Chapter 144: Deafening [Eleventh Request for Subscriptions]

A tide of thunderous applause erupted endlessly!

Everyone—whether freshmen, teachers, or the university leaders, who had risen to their feet—stood up spontaneously throughout the entire Qiu Debao Gymnasium!

Zhang Chu stood catching his breath after finishing his speech. That final emotional climax had required total devotion of mind and body, and he felt he had delivered it with exceptional completeness.

Earlier, when practicing alone in his room outside the campus, although the pacing had been dynamic, the emotional immersion had not reached this profound depth.

It took a full minute for the applause to gradually subside and grow calm. Although the freshmen inside the gymnasium had seated themselves once more, the flushed excitement on their faces could not be concealed.

Guo Yan was now at a loss for words. If the first half of the speech was merely ordinary, the magnificent parallel structures of the "Youthful China" section in the latter half had struck with the sudden, overwhelming force of volcanic magma, firmly holding him captive.

"That concluding finale alone elevates his speech level by several tiers. 'A youthful China stands upright and indomitable!'—that was truly stirring!"

No wonder!

No wonder the university leadership had been willing to withstand the pressure both inside and outside the campus just to give Zhang Chu the spot. It turned out they had possessed such a formidable weapon. At that moment, Guo Yan conceded defeat with a sense of wonder.

He knew his own limits very well; he could never write such a stirring and passionate speech, nor could he mobilize the students' emotions in this manner.

A continuous murmur of praise rippled through the air. Zhang Chu’s speech had undeniably left a profound impression.

"With a level like this, who could still suspect backroom deals? Could there be some mistake? If I were a university leader, I’d probably choose someone like him too."

"Well said! If the youth are strong, the country is strong!"

"That ending completely elevated the whole piece! Did anyone catch the full content?"

"I kind of want to ask Zhang Chu to share that final section so I can read it properly. As expected of a top-scoring composition, as expected of a true writer!"

"It looks like that person on the internet was just driven by jealousy after all."

"Zhang Chu has finally vindicated himself. He wrote brilliantly, and he delivered it even better!"

In the Chinese Department's seating block, Yang Ling was clapping so hard his palms were red. Unable to suppress his excitement, he turned to discuss it with Sun Ruiqi beside him, "This bastard was practicing in secret the whole time, making us worry for nothing. We'll have to make him compensate us for our emotional distress later."

"Brother Chu has really made a stunning debut this time!"

"To think he kept such a good thing to himself and didn't share it with us—we definitely have to extort a big meal out of him."

Meanwhile, in the seating area for the faculty, Department Head Yan Liu of the Chinese Department wore a proud smile. This was the talent he had strongly championed, and he had not brought shame to the Chinese Department!

Many veteran professors and teachers nearby were equally full of praise. Who could have expected to hear a masterpiece of this caliber at an opening ceremony?

"Old Yan, this kid is from our major, right? He gave a fantastic speech, especially that final segment. It was as unrestrained and mighty as a river bursting through a gorge—so full of vitality."

"Splendid, simply splendid! His command of language is extraordinary. No wonder he always said he loved writing."

"There is true emotion at the tip of his pen; people of this caliber are far too rare these days."

"Youth like this are truly the hope of the literary world!"

...

As Zhang Chu stepped down from the podium, his throat felt slightly hoarse.

Yet, it was all worth it. Not every year did a freshman representative inspire a standing ovation from the entire assembly; this was probably a first in history, an unprecedented milestone.

Even in Peking University’s history spanning over a century, no one had ever poured such thorough emotion into their words. Zhang Chu knew that the credit didn't truly belong to him alone—the core strength lay in Mr. Liang Qichao's essay, *An Ode to Youthful China*.

Among the contents of his speech, the most eye-catching were the rapid-fire declarations near the end, detailing how the youth determine the fate of the nation. These were selected fragments from *An Ode to Youthful China*.

The original text was far too long and not entirely suitable for a complete recitation, so Zhang Chu had curated the most popular and resonant sections.

Originally, this had been a speech delivered by Mr. Liang Qichao after the failure of the Hundred Days' Reform, written to passionately praise the vigor of the youth and earnestly express his longing for a youthful China. Between the lines, it brimmed with patriotic fervor, possessing an immensely persuasive and moving power for intellectuals.

back on Earth, this essay had been revered by countless individuals, with some even hailing it as the first breath of a youthful China's birth—an exceptionally high praise.

Yet on this planet, *An Ode to Youthful China* was making its debut. Even as an excerpt, it still made hearts surge and blood race. Its smooth, forceful language, brimming with parallel structures and progressive momentum, was enough to captivate everyone.

Almost everyone in the gymnasium had contributed a wave of prestige points to Zhang Chu, and quite a few had even become his fans on the spot!

"You gave a wonderful speech. Go back and rest for a bit. After today, no one will ever dare claim your selection was the result of a rigged deal."

Counselor Liao Wangyang said, suppressing his excitement. At this year's freshman opening ceremony, nearly all the spotlight would likely be monopolized by Zhang Chu alone.

The youth are the hope and backbone of a nation, striving with all their might to build the motherland.

Zhang Chu nodded. He bore no grudge against those people; after all, his selection had indeed been pre-determined by the administration, even if he hadn't actively sought it out.

He had simply used this method to prove that he had the ability and the qualification to serve as the freshman representative, leaving no room for anyone to smear his name.

...

The opening ceremonies of Peking University had always been a focal point for educational news. Today's ceremony was packed with trending highlights, drawing journalists from all sorts of media outlets.

The campus television station staff diligently broadcasted the live ceremony to every corner of the Peking University campus. Whether on televisions in dormitories, cafeterias, or the lobbies of academic buildings, the entire event was clearly visible.

Prompted by the viral posts on the Weiming BBS forum, quite a few people had been paying close attention to this particular freshman representative's speech.

Consequently, many eyes drifted toward the television screens—and once there, they found themselves completely unable to look away.

"What is the title of this speech anyway?"

"Are you kidding me? A rigged deal? This is clearly absolute domination by sheer talent!"

"I think that post on the BBS can be deleted now. It's nothing but a distortion of the facts."

"Sigh, I missed the complete version. I wonder if the TV station has the full recording."

"It was so well said! If the youth are strong, the country is strong; if the youth are prosperous, the country is prosperous. This really doesn't sound like something an ordinary person could write."

Inside the cafeteria, numerous students looked up at the television screens, their spoons frozen halfway to their mouths.

Just moments before, they had been doubting Zhang Chu, but now they had been completely conquered by his speech!

In the eyes of many Peking University students, Zhang Chu had merely been an ordinary guy who could tell cheesy jokes and write light web novels. But now, their perceptions were quietly shifting.

He was truly an individual of substance and talent. Zhang Chu's performance had conquered everyone who saw and heard his speech!