Chapter 116: Longing to See You

Longing to see you, longing to hold you—how many men and women, broken-hearted, only learn the value of love after it is lost, when there is no longer any reason to meet or embrace? Remembering him, remembering the days she was by his side, no matter who was right or wrong, the one who gave the most can never let go. The one who carries guilt may, with a flicker of conscience, recall their faults, but the chance to say “I’m sorry,” or “I love you,” is gone forever.

If I had known the ending, I would have walked alone, bathed in sorrow, along the leaf-strewn paths we once shared, yearning to see you, to hold you, yet forced to bury those desires deep within—the number that can no longer be reached, the person who can never be seen again.

Had I known how it would all end, perhaps I still would have rushed to you heedless of everything, treated you a bit better, argued with you a bit less. I would have hoped for us to stay together just a little longer... Yet reality is this: the wind rises, leaves fall, and you are a name I dare not speak in my heart anymore.

The song ended, and the room was hushed. No one could awaken from the sadness, except for Wang Fei, who had never known romance yet found her eyes reddening as she raised her hand and called out.

“Encore! Encore!!”

The sound engineer hurried to play the song again—who would refuse a perfect song, especially when the replay is free? Play it! It must be played!

Lin Yu was lost in memory, not realizing this was the second round, and as the accompaniment began, he sang once more.

“The wind brushes past my hair
Memories howl again
Tears streak down my cheeks
Falling among the crowd
You see, those untouched memories
Still cannot withstand the passing of time
The once familiar scenes
This faded room
What’s lost is more than time.”

This time, his voice was even more sorrowful, thick with grief and unwillingness, lower and more captivating, the mournful violin underscoring the pain. Beneath the moonlight, the man became the epitome of heartbreak.

We can never go back to what we once were, and what’s lost is more than time. It’s us—those loves missed, the joys never again to be held, the hope of touching hands and embracing, now vanished.

As the song reached its climax, fireworks bloomed and the lights suddenly flared. The first time, even the lighting engineer had been lost in memory and tears, forgetting to enhance the live atmosphere. But now, the sudden light illuminated the tear-stained faces of most below—hearts longing to chase once more, to meet again, to confess again.

No one’s life is without regret; even the moon waxes and wanes.

If only I had known the ending… If only I had known how little time was left… I should have held your hand firmly then, embraced you just once more!

But a gust of wind swept by, taking with it not only you, but my heart as well…

“Longing grows ever deeper.”
“Since parting, never ceasing!”
“I wish to see you, hold you.”
“I wish I could see you again.”
“Alas, it’s too late.”
“Staring at my old, battered camera.”
“Preserving memories gone yellow.”
“Whose eyes are blurred by tears?”
“The past, as people often say.”
“Long gone, never to return.”

At the fourth refrain of “never to return,” Lin Yu pressed the theme with extra weight. What’s lost is more than time.

In the audience, men and women alike wiped their tears, some couples, realizing something as their partner wept, broke up right then and there—better to be alone than settle, better to chase the one they love!

Suddenly, someone remembered that song “Decency,” a song about loving yet having to leave with dignity. But this song—this one was heartbreak so suffocating, dragging those who had left with dignity right back into longing, into repeating the same mistakes.

Even knowing there’s no turning back, how can you not try? How many missed opportunities haunt us, how many times does the saddest song conjure the face of that one person in our hearts?

No courage before? If not now, it truly will be too late!

Yet some, more clear-headed, knew that being lost in such emotion was but a fleeting melancholy—what’s missed is missed, some things will never return.

Love is like writing poems in the snow, vanishing as you write. Everyone is left with regrets, but who, then, finds happiness?

When emotion reaches its limit, only silence remains. I still want to wish you good night, but the boat has already drifted past a thousand hills.

We say “it doesn’t matter,” but deep inside, tears flow. Brief memories, everlasting pain—people come and go!

How could you possibly remember me for long? We’ll never cross paths again. This is my second encounter with “forever.”

You are the unique memory of my youth.

Perhaps repeating old mistakes will only tarnish the beautiful memories; better to let them remain as they are.

Lin Yu slowly put down the microphone, the music faded away, but the audience could not return to themselves.

The impact in the venue was overwhelming; even those watching the livestream, though less affected, soon began sending a flurry of comments.

“Since parting, never ceasing!”
“I knew it—Yu is at it again, making me cry until I’m dry! Damn, I’m such a waterworks, I’ll be drained by the end of this!”
“The wind stirs the lonely pavilion, sorrow easily rises; the winding paths of blooming flowers, how hard it is to meet you.”
“I know we can’t go back, so I tried to memorize her face as I left; now, it’s fading from my mind.”
“My youth glanced back at me, as if bidding me farewell.”
“I had a secret crush on you for four years from the desk behind you, but you never looked back at me once.”
“Slytherins always seem to miss their chance—just like the great Half-Blood Prince never waited for his princess, the proud Death Eater finally fell from his high place.”
“In the next life, I’ll be Draco, and be friends with the Savior, just once…”
“What if I really waited for you for three or five years, like in the movies?”
“Oh, my heart aches for you! How many years do we have in a lifetime? You two must be together!!”
“I didn’t get to confess—he… got married.”
“You really… I’m crying to death!!”
‘“From this moment, the little boat drifts away, the mountains and seas hold my life. Gone, gone, gone and gone, as it was when I came.” — Lotus Pavilion’
‘“Such a pity, in our youth we were too reckless, I was too stubborn, and you didn’t know how to stay, so we never even said a proper goodbye.”’
“None of you are sleeping tonight! Yu, you too! You made me cry, you have to take responsibility!!”
“What’s lost is more than time—it’s the person we once were. In a blink, half a life is gone. Don’t always live by the words and eyes of others; live your own life. Leave all answers to time…”

Soon after, a recording of the live performance was posted online, quickly becoming a viral hit, with everyone clamoring for the song and begging for its official release.

Meanwhile, Ji Ya and Su Xiaolin were still searching for Lin Yu, and Ji Ya was already planning to ask her family for help. Just as she was about to send a message, a short video notification popped up. Seeing Lin Yu’s name, she clicked without hesitation.

“Shocking! Love missed in school days—what’s lost is more than time! Original singer A-Yu’s heartfelt performance of his new song ‘What’s Lost Is More Than Time.’”

Su Xiaolin glanced over, eyes wide in astonishment. “Oh my god! Yu is here!!”