Chapter 82: The Troubles of Fame

A new week began, and Su Tong was troubled—almost every student in the entire school now knew him. On Monday night, one group of male students after another came to visit his dorm, and even by lights-out at half past ten, the stream had not ended.

His roommates were delighted, immensely proud to have Su Tong as one of their own. After midnight, their third roommate finally issued an ultimatum—everyone needed to sleep—and only then did the dorm quiet down.

Wasting several hours chatting with visitors left Su Tong rather pained. In the system’s internal time, those hours would have been a month or two.

On Tuesday, Su Tong confided in Sister Yaya about his troubles over the past two days.

“Move in with us,” Sister Yaya offered a simple solution.

Su Tong hesitated. That girl Yang Feifei was quite a handful as well; moving over there might not provide any more peace and quiet.

“I’ll think about it,” Su Tong replied, ending the call.

Not long after—

“Haha, Su Tong, you’re troubled, aren’t you? Just move in with us—your big sister warmly welcomes you. I’ll cook for you tonight,” Feifei must have heard from Yaya and called him.

Cook?

“Other than making noodles, what else do you know how to make? Or are you just planning to serve me noodles?” Su Tong asked.

“Su Tong, you’re so naughty,” Yang Feifei chided playfully.

Su Tong was confused. “What do you mean?”

Yang Feifei was frustrated. Was this little guy even more innocent than she was? “I mean you’re a rascal.”

Su Tong was puzzled—why was she calling him that? He laughed, “Big Sis Feifei, aren’t you worried about having a rascal like me living with you?”

“I know exactly what sort of guy you are. Even if you had ten times the courage, you wouldn’t dare try anything with me. Besides, with Sister Yaya there, what do I have to fear?” Yang Feifei retorted with disdain.

Su Tong felt a bit wounded, as if he wasn’t a proper man in her eyes.

After hanging up, Su Tong checked the bus routes. From Min University to Yang Feifei’s place was just six stops away, not far—about twenty minutes.

He made up his mind.

“Sister Yaya, I’ll move in this evening. It’s been too much these days—there’s always a crowd around me in the dorm and classroom, like I’m an exhibit,” Su Tong called to confirm his decision.

“Alright, I’ll have Dalong drive over this afternoon to help you move,” Yaya said.

Su Tong quickly interjected, “Sister Yaya, I have a speech contest after seven this evening. I don’t know when it’ll finish—let me call you when it’s done.”

After dinner—

The auditorium, with more than three thousand seats, was packed. Some students had no seats and stood in the central aisle or along the sides.

All these students were here, without a doubt, because of Su Tong.

The school had shown foresight; the previous night’s speech contest had taken place in a large classroom, and even then, fewer than two hundred seats were filled. Tonight, with over three thousand, the hall was overflowing.

All because Su Tong was participating.

“It seems the celebrity effect is really powerful—we finally have a star at our school.”

“Haha, the young really do have spirit. I’m an old man now, I don’t care for songs or live streams, but I’m glad to see our school has such a student. I’ve heard his reputation is excellent—he’s a good example for his peers.”

“Su Tong doesn’t carry any airs. He doesn’t like showing off. If Principal Song’s daughter hadn’t discovered him, and if Principal Song hadn’t pressed him, Su Tong would still be quietly attending classes under his own name.”

“Humble, modest, not one to seek attention—a rare, good student. I heard he’s very diligent. He skipped two grades in middle school; otherwise, he’d still be a senior in high school right now.”

“…”

The contest had yet to begin. Some judges in the front row were quietly discussing the students filling the hall.

At seven o’clock sharp, the host announced the start of the competition and invited the contestants to the stage.

“E-everyone, hello. My speech today is titled ‘Our Heroes of the Resistance.’” A nervous girl placed her script on the podium, glancing at the crowd. Her eyes were timid.

With so many students present, the pressure was immense. Beads of sweat formed on her brow, and she dared not look up again.

Seeing the sheer size of the audience, many contestants felt despair. Last night’s hundred-odd spectators already made them nervous; now with over three thousand, those with weak nerves were already sweating buckets.

“Eight years of resistance, countless heroes emerged from the Great Qin…” the speaker began, but the size of the audience led to frequent mistakes—forgotten words, lines spoken incorrectly.

The audience, however, didn’t mind. They were all waiting for Su Tong.

“Is Nian Nu Jiao not here yet?”

“When will it be his turn? I can’t wait to see him take the stage.”

“Nian Nu Jiao is so talented—he gives speeches, writes poetry, composes songs, pens books. That essay, ‘I Love to Set Out,’ was outstanding.”

“Of course he’s amazing. Such a handsome guy, and he still hasn’t dated anyone yet—he’s fully devoted to his studies and career.”

“Exactly. Those rumors about him being a kept man—who spread those out of jealousy? He earns money through his talent, not his looks.”

“…”

The audience whispered among themselves, eagerly awaiting Su Tong’s appearance.

Still, some were worried. Singing, writing, and streaming were one thing; giving a speech was quite another. Could Su Tong handle it?

“A single debate outweighs treasures of nine tripods; a few inches of tongue can conquer armies a million strong.”

“A kind word is warm in winter; a harsh word chills even summer.”

“A single word can revive a nation, or bring it to ruin.”

These proverbs epitomize successful oratory. Not only must the script be well-written, but the speaker must possess exceptional expressive ability.

A successful speaker employs changes in voice, expressive gestures, and facial animation to bring a speech to life, captivating the audience and fulfilling the speech’s purpose.

The first three contestants all faltered, unable to perform at their best. The teachers frowned.

“These students are under too much pressure. I think we shouldn’t make Su Tong go last—let him be the fourth to go up,” one teacher suggested.

“Good idea. With this crowd, the others can’t perform anyway.”

“Let’s have Su Tong go on early. After his speech, most of the audience will probably leave.”

The other teachers all agreed. With Su Tong’s performance out of the way, the hall would likely empty, giving subsequent speakers a chance to shine.

Su Tong was chatting with fellow contestants backstage when the host entered.

“Big brother, the teachers decided to let you go on early. Come with me and get ready,” the host, a blushing young woman, said.

Su Tong was surprised—another special exception for him.

“I’m not in a hurry; there’s no need to jump the line,” he said.

The girl avoided his gaze—the more she looked at him, the more attractive he seemed, and his gentle nature was even more dangerous. She feared she’d fall for him, betraying her boyfriend.

“The teachers insisted—I don’t really know why,” she replied nervously.

The other contestants were reluctant to let him go. It was rare to spend time with Su Tong, and their conversation had been most enjoyable.

Su Tong truly emanated charisma; from his words and manner, everyone saw he was not only tall, handsome, and well-off, but also exceptionally talented and humorous—even the boys found him endearing.

“Well then, I’ll go up,” Su Tong said, following the host. As he turned to leave, he called back with mock regret, “So long, and not one of you asked for my autograph. I’m wounded!”

The room burst out laughing. Someone realized their mistake and rushed after him, calling, “Wait, big brother! Sign for me first!”

Su Tong was sure to enter show business and become a nationwide star.

“Nian Nu Jiao! Nian Nu Jiao!”

As soon as Su Tong appeared on stage, the students who had been waiting erupted in cheers.