Leon Chen felt terrible, completely lost about the situation. Even if the script had changed, someone should have informed him beforehand. If it was an oversight, then the student council was not as meticulous as rumored. But if it was intentional... they underestimated him, a top member of the Paranormal Investigation Club.
There was no time to think. Leon knew that any moment of hesitation on stage would lead to ridicule. His mind racing, he immediately continued from Yvonne Shi's line: "I have seen our mother's weakness, and I have seen her strength—on the charred ruins of the Old Summer Palace, I saw her weakness; on the valiant 'Zhiyuan' warship of Deng Shichang, I saw her strength!"
Yvonne was confused. According to the script, Leon should have said, "This is our shared mother, a country with a five-thousand-year history."
However, it was clear that Leon's impromptu changes made the speech more inspiring.
Yvonne thought Leon had improvised and smiled, "Let us all gather together for a better tomorrow! Let the moonlight carry our blessings, let the blessings carry our thoughts, and let our thoughts extend towards our homeland."
Leon's next line should have been, "Next, please enjoy the History Department's gift to our motherland, 'I Will Always Bless You.'"
After some training with Emma Su, Leon knew this was the time to announce the next program. However, he had no idea what the program was due to the last-minute change. So, he used a little trick, smiling warmly at Yvonne, "Shall we now invite the students who have prepared their blessings for our mother?"
Yvonne was momentarily stunned but quickly understood Leon's cue, smoothly saying, "The History Department's gift to our motherland, 'I Will Always Bless You'—please welcome them!"
The audience burst into applause.
Backstage, Leon was about to ask Yvonne what had happened when Emma Su approached.
"Why was the script different from what we rehearsed?" Emma Su frowned.
"A few minutes ago, Bob Chao said there was a last-minute change," Yvonne replied.
"Really? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"I don't know. No one informed me either," Leon said, raising his hands helplessly.
The two beauties stared at him in surprise.
"You didn't know? How did you manage to follow so smoothly?" Yvonne asked in amazement.
"I made it up on the spot."
Yvonne was stunned, saying, "You improvised better than the original script. Incredible." Emma praised Leon, and Yvonne suggested he should switch from Computer Science to hosting, given his flawless improvisation skills.
...
William Jiang was dumbfounded, finally shouting, "Second Brother? Didn't you say he'd embarrass himself?? How is he becoming more popular?!"
Jason He was also frustrated. Leon's improvisational skills were impressive.
"Did something go wrong?"
"No, Bob Chao watched Leon. No one informed him of the program change."
William was exasperated, unable to see any sign of Leon's ignorance during the announcement.
"Don't be impatient. You need to learn to stay calm," Jason He lectured.
"I can't be as composed as you, Second Brother. Seeing that guy makes me so angry. All the attention he's getting should be mine!" William gritted his teeth, convinced that all the applause and cheers Leon received were stolen from him.
"It's not over yet. He'll lose his momentum soon. I don't believe a commoner can continue to surprise us," Jason He said.
William felt a bit better hearing this.
...
The following programs went smoothly under Emma Su's supervision, with no more last-minute script changes.
H University, ranked among the top ten globally, not only excelled academically but also had an abundance of talent in the arts.
The subsequent performances included musicals, dances, cross-talk, aerobics, and more. Highlights included a hot dance performance from Class 3 of the Chinese Language and Literature Department, a guzheng solo "Guangling San" by a third-year senior, and a solo performance by the Student Council's Entertainment Minister, Bob Chao.
Bob's solo was particularly captivating, earning him a standing ovation for its emotional depth and passionate delivery.
At the end of the event, the hosts prepared to deliver the closing remarks, but Bob Chao suddenly suggested, "In this moment of celebration, shouldn't we invite our talented hosts to express their wishes for our motherland's birthday?"
"This is unexpected. We haven't prepared anything," Yvonne said, looking troubled.
"Such a lively occasion shouldn't end without something from the hosts. Let's give them a round of applause!" Bob Chao urged.
The students cheered in agreement.
What now?
Seeing Leon's troubled expression, William laughed, "Second Brother, this is brilliant. That guy has nothing to show. Let's see how he handles this."
"Singing won't be enough to impress," Jason He smirked.
The senior hosts performed a chorus of "Entering the New Era," and Yvonne did a solo dance "Flowing Clouds and Water." When it was Leon's turn, the audience's anticipation reached a peak. They expected something even more impressive from him.
Leon was distressed. Besides card tricks, he didn't have much to show. Was he supposed to perform card tricks in front of his classmates?
Seeing Leon's discomfort on stage, Bob Chao felt ecstatic, thinking, "You're not so talented now, are you? Let's see how you handle this." But his joy was cut short when he saw Emma Su's cold gaze, making him feel guilty and look away.
At that moment, Leon noticed Lily Lin backstage, holding up a bottle of mineral water, making an encouraging fist.
Leon immediately understood her suggestion—magic tricks? He smiled and said, "I'll perform a card magic trick for everyone."
"Card magic? We have members of the Magic Club here. Do you think we're kids?" William taunted, thrilled at the chance to embarrass Leon further.
Leon responded mysteriously, "Not a child's play. This trick has never been fully deciphered by any magician. Today, I'll unveil its secret and recreate this legendary effect!"
The previously disappointed students were now intrigued.
"I need three volunteers to help me with this amazing magic trick. To ensure there are no plants, please nominate three people yourselves."
The audience was hooked. A challenge to a trick that had stumped even master magicians? Their curiosity was piqued.