Years

"Speaking of memories, there are some songs that are definitely suitable, such as 'Childhood', 'The Same Table as You', 'Having You In My Life', 'Fleet of Time', 'Ten Years', 'To Youth', and so on." Chu Lian was calculating in her mind which song to choose for this performance.

"'Childhood' is not suitable for this age group. Although it might resonate with many people looking back on their past after ten years, this song is better suited for reminiscing about childhood memories. For high school students who are starting to truly understand the friendship among classmates, the mood is not quite right. Moreover, there's a song called 'Summer' that is quite similar to 'Childhood' and won't stand out."

"'The Same Table as You' already exists in this timeline, and even if I bring it out now, it would just be copying someone else's idea. Not to mention whether it would be successful, it goes against my title of 'Genius Literary Girl'. Not being able to 'originally create' a program could lead to negative discussions, which wouldn't be good for my future school life. So, this song is definitely out."

"In contrast, 'Having You In My Life' might not be as famous as 'The Same Table as You', but in the original timeline, its campus folk style was truly popular for a time."

"Moreover, the key point is that this song does not exist in this timeline. It also resonates deeply with those who have graduated but feel a deep sense of regret and nostalgia for those they missed or lost, and for those they admired or had crushes on. I believe that bringing it out now would evoke a sense of sentimentality in listeners. This one can be kept."

"As for 'Fleet of Time', I truly loved this song when I first heard it. If you listen closely, you can still hear its lingering echoes. If possible, I'd really like to bring this song out, but its expression of emotions focuses heavily on campus romance."

"Although this school has a liberal atmosphere and doesn't mind students' early romantic relationships, performing in front of so many outsiders might anger some conservative people and cause them to react negatively. Even if this song performs well, the school might have to reconsider awarding it. Thus, winning an award might be difficult."

"'Fleet of Time' is her favorite song by Faye Wong. Compared to the more famous 'Red Bean' and 'Because of Love', she prefers the lyrics of this song, filled with regret for missed opportunities and the silent reflection upon meeting again. That was her youth, the most beautiful period of her life."

But she doesn't feel too regretful, because she believes that someday in the future, she will be able to sing this song on a grand stage, dedicating it from this timeline to the her in another timeline.

"'Ten Years' is too melancholic. If I could write something like that at my age, I wouldn't be a genius but a freak. I should wait a few more years."

"As for 'To Youth', it faces the same awkwardness as 'Fleet of Time', and it even more directly addresses the unrequited love between a young man and woman. It should appear before 'Fleet of Time'."

"It's a hysterical sadness, while 'Fleet of Time' is the maturity that understands the growth from missing out. Although both express an inability to let go, at least it's clear that the past, the lost, and the gone can never come back…"

Aside from these few songs, there are many others that are suitable. When it comes to campus folk or school songs, Japanese anime tracks definitely have many that are appropriate for someone my age.

But this is a school celebration, and singing in Chinese is essential to avoid controversy. Even if singing in a foreign language, English is more acceptable as most people understand it. Singing in Japanese would only leave them confused, so the effect wouldn't be ideal.

Speaking of English, she thought about choosing an English song, but the classics aren't suitable for someone her age, and the non-classics weren't particularly noteworthy, so she decided against it.

Apart from Mandarin, Japanese, and English, Cantonese songs were the only ones left. It's not that she didn't want to choose one, but she couldn't explain how she could write in Cantonese. Compared to Mandarin, Cantonese is much harder to master. If you didn't grow up in a Cantonese-speaking region, it's hard to grasp it. To avoid unnecessary trouble, she had to abandon that idea too.

After wavering between these songs for a long time, she finally decided on 'Having You In My Life'. It's not just about reminiscing youth, but also lamenting the passage of time.

After much deliberation, she finally decided on 'Having You In My Life.' It not only speaks of youth but also laments the passage of time.

The lyrics' subtle sadness and sentiment, whether for someone of her age, those who have already passed their school years, or those about to graduate, are like a clear spring that washes over the soul.

However, when she was about to take out her pen to write down the lyrics, she noticed that the people around her had already started leaving their seats. She sat there in a daze, not understanding why. It wasn't until Li Xiuer gently patted her shoulder that she snapped back to reality.

"I saw you were in a daze for three classes without saying a word. I thought you were composing a new story," Li Xiuer said as she leaned closer to see what was on her notebook. When she got closer, she saw the words 'program, song about the passage of time, "Having You In My Life."' She was instantly flustered. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were working on what I asked you to."

She had already become less shy about approaching Chu Lian, but now her face turned bright red, not from shyness but from embarrassment for bothering her with her request.

"It's okay. I just had a bit of inspiration. I can write it down this afternoon. By the way, what time is it now?" Chu Lian, snapping back to reality and seeing it was Li Xiuer, smiled unconcernedly. She put down the pen in her hand, stood up, and raised her arm a bit to pat her on the head, comforting her embarrassment.

However, while making this gesture, she was already a bit frustrated inside: Why is this delicate girl a few centimeters taller than me...

"It was just after the last class of the morning... We should go for lunch... It's been a few minutes since class ended. I wanted to wait for you, but you didn't seem to notice, so I... so I..." Li Xiuer, hearing her words, gradually calmed down. She felt very good around Chu Lian; being close to her made her feel at ease, which was why she had approached her earlier.

"Oh, it's already been a whole morning; time really flies. Come on, let's go have lunch. Last week, I hadn't completed the formalities, so I brought my own lunch and didn't eat in the school cafeteria."

"Today, I want to try another famous place in this school, which is said to be comparable to a hotel chef's food. Just thinking about it makes me excited." Chu Lian said, packing up her things, and pulling Li Xiuer's hand as they headed out.

Now, besides the two of them, only a few boys remained in the classroom. She didn't pay attention to who they were and didn't care to know. She was sure that as soon as she left, the classroom would quickly be empty.

On the way, they saw quite a few people sitting in various spots around the school, opening their lunch boxes and chatting while eating.

The atmosphere here was great, with trash cans everywhere. Littering had severe consequences, so even after they ate, the campus remained clean and tidy. More and more people were willing to eat in their favorite spots.

Initially, it was Chu Lian eagerly pulling Li Xiuer along, but after they went downstairs, it was Li Xiuer, covering her mouth with a giggle, leading Chu Lian. Chu Lian didn't know the way and had no idea where to go, so she stopped as soon as they got downstairs.

When she blushed and stammered out the truth, Li Xiuer couldn't help but laugh. The idol she admired was no longer an untouchable presence but a cute and slightly clueless girl.

The school cafeteria was located behind the high school building, next to the sports field on the back hill. The cafeteria was three stories high, and the food prices were much cheaper than outside, but the safety and taste were far superior. The cafeteria was decorated exquisitely but not extravagantly. Standing in front of the windows were not aunties but beautiful girls in elegant cheongsams or handsome boys in tailcoats.

They were talented high school students from families that were not very well-off. They would come here before most students got out of class to work part-time.

The school was very lenient about this. They had once said that they should feel proud of these self-reliant students, not ashamed.

When Chu Lian arrived, she was completely captivated by the variety of delicious dishes behind the windows. Compared to any school she had attended in her previous life, every single dish here could be considered top-notch cuisine.

"Come, I'll take you to find the best food," Li Xiuer said enthusiastically, pulling Chu Lian along as they went from the first floor to the third, where even better food awaited...