Chapter 117: The Eternal Youth

Arriving at the Golden Voice KTV, Bai Qingxia hurriedly took a couple of quick steps after entering, her expression tense as she followed closely behind Lu Yuanqiu. She observed the dimly lit interior and the lavish lighting with curiosity, scanning every nook and cranny—from the exquisite counter to the polished marble floor, then shifting her gaze to the deep blue, diamond-shaped wall panels.

Walking down the corridor with the young man, the girl caught her reflection in the mirror on the door of a nearby private room. Suddenly, the door swung open, and a drunken man staggered out noisily, startling her. She quickly hurried after Lu Yuanqiu, lowering her head and clutching the back of his clothes with her small hand.

“134...” Lu Yuanqiu muttered the number as he pushed open a door.

Inside, Cao Shuang, who had been waiting, quickly stood and smiled, nodding. “Hey, Brother Qiu, and... uh, hello, Bai.”

Being addressed so politely by a notorious student from school made Bai Qingxia’s expression awkward; she nodded slightly, avoiding eye contact. Seeing Lu Yuanqiu settle onto the sofa, she hurried around to sit beside him on the other side.

Her legs, clad in tight black pants, were pressed tightly together. She curled up small in the corner, her arm close to Lu Yuanqiu’s, as if she were a bonus gift bundled with him.

“Wow, 23 songs on the playlist, all you requested for yourself?!” Lu Yuanqiu exclaimed, surprised as he scanned the screen.

Cao Shuang scratched his head, chuckling sheepishly. “Brother Qiu, you’re not new to coming to KTV with me, hehe.”

Lu Yuanqiu said, “Since it’s Bai’s first time at KTV, she definitely should get to sing first. You should delete some of these songs.”

Just as Lu Yuanqiu was about to act, Cao Shuang quickly went to remove some songs. Meanwhile, the girl gently tugged at Lu Yuanqiu’s arm, nervously saying, “You guys sing by yourselves. I can’t sing...”

“That’s impossible. Don’t you like listening to songs?” Lu Yuanqiu replied.

Bai Qingxia blushed and muttered softly, “That doesn’t mean I can sing.”

Cao Shuang, seemingly not forgetting his mission for the day, deleted songs while exaggeratedly turning to them and saying, “Bai probably doesn’t know, but Brother Qiu sings amazingly! He plays guitar and sings at the same time—it’s incredible. If he went pro, what would the Four Heavenly Kings have to do with it!”

“Alright, alright, no need to brag in front of just the three of us,” Lu Yuanqiu rolled his eyes, but found it amusing that Cao Shuang, unusually, had censored himself from swearing today. Usually, he would have added a curse before the word “thing” in that sentence.

Lu Yuanqiu first selected the song “Maple.” After choosing it, he felt a surge of self-satisfaction. “Look how well I remember your favorite song.”

He turned his head with a smile and looked at Bai Qingxia with deep affection, only to find her attention was elsewhere. She was bending down, carefully poking at the seam of the sofa with her small hand. There was a coin stuck inside.

Unable to retrieve it quickly, she leaned further down, earnestly working on the task.

Lu Yuanqiu’s smile froze.

***

He turned away, expressionless, and began singing the opening line.

After he finished the first line, Cao Shuang applauded flamboyantly, though it was mainly to impress Bai Qingxia. Still, it was undeniable that Lu Yuanqiu’s singing was indeed pleasant.

Come to think of it, Lu Yuanqiu had been self-taught on the guitar since sixth grade, though his high school classmates were unaware of this.

Hearing Lu Yuanqiu sing, Bai Qingxia finally pulled the coin free and looked up toward him, though she showed no surprise.

When the chorus came, Lu Yuanqiu suddenly passed the microphone toward her. The girl paused, silently shook her head, and shrank her neck.

So, for the rest of the song, Lu Yuanqiu sang with grit, voice hoarse and strained.

Though Bai Qingxia didn’t join in, she listened with a good mood, her legs gently swaying. It was hard to tell if it was because of Lu Yuanqiu’s singing or the thrill of having just found a coin.

After singing several songs by Phoenix Legend with Cao Shuang, Lu Yuanqiu finally collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted.

Turning to his side, he noticed Bai Qingxia sitting there with a faint smile, gazing at the big screen. Her small head bobbed slightly to the music, a pink hairpin adorning her.

“Bai Qingxia,” Lu Yuanqiu spoke in a low voice.

The girl naturally wiped away her smile and turned to look at him.

“If you could only come to a KTV once in your lifetime, and only sing one song, would you choose to sing the one you’re best at or the one you like to listen to the most?”

Bai Qingxia thought seriously before answering, “The one... I’m best at.”

Lu Yuanqiu pressed on, “Which song are you best at?”

His question seemed to carry some unseen power, causing her to stare blankly at the flickering lights in the room.

After a moment, she recalled softly, “I like singing... ‘Dark Night’.”

She looked up at Lu Yuanqiu with her beautiful eyes, only to find his mouth curling into a victorious smile as he snapped his fingers behind him.

Cao Shuang, standing by the song selection screen, immediately found “Dark Night.”

However, Lu Yuanqiu’s smile faded as he sat up, puzzled. “I like that song too. You say it’s the one you’re best at—why?”

Because... Bai Qingxia’s eyes were fixed silently on the boy sitting across from her.

She knew Lu Yuanqiu had already forgotten.

***

But it didn’t matter; this was a beautiful memory she alone could cherish.

After a brief pause, Bai Qingxia shrugged lightly, tucked her neck in, and smiled. “No reason.”

Music began again, and Lu Yuanqiu encouragingly handed her the microphone.

Bai Qingxia lowered her gaze to it and accepted.

She gripped the microphone tightly with both hands, glanced at Lu Yuanqiu, who turned his head toward the screen, offering an encouraging look.

She seemed to remember something, smiled awkwardly, and swallowed nervously, facing the screen.

As the intro paused, the girl began to sing.

“When I was little, noisy and willful...”

Though Bai Qingxia’s singing wasn’t particularly outstanding, her voice was still enchanting. In that moment, she seemed to sing carefully, striving not to falter, giving voice to a hidden, eternal youth within her heart.

“I fell in love with someone who made me reckless.”

“I thought this was the world I was chasing.”

***

That December, Lu City saw its first snowfall in three years.

At No. 65 Middle School, white flakes fluttered down from the sky. The temperature was low, and every student walking the corridors was bundled up like a ball.

“Why can’t my New Year’s performance be scheduled? What’s the excuse for being late to sign up? It’s not even a big show, just a class activity.”

“Lu Yuanqiu, why are you yelling? Do you think this school is your home? I’m the class monitor, and I decide. If you don’t agree, take it up with the teacher.”

Voices quarrelled from the classroom of Grade 8, Class 5.

Outside in the corridor, a slender girl in a thin school uniform, wrapped in an old autumn jacket, with long, messy hair, passed by. She held a scratched plastic cup and stole a quiet glance into the Class 5 classroom.

(End of chapter)