At the small stage for live performances.
The middle-aged resident singer handed his guitar to Lin Yu and stepped back to the bar counter, saying to the owner:
"Ah, youth is truly wonderful. Back in my college days, I didn’t have this kid’s guts to just step up like this."
The bar owner was a warm-hearted auntie.
Wiping down the counter, she smiled and replied:
"It’s great—so full of energy and passion."
"Though I wonder if he sings well. I’m kind of looking forward to it."
The resident singer picked up an empty glass and poured himself a beer:
"Rare chance for me to catch a break."
The female boss pointed at the draft beer:
"That’s coming out of your paycheck, you know."
The singer scratched his head awkwardly:
"Come on, we’re practically family. Saying that hurts my feelings."
The boss shot back: "Money talks don’t hurt feelings."
The singer laughed: "Hahaha, you capitalists really got me."
……
Lin Yu adjusted the microphone stand, mentally debating which song to perform.
(Lin, before I leave, could you give me a little gift?)
(You sing so beautifully and play the guitar so well.)
(Could you sing something just for me today?)
(Before I leave Pingchuan, I have something for you too…)
Lin Yu: "…"
Hearing Fang Xinran’s request, he couldn’t refuse. Now, awkwardly standing on stage, he had no choice but to go through with it.
He could guess what Fang Xinran’s "gift" might be, based on the system’s hints.
If she was going that far, how could he say no to this small favor?
He just had to do it!
Even with his extraordinary musical skills, sitting in this spot still made his heart race.
On the nearby stand was tonight’s setlist.
If Lin Yu hadn’t interrupted, the resident singer would still be performing those songs.
Lin Yu picked it up, hoping to find something suitable.
Meanwhile, the bar’s patrons noticed the singer had been replaced by a young guy.
"Hey, they switched performers. That kid’s just a customer, right?"
"Ha, probably lost a dare and got forced up there."
"…"
"Hey, check him out—that boy’s got looks!"
"Ugh, you’re such a cougar. You’re old enough to be his mom."
"Shut up, get lost."
"Let’s just listen. Maybe it’s a love song for his girlfriend."
"…"
"Woo-hoo!" (whistles)
"Go for it, handsome! You got this!"
"…"
Already nervous, the crowd’s cheers only made him more flustered.
Glancing over at their table, Fang Xinran and Tang Yimian were leaning against each other, both giving him enthusiastic thumbs-up.
Little did they know—Lin Yu was still agonizing over song choice.
The setlist was mostly folk tunes, melancholic and world-weary.
Or love songs, bluntly pouring out emotions.
He wasn’t singing just for Fang Xinran—he couldn’t be too obvious.
It had to fit the mood…
As he hesitated, the resident singer came over with a suggestion:
"Kid, I heard the waitress say that girl who got you up here is your ‘senior Fang.’"
"Why not sing ‘Xiao Fang’ for her? Know that one?"
"Thank you for your love~ I’ll cherish it forever~"
"That one! ‘Xiao Fang’!"
Lin Yu: "…"
The guy meant well.
But this was even more direct than "Mouse Loves Rice."
Literally name-dropping "Xiao Fang"!
Lin Yu: "Bro, I…!!!"
He was about to refuse outright—but the singer’s suggestion sparked an idea.
Who said he had to stick to old songs?
This was just a small bar. No one would mind if he performed an "original" song that didn’t exist yet!
"Thanks, man. I think I’ll sing one of my own."
The resident singer blinked in surprise.
This kid had guts!
An original song?
Was he actually good, or just bluffing?
He’d been singing for years—performing and composing were two different beasts.
Was this kid even twenty? Some seasoned artist?
Keeping his thoughts to himself, the singer stepped aside.
Lin Yu tested the guitar strings, and the bar patrons quieted down respectfully.
"Sorry to interrupt your drinks. I’m here with friends today, and there’s a song I’d like to dedicate to one of them."
"She’s at a crossroads in life. I hope this song gives her some strength."
"May she chase her dreams and go far."
"…"
His polite words earned a round of applause and cheers.
Fang Xinran and Tang Yimian clapped the hardest.
Tang Yimian: "A song about chasing dreams? ‘Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart’?"
Fang Xinran: "No idea. Now I’m really curious."
As silence settled again, Lin Yu murmured inwardly—"Homage… homage to Brother Xiaosa…"
Then, his fingers began moving across the strings.
"At the station we parted, now here in this bar~
Fate sat us together, your words vague and far~
You spoke of tomorrow’s distant star~
No regrets, no chains left to mar~
Small towns let souls breathe freer by far~
Live proud—show yourself who you are~"
"…"
Lin Yu sang with deep focus and sincerity.
The audience listened just as intently—especially one listener: Senior Fang.
The simple, heartfelt lyrics pierced right through.
Alcohol magnifies fleeting emotions.
Unspoken feelings surged from behind her eyes—
Dripping, streaming.
Warm and bittersweet.
Thankfully…
Thankfully Lin Yu hadn’t said anything about asking her to stay.
Otherwise, she might’ve wavered.
To think someone so emotionally attuned would appear in her life…
As he sang, memories of meeting Fang Xinran flashed through Lin Yu’s mind.
Before stepping on stage, he’d just wanted to fulfill her request.
He never expected—
Pouring his heart into the song would stir up such poignant melancholy.
Things he’d overlooked before now resurfaced.
Right.
Even with a second chance at life,
He was still just an ordinary person—no more, no less.
Not the center of the universe, nor the world’s sole protagonist.
Goodbyes were inevitable for people like him.
Not everyone would revolve around him.
That’s just how the world worked.
Each person has their own path.
You have your shadows and dust; she has her radiant light.
We only meet briefly at the crossroads of fate.
But even briefly—
It’s worth being grateful for.
……
(Update complete! That’s all for today. Will work harder tomorrow. If you enjoyed, consider supporting this little author with a small token of appreciation—many thanks!)
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
transmigrates into the role of a villainous rich second-generation kid in an urban fantasy novel, and gets bound to a god-tier choice system. Right at the start, he catches the female lead stealing exam papers! This triggers the villain's choice options! [Choice 1: Pretend you didn't see anything] [Choice 2: Loudly call her out, drawing everyone's attention] [Choice 3: ...] And thus, a twisted villain is born. To avoid getting killed by the protagonist, he has no choice but to take down all the protagonists first. Jiang Che: Nobody understands being twisted better than me!
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
