211: Who said I'm crazy?

Outside the Centennial Auditorium of Qingbei University, the night was sliced into fragments by searchlights.

The spectacle tonight was intimidatingly grand.

A red carpet stretched all the way from the auditorium entrance to the street curb outside the school gate.

Both sides were lined with special vehicles from various Provincial Writers Associations and the media.

The National Television Station's broadcast truck lurked in a corner, its thick black cables coiling like snakes.

One could even smell a hint of gunpowder in the air.

It was the heat generated by the friction of hundreds of media outlets' cameras and lenses.

It was also the almost tangible voyeuristic desire projected by hundreds of millions of viewers across the internet through their screens.

The perimeter of the auditorium.

A black business van slowly came to a halt.

The door slid open, and the sound of shutters joined into a dense storm, swallowing the original noise.

"He's here!"

"It's him, it's him!"

"Quick, quick, quick!"

Countless flashes went off simultaneously, tearing the night apart like broad daylight.

Someone shouted, and the reporters, whose eyes were already bloodshot from waiting, shouldered their cameras.

Holding microphones covered in various station logos, they ignored the security guards' obstruction and surged frantically toward the car door.

The flashes formed a wall of white light, so piercing that it was impossible to keep one's eyes open.

As soon as Lin Que stepped onto the red carpet with one foot, countless sharp questions rained down on him.

"Student Lin, some critics believe that submitting your paper early undermines the seriousness of the competition. Is this a form of silent protest from you?"

"Experts point out that high-intensity creation might trigger a psychological compensation response. The public is very concerned—is your current state suitable for continuing to participate in public activities?"

"As a highly anticipated double premium selection, if the final result falls far short of expectations, are you prepared to face your readers?"

The microphones were almost shoved right up to Lin Que's nose.

Each question was more biting than the last; this wasn't an interview, it was like a trial.

What they needed wasn't an answer, but to capture the hysterical, ugly state of a falling genius to make tomorrow's headlines even more explosive.

Lin Que narrowed his eyes slightly, just about to speak.

Suddenly, a chubby figure darted out from behind, spreading his arms to block the way in front of him.

"Stop filming! Everyone, stop filming!"

Chen Jiahao's massive frame squeezed forward, standing before Lin Que like a wall.

His hands waved wildly, trying to block the ubiquitous lenses.

"Excuse me, let us through!"

He was covered in sweat, yet he still stiffened his neck and shouted:

"Can you let the contestant enter first? Can't you wait for the results to come out before asking questions? Stop pushing!"

Looking at the broad back blocking him, Lin Que couldn't help but raise a hand to rub his brow.

Does this fat guy think the current misunderstanding isn't deep enough?

As expected, the sound of shutters around them became even more frequent.

In the eyes of these reporters, Chen Jiahao's clumsy attempt at protection was practically a smoking gun!

"It seems the rumors are true."

"Sigh... what a pity."

The reporters exchanged looks, their eyes gleaming with the excitement of capturing material for a tragedy.

Just then.

A slender, powerful hand was gently placed on Chen Jiahao's trembling shoulder.

"Hey, handsome."

The voice wasn't loud, yet it carried an irresistible calmness.

Chen Jiahao was taken aback; before he could react, he was pulled behind by a gentle force.

Lin Que stepped forward.

Facing the lenses almost shoved in his face, Lin Que neither covered his face nor looked angry.

With one hand in his pocket, his gaze swept over the heads of the crowd.

That nonchalant attitude actually caused the boiling encirclement to freeze for a moment.

"Everyone, I think there might be some misunderstandings."

Lin Que's gaze swept over the female reporter who had asked the most aggressive questions, his tone calm:

"I've been sleeping very well at the hotel these past few days. I don't have any mental issues, nor do I need so-called expert intervention."

"As for why I left early..."

He paused and raised a hand to adjust his cuff, which wasn't even messy:

"The reason is simple. The story was finished, so naturally, it was time to leave. Being indecisive is not my style."

The whole place went silent for a moment, then erupted into even louder chatter.

"The story is finished? Finishing a grand architecture in twenty-eight hours?"

"He's been overstimulated and has started talking nonsense, right?"

Ignoring those skeptical looks, Lin Que added another sentence:

"Also, I was indeed hungry at the time. The food provided at the examination hall really didn't suit my taste."

After speaking, he nodded politely and raised his foot to leave.

To the media, these words were a classic case of stubbornness, a manifestation of abnormal mental excitement.

The reporters weren't about to let this opportunity go and continued their blockade.

"Move!"

A cold shout rang out.

Shen Qingqiu walked over with a cold face.

The Special-grade teacher's aura was in full force now, using that unique pressure of a headteacher to tear a hole through the wall of people.

"The awards ceremony is about to begin. This is a national-level competition. If the entry is delayed, who among you can take responsibility?"

The security personnel finally reacted as well.

Building a human wall, they escorted Lin Que and the others toward the auditorium doors.

Just as Lin Que was about to step onto the stairs.

A massive commotion suddenly erupted from the crowd at the end of the red carpet.

The media that had been surrounding Lin Que were instantly drawn away like magnets, all turning and surging backward.

"He's here! It's Xu Changge!"

A black Hongqi sedan with a Jing-A license plate slowly came to a stop.

The door opened, and Xu Changge stepped out.

As the door opened, a foot wearing multi-layered cloth shoes touched the ground.

Xu Changge was dressed in a white Tang suit with a subtle pattern, his stand-up collar and frog buttons perfectly neat.

He didn't need to speak; the aura of tranquility radiating from his bones caused the surrounding heat to drop several degrees.

Compared to Lin Que, who was just trapped in a whirlpool of public opinion and besieged by doubts.

Xu Changge at this moment was like the favored son of heaven, surrounded by admirers.

"Student Xu, Student Xu! Please talk briefly about your final work!"

"Young Master Xu, what are your thoughts on your opponent withdrawing more than forty hours early this time?"

"Are you confident about winning the championship this time?"

All lenses were aimed at him, everyone expecting this championship seed to mock that "deserter."

However, Xu Changge ignored the microphones shoved toward his mouth.

Standing in the middle of the red carpet, his gaze pierced through the layers of the crowd.

Passing through the noise and vanity, it accurately locked onto the deep blue back standing on the steps.

It was Lin Que.

Xu Changge pushed aside a reporter blocking him and, without pausing for a second, walked straight toward Lin Que.

The atmosphere on the scene instantly tightened to the limit.

"Are they going to start a fight?!"

"This is Mars colliding with Earth!"

"Hurry up and grab a front-row spot; this will definitely be tomorrow's headline!"

Chen Jiahao's Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, and he instinctively wanted to step aside to shield Lin Que behind him.

The aura of the Crown Prince of the Beijing Circle was too strong; he feared the other would truly embarrass Lin Que in public.

Lin Que stopped and turned around.

Separated by three meters, the two locked eyes.

One in white, one in blue; one still, one moving.

One was a gentle gentleman nurtured by the heritage of the capital, the other a reserved monster raised in the misty rain of Su Province.

Xu Changge stared at Lin Que, without a trace of arrogance in his eyes; instead, a fire was burning.

It was the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent, and even more, an extreme thirst for some unknown truth.

He walked up to Lin Que and stood still.

The whole audience held its breath.

Even the sound of shutters stopped; everyone was waiting for him to say that insulting line.

Xu Changge suddenly moved.

He folded his hands and bowed slightly.

Performing a standard Peer salute toward Lin Que that belonged only to literati.

"Lin Que."

Xu Changge straightened up, those eyes that were usually calm and unruffled.

Now staring intently at Lin Que, his voice sounded somewhat low as he suppressed some emotion:

"I'm very curious."

"You, who left after only twenty-eight hours... what kind of wall did you see?"

Lin Que's eyebrow twitched slightly.

Xu Changge was silent for two seconds before speaking:

"Before I left, my grandfather locked himself in the study.

He said that my wall is covered with the moss of time, while your wall..."

He stepped half a pace closer, every word carrying immense weight:

"Is covered in blood."

...