Chapter 26

Just after noon, the afternoon arrived, and students generally scheduled their three Saturday afternoon periods as X time and physical education classes, so the campus was much noisier, with students playing and laughing all around.

Without any warning, a breaking news story spread, and it was about the recent sensation, VIY!

"Quick, go to the entrance of the Academic Center, there's a show to see!"

"The Dream Chasers have brought out their TV and are connecting the power cord, I wonder what they're planning to do."

"What? They're not going to show Playboy bunny photos, are they? I heard that on Thursday, VIY showed everyone in the storage room..."

"Go check it out quickly, we can't miss this time—"

Students rushed to the Academic Center building from all directions like a torrent, those who liked VIY were excited and full of anticipation, while those who disliked VIY were angry and jealous, it was him again!

Outside the cafeteria, John Williams and his group were chatting up passing pretty girls, asking each pretty one if they wanted to go on a date with any of them on the weekend. The principled girls wouldn't pay attention, while the "cool girls" who wore makeup and accessories would tease them a bit to show their popularity.

Suddenly, all the girls ran towards the Academic Center, and Williams and his group couldn't stop them. One girl even shouted, "I'll talk to you after VIY's thing is over!"

"FUCK, these idiotic sluts!" Williams was so angry that his veins bulged, and he punched the air a few times, "I really want to teach that Mulan a lesson! How can I teach him a lesson..."

The football jocks looked at each other, none of them had any ideas, "John, why don't we go check it out first?"

"Sure, let's see what he's up to..."

At the same time, Christina, Ava, and other members of the "Chris Sisters' Gang" couldn't contain their curiosity after hearing the news, "Let's go, see what he's up to again."

On the school football field, Lily was sitting on a long wooden bench, looking at the vast green field, but her eyes weren't focused on the people playing soccer. Suddenly, she sighed. After the morning encounter, she felt like she had lost her soul, and all these things were so silly; she didn't know what to do...

She didn't want to fool herself anymore; she had developed a liking for Ye Wei and wanted to continue developing it, rather than ending it like this.

What should she do? Should she call him and say, "I'm free now"? She looked at her phone, opened the contact list several times, paused on his name, but in the end, she pressed the back button... She knew she was waiting for him to call, even if he scolded her, as long as they could talk again...

But would he? He was a jerk, and she had been a jerk today too... Sigh! It's over, don't think about it anymore.

Lily stared at her phone screen, not even noticing that Tris and Connie had walked over. They exchanged glances and could tell something was wrong; it wasn't that simple!

"Sis, there's a breaking news story about Ye Wei! Do you want to hear it?" Tris asked loudly.

"Ah..." Lily was startled, looked up at them, and quickly said, "Tell me, you know I love news."

Tris relayed the news, and Connie was excited, "We're going to check it out, do you want to come? I think VIY is going to amaze us again!"

"Sure, I'll go too." Lily suddenly stood up, a surge of excitement she couldn't suppress. Could this be about her? No, it can't be... Maybe... She didn't know if it was anticipation, excitement, or something else, but her breathing quickened, and at the same time, she was scolding herself for overthinking, being self-indulgent...

With her mind in a whirl, when Lily and the others arrived at the entrance of the Academic Center, the area was already packed with students, three layers deep. In front, a table was set up with a TV connected to a DV camera, and a few members of the Dream Chasers were negotiating with two faculty members.

"It's absolutely not inappropriate content. If there's anything unsuitable, you can expel me. That's what Brother Wei said, so let us show it!" "Yes! It's a good thing!"

Ye Wei wasn't there, but Lily recognized two people, one was "Gandhi" Babu, and the other was "Godzilla" Bud.

"Brother Wei said, if the old stubborn ones don't allow it, just show it!" At this point, Bud suddenly shouted, stopped negotiating, and abruptly turned on the TV, the screen lit up!

Everyone immediately cheered, their eyes full of anticipation as the DV footage started playing. It was filmed in the storage room of the Dream Chasers' headquarters, the camera panned around, showing the entire room, it was the legendary CDLF company's founding meeting!

Since it had been spreading for the past two days and could be seen at the Dream Chasers' headquarters, the audience wasn't confused, but most hadn't seen it yet, and Lily's eyes widened slightly.

So they're showing this... She was very interested but a bit disappointed.

"Brothers and friends, please welcome our leader—VIY!!"

As Lev's voice rang out from the TV, the audience's cheers and applause grew louder, some were clapping and whistling, and some were booing!

"Harvard University's library is right here in our school!" John Williams laughed loudly, naturally referring to the gathering of bookworms. His mockery made some people laugh, and others joined in, "There are a few big books too!" "Freaks!"

But the Dream Chasers present held their heads high, ignoring the mockery, as if they had a halo of coolness above their heads; they were no longer afraid!

No matter what the audience said, the DV footage continued, "You're all nerds because others told you 'you're a nerd'..."

As Ye Wei's passionate words echoed, the area became very quiet, people almost held their breath. The nerds were inspired, the popular kids felt their blood boil, and anyone who yearned for a burning youth was moved by this speech!

"I want to stay!!" "Me too!!" ... As the people in the DV footage shouted excitedly, similar shouts echoed in the audience: "I want to make movies too!" "VIY, you're right, do what you want!" "Me too!!" ...

Amid the noise, Lily's eyes were fixed on the TV screen, her heart pounding so loudly it almost drowned out all the shouting. She saw a Ye Wei completely different from the usual playful one, mature, rational, and crazy, a VIY just like she imagined!

She hadn't been wrong; he was the kind of leader who could lead everyone forward!

On the football field and off, it was the same! Look at Bud, look at Babu, look at these people... look at herself...

Lily's eyes turned red with emotion, and she shouted in her heart, "I want to be a new me too!"

"Dream Chasers!!!" At this moment, the people in the TV shouted in unison, and Ye Wei also shouted, "This is my will, the Dream Chasers movie!" Immediately, the audience erupted in cheers, some with burning passion, some just for the fun of it, all shouting!

Bud, Babu, and other CDLF members raised their arms and shouted proudly, "Dream Chasers!!"

Seeing this, the faculty members were deeply moved. Not to mention the honor code they signed in seventh grade, they rarely saw such enthusiasm at graduation ceremonies, homecomings, or football finals!

It was this genuine passion and this atmosphere that made people cherish their youth for the rest of their lives.

But there were always exceptions, and John Williams and his group were seething with hatred, wishing they could smash that damn TV, what good would buying a script do...

As the audience shouted, the inspiring legendary meeting came to an end. The old principal and others who had rushed over saw another segment of DV footage.

Still in the storage room, Ye Wei was sitting on a sofa, waving at the camera and smiling, "Hi, guys, whether you're a nerd or a popular kid, you shouldn't waste your youth. Let's do something big! We're still $50,000 short of our crowdfunding goal. I'm waiting for you at the Dream Chasers, first come, first served!"

Excited voices rose, "Great, we can still join!" "Hurry, it might be full by the end of school." Many people rushed into the Academic Center.

Lily looked at Tris and Connie, her face radiant, about to say, "Let's join too!" Whether they came or not, she was going to join, she was going to join...

At this moment, Ye Wei in the TV continued to smile, "Alright, that's done, there's another thing! I recently met a cute new friend, and I cherish this friendship, but today we had a misunderstanding. Sometimes, words are so inadequate that you can't express your feelings, so humans learned to sing!"

What... What! Lily was stunned, her face turning bright red, her heart beating so fast it felt like it would jump out of her chest. It really was about her... What is he going to do, oh my God!

Tris and Connie turned to look at her, their expressions full of mischief, "Wow, wow!"

Everyone was very curious about what VIY was going to do, even the faculty members were interested, and the old principal chuckled, not wanting to disperse the crowd.

"You probably guessed it, yes, I'm going to sing a song to express my feelings! First, thanks to my brothers for their help, and now, let's start!"

Ye Wei smiled and gave a knightly bow, and the TV then played the next segment of footage.

When the audience saw it, they burst into laughter. It was in the school music room, Ye Wei was holding an acoustic guitar, Lev was holding another acoustic guitar, Corwin was holding a bass, and behind them were drummer Bud and keyboardist Chen Nuo, a rock band setup!

"Hello, we are the Supernerd band," the five people on the screen said in unison, all with straight faces, full of nerdiness.

"Ha ha ha!" The laughter in the room grew even more intense, the faculty members were laughing, Lily was laughing too, nerds playing rock, pretty cool!

"1, 2, 3, start." As Ye Wei counted, he strummed the guitar strings, and the other four started playing. As soon as the intro began, Lily almost jumped up, laughing and shouting, looking helpless but also very surprised, "Shut up, shut up! Jerk... shut up!"

But Ye Wei in the TV still sang passionately, "Come, stop your crying, it will be all right, just hold my hand tight, I'll always be by your side, protecting you, I'll always be here, don't cry..."

"You'll Be in My Heart"!

"Shut up..." Lily laughed and looked up, stomping her feet, but couldn't stop anything.

Now, the evidence was clear! Tris and Connie's expressions became even more mischievous, "So your rumor is true!" "Lily, you're so sly, making me worry!"

This song was famous, and most people had heard it. Those who knew the story behind it smiled at Lily Collins, and those who didn't understood half from the lyrics, and the other half from others, "That's Phil Collins' song for his daughter!" "VIY is singing it for her!" "Look, she's right there!"

"VIY, Lily, VIY, Lily...!"

The audience chanted, and the old principal and others sighed, "Youth is so wonderful."

John Williams was really furious. He had asked Lily Collins out before, but she always refused. Now, seeing her enchanted smile, he couldn't stay any longer and left with a dark face.

"Curse you, see how long you can last, curse you!!" Christina was also furious, why wasn't she the one in the spotlight! She ran off in a fit of rage.

Ye Wei in the footage continued to sing, and the more he sang, the more enthusiastic he became, "Because you'll be in my heart, yes, you'll be in my heart, from today, until forever..."

The audience also started singing, and Bud, Babu, and others joined in, their voices like ghosts, but it made the kind laughter and cheers even more enthusiastic!

"Damn, this jerk..." Lily covered her smiling face and her heart that was about to faint, many feelings and thoughts became clear. Yes, she was moved, from the moment of the squid operation and their first conversation, she was moved! She knew what to do!

As soon as Ye Wei finished the song, the footage didn't end, and Lily ran into the building, her clear laughter echoing in the wind—

"Hey!" Tris and Connie laughed and shouted, and the audience cheered like they had won, drowning out the old principal's serious command, "Everyone disperse, don't block the traffic here!"

Lily ran all the way, entered the Academic Center, and came to the storage room at the end of the first-floor corridor. It was also bustling with many students, almost all boys, who made way for her when they saw her.

"Thanks." She walked into the storage room and saw Ye Wei sitting on the sofa, holding an acoustic guitar, just like in the footage. When he saw her, he smiled, and she smiled too.

Two smiling faces, two pairs of eyes, looking at each other, both understanding that their feelings were mutual, like the budding green shoots of spring, small but wanting to grow into towering trees.

"Look who's here, Jane!" Ye Wei smiled, stood up, "What, did my singing attract you?"

"Shut up!" Lily laughed and walked up, ignoring the many people watching, and pushed his shoulder, scolding, "You were off-key, you can't ruin my song!"

"I can't agree to that, ruining songs is the Supernerd band's style!"

"Never mind, I'm here to invest, I want to join your crowdfunding, $10,000!"

The storage room fell silent for a moment, then erupted in various loud cheers, everyone becoming wildly enthusiastic!

Lev was shouting and jumping, "So strong, Brother Wei is so strong, I knew it!!" On the other side, Chen Nuo, Li Ming, and others were doing strange celebratory moves, almost like robots, "500,000! We reached 500,000! YEAH!!!" In the corner, Corwin was filming precious moments with another DV...

"Yes, I know! Ha ha!" Ye Wei was also extremely excited, it was a pleasant surprise, "Lily, our British Queen! Your investment is a bit large, we need to sit down and talk about it. Let's go out for dinner tonight, talk while we eat, how about it?"

The audience made teasing noises, "Oh, oh—tonight I have a date, tonight I have a date, oh—"

Lily rolled her eyes, her gaze flowing, as if after some consideration, she laughed and nodded, "Okay, but I want to drink!"

"Me too." Ye Wei laughed happily.