"Flowers shed tears~"
"They'll wither~though beautiful~"
"Time flies silently erasing their fragrance~"
"We no longer chase~"
"Chasing whom~dragging whom~"
"Just youthful recklessness leaving exhaustion behind~"
"……"
Inside the small bar.
A bespectacled middle-aged man sat on the makeshift stage in slippers, strumming his guitar and singing.
His weathered voice seemed to narrate stories of bygone youth—
Beautiful yet bittersweet.
Seated nearby, Fang Xinran held her glass, softly singing along:
"Your someone~"
"My someone~leaning on whom~"
"Now scattered to the ends of the earth, becoming whose someone~"
"……"
She swayed gently while watching the stage.
Yet upon closer observation, it was clear—
Fang Xinran's gaze wasn't focused at all.
After the chorus ended, Fang Xinran sighed and remarked:
"Such a beautiful song. It always paints vivid images in my mind."
"Don’t you think so?"
Tang Yimian took a small sip of her cocktail, cheeks flushed as she covered her face:
"It is, though it feels quite melancholic—makes me reminisce about so many things."
Fang Xinran then looked expectantly at Lin Yu, as if waiting for his thoughts.
Lin Yu replied bluntly:
"La-la shedding tears~will wither~la-la-la~"
"The only image that comes to mind is..."
"Watching legal dramas, tasting the flavors of life?"
"Must’ve been... last year, when Aunt Qimeng was crying while watching TV. I wondered what moved her so much."
"Then I ended up binge-watching a whole series of legal dramas with her."
"Gotta admit, they were pretty good."
Memories flooded back.
In his past life, after Aunt Qimeng passed away,
Lin Yu often revisited their time together, realizing there were no particularly standout moments.
Now, discussing it—
Those mundane, everyday fragments were actually the most precious memories.
Back then, he took them for granted.
Never thought to cherish those scattered scenes.
Perhaps only when life truly slows down can one appreciate the small joys in the ordinary.
Tang Yimian lowered her hands, suddenly animated:
"That’s it! I knew it sounded familiar."
"Just couldn’t place where I’d heard it before!"
"Lin Yu, your memory is seriously impressive!"
Lin Yu studied Tang Yimian’s smiling face: "..."
Definitely tipsy.
Such straightforward praise was very un-Tang-Yimian-like.
And after speaking, she didn’t even avert her eyes?
She was holding his gaze directly!
The usually timid Tang Yimian would never be this bold.
This had to be the alcohol talking.
In this relaxed atmosphere, surrounded only by close friends,
Who knew what reckless thing she might do next?
Lin Yu decided not to provoke Tang Yimian for now. Instead, he turned curiously to Fang Xinran:
"Senior Fang, maybe it’s just me, but..."
"You seem different today?"
"Is something on your mind?"
"The three of us are friends, right? If you’re comfortable, you can share it with us."
Before Fang Xinran could answer,
Tang Yimian’s conflicted expression gave it away.
So it was true!
There really was something—Lin Yu wasn’t imagining things.
To her credit, Tang Yimian remained a loyal friend.
She only communicated through her eyes, never speaking for Fang Xinran.
After all—
A friend’s business is theirs to share.
Who has the right to speak for them?
Fang Xinran raised her glass and downed the entire beer in one go.
With a bright smile, she declared:
"I knew I couldn’t hide it from you, Lin Yu."
"Actually, it’s nothing bad—in fact, it’s something to celebrate. Yimian already knows."
"Lin Yu..."
"I’ve decided to quit my job!"
Lin Yu: "!!!"
Fang Xinran’s announcement genuinely shocked him.
He knew she was ambitious, unwilling to settle.
But he never expected her to act so decisively.
She hadn’t even finished her teaching internship at the elementary school before making this choice.
Such a free-spirited attitude was rare among girls from small mountain towns.
She must’ve...
Finally identified what was trapping her, hadn’t she?
Fang Xinran refilled her glass and topped up Lin Yu’s:
"Lin Yu, Yimian, don’t look at me like that."
"You should be happy for me!"
"This decision took every ounce of courage I had."
"Don’t make it seem like I’m making a mistake—at least right now, I don’t think I am."
Tang Yimian grabbed Fang Xinran’s hand, shaking her head:
"Of course not! I’d never think you’re wrong."
"It’s just... I’ll really miss you."
"Xinran, when you told me yesterday, my mind went blank."
"I never got the chance to ask—what’s your next step?"
At school, Tang Yimian’s introverted nature made close friendships hard to come by.
Finally finding a kindred spirit, only for her to leave—
How could she not feel heartbroken?
Fang Xinran shook her head honestly:
"I haven’t figured that out yet either."
"I just know teaching elementary school isn’t for me."
"My rough plan is to head back south first!"
"Maybe I’ll stumble around, try different things, and eventually settle for a government job."
"Who knows..."
Her tone was carefree,
But Lin Yu could see the underlying unease about the future in her eyes.
In the prime of youth, when dreams outweigh practicality,
The desire to break free and explore is natural.
Ninety-five percent of people eventually return to ordinary lives after hitting walls,
Entering that middle-aged phase where survival takes precedence.
Yet the world is vast, and miracles do happen.
If she truly breaks through—
She might genuinely change her life’s trajectory.
Truthfully,
In his past life, Lin Yu hadn’t lived much longer than Fang Xinran’s current age.
He had no right to stop her—no right to restrain a restless heart.
The only thing he could do was offer blessings and encouragement.
Clink.
Lin Yu tapped his glass lightly on the table and raised it to Fang Xinran:
"Senior Fang, I admire your courage and envy your boldness."
"As a friend, I wish you happiness—may you find a wonderful life and a bright future."
Tang Yimian hurriedly lifted her glass too:
"Me too! Xinran, I also wish you the best. I believe you’ll find work you love."
"Remember when you first came to school, we..."
(1,000-word speech omitted)
Fang Xinran: "..."
Lin Yu: "..."
......
(First update today. There’ll be bonus chapters later—this time, I won’t break my promise. Absolutely!)
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