Backstage, Chu Tian stood silently to one side, watching Xu Qingqiu sing on the monitor, his thoughts a tumultuous, intricate storm.

He knew Xu Qingqiu had cherished his former self for many years, her affection unwavering.

But when he first arrived in this world, his immediate reaction was alienation; to him, Xu Qingqiu was merely a stranger. He had inherited memories but not his predecessor's emotions, making it hard for him to be genuinely moved.

Later, as he learned more about their past, he largely concluded that Xu Qingqiu's feelings were a blend of youthful infatuation and gratitude for help received during difficult times. Thus, he hadn't taken advantage of her vulnerability, nor had he intended to toy with Xu Qingqiu's emotions by leveraging his predecessor's place in her heart. Indeed, in his eyes, accepting her affection without reciprocating it would be akin to cruelly playing with a vulnerable girl's feelings, all while hiding behind his predecessor's identity. That was why he had repeatedly rejected Xu Qingqiu, feigning ignorance of her affections.

But as the days passed, his perspective gradually shifted.

At first, he simply found the girl rather endearing. Later, he discovered she was beautiful, kind, adorable, and remarkably hardworking.

Who wouldn't be drawn to a girl like that?

With time, he suddenly realized he'd grown accustomed to her presence. He would feel a pang of distress when she was wronged, a flare of anger when she was bullied, and a surge of anxiety and helplessness when she was hurt.

Chu Tian was no longer a naive young man. Though he lacked romantic experience, life had taught him when to confront his true feelings. Therefore, he quickly adjusted his mindset: if he liked her, he should embrace it openly. Crucially, his initial indifference had given way to an increasing inability to bear the sight of Xu Qingqiu's downcast eyes. So, Chu Tian stopped avoiding her and no longer deliberately kept his distance.

Then came the day he sang a song—perhaps on a whim, or maybe with a flicker of anticipation. He just hadn't anticipated Xu Qingqiu's response would be so direct and fervent. A kiss, sudden yet feeling like destiny, firmly sealed their relationship.

Even though he had previously sensed that loving someone unrequitedly was painful, it was only now, listening to Xu Qingqiu pour her heart out in song on stage, that Chu Tian felt a profound empathy. For the very first time, he truly grasped the depth of her emotions and the immense strength it must have taken for her to persevere through all those years of unrequited love.

"Sorry..."

As her song drew to a close, Chu Tian, his expression darkening, softly murmured an apology.

"What are you looking at? It's your turn!"

"Huh? My turn for what?"

While he was lost in thought, Li Chunhua had approached unnoticed and now handed him a microphone.

"What do you think? Didn't you ask me to save a song slot for you? Well, now's the time."

"Now?!"

Chu Tian's somber mood instantly evaporated, and he blinked, dispelling the tears that had welled at the corners of his eyes.

Previously, when Xu Qingqiu had wanted to officially announce their relationship, he had planned to surprise her by singing a song at her concert. But he had never imagined Li Chunhua would arrange it for this exact moment.

This was… Xu Qingqiu just finished that song about her unrequited love, and now I'm supposed to follow immediately with a love confession? Is that even appropriate?

"Are you going to sing or not? If not, then forget it."

"Uh... I'll sing. I'll sing, alright?"

Seeing the exasperated look on Chu Tian's face, Li Chunhua nearly burst out laughing.

Always with the public displays of affection, aren't they? They love showing off, right? Well, here's the perfect opportunity. One talks about her emotional journey, the other makes a live confession. Go on, show off! Don't just rub it in my face; show it to the ten thousand people out there!

Chu Tian, oblivious to her vengeful streak, could only take the microphone, compose himself, and wait quietly as a staff member helped him with his in-ear monitors.

"Which side will you be going on stage from, Teacher?"

"Huh? I'm not going on stage. I'll just sing from here."

"From here?"

"Right."

Noticing the staff member's puzzled look, Chu Tian offered no explanation. The official announcement was one thing, but he had no intention of revealing his face publicly; he still craved a few more days of peace.

If going out means being hounded by paparazzi, and maybe even having obsessive fans spit at me or something, then forget it.

Onstage, Xu Qingqiu didn't descend after finishing her song.

She had a staff member bring out a high stool, then sat down with a smile and said, "Alright, that was my song. Did everyone enjoy it?"

Naturally, the audience responded with a wave of affirmation.

The song itself might not have been a masterpiece, but it was undeniably a good song, suffused with profound emotion. Especially since Xu Qingqiu herself was singing; in the eyes of her fans, her performance could have no flaws.

"If you liked it, that's great. I..."

Just as she was about to say more, the music suddenly swelled up again.

"Hey? Excuse me, to the sound engineer, could you please stop the music?"

Thinking it was a technical mishap, she quickly called out.

However, the music didn't stop; instead, it grew louder and louder.

Just as she was about to call out again, she suddenly realized this melody was completely unfamiliar; she was sure she'd never heard it before.

What's going on? Is this the wrong song? An equipment malfunction?

As these speculations raced through her mind, a voice suddenly began to sing.

"The typewriter, it's articulating my worries"

"I embrace the maple leaves that flutter about the sky"

"In the summer night's breeze, you long for my smile"

The moment the singing began, Xu Qingqiu was utterly stunned.

Because this voice was all too familiar—it was Chu Tian's.

They had met right after Chu Tian's voice had changed during puberty. She had listened to that voice for many years, right up until Chu Tian's vocal cords were damaged, and then she hadn't heard it again.

Now, Chu Tian's voice was slowly recovering, and Xu Qingqiu knew his throat was almost fully healed, but she had never imagined he would choose this moment to sing.

Does this song hold some special meaning?

Yes! The song... the lyrics!

At this thought, she spun around, her gaze fixed on the large screen behind her.

The large screen was indeed displaying the song's lyrics.

And as she read them, her vision began to blur.

"I've wandered through mountains, gotten lost at sea"

"The starry sky I passed through were your eyes"

"Longing turns into a river, three thousand love letters"

"I spread them out and place them in your hands"

Ten years—more than three thousand days and nights of knowing each other—seemed encapsulated in the "three thousand love letters" mentioned in the lyrics.

Tears immediately welled up in Xu Qingqiu's eyes.

She had never, ever imagined Chu Tian would sing to her at such a moment. Nor had she expected him to sing *this* particular song.

The melody and words transported her back to their youth, to the very beginning of their acquaintance. One timid and innocent, the other sunny and handsome.

And now, ten years later, they were finally together. Just as she was musing on the hardships of her unrequited love, he chose this very moment to sing to her.

It felt as if he were directly responding to her unspoken thoughts.

He's telling me I wasn't alone in my efforts. This love is a mutual pursuit.

This was Chu Tian's message to her. Anyone could see that even though they were together, Xu Qingqiu still held herself back somewhat. In other words, Xu Qingqiu lacked a sense of security.

If that was the case, then Chu Tian would give her that security.

"Autumn is spring played in reverse, goodnight is a love poem"

"The moon above the sea is the moon in the sky, the person before me is perched at the tip of my heart"

"This romantic world, where fireworks meet roses, and one meets the gentle breeze"

"In my fleeting years, I met you"

As the chorus arrived, the emotions that had been simmering beneath the surface erupted.

Xu Qingqiu couldn't hold back any longer; covering her face, she wept silently, tears streaming uncontrollably.

Though tears blurred her vision, her gaze never left the large screen, not even for a second.

"Sunny days are joyful rain, the wind carries letters you wrote"

"Flowers in water are flowers I hold, my beloved is right before my eyes"

"Passion withstands the long march of time, the changing of four seasons"

"We'll continue writing the ending of our story"

...

Chili Wubu – "Inverse" (Lyrics: Qiao Yu; Music: Xi Xing Susea)

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