Singer Amu

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Stepping onto the campus once more, Zhong Yun’s heart was filled with countless emotions.

The landscaping here was far superior to that of Earth; walking through the grounds felt like entering a beautiful garden.

And this was only a public school—word had it that the elite private academies were even more exquisite, rivaling the finest private gardens in their elegance.

Because the class schedule and locations often changed, and Zhong Yun hadn’t bothered to check in advance, he had no idea where today’s lesson would be held. He was just about to call the homeroom teacher when he suddenly spotted one of his classmates walking ahead.

He hurried forward to greet him. “Hey, Chen Wen, good morning.”

Chen Wen turned, his expression a touch puzzled, and then uttered a line that nearly made Zhong Yun spit blood: “Do I know you?”

Zhong Yun was floored. Had the former Zhong Yun really been so inconspicuous that his own classmates couldn’t recognize him? “I’m in your class—Zhong Yun. Does that ring a bell?”

“Oh.” Chen Wen tilted his head, thought for a moment, then shook it. “Nope, doesn’t ring a bell.”

“….”

“Don’t take it personally—honestly, I barely remember most people in our class,” Chen Wen said, shrugging indifferently. “So, Zhong Yun, do you play ‘Space Campaign’?”

“….”

Chen Wen was the kind of person who could chat with anyone, anywhere. In the brief three-minute walk from the school gate to the lab, he and Zhong Yun were already on first-name terms.

Inside the laboratory, most students glanced at Zhong Yun and immediately dismissed him, as though his month-long absence had gone entirely unnoticed. Zhong Yun felt a pang of frustration—was he invisible or something? Damn it all.

Just then, a lovely melody drifted through the laboratory.

Zhong Yun looked over and saw a girl of average looks holding a music player, eyes closed, utterly absorbed in the song.

The previously noisy lab gradually quieted. It seemed as though the entire class had been transported by the music; everyone listened intently, soon lost in the world of the song.

“This piece…” Chen Wen, standing nearby, murmured, his voice dazed.

At the doorway, a rhythmic footstep suddenly halted, as though afraid of disturbing such beautiful music.

A deep male voice began to sing—tinged with sorrow, it tugged at the heartstrings of all who listened.

In everyone’s mind’s eye, a melancholy figure seemed to appear, walking down a tree-lined path in the glow of the setting sun, his shadow stretching long and far behind him.

When the song ended, no one spoke; everyone lingered in the aftertaste.

“As expected, it’s a song from Jialan,” Chen Wen sighed softly.

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“Xiao Ruo, what’s this song called?”

“Who’s the singer? That voice—oh, I think I’m in love!”

“He sang in Jialan, right? It’s so beautiful.”

“Where can I buy it?”

“What’s the name of the song?”

A group of girls swarmed around the girl who’d played the music, chattering and questioning her without pause.

The girl, called Xiao Ruo, clutched her music player tightly, as if afraid someone would snatch it away. Her face was flushed with excitement, and she seemed at a loss over which question to answer first.

Compared to the girls’ enthusiastic uproar, the boys were much calmer, chatting quietly in small clusters and occasionally glancing over at the girls.

Zhong Yun, however, looked toward the doorway. If he hadn’t misheard, the footsteps he’d detected when the music started belonged to Liu Yunqi.

The person at the door did not come in.

“This song is called ‘Blue Mingchuan River.’”

“I stumbled upon it yesterday while wandering the web. The moment I heard the background music, I completely fell for it.”

Xiao Ruo’s excited voice echoed through the classroom.

“The singer’s name is Amu, as in ‘wood.’ I left a message on his website—I was his very first fan.” Two pink spots bloomed on Xiao Ruo’s cheeks, lending her an unusual beauty.

“This Amu is impressive,” Chen Wen whispered to Zhong Yun. “Jialan isn’t hard to learn, but to speak it fluently takes a lot of work.”

Zhong Yun nodded absentmindedly, thinking to himself, it’s not that hard.

“Only professional singers can perform a complete song in pure Jialan. And even then, it’s just singing—the true spirit of the language is much harder to capture. But if you can sing with that spirit, it becomes the most beautiful music in the world.”

Zhong Yun nodded again, feeling that he understood perfectly.

“There are only three or four masters in all of Dawo who dare to sing in Jialan.”

At this, Zhong Yun was genuinely surprised. He turned to Chen Wen, “You mean, out of over ten billion people in Dawo, only three or four can sing in Jialan?”

Chen Wen nodded solemnly. “Easy to learn, difficult to master—that’s what sets Jialan apart. Have you heard of Ming Yunyu, known as the ‘Voice of Heaven,’ the goddess who’s taken the entire Omi star system by storm?”

Just then, Xiao Ruo’s voice piped up again, “Amu’s second new song is coming out next week.”

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Zhong Yun gave a wry smile. Whether it would actually be released was another matter entirely.

Chen Wen continued, “When Ming Yunyu sings in Jialan, her music can conquer the entire sky.”

“Xiao Ruo, share the website link!”

“Yes, yes…”

The girls began clamoring again.

In the end, Xiao Ruo sent the website to every classmate, and Zhong Yun received it as well.

Amid the noise, someone walked in. Sure enough, Zhong Yun’s guess was right—it was Liu Yunqi, her head lowered, lost in thought.

Following her was the chubby Tian Hai. His round eyes darted around and quickly landed on Zhong Yun.

“You rascal, you came to school without telling me,” Tian Hai grumbled, glancing at Chen Wen before sidling up and whispering, “When did you get so chummy with that guy?”

“Met him today. He’s pretty interesting,” Zhong Yun replied quietly.

“Interesting, my foot. He always looks like a zombie. In class, he’s even more withdrawn than you are. I’ve never seen him chat with anyone,” Tian Hai scoffed.

Zhong Yun was a little embarrassed. Why am I getting dragged into this? And anyway, he’s quite talkative—way more sociable than you.

As they spoke, Tian Hai suddenly had a realization. “I get it—the two loners found each other and sparked a friendship. Life is truly strange.”

At that moment, the teacher came in, and the students quieted down. As the city’s top elementary school, the discipline in class was quite good.

Today’s lesson was a chemistry experiment. Zhong Yun, now a university student, was no stranger to chemistry, but seeing those complicated formulas still made his scalp tingle.

Fortunately, the equipment was easy to use. After a single demonstration from the teacher, Zhong Yun understood it all. He couldn’t help but marvel—technology had advanced so far that even experiments were foolproof now.

The students were absorbed in their experiments, and the classroom was silent. Suddenly, a voice blurted out, “Why aren’t there any photos of Amu?”

Everyone froze and turned to look. A girl, her face crimson, stood clutching her portable computer and staring helplessly at the stern-faced teacher.

The entire class erupted in laughter.

PS: As a newcomer, I’m desperately calling for your recommendations!