Chapter 31

At eight o'clock, the gala officially began, with background music echoing across the playground. Four hosts slowly walked onto the stage. Two men and two women, the girls were beautiful and elegant, the men handsome and tall, and their appearance immediately captured everyone's attention.

One of the female hosts in a white evening gown was Qin Xiaoyou. In the past, she had always been in charge of organizing the New Year's Eve party at school, so she was also responsible for tonight's gala.

Qin Xiaoyou looked stunning tonight, arguably the most beautiful girl in the entire venue, and she alone attracted the majority of the gazes. Dressed in a white fluorescent evening gown, with silver high heels, her elegant figure and incomparably beautiful face made her look like a Snow White princess from a fairy tale.

Qin Xiaoyou took a step forward, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips: "The moon goddess must regret stealing the elixir, with the vast sea and the blue sky night after night. After a tragic love story, the moon became a symbol of people's longing for reunion. No matter where you are, whether you are far from your loved ones, tonight, the full moon will carry your thoughts and convey them to the ones you miss..."

After each host delivered their opening remarks, the program officially began.

Each camp had prepared many performances, and after careful selection, they would appear on tonight's stage.

The first performance came from the female soldiers' camp, where a dozen girls in dance costumes performed a graceful dance, accompanied by music, showcasing their elegance to the fullest.

The second performance was a skit performed by a mixed group of men and women. The humorous skit easily livened up the atmosphere, with bursts of laughter echoing throughout the venue.

The scene was lively and filled with laughter and joy. However, Mo Wen had little interest in watching the performances. Gazing at the full moon in the sky, he suddenly realized how long it had been since he had spent the Mid-Autumn Festival with his mother. The last Mid-Autumn Festival, it seemed, he had also spent it alone, and the one before that, too...

It seemed that since he started school, he had never spent the Mid-Autumn Festival with his mother. His home was so remote, in a poor and rugged area far from the bustling city. There was no electricity, no running water, and the people in the mountains lived a primitive life. Forget about making phone calls; even a letter couldn't reach there.

Only during the winter and summer holidays could Mo Wen return home. As for the Mid-Autumn Festival, he always spent it alone. When other students went home for the holiday, he would hide in the dormitory, usually not leaving the room for the whole day, trying hard to recall the scenes of celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival at home.

He still remembered celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival as a child, when his mother would move the table to the small courtyard for dinner, then take out the mooncakes she had made for him to eat. It was then that the young him learned that the Mid-Autumn Festival meant eating mooncakes. Every time he celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival, he was very happy because not only did he get to eat mooncakes, but he could also listen to his mother tell the love story of Chang'e and Hou Yi.

He gave a self-deprecating smile. Now, thinking back, it had been over a decade. Yet every Mid-Autumn Festival, he kept recalling and rekindling the gradually fading memories.

Sometimes he wondered why he had been able to leave that deep mountain forest, why he had been able to study in the city, and even at the top high school in the capital.

If he hadn't left the mountains, hadn't gone to study in the city, hadn't been exposed to the outside world, and had stayed by his mother's side, celebrating every Mid-Autumn Festival with her, growing old with her, marrying a gentle and virtuous wife, having a bunch of children, and taking care of his mother until the end, wouldn't that have been a happy life?

Why did his outlook change after being exposed to the outside world? He had solemnly promised his mother that he would definitely get into Huaxia University and then take her out of the deep mountain forest to live a prosperous and wealthy life.

But he failed the college entrance exam. He didn't dare to go back, didn't dare to face his mother, didn't dare to see her disappointed eyes. So for the first time, he didn't return home during the summer vacation. He wandered the streets, lost and uncertain about his future.

In the end, he found the hardest and most exhausting job on a construction site, hoping to create a future through his own hard work.

Thinking about it now, it seemed so naive. If he could choose again, he would return home without hesitation. As long as his loved ones were by his side, where would he not be happy?

A hand patted his shoulder, startling Mo Wen from his thoughts.

"Hey, Mo Wen, what are you thinking about? Why are you so absent-minded?"

Wang Yuan, sitting next to Mo Wen, looked at him curiously. After the gala started, he had tried to talk to Mo Wen several times, but Mo Wen hadn't responded, always keeping his head down, seemingly uninterested in the gala.

Come on, the gala was so exciting; not watching it was a real waste.

"Just thinking about something."

Mo Wen forced a smile, hiding the bitterness in his eyes.

"The next performance is Qin Xiaoyou's, the highlight of the entire gala. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Wang Yuan rolled his eyes. Qin Xiaoyou's performance was the most anticipated by everyone in the venue. Mo Wen kept his head down; could he really not care about Qin Xiaoyou's performance?

Mo Wen smiled, nodded, and turned his gaze to the stage.

Soon, a girl in a white classical long dress walked onto the stage. Her slender figure, her slim waist, her plain and elegant face, and her hair tied up with a delicate jade hairpin made her look like a fairy from another world.

In a classical outfit, Qin Xiaoyou was less glamorous but more refined and elegant. Perhaps she was naturally a classical beauty, with her demeanor, aura, and charm all exuding the reserved and graceful qualities of a classical woman.

As soon as she stepped onto the stage, she almost captured everyone's attention. If there were media broadcasting live, countless entertainment company agents would probably show up the next day.

"Next, I will perform a classical dance. However, I hope to turn off all the accompaniment and invite a good friend of mine to accompany me on stage."

Qin Xiaoyou smiled gracefully, her lips slightly pursed, her bright eyes looking towards the fourth camp.

"What? Turn off all the accompaniment and only invite one friend to accompany her?"

"Isn't that crazy? Turning off all the music will greatly reduce the stage effect. Does Qin Xiaoyou have that much confidence?"

"Can her friend alone surpass all the stage music equipment?"

"Who is her friend?"

...

For a moment, the entire venue was in an uproar. Everyone was shocked and guessing who Qin Xiaoyou's friend was.

When everyone noticed that Qin Xiaoyou's gaze was directed at the fourth camp, some people's faces changed. The fourth camp was the male soldiers' camp. Could Qin Xiaoyou's friend be a man?

The next moment, Qin Xiaoyou said the answer that broke the hearts of most of the boys.

"I would like to invite Mo Wen from the third company of the fourth camp to accompany me. Is that okay?"

Qin Xiaoyou smiled faintly, her gaze fixed on Mo Wen, who was sitting on the grass, her big eyes flashing with a mischievous glint.