9 p.m.
Qin Continent Art Academy.
He lay on the lawn beside the school playground, hands clasped behind his head, staring at the stars above—
The starry sky overhead seemed no different from Earth's, yet he knew, even without finding the North Star, that this was not Earth. This was a parallel world called Blue Star.
"Lin Yuan, sophomore in the Composition Department at Qin Continent Art Academy."
That was his new identity after the time-travel.
He had inherited everything from the original owner, particularly the good looks, but he couldn't remember his own name from his previous life or why he'd traveled here. All he vaguely recalled was that he might have been someone good-looking and famous in his previous life too.
So naturally, he could regard himself as:
"Lin Yuan."
He sifted through the original owner's memories.
As expected, Lin Yuan discovered that the trajectory of this world's history differed drastically from that of his previous world.
History took a divergent path starting with the Qin Dynasty. Fusu inherited Ying Zheng's legacy, leading Great Qin's iron cavalry to sweep across the world's eight corners. Through decisive action, the East dominated the world, a reign that lasted until a century ago, when a stronger entity—Summer Country—took its place.
The globe became unified.
The world divided into eight continents.
Lin Yuan's location was called Qin Continent.
On this war-free planet, art became humanity's shared pursuit. The cultural scene here was profoundly rich. Every artistic field—film, music, painting, literature, calligraphy—thrived in unprecedented prosperity.
"Utopia."
That was how Lin Yuan described it.
Especially for those working in the arts.
But no matter how utopian a society might seem, misfortune could still strike. Such misfortune had already fallen upon the original owner of this body Lin Yuan had time-traveled into—
He had a terminal illness.
Yes, that term with an over-the-top dramatic flair frequently thrown around in TV dramas:
"Terminal illness."
This was what Lin Yuan discovered in the original owner's memories. He'd inherited a body that was doomed not to live much longer. The doctors had long issued a death sentence for the original owner:
"This child won't live past twenty-five."
This was a pain the original owner could no longer endure, so he chose to overdose on sleeping pills and end his life. That was how Lin Yuan became this body's new owner—
Was it fear of death?
Or a choice in the face of death?
*Lin Yuan initially thought this was the reason the original owner chose suicide. But as he sifted deeper through the original owner's memories, he found the truth was far more complicated.*
The original owner came from a single-parent family.
His father passed away long ago.
It was his mother who single-handedly raised him.
The original owner had been frail and ill since childhood, often falling dangerously sick with high fevers that left him comatose. To treat his condition, he had frequent hospital stays, and the enormous medical expenses were borne solely by his mother.
Some money was borrowed.
Some money was earned by her.
To raise him, his mother endured immense hardship. Not to mention, the original owner also had an older sister and a younger sister—
Both siblings were exceptionally understanding.
Despite the original owner's circumstances, they never experienced a carefree life.
His older sister gave up the chance to pursue graduate studies, opting to work early to support the family.
His younger sister grew up wearing hand-me-down clothes from her older sister to help ease the family's financial burden.
And the final straw that broke the camel's back was…
The original owner lost his dream.
He was originally a student in the Vocal Music Department, gifted with an extraordinary voice. His vocal talent was unquestionably the best among his peers, and his dream was to become a singer.
However, in his freshman year, his illness flared up again, and the direct consequence of this episode was:
The original owner could no longer sing.
His vocal cords were damaged beyond repair, making it impossible to sustain intensive vocal training, let alone hit the high notes he once prided himself on—
Helplessly.
He transferred to the Composition Department, a field he was far less skilled in.
And in his sophomore year, he chose suicide.
Not just because his dream was crushed, but because he couldn't bear to burden his family any longer. When life begins its countdown, every passing moment becomes torture.
*After digesting these memories, Lin Yuan could completely understand the original owner's decision. He couldn't stand on some moral high ground to criticize the original owner for being weak-willed.*
*It could only be said…*
*Every individual has their own struggles, and some people's misfortunes are far harder to bear compared to others.*
*It resonates with the Buddhist notion that "life is inherently suffering."*
But Lin Yuan wouldn't choose suicide.
Despite inheriting a body doomed not to live past twenty-five, he still had a few years to make something of it… didn't he?
Write some songs.
Publish some books.
Transport culture.
Earn some money for his family.
Yes, it was almost impossible for Lin Yuan to change his terminal fate, but in the limited time available to him, maybe he could change his family's fate.
This thought felt urgent.
*Lin Yuan couldn't tell whether this drive was the original owner's will or his own wish.*
*Maybe what he'd inherited wasn't just the original owner's memories, but also his every joy, anger, sorrow, and connection to that mysterious shared bloodline.*
*Lin Yuan didn't resist this feeling.*
But when Lin Yuan tried recalling some works of art from his previous life, he was stunned to find his memories had become frustratingly hazy as though blocked by an invisible veil.
*So what was the point of my time-traveling here?*
*Lin Yuan asked himself.*
Then suddenly, a voice reverberated in his mind—a sound not so much an answer as a response: [Blood test in progress… Genetic test in progress… Iris scan in progress… Compatibility rate: 99.36%... Requirements met… Database selected: Solar System Earth… System binding in progress…]
System?
Lin Yuan understood.
Though the details of his memories were fuzzy, he still had impressions of system-based web novels he'd read in his previous life. He understood this was his "golden finger," the defining purpose of his time-travel.
He stopped dwelling on confusion.
He waited quietly for the system to install.
Soon after, the mechanical static crackled again in his mind: [Installation successful, Literature and Art System binding complete!]
"Hello."
Lin Yuan greeted proactively.
[Greetings, host. Congratulations on binding with the Literature and Art System. This system will assist you in becoming an artist on Blue Star. You can communicate with the system using your thought processes. Below, your host information will be presented in text format.]
The mechanical voice paused.
Transparent subtitles appeared before Lin Yuan's eyes.
[Age: 19]
[Life expectancy: 22]
[Drawing: 45]
[Literature: 105]
[Music: 1038]
[Comprehensive: 1188]
[Others: Waiting to unlock]
[Note: Aside from age and life expectancy, the numbers in each category represent prestige—the external and industry-wide recognition the host has earned in that field. In theory, there is no upper limit; the higher the prestige value, the more benefits the host will receive...]
Life expectancy is… 22?
The system seemed to sense Lin Yuan's thoughts.
Another line of text appeared: [Twenty-five years is the theoretical maximum lifespan for the host. Considering practical circumstances, the host can live up to twenty-two years but will become completely paralyzed at age twenty-one.]
"Can it be cured?"
Lin Yuan asked internally.
System: [When the host's prestige reaches the system's required standard, the system will offer treatment. Through multiple phases of treatment, full recovery can be achieved. Whenever you reach certain prestige values, the system will notify the host…]
So it can be cured.
Lin Yuan adeptly asked, "What about the beginner's gift pack?"
Perhaps Lin Yuan was too skilled in such matters, causing the system to lag behind in catching up with his pace. After a brief silence, it responded: [The beginner's gift pack has already been delivered to the host's backend warehouse.]
"Enter the warehouse."
As Lin Yuan finished speaking, a virtual interface resembling a game inventory appeared in front of him. The first grid contained a small audio file—
Song: "Life Like A Summer Flower."
Just one song for the beginner's gift pack?
Could they take out the "big" from the name, please?
*Lin Yuan's inner monologue griped as he played the song. But the moment the prelude began, he recognized it instantly as the piece from his memory.*
In fact.
The moment he opened the song, all the memories of this piece from his past life washed over him in an instant. Prior to this, he couldn't recall its melody or lyrics no matter how hard he tried.
Lin Yuan figured out the system's mechanism.
The so-called prestige was likely earned by releasing songs and gaining recognition from others. When that recognition reached a certain threshold, he could treat his illness and avoid an early demise... right?
What a simplistic setup.
The system seemed displeased with Lin Yuan's complaint and promptly added another feature: [While earning prestige, the host will also gain opportunities for lotteries, with an exceptionally high chance of winning.]
"Oh."
Lin Yuan responded indifferently.
He started thinking about the song.
His vocal cords were already damaged. Although "Life Like A Summer Flower" didn't have high vocal-range requirements, Lin Yuan still wouldn't be able to sing according to medical advice.
But this wasn't a problem for Lin Yuan.
If he couldn't sing it himself, he could find someone else to perform it.
As long as it earned him prestige, it didn't matter. While it was true that singers generally gained more fame, Lin Yuan didn't like attention and even found fame repulsive—
*He wasn't sure why.*
*Perhaps it was an influence from his previous life?*
*Although his memories of his past were hazy, Lin Yuan could faintly sense that he had been somewhat accomplished and even significant in his previous life.*
This song was quite meaningful.
At least, it was a perfect reflection of the original owner's situation.
With this realization, Lin Yuan suddenly felt curious: "System, since I've traveled to this world, does my previous self simply vanish from Earth?"
System: [Life Exchange]
The system seemed to have grasped Lin Yuan's way of thinking. He had a quick comprehension and remarkable adaptability, preferring straightforward answers with no need for excessive explanations. Thus, its replies became more concise.
"Life Exchange, huh."
Lin Yuan's eyes flickered slightly before a gentle smile spread across his face. Having someone else live in his stead wasn't a bad feeling.
He was single anyway.
Although he didn't know much yet, the blurred outlines of his past life's memories allowed Lin Yuan to roughly sketch his previous self.
Not too good, not too bad.
Honestly, no matter how messy life gets, it's still better than having a countdown over your head. Here's hoping that stranger might end up with a system—not another "Life Like A Summer Flower"—
*At the very least, we still exist.*