"Speaking of memories, some songs are definitely a perfect fit. For example, 'Childhood[1],' 'You Who Sat Next to Me[2],' 'Having You in My Life[3],' 'Fleet of Time[4],' 'Ten Years[5],' 'So Young[6]'... all of these are very suitable." Chu Lian was mentally weighing which song to present as the class performance.
"'Childhood' doesn't really fit this age group. Though ten years from now, right around college graduation, it might resonate with people looking back on the past..."
"But that song is better suited for reminiscing about early childhood. For middle schoolers who are now beginning to understand friendship and academics, its message doesn't quite match. Plus, there's another song called 'Summer' that's quite similar—it wouldn't be impactful enough."
"'You Who Sat Next to Me' already exists in this world. Even if I brought it out now, it would just seem derivative. Never mind whether it would be successful or not—it would go against the 'genius literary girl' title I currently carry. If I can't even 'create' an original program and end up sparking controversy, it could hurt my school life going forward. So that one's definitely out."
"In comparison, 'Having You in My Life' might not be as well-known as 'You Who Sat Next to Me,' but in my original world, its campus folk-song style was incredibly popular for a time."
"More importantly, this song doesn't exist in this world. It perfectly captures the feelings of graduates who still hold deep regrets and longing for people they once loved or admired. Releasing it now might stir deep emotions in listeners. This one's a keeper."
"'Fleet of Time'—I truly loved that song when I first heard it. Even now, I can still hear its lingering resonance in my mind. If possible, I'd love to use it. But its emotional focus leans heavily on school romance."
"And even though this school has an open-minded environment and doesn't fuss over early romantic relationships, it would still be performed in front of many outsiders. If it ends up offending some more conservative attendees, even if the song does well, the school might hesitate to give it official recognition. Winning any awards would be difficult."
'Fleet of Time' was her favorite among all of Faye Wong's songs. More than the better-known 'Red Bean' or 'Because of Love,' she preferred this one for its lyrics—filled with regret over missed chances and the unspoken emotions when seeing someone again. It was her youth. Her most beautiful time.
But she didn't feel too regretful. She believed that someday in the future, she'd be able to sing this song on a grand stage—a song offered by this timeline's her to the one from another world.
"'Ten Years' feels too steeped in worldly sorrow. For someone my age to write that would be less genius and more freak. Better to wait a few years."
"As for 'So Young,' it faces the same awkwardness as 'Fleet of Time'—even more so, since it's an even more direct expression of unfulfilled love between a young man and woman. Its proper moment should come before 'Fleet of Time.'"
"It's a scream of heartbreak, while 'Fleet of Time' is a matured reflection on loss. Both are about being unable to let go, but at least 'Fleet of Time' accepts that what's past and gone can never return…"
And it wasn't just these few—there were so many other fitting songs. When it came to campus folk songs or school-themed music, Japanese anime soundtracks definitely had a lot that suited her current age.
But this was for the school anniversary. Singing something that wasn't in Chinese could spark controversy. Even singing in English was pushing it—at least most people could understand that. Japanese, though? People would just stare blankly. The effect wouldn't be great.
Speaking of English, she had considered picking an English song, but the classics were all too mature for someone her age. As for lesser-known ones, she didn't really know of any that fit. So, she had no choice but to give up on that too.
Aside from Mandarin, Japanese, and English, the only remaining option was Cantonese songs. It wasn't that she didn't want to pick one, but rather that she couldn't explain how she would know how to write in Cantonese. Compared to Mandarin, Cantonese was much harder to grasp—unless someone had grown up in a Cantonese-speaking region, it was nearly impossible to fully understand. To avoid unnecessary complications, she could only give up on that option.
She had wavered between these songs for quite a while before finally deciding on "Having You in My Life." It wasn't just about youthful memories—it was also about the bittersweet passage of time.
The subtle sadness and nostalgia within the lyrics made it a cleansing spring of emotion, whether for someone her current age, someone who had already left their school years behind, or someone nearing graduation.
But just as she picked up her pen to start writing down the lyrics, she realized that her classmates had already begun getting up from their seats. She stared blankly at them, not understanding what was happening. It wasn't until Li Xiu'er gently walked over and tapped her on the shoulder that she snapped back to reality.
"I saw you spacing out this whole time. You didn't say a word through three classes. I thought you were brainstorming a new story..." Li Xiu'er spoke as she leaned in to peek at the notebook on Chu Lian's desk, curious about what she'd written. When she got close enough, she saw a few words: "Performance: Song expressing youth — 'Having You in My Life.'"
She immediately panicked. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't know you were working on the task I asked of you." Though Li Xiu'er had grown less shy around Chu Lian, her face turned bright red—not from bashfulness this time, but because she felt bad for troubling her idol.
"It's fine. I just got a bit of inspiration. I can write it out this afternoon. By the way, what time is it now?" Chu Lian smiled casually when she saw it was Li Xiu'er, showing no hint of annoyance. She put down her pen, stood up, raised her arm slightly, and patted Li Xiu'er gently on the head to soothe her embarrassment.
Still, while doing this, a thought passed through her mind in frustration: Seriously, why is this delicate-looking girl a few centimeters taller than me…
"That was the end of the last class for the morning… It's lunchtime now... It's been a few minutes since class ended. I wanted to wait for you, but you seemed out of it, so I… so I…" Li Xiu'er calmed down gradually upon hearing Chu Lian's words. She felt incredibly comfortable around her, easily at peace, which made her want to get closer. That's why she had acted as she did.
"Wow, can't believe the morning's already over. Time really flew by. Come on, let's go eat. I didn't eat in the cafeteria last week since I hadn't finished the registration process and brought food from home."
"Today, I'm finally going to try this school's other famous feature—apparently, the cafeteria food here is on par with hotel chefs. Just thinking about it gets me excited." Chu Lian said as she tidied up her desk, then grabbed Li Xiu'er's hand and headed out.
Aside from the two of them, only a few boys were still in the classroom. Chu Lian didn't care who they were and didn't bother to find out. She knew that once she left, the room would empty out pretty quickly.
On the way, they passed many students sitting around the school grounds, opening their lunch boxes and chatting while eating.
The school environment was excellent, with trash bins placed everywhere. Littering carried heavy consequences, so the campus remained clean and tidy even after meals. As a result, more and more students preferred eating in their favorite spots around campus.
At first, it was Chu Lian excitedly pulling Li Xiu'er along, but once they got downstairs, the roles reversed. It was Li Xiu'er—covering her mouth and giggling—who pulled Chu Lian instead. Because Chu Lian had no idea where to go. The moment she reached the stairwell, she stopped, clueless about the direction.
When she shyly and awkwardly admitted the truth, Li Xiu'er couldn't help but laugh. Her beloved idol no longer felt unreachable—instead, she now saw her as a cute and endearingly clueless girl.
The cafeteria was located behind the high school section of the campus, adjacent to the athletic fields at the base of the rear hill. It was three stories tall, and the food was much cheaper than outside vendors, yet far superior in both taste and safety. The dining hall, tastefully decorated without being extravagant, featured an unusual sight at the serving counters: not aunties, but beautiful girls in elegant qipao or handsome boys in formal tailcoats.
They were high school students—talented but not particularly well-off—who worked part-time in the cafeteria. They came early, before most students, to begin their shifts.
The school was quite supportive of this practice, having stated that students who worked to support themselves should be admired, not shamed.
When Chu Lian arrived, she was completely captivated by the colorful, aromatic, and visually enticing dishes behind the glass. Compared to any school she'd attended in her previous life, the food here was on a whole other level—every dish looked like a gourmet masterpiece.
"Come on, I'll show you where to find the best stuff," Li Xiu'er said with excitement as she led Chu Lian from the first floor to the third. Up there, even more delicious food awaited...
[1] 張艾嘉 - 童年 / Childhood Memory (by Sylvia Chang)
[2] 老狼 (同桌的你)
[3] 一生有你
[4] 匆匆那年
[5] Eason Chan - Ten Years / 十年
[6] 致青春 (致我们终将逝去的青春)