remaining supporting actors and actresses are influenced by capital intervention. The contracted artists of a certain leading company (I hope those below can understand without decoding, just have a general idea; this post is specifically about Huo Yuke) have a much higher probability of winning awards compared to artists from other companies. If you're not from this company, you might not even have a chance at a nomination. As for the Best Newcomer, it's even worse. It has become a tool of capital, where it's basically a matter of who pays the most. However, because of its diminished value, not many people are willing to buy it. But that doesn't stop some sponsors from spending a fortune to win the favor of canaries.
20th comment: It's extremely frightening to think about. Has the entertainment industry become this chaotic?
21st comment: It was better in earlier years, but it has been getting worse in recent years. I hope Guo Jia (a hypothetical figure) will start taking it seriously, eliminate the influence of capital, and establish legitimate award ceremonies. Don't disappoint those of us who are truly passionate about entering the entertainment industry.
22nd comment: It's so disheartening to see this. I'm also studying performing arts, and our teachers have discussed this issue in class.
23rd comment: The Golden Plume Awards are in the mainland, and relatively speaking, they are less influenced by Company X's capital. Tang Ruoyao won the Best Newcomer at the Golden Plum Awards, while Huo Yuke won it at the Golden Laurel Awards [manually facepalms].
24th comment: Hilarious! It seems like Huo Yuke's only achievement is flooding the industry with mediocrity.
25th comment: Let's not call it Best Newcomer anymore. Let's call it Best Watered-person.
26th comment: Being a Watered-person is acceptable.
...
99th comment: Stop spreading rumors. Huo Yuke's acting skills are recognized, and the judges aren't foolish.
......
The discussion in the post is heating up, with people criticizing Huo Yuke's acting skills. In fact, this level of development and the subsequent questioning were all within Tang Ruoyao's expectations. That's how public opinion works; never challenge the dark side of human nature. Once Huo Yuke became a target of hatred, it was inevitable that she would be smeared with dirty water, whether she did something or not. As time goes on, there are fewer people who genuinely stand for justice, while more people with malicious intent wield the banner of justice to attack others. It fosters resentment and ferment, ultimately distorting the true picture.
If it weren't for the circumstances, Tang Ruoyao wouldn't resort to such tactics.
Suppressing her inner resistance and self-loathing, Tang Ruoyao clasped her fingers together, chin resting on her hands. Her thin lips pressed together as she turned to Fu Yujun and asked, "Did students from other departments go to inquire with their teachers?"
Fu Yujun lowered her head and glanced at the Excel spreadsheet on her computer desktop. "Only the student from the Music and Dance department who hasn't gone yet. They don't have any outstanding candidates in their graduating class." Her lips curled up, and she smiled. "I'm sure all the teachers in the school already know that Huo Yuke is the chosen representative for this year's graduates."
Cui Jiaran, with dark circles under her eyes from staying up late, yawned and said, "When will they announce the chosen candidate? I can barely hold on anymore."
"In a couple of days, I think." Tang Ruoyao apologized. "Thank you for your hard work. After it's over, I'll treat you to a big meal."
Fu Yujun tried to persuade her. "If you're tired, go sleep in bed."
Wen Shuxian shook her head, yawning nonstop. "I won't sleep. If I do, my whole day will be wasted."
Tang Ruoyao stared at the screen and suddenly spoke up. "You can sleep now. We're pretty much done here."
Wen Shuxian jerked awake and turned her face. "Is that it?"
Tang Ruoyao smiled faintly and said, "Come and take a look."
The three of them quickly gathered around.
A new reply suddenly appeared in the thread: [We're all students from the same school. Let's not attack each other so fiercely. I asked the teacher, and they said the principal already knows about this matter. I've been told to wait for updates. It shouldn't be Huo Yuke unless the principal is also protecting her.]
Cui Jiaran froze, her tongue tied and unable to speak properly. "Prin-Prin-Principal?!"
Wen Shuxian couldn't believe it, looking as if she had transcended reality. "Did we really bring this matter to the principal's attention?" Suddenly, she wondered how they had managed to make such a big deal out of it?!
Fu Yujun let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Everything is going according to plan. Alright, everyone, go to sleep. Once we're well-rested, we'll have good news."
Even though Tang Ruoyao was almost certain of the outcome, she couldn't let her guard down.
Fu Yujun patted her shoulder, half-commanding and half-forcing her. "You should rest too. You've practically been glued to your chair these past few days. Don't get sick and have no one to support you on stage."
Tang Ruoyao remained stubborn and shook her head. "It's fine. I'll wait for two more days." She could only truly sleep peacefully on the day when the official list was announced.
Fu Yujun didn't insist any further and went to climb into bed to catch up on sleep. Her bed was opposite Tang Ruoyao's, and she turned to see Tang Ruoyao's upright figure. With the online dust settling down and no more surprises to uncover, Tang Ruoyao continued to stare intently without batting an eyelid.
What caused her sudden change?
Fu Yujun pondered quietly, sinking into the realm of dreams.
.....
"Speak up."
President Sun sat in his office chair, arms crossed, with an expressionless face. His gaze was sharp, exuding an imposing aura.
Standing on the left side of his desk was a senior Opera Department instructor, while the director of the Academic Affairs office stood on the right. The Opera Department instructor kept his eyelids low, calm and unruffled. The director of the Academic Affairs Office trembled all over, constantly wiping away sweat. "President Sun, I..."
President Sun never expected such a thing to happen right under his nose.
President Sun had a lot on his plate. He managed the entire school, both internally and externally. Matters like selecting a representative for the graduating students were not something he needed to personally oversee. During this period, he had been busy with cultural activities at the behest of higher authorities, attending meetings every other day. He was overwhelmed with tasks, and even the speech for the graduation ceremony was written in his spare time. Never did he expect that as soon as he arrived at the school, Zhao, the instructor from the Opera Department, would file a complaint that left him bewildered.
What graduating student representative? What hidden agenda? What is all of this about?
Teachers have more sources than students, and in the past few days, the top students from various departments have been asking about the hidden agendas and pre-determined outcomes. The teachers spread the news among themselves, and they received accurate information: Huo Yuke had been pre-selected!
This revelation caused a huge uproar.
Some teachers chose to protect themselves, thinking it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. But there were also teachers who stood upright, unable to tolerate these behind-the-scenes manipulations. President Sun had been known for his fairness, integrity, and democratic principles since taking office, and the overall atmosphere among the faculty had become much more upright.
Zhao, the instructor, was not one to turn a blind eye, especially since Sun Xiaoxiao from the Opera Department was her favorite disciple. When she heard about Huo Yuke being pre-selected, she was furious. She believed that Sun Xiaoxiao was not inferior to Tang Ruoyao in any way, but if Tang Ruoyao had been chosen, at least both she and Sun Xiaoxiao would have accepted it. What kind of person was Huo Yuke? Did she think Zhao didn't know about the shady things she did behind the scenes? When students should be focusing on their studies, she was involved in all sorts of shady activities, sleeping around with whoever she pleased. If it didn't involve their department, she could turn a blind eye, but compared to Sun Xiaoxiao, was she even worthy?
President Sun understood after reviewing Tang Ruoyao and Huo Yuke's academic and film records, and his expression changed dramatically. He first calmed down Zhao, who was so agitated that she had to take anti-hypertensive medication, and then he called the director of the Academic Affairs Office responsible for this matter.
The director resented Zhao to the point of grinding his teeth in frustration. The official list was about to be announced, and now this issue had been brought to the attention of the president. Wasn't this a deliberate attempt to target him? Everyone knew that the president was impartial and fair. If he found out about the underhanded dealings, he would definitely make sure the director paid the price.
The director's mind raced quickly, and in the face of the president's questioning gaze, he tried to maintain composure and said with a righteous tone, "President, these are all rumors! It has always been Tang Ruoyao. Her achievements and awards are well-known. How could Huo Yuke suddenly emerge?"
He wasn't foolish. Compared to the director of the Beijing Drama Academy, what little benefit others had given him meant nothing. The immediate priority was to calm the president's anger.
President Sun smiled in a nonchalant manner. "Is that so? Just rumors?"
A chill ran down the director's spine, and his palms were covered in a thin layer of sweat, but he didn't dare to wipe it off. He chuckled awkwardly, "Yes, just rumors. Just rumors." He hinted subtly, attempting to divert the blame, "These baseless claims, President, you shouldn't easily believe them."
Zhao sneered, "Are you implying that I started the rumors?"
The director glanced at the president out of the corner of his eye. The president put on a thoughtful expression, straightened his posture a bit, and smiled insincerely, "I didn't mention you specifically, Zhao. There's no need for you to jump to conclusions."
Zhao retorted, "You—"
President Sun tapped the table with the cap of his pen. "Enough, no more arguing. I will make my own judgment on this matter." He called out the director's name.
The director responded, "Here."
President Sun pinched his brow and said, "Since it's just a rumor, go ahead and release the list early to dispel the rumors. This matter has caused quite a stir." The director was about to speak with a smile, but President Sun gave him a warning look and said in a stern tone, "The graduation ceremony is coming up soon, and I don't want to see any more complications. Remember, our school's ethos is to promote virtue, inspire ambition, and uphold fairness and justice."
He emphasized each word.
The director fell silent, opened his mouth as if to say something in self-defense, but in the end, he simply nodded and slowly backed out of the room.
He stood at the doorway and touched his back. His T-shirt was already soaked with cold sweat.
President Sun smiled pleasantly at Zhao and said, "You should go back and rest well."
Zhao glanced at him and left.
With a click of his mouse, the computer screen in front of him lit up, revealing the school's forum. The homepage was filled with posts denouncing Huo Yuke.
He had just learned earlier, while verifying the facts, that the forum was in an uproar. The issue had initially originated there, moved from the forum to offline discussions, gained traction, and eventually reached him through a letter from the teachers. They had taken him down effortlessly.
The series of events had been orchestrated with perfect timing, leaving him feeling uneasy. He didn't believe it was spontaneous. President Sun's eyes gleamed with curiosity. He was quite eager to find out who the clever individual behind the scenes.
***
Room 405.
The screens of the four phones lit up simultaneously with a message from the class group.
[@All members: We have received a notification from the school. The official list of outstanding graduates will be released today, and Tang Ruoyao is selected as the representative for this year's outstanding graduates!]
The four of them immediately burst into joyful cheers.
Wen Shuxian, who had just woken up and was full of energy, raised her hand excitedly and proposed, "To celebrate this hard-earned victory, let's go out and have a feast!"
Cui Jiaran agreed and asked, "What should we eat? I don't feel like having hot pot."
Everyone started discussing enthusiastically, suggesting barbecue or skewers. Fu Yujun suddenly felt that something was off, as if only three people were speaking.
She turned her head and immediately interrupted the conversation of her two roommates, putting her index finger to her lips and making a "shh" gesture.
Tang Ruoyao was leaning on the table, one hand still holding the phone with the screen lit up. Her cheek rested between her folded arms, a faint smile lingering on her lips. She was breathing evenly and had fallen asleep at some point.
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