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Meanwhile, the bar’s patrons noticed the singer had been replaced by a young guy.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!)
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
ose... to cooperate with the protagonist! Shen Yuan: I have a system! Protagonist: What? System: Holy crap, you're just spilling it out like that? Shen Yuan: Let's team up, we'll split the system rewards! Protagonist: Fifty-fifty split? Shen Yuan: No way! Protagonist: What!? I'm the one getting beaten up, and I don't get half? Shen Yuan: Forty-sixty split, I get forty, you get sixty! Protagonist: Deal! Big brother, come on, hit me! As long as it doesn't kill me, beat me like you mean it! Shen Yuan: Don't worry... I will definitely protect all of you! No one but me can lay a finger on you! Guard our Heaven's Chosen Ones! I'm the only one allowed to bully them!
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
villain is the number one simp for the book's leading female protagonist, Shen Wan'er. As expected, he later becomes a tool for the main character to show off and slap faces, ultimately meeting a tragic end with his family ruined and his life in shambles. Fortunately, he awakens the [Universal Pure Love System], which allows him to earn points by performing acts of pure love. To change his fate, Gu Yan makes a decisive choice to seek warmth and companionship with the book's biggest villain—Cold Qingqiu. ........... My name is Leng Qingqiu. To find the murderer who killed my parents years ago, I deliberately blinded myself so that everyone would lower their guard around me. Just as I was secretly accumulating power and capital according to my initial plan, a man walked into my world. "Lengleng, Qingqing, Qiuqiu, which nickname do you prefer?" I don't like any of them. You'd better leave quickly! "Why aren't you saying anything? How about I call you my baby wife?" Leng Qingqiu thinks to herself, this man is truly annoying! (Stubborn pure love warrior + single female lead + true pure love + 1v1)
