Dubian Che ultimately did not go up.

Jiutiao Meijie asked him why, and he replied that he did not need to be first in everything.

"It's just the money that's too little," Kiyono Lin exposed him.

"Meijie, don't believe her."

"It's better not to go up anyway. As Jiutiao's son-in-law, there is utterly no need to compete with these people," Jiutiao Meijie had a sense of superiority.

"Whose son-in-law isn't certain yet," Kiyono Lin reminded her.

"There are many people here, shh!" Dubian Che quickly stopped the emerging conflict.

When the two lovely girls from the Rakugo Department awkwardly performed their comic dialogue, the six members of "The End of the World and the Cold Fairyland" arrived at the second floor of the gymnasium.

"Please hurry and change your clothes, there are only twenty minutes left before you go on stage," Kiyono Lin instructed firmly.

Kiyono Lin was speaking to Dubian Che and the others, but at that moment, everyone backstage listened quietly.

The girls entered the dressing room, and Dubian Che and Ichiki Aoi briefly waited outside.

"Mr. Dubian, it's about to start, where are you going?" Ichiki Aoi asked Dubian Che as he walked away.

"I'll be right back."

Dubian Che sought Ayane Kumi, who was still backstage—the Wind Instrument Club needed to provide music for many clubs.

"Ayane," Dubian Che found her among a group of girls 'peeking at the Rakugo Department's performance on stage.'

"Ah! Mr. Dubian?!" Ayane Kumi was startled, "What's the matter?"

Dubian Che glanced at the girls sneaking peeks at him and said, "Let's talk somewhere else."

"Oh, okay," Ayane Kumi was a bit puzzled.

The two of them went to the staircase between the first and second floors.

"I'm very sorry," Dubian Che began, "It's about Yuzao Haomei."

"Haomei? What's wrong?"

"Today, she came to ask me why I recommended her, but then it turned into her asking me what a Minister should do. I told her to 'first remember the names of all the members of the Wind Instrument Club.'"

"Hmm, and then?" Ayane Kumi asked gently.

It was hard to tell if her personality was gentle since her voice was naturally tender.

"What I said, doesn't it sound like I meant 'the next Minister will definitely be you'?"

Ayane Kumi tapped her cheek with her finger, pondering, "Indeed, most people would take it that way."

"So..."

"So?" Ayane Kumi tilted her head looking at him.

"So..."

"So?" Ayane Kumi tilted her head the other way.

Dubian Che realized that Ayane Kumi actually loved to tease, maybe she liked him?

Taking advantage of someone who likes you is very convenient; a few words can get them to help.

Originally, Dubian Che planned to plead with her, but now he changed his mind, choosing a method that maintained distance between them.

"If Ayane could get Yuzao Haomei to take the Minister's position, I will continue to coach the Wind Instrument Club next year. I have also gone through the trouble of asking for Kiyono's help."

Turning a request into a transaction.

"Um—" Ayane Kumi had no idea Dubian Che had thought so much in that instant, "Alright."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, after all, we were the only two members of the duet club," Ayane Kumi said with a smile.

"Really? I forgot."

"Gosh, I need to think over the Minister thing."

Dubian Che was about to speak when suddenly there was a loud thunderclap, and the lights in the gym flickered several times.

"Ah!" Ayane Kumi was startled.

"Let's head back."

"Yes, let's."

The two returned to the second floor. Ichiki Aoi was nowhere to be seen, just as Xiaoquan Aonai waved at Dubian Che to come in.

Everyone had already changed their clothes.

"Hurry up," Kiyono Lin said to him.

Dubian Che took his clothes and entered a small compartment, changing into that refined devil suit.

Jiutiao Meijie glanced at him, walked up to him, and adjusted his shirt collar.

Since it was a devil, the collar was somewhat rakish.

"Is your carelessness supposed to make it look like this?" Jiutiao Meijie remarked sarcastically while adjusting his aesthetic.

"That's about right."

Jiutiao Meijie lifted her hand and slapped Dubian Che's extended hand away, making him obediently stand still while she fixed his collar.

"The Human Observation Department, it's almost your turn!" A girl from the Executive Committee poked her head in and said.

"It's starting," Ichiki Aoi's face was pale, her voice trembling, and the sound of her heart beating was getting louder.

Although she had experience in the Wind Instrument Club where nervousness was limited to fifty-five people simultaneously,

a stage play had at most three people on stage at a time, and there were moments she was alone speaking.

The more she thought, the blanker her mind became, what was the first line again? What about the expression? What was the character feeling?

Xiaoquan Aonai forced a smile, she was very nervous too.

Kiyono Lin looked at them and said,

"No matter how many spectators are currently in the audience, perform to your utmost limit. All these days of effort, in any case, have to leave an impression on every spectator by the end of this play."

"Yes!"

"Alright!"

Dubian Che's heart was also pounding.

At this point, how could a man flee the fight!

Now, only by burning the boats could he, regardless of the outcome, keep moving forward and hope to reach the life he desired.

Dubian Che took a deep breath, gradually calming his heartbeat.

◇

The stage was set, Jiutiao Meijie was ready.

"Next, we present the Human Observation Department's play—'The End of the World and the Cold Fairyland.' Please enjoy!"

The curtain to the world's end slowly opened amidst the tempest, with lightning flashing and thunder roaring.

◇

This is the story of a girl who sought the Immortal Realm and was abandoned by it.

The girl packed her luggage, humming a song happily.

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