Chapter 0010: The Songful Years

Zhao Fusheng had always believed that in the long journey of life, joy always appears briefly and then fades, and the most beautiful moments are always the ones that pass the quickest.

This might have something to do with his past experiences. People often say one must get used to finding hope in despair and success in failure, but they don't realize that sometimes failure is just failure, despair is just despair. Life has never been about doing whatever one wants.

The steel jungle of the city devours not only the innocence of the past but also the passionate youth.

Fortunately, Zhao Fusheng had caught the tail end of youth.

"By the way, the advisor wants you to go see him when you get back," Wang Zhen said to Zhao Fusheng while reading a wuxia novel.

Entertainment options were extremely scarce in those days. Internet cafes were still a novelty, costing three or four yuan an hour. For college students from ordinary families, a few hours online could cost as much as a whole day's meals, so few people went.

Not to mention places like karaoke bars, whose prices were undoubtedly astronomical for students.

Thus, wuxia novels became the pastime for most boys.

Jin Yong, Gu Long, Liang Yusheng, and occasionally Huang Yi and Wo Longsheng—the pleasures within were beyond words.

Just like the book Wang Zhen was holding now, Huang Yi's *A Step into the Past*. Zhao Fusheng didn't need to look to know that the guy was probably indulging in fantasies, since every man wants to become Xiang Shaolong, travel through time, and end up with a bunch of beauties.

But reality is often more absurd than fiction.

Zhao Fusheng nodded, indicating he understood, and walked out of the dormitory to find the advisor.

…

…

"Comrade Zhao Fusheng, don't you think you should explain to me why you left school without permission on Friday?" In the advisor's office, a girl in her early twenties, dressed in a black suit skirt with shoulder-length hair, sat simply, exuding a youthful aura.

Her name was Zheng Yao, Zhao Fusheng's advisor. Both her parents were professors at Ninghai Normal University. After graduating with a master's degree last year, she stayed on to teach, and Zhao Fusheng's class was the first batch of students she oversaw.

In his memory, this beautiful advisor resigned shortly after. Zhao Fusheng didn't know the exact reason, but he heard at a class reunion many years later that it was related to personal relationships.

Zheng Yao was very beautiful. She had a kind of enchanting yet elegant beauty.

Pure as a lotus, enchanting as a lycoris.

That was the impression Zhao Fusheng had of Zheng Yao in his mind.

"Comrade Zhao Fusheng!"

Seeing Zhao Fusheng standing there dumbfounded, Zheng Yao shook her head helplessly and raised her voice.

"Huh?"

Startled by Zheng Yao's call, Zhao Fusheng was taken aback before remembering that this wasn't a dream but reality.

"Um, teacher, I didn't mean to. Something came up at home," Zhao Fusheng explained as best he could. No matter what, he didn't want to be disciplined.

University management was still very strict back then.

Zheng Yao frowned slightly, about to speak, when the office phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID, her expression changed, but she still picked up the receiver.

"Where are you?"

"Okay, I'll come down."

After a few words, Zheng Yao waved at Zhao Fusheng: "You can go back now. I'll talk to you later."

Zhao Fusheng quickly nodded, left the office, went to the restroom, and then slowly went downstairs.

A black Audi was parked outside the office building, presumably there to pick up Teacher Zheng.

Without thinking much, Zhao Fusheng prepared to take the path behind the office building back to the dormitory.

But just after a few steps, he heard a sharp slap.

"How can you hit someone?" A woman's voice came, making Zhao Fusheng stop.

Then, a familiar voice rang out: "Only today did I learn that there are so many things about you I didn't know. I've always tried not to know, but I never expected you to be this shameless."

Through the gaps in the mottled grass, Zhao Fusheng saw Zheng Yao standing there, pointing at a man and a woman opposite. The man was holding his face, clearly the one who had been slapped.

Connecting this to the rumor he had heard in his previous life, Zhao Fusheng blinked and suddenly felt quite awkward.

He wasn't really a gossip. To him, those bygone years seemed like a dusty glass window—visible but untouchable. He had always been nostalgic for the past, and if he could break through that dusty glass, he would surely return to those long-lost days.

But the problem now was that this scene was really awkward.

Just as Zhao Fusheng was about to slip away, the woman standing beside the slapped man—Zheng Yao's boyfriend—suddenly spoke: "He's not shameless. It's just that what he wants, you can't give."

"You!" Zheng Yao was furious, pointing at the woman but unable to utter a word.

"He wants to go into business. My family can give him a million. Can you?" The woman laughed triumphantly, turned around, and walked away arm in arm with the man, not bothering to say another word.

Watching his advisor crouch there crying endlessly, Zhao Fusheng suddenly felt caught in a dilemma.

If memories had a scent, it would be the fragrance of camphor, sweet and steady, like clearly remembered joy, sweet and wistful, like forgotten sorrow.

Some say that when you can no longer possess something, the only thing you can do is not let yourself forget.

And the greatest trouble for people is having too good a memory. If everything could be forgotten, every day would be a new beginning. Perhaps that would be the happiest thing.

Letting out a soft sigh, Zhao Fusheng took a few steps to Zheng Yao's side, pulled out a pack of tissues, and handed it to her.

"Wipe your face."

Zhao Fusheng's voice was very low.

Zheng Yao looked up, her pretty face tear-streaked, eyes red.

Seeing it was Zhao Fusheng, she was clearly surprised: "You..."

After all, she was a teacher and he was a student. No matter how heartbroken she was, Zheng Yao felt very awkward at that moment.

Zhao Fusheng shook his head: "Some things you think you have under control, but you'll never really understand what they'll turn out to be. No matter how reluctant we are, we can only laugh and then sing in grief. In a gesture, let the dust settle."

Having said that, he walked past Zheng Yao and left directly.

Anyone can become cruel, as long as they have tasted jealousy.

And some people will never be jealous, because they are too proud.

In the past, Zhao Fusheng was the former. Because he had envied and admired others' lives, he buried his head and focused on becoming superior, even by unscrupulous means. Thus, he lost a lot.

Now, Zhao Fusheng no longer envies anyone, because he knows he is the most special one.