Chapter 143: Unleashing the Ultimate Move! (10/10)

Initially just a discussion on the Unnamed BBS, the rumor of a rigged backroom selection quickly spread from the internet into reality, especially throughout the freshman dormitories.

The freshmen, having no classes yet, were bored to death. Now that something closely related to them had suddenly happened, even a group of top-tier academic prodigies could not help but indulge in gossip.

They were debating a single question: whether Zhang Chu was truly qualified to serve as the freshman representative. Opinions were divided, and no one could convince the others.

If this post had not been exposed, many people wouldn't have cared about the issue at all. After all, what did it matter to anyone else who gave the speech on stage?

The campus dispute somehow spread to the internet, and overnight, the news that "Zhang Chu usurped a fellow student's qualification as freshman representative" spread like wildfire.

The internet is a magnifying glass, capable of magnifying both the good and evil of human nature. The person everyone had been praising just a moment ago suddenly transformed into an oppressive bully!

Without any credible source, based merely on a screenshot of a single post, the Zhang Chu incident was judged and finalized, even though not a single netizen knew whose spot it actually was.

"This person is so detestable, using his fame to suppress others."

"I hate this kind of person the most. He is simply a parasite of society and a disgrace to Peking University!"

"As expected, his ugly face is showing. How could someone like this be a freshman representative? His student status should be revoked."

"He is simply bringing shame to Peking University, bringing those worldly toxic practices straight into the school."

"I must say I am deeply disappointed with the school's handling of this. I will never consider Peking University again in this lifetime!"

"This kind of practice is really not good. They should have held an open selection instead."

Public opinion on the internet was actually quite unfavorable to Zhang Chu, treating such unsubstantiated claims almost as absolute truth.

Although plenty of people were fanning the flames, Peking University itself remained completely unresponsive, without making any changes or statements.

...

Time flew by to Monday. The weather was merciful, sweeping away the previous gloomy rain and finally offering a refreshing, crisp autumn feeling.

Inside the Qiu Deba Gymnasium, several thousand undergraduate and graduate freshmen gathered together, leaving not a single empty seat in the entire venue.

The annual opening ceremony was about to begin. Zhang Chu stood backstage in a white shirt, pacing back and forth. To say he wasn't nervous would be a lie, but at the same time, he was eagerly looking forward to getting up on stage.

At that moment, his counselor Liao Wangyang and department head Yan Liu walked over. Seeing Zhang Chu, they offered warm and reassuring words: "Your speech is brilliant, just make sure you don't forget your lines. It doesn't matter what people outside are saying; what matters is that you perform well and don't give anyone a chance to talk nonsense."

"I can bring the manuscript up with me anyway. I'm really looking forward to it."

"Good. Our Department of Chinese Language and Literature is counting on you to bring us glory!" Yan Liu patted Zhang Chu on the shoulder and walked toward the interior of the gymnasium.

Today was Peking University's opening ceremony, and a mere department head like him was not yet qualified to sit on the main stage.

...

The freshmen majoring in Chinese Language and Literature were seated on the right side of the main stage, offering a generally decent view.

Yang Ling, An Mi, and Sun Ruiqi sat together, with Zhang Chu's empty seat right beside them.

Surrounding classmates asked with great concern, "Do you guys know what Zhang Chu is going to speak about today?"

"Actually, no idea. He leaves early and comes back late every day, acting all mysterious. But it should be pretty good." Yang Ling now knew that Zhang Chu rented an apartment outside. He had originally thought that fellow was hiding a golden beauty and cohabitating with a girlfriend, but it turned out he was still just a single dog.

"Everyone out there is saying he got the spot through backchannels. If his speech doesn't go well, he's going to be in big trouble."

"Yeah, who knows what's really going on? Most likely, someone is just jealous."

Being in the same class, everyone was relatively harmonious and was currently worrying on Zhang Chu's behalf.

...

Meanwhile, Guo Yan sat in the same gymnasium with a sullen face, waiting to watch a good show. He wanted to hear just how much talent this Zhang Chu, upon whom those leaders pinned such high hopes, actually possessed.

Clearly, this "scandal" had already blown up on the internet, yet the school hadn't made any changes or explanations, maintaining an attitude as unshakeable as a mountain against winds from all directions.

"People who walk through the back door and rely on connections—they better not make fools of themselves in front of several thousand people."

Guo Yan joked with his nearby friends. There were no shortage of people coveting this opportunity, but he was the only one who had actually taken action.

He had borrowed a senior student's Unnamed BBS account to expose the matter, hoping to ignite a sense of shared indignation among the students, pressure the school administration, and force a re-selection.

Who could have guessed that out of all those comment replies, very few people actually cared about the quota? Some even said that Zhang Chu deserved the position of freshman representative, which made Guo Yan so furious he felt smoke coming out of his seven orifices!

"What on earth is he going to talk about?!"

...

"Yanyuan affection, a thousandfold knot, asking about a youth's innermost thoughts~"

The entire audience joined in chorus to sing "Yanyuan Affection," opening the curtain of the opening ceremony. The a cappella arrangement gave the familiar tune a fresh and striking feel.

Although this song was not the official alma mater anthem, it was definitely one of the most familiar melodies in the hearts of Peking University students.

Shortly after, the giant screen played the freshman admission video "Entering Peking University," recording the bits and pieces of the freshmen's arrival over the past few days. From the bustling freshman reception booths of various departments in the Qiu Deba Gymnasium to the warm and tender green channel for new students, all the freshmen were guided by the video to review every detail of their first week spent in Yanyuan.

Since it was an opening ceremony, speeches from the leadership were indispensable. Once the speeches by the university president and the teacher representative concluded, the previously dozing freshmen instantly perked up because the person they had been eagerly waiting for was finally taking the stage!

Zhang Chu strode toward the podium, placing his speech manuscript on the desk just in case of an emergency.

Looking around, thousands of alumni had their eyes focused entirely on him. The nervousness Zhang Chu had felt earlier had long since transformed into excitement. These were all living, breathing prestige points right before his eyes!

When Guo Yan saw Zhang Chu take the stage, he hypocritically clapped his hands while straightening his back, refusing to admit defeat.

Yang Ling and the others reacted in the exact opposite manner, nearly jumping up to cheer.

"Respected teachers, dear fellow students, hello everyone! I am Zhang Chu, an undergraduate freshman from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature. It is an absolute honor to be here today to share my feelings upon first entering Peking University.

Looking back to my high school days, I was a science student clutching a ruler and a compass. While mathematics is undoubtedly a fascinating path, there was a longer, tougher string in my heart: writing was my true passion.

Looking around the world within my sphere, I noticed that it is slipping away at a blinding pace: the tears shed by friends confiding their troubles will evaporate, and the gardenias my grandmother raised in clean water will wither. I found that ordinary people all harbor vivid sorrows, joys, loves, hatreds, reunions, and farewells.

Many people don't care about these things, but deep inside my heart, there is an urge that must be recorded. It seems that if I don't write down the stories I understand, many fascinating, concrete details will eventually be forgotten.

The meaning of my life should be interpreted through writing. I hope that with my pen, I can add an inscription to our era..."

At that moment, Zhang Chu was explaining why he abandoned science for the humanities—clearly having been a top science scorer in the college entrance examination, yet choosing the Department of Chinese Language and Literature instead.

Hearing this, Guo Yan couldn't help but curl his lips in disdain. "So that's the extent of a chosen freshman representative? He's no better than me; they might as well have let me up there!"

He still harbored deep resentment to this day. Even though he had no chance left, he could still manage a mocking remark.

The person beside him agreed in unison, "Yeah, completely mediocre, not a single highlight."

"To be honest, this level is indeed rather low. It's a fortunate thing his voice is loud and full of energy. In the end, I suppose it's all about fame after all."

Over in the Chinese Department section, Sun Ruiqi furrowed his brows with deep worry. If the subsequent content remained at this level, Zhang Chu truly wouldn't be able to shake off the accusations of being a rigged appointment and a backdoor hire!

"Could it be because the time was too short, and Brother Chu didn't have time to prepare properly?" An Mi clenched her fists as her inner anxiety amplified.

"What on earth is going on?"

Under normal circumstances, this speech segment would certainly pass muster in terms of quality.

However, because of the rumors about a rigged selection, the freshmen's expectations for Zhang Chu's speech had soared immensely, making this opening fall far short of satisfying them.

Meanwhile, Liao Wangyang sat calmly unmoved among the faculty seats. He knew the content of Zhang Chu's speech; in that kid's own words, the ultimate climax was saved for the very end.

Up on the podium, Zhang Chu clearly noticed the commotion among the freshmen. His tone involuntarily rose, turning fervent and impassioned!

"This is an era linking the past and the future, an era of rapid daily changes, an era of carrying forward the heritage and forging ahead. We shoulder weighty expectations and yearn for a brilliant future.

The heavens are boundless, the cosmos is vast; we Chinese youths, standing tall between heaven and earth, must strive unceasingly!"

Guo Yan felt a chill in his heart down below, a vague, ominous premonition washing over him. Could there be some substantial content coming up next?

Thousands of freshmen, teachers, and leaders couldn't help but perk up their ears as this impassioned speech swept away the dull atmosphere completely!

The microphone accurately transmitted Zhang Chu's voice into the sound system, transforming it into sound waves that impacted everyone's eardrums and vibrated their hearts.

"Therefore, the responsibility of today does not fall upon others, but rests entirely upon us youths!

If the youth are wise, the country is wise; if the youth are rich, the country is rich; if the youth are strong, the country is strong; if the youth are independent, the country is independent;

If the youth are free, the country is free; if the youth are progressive, the country is progressive; if the youth surpass Europe, the country surpasses Europe; if the youth dominate the earth, the country dominates the earth!"

Zhang Chu's emotions were almost entirely immersed in the words. His voice carried genuine emotion, painting a vivid picture of this sense of mission.

Voice higher than voice, shock surpassing shock. The veins on Zhang Chu's forehead bulged, and he practically roared the final sentence with clenched fists.

Virtually everyone in the venue stood up simultaneously, captivated by Zhang Chu's passionate and full-bodied tone. Chinese youths striving with enterprise, while a youthful China rose with heroic grandeur!

How magnificent is our China, enduring alongside the heavens; how heroic are our Chinese youths, boundlessly limitless alongside the nation!

Grand in momentum, rich in emotion!

As the speech concluded,

The entire venue instantly erupted into a frenzy!