Chapter 8: Each Showing Off Their Talents

  Finally, the first round of the poetry and song competition opened in Tianba's words.

  "Geniuses and beauties who are taking the exam, please write a poem, lyrics or prose within three minutes based on the topic you have received."

  Nor did we see how he acted, but hundreds of millions of contestants like us only felt a beam of light entering our brain, and everyone knew their own topic.

  The topic I got is: Write a poem, lyrics or prose with the theme of your love for the opposite sex. At this time, I thought... actually never had a romantic relationship, this topic seems not that simple, but had a crush on a girl, and suddenly had an idea.

  My brother got the topic: The youth of a person is so precious, please write a poem with the theme of "Youth Struggle". This topic was really to my brother's taste, and he immediately had inspiration.

  Three minutes later, Tianba urged:

  "Time's up, please present your masterpieces immediately."

  My brother and I went on stage to hand in our work, and then more than a hundred people handed theirs in one after another. Among them was a particularly eye-catching little girl who also handed in a copy. As soon as she appeared, she attracted me, not because she was beautiful, but because the feeling she gave me was so strange, with a sense of familiarity. I shook my head hard, clearly having never seen her before!

  She couldn't help but glance at me again, as if she had found someone staring at her with a strange gaze. She looked at me, furrowed her beautiful eyebrows in confusion. I quickly gave her a slight smile, showing eight silver-white teeth (six upper teeth and two lower teeth), showing friendliness. She understood that I didn't have any malicious intentions and responded with a sweet smile, lightly stepped down from the stage. But her smiling face was deeply imprinted on my mind, of course, it couldn't be considered as missing someone.

  "Is that all?" The host asked hopefully, thinking to himself that there should be more, since this year's participants in the competition were the highest ever. And indeed, another dozen or so children handed in their work.

  Tian Ba was still not satisfied, he thought to himself that he couldn't let this talented young man slip away. In recent years, the war had lacked a military strategist, and they had suffered some losses. Most of the academies didn't understand the importance of strategists, stubbornly adhering to dead theories. He could take advantage of this situation, recruit some good talent, expand his academy's reputation, and show off his wisdom in front of those old guys later on. As he thought about it, he almost burst out laughing, fortunately, he was usually very calm and composed, so he didn't laugh out loud. All that could be seen was him clearing his throat, then loudly saying:

  "Ask for the last time, is there any more?" Another five or six echoed up.

  At this time, I saw that many children's papers were still blank, and a few people had written halfway... They cried with sad faces, because the test questions changed every year, and their preparation was in vain.

  The host spoke with some disappointment:

  "Since it's over, let's proceed to the second round of competition, which is to come on stage and read your works. The audience will think that the good ones will be explained in the third round. Those who didn't finish in the first round are eliminated."

  He asked in his gentle voice:

  "The ancients said, 'Do not dare to be the first in the world.' However, we do not need such talents now. We need people who dare to be the first in the world. Who will be the first to take the stage and be the first to eat the crab?"

  My brother was the first to stand up and confidently yet humbly said:

  "Let me try, just as a brick attracts jade."

  The host's eyes lit up and nodded in approval.

  Only a robust young man walked onto the stage with an air of elegance, his masculine aura was overwhelming, and his handsome face had a smile that could melt everything. He respectfully accepted his work and said in a loud and clear voice:

  "Happy New Year everyone! My name is Ren Yiri, and below I will recite my work for you:"

  Ode to Youth

  Time has taken a speedy boat on the flowing water, leaving behind memories of its mark, making those who are sentimental sigh ceaselessly.

  A person's life begins and ends at home, human relationships and reason follow memories of kindness and thought.

  There are people who pursue their dreams with all their heart, allowing their body and mind to be at peace in the vast world.

  My heart is full of joy but words are insufficient to express it all.

  Those who know life have high experience.

  Flowers bloom and attract bees and butterflies, stars move around the sun and moon.

  Mengde's poem is magnificent, Kongming's tears are on the memorial tablet.

  Life is not about rushing to death, but about making the process beautiful.

  The spring gushes out at all times, and achievements rise step by step!

  Gao Zi had just finished reading, and the audience erupted into applause. The crowd cheered and whistled, with some girls even batting their eyelashes. The host nodded his head in approval, and my brother said "thank you everyone" before walking off the stage. Tian Ba exclaimed passionately: "Ren Yi Yue's work has brought about a warm round of applause, are you moved too? What are you hesitating for? Who's next?"

  I was just about to go up, and I saw a slender figure also moving, it was her, so I stopped my footsteps and sat back down. When she got on stage, the host smiled with a mixture of affection and relief. Although he hid it well, I still caught it as I was closely watching the girl, but I didn't pay much attention to it. What I cared most about was what the girl's name was and what kind of surprise she would bring.

  At last I got what I wanted, and all I could hear was her voice as sweet as a skylark's, introducing herself to me.

  "Hello everyone, I'm Tian Jiao Mei, and I'd like to wish you all a happy new year! My work is 'The Hero's Song'."

  As I listened to this, I fell into a brief daze and entered an imaginative state, vaguely hearing a neutral voice reciting:

  ……

  Eat your own rice, sweat your own sweat, rely on heaven and earth, not a good man!

  Because I was imagining this wonderful name, I didn't notice listening to the front, and just heard the last sentence. My brother and I were both stunned: Really? Is she also a crosser?

  For a moment, I was suddenly dazed, until the third person, that is, our village's Dai Yijiang's "Jiang Ping" last sentence:

  ……

  Wealth and rank are not what I desire; but I wish for the people's peace and tranquility.

  After finishing, applause fell, my brother lightly pushed me, and I hurried to run onto the stage, made a bow, and introduced myself.

  "My name is Yiyue Ren, and my work is 'Love of Water - Devotion'"

  Spring water is clear and bright, the sun shines high, a dream of pure love is foretold.

  True feelings are like spring bamboo shoots, emerging in the morning dew, and after the rain, they burst forth one after another.

  The water flows gently, the wind blows softly, a tree with lush flowers competes in beauty.

  The quail calls, spring insects make noise, and the riverbank is full of pampas grass.

  ★★

  The wind is gentle, the rain is drifting, and youth is carefree.

  The heart is too proud, and the air is arrogant; among the three thousand weak waters, only one scoop is taken.

  Soaking in a hot spring, bathing is good, pure water quietly cleanses the mind and body.

  Heart still proud, spirit still arrogant, fate arrives unwilling to escape.

  When I finished reading, the whole room was silent. Who would have thought that a child under ten years old could write such deep and devoted words? Most people at this age are still naive! They wouldn't know that I'm actually over twenty years old. I smiled secretly: Hehe, just guess, how would they know that there's a mature soul living in a child's body.

  Until Tianba let out a loud cough, everyone came back to their senses, followed by thunderous applause. The young talents who were about to go on stage no longer went up, thinking: I'm not going to humiliate myself, all the previous poems were great!

  Some self-comforted and hummed: "Hmph, what's the big deal? Here, strength is still supreme, and the one with the bigger fist is the real boss."

  They thought it was good, but did we not have the power? Moreover, wisdom is often the most terrifying thing. It's a pity that there are no strategists who can win from a thousand miles away! It seems that in this world, such strategists are indeed rare.

  Tianba was unhappy and thought: If I don't go on stage, how can I implement my Talents Strong School plan? So he encouraged him:

  "Anyone who gets on stage can pass the first round, come on, young man! Prove your abilities to me!"

  Next came a bunch of kids, about ten or so, who walked up on stage one after another. The poems weren't great and I didn't pay much attention to them either.