They're already in university, and the primary school system is only just starting out?

Saturday morning, before nine o'clock.

There were only three soft snores coming from room 406.

I don't know if it's because they've been working too hard on their studies lately, but Wang Tao, Fatty Zhao, and Monkey Li all said they were a bit tired and couldn't keep going after only playing three rounds of ARAM last night.

As a result, the entire dormitory turned off the lights and went to bed before midnight, which was unprecedented for them.

Chen Lin opened his eyes, blinked, and felt refreshed.

He carefully sat up in bed, trying not to make a sound. He reached for his phone and glanced at the time: 8:42.

Great, another morning woken up by a healthy routine.

Chen Lin didn't stay in bed; he already had things planned to do this morning.

He quietly got dressed, grabbed what he needed for the day, and slipped out of the dormitory without a sound.

As Chen Lin gently closed the dormitory door, he could even hear Fatty Zhao muttering in his sleep, "Don't steal my artillery..."

He chuckled, shook his head, and turned to walk towards the washroom.

Chen Lin bought a meat bun and a cup of soy milk, and ate them as he walked unhurriedly toward the library.

With the final exams just a month away, the academic atmosphere on campus has visibly intensified. Even at nine o'clock on a weekend morning, the library is noticeably more crowded than the previous week.

Chen Lin walked around the third floor and found that all the single study rooms were indeed full, so he found a relatively secluded window seat in the public area and sat down.

This morning he planned to finish writing the analysis of "The Long Season," which he hadn't completed last Sunday.

He opened his laptop, clicked on the Word document he had saved last Sunday, and first read through the first thousand-plus words from beginning to end, quickly reviewing his thoughts at the time.

Immediately afterwards, he put on his headphones and opened the cached version of "The Long Season" on a video website. Instead of watching it from the beginning, he skipped through some key plot segments by dragging the progress bar.

As the scenes flashed by, Chen Lin's various feelings from watching the show surged up in his heart again.

My thoughts are now completely clear.

He turned off the video, put his hands back on the keyboard, took a deep breath, and continued typing from where he left off.

This time, he was faster and his train of thought was smoother than before, with almost no pauses.

......

An hour later.

"...The ending of this drama, in which almost no one survives, is undoubtedly cruel, but the ending, in which almost everyone receives their due punishment, is undoubtedly beautiful. This kind of karmic retribution ending has, of course, attracted criticism from many 'cruelty lovers,' who believe that real life must be even more cruel, leaving nothing but ashes."

"But I will stick to my assessment. If persistence only leads to futility, then what is the point of faith in the world? It is faith and persistence that enable everything to develop and constitute this not-so-beautiful but still colorful world. So this ending is just right, because although there is darkness in the world, there is always light at the end of the shadows."

Chen Lin's fingers typed the last period on the keyboard.

He let out a long sigh of relief, leaned back in his chair, and read through the entire article of more than two thousand words.

Hmm, not bad. The logic is sound, the arguments are well-supported, and the ending elevates the theme. While it's not exactly a groundbreaking masterpiece, it should get a high score.

Chen Lin nodded in satisfaction, carefully edited the format, and then directly packaged and sent it to the teaching assistant for the elective course.

[One task completed this semester]

Having accomplished something important, he glanced at the time with a sense of satisfaction; it was only a little before 10:30. So, he energetically pulled out his "Modern Chinese Literature" class notes and printed PowerPoint presentation from his backpack and continued his final exam preparation.

……

……

At noon, Chen Lin closed his book and left the library on time.

After eating a braised chicken rice on the third floor of the cafeteria, he did not return to his dormitory but walked directly out of the school gate.

He was going to tutor Yao Yao this afternoon, but he left earlier than usual. He had promised the little girl that he would develop all the photos he took of her when they went to the Haihe River last Saturday and bring them to her.

Following the navigation on his phone map, Chen Lin easily found the photo studio he had located the day before. The shop was neither too big nor too small, and its decor had a rather artistic feel.

He sent the photos from his phone to the shop owner, and then sat in the shop's rest area for over half an hour. The photos were all developed and placed in a manila envelope.

After leaving the photo studio, Chen Lin hailed a taxi on the roadside and headed straight for Yao Yao's residential area.

He parked his car at the entrance of the residential area and glanced at his phone; it was just past 1:30 p.m.

I easily found the familiar residential building and knocked on the door with the red "福" (Fu, meaning good fortune) character pasted on it.

The person who opened the door was still Yao Yao's mother, Sister Liu.

"Teacher Chen is here! Come in, come in!" Sister Liu's enthusiasm was as always.

Chen Lin walked into the living room, changed into slippers, and before he could even speak, Sister Liu came over with a happy expression, lowering her voice as if she were sharing some incredibly good news.

"Teacher Chen, your method is really effective! Ever since you took Yaoyao on that trip to Yannan University, she's like a completely different person. She's been studying so hard! She must have seen those outstanding students at your school and been inspired, finding role models for her studies!"

Chen Lin chuckled to himself.

Goodness, this little brat is really cunning!

They even went all the way with their act.

He had clearly used the excuse of visiting the school to take her out for a day of fun, but she immediately pretended to be influenced by the strong academic atmosphere of Yannan University and decided to work hard from then on.

With acting skills like that, it would be a waste not to go to film school.

Sure enough, Sister Liu's next words were: "Teacher Chen, when do you have time to bring my Yaoyao to your school to experience it? I think we should use this method more often; it's sure to be effective!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Lin saw Yao Yao's bedroom door quietly open a crack.

The little girl poked her head out from the crack in the door, right in Sister Liu's blind spot. When she saw Chen Lin looking over, she immediately winked and gave him a "V" sign in victory.

Chen Lin smiled calmly at Sister Liu and said, "Okay, Sister Liu."

With satisfaction, Sister Liu escorted Chen Lin into Yao Yao's bedroom. As usual, she quickly brought over a plate of sliced ​​cantaloupe, gave him a few words of advice such as "Eat more fruit" and "Don't overwork yourself," and then closed the door with a smile and left.

"Alright, Yao Yao," Chen Lin pulled up a chair and sat down, a kind smile on his face, "Let's begin our studies."

The little girl's smug smile vanished instantly, replaced by a worried expression, as she reluctantly pulled out her math test paper from her schoolbag.

Seeing this, Chen Lin cleared his throat again and began a new round of ideological education in a serious tone.

"Yaoyao, look how high your mother's expectations are for you. If you work hard now and learn more, you can get into a good university, find a good job, make a lot of money, and give your parents a good life so you can take care of them in their old age..."

Outside the door, Sister Liu, who had just entered the living room, heard these words coming from the room and a more satisfied smile appeared on her face.

This teacher, Mr. Chen, is really great! I feel so reassured leaving my child with him!

She nodded, completely relieved, turned around, walked to the sofa, turned on the TV, and happily continued watching her TV series.

Inside the room, Chen Lin listened to the sound of Sister Liu's footsteps fading away outside the door before taking the brown paper envelope out of his backpack and handing it to Yao Yao.

"Here's your photo. Hide it quickly, or your mom will find it."

"Thank you, Brother Chen Lin!" Yao Yao's eyes lit up instantly. She took the envelope, carefully tucked it into the bottom of her drawer, and then leaned forward expectantly. "Brother Chen Lin, where should we go next time? How about the amusement park?"

"Don't get too excited," Chen Lin said, flicking her forehead lightly with his finger. "Final exams are coming up soon, so focus on your studies during this time."

He watched as the little girl puffed out her cheeks again and continued, "Besides, this is only the second to last time I've tutored you this semester. Next Saturday will be the last time. Then I need to prepare for my final exams, and after that, I'll go back to my hometown for summer vacation."

Yao Yao's expression froze instantly.

Her bright and cheerful face, which had been beaming just a moment ago, visibly crumbled. Her bright eyes quickly filled with tears, her lips trembled, and tears were about to fall.

"Huh?" Chen Lin was taken aback by her sudden reaction and quickly smiled to reassure her, "What's wrong? It's not like I'm never coming back. I'll be back when the next semester starts, won't I?"

Yao Yao sniffed, vigorously wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, forcing back her tears, and then nodded with a thick nasal voice, "Mmm..."

Seeing her pitiful appearance, Chen Lin's heart softened for some reason.

During the next tutoring session, Yao Yao's eyes were still red, but her attitude was more serious than ever before.

……

……

This tutoring session lasted for almost three and a half hours before we knew it.

Before leaving, Chen Lin also formally told Sister Liu that next week would be the last tutoring session of the semester.

Sister Liu was very understanding and nodded repeatedly, telling him to focus on his studies. She even took a few nicely packaged boxes of coffee from the kitchen and stuffed them into his backpack.

"Teacher Chen, take this. Drink it when you're pulling all-nighters studying for finals; it'll keep you alert!"

"Thank you, Sister Liu," Chen Lin said quickly.

Yao Yao walked him all the way to the elevator, waving goodbye until the elevator doors slowly closed.

After leaving the residential area, Chen Lin glanced at his phone; it was almost 5:30. He hailed a Didi (ride-hailing service) and went straight to the bar on the back street.

The car came to a stop under the neon sign of a bar on the backstreet.

Chen Lin paid the bill and pushed open the door to enter the bar.

At this time, there weren't many customers yet; they sat scattered in twos and threes, and the air was filled with a faint scent of lemon, air freshener, and alcohol.

Brother Wang was leaning against the bar, slowly wiping a wine glass with a clean velvet cloth. When he saw Chen Lin come in, he raised his chin and gave a familiar smile.

"You're here! You're right on time today."

"Brother Wang," Chen Lin walked to the bar, pulled out a high stool, sat down, and got straight to the point, "I have something to tell you. Today might be my last time performing here this semester."

He thought Brother Wang would be somewhat surprised, or at least ask why.

Unexpectedly, Brother Wang only paused for a moment while wiping the cup before resuming his unhurried pace.

He placed the gleaming glass upside down on the glass rack, looked up at Chen Lin, and showed no surprise, but rather understanding.

"What about next semester? Are you coming again?"

This time, it was Chen Lin who was stunned. He asked, somewhat puzzled, "Brother Wang, why do you seem so unsurprised?"

Upon hearing this, Brother Wang grinned, revealing a set of teeth that were slightly yellowed from smoking.

He put down the velvet cloth in his hand, poured himself a small half glass of beer, and pushed a bottle of chilled RIO over to Chen Lin.

"I've been in this society for over a decade, so I've developed a knack for reading people."

He took a sip of beer and let out a comfortable sigh. "Ever since you took a break and came back to sing, I've felt that you're different from before."

He tapped his temple with his finger, his tone carrying the certainty of someone with experience: "I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's that feeling, the whole person's energy and spirit are different. I'm thinking, my little temple probably can't hold a Buddha like you any longer."

Hearing these words, Chen Lin felt a surge of warmth inexplicably.

He picked up the bottle of RIO, gently clinked it against Brother Wang's cup, and said with a smile, "Brother Wang, you flatter me too much. Actually, I haven't fully figured out what my future path is, but I might become extremely busy starting next semester, and I probably won't be able to guarantee that I'll come every week then."

"It's alright!" Brother Wang waved his hand generously, appearing exceptionally forthright. "A good man's ambition lies in all directions! If you have the opportunity, go ahead and do something more important. I support you! Of course, whenever you want to come back and sing, the doors here are always open for you!"

"Thanks, Brother Wang," Chen Lin said sincerely.

……

……

At 6:30 p.m., the bar's evening session officially began.

More and more guests arrived, and soon the restaurant was more than half full.

Brother Wang, microphone in hand, skillfully walked onto the small stage, and with a few witty opening remarks, he ignited the atmosphere.

"Good evening, everyone!" He cleared his throat, his voice booming throughout the bar through the speakers. "Tonight, my good buddy here, Chen Lin, the resident singer of our Backstreet Bar, is performing for the last time this semester!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur of regret arose from the audience.

"Huh? Is this the last time?" a stylishly dressed girl couldn't help but exclaim. "I came specifically because I saw their promotional video. I'm so glad I came today, otherwise I wouldn't have seen such a handsome guy sing like that!"

Her companion nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, if we miss this opportunity, we don't know if we'll ever have another chance."

Brother Wang smiled and gestured for everyone to be quiet.

"So, to give our classmate Chen Lin a special farewell performance, we're having a special event tonight!"

He deliberately built suspense, raising his voice, "Today, we're not just going to listen to songs, we're going to listen to stories! Everyone here, if you have a story, feel free to come up and tell it. After you've told your story, our classmate Chen Lin will sing a song tailor-made for you! How about that, isn't that great?"

"good--!"

A burst of enthusiastic cheers and applause immediately erupted from the audience.

"Okay, let's start now. Who would like to be the first to share?" As soon as Brother Wang finished speaking, a young man in a white shirt, who looked like a high-level white-collar worker, raised his hand hesitantly from a booth in the corner.

"Alright! This is the one, bro!"

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the young man took a deep breath and walked onto the stage.

He took the microphone, his voice a little nervous but sincere: "Hello everyone. I come from a single-parent family; my dad raised me all by himself. After the college entrance exam, I came to Tianjin from another city to study, and after graduation, I stayed here to work. Now I go back to my hometown less and less often. Recently, every time I go home, I feel that my dad has aged very noticeably, and I can't help but think of the days when he was young and raised me."

His eyes were slightly red, and his voice trembled with emotion: "Next Wednesday is my dad's birthday. In two weeks, it will be Father's Day. So, I want to dedicate a song to him."

After he finished speaking, he bowed deeply.

The audience fell silent, many of them moved by his sincere emotions.

Chen Lin nodded, indicating that he understood. He walked to the center of the stage, adjusted the height of the microphone stand, and several songs quickly flashed through his mind.

In the end, he chose the one that best suited him.

He addressed the audience and the young man in the audience, and said softly, "A poem, 'A Prose Poem Written by My Father,' is dedicated to this guest's father, and to all fathers in the world."

The guitar accompaniment began softly, carrying a narrative-like gentleness. Chen Lin closed his eyes, immersing himself in the music.

The title of "little singer" gives him perfect control over pitch and rhythm, but the emotions still need to be filled in by himself.

He thought of his father.

Although Chen Lin has a happy family and his father's experiences were not as bitter as those in the young man's story, their silent, profound, and unspoken love was remarkably similar.

He also recalled that when he returned home for the Chinese New Year, he noticed a few gray hairs that had appeared on his father's temples.

With his emotions fully condensed, his nose tingled, and he began to sing:

"The crops hadn't been harvested yet in 1984."

"My son was sleeping so sweetly in my arms."

"I don't have time to watch the outdoor movie tonight."

My wife reminded me to fix the sewing machine's pedal.

"I need to borrow some more money from my neighbor tomorrow."

"The child cried all day, insisting on having cookies."

"The blue polyester shirt pierces my heart with pain."

……

The singing is simple and restrained, yet it is like a gentle knife, slowly dissecting the softest part of the listener's heart.

As the lyrics progress, time flows, and the scenes change, Chen Lin's voice carries a touch of the vicissitudes of life, an emotion he empathizes with from the lyrics and from his own imagination.

"The crops had already been harvested by 1994."

My elderly mother passed away last year.

"My son ran into the school wearing a white shirt."

"But he's been preoccupied lately and has lost a lot of weight."

"Just imagine what the future holds, when I'm old and just a pile of old paper money."

"My son was already a real man by then."

He married a lovely girl.

"I hope they don't have such a hard life."

……

By the end of the song, Chen Lin's voice had become slightly hoarse.

"This is what his life left behind."

"The Prose Poems That Have Been Remained"

"Years later, I couldn't stop crying when I looked at it."

"But my father is like an old newspaper in the wind."

"These are the footprints left by that generation."

"After a few storms, the traces will be erased."

"This land once brought tears to my eyes."

"It buries so many heartbreaking stories."

As the song ended, the accompaniment gradually faded away.

There was a brief silence from the audience, followed by thunderous applause and cheers.

Chen Lin opened his eyes and saw several customers secretly wiping away tears. The young man who had first gone up on stage to request a song was covering his face, his shoulders shaking violently, and he was already sobbing uncontrollably.

His friend reached out and gently patted his back, offering silent comfort.

The atmosphere in the bar became lively after the first song.

Soon, the second boy raised his hand. He looked much younger than the first, and there was still a hint of student naiveté in his eyes.

As expected, after taking the stage, he introduced himself: "My girlfriend and I have been together since high school, for seven years. This year we took the postgraduate entrance exam. She went abroad as an exchange student last year, then got accepted into a direct PhD program and stayed in the United States. I also applied to postgraduate programs abroad, but the best offer I received was from the UK. Then, she broke up with me."

The boy's voice was low: "Not long after the breakup, I heard from a friend that she got together with a guy she met while studying in the United States."

He gave a bitter smile, as if trying to swallow all his resentment and pain. "I want to play a song, just to put an end to this relationship. I want to start a new life."

Chen Lin looked at him and nodded.

Although he hadn't personally experienced the growing pains of youth, he had at least seen them.

He closed his eyes, recalling the heart-wrenching youth novels he read in middle school, or the various fabricated emotional stories he later came across on Zhihu, trying to find some emotional resonance, and then infusing that feeling into his singing.

"A song called 'Guest' is dedicated to you."

As the soothing yet slightly melancholic piano prelude begins, Chen Lin's singing voice follows, clean yet tinged with a self-deprecating helplessness.

"Which winter after the breakup?"

What day of the week is it today?

I think of you occasionally.

"Your unexpected text message"

"Caught me off guard"

"Standing frozen in place"

When everyone is happy for you

"But then I suddenly realized what was happening."

"It turns out someone had already made your wedding dress."

……

The emotions build layer by layer, revealing the heartbreak beneath the feigned strength.

Thank you for the special invitation.

"Come witness your love."

I constantly remind myself not to run away.

You look especially beautiful today.

"This beauty was once held in my arms."

"It's a pity this is your wedding to him."

"And I'm just a guest."

I let go of all memories.

"To fulfill your love."

"Yet I still refuse to believe it's fate."

"The promise of forever has become a thing of the past."

I try to sincerely wish you well.

Please forgive my lack of decorum and mediocrity.

"Excuse me, I'd like to leave now."

……

Finally, there was relief, and also the final farewell.

Chen Lin's voice was filled with blessings, but also with determination.

"I have shed all my memories."

"Come celebrate your wedding"

But I never had the courage to wish you well.

Thank you for giving me that final moment of clarity.

"Give myself back to myself"

"At least I can still become that."

"The guests who witnessed your love"

"I'm so lucky to have met him."

I hope he will love you more than I do.

As the song ended, the audience erupted in applause and cheers once again.

Chen Lin saw that several younger boys and girls had red eyes from crying, clearly because they had been reminded of some unforgettable emotional memories.

The guy who took the song didn't cry, but his eyes were red.

With his eyesight enhanced by "Little Champion" by three times, Chen Lin caught him looking down, swiping his fingers across the phone screen, and then, as if making a decision, tapping a few times forcefully.

Chen Lin guessed that he probably deleted those few treasured group photos.

The third person to come on stage was a young woman. She looked quite young, like a college student, but she was dressed very fashionably, with delicate makeup on her face, and had an outstanding presence.

"Hello everyone," her voice was clear and crisp. "I've been studying in the US since my undergraduate years, and this is my third year. After graduation, I'll probably apply for graduate school... Staying abroad for so long makes me really homesick. I miss the place where I grew up, and I miss my family and friends. I hope I can come back as soon as I finish my studies."

She smiled at Chen Lin, "I hope to dedicate a song to myself, and also to all those like me who have left their hometowns and are wandering far from home."

Chen Lin really resonated with this.

Leaving their hometowns and coming to study in cities thousands of miles away, every person who leaves their homeland carries a longing for their homeland.

He chose the song almost without hesitation.

"I dedicate the song 'Fallen Leaves Return to Their Roots' to you, and also to all my friends who have left their hometowns."

The original singer of this song is Wang Leehom. It is technically difficult, and Chen Lin in the past would not have dared to sing it live.

But now, he confidently relinquishes some control of his body to the "little singer".

As the melodious accompaniment began, he poured his longing completely into every lyric he sang.

"I raise my head and gaze at the endless gray clouds."

That season is called loneliness.

"My backpack is stuffed full of household items."

"And so the journey begins."

"The warmth of the sun that is not seen"

"The blue of a night without moonlight"

"We had no choice but to start in the cold."

"Leaving behind only regrets"

……

The song was filled with the loneliness and desolation of a traveler leaving home for the first time; the melancholy of being alone in a foreign land instantly captured everyone's hearts.

As the chorus begins, the emotions shift abruptly, and the longing and yearning for home bursts forth like a flood breaking through a dam.

"Oh, it's so sad to be so far from home."

"Transformed into an autumn night"

"But I feel like a fallen leaf returning to its roots."

"Falling into your heart"

A touch of melancholy, a touch of loneliness.

"All willingly"

"My love is like fallen leaves returning to their roots."

"Home is only by your side."

……

"I hope to help you find it."

"The lost eternity"

When I speak, you remain silent.

"Only a dream remains"

"But I feel like a fallen leaf returning to its roots."

"Falling into your heart"

A touch of melancholy, a touch of loneliness.

"All willingly"

"My love is like fallen leaves returning to their roots."

"Home is only by your side."

After the song ended, the guests in the audience were briefly silent, seemingly still immersed in the atmosphere created by the song. A few seconds later, a thunderous roar of cheers and applause suddenly erupted.

Amidst the noise, Chen Lin, with his enhanced hearing, clearly heard the hushed conversation of several guests at the next table.

"This guy's singing is amazing! He perfectly captured the loneliness and desolation in the first half, which is why he was able to bring out the longing and yearning for his hometown in the second half!"

"Yes, the emotional depth is absolutely amazing!"

Chen Lin himself felt that this song was his best performance of the night.

It seems that the more empathetic one's experiences are, the more moving their songs will be.

……

……

After that, two more guests went up on stage and requested songs.

Time has unknowingly come to an end.

"The last song," Chen Lin stood in the center of the stage, looking at the focused faces below the stage, and suddenly smiled, "The last song, I want to dedicate to myself."

He paused, recalling the year and a half before he entered university, and then thinking about the dramatic changes that had taken place in the past few weeks, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He gestured to the backstage staff, indicating that the accompaniment could be played.

"I dedicate this song, 'The Ordinary Road,' to everyone, and also to myself."

The desolate and expansive prelude began, instantly drawing everyone's thoughts away.

"Wandering on the road"

Are you leaving?

"Fragile yet proud"

"That was once what I looked like too."

"Boiling, restless"

Where are you going?

"Mysteriously silent"

Are you really listening to the story?

……

Chen Lin felt that this song could be sung to everyone in the world, and it perfectly matched his current state of mind.

The system gave him endless possibilities, making him extraordinary, but the road ahead is still full of unknowns and uncertainties.

So what? As long as we move forward earnestly and diligently, as the song says, without fear of any challenges, then everything we experience will have meaning.

Just like the ending he wrote in his big assignment that morning: "It is faith and perseverance that enable everything to develop and constitute this not-so-beautiful but still colorful world."

Chen Lin sang with increasing feeling; his voice conveyed a sense of relief, determination, and an indomitable spirit.

I don't know when it started, but the audience below the stage also began to softly sing along with his singing. The voices grew louder and louder, from scattered notes to a unified chorus.

This was his first time performing in a resident concert.

……

As the chorus began, the emotions of the entire audience reached their peak!

Everyone stood up, waving their arms, and joined Chen Lin in singing at the top of their lungs!

"I have crossed mountains and seas."

"Also, I walked through crowds of people."

"I once had everything."

"They vanished like smoke in the blink of an eye."

"I was once lost, disappointed, and directionless."

"Until I realized that ordinariness is the only answer."

"I destroyed everything I had."

"I just want to leave forever."

"I once fell into boundless darkness."

"I want to struggle but I can't break free."

"I was once like you, like him, like the wild grass and wildflowers."

"Desperate, yearning, crying, laughing, living an ordinary life."

As the last note of the song faded, the entire audience was momentarily stunned for a few seconds.

The entire bar erupted in cheers!

"Chen Lin!"

"Chen Lin!"

"Chen Lin!"

The shouts were so loud they nearly lifted the roof off.

Standing in the center of the stage, Chen Lin looked at the excited, thrilled, and moved faces below the stage, and listened to the shouts calling his name. He couldn't help but burst into laughter.

This was the most exhilarating and joyful performance he had ever given since he started performing at the resident concert.

At that very moment, a series of familiar system notifications suddenly popped up in front of him.

[The host's performance has received unanimous and strong approval and emotional resonance from all audience members!]

Performance Rating: Excellent!

[A little red flower is awarded to the host!]