Chapter 56: I Want to Talk to This World

Two weeks of military training.

The other roommates in Dorm 404 witnessed Wang Donglai's diligence firsthand. No matter what happened, Wang Donglai went to the library to read, unswervingly.

Not only that, but the speed at which Wang Donglai read left them both astonished and envious.

They had originally thought his fast reading was merely a display of skill, but after testing him personally, they realized he wasn't showing off; he truly memorized the contents of the books. This gave them some insight into why Wang Donglai had become the top scorer in the liberal arts for the national exam.

Furthermore.

The quiet companionship of the two girls made the three men's eyes turn red with envy.

It wasn't that Chen Mengni or Guo Xing were exceptionally stunning or world-shakingly beautiful; it was simply that two young, lovely beauties could endure loneliness, and they were both accompanying Wang Donglai while enduring the strange gazes of others. That was the true reason for the trio's envy.

When military training finally ended, everyone was like a horse released from its reins, walking through the campus dressed in colorful, fashionable clothes.

Some wanted to chance upon a beautiful, sexy, and gentle senior.

Others would squat on the main roads of the school, observing passing girls, secretly searching for their ideal partners.

Even though it was September, it felt like spring.

Especially with tonight's freshman welcome gala.

According to the school's arrangement, various campus clubs would perform, but most people's attention was focused on the senior students' dances and songs.

The male-to-female ratio at Tangdu University of Technology wasn't exaggerated, though it was quite severe in certain individual majors.

However, this did not dampen the crowd's enthusiasm.

This time, however, the seating for the freshman welcome gala was arranged by department, major, and class.

Sitting next to Wang Donglai was Xu Zhibin.

"So, which book did you finish?"

As soon as they sat down, Xu Zhibin asked.

"I finished them all," Wang Donglai said indifferently.

"As expected of the liberal arts god. Even switching to science halfway through, you're still this fierce. Do you plan to go abroad for further studies later, or stay at the university?"

Xu Zhibin wasn't surprised by Wang Donglai's reading speed, as he could do the same.

"Forget going abroad, and I don't plan to stay at the school either. I intend to do something meaningful—to change society."

Wang Donglai's tone was calm, sounding as if he were either joking or answering seriously.

Xu Zhibin turned his head and looked closely at Wang Donglai, as if trying to see through his true thoughts.

After a long silence, he finally said, "Good luck. My thoughts might be quite simple: study hard, and just take it one step at a time. The most likely path for me is to get a PhD and stay at the school."

"But, if you want to master this subject to change society, I'm afraid you won't be able to relax for these four years."

"Don't worry, it will be soon!"

Wang Donglai gave a confident smile, his tone extremely certain.

Four years!

It wouldn't take that long. Wang Donglai had set a goal for himself of three years.

Within these three years, he would complete the foundation of his dream.

Xu Zhibin looked at Wang Donglai in surprise, appearing somewhat shocked and confused, not knowing why Wang Donglai would say such a thing.

On the stage, the beautiful seniors had begun their performances.

It wasn't just the seniors; even outstanding female students from the same year took to the stage, freely displaying their brilliance to the freshmen below.

Soon.

The time for Wang Donglai's freshman speech was approaching.

"Let me see how the writing of the liberal arts top scorer holds up!"

While heading backstage to prepare, Xu Zhibin suddenly said this to Wang Donglai.

"Words are merely a medium to record inner emotions. Emotions have no hierarchy; words only differentiate in quality because of empathy."

Wang Donglai did not answer Xu Zhibin directly, but instead offered this sentence.

After Wang Donglai left, Xu Zhibin pondered the sentence carefully, a look of realization in his eyes.

The freshman representative speech should actually have been placed at the beginning.

However, after the school leadership read Wang Donglai's draft, they immediately decided to place it as the "Grand Finale" (the main event).

The "Grand Finale" is the very last program, while the "Showstopper" is the second to last.

When the host finished announcing, "Please welcome the freshman representative, Wang Donglai, to the stage," the stage lights instantly went out, leaving only a single spotlight that followed Wang Donglai closely until he reached the center of the stage.

"Hello, students. I am Wang Donglai. It is an honor, and also a source of trepidation, to represent you all."

"Actually, by my own intention, I was not willing to take the stage to say anything. It is just that in the depths of my heart, there is a slight desire to pour something out—a desire to have a serious conversation with this world."

"I don't know how many people have read an article titled, 'I struggled for eighteen years just to sit and drink coffee with you.'"

At this point, Wang Donglai paused intentionally, carefully observing the reactions of the crowd.

A slight smile appeared on his face, but his gaze remained very cold as he continued, "Many people have not read this article. I do not regret it, nor do I think there is anything wrong with that."

"Our current urbanization rate has reached 52.57%, but the registered urbanization rate is only 35%. The data looks quite good, and our lives are changing day by day, becoming increasingly beautiful."

"But, I know one thing clearly: the gap between the countryside and the city is reflected in every aspect."

"When I was born in a mud house in a village, some of you might have been complaining that the buildings in small towns don't look as grand as the skyscrapers in big cities."

"My childhood was carefree; I always felt that childhood was a beautiful, pure paradise, filled with joy everywhere. But looking back now, it was a flower full of thorns."

"I never drank powdered milk, nor have I tasted its flavor. So, since I was a child, I thought rice water was the most delicious thing, second only to sweet water."

"There weren't many snacks when I was little. A pack of instant noodles for fifty cents—every time, I had to crush them to eat, taking small handfuls at a time, paired with ten cents' worth of spicy skin. It was truly enough to bring happiness for an entire day, even making me smile in my sleep."

"Some of you live on prosperous streets, growing up under the careful protection of your entire families. You wouldn't eat such unnutritious snacks; instead, you have all kinds of delicacies, and you wouldn't be happy for a long time over ten cents of pocket money."

"..."

"To study for the rise of China is the broad-mindedness of great men, the lofty ambition of great men."

"But for us, studying is the best way to change our fate. If it weren't for getting into university, I wouldn't be in the same room as the students sitting here. Perhaps the skyscrapers I build on construction sites would be the apartments some of you just bought, and the screws I tighten in a factory would be assembled into the cars some of you just bought."

"This world is huge. Thirteen hundred million people is not just a number, but countless families struggling and fighting in this magnificent era, writing their own legends."

"..."

"I fully believe that eighteen years from now, or even further into the future, everyone will be able to drink that sip of coffee that has been brewing for many years, with a hint of rich aroma following the bitterness."

"I imagine that at that time, how many students like me will be sitting in a Starbucks, drinking coffee and chatting about the old, dusty, and unfortunate things of the past."

After finishing the speech, Wang Donglai walked quietly off the stage.

After a long silence, a deafening roar of applause erupted throughout the Siyuan Activity Center.

The waves of sound rose like tides, one after another.

Countless people had eyes that turned red at this moment, yet they emitted a bright light.

On the empty stage, Wang Donglai's figure was already gone.

However, everyone remembered this name firmly; they remembered today.

There was someone who wanted to talk to this world.

That person's name was Wang Donglai!