Dragon Raja: Reboot

It remains a spacious, long, and secluded tree-lined path.

But this time he was not alone; Lu Mingfei and Qi Lan walked slowly side by side.

"I joined the literary society in high school. My Chinese teacher said, 'Lu Mingfei, since you are a member of the literary society, why don't you represent our class in the school's speech contest?'"

"I prepared meticulously for a long time back then, writing a speech of several thousand words, rehearsing it repeatedly, and even marking every point on the speech where the audience should laugh and applaud. I don't know why my Chinese teacher chose me out of the blue, but I didn't want to disappoint her, nor did I want my first speech in life to become a laughing stock, and to leave the stage in a humiliating way."

"My initial plan was to start with a fancy trick, you know what a fancy trick is? It's like..."

Lu Mingfei smiled and continued,

"It's a little trick to get everyone excited and enthusiastic at the beginning."

"My prepared opening remarks were as follows: Dear school leaders and classmates, hello everyone, I am Lu Mingfei from Class 1 of Senior Three, and the title of my speech is 'Thank You for Being There.' As Mr. Lin Yutang once said, 'A wonderful speech should be like a miniskirt worn by a young girl, the shorter the better...'"

Lu Mingfei stopped in his tracks, straightened his clothes, as if he had returned to the past.

He smiled ingratiatingly as he looked ahead, where the auditorium was filled with students.

But his voice abruptly stopped at the end, and when it rang out again, it was faint and confused.

"In the notes of my speech, this is when laughter and applause should begin, so I paused for a moment and gave the audience a flattering smile..."

"Indeed, some people responded to my trick, but as soon as they started laughing, the school's vice principal, who was known for his scholarly air, coughed, a low and intimidating sound. I saw those students who wanted to laugh immediately fall silent, and everyone was quiet; the entire auditorium was completely silent."

"It's ridiculous. The auditorium has never been so quiet. Even though teachers kept shouting for quiet, there were always some restless students. But at that moment, you could hear a pin drop in the auditorium. Everyone was staring at me in complete silence..."

Lu Mingfei raised his head, gazing at the boundless night sky, and softly recounted the story hidden in his heart.

Qilan is also a very good listener.

Even though he frowned several times along the way, he never interrupted Lu Mingfei, but simply listened attentively, looking thoughtful.

"I originally wanted to be a hero receiving applause, but in the end I was met with thousands of dagger-like stares."

"At that time, all I could think about was why they weren't clapping or laughing. Later I realized it was because the vice principal didn't like that uncivilized opening, even though it was Lin Yutang's original words."

"He didn't like that opening, so he coughed in a low voice to warn me, and to everyone else in the room."

"The vice principal expressed his dislike, so who would be willing to defy the vice principal's authority for the sake of a loser?"

"There was no one there, at least not in that auditorium."

"In the end, I can only bow to everyone and apologize, saying that I am not ready and I am sorry, I am withdrawing from the competition."

"I had prepared meticulously because I didn't want to leave in disgrace, but at that moment the entire auditorium was clearly expressing its stance to me: they don't like me, they don't like me, and they don't like me!"

"What else could I do? I couldn't continue. Every gaze from my classmates felt like a knife cutting into me. I could only leave the stage in disgrace, only to be ridiculed by everyone afterward."

"That was my first and only speech in my life. Since then, I've felt that I don't have any eloquence and can only say some nonsense, so I always say nonsense."

"How can someone who never thinks their words are important speak seriously?"

"Qilan, you invited me to join the freshman social club before, and even wanted me to be the president..."

"I'm sorry, I was very scared at the time because I didn't know why you valued me so much. I felt it was unreasonable, just like my Chinese teacher made me participate in a speech contest."

"Unreasonable emphasis will only lead to disappointment in both sides."

"But... it wasn't until much later that I realized I was wrong again."

"How can I judge my future based on my past experiences?"

"How can that auditorium represent the world?"

Whether the world likes me or not depends not on the people in that auditorium, but on my friends!

"I disappointed myself, and then I disappointed those who trusted me. I've come all this way, but I've been in a daze and haven't grasped anything."

"Now, when I look back on this incident, I realize that their ridicule of me afterwards was justified, because I was the one who gave up first. In that speech, I gave up on myself, so how could they not laugh at someone who gave up on themselves?"

Qi Lan remained silent for a long time.

He originally thought it was just a casual chat between friends, but Lu Mingfei's words were so heavy that he didn't know how to respond.

He racked his brains and put all the knowledge he had learned to use.

He wanted to say something profound to the man in front of him who seemed to understand something, yet also seemed to be in a state of confusion.

He wanted to tell him that some things were wrong, that the world wasn't like that!

Qi Lan finally spoke.

But what he said wasn't any earth-shattering words; it was his past.

His voice was deep and somewhat hoarse, as if he had been thinking for a long time.

"My words are prophetic. When I was very young, I could see fragmented, hazy images. At that time, I didn't know what they were, and I would always say them unintentionally. And every time I prophesied, the things came true. People began to fear me, thinking I was a monster, a madman. Even my father began to be afraid. Later, he sent me to a mental hospital. I was very depressed for a time. I felt that the world was really strange and scary. Everyone looked at me as if I were a monster..."

Qi Lan's tone became more and more excited as she spoke, her speech became faster and faster, and veins bulged on her forehead.

Even Bradley, whom he had known since childhood, had never seen the usually gentle Chillan show such an attitude!

Lu Mingfei suddenly froze.

He had heard this story before; Bradley had told him it during the 3E exam.

But how can other people's accounts compare to even a fraction of what the person involved described?

He had just had a sudden inspiration and confessed to Qi Lan about a past experience, just like the former principal reminiscing about his past self.

He wasn't feeling sentimental; he just wanted to share his insights with Qilan.

He lived in a daze for a long time in his previous life, until he finally had nowhere to escape and truly came out of it. During that not-so-long period, he searched for his friend's whereabouts while figuring out many things.

But by then, no one was there to listen to his growth.

Even Qi Lan, who had gone through great hardships to find him, died prematurely due to overworking himself.

Seeing Qi Lan again now, Lu Mingfei felt extremely complicated emotions.

He owes Qi Lan from his previous life an "I'm sorry".

So he tells Qilan about his past, while also reflecting on himself and letting go of his past self.

"The day I was admitted to the hospital, I stood by the window in my ward, reaching my hand out through the iron bars, calling out to my father, hoping he wouldn't abandon me, but he walked away without looking back, as if he were running away. I felt very lonely then; my family didn't like me, they were afraid of me, it seemed like the whole world didn't like me, until I met Bradley..."

Qi Lan paused, her gaze fixed intently on Lu Mingfei's eyes.

"What you said at the end made a lot of sense to me. The people in that auditorium don't represent the whole world. The world is so big, and one day we'll meet people who like us and are willing to be our friends, just like I did!"

"The people in that auditorium don't want to be your friends, but I do! Everyone in the social club wants to be your friend!"

"We won't laugh at you, because we're friends. Friends don't laugh at each other; they encourage one another!"

"So never give up on yourself! Life is long, the world is vast, and we will eventually meet the right people at the right time and place! They will fight the whole world for us!"

"Those who are willing to stand with us against the world are our true friends!"

"Lu Mingfei, I'm glad you could share your story with me."

"If I were in that auditorium, I would applaud for you!"

Countless stars twinkled and shone brightly in the deep blue sky.

Under the starry night, a handsome Indian boy opened his arms, his expression solemn and dignified, to embrace his newly made friend.

Lu Mingfei suddenly took a deep breath.

In fact, he understood the concept of "friends and the world" a long time ago.

He also cherished this principle and told it to the girl.

In this conversation, what he really wanted to express was the last sentence, which was the new insight he gained from recalling the past today.

What right does someone who gives up on themselves have to ask for applause from others?

He once fantasized on that rooftop that one day a divine being would descend from the sky, pull the unfortunate kid out of his predicament, and lead him into a completely new world.

But when he actually stepped into the new world, he huddled in his nest like a wounded bird.

He never actively pursued anything, but always fantasized that someone would fall from the sky and pull him out of his predicament.

Something for nothing?

The real meaning of this word is to gain something for nothing!

That's what he meant.

He used to be someone who daydreamed all day, fantasizing about getting something for nothing. Even when faced with well-intentioned friendship from others, he would back down instead of actively seeking it out.

That's why he ignored the hand of friendship that Qi Lan had once extended, and even actively avoided it.

He wanted to apologize to Qilan.

But Qi Lan misunderstood him, and this misunderstanding made Lu Mingfei feel something even heavier.

He overlooked one thing.

A person who truly wants to be your friend will reciprocate with sincerity.

Everyone has things hidden in their heart, like the Absolute Territory or Absolute Mind Territory in EVA. It's a territory that only you know, and the memories hidden there are usually not good. There's nothing worth sharing, and sharing it with others is like cutting yourself again.

However, in order to comfort and persuade her new friend, Qi Lan did not hesitate to tell her past stories, just to increase the power of her words!

Whether in the previous life or this one, Qi Lan is willing to exchange his true heart for his friendship without hesitation!

I used to avoid people like Qi Lan while lamenting how lonely the world truly was...

Lu Mingfei suddenly felt like punching himself hard.

An indescribable and obscure aura permeated Lu Mingfei's surroundings. The surrounding woods were silent, and even the rustling of leaves in the wind was nowhere to be heard.

……

……

Lu Mingfei said goodbye to Qi Lan at the intersection, promising to meet her at the library next time.

He didn't go back to his dormitory, but instead sat on a long wooden bench by the roadside.

The surroundings were quiet; the school was silent under the cover of night.

"Were you there that day?" Lu Mingfei suddenly sighed.

"Yes, brother, I was standing right next to you that day, holding your hand tightly, but you didn't feel it."

Lu Mingze, who appeared out of nowhere, said softly, "I won't use an umbrella when you're getting wet in the rain."

Lu Mingfei laughed and said, "You're probably still glaring at everyone in the audience, aren't you?"

"Of course." Lu Mingze chuckled silently. "We're brothers, how could I let them laugh at you? I'll glare back at every single one of them who's mocking you!"

"So now do you know what I'm thinking?"

"I used to know, but I don't know now. I can't figure out my brother now."

"I'm wondering now... if I had insisted on finishing my speech in front of everyone that day, would they have applauded me?"

Lu Mingfei said softly.

He sat upright on a wooden bench by the roadside, his gaze deep and resolute, the night breeze rustling through the leaves and gently kissing his face.