Chapter 160: A Grand Confession

During the vibrant season of youth, every single one of us is the protagonist. In our reckless and passionate youth, amidst those mottled years, we performed our own joys, intoxicating happiness, as well as those inexplicable emotions and heartbreak of first love.

Wang Tao sat in Wang Yuqing’s seat, resting his chin in his hands, staring blankly at Kang Yan beside him.

"Hey, didn't you want to ask me a question about the assignment?" Seeing Wang Tao’s dazed expression, Kang Yan picked up her pen and tapped him gently on the forehead a few times. This guy had insisted he needed help with his studies and practically forced Wang Yuqing to swap seats with him, yet more than ten minutes had passed without him uttering a single word.

"Oh, oh, right, right! It's this parabola problem I don't understand. Could you explain it to me?" Wang Tao snapped out of his trance as if waking from a dream, pointing at the test paper in front of Kang Yan.

"Pfft, Wang Tao, are you alright? What I'm working on here is a math test paper—there's no such thing as a parabola on here; this isn't a physics exam!" Hearing Wang Tao's question, Kang Yan couldn't help covering her mouth and giggling.

"Uh... hehe. I..." Wang Tao wore an expression of utter embarrassment.

"Say, Wang Tao, haven't you noticed that everyone in our class has been acting a bit strange lately? Every time they look at me, their gazes carry something unusual. And on my way back to the dormitory, so many people look at me with that exact same expression, and some even smile at me for no apparent reason," Kang Yan asked Wang Tao.

"Not really. I think they're all acting completely normal, Kang Yan. Maybe you're just too tired lately. Get some rest and you'll feel better; don't overthink it," Wang Tao replied with a guilty conscience. Of course he knew why everyone was looking at Kang Yan like that. In the span of just two days, Lin Xudong and his friends had successfully notified almost every single student. Moreover, under the invitations, coercion, or enticements of Innovation High School celebrities like Xiao Lin, Wang Yuqing, Chai Yuan, Gao Zheng, Tan Linlin, and others, all the notified students had pledged their full cooperation. Naturally, when these students saw Kang Yan, they would wear inexplicable smiles. Of course, there were a few people who hadn't been notified, such as Meng Ranran and Sun Feifei's crowd.

"Thud." Just then, a crumpled paper ball flew from behind Wang Tao and landed squarely in front of him. Seeing the paper ball, Wang Tao immediately grabbed it and clenched it in his fist. Then, taking advantage of the moment when Kang Yan wasn't paying attention, he stealthily unfolded it and took a peek. The note read:

"It is now five-fifteen in the afternoon. The plan will commence in two hours. Right after school, follow Lin Xudong immediately to prepare for the final sprint. Liu Na will be responsible for stalling Kang Yan."

Reading the words on the note, Wang Tao’s heart could no longer remain calm. A confession—was it finally about to begin?

"Ring, ring." The end-of-school bell echoed across the campus. Wang Tao sprang to his feet with a start and immediately followed Lin Xudong out of the classroom.

Kang Yan briefly tidied up her books, intending to head to the study hall. However, before she could move, Liu Na by her side hastily chimed in.

"Kang Yan, Kang Yan, wait for me a second! I haven't finished packing yet."

"Alright, hurry up," Kang Yan sat back down.

Meanwhile, students from every grade pouring out of their classrooms were instinctively heading in a single direction: the school playground.

By this time, a circular stage measuring a dozen square meters had already been erected in the center of the playground. A group of people had gathered in front of the stage, prominently featuring Lin Xudong and his crew, though tonight's main protagonist, Wang Tao, was conspicuously absent.

"We have half an hour left. Everyone, start executing the plan according to our established strategy!" Lin Xudong first handed a walkie-talkie to each person before shouting loudly.

"All students who have arrived at the playground, listen up! Form up strictly in the formations we rehearsed earlier. Team leaders, keep your people in line. Later on, the fireworks will be the signal—don't mess anything up, or else I'll personally tear you apart!" Holding a megaphone, Tan Linlin bellowed at the top of her lungs. As her voice trailed off, everyone on the playground involuntarily shivered. What a fierce and formidable tomboy she truly was.

More than four thousand students had arrived at the playground, divided into numerous phalanxes. The leader of each phalanx was a student cadre. Under their guidance, the four thousand-plus students each found their respective formations, and everything proceeded in an orderly fashion. As time passed, the darkness gradually descended, swallowing the entire playground whole. The noisy playground fell silent in an instant, and the students remained quietly in place, where the only sound they could hear was the rhythm of each other's breathing.

Lin Xudong counted down silently in his heart: three, two, one. Begin.

"Whoosh." Every single light at Innovation High School suddenly cut out, and the campus was plunged into pitch darkness in a fraction of a second. The school electricians, dormitory supervisors, cleaners, technicians, and maintenance staff had all remained silent; they had received prior notice that the school would experience a power outage for a few hours. Meanwhile, the school's senior administrators had all been invited to a hotel by Gao Zheng. At that very moment, they were dining and drinking inside the banquet hall, completely oblivious to everything happening back at the school.

At the moment of the blackout, Kang Yan and Liu Na had just stepped onto the staircase of the teaching building. Suddenly, the entire school was plunged into darkness, eliciting an involuntary gasp of surprise from Kang Yan.

"Liu Na, why did the power suddenly go out? Liu Na? Liu Na?" Kang Yan called out several times in succession, but received no response from Liu Na. Following the blackout, Liu Na had already slipped away without a sound.

Just as Kang Yan was gripped by panic and unease, an arched gateway suddenly appeared at the entrance of the playground. This archway radiated a soft red glow, with some of the light coalescing into glowing floral patterns that stood out strikingly against the night. Unable to control her own footsteps, Kang Yan walked toward that arched gate. A few minutes later, she reached the entrance. Gazing at the exceptionally beautiful archway before her, she instinctively reached out her hand to touch it. At that exact moment, a one-meter-wide path materialized behind the archway. Long glowing light sticks lined both sides of the path, emitting prismatic multi-colored lights in the dark night and making the pathway look dreamlike and surreal. Following the path a dozen meters ahead, Kang Yan caught sight of a flight of stairs glowing with an amber light.

Kang Yan rubbed her eyes. Am I dreaming? she asked herself quietly in her heart. She pinched herself and felt the sharp sting at the spot; it was no dream. Gathering her composure, she stepped onto the pathway and walked forward. Reaching the base of the stairs, she instinctively paused. Are these stairs even real? she wondered. Gingerly, she tested the step with her foot and found it solid. Encouraged, she placed her other foot up as well. The very instant her foot landed, music suddenly swelled around her—a melody Kang Yan knew by heart, her absolute favorite, "Eternal Kiss." Immediately afterward, the space before her lit up brilliantly, revealing a circular stage blanketed entirely in fiery red roses. Bathed in the beam of a spotlight, these roses emitted a mesmerizing, blush-red glow.

At that moment, a figure suddenly materialized on the stage. Puzzled, Kang Yan stepped onto the platform and peered closely to get a better look. She realized the silhouette was immensely familiar, yet standing with its back turned, concealing its face.

"Who are you?" Kang Yan asked the figure softly.

"There was a boy who fell deeply in love with a girl the very first time he saw her. Every day, he would watch her from afar with bated breath—watching her cry, watching her laugh, watching her retreating back, watching her laugh and play with others. Those were the most precious memories of his life. Yet, he never dared to voice his feelings, until the day the girl told him she was leaving for America. In that instant, he felt his entire world collapse. His youth consisted of this single girl; she was his entire world, his every sustenance. But now, she was about to leave him. And so, he found his courage. He would boldly speak his love aloud, ensuring his youth would know no regrets," resounded a booming, uniquely magnetic male voice.

At that moment, Kang Yan watched as the figure on the stage slowly turned around. Filling her vision was a face she knew better than anyone else in the world.

"Wang Tao!" Kang Yan cried out in astonishment.

"Kang Yan, I am that boy. Now, I want to tell you loudly: I... like... you," Wang Tao shouted passionately. As his voice faded, a barrage of fireworks shot skyward around the stage, and the entire playground erupted in a frenzy. More than four thousand students pulled small glowing light sticks from their pockets, raising them high into the air. The radiance from the thousands of glow sticks formed nine massive characters: "Accept him! Let youth know no regrets."

"That moment, I raised the prayer flags—not to beg for blessings, but simply to await your arrival.

That day, closing my eyes amidst the temple's incense smoke, I suddenly heard the true mantra within your chanting.

That month, I spun every prayer wheel—not for salvation, but merely to brush your fingertips.

That year, I prostrated myself along the mountain paths through ritual kowtows—not for an audience, but just to draw close to your warmth.

That lifetime, I circled mountains, rivers, and stupas—not to cultivate the next life, but solely to cross paths with you along the journey."

Wang Yuqing and Chai Yuan, flanked by six others, stood below the stage, reciting these verses from Tsangyang Gyatso in melodic cadence.

"Will you accept me?" Wang Tao suddenly dropped to one knee, extending his right hand toward Kang Yan.

Tears were already streaming down Kang Yan's face. Deep in her heart, she had always harbored a single wish: that when she felt most lost and vulnerable, a man would appear before her and confess his love in the most romantic way imaginable. Now, her wish had come true. Before such a romantic scene, offered by a man who treated her so tenderly, did she have any reason to refuse?

Kang Yan stepped forward, extended her right hand, and grasped Wang Tao's hand tightly. Her voice choked with emotion, she answered, "I do, I'm willing..."

"Kang Yan, I will make you happy," Wang Tao murmured tightly, pulling her into a fierce embrace.

"Mm... I know," Kang Yan wrapped her arms around Wang Tao just as tightly.

"The girl said yes!" boomed a resonant, magnetic voice—it was Xiao Lin.

"Woohoo! Woohoo!" Deafening cheers instantly shook the playground. Fireworks soared into the sky once more, while a group of handsome young men and gorgeous young women formed a circle around the stage and began to dance—friends Lin Anni had specially invited from her own school to join the celebration. Swept up in their enthusiasm, numerous other students rushed in to join the revelry. For a time, the playground was ablaze with light and fireworks, as these young boys and girls freely poured out the passions of their youth in an unforgettable banquet dedicated to youth itself.