Chapter 23

I like that song!

I want to listen to it again, no... I want to listen to it a few more times!

Before going upstairs, to be precise, before deciding to come to school, this was the most resolute thought in Qijie's mind.

Many people might never encounter such a thing in their lives, but there are others who remain aimless throughout their lives until one day, they, or she, are suddenly awakened by a poem, a novel, a movie, a song, or even an unintentional word from someone...

Whatever it is, be it a song, a movie, a novel, or a poem, this thing will bring about a significant transformation in the person, and along with it, the work will become a turning point in their life that they will never forget.

This profound memory will last until old age, and even until death!

Of course, many people might have experienced it but choose to forget it... No, they haven't forgotten, it's just that they don't rush. When you get old, when you start to enjoy reminiscing, you will find that you still remember that one sentence, that melody, that line of dialogue, or even... that look.

People have given this phenomenon an inaccurate name: a mark.

And now, such a song, a song filled with madness and screams, still left a mark on Qijie's heart.

She could pretend to be confused or hide her feelings, but only to others. She couldn't deceive herself.

So, she had to find that song!

Thus, she came to Jinan National No. 13 High School.

As usual, she parked her car outside the school and, just like yesterday, braved the scorching sun to stand in front of the teaching building.

Standing in front of the building, hands on her hips, head tilted back.

Of course, she couldn't see anything, but she stood there for at least a minute.

Suddenly, a question came to her mind: What if the person upstairs doesn't sing that song today?

Then, her thoughts shifted, and she suddenly recalled the question that had been in her mind the first time she heard the person singing: Who is the person singing on the rooftop?

This thought arose instantly but did not fade away. Instead, it became intensely hot as Qijie turned her gaze and started walking into the hallway.

Just a moment ago, she only wanted to hear the song that had moved her, but now, she suddenly wanted to know who the singer was, and a strong impulse arose in her heart!

"This time, I must go up and take a look!" she thought.

The campus on the weekend was incredibly quiet.

As soon as she reached the second floor, Qijie heard the floating guitar music.

"He's really here!"

She was certain and delighted, and her steps became even lighter.

Well, he should be a student, there's no doubt about that. If he were a teacher, he probably wouldn't run to the rooftop to play the guitar and sing every afternoon.

So... what kind of student is he?

Is he really like what I imagined last time? With hair that's not quite long, a bit thin, calm, and shy?

He has sung some beautiful campus folk songs and several beautiful love songs. Well, Qijie actually doesn't understand much about this. Her categorization is based on the lyrics. Anyway, they are all beautiful melodies she has never heard before, and yesterday, he sang that song!

Bitter, lost, angry, restless, hysterical...

As she slowly climbed the stairs, Qijie's heart beat faster and faster.

"I hope he looks handsome!"

This thought popped up in her mind, and Qijie was taken aback, almost laughing out loud.

I'm just curious about who that person is and where he heard that song. What does it have to do with his appearance?

Fifth floor.

She stopped, listened carefully.

Hmm, a very beautiful melody... In recent days, she had really heard him play the guitar more smoothly, better, and more creatively.

"People used to start harvesting in April,

Lying on the high stacks of grain, laughing,

I walked through the golden wheat fields,

Singing to the scarecrow,

Waiting for the mountain breeze to blow.

You passed through a town called 'I,'

Just as the snow on the roof melted into rain,

You wore a transparent dress,

Sang to me alone,

All the songs I like.

We went to the lake on the prairie,

Waiting for the migratory birds to return,

When we grow up, we'll have a baby,

He will grow up and leave, and we will each go our separate ways,

I'll write you letters, but you won't reply,

That's it.

..."

Qijie's mouth slightly opened, her eyes unfocused but slightly wide, her pupils constricted.

What is this... song?

A dreamlike feeling.

Unfortunately, she came late, this should be the second half, and it quickly ended.

The sound upstairs suddenly stopped, and it seemed like he was drinking water.

She suddenly swallowed, patted her chest, and felt inexplicably nervous.

"I don't know what that song was called, but it was really... beautiful. And those lyrics..." These thoughts swirled in her mind. After a moment of hesitation, she licked her lips, took a deep breath, and suddenly stepped up the stairs.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

High heels on the stairs, if not deliberately lightened or hidden, are really hard to go unnoticed.

Upstairs, he seemed to be tuning the guitar and stopped when he heard the sound.

Qijie quickened her pace.

Thirty-six steps.

High heels tapping.

The light in the hallway suddenly dimmed, and Qijie instinctively looked up.

Then, she froze as if struck by a spell.

"Li Qian?" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Teacher Qi?" Li Qian was clearly also surprised.

Qijie felt a moment of panic: Although she had guessed that the person singing on the rooftop must be a student from this school, she never expected that the student would not only be from this school but also from her class!

She had been teaching Li Qian for two whole years since he entered high school!

And Li Qian was one of the students who left a deep impression on her!

Although they didn't interact much, they saw each other almost every day... They were too familiar!

So much so that at this moment, she felt a sense of panic as if her secret had been discovered!

And they were too familiar, all the fantasies, the mystery, and the curiosity about the person singing on the rooftop... had suddenly collapsed!

It turned out to be... Li Qian!

So disappointed, so disappointed!

She couldn't even explain where this feeling of disappointment came from. In fact, when Li Qian appeared at the entrance of the rooftop, and she looked up and saw his face, especially when he called out "Teacher Qi," it was as if the voice of the person who sang her to tears yesterday matched with Li Qian's voice—she was sure it was him!

But at this moment, she was very disappointed!

How could it be him?

Why him!

At this moment, she suddenly felt that before she climbed the teaching building, she must have had some hope in her heart? A hope that... couldn't be expressed to others, a desire to meet someone, or even a relationship?

This thought suddenly popped up, startling Qijie.

Hope? Desire? Relationship?

With Li Qian?

Don't be ridiculous!

Okay, although she didn't know that the person singing was Li Qian before coming up, but... she had already guessed that he should be a student! A high school student!

"I'm going crazy!" she thought, "How could I have such thoughts!"

At this moment, Li Qian's surprise subsided, and he greeted her honestly, "Good afternoon, Teacher Qi!"

Hearing this, Qijie quickly suppressed the chaotic thoughts in her mind. Using the action of tucking her hair behind her ear, she also managed to hide her momentary panic. She smiled and nodded, slowly climbing the stairs, saying, "Good afternoon to you too!"

As they spoke, they reached the rooftop. Li Qian stepped back, and Qijie walked out.

Then, she pretended to look around, turned to Li Qian, and said, "I came back to get something I left in the office. When I reached the third floor, I heard someone playing the guitar and singing. Out of curiosity, I came up to take a look, and it turned out to be you! Why are you practicing songs here on a weekend instead of going on a date?"

Li Qian smiled and said, "I've been really into this lately. I didn't want to disturb others, so I thought of the rooftop of the teaching building, where no one is around, and I come here to practice every day."

Qijie nodded. The panic was gone, and she quickly regained the feeling of facing a student. She smiled and looked down, and indeed saw the extremely simple items—a guitar case, a large notebook filled with sheet music on top of the guitar case, and a large plastic water cup beside it.

Now, all the sounds she had heard in the hallway matched up!

Turning to look at Li Qian again, he was wearing a pair of over-ear headphones, dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, with sweat on his forehead, and the T-shirt sticking to his body, looking quite hot.

After a moment of thought, she asked, "When the teacher came up, I heard you singing a song. It was very nice, but I've never heard it before. What's it called?"

Li Qian said, "It's called 'If There Is a Next Life.'"

Hearing this, Qijie suddenly felt a bit dazed.

You wore a transparent dress, singing to me alone...

We went to the lake on the prairie, waiting for the migratory birds to return...

When we grow up, we'll have a baby...

He will grow up and leave, and we will each go our separate ways...

I'll write you letters, but you won't reply...

Recalling the lyrics that had touched her heart, she murmured, "So... it's all in the next life? If there is a next life..."

At this moment, her mood suddenly sank.

But fortunately, she knew there was someone in front of her, so she quickly snapped out of it, forced a smile, and praised, "The song is good, the lyrics are good, and the title... is even better!"

Li Qian smiled, well concealing the surprise in his eyes, and nodded, saying, "Thank you."

Qijie's smile faded, and she was momentarily lost in thought. Then she suddenly smiled and said, "Oh, right, you sang very well. I didn't expect your guitar playing to be so good, and your singing is also very good! ...Ah, right, who is the original singer of this song?"

Li Qian hesitated for a moment, instinctively wanting to scratch his head, but he held back, shrugged, and said, "This song... I wrote it myself."

Qijie, who had been smiling, suddenly froze.

The smile was still on her face, but she blinked, seemingly doubting her ears, "You... wrote the song yourself?"

Li Qian nodded.

Qijie blinked again, unable to recover for a long time.

Li Qian... wrote the song himself?