The Unveiling of Secret Queen-Chapter 1118: Cool as a Buddha offstage, timid as a dog on the stage

Caryn Zachmann’s performance just now was so overwhelming that most of the audience were still immersed in the previous act. Unlike the thunderous applause that erupted when Caryn came on stage, the Great Hall was as silent as a grave when Tiffany Olsen and Nathalie Quinlan stepped onto the stage.

People in the audience weren’t paying much attention to who had come up.

Some unruly audience members were even still discussing Caryn’s performance.

Zeus Tanzil clenched his palm, feeling deeply indignant for Nathalie and Tiffany upon witnessing the audience’s reaction.

But alas, no matter how furious he was, he couldn’t throw a spoiled-brat tantrum in this kind of setting.

On the other hand, Zayn Fisher, sitting on his other side, coldly observed the awkward situation in the Great Hall. His lips subtly curled upward, a fleeting trace of schadenfreude glimmering in his eyes!

Yet before he could fully savor this sense of triumph,

suddenly, the sound of clapping echoed from the front row.

Just one person’s applause.

But that individual’s claps were unusually strong and resolute, ringing out sharply.

In the Great Hall, which was filled with whispers, it was like a bolt of thunder, forcing many of the indifferent attendees to realize that a new act was now on stage.

Stephanie Tanzil also heard the steady, powerful applause coming from her side. She leaned slightly forward, looking toward the direction of the sound.

When she saw the man’s serene and captivating profile,

a look of understanding flickered in her eyes. She smiled softly and followed suit, raising her hands to clap.

This year’s Tsinghua University anniversary celebration had a particularly high standard. Jackson Wafford placed great importance on the freshmen and had invited quite a few social celebrities to attend.

He had gone all out in inviting people from the Ministry of Culture as well.

But among these guests, when it came to actual lineage and status, most of them had to give face to the two old-guard families, the Yanceys and the Tanzils.

Seeing Amadeus Yancey take the lead in applauding.

Stephanie Tanzil followed right after him.

Even the people who had no interest in the self-proclaimed performance by the Chinese Medicine department glanced at one another, and then raised their hands to join in the applause with a bewildered expression.

One person inspired two people, two people turned into a group.

The applause in the Great Hall gradually grew louder.

Though it wasn’t as enthusiastic as when Caryn Zachmann had taken the stage, it still undeniably energized the atmosphere to the max!

*

On stage, Nathalie Quinlan pulled an electronic keyboard out of her black backpack and found a spot near the backstage to plug it in and adjust the sound.

Tiffany Olsen remained standing stiffly on the stage, nervously clutching the seams of her pants. Under the dazzling lights, as she looked at the sea of spectators below, she felt none of the confidence she had backstage. A greasy sheen of sweat formed on her palms.

"Nat... Nathalie Quinlan..."

Tiffany’s voice trembled unnaturally, and she stood rooted to the spot like a wooden post, too afraid to move. She called Nathalie’s name, as if that alone could provide her with some shred of security.

"Hm?"

The girl behind her, setting up the keyboard stand, looked up at the sound, revealing a radiant face shaped like a delicate oval.

A face far more stunning than Caryn Zachmann’s!

And yet, she wasn’t wearing haute couture or sporting an overly glamorous makeup look. Her bare-faced appearance carried an air of unbothered ease—a direct challenge to Caryn Zachmann’s ostentatiously dressed presence.

Tiffany nearly fell for her at that very moment, but she was still scared out of her mind. Her voice wavered as she stammered, "Do you think we’ll be okay?"

Nathalie calmly pressed a single key to test the sound. She hadn’t released any new music lately and hadn’t used this set of equipment in quite some time. Yet amidst her busy multitasking, she still managed to respond to Tiffany’s question: "Don’t worry. We’ll be fine."

"What if my legs go weak?" Tiffany was practically on the verge of tears.

Oh god, she hadn’t anticipated such a massive crowd below.

Down there, they were cool as Buddhas; up here, she was as cowardly as a dog!

She wanted to cry, but what could she do?