《perfect life》


 Chapter 1: The Strange World

    The bizarre sensation of time and space distortion raged through Li Qian''s mind.


    Stars spun around him, and everything seemed both real and unreal at the same time.


    Li Qian slapped his forehead hard, but the more he did, the worse his headache


    became.


    "Hey, Li Qian, are you okay? Should we take you to the hospital?"


    "I''m fine, really, I''m fine, just need to rest for a bit."


    He waved off Liu Qiang''s concern, shook his head hard, and then widened his eyes,


    scanning the surroundings.


    If the memories in his head were correct, this was the basketball court of the 13th


    National High School in Jinan, and Liu Qiang and the others, who were playing


    basketball not far away, were his classmates from the 2nd Class of Grade 11. Today was


    May 17th, 55th year of the Republic, Saturday, and the year of the E-hai in the lunar


    calendar. Oh, right, it was 1995 in the Western calendar.


    Yes, you read that right. This was Jinan Fu, not Jinan City.


    Here, the calendar was based on the Republic era, similar to the Chinese imperial era


    system.


    After thinking for a moment, Li Qian recalled the historical timeline from his textbooks:


    In 1644 AD, Li Zicheng entered Beijing, and the Ming Emperor Chongzhen hanged


    himself at Coal Hill. After that, Li Zicheng¡¯s army marched out of Shanhai Pass to battle


    the combined forces of Dorgon and Wu Sangui, achieving a great victory. Over the next


    twenty years, the Emperor of the Great Shun dynasty led campaigns, conquering the


    Manchu, Mongols, Hui people, and Taiwan. At one point, the Great Shun Dynasty


    flourished and prospered...


    Well, that was confusing.


    Compared to the history Li Qian had studied, this world¡¯s history took a massive detour


    with Li Zicheng¡¯s Great Shun Dynasty.


    And of course, like every dynasty, corruption and decline followed. The First Industrial


    Revolution in the West also arrived on time. By the late 19th century, China faced the


    ¡°lose and be beaten¡± reality, and even Hong Kong was indeed taken by the British for


    nearly a century. But surprisingly, in 1865, the Great Shun Dynasty experienced a top


    down reform, known as the "Yi-Chou Reform," marking the beginning of China¡¯s


    capitalist reforms.


    So, while time and space were already twisted beyond recognition, China still followed a


    similar path. But here, unlike in Li Qian¡¯s memories, China had implemented reforms


    and opened up earlier, becoming the world¡¯s first socialist country to declare reforms.


    Over the next decade, with the northern red giant leading the charge, several other


    socialist countries followed suit with various degrees of internal reforms and external


    openings.


    From then on, the two major global camps transitioned from military confrontations in


    the Cold War to regional cooperation and economic battles. The pace of the third


    technological revolution sped up significantly.


    Oh, and by the way, the Northern Polar Bear Empire still hadn¡¯t collapsed yet!


    Li Qian¡¯s thoughts were in complete disarray¡­


    This world truly felt strange and paradoxical!


    He rubbed his forehead hard and muttered to himself, ¡°The thing is, it¡¯s just a broken


    cable on a wire that caused me to fall. It wasn¡¯t even that high. How could I possibly die


    from it? Now, I¡¯m not only dead, but I¡¯ve ended up in this chaotic world¡­¡±


    When he first woke up, Li Qian almost thought he had gone insane, but as the


    memories of this world became clearer, he realized it was all real. He had truly traveled


    to this bizarre world and was now a second-year high school student named Li Qian.


    Well, in this world, Beijing wasn¡¯t called Beijing¡ªit was called Shuntianfu. Nanjing wasn¡¯t


    Nanjing, but Yingtianfu. As for Shanghai¡­ it was called Songjiangfu¡­


    Such a weird feeling.


    Instinctively, he checked his pockets, only to remember he didn¡¯t smoke yet. He


    searched through a few classmates'' school uniforms and finally found half a pack of


    cigarettes called "Daming Lake," pulled one out, and lit it.


    He took a deep drag, but it was a bit harsh, making him cough uncontrollably.


    ¡°Yo, yo, look, Li Qian actually smokes now!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Li Qian, didn¡¯t you say you hated your dad smoking? Why are you smoking now?¡±


    ¡°Damn, Li Qian, you¡¯ve got half a pack left, and you don¡¯t even know how to smoke.


    Don¡¯t waste it, okay? If you smoke one, I¡¯ve got one less!¡±


    ¡°Damn, are you that stingy? This is Li Qian¡¯s first cigarette of his life!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not being stingy, it¡¯s just that my pocket money for the week is almost gone, and


    you all know it. This half a pack is my food for the next two days. Once it¡¯s gone, how


    am I supposed to buy more?¡±


    Li Qian stuffed the cigarette back in his mouth, picked up his school uniform, patted his


    pants, and stood up.


    He thought for a moment, then stuffed the half pack of Daming Lake into his pocket,


    turned, and walked away, calling out, ¡°You can have the rest of the cigarettes. I¡¯ll buy


    you a whole pack tomorrow! I¡¯m not feeling well, I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    A loud, dramatic cry came from behind.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t leave, at least leave me a few¡­¡±


    ¡°Li Qian, hurry up, we¡¯ll cover for you!¡±


    ¡­


    According to his memory, Li Qian soon rode his bike back home.


    He lived in a community called Shengshi Garden, which he had been living in since he


    could remember.


    When he arrived downstairs, he locked his bike and didn¡¯t hurry to go upstairs. Instead,


    he looked up.


    The sweet sound of a piano echoed, as if flowing like spring water, drifting from an


    open window. Hmm, if it were the old Li Qian, he wouldn¡¯t have understood what the


    song was. But now, he recognized it¡ªThe Girl with the Flaxen Hair, a classic by


    Debussy.


    And to his surprise, it was played exactly the same as the version he remembered.


    Without thinking, Li Qian instinctively reached for his cigarettes again. But after a


    moment¡¯s thought, he put them back. This was his neighborhood, after all. Everyone


    knew each other here. If someone saw him smoking and told his parents, it¡¯d be a


    disaster.


    The sound of an engine roared closer. The manhole cover rattled twice, and the car


    turned the corner¡­ Li Qian looked away from the sky and saw a red convertible.


    However, when he saw the ancient, powerful traditional characters on the car¡¯s emblem,


    he was immediately thrown into confusion again¡­


    Great Wall!


    Hey, Chairman Wei Jianjun, did you know the Great Wall here makes sports cars now?


    Isn¡¯t it time you stopped clinging to the H6 for sales? How are you even managing this?


    With a screech, the car stopped in front of Li Qian.


    At that moment, Li Qian finally managed to tear his gaze away from the Great Wall logo


    and looked up.


    A stunningly beautiful face met his eyes.


    She got out of the car, closed the door, and swung her long, dark hair¡­


    With that height, she must be nearly 1.7 meters even without high heels.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Hmm, her expression was a bit cold.


    Li Qian immediately looked away after just one glance.


    He seemed to recall being intimidated by this woman.


    It probably started when he was young and tried to trick her younger sister with candy


    to get a kiss, only for her to give him a beating. That grudge had been there ever since.


    Over the years, her cold, icy face had become a shadow in Li Qian¡¯s heart. Even now, he


    felt the urge to avoid her.


    The convertible roof slowly rose, and the woman walked over, stopping not far from Li


    Qian. She looked up at the third floor, listened to the piano music, then glanced at Li


    Qian, her gaze icy.


    ¡°Jing Xuejie, hello.¡±


    If it were the old Li Qian, he would probably pretend not to see anything and keep his


    distance, but now, Li Qian took the initiative to greet her.


    Wang Jingxue nodded, said nothing, and walked past Li Qian, heading upstairs.


    Her waistline was so well-shaped that it made people stare.


    Li Qian gave a helpless smile.


    After she had been upstairs for a while, Li Qian turned back and glanced at the "Great


    Wall" emblem in the oval-shaped car logo, mumbling something under his breath


    before turning and heading upstairs.


    Li Qian''s home was also on the third floor, directly across from Wang Jingxue and Wang


    Jinglu''s home.


    When he arrived upstairs, the piano music from the opposite apartment had already


    stopped. Li Qian took out his key, opened the door, and was immediately hit with a


    pungent smell of smoke. He peeked inside and saw his father, Li Shuwen, sitting in the


    study, a cigarette in one hand and writing fervently with the other.


    Li Qian instinctively said, "Oh, Dad, got some inspiration again?"


    Through the haze of smoke, Li Shuwen glanced at his son, "Ah, couldn''t sleep last night,


    and remembered the tree in the yard back home. So I''m writing about it, should be


    done soon."


    Li Qian closed the door behind him, changed into slippers, and walked over, glancing


    up at the ceiling of the small study. "Dad, Mom''s gone to buy groceries, right? She


    should be back soon?"


    Li Shuwen found it a bit strange, looked at his son, then followed his gaze to the ceiling.


    He suddenly realized, quickly extinguished his cigarette, and hurriedly stood up to open


    the window. "Ah, I completely forgot!"


    Li Qian smiled and didn''t say anything. He closed the door and stepped out.


    Although calling a stranger "Dad" felt a bit awkward, it seemed to be influenced by the


    memories in his mind. When he said "Dad," he didn''t feel any discomfort.


    After taking a shower, Li Qian sat down in the living room, turned on the TV, and began


    to zone out on the sofa.


    This strange yet familiar world made him feel lost.


    Second year of high school, seventeen years old, his mother was an accountant, his


    father was a Chinese teacher, and had published a novel when he was younger¡ª


    though it didn''t sell much. Oh, and by the way, a small-time celebrity lived across the


    hall, but their relationship was negative...


    Wait a minute!


    Li Qian''s eyes suddenly lit up as if he''d just remembered something. He turned around


    and rushed to his bedroom, quickly pulling out a double-CD from a small bookshelf by


    his bed. It was a gift from Wang Jinglu¡ªone CD contained ten songs, and the other


    included music videos for the two main singles.


    "Five Elements Wu Su," a girl group composed of five girls, debuted last year and


    released their first album, which reportedly sold two to three hundred thousand copies,


    making them a relatively well-known singing group in the country.


    Wang Jingxue was one of them.


    With no one else at home, Li Qian casually closed the door to the small study as he


    passed by, walked to the TV, and inserted the MV CD into the VCD player.


    He turned on the TV, and soon, the VCD began to play automatically, and upbeat music


    and dancing filled the screen!


    Such long, white legs!


    As for the song itself, forget that for now¡ªthis leg-showing posture was almost


    identical to a Korean group from another world called "Legs Era."


    Li Qian put on his headphones, closed his eyes, and leaned back in his chair.


    Two songs played: the first was called "Love Ocean," and the second was called "L¨¹ Bu


    and Diao Chan."


    After finishing the first song, "Love Ocean," Li Qian pursed his lips and furrowed his


    brow.


    In his previous life, Li Qian''s father was a stage actor, and his mother was a music


    teacher at a high school, so he came from an artistic family. He grew up surrounded by


    this environment, and after high school, he started a band. After graduating from


    university, he didn''t find a job and spent his time performing in bars, taking on side gigs


    like arranging, composing for TV dramas, and occasionally recording demos. He lived


    from one gig to the next.


    Then, by chance, he became an extra, and from there, he worked his way up to roles


    like scene manager, assistant director, photographer assistant, stuntman, and small


    supporting roles. After two to three years, he managed to carve out a small place in the


    film industry. Of course, it wasn''t much of a success, just enough to get by. He was over


    thirty, still single, not for lack of trying, but simply because he was broke.


    Even though he switched to the film industry, his love and interest in music never


    waned. In fact, while working on a martial arts drama, just before a major accident with


    a wire stunt, he had just written a new song he was planning to pitch.


    So even though he wasn''t a professional singer in his previous life, having been


    passionate about and involved in music for years¡ªwriting songs, selling a few¡ªhe still


    had a decent ear for music.


    And by his standards, this song... it was very average.


    Then came "L¨¹ Bu and Diao Chan."


    It seemed... even worse than the first.


    You have to understand, if it made it to a music video, it must be the title track!


    If the title track was like this, you can imagine how poor the rest of the album was.


    The two music videos quickly finished, and the screen went black.


    Li Qian instinctively rubbed his chin and started to think¡ªthis was one of his habitual


    actions from his previous life. Whenever he did this, it meant he was thinking about


    something important.


    And now, the question was: If this level of music could sell two to three hundred


    thousand copies, then it must mean the music scene in this world wasn''t very strong!


    At that moment, Li Qian felt like his mind suddenly clicked into place. The sense of


    confusion that had been lingering since he crossed over seemed to be gradually


    dissipating.


    In his mind, a light began to flicker.


    Now, all he needed to confirm was one thing: how much of the music and film


    industries in this world resembled or differed from those of the world he had known!


    Here¡¯s the English translation of the text you provided:

 Chapter 2: The Seventeen-Year-Old Boy

    For the next day or so, Li Qian was almost consumed with his research.


    The video store, bookstore, DVD rental shop, and book rental store at the entrance of


    the neighborhood became his bases.


    He flipped through everything related to music, movies, TV shows, and books.


    CDs, vinyl records, tapes¡ªwhether domestic or foreign, he took them all off the


    shelves, browsing through the artists, song titles, and record labels... Then, combining it


    with the memories in his mind, he tried to piece together the music development of this


    timeline.


    He looked at movie posters, plot summaries, cast lists, directors, and screenwriters,


    trying to recall everything that the previous Li Qian knew, including release dates, box


    office numbers, and reviews... and so on, both domestic and foreign.


    Of course, he also paid attention to TV shows in the same way, reading plot summaries,


    looking at cast lists, directors, and recalling approximate air dates and ratings...


    For novels, anthologies, and the like, he did the same.


    Of course, he knew that just doing a quick glance could only lead to rough guesses.


    Over the next period of time, he would have to watch, listen, and analyze one by one.


    Only then could he more accurately grasp the pulse of this era.


    Fortunately, the previous Li Qian was also very fond of these things¡ªnovels, music,


    movies, TV shows... This was like building a lighthouse for Li Qian in the darkness of the


    vast sea.


    So, as he watched more and understood more, the smile on Li Qian''s face grew more


    and more, and it kept increasing.


    Fairly speaking, whether it was music, movies, or TV shows, Li Qian was the type of


    person who would dive deep once he became passionate about something. Although


    he never made anything big by his thirties, his knowledge was quite broad, and he was


    very familiar with the music and film industry of the time.


    So, after spending a day or so gaining a rough understanding of the cultural and artistic


    scene of this era, the light in his heart started shining brighter and brighter.


    Hmm, it''s probably at least 100 watts now, and let''s say it¡¯s LED 100 watts at that


    brightness level.


    To be specific, the literature, arts, films, music, and painting of this era were very similar


    to the era Li Qian had experienced before, just with some small differences.


    The so-called "major similarities" could be seen in literature and film. While the specific


    storylines, language, and cinematography might differ, the core spirit was vaguely the


    same. The same could be said for music¡ªthough the songs and tunes were different,


    the spiritual pursuit and emotional direction were connected.


    And this applied to both Eastern and Western arts. The Western arts largely followed


    the development trajectory Li Qian knew and hadn''t deviated much. The closer to the


    historical turning point of 1644 in the East, the more similar the development trajectory


    was to what Li Qian knew. In fact, many famous artists and works in the West fit


    perfectly into the history that Li Qian had in mind. On the other hand, Eastern arts,


    especially in China, had changed significantly.


    As for the small differences, that was simple. At least, the movies, TV shows, and songs


    Li Qian was familiar with from his past life almost had no overlap with this world!


    Of course, the song titles didn¡¯t overlap, but that didn¡¯t mean the tunes wouldn¡¯t have


    similarities, or that a similar scene wouldn¡¯t appear in a different movie. But... that was


    enough!


    As a semi-professional singer and a third-rate actor, Li Qian knew what those notes and


    images that only he had in this world meant.


    ...


    A day later, Sunday night, 11:30 PM.


    Li Qian was lying in bed, his mind racing, his eyes gleaming brightly.


    Li Qian''s mother, Geng Huizhen, came out of the bathroom. She saw the light coming


    from the gap in his door and couldn''t help but knock. "Xiao Qian, why are you still


    awake? Don¡¯t you have class tomorrow?"


    Li Qian quickly jumped up from the bed, "Sleep, sleep, I¡¯ll go to sleep soon. I just


    suddenly wanted to write something, I¡¯ll be done in a minute!"


    "Write something? Don''t use your dad¡¯s tricks to fool me. How old are you, and you''re


    already staying up late using inspiration as an excuse? If you have that much energy,


    the final exams are coming soon, and I just hope you don''t end up in the bottom three


    again! Now, get to bed, quickly!"


    Without saying anything, Li Qian reached over and turned off the light.


    He heard footsteps outside, and Li Qian thought his mother, Geng Huizhen, must have


    gone back to her room. After waiting for a while and realizing there was no movement


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    outside, he turned the light back on, crouched under the bed, and started rummaging.


    It didn¡¯t take long before he found a dusty guitar case.


    Ignoring the dust, Li Qian eagerly opened the case...


    Well, two strings were broken.


    ...


    One cannot deny that some thought patterns that have been ingrained in a nation''s


    people for a long time are very hard to change. For instance, despite the changes in the


    times, in this timeline''s 1995, there was still a distinction between "key classes" and


    "regular classes" in Jinan Fu National High School, Class 13.


    In the second year of high school, Classes 1, 3, and 5 were the "key classes."


    In key classes, the students were top-tier, the teachers were excellent, and both the


    school and parents had one goal: since you entered the key class, your ultimate goal is


    to get into the Imperial University! At the very least, you shouldn¡¯t fail to get into


    Shandong National University, right? After all, you¡¯re from Jinan Fu National High


    School¡¯s key class! We are one of the top ten high schools in Shandong, and our


    school¡¯s predecessor was Jinan Fu Academy in the Ming Dynasty, known as the


    "Shandong Little Imperial College!"


    Monday, morning.


    The fourth period of the second-year class 5 was Chinese literature.


    Li Qian''s seat was in the third row from the back. At this moment, the teacher was


    speaking passionately, and the students were listening intently. Li Qian, however, was


    somewhat bored, half-leaning on his desk, his gaze fixed on the back of the girl sitting


    in the third row, unable to look away.


    She was Wang Jinglu.


    Li Qian had been quite curious about the education system, methods, and standards of


    this era. But after flipping through the textbooks for all the subjects of the second year


    of high school, his interest quickly diminished.


    For instance, the so-called "Chinese literature" class was surprisingly similar to the


    Chinese literature from his previous life. The only difference was that the classical


    Chinese texts were longer and made up a larger proportion of the curriculum. Today,


    they were studying an excerpt from "The Book of Rites," which Li Qian had already


    studied in his previous life, so he unconsciously zoned out.


    "Li Qian, stand up!"


    Li Qian suddenly stood up, his eyes wide and confused, as if he didn¡¯t understand why


    the teacher had called him.


    She was a very beautiful girl, in her early twenties, wearing a well-tailored black skirt suit


    that accentuated her good figure. Her long, raven-colored hair was tied in a ponytail,


    straight and shiny at the top, with light purple curls at the ends, making her look


    fashionable and delicate. Just standing there, she immediately caught everyone''s


    attention.


    Yes, she was still just a... girl!


    She came from an educational family, both of her parents were teachers at Class 13,


    and she herself was accepted into the National First Women''s Comprehensive College¡¯s


    education department at seventeen. After graduation, she returned to her alma mater


    to teach Chinese literature. She had been teaching the class with Li Qian and Wang


    Jinglu since high school. Since then, she had earned the title of "most beautiful teacher"


    in the school, and it had never changed. However, there was a bit of regret among the


    male teachers and students, as rumors had it that she had been engaged since she was


    very young, and the wedding was supposed to take place in May next year. This news


    was something that made people feel uneasy.


    Especially for the previous Li Qian, Teacher Qi had been his number one crush.


    Don¡¯t be surprised. For a seventeen-year-old boy, even if a girl was as beautiful as an


    angel, like Wang Jinglu, the attraction wouldn''t be as great as an older, gentle,


    neighbor-like sister.


    What¡¯s more, Teacher Qi was incredibly beautiful by any standard, easily scoring a 90 or


    higher in terms of looks. Especially her eyes¡ªthose bright, clear eyes, like a fresh spring,


    calming anyone who looked into them.


    Now, when Teacher Qi called Li Qian out in class, her eyes gazed at him, saying, "Li


    Qian, can you wait until after class to look at the girls?"


    The whole class burst into laughter.


    After being together for almost two years, there were no secrets left in the class. The


    story of Li Qian and Wang Jinglu growing up next door to each other was already well


    known, even the fact that Wang Jinglu''s celebrity sister, Wang Jingxue, had once beaten


    up Li Qian was no secret.


    Teacher Qi hadn''t even spoken yet when Wang Jinglu quickly lowered her head,


    embarrassed.


    The whole class laughed loudly, and Wang Jinglu buried her face in her textbook, her


    face turning bright red, like she had drunk wine.


    Li Qian didn¡¯t

 Chapter 3: The Scent of Darkness

    When the school bell rang, before Li Qian could sneak off, Teacher Qi had already


    called his name, ¡°Li Qian, come to my office after school.¡±


    Amid the bursts of laughter, the students joyfully headed home, and Li Qian had no


    choice but to follow Teacher Qi to her office.


    With a black knee-length skirt, well-shaped legs, delicate ankles, nude-colored


    stockings, and strappy high heels, she walked just ahead of him, each step calm and


    graceful.


    Elegant like a cat, seductive like a fox.


    When they reached the office, Teacher Qi sat down and tapped on the desk. ¡°So, what¡¯s


    the deal here? What exactly are you trying to do?¡±


    Li Qian kept his head lowered, his tone unusually sincere. ¡°Teacher, I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°Wrong? Is that all you have to say?¡±


    Li Qian fell silent.


    Now that he thought about it, he realized he had indeed been a little out of line in class.


    Although this era was generally open-minded about love and relationships, the respect


    for teachers was far deeper than in his past life. He had openly flirted with a young


    teacher in front of everyone¡ªthis was really inappropriate.


    Seeing him silent, Teacher Qi continued, ¡°What¡¯s with all these strange comments from


    you? What¡¯s going on between you and Wang Jinglu? Whether you¡¯re dating or


    planning to get married, I can¡¯t interfere. But you can¡¯t be throwing love confessions in


    my class, can you? Making everyone laugh like that¡ªhow are the other students


    supposed to focus on their studies?¡±


    Uh, she didn¡¯t even mention the flirting part?


    Thinking about it, he realized that from an adult¡¯s perspective, a seventeen-year-old


    boy making a joke about admiration could easily be dismissed as a harmless flirtation,


    and not really "harassment" as such.


    In other words, she probably thought: You¡¯re just a seventeen-year-old kid¡ªwhat do


    you know about flirting?


    Li Qian didn¡¯t dare look up at her, afraid she might see something in his eyes, so he


    simply repeated his apology, even more sincerely this time, ¡°Teacher, I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°Good, you know you were wrong,¡± she said.


    Teacher Qi opened her pink thermos, took a sip of water, and continued, ¡°The other


    teachers aren¡¯t making demands, and I¡¯m not planning to punish you for this. But¡­ how


    about you try to improve your grades a little?¡±


    Li Qian raised his head to glance at her, then quickly lowered it again.


    Teacher Qi sighed. ¡°Look at you, such a smart kid, quick with jokes. I remember when


    you first entered high school, you were in the top ten of your class. Now, there are


    forty-five students in total, and you¡¯re ranked forty-third! I know your Chinese is great,


    it¡¯s always been good, but that¡¯s not enough. You need to work harder in other


    subjects, okay?¡±


    What else could he say? Li Qian could only nod and reply, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Teacher Qi thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Alright, from now on in my Chinese


    class, you can do whatever you want¡ªstudy whatever subject you like. If you want to


    study math, English, or even Russian, go ahead. Just don¡¯t disrupt my class and don¡¯t


    sleep. I know your Chinese grades are good, but your English and Russian scores are


    only around thirty or forty points. It¡¯s clear you haven¡¯t been putting in any effort. These


    subjects are all interconnected, and if you just put in a little effort, you wouldn¡¯t be


    getting such low scores¡­¡±


    After school that afternoon, Li Qian finally had the time to visit a music store and buy a


    new set of guitar strings.


    In his past life, he had played guitar for over twenty years¡ªclassical guitar, flamenco,


    electric guitar, Hawaiian guitar, pick guitar, and so on, mastering every type. So a cheap


    folk guitar that cost around a hundred yuan? It was nothing.


    He quickly replaced the old strings and started tuning.


    For beginners, tuning a guitar usually requires a piano for reference, but Li Qian didn''t


    need that. He had perfect pitch ingrained in his mind.


    Luckily, even though this guitar had been abandoned under the bed for at least ten


    years, the apartment was on the third floor and not humid, so the body and resonance


    of the guitar were still intact.


    ...


    As Li Qian strummed the guitar, making loud and clumsy sounds, his father, Li Shuwen,


    curiously knocked on the door and poked his head in. "What¡¯s going on here? What,


    you¡¯ve decided to mess with the guitar again?"


    Li Qian lifted the guitar and, more excited than ever before, said, ¡°I went to buy a new


    set of strings this afternoon and just replaced them. Dad, I wrote a song. Want to hear


    it?¡±


    Li Dad looked skeptical. ¡°You learned for three days ten years ago. I remember you


    shaking your head like a rattle, saying you didn¡¯t want to learn anymore. Now, after ten


    years, you can change strings by yourself? And you wrote a song?¡±


    Li Qian responded seriously, ¡°I have natural talent!¡±


    Li Dad waved his hand, ¡°Come here, show me the manuscript. You can use that talent


    to fool little girls later, but I¡¯ll need to see the script first.¡±


    Li Qian asked, ¡°Manuscript? You mean the tree you planted?¡±


    Li Dad was a bit offended by that, ¡°What do you mean, ¡®the tree¡¯? You don¡¯t know


    anything! This essay is called ¡®Hometown Yellow Flowers,¡¯ just finished editing. Come


    on, give me some feedback.¡±


    Li Qian refused, ¡°No, if you want me to look at your manuscript, you have to listen to


    my song first. Understand what it means to do things in order?¡±


    Li Dad, always a reasonable man, hesitated for a moment. He thought he should at least


    listen to his son and provide some serious advice later, so he said, ¡°Fine, fine, sing. I¡¯ll


    listen.¡±


    Excited, Li Qian cleared his throat, tuned one last string, and confirmed the tuning was


    fine. He then thought to himself that his father, being of a certain age and a deep


    literary type, would probably furrow his brows if he performed a song like "My Territory"


    or "Little Apple." However, overly classical songs, like Liu Huan''s ¡°Qing Yuan,¡± which had


    a Beijing opera style, would definitely not fit his current style.


    After a brief pause, Li Qian made his decision. He started playing, with clear and soft


    guitar notes filling the room, competing with the sounds of clattering in the kitchen and


    the hum of the range hood.


    ¡°When the petals fall from the flower, the faint fragrance remains,


    The scent vanishes with the wind and rain, no one comes to smell.


    If love tells me to go forward,


    I will fight until love is exhausted.


    If the heart dies in splendor,


    Love will be reborn in the ashes.


    I cannot forget the moments of whispering sweet words,


    With your smile, you gave me a farewell.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Let the heart die in splendor,


    Let love be reborn in the ashes.


    The fire scorches the grass,


    And once again, spring wind arrives.¡±


    ...


    The song was definitely a great one, one of those rare masterpieces that could take the


    whole music scene a year to produce. And with Li Qian¡¯s guitar arrangement at such a


    high level, and his voice, which was much better than in his past life¡ªthough not


    trained, with slightly weaker breath control¡ªit didn¡¯t matter. Li Qian knew how to use


    his voice. High notes, falsetto transitions, and tonal shifts were effortlessly executed,


    giving the song plenty of flavor. The entire performance was pretty impressive.


    Though his vocal quality could not compare to the original singer¡¯s tenderness and


    emotion, if the song were sung at a karaoke bar, it would definitely rock the room.


    This was Li Qian''s first performance of this life. It wasn''t perfect, but he was deeply


    invested and filled with emotion. After finishing, he opened his eyes after a long pause,


    nervously looking at his father. "Dad, how was it?"


    Li Dad seemed to be lost in thought. He stared blankly for a moment before


    responding, ¡°This... you wrote it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I wrote it!¡± Li Qian confirmed.


    Li Dad pondered for a while, a thoughtful expression slowly emerging on his face. He


    raised an eyebrow, then looked at Li Qian with a slightly troubled expression.


    Li Qian stared back, eyes wide.


    Li Dad walked into the room, pulled over Li Qian¡¯s desk chair, sat down, and said


    seriously, ¡°Xiao Qian, listen to your dad. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. What¡¯s


    most important is finding and utilizing your strengths. Do you understand?¡±


    Li Qian was confused, ¡°Dad, what are you talking about? Where is this going?¡±


    Li Dad looked a bit embarrassed, rubbing his hands together, ¡°I mean, look... sigh, my


    point is, if you want to chase girls, there¡¯s no need to sing or anything like that.¡±


    Li Qian was even more confused. He stared blankly at his father.


    Li Dad frowned and explained, ¡°I mean¡­ for example, your mom was beautiful, right?


    You kids today would call her a ¡®school beauty.¡¯ Don¡¯t look at her now, she¡¯s just a


    housewife, but she was stunning back then! Anyway, look at yourself in the mirror, you


    look a lot like her. And it¡¯s not just her looks. She was great at everything¡ªreciting,


    singing, acting, hosting... She was the arts champion at school every year. She was


    amazing! But me? I¡¯m not bad-looking, but just an ordinary guy, with almost no artistic


    talent at all. Yet, what happened? Didn¡¯t your mom still chase after me?¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡± Li Qian had never heard his father speak so emotionally about the past. His


    eyes lit up, and he eagerly sat down on the bed, forgetting about the song. ¡°Dad, tell


    me, how did you attract Mom back then?¡±


    Li Dad straightened up, his eyebrows almost flying off his face. ¡°It¡¯s simple. I was good


    with words! Anyone can hum a song, but can just anyone write a novel? Sure, singing


    well is not easy, but can she compare to writing a novel, turning it into print, and


    earning a lot of money? If I didn¡¯t write novels back then and just played the guitar and


    sang to your mom, would she have chosen me?¡±


    Li Qian chewed on his words, starting to catch on. But it was a little confusing, and he


    wasn''t sure.


    After a moment of thought, he asked, ¡°So what you mean is, instead of singing, I should


    focus on writing a love poem or something? Is that what you mean?¡±


    Li Dad slapped his thigh and nodded eagerly, ¡°Actually, singing isn¡¯t bad, but the girls


    next door, they¡¯re into that kind of thing. You sing a song, pretending it¡¯s your own, but


    if they find out, won¡¯t that be embarrassing?¡±


    Sure enough!


    His father had been trying to explain the whole situation in a roundabout way, and now


    it all made sense! He thought the song was plagiarized!


    And once he assumed that, he added his own backstory: Li Qian had likely copied the


    song to impress Wang Jinglu.


    The old literary man¡¯s mind really worked in mysterious ways!


    But the problem was... did he really think I¡¯m that desperate?


    Li Qian opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but didn¡¯t know what to say.


    To be honest, in this world, he could proudly say the song was his own. But... but still...


    Li Dad was pleased with himself, thinking his advice was timely and successful. He felt


    incredibly proud as a father, and without even checking the manuscript, he stood up


    and left. Before leaving, he turned around and said, ¡°By the way, you sang well... uh,


    what¡¯s the name of the song? Do you have a cassette?¡±


    Li Qian shook his head, his face full of gloom. ¡°The song is called ¡®Hidden Fragrance.¡¯¡±


    Li Dad, oblivious to his son¡¯s inner turmoil, nodded, ¡°Good name, fits well! Especially the


    lyrics, very meaningful!¡±


    ...


    After dinner, Li Dad and Li Mom were watching TV in the living room, while Li Qian was


    in his room, feeling down.


    It was true¡ªpeople with boundaries really do suffer.


    When facing his father¡¯s suspicion, he realized that if he had insisted the song was


    original, he would have felt embarrassed. No wonder things were so tough in his


    previous life!


    Too thin-skinned!


    But then, thinking about the struggles of his past life, he suddenly felt a little tougher.


    ¡°Damn it, in my last life, I was struggling on the poverty line, dragging down national


    statistics for over thirty years. Forget Aston Martins and Ferraris, I couldn¡¯t even afford a


    Ford Mustang. This time, at least I¡¯ll get a small Changan sports car! Anyway, in this


    world, I¡¯m definitely the original creator!¡±


    With this thought, everything became clear to him.


    He quickly grabbed his locked diary and started writing songs.


    One after another, writing lyrics and melodies, and even some arrangements. For


    someone who had been in the music industry for over a decade as a semi-professional


    lyricist and amateur singer, it was nothing. No exaggeration, he could remember


    hundreds or even thousands of songs. With the right inspiration, more would come to


    him.


    He was writing quickly when his phone vibrated twice.


    It was a text from Wang Jinglu. He opened it, only to find it blank.


    Li Qian put down his pen, and the image of her delicate face suddenly filled his mind,


    making his emotions become complex.


    ...


    In the living room, Li Dad, proud of himself, nudged Li Mom, who was focused on the


    TV. She glanced at him, not really hearing what he said but noticing his smug


    expression. She quickly pushed him away, ¡°Stop messing around. Watching TV. What if


    our son comes back late, and you embarrass yourself?¡±


    Li Dad¡¯s expression instantly turned awkward, like he was constipated.

 Chapter 4: The Concubine

    It was just after eight in the evening, and the city was brightly lit.


    On the rooftop, Wang Jingluo was casually lying on the one-meter-high protective wall, wearing a school uniform shirt on top and a flowery pleated skirt on the bottom. She was enjoying the view, looking at the distant buildings, the lit windows, the trees in the shadows below, and the car flow weaving through the gaps between the buildings in the distance.


    Thud, thud, thud.


    As Li Qian came out of the hallway, she happened to turn her head.


    Neither of them said anything. Wang Jingluo continued to lie on the protective wall, turning back to look at everything in the distance, while Li Qian walked over and mirrored her, also lying on the wall.


    A full minute passed. Just as Li Qian was about to say something, suddenly, there was a loud crash from the fifth floor.


    "This life is unbearable!"


    "Then don¡¯t live it!"


    Bang!


    Crash!


    Li Qian immediately got excited, his eyes wide, scanning the fifth floor. "Damn, are they about to fight?"


    Wang Jingluo kicked him lightly, wearing a helpless expression on her face, "Why are you so gleeful about someone else''s argument?"


    Li Qian didn¡¯t care about her, continuing to scan the fifth floor, ¡°I swear, last month, that couple was arguing and then started kissing, even while biting each other and tearing clothes off. I think they were on the fifth floor too? I remember the girl was really pale... Hey, have you seen them anywhere? I can only hear the sounds, but I can¡¯t find them!¡±


    The buildings in Shengshi Garden were all six stories high, and since they were on the rooftop, it was like being on the seventh floor. The fifth floor was about 20 meters away, and unless the couple was standing by the window like last time, it would be hard to spot them.


    Wang Jingluo kicked him again, this time with a little more force.


    Strangely enough, despite the sound of broken dishes and fighting, it ended after just two crashes.


    After waiting for half a minute without hearing any more sounds, Li Qian sighed in disappointment, "I guess they must have started kissing again. Too bad we can¡¯t see their butts this time..."


    Wang Jingluo kicked him hard.


    Li Qian finally turned to look at her. She, in turn, pursed her lips and looked back at him.


    They stared at each other for a while.


    Even though it was through thick glasses, her eyes were still so beautiful. They were large and bright, resembling a doe''s eyes¡ªpure, innocent, and undeniably captivating.


    Suddenly, the curtains of the fifth-floor window were pulled shut with a swish.


    Li Qian turned to glance at it, then turned back to continue staring at Wang Jingluo.


    But Wang Jingluo didn¡¯t blink, saying, ¡°You really have so many weird things to say, especially today. You were saying things in class in front of so many people, even in front of Teacher Qi. Now everyone¡¯s been laughing at me all day. I¡¯m so embarrassed!¡±


    Li Qian said, "By the way, I don¡¯t think I heard you play the piano before dinner?"


    Wang Jingluo said, ¡°We¡¯re not even in a relationship. Don¡¯t say things about me like that. It¡¯s so embarrassing, do you understand?¡±


    Li Qian said, "Isn''t the song you''ve been practicing called The Blonde Girl?"


    Wang Jingluo pouted and glared at him, kicking him again. Then, she said angrily, ¡°It¡¯s The Blonde Maiden!¡± She emphasized the word maiden.


    The conversation then paused, and they both turned back to stare at the distant scenery in unison.


    After a long while, Wang Jingluo suddenly spoke. ¡°My sister told me that when I get a break, I should go to Beijing. She will handle the transfer paperwork for me so I can attend high school there, to fully prepare for the Beijing Film Academy entrance exam.¡±


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    She then turned to look at Li Qian, speaking seriously, ¡°It¡¯s almost time for the third year of high school. You need to study hard, you know? If you keep going like this, you won¡¯t even make it into a public university.¡±


    Li Qian responded nonchalantly, ¡°I guarantee I¡¯ll get in! I¡¯m planning to put in a little effort this month during the monthly exams, aiming to make it into the top 30 of the class, so you all won¡¯t keep nagging me. But Russian is really giving me a headache. If you asked me to speak Japanese, it wouldn¡¯t be as hard¡­¡±


    Wang Jingluo pressed her lips together, slowly relaxing them. Her mood inexplicably dropped, and she said quietly, ¡°Last summer, you told me not to worry, you¡¯d definitely get into Beijing. I know you like to play around, but I¡¯m not asking for much. Just get into a public university in Beijing, that¡¯s all. If you study seriously for just one year, it will be much easier after that, even if you play later. Okay?¡±


    Li Qian smiled and replied casually, ¡°No big deal, I still say the same thing. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely get into Shuntian University, and it has to be a prestigious one!¡±


    Wang Jingluo looked at him seriously, but said nothing. She only sighed internally.


    Li Qian, on the other hand, turned to her with a playful smile.


    Wang Jingluo also turned to him, blinking innocently, as if she didn¡¯t understand anything.


    Li Qian reached over and took her glasses off, studying her face.


    It should be said that while Wang Jingluo was definitely a beauty even with glasses, once she took them off, she was on a completely different level! Especially because her nearsightedness made her squint slightly when she looked at things, which gave her a unique charm. When she wasn¡¯t squinting, her clear eyes would momentarily lose focus, giving her a vulnerable, captivating look¡­ That moment made her even more beautiful, as if she could immediately level up by three to five points!


    At that moment, without her glasses, Wang Jingluo instinctively squinted her eyes, feeling a little flustered.


    Especially since Li Qian, although smiling, was staring at her with an intense, piercing gaze.


    ¡°I say, do you like me? Want to marry me?¡± he asked.


    Wang Jingluo quickly turned her gaze away, pressed her lips together, and then put a few stray strands of hair behind her ear before turning back to glare at him, saying disdainfully, "So full of yourself!"


    She turned to walk away but then suddenly shot back, ¡°If you keep talking nonsense, I¡¯ll call my sister and tell her!¡±


    Li Qian immediately raised his hands in surrender.


    Once she mentioned her sister, it was clear the conversation was over.


    After a moment, Wang Jingluo suddenly said, ¡°Do you know why my sister came back the other day?¡±


    Li Qian shook his head. ¡°No, why?¡±


    Wang Jingluo lowered her head. ¡°My dad¡­ asked her to lend him money.¡±


    Li Qian was puzzled. ¡°Your dad borrowed money from your sister?¡±


    Wang Jingluo nodded. ¡°That woman¡­ didn¡¯t she move out last week? When my sister came back, she and my mom locked themselves in the bedroom talking. I overheard my mom crying. Later, when my sister was leaving, she told me that the woman was pregnant. She demanded that my dad buy her a house if she was going to have the baby, or she¡¯d get an abortion. My dad agreed, but his business hasn¡¯t been doing well lately, so he didn¡¯t have enough money and had to ask my sister for a loan¡­¡±


    Li Qian was stunned. ¡°You mean¡­ your stepmother is pregnant?¡±


    Wang Jingluo nodded. ¡°My dad wanted a son, so he was planning to take a concubine. My mom even agreed, fearing the woman would cause trouble. She had to be nice to her at home and made sure my sister and I always called her ''Stepmother'' and never showed her any attitude. But in the end¡­¡±


    ¡°In the end, she still complained in front of your dad?¡±


    Wang Jingluo nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Li Qian helplessly rubbed his forehead.


    They say it''s hard for a fair official to settle family matters. As an outsider, Li Qian didn¡¯t feel qualified to offer advice.


    But, honestly, this society¡¯s system was pretty strange.


    The constitution guaranteed equality for everyone, including gender equality, and even freedom of love and marriage, yet it simultaneously granted men the right to take concubines.


    According to what Li Qian knew, men who wanted a concubine could apply to the local government, provided they got consent from their parents, wife, the concubine-to-be, and her parents. Once all parties signed the application, and a year passed with no objections, the man could pay a ¡°concubine fee,¡± which was ten times his personal income tax from the previous year. With this payment, the concubine would be legally recognized and have rights to financial independence and priority in divorce.


    Li Qian had learned that only a few countries still allowed such laws, mainly in East Asia and the Arab world, though the practice was rare due to the high cost.


    ¡­¡­


    Perhaps seeing that Li Qian had been silent for a while, Wang Jingluo suddenly asked, ¡°So, do you plan to take a concubine in the future?¡±


    Li Qian¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. ¡°Of course! Think about it, three wives and four concubines¡ªthat¡¯s the dream of a hero! Since it¡¯s legal, why not? Just like my dad, my mom says she knows he has that mindset, but she¡¯s wondering if he has the money. Listen to this¡ªwhat does it mean? Whether you can take a concubine depends on whether you¡¯re willing to pay that fee. It¡¯s like a measure of how successful you are!¡±


    Wang Jingluo burst into laughter and playfully hit him on the shoulder, scolding, ¡°You never have a serious moment, always talking nonsense!¡±


    Li Qian smiled as he carefully put her glasses back on, saying sweetly, ¡°How about you sign for me in advance?¡±


    Wang Jingluo rolled her eyes at him with a mix of laughter and embarrassment. She turned to go downstairs. ¡°You should have your future wife sign for you!¡±


    But before she even got to the hallway, Li Qian called out, ¡°Just having my future wife¡¯s signature isn¡¯t enough. You need to sign too!¡±


    Wang Jingluo nearly tripped. ¡°What? You want me to be your concubine?¡±


    She stopped at the hallway, glaring at him. Seeing his innocent face, she stomped her foot and rushed into the hallway, ¡°Li Qian, I never want to talk to you again!¡±