Even the most flamboyant songs come to an end, just as the best canned goods have an expiration date; no joy lasts forever.
In Wanqing's rock music, all human actions are merely collective delirium. Just like dreams, they must eventually end.
When the song finished, those who should thank did so, and those who should linger did so. Strangely, the radiant group on stage showed no reluctance to leave, while the audience, who had been their backdrop, seemed unwilling to part.
"One more song!"
"Su Huai Feixing!"
Lu Xuefeng unplugged his electric guitar and turned to walk off stage. The band members followed him. Great-Grandfather's back was straight and tall, his broad shoulder blades straining to support his leather jacket. The old tree still had dense branches, which calmed the surging hearts of the teenagers. With such a stubborn old man leading the way, there was nothing to worry about.
Backstage, before Simon and his companions could embrace and cheer, a man in a suit from the organizers approached. He blocked Lu Xuefeng's path, "Excuse me, sir, we just learned that you are a Level 1 Social Credit individual, and thus ineligible to perform. And your band," the man tilted his head, revealing a nearly lifelike, inquisitive expression that somewhat diluted the cold, businesslike air about him, "is called Su Huai Feixing, correct? Your singing was truly excellent, and I genuinely enjoyed it. However, I regret to inform you that you have lost your eligibility to perform and cannot proceed to the next stage of evaluation. The prizes will not be yours. I apologize, but these are the rules."
Simon and his friends exchanged glances, then all shrugged.
"It's fine, we weren't here for the prizes anyway. Let's disband the band today."
The man in the suit was startled. "Very well, then. I won't trouble you further. Your instruments will be safely returned, please don't worry." He turned and left.
Su Xiangli frowned, "I hate that guy. He's so sarcastic."
Lou Xundiao rubbed his trembling leg, "That's just how it is, isn't it? Everyone says people are becoming more like machines, and machines are becoming more like people."
Mu Huai folded his arms and scoffed, "What's he pretending for?"
Simon stepped forward and put his arm around Great-Grandfather, "Great-Grandfather, you're too amazing!"
Lu Xuefeng laughed heartily, "This is nothing. You don't know, back in my day, there were fifty or sixty thousand people watching at once, and the queues would fill several city blocks. Alas, you won't see it, you won't see it. I still remember it clearly. Later, when Great-Grandfather goes to the nursing home, you can come and visit me."
Simon and Su Xiangli were both stunned into silence, "Nursing home?"
"Yes, I'm ninety, it's time for me to rest."
Simon wanted to speak, but tears streamed down. Lu Xuefeng quickly wiped his face. Great-Grandfather's hands were rough and dry, like blotting paper, cleaning Xiao Lu's cheeks completely. Simon smelled a metallic, oxidized, fishy scent on Great-Grandfather's hands, the smell left by guitar strings, very familiar, and now lingering on his cheeks, somewhat pungent.
"Great-Grandfather, you never used to admit to being old."
"Who doesn't admit to being old?"
"But you haven't passed Level 2 yet. Why didn't you try for Level 2? Are your old friends still alive?"
"There's still one, waiting for me to go." Lu Xuefeng's face showed the relief of having achieved a long-cherished wish. "Good boy, and Xiangli, you're a good girl too. You two must do well in the future, study hard, and don't let Great-Grandfather worry in the nursing home."
Su Xiangli hesitated, then walked over and gently hugged the old man. "Great-Grandfather, were you happy today?"
"I haven't felt this content in a long time. Thank you all. Thank you, every one of you." Lu Xuefeng's expression was gentle. He could have such an expression, completely harmonious, just especially kind. The compromise an old man should have with the world suddenly shot up his spine. His back slowly hunched, not very noticeably, but not completely unnoticeably either.
The mystery surrounding Lu Xuefeng vanished. From today on, he was no longer the singer watching over the fields; he was just an increasingly senile old man in a nursing home.
Simon and Su Xiangli didn't know if they had saved Great-Grandfather or harmed him.
Great-Grandfather left. That summer, the band was hastily formed and hastily disbanded.
It left behind joy, it left behind stories, but in the end, all that remained were scattered confetti. A story of youth, quickly passed.
...
Back at school.
After the academic exams, second-year students had to choose their main elective subjects. Simon chose History, Physics, and Engineering, aiming for a balanced approach between arts and sciences. Mainly, he eliminated the subjects he wasn't very interested in, leaving him with these three.
On weekdays, everyone still attended classes together for subjects like Chinese Language and Math, but for electives, they had to move between classrooms. As soon as class was dismissed, everyone would rush out of the classroom, bustling around the large campus like a group of migrating ants, which was quite a spectacle.
Since the music festival ended, Class Teacher Bai Fengjiu's expression had grown colder. It turned out her mother had watched a recording of the music festival and recognized Bai Fengjiu on stage playing drums at noon on July 4th. She then went home, scolded her severely, and sold her drum kit.
So, for the first week of school, she was somewhat downcast. Simon noticed it, but others were oblivious. When he brought it up during a late-night chat in the dorm, Zou Jiaqi immediately became nervous.
"Why didn't you say so sooner!"
"Oh~~~!" Everyone collectively made a sound of "I get it."
"What's with all the 'oh's? Are you roosters crowing? Is it wrong for me to be concerned about our Class Teacher?" Zou Jiaqi argued.
Zhang Yingxuan's eyebrows shot up. He nudged Simon, "Come on, Comrade Casanova, analyze this suspect's romantic psychology."
Before Simon could start teasing, the chatterbox nervously revealed himself, "Hey, hey, hey, don't talk nonsense and slander my good name! Nothing has happened between me and the Class Teacher yet. What 'romantic psychology'?"
"Oh––" Everyone sighed meaningfully, "So you like the Class Teacher!"
Zou Jiaqi was frantic, "Didn't you all know already!"
"Awesome."
"Top-notch."
After some playful banter, the topic was dropped. For a moment, no one brought up another subject, and the bedroom fell silent.
Simon suddenly asked Zhang Yingxuan, "Putting everything else aside, what's going on with Zhou Ping now?"
"The Class Teacher knows he has neurasthenia, so she's quite lenient with him now. She just talks to him every couple of days."
"That's good."
...
On the lands of Sovngarde, Zhou Ping, wielding a glass sword enchanted with fire, plunged it into the head of the black dragon. Alduin was dead, His dragon soul ascended.
The three heroes who assisted the Dragonborn came over to praise his bravery.
His quest log indicated that he had completed the main quest, having killed the World-Eater.
Zhou Ping looked up at the sky of Sovngarde, with its swirling blue-purple light streams. In the center of the dome was a deep, chaotic void, leading to the outside world, yet its form was majestic, like Shor's divine eye looking down.
"the elder scrolls V: Skyrim Deluxe Holographic Simulation Remastered Legendary Edition"—this was the game he had been immersed in for the past few months.
He loved this free and open world, as real as life itself. There were no mountains of homework, no drowsy classrooms, no repulsive teachers, no cautious demeanor when facing classmates, no trivial disappointments in life. He wished to be immersed in the game forever.
However, his headache returned. Zhou Ping was forcibly logged out of the game. Annoyed, he punched the simulation cabin door in front of him. With a thud, his palm ached.
The internet cafe owner opened the simulation cabin door and warned, "Don't hit the machine like that! If it breaks, you'll pay for it!"
"Sorry, boss, I'm logging off."
Zhou Ping settled his internet bill at the counter and went downstairs. As he exited, the sunlight outside reflected off the lobby floor, very dazzling.
He raised his hand to shield his eyes.
After a moment, he put on his hood and quickly walked into the street, heading towards the school.
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