"Dear students, esteemed teachers, and... "
With an opening remark from the host, the graduation ceremony began.
Next came the warm-up performances...
A prologue with operatic vocals, singing of youth, revealing inheritance.
At the climax, the entire venue joined in song, their voices soaring to the heavens.
After the performances, it was time for the principal's speech.
"The campus in June..."
"...No matter how reluctant we are, eagles must eventually fly. Here, I hope... through the crucible of time, true gold is revealed. So, dear students, please continue to work hard..."
The principal's brief speech of a few minutes transported everyone back to that summer, to the opening ceremony.
However, one was a requirement, and the other was a hope, with only that genuine sentiment remaining unchanged in their words.
"Thank you... Next, we invite the student representative, Qiu Xi, to the stage to speak."
The oversized academic gown did not conceal the girl's temperament; instead, it added a touch of scholarly grace.
"Teachers, students..."
Every gesture and movement revealed her excellence.
"...Since you have chosen, then focus on striving through starry nights and enduring wind and rain."
"..."
"Alright, thank you, senior Qiu Xi, for your speech."
"Next, we invite the representative from the School of Finance and... Nan Hua to the stage to speak."
"!!!"
"Why is Nan Hua going up too?"
"I don't know. Qiu Xi didn't mention him earlier. This is really a bit of a surprise..."
Song Daiyao and her friends, sitting below, were stunned when they heard Nan Hua's name.
This couple was truly... even at the graduation ceremony, they had to be paired up...
In fact, it wasn't just Song Daiyao and her friends; even Qiu Xi herself was a little surprised when she heard Nan Hua's name on her way down from the stage.
It wasn't surprise at why he was also speaking, but surprise that this man hadn't told her about it.
She remembered complaining to him about it a few days ago when she was writing her speech...
Who knew this man would already be on stage...
"Ah~"
"The way they looked at each other, they really look like a couple~"
Someone in the audience, seeing Qiu Xi and Nan Hua, was quietly excited.
"..."
"You're behind on the news. They're quite famous figures in our school. They're already a couple!" Someone nearby was giving them the scoop.
"Really!"
"They're so perfect for each other!"
"Indeed~"
...
"Although it's a little unexpected, they do look like a perfect match now~"
Song Daiyao watched Nan Hua in front and playfully teased Liang Yunfei and the others.
"Right!" the other two agreed with a smile.
At this moment, they remembered.
At the opening ceremony when they first enrolled in their freshman year, Nan Hua was the one on stage. They had even discussed it together back then.
Who would have thought that four years later, at the graduation ceremony, this person would be coupled up.
Although it was a bit dramatic, one had to admit that fate was indeed marvelous~
Meanwhile, Nan Hua's speech on stage had reached its conclusion.
"...May we meet again in the next journey of mountains and seas."
"Clap clap clap~"
After the speech.
Not long after the speeches, it was time for the awards ceremony.
"Next, please have those whose names are called come to the front..."
As soon as the host finished speaking, the people who had entered earlier and were seated in the front rows all walked up.
Nan Hua was walking at the back. For some reason, after everyone had taken their positions, those sitting below realized that the two speakers had coincidentally ended up standing together, right in the center of the group.
"Click~"
Song Daiyao and the other two, as well as Qiu Xi's parents, diligently took photos of the moment.
Qiu's father looked at the photos on his camera and murmured with a smile, "My daughter is so beautiful, and so outstanding~"
"This scoundrel is really lucky!"
"..."
Nan Hua wasn't bad either, you know...
Unfortunately, at this moment, Qiu's father's mind was filled only with his beautiful and outstanding daughter.
When Qiu Xi came down with her certificate, she walked beside Nan Hua.
"Ah Hua, why didn't you tell me you were speaking too a couple of days ago?" Qiu Xi was still thinking about it.
"Well, I wanted to give you a surprise." Nan Hua hooked his lips, his mood very good.
Seeing them as a couple, even their award photo had them standing next to each other, it was clear they were a pair, perfectly matched.
Just thinking about seeing beautiful and well-matched photos of them after the ceremony made her happy.
Qiu Xi, "..."
More surprise than joy...
"Alright, I have to go. After the ceremony ends, don't leave. Bring Aunt Chu with you, and we'll go out for a meal together."
Qiu Xi thought that Nan Hua's family had also come, so it would be good to include them.
Since they weren't strangers anymore, it didn't matter if they were together.
"Okay, that's fine." Nan Hua nodded.
Only his mother, Ms. Chu, was free today, so she came alone.
"Okay, then it's settled for now. We'll see each other after it's over."
"Okay."
After they finished speaking, they returned to their seats below.
"Little Xi, when Nan Hua was about to go up, why didn't you tell us?"
As soon as Qiu Xi came down, Song Daiyao and the others asked her.
"..."
"To be honest, I only found out just now..." Qiu Xi shook her head helplessly.
"Alright."
"But seriously, the way you two came out really gave us all a lot to imagine~"
Indeed, they looked so perfectly matched, it was pleasing to see.
"Okay, no more discussion. The final ceremony is about to begin."
"Mm."
The four of them quieted down, waiting to go up.
"Next, the School of Foreign Languages..."
After several batches of people had gone, it was finally Qiu Xi's turn.
They walked up one by one, received two certificates from the principal (though it was just a cover at the moment...), then stood obediently in front of the principal, bowing their heads slightly, waiting for those wise hands to move the tassel from right to left.
The grown children had achieved their learning and were ready to spread their wings and fly.
"Thank you, Principal."
Then they stood up, holding their certificates, and smiled with the principal for photos.
After all the ceremonies were completed, they exited from another side.
...
"...Thank you, everyone!"
As the music played again, it was time for everyone to leave.
Accompanied by the music, the crowd gradually dispersed.
"Dad, Mom, Master, here."
Qiu Xi went to find her family of three immediately after the ceremony ended.
"Little Xi~"
"I took all your photos. You can look at them slowly when we get back."
Qiu Xi smiled obediently upon hearing this, "Okay~"
"Thank you, Dad~"
"Cough cough~"
"And Mom and Master, thank you~"
"Mm, good."
"Can we leave now?"
Qiu Xi nodded, "Yes."
"But we still need to take some more photos. Dad, Mom, do you want to join us?"
"If you're tired, you can go rest with Ah Hua's mother for a while. We'll find you at lunch."
They had already taken photos of their dorm mates earlier, but today was a bit different. They planned to take a couple more, and she also wanted to take some more photos with Nan Hua.
As for why she wasn't inviting her Master, she was still a bit unaccustomed to having to take him to Teacher Ding later.
"Little Xi, we're not tired. Mom and Dad want to take photos with you."
"Is that so... Then Master, why don't you take a couple of photos with me first, and then I'll take you to see Teacher Ding?" Qiu Xi said, turning to look at her Master.
Du Bin nodded, "Okay, let's take photos and then go."
"Okay."
After they had made arrangements, Qiu Xi went to find her dorm mates and also sent a message to Nan Hua asking everyone to gather at the entrance.
Nan Hua replied, telling them to go ahead, as he had something to attend to and would join them later.
Seeing this, Qiu Xi decided not to wait. She still had to hand her Master over to Teacher Ding later, so it was better to finish this matter first.
Thus, the group prepared to leave ahead of time.
...
"Senior Qiu, wait."
"Hmm?" Hearing the voice, Qiu Xi was a little puzzled. Was someone calling her?
"Senior Qiu Xi, over here."
Alright, someone was indeed calling her.