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Meanwhile, the bar’s patrons noticed the singer had been replaced by a young guy.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!)
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
