Chapters One, Two, and Three: The Continuation of Our Story

On the way to the Lantern Forest, Cheng Xiaoyu asked Wang Ou and Xia Shamo, "Do you know the five great eccentrics in the history of mathematics?"

Wang Ou turned his head, looking at Cheng Xiaoyu in confusion, and replied, "Archimedes? Zu Chongzhi? Galois?"

Cheng Xiaoyu shook his head with a smile. "Of course not. Use your imagination!"

Xia Shamo knew the answer must be absurd, but she couldn't quite grasp Cheng Xiaoyu's point, so she smiled and waited for him to explain.

Wang Ou racked his brains but couldn't find a clue. "Give me a hint!"

Cheng Xiaoyu chuckled, "We see them every single day in math class!"

Wang Ou was utterly bewildered and had to give up. He nudged Cheng Xiaoyu a few times and asked, "Just tell me, who are they?"

Cheng Xiaoyu turned to ask Xia Shamo, who was walking calmly in the shade of the sidewalk trees, "Don't you want to take a guess?"

Xia Shamo smiled lightly, the curve of her lips particularly beautiful. "My brain is slow, and my math has never been very good. Besides, I'm sure you'll give me a wonderful answer, so I might as well save some brain cells. I wouldn't be able to guess it anyway."

Cheng Xiaoyu cleared his throat triumphantly and said, "The fifth of the five great eccentrics in math history: the model train driver who travels at a constant speed and is never late. The fourth: the conscientious contractor pair who divide the work clearly and cooperate seamlessly. The third: the mad pool attendant who fills the pool with water while simultaneously draining it. The second: the perverted old farmer who puts hens and rabbits into the same cage. As for the first place, it is none other than the stubborn Xiao Ming, who leaves home early but deliberately slows his pace, just waiting for his brother to catch up."

Wang Ou burst into laughter at this whimsical answer. The spots of light filtering through the leaves fell upon his hearty smile, making his white teeth shine even brighter against his slightly dark complexion.

Xia Shamo also smiled with pursed lips, her expression like a clear spring, refreshing everyone within her sight. But in her mind, she thought of Su Yuxi; only that genius girl could truly share a common language with someone as wise and talented as Cheng Xiaoyu. They both knew German, both played the piano, and both were so clever—they must have so much to talk about.

And what about her? Xia Shamo had always felt that she wasn't a smart child. That was why she was always so diligent and hardworking in her studies, putting in several times the effort of others. She had to review until midnight every day before she could sleep and would wake up at 6:00 AM to memorize her lessons, wasting no time. She didn't have money for cram schools, so she would borrow notes from classmates to copy down. Even then, she barely managed to maintain a position in the upper tier of the class.

Yet, Cheng Xiaoyu had charged from the bottom of the class to the middle with little effort, and that was even with him scoring a zero on his math test. Not to mention Su Yuxi, who was practically always first in the grade.

No matter how carefully Xia Shamo thought, she couldn't find any of her own strengths, which made her feel a little frustrated. She forgot who she was comparing herself to. She forgot that the Fudan Affiliated High School was already the best school in Shanghai, and that she was among the most excellent group of people here.

Xia Shamo thought of the German beginner's textbook in her bag, which looked like an untranslatable heavenly book. Every day, she would memorize ten words as a break, hoping that perhaps this way she could catch up to his pace. But every time she looked up, she felt he was walking even faster, further away.

The bar street was empty in the afternoon. Cheng Xiaoyu noticed that Xia Shamo still seemed to be in a low mood. He patted her shoulder and said, "It's been a long time since I heard you sing. Let's collaborate properly in our band later. Sometimes, singing out your emotions is the best way to let them out."

Xia Shamo's eyes brightened, and she regained her spirit. "Okay!"

Wang Ou felt a bit melancholic; his guitar skills hadn't yet reached the level to keep up with Cheng Xiaoyu and the others. He could only let out a frustrated shout before pushing open the bar door for Cheng Xiaoyu and Xia Shamo.

Chen Haoran had been waiting for them in the lobby; Cheng Xiaoyu had called him as soon as he left school, and he had said he would wait for them at the bar.

Huang Yong, who was cleaning nearby, saw them arrive and immediately put down his broom. He smiled and gave Cheng Xiaoyu and Wang Ou a warm bear hug, then said with a mournful face, "Oh man, ever since you guys left, the boss hasn't been in a good mood. Damn it, now 'Listen to the Wind' is singing your songs, and they've snatched up all our business."

Cheng Xiaoyu set his schoolbag on a stool and smiled. "You guys could sing them too."

Huang Yong gave a bitter smile. "You think we don't want to? But we just can't capture that flavor. It’s been driving Boss Chen crazy. Fortunately, you guys are about to go on summer vacation, so you can come back to our bar, right?" At this, Huang Yong brightened up a bit.

Cheng Xiaoyu thought about how incredibly busy he was, and he wasn't sure if he would have time to come to the Lantern Forest. He could only look at Huang Yong with an apologetic gaze. "I might not have the time during summer vacation. We'll have to see when the time comes."

Huang Yong and Wang Ou both looked at Cheng Xiaoyu in disbelief. Huang Yong was worried about the bar and his own income, while Wang Ou hoped to use the summer break as an opportunity to relive the moments of the winter break. He liked *Guilty Crown*, and he loved the joy of sweating and spending time with his friends.

Xia Shamo remained calm. She knew the Lantern Forest couldn't contain a genius like Cheng Xiaoyu, yet she still felt an indescribable regret in her heart.

Chen Haoran didn't speak; he just started playing the drums, the sound resonant and passionate.

Cheng Xiaoyu patted Huang Yong's shoulder, smiled, and said, "It's not certain yet. Let's go up and sing two songs first." With that, he beckoned Xia Shamo to join him on stage.

Cheng Xiaoyu smiled at Xia Shamo. "Do you know how to sing 'Our Story' now?"

Xia Shamo nodded.

As Cheng Xiaoyu stepped onto the stage, he said to her, "Sure, let's sing it together!"

Xia Shamo smiled.

Looking at the faint smile on Xia Shamo's fair face, Cheng Xiaoyu felt as if he were seeing the white sails on the azure coast of summer, the setting sun floating on the horizon where the sea and sky met, with the mournful whistle of a ship in the distance.

He walked quickly toward the keyboard, suppressed the palpitations in his heart, and said to Chen Haoran, "Our Story."

Cheng Xiaoyu gently tapped the sound of a music box on the keyboard, then sang the opening.

"Ah... (Our Story by David Tao)
How much longer must I stay by your side?
How can I make time flow backward?
Cherish every minute and every second.
Ah..."

Cheng Xiaoyu paused slightly, and Xia Shamo joined in, as if by telepathy. She listened to this song every day, so she was naturally incredibly familiar with it. Furthermore, she felt as if this song were expressing her own heart. When she began to sing, the emotion she poured into it surprised even herself. The melody Cheng Xiaoyu wrote could truly pierce right through a person's soul. Xia Shamo emptied her mind, striving to let out a more moving voice.

"The hand I hold tight, I don't want to let go.
The 10:30 flight is waiting.
Don't let your tears flow anymore.
I have to go.
Remember,
Our story is truly unforgettable.
Too many memories and hopes.
No matter how crazy it may be,
I am willing to treasure it for a lifetime.

Our story cannot be forgotten.
Too many plots yet to unfold.
Don't give up, because one day, fate will continue.
It will definitely continue.
I know you are lonely,
It's truly hard to be alone.
Missing someone is a kind of pain,
How can I live without you?
Surrounded by temptation,
If you aren't firm, it's easy to make mistakes.
Can you see the harvest of the future?
Are you willing to wait patiently?
Ah...
Our story is truly unforgettable.
Too many memories and hopes.
No matter how crazy it may be,
I am willing to treasure it for a lifetime.
Our story cannot be forgotten.
Too many plots yet to unfold.
Don't give up, because one day, fate will continue.
Let us finish the story together."