The opening ceremony was nearing its end, and Zhang Yichen had only found two singers worth signing.The rest? …Forget it.
It wasn't that Sichuan Vocational College lacked talent—far from it. There were plenty of skilled students around, just not the kind who'd bother showing up to perform at a school ceremony.And as for the others…Well, let's just say society had its ways of explaining things.
He thought he was done for the day when suddenly—
"Let Zhang Yichen sing another one!""Yeah! One more song from Zhang Yichen!"
Zhang Yichen: "...What?"
Great. Just when he thought it was over, the audience had other plans.He didn't have time for this—he still had to get home and cook dinner!
The host looked conflicted. "Zhang Yichen, um… would you be willing to sing another one? The principal already gave the green light."
"Go on!" Chen Xiaoxi nudged him, smiling. "You want to make it in the music world, right? Overtime's part of the job."
"Alright, alright."
With a helpless sigh, Yichen walked back onstage. "This time, I'll sing something simple. It's called Mouse Loves Rice. I call it... an internet song."
At that, the crowd erupted in murmurs.
"Internet song?""What's that supposed to mean?"
Yichen chuckled and raised the mic. "A 'network song' means a song shared online instead of through traditional record companies. It spreads faster and reaches more people."
His tone carried the easy confidence of a man teaching a new idea to curious students.
"Anyway, enough talk. Let's begin." He gestured to the staff to start the music.
A light, playful melody filled the stadium—catchy and cheerful.Yichen stood relaxed, one hand holding the mic, the other tapping rhythmically to the beat.
The moment the intro faded, he sang—
"I hear your voice,There's something special in the sound,Makes me think of you again and again,Afraid to ever forget you."
His voice was lazy yet magnetic, effortlessly drawing the audience in.
"If one day, our love dream comes true,I'll double my effort to treat you right,Forever unchanged,No matter how far the road may be."
"I'll whisper in your ear,Softly say, softly say—I love you,Love you so,Like a mouse loves rice."
When that line—"like a mouse loves rice"—hit, the entire crowd burst into laughter and applause.
The melody was simple, yet it had that irresistible charm that burrowed into people's hearts. Soon, people were humming along, then outright singing with him.
"No matter the wind or rain,I'll always be here with you,I think of you,I dream of you,No matter how hard life gets,If it makes you happy—I'd do anything."
The lyrics were plain, even naïve, but their sincerity made them shine.Yichen's voice carried a touch of warmth, like a quiet confession meant for someone in particular.
And that someone—Chen Xiaoxi—sat in the audience, face flushed pink, eyes locked on him. Her heartbeat quickened with every note.
"So internet songs can be this… moving," she whispered without realizing it.
Unfortunately, Li Yue heard. "You mean the song is charming… or the man?"
"Listen to the song!" Xiaoxi shot her a glare, pretending to focus back on the performance.
The chorus came again—And now, the crowd had completely joined in.
What started as a few scattered voices became a wave of thousands singing in unison.Anyone who walked in at that moment would have thought a superstar concert was happening.
"I love you,Love you so,Like a mouse loves rice…"
When the music finally ended, Yichen lowered his mic.But the audience didn't stop. They kept singing through the outro, voices echoing across the massive hall until the very last note faded.
Then—silence.
Over fifteen thousand people fell completely still, all staring at him.Just staring.
Yichen felt a chill. "Uh… why aren't any of you talking? You're scaring me!"
Then came the roar—
"Encore!""Encore!""Encore!"
Their voices shook the air. There was no escaping this.He sighed and raised his hands—one palm down, one finger pointed up—the universal stop signal.
Instantly, the shouting stopped dead. It was like he'd pressed a mute button on the crowd.
Yichen exhaled. "Alright, alright. Since everyone's so passionate… I'll sing one more."
His eyes swept the audience, pausing briefly on Chen Xiaoxi. A small smile tugged at his lips.
"This one's called Little Apple."
The crowd exchanged puzzled laughter.
"Little Apple? What kind of name is that?"
But the moment the beat dropped—heavy drums and bright synths exploding from the speakers—everything changed.
Yichen's body began to move with the rhythm, steps light and sharp, his grin playful. His gaze swept the stadium as if to say—Get ready.
"I planted a seed,And it finally grew into fruit,Today's a glorious day…"
His voice was full of energy, every line bouncing with life.
"I'll pick the stars for you,Pull down the moon for you,Let the sun rise every day—Just for you."
By now, people were on their feet, clapping and dancing to the beat.
"You are my little, little apple,No matter how much I love you, it's never enough,Your rosy cheeks warm my heart,You light up my life like fire, fire, fire!"
The stadium erupted.Tens of thousands of voices joined in—singing, laughing, waving their arms, completely swept up in the moment.
Onstage, Yichen shone. His grin was radiant, his presence magnetic.
Down below, Xiaoxi couldn't look away. Her fingers drummed nervously against her knees as her heart raced to the rhythm.
Yue chuckled beside her. "This guy's unreal. One random song, and he turns the place upside down."
Xiaoxi didn't answer. She just nodded faintly, her eyes full of emotion.
She remembered how casually he used to hum this tune near her. Back then, he'd seemed so relaxed, so ordinary.But here, under the lights—He was electric.
"You are my little apple,How could I ever love you enough?Like the prettiest cloud in the sky,When spring comes and flowers bloom,Plant hope—and you'll reap love."
The final note echoed.Even after the music ended, the chorus of thousands carried on, their voices refusing to fade.
"Ahh…" Yichen rubbed his temples with a wry smile. "Guess that's enough for today."
When the noise finally died down, he grabbed the mic again.
"Alright, everyone! That's it for tonight. The teachers and staff have things to do—and you all need to eat!"
He grinned. "Starting this Saturday, I'll release one new song every day on major music platforms—until I hit two hundred. Stay tuned!"
He bowed deeply, shot a look at Xiaoxi and Yue, and bolted offstage toward the parking lot.
He had to run—Because if he didn't, that crowd might just chase him down.