Chapter 28: Winds Rise in Dali, Endless Longing

On stage, Lu Yu, with her smoky voice, was gently strumming her guitar. Behind her, the drummer matched the rhythm with soft beats on the drum set. The prelude felt oddly familiar.

"All along this road, stopping and starting...
Following the traces left by a drifting youth
The moment before stepping out of the station
I found myself hesitating
I can’t help but smile at this shyness near home
Yet it’s unavoidable
And the sky over Nagano
Is still so warm
The wind stirs up memories of the past..."

This song...
Was it a gift for herself?
Without realizing it, Lin Shenlu was drawn in by the lyrics and melody, completely immersed.
It seemed only this song could allow someone in a less than cheerful mood to truly relax and find solace.
So, the wind has indeed risen.
Lin Shenlu tapped lightly on the tabletop with her fingers.
For a moment, it seemed the entire bar quieted.
Everyone was listening intently to the song.
How many people in this room had come to Dali to escape their worries and seek relief from their burdens?
This song had arrived at just the right, profound moment.
Lin Shenlu took a gentle sip of her beer, letting the cool liquid trickle slowly from her tongue to her throat...

"When I first encountered this world...
So much to linger over
Watching the distant sky as if it were right before my eyes
I would have braved fire and water to walk that path
Now, having wandered this world
Lingering over so much
Turning over the different faces of time
Suddenly, I stumble into your smiling face..."

This was the core of the song—the part that, in the summer of 2018, seemed to bring a refreshing breeze, making that summer feel so cool, so unforgettable.
Back then, Lin Shenlu had just graduated, her first job an internship at Tuyu.com.
Back then, there was no pandemic, and the world felt so wonderfully open.
Back then, there were so many people who could travel wherever they wished.
There were no masks, no codes to scan—everything about that summer seemed perfect.
It was a summer to which no one could ever return.
The people, the stories from that summer, were deeply imprinted in her memory.
In a blink, this song had been around for three or four years already.
Alongside this song, perhaps "Short Letters, Long Love" was another favorite of hers.
Truly, it was a summer overflowing with memories.

"I once lost myself in the vastness of the world...
Indulging in its dreamy tales
Caring not for truth or lies, nor struggling, nor fearing ridicule

I once let my youth surge for her
Once played out a splendid summer with my fingertips
Letting my heart follow where fate would take it
Walking against the light, braving wind and rain..."

These lyrics were simply exquisite.
This song had voiced the strength in so many hearts.
It must be said—the song was deeply healing.
After all, the original melody was composed in Japan.
From arrangement to instrumentation, it faithfully captured the warm, pure style and melody of Japanese music.
That ethereal, delicate imagery—so pristine, untouched by the mundane.
Yet, here and now, in Lu Yu’s rendition, it was entirely different from the original.
Different from Chili, different from Qingfeng.
Qingfeng’s voice was androgynous, singing youth without a hint of regret, while Chili’s was more mature and androgynous in texture...
But Lu Yu’s husky, smoky voice brought a unique flavor.
Lin Shenlu found herself loving it.

"Along this short road, stopping and starting...
A certain distance has grown
I can’t tell if I’m stroking a story or just a feeling
Perhaps all I ever wanted was to defy time
To see you again
In the cool morning light
Smiling so sweetly..."

In the past, Lin Shenlu had downed a bottle of beer.
The first time she heard this song, she was working as an assistant intern for the manager at Tuyu.com.
Her days were spent endlessly printing A4 sheets,
Admiring the beautiful prose and landscape photos on each page.
She secretly vowed that one day she would visit these beautiful places herself.
Who would have thought, in such a short time, the song remained the same, she remained the same—
Yet the scene before her was completely different.
Now, after wandering this world, lingering over so much,
Turning over the different faces of time...

"The evening breeze stirs the silver in your hair
Smoothing the scars left by memory
In your eyes, light and shadow mingle, and your smile blossoms
Dusk veils your faltering steps
As you step into the painting hidden by the bedside
In the painting, you bow your head and speak
Still, I marvel at the vastness of the world
And am enraptured by childhood whispers
No longer caring for truth or lies, nor struggling, nor fearing ridicule
At last, I return my youth to her
Along with the splendid summer played out by my fingertips
Wherever my heart stirs, let it be carried by the wind
In the name of love—would you still be willing..."

As the last note faded, the crowd had not yet dispersed; applause and shouts filled the bar.
Lin Shenlu gently wiped the dampness from the corner of her eyes.
It truly was a surge of powerful memories.

...

"Hey, buddy, can I bum a smoke?" Someone tapped Lin Shenlu lightly on the shoulder from behind.
She was startled, her hand trembling around the lighter.
Wasn’t it usually a request for a light, not a cigarette?
She drew one from her pack and handed it to the man behind her.
He smiled faintly, taking the cigarette.
"Thanks..." he said, turning away.
The man didn’t look particularly sharp; his eyes were somewhat dull. Even in the dim light, under the occasional flashes of colored lights, the dark shadows under his eyes were visible—
He looked like someone who spent every night in bars, indulging a bit too much.
Lin Shenlu nodded slightly and turned back to the stage, only to find that a new singer had taken the spotlight.
Meanwhile, Lu Yu approached, carrying a pack of beer with a beaming smile.

"Haven’t seen you in a few days, and my little brother’s grown more handsome!" Lu Yu joked, grinning.
Lin Shenlu smiled awkwardly.
"For the song you just sang—I loved it. Thank you. Cheers," Lin Shenlu said, clinking his bottle against hers as she sat down.
"No need to be so formal. How much are you planning on drinking tonight?" Lu Yu asked with another smile after taking a swig.
"Drinking to forget...until I’m drunk," Lin Shenlu replied with a laugh.
Lu Yu was about to say something but seemed to be called back to the stage by the current singer.
With an apologetic nod, she returned to the spotlight.
Lin Shenlu quietly lit a cigarette.

"Hey, buddy, can I borrow a beer..."
Lin Shenlu was momentarily surprised as the same man tapped him on the shoulder again.
Really?
He’d put up with lending a cigarette, but now beer too?
He turned to look more closely.
The man was sitting alone, his table lined with over a dozen empty bottles.
Clearly, he’d already had quite a bit.
Ah, fellow wanderers in the bar—one bottle was enough to ease the dust of the road.
"Here," Lin Shenlu said softly, handing over a beer.
"Thanks..." The man brushed his bangs aside and continued drinking.
"By the way, buddy, that girl singing is quite something. Go for it!" he said, nudging Lin Shenlu’s back.
Lin Shenlu just smiled in silence.

Soon, Lu Yu finished her business and returned, resuming their drinking.
The singer on stage began another song.

"I came... to your city..."
"There was a bit of an issue with the mic just now. So, little brother, I still don’t know where you’re from," Lu Yu said, still smiling.
Just as Lin Shenlu was about to answer, he felt another tap on his shoulder.
Again?
What would it be this time?