Chapter 135: We All Need to Live Happily

The reason Lu Jianshen and the others chose to perform this song was not just because it was beautiful and a personal favorite of theirs.

It was more because, if performed correctly, this song could offer a flicker of light to those standing in the darkness.

The song conveyed a sense of hope and confidence; it was a piece of music that could inspire reflections on life and expectations for the world.

To face death and find life, to strive to live, and to actively embrace existence.

…

Yao Yao was a high school girl suffering from depression.

She was currently in her second year of high school.

In the past, her grades were excellent. During the year of her high school entrance exams, she had been admitted to the best high school in Jiang City.

But when she returned home beaming with joy, admission notice in hand, she unexpectedly overheard the news at the door that her parents had long since divorced.

Unaware that she was outside, her parents were in the middle of a heated argument.

They looked fierce when they fought, and the words they spat at each other were incredibly hurtful.

They were nothing like the loving parents Yao Yao had imagined them to be.

Her father was even making up all sorts of reasons and excuses to avoid taking custody of her.

He was kicking her away like a ball, treating her like a burden.

In that moment, she felt something inside her shatter.

Later, the divorce was finalized.

She lived with her mother.

Less than a month after the divorce, her father registered his marriage to another woman and had a child.

Heh, so it turned out that the tall, steady, and dependable father in her heart had actually cheated.

She felt hate, she felt anger, but what could she do?

She was just a child.

In the depths of her heart, she secretly swore that from then on, she would consider her father dead.

She even cursed her father and that new woman to live more and more miserably, hoping they would end up as beggars picking through trash.

As for the woman who destroyed their family, she hoped she would be struck by a car the moment she stepped outside.

But in reality, none of that happened.

Her father’s new wife gave birth to a son.

They were very much in love.

Her father’s career reached new heights.

He completely forgot about her, the daughter he once held in the palm of his hand.

After she started living with her mother, life clearly became less smooth and bright than before.

For some reason, her mother became paranoid and began to watch her with an iron grip.

The academic atmosphere in that top-tier high school was very intense, but by the same token, the competition among classmates was exceptionally cutthroat.

If her mind wandered even slightly, her grades would slip.

They had to wake up at six in the morning to start memorizing books, attending classes, studying, grinding through practice problems, and doing self-study.

Even at eleven-thirty at night, she still hadn’t finished her assignments.

When the weekend finally arrived with great difficulty, there were endless tutoring classes to attend.

Because her mother had set academic goals for her, her grades had to remain within the top fifty of the entire grade level.

Once she fell out of the top fifty, she would be met with her mother’s tears, complaints, constant questioning, and scolding.

She was so tired, truly so tired.

Adults working in offices followed a nine-to-five schedule.

But she, a mere student, had to work from six in the morning until eleven at night.

Adults had company KPIs¹ to complete, and she had the academic goals her mother set for her to chase.

Of course, studying was only one aspect.

What truly crushed her was her mother’s attitude, treating her like a potential criminal.

If she got even slightly close to a boy in her class, her mother would show dissatisfaction upon seeing it, accusing her and blaming her…

Her mother even scolded and belittled her in front of a boy she liked.

She even spoke out to tell the boy to stay away from her.

At that moment, she especially wanted to die.

She was a human being.

A person with her own thoughts.

Not a puppet in her mother’s hands.

Clearly, her mother hadn’t been like this before.

But now, her mother controlled her, manipulated her, and watched her like a hawk, forcing her to walk the path her mother had arranged.

Whenever she was disobedient, her mother would cry and make a scene in front of her.

She was so scared, and so helpless…

Was death the only way to completely escape this life of being controlled and manipulated, a life where she couldn’t make a single decision for herself?

She fell into depression.

She felt miserable every day, devoid of any energy.

She couldn’t feel happy.

She didn’t want to do anything.

She struggled and wavered between the desire to die, the urge to rebel, and the will to resist.

But every time a thought of resistance or rebellion appeared in her heart, it would be forced back by her mother’s tears and those tragic stories of the past.

Yes, her mother was very pitiful.

She used to be an innocent and romantic young girl.

But ever since she got married and had a child, she was forced to grow up, becoming an adult who had to sacrifice for the family and shield her child from the wind and rain.

She understood her mother’s suffering, and she also wanted to grow up quickly to become the person who could protect and guard her mother.

However, growing up takes time.

Her mother had become obsessed and wouldn’t give her any time at all.

Now, she just wanted to die; she didn’t want to grow up anymore.

What would be the most suitable way to die?

Jumping from a building? No, she was afraid of heights; jumping was too terrifying.

Taking poison? She couldn’t buy any.

Hanging? She heard that people who hang themselves look very, very ugly after death, and they can’t go to heaven.

Just as she was pondering a better way to die, she was dragged here by her female deskmate to watch the concert.

Oh, they had skipped class to come out.

This was the first time in her life she had ever skipped class.

It was a bit nerve-wracking, a bit exciting, and it gave her a sense of freedom, as if she had escaped from a cage.

She had to admit, her deskmate had very good taste.

The six people on the high stage were truly, truly handsome.

So handsome they seemed to glow.

Their first song was an original.

No wonder she had never heard it before.

With the accompaniment of the instruments and the passionate voice of that handsome lead singer, she heard such beautiful singing at a live concert for the first time.

Her heart and her emotions were instantly ignited.

Looking at the people around her with their colorful hair and strange clothes, countless rebellious thoughts sprouted in her mind.

When the second song began, she instantly froze in place.

To be honest, the people on stage were singing in Japanese, and she couldn’t understand it.

But she could hear the emotions the song intended to express through the singing.

The first half was oppressive, lost, helpless, and dark.

The latter half broke through the darkness, finding life through death.

I once thought about that matter of death.

I was once so out of place in this world.

But when the later sounds emerged, a sudden, inexplicable resonance hit her chest.

Her tears began to flow uncontrollably.

Many memories flooded her mind.

Those past events seemed to have happened a long time ago, as if from another lifetime.

For a moment, a sense of emptiness washed over her.

In the future, where should she go?

She had to keep moving!

She could laugh, curse, or chat and joke, but she could not be listless; she had to stay alive.

…

“Yao Yao, why are you crying?”

“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t scare me!”

Her excited and thrilled deskmate turned around, and upon seeing her tears, very gently wiped them away. She then looked at her anxiously, full of concern.

“I… I’m fine. I just thought this song was so beautiful that I couldn’t help myself for a moment.”

“Are you really okay?”

“Come here, give me a hug. If anything is wrong, you must tell me, I’ll help you.”

After saying that, she was pulled into a hug by her deskmate.

Her deskmate’s embrace was so warm.

“Yao Yao, you have to know that in this world, only you are the most important. Our future lives are still very long.”

“We still have a more brilliant and bright future ahead!”

“Yao Yao, don’t cry!”

“Yao Yao, we both have to live happily, okay?”

“…Mm.” Yao Yao nodded.

“By the way, Yao Yao, have you heard that song, Under the Sea²? It’s so depressing. Listening to it almost made me depressed myself.”

“Yao Yao, you don’t usually like to talk, and you’re always frowning. Is it because the pressure is too much? Are you feeling a bit depressed too?”

“Let me tell you, when it comes to studying, as long as you try your best, that’s enough. Our lives don’t need to be defined by grades and exams.”

“Once we grow up, we can make our own decisions and do whatever we want!”

“I’ve always felt that you’re not just pretty, you have a great personality, you’re smart, and you’re a really good person.”

“In the future, I’m sure you’ll live a wonderful life and be a very happy person!”

“Yao Yao, here, have a piece of candy.”

“…” Yao Yao’s tears suddenly began to flow even faster.

She had not only received the warm concern of her seatmate, but she had also overheard the conversation of the family sitting nearby.

Translator’s Notes