Drama Queen Reborn as a Top Student!-Chapter 657 - 259 Intersection

After the New Year’s holiday, everyone began returning to school.

During the holiday, nobody stayed idle. The school forum was flooded with new posts, and discussions were going wild.

The focus of the discussions largely revolved around two main topics.

The first was Shen You’an’s stunning solo piano performance at the New Year’s Eve gala. Before the event, rumors between Shen You’an and Qin Xiangge were rampant, claiming that the two had wagered on performing the same piece at the gala. Almost everyone thought Shen You’an had overestimated herself and was blindly showing off in front of an expert.

In literature, there’s a rhetorical device called "raise by suppressing," where initial criticism or negation—"suppressing"—is used to magnify praise—"raising."

The more people criticized and mocked Shen You’an beforehand, the more her breathtaking solo performance at the gala left a searing impression, as if branded deep into everyone’s mind, unforgettable for a long time.

Of course, this shock was inseparable from Shen You’an’s own talent. But this "raise by suppressing" rhetoric elevated her brilliance and charm to a level unreachable by others. In the talent-packed halls of Lanya High School, no one could rival her.

Posts discussing Shen You’an flooded the forum, driving her popularity to unprecedented heights. In stark contrast was Qin Xiangge.

The girl known as a piano prodigy didn’t even perform on stage. Initially, her supporters defended her on the forum, claiming that Shen You’an had monopolized the spotlight by using underhanded tactics to make President Lan revoke Qin Xiangge’s chance to perform, calling Shen You’an malicious and insisting that Qin Xiangge’s playing was no worse. Some even accused Shen You’an of faking her performance.

But it didn’t take long for someone to post a video of Qin Xiangge’s rehearsal. In the video, she was only playing the simplest section from "Ghosts of the Night." Even those who didn’t understand piano could tell that the performance quality was worlds apart from Shen You’an’s live rendition.

As for Shen You’an faking her performance—what sheer nonsense.

Pearl was present at the event. His heartfelt praise alone ensured that it couldn’t possibly be fake. With Pearl’s reputation, no one could buy him off.

One piece of evidence after another emerged, leaving Qin Xiangge’s supporters speechless. Their attempts at excuses only worsened things, turning up the heat on Qin Xiangge’s already tarnished reputation. Initially, if Qin Xiangge had chosen to stay low-profile, people might have forgotten about her. But now, her name was utterly ruined.

Someone even dug up last month’s Huazhao Cup Piano Competition, where a dark horse named Ann shockingly won the title of champion, earning the media’s moniker of a genius piano girl. Based on several clues, it seemed certain this Ann was none other than Shen You’an.

Though the media’s leaked photos only showed a blurry side profile of the champion—a girl with long, flowing hair—students familiar with Shen You’an identified her outright. As for the hair? That was easily explained—high-quality wigs these days are practically indistinguishable from the real thing.

After Shen You’an’s performance ended, an unexpected accident occurred. The overhead lights fell from above. At a critical moment, the usually aloof and detached boy dashed onto the stage without hesitation, shielding Shen You’an from danger with his body, holding her protectively in his arms.

This scene was captured by countless phones, and then the forum went into a frenzy.

——Ahhh, Mom, the ship I’ve been rooting for finally came true!

——I suspected these two had something going on, but never in my wildest dreams did I expect God Liu, who always seemed untouchably aloof, to have such a chivalrous side. I’ve replayed the video countless times. His silent love weighs heavier than gold.

——God Liu was injured saving her. Apparently, it’s pretty serious. I wonder how he’s doing now. If I were Shen You’an and such an amazing guy risked his life for me, I’d be deliriously happy.

——Just take a look at Shen You’an and then back at yourself. Stop daydreaming and wake up.

One line snaps everyone back to reality.

Shen You’an is an academic genius, never losing her top rank, with beauty, poise, and a likable personality. Now, she’s the prodigy pianist personally praised by Pearl. Aside from her less privileged background, she’s utterly flawless.

God Liu’s selfless act was beyond reproach. The two of them, a perfect match—a golden couple destined for each other.

Taking another look at themselves, most people realized they were just NPCs in the world of these main characters.

Another hot debate on the forum revolved around the newly debuted boy group—Star Moon Boy Group. Most people just called them Star Moon.

This group dominated holiday hot searches and major entertainment forums. The discussions all centered on the captain and lead singer, Rong Xianning. From the moment the show aired, he skyrocketed to fame, culminating in his official debut during the group formation night. His popularity is unrivaled, his stardom skyrocketing, capturing countless hearts, and bringing a breath of fresh air to the entertainment industry.

Several girls from Lanya High School followed the show religiously and unsurprisingly became devoted Lemons. During adolescence, who hasn’t chased after idols? Especially teenagers feeling lost in their youth, idols represent dreams and direction—a guiding light illuminating the path ahead.

While idol groups embody fan-driven economics in today’s entertainment industry and are hardly new—both domestically and internationally—the rise of Rong Xianning still surprises everyone. Despite fierce competition, he carved his own path through the crowded idol market, astonishing TV networks, investors, and advertisers alike. The impact brought by this young star is beyond imagination, and he’s only revealed the tip of the iceberg.

The entertainment industry initially dismissed Rong Xianning. But watching his staggering popularity and influence over the past few days, the industry was forced to take him seriously, hoping to uncover his "magic formula" for success and replicate it for lucrative gains.

"The tallest tree attracts the most wind"—this competitive, mixed, and often hostile environment of the internet has no shortage of malicious smear campaigns. There’s a golden rule in showbiz: massive fame is almost always accompanied by waves of backlash. If Rong Xianning garnered no hate despite his rapid success, now that would be suspicious.

Yet, even with a massive fan base, his haters have barely made a dent in his reputation. If anything, their petty attacks are like adding extra flowers to the bouquets already showering him.

Among the countless posts about Shen You’an, Rong Xianning’s posts interspersed here and there often caught people’s eyes. At first glance, it seemed there might be some connection between the two. But everyone knew it was impossible. Rong Xianning’s star is shining bright as a celebrity, while Shen You’an, despite her brilliance, is still unknown in the entertainment world. They wouldn’t cross paths in the slightest.

Early in the morning, at Lanya High School’s entrance, small groups of students strolled into the campus, eagerly discussing the latest gossip.

"Check out Weibo—Feiyue Magazine just announced the cover for their newest issue: the Star Moon Boy Group!"

"Wow, no surprise! They’re the hottest boy group right now. Debuting and immediately landing the cover of Feiyue Magazine—can’t wait to see the final shots."

"This issue’s gonna sell out for sure. I need to practice my typing speed first—if my fingers aren’t fast enough and I can’t grab my idol’s debut-cover, I’ll die crying."

As they chatted, someone walked past them.

A girl glanced up unintentionally, paused, then nudged her friend: "Look! It’s Shen You’an."