In the early morning on M Station, a video was quietly uploaded. No one knew how much impact it would have, or in what form it would sweep across the entire Neon internet the next day. But no one would ever forget this day, this very moment—when the girl named Chu Lian arrived in Neon, bringing with her a flawless and beautiful song that drove them into a frenzy.
"Big Sis, it's your first time going abroad, aren't you nervous?" Sitting beside her, Chu Chu leaned closer, gently touching Chu Lian's arm as she asked.
Resting her chin on her hand while staring out the window past Inori, Chu Lian pulled her thoughts back. She looked at Chu Chu in puzzlement, not understanding what she meant.
"Don't you want to hug your little sister and enjoy a bit of the feeling of home?" Chu Chu showed a shy smile, tugging at her arm, then pointed to herself.
Hearing this, Chu Lian immediately turned her head back, casting her a sidelong glance, and whispered: "If you want to take advantage of me, just say so directly. Why use this kind of excuse? Even though it's my first time going abroad, I don't feel anything. After all, the world is too small. No matter where you go, it doesn't even take a day. What's there to be nervous about?"
Chu Chu was choked by Chu Lian's words. After tugging at her sleeve several times with no result, she could only sigh in despair: "Big Sis, you never give me a chance at all. How am I supposed to strategize you like this? Don't you know in the fan group they've already written How to Strategize Chu Lian with One Hundred and Eight Guidelines? I was just trying it out, but it turned out to be useless. Hmph, you're just a useless man."
"How to Strategize Chu Lian with One Hundred and Eight Guidelines? What the heck is that? Why does it sound so suspicious to me? You better explain this clearly!" The moment Chu Lian heard that name, her whole body almost bristled. Grabbing Chu Chu's wrist, she asked softly but sternly.
"Ow ow ow, Big Sis, let go first. I'll tell you. It wasn't me who made it, I just wanted to tell you that such a thing exists. The details have nothing to do with me, don't be mad at me." Chu Chu showed a pained expression, teary-eyed, looking pitifully at Chu Lian as she spoke in a delicate voice.
"Sorry, I got too worked up." That name reminded her of something from her previous life, making her overly sensitive. When she realized she had squeezed too hard and almost bruised Chu Chu's wrist, she immediately felt bad.
Pulling her hand over, Chu Lian awkwardly channeled her spiritual power into Chu Chu's body. After circulating it a few times, she saw that the bruise on her wrist finally faded before letting go.
"It's alright. To endure a little pain but enjoy Big Sis' tender care, Chu Chu is already satisfied." Chu Chu looked blissful and intoxicated, lightly sniffing Chu Lian's faint body fragrance as her voice drifted dreamily.
"You… really. After all these years, haven't you had enough? I don't even want this body scent. In spring it always attracts butterflies and such, it's so annoying." Chu Lian flicked Chu Chu's forehead, pushing her back a little, speaking helplessly.
"I'll never have enough! Chu Chu wants to smell it forever. As long as Big Sis is by my side, I'll smell it every day. Even if you're not around, I'll still hold your intimate clothes and sniff them. After all, the scent won't fade until they're washed…" Chu Chu's words stopped abruptly. Her stiff neck slowly turned to look at Chu Lian's smiling face, her lips twitching as she forced out a dry laugh: "Hehe…"
"I was wondering why some of my underwear, stockings, even pajamas would sometimes go missing. I thought they were blown away by the wind and didn't pay attention. Who knew I had a thief right at home. Chu Chu, tell me, how should I punish you?" Chu Lian tilted her head, eyes narrowing as she smiled sweetly at her.
"As long as the punishment isn't that I can never have Big Sis again, then Big Sis can punish me however you like. Chu Chu will spend her whole life atoning for this mistake, as long as Big Sis will calm down and not be angry with me anymore. Chu Chu promises that from now on, I won't ever take your things without permission again—especially your intimate clothes!"
Tears nearly burst out of Chu Chu's eyes as she was frightened by Chu Lian. After all, as long as she kept it hidden, it wasn't a big deal. But once exposed, it could turn into a disaster—and judging from Chu Lian's expression, she could tell this was serious.
"Alright then. Your punishment is to protect Xiu'er during this trip. Of course, you must also protect yourself. When I'm not around, don't wander off, and don't talk casually with strangers. When I am around, you're not allowed to be more than three meters away from me. That's it. Can you do it?" What Chu Chu didn't expect was that Chu Lian's so-called punishment wasn't a punishment at all, but more like a warning—a warning issued for her and Li Xiu'er's safety.
Seeing Chu Lian's unusually serious gaze, she realized her sister was genuinely worried about her and Li Xiu'er's safety, not trying to scare her. The reason she didn't explain was simply because she didn't want them to worry, choosing to shoulder everything alone.
Perhaps it wasn't just her. Inori probably knew as well, but since Chu Lian hadn't mentioned it, she too had chosen to remain silent.
Looking at it now, things this time might not be simple. Thinking back to Chu Lian's arrangements since the beginning of the school trip, Chu Chu suddenly realized—Big Sis must be preparing for something. Perhaps there was a formidable opponent lurking in the shadows, one so strong that even she wasn't confident she could defeat them, waiting for the moment to strike.
The thought made Chu Chu immediately reach back and grip Chu Lian's hand. Chu Lian looked up in surprise and saw the nervous eyes and trembling body before her. She instantly understood her thoughts and smiled faintly: "Don't worry. With the preparations I've made these past few days, and with Inori's help, we should be able to get through this challenge. All you need to do is worry about yourselves. Inori and I can protect ourselves. But reacting instantly isn't easy. Only if you stay within three meters of us can we protect you before danger arrives. Understand?"
Chu Chu turned to glance at the sleeping Li Xiu'er and the other girls like Cai Ya in the next row, then looked at Inori by the window, who was staring absentmindedly at the scenery outside. She nodded firmly: "Please don't worry, Big Sis. I'll protect myself."
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Chu Lian smiled in relief, then closed her eyes and leaned her head on Inori's shoulder, drifting into a deep sleep. It would take another four hours from Tai'an to Neon, and she needed to rest to have the energy for what awaited them tomorrow.
Noticing Chu Lian's exhaustion, Chu Chu had never longed for power so much before. If only she had the strength to resist all enemies, Big Sis wouldn't need to scheme and calculate so much, exhausting herself so completely.
Clenching her fists, Chu Chu looked up at the plane's ceiling, though her gaze had already lost focus. She recalled her mother's words when her ability awakened, as well as the mission of the Chu family, and Chu Lian's fate.
"Big Sis, I swear, I will become the person you can rely on the most. I won't let others be the ones to give you a sense of security. It has to be me… Mom, I'm sorry. I'm going to undo the restraints, even if it's dangerous. That's still better than watching Big Sis walk into danger…"
As her thoughts drifted, drowsiness overtook her. Her eyes slowly closed, though a trace of stubbornness still lingered on her lips.
Neither she nor Chu Lian knew that Li Xiu'er, due to her special constitution, often absorbed the things she wanted to know while asleep or dreaming. Their entire exchange reached her ears, just like that night in Jiuzhaigou when, while they were out, the supposedly sleeping Li Xiu'er had woken and murmured. Only this time, a warm tear slipped from the corner of her eye. How long had it been since she last felt such care?
The trip from Tai'an to Tokyo, Neon, took four hours. And Bird's Poem had been uploaded to M Station just an hour before Chu Lian and the others boarded the plane.
Early Friday morning, although there weren't too many people awake, quite a few still saw the video. Noticing the Chinese title Bird's Poem, many Neon people who loved Huaxia couldn't resist their curiosity and clicked on it.
When they saw the girls in the MV—so beautiful it was as if they weren't of this world—they were stunned. And as the prelude of Bird's Poem began to play, they were completely captivated.
The most breathtaking moment came when Chu Lian's voice rang out with "We watched the fading vapor trails." That ethereal, heavenly voice, paired with the faint harmonies, made them forget where they were. Their hearts were pulled back to childhood, to youth, recalling stories of years gone by.
Chu Lian in snowy white, Chu Chu in flowing green, Inori in a dreamy pink dress, and Li Xiu'er in a serene blue skirt—each was a rare beauty. When they gathered together and quietly became part of the background, almost no one could resist their charm.
Perhaps this song was truly so beautiful it broke hearts. Yet what made it explode in popularity so quickly and sweep across the entire Neon internet was this quiet, simple MV.
Clear waters, tranquil forests, a sapphire sky. A plane crossed the heavens, leaving a long contrail.
A girl in a white dress pressed down her sunhat, looking up at the sky with a touch of melancholy, softly singing.
A girl in a pink dress tilted her face toward the girl in white, her eyes filled with admiration and longing, humming along.
A girl in a blue skirt stood in the water, lifting her hem as she gazed dreamily at her own reflection.
A girl in a green dress leaned against a tree, hands clasped behind her back, head tilted upward, her gaze breaking past the treetop canopy, staring off somewhere unknown.
This breathtaking scene, paired with a voice so serene it seemed to flow straight into the heart, was truly a vision of unmatched beauty. Anyone who saw it was deeply moved, intoxicated, driven into a frenzy.
Not only them—the video uploaded simultaneously to M Station caused an even earlier sensation.
After all, Chu Lian's base was here. Even in the middle of the night, many were still awake. When they saw this video, whether they adored Chu Lian or felt indifferent toward her, all fell silent at that moment.
Then, they opened their social media and websites, attaching the video link. Without extra words, only a single line: "Watch quietly, listen quietly—you will find the most beautiful scenery in this world."
Before they even arrived in Neon, the song and MV had already spread their fame, drawing countless people into obsession…