The So-called World, Joy or Sorrow

“Why are you here?” After the song ended, Li Yue stopped her movements and stood up from her chair. Looking at Clo, who was still leaning on her cane, she momentarily didn’t know how to continue the conversation.

“Was that champion... you?” Clo pointed to the nearby poster. The girl printed on it was smiling radiantly, appearing quite different from the expressionless Li Yue standing before her now.

“It was me.” Li Yue tilted her head, comparing herself to the girl in the photo. The build, the face, the features, the hair color... they were all identical. But as she looked at it now, it didn’t really feel like her.

“Then, congratulations.” Clo offered a perfunctory congratulation. She felt as though they were just engaging in pure, awkward small talk. Even at school, she and Li Yue didn’t have much to say to each other. In a setting like this, finding a suitable topic was undoubtedly even more difficult.

“Thank you.” Li Yue stroked her own arm. Her gown featured long sleeves, while her sleek back was perfectly exposed. Clo didn’t know if her injuries had healed; looking at her, it didn’t seem like she had fully recovered.

“However... it’s not exactly something to be happy about.” Li Yue shrugged. In truth, there were no longer any traces of bruises on her arms, but every time they were mentioned, she could feel bursts of phantom pain still stimulating her flesh. It was a form of torment, as if the wounds would never truly heal and would continue to ache forever.

“How is your sprain? Does it still hurt to walk?” Rather than focusing on the competition, Li Yue was more concerned with the things happening right beside her. Her 'faraway' was too vast; she didn’t like those things. She wanted to live in the moment.

“No, it still hurts quite a bit. I was dragged here against my will.” Clo found a chair and sat down, leaning her cane against it. She looked utterly exhausted.

“What did they... want you to do here?” Li Yue tilted her head. She seemed to enjoy using this gesture to express her confusion. To be honest, Clo found the movement quite cute; she liked it a lot.

“To make friends with you, that’s all.” Clo gave a playful smile. She looked at Li Yue, a trace of a mischievous grin at the corner of her mouth. “So... are you willing to be my friend?”

“Since you’ve asked like that, it would be rude of me to refuse.” Li Yue thought about it. It seemed everyone else simply assumed a friendship with her by default; Clo was the first to ask so formally.

How strange, this person...

Li Yue sat down beside Clo and took a small cake from a passing servant. It was pale blue, decorated with a few blueberries and filled with blueberry jam. Clo took a red cake; she didn’t have much of an appetite and simply chose the most vibrant color.

“The injuries on your arms from before... what happened?” Clo took a bite of the cake and asked suddenly.

“That... has nothing to do with you.” Li Yue gave the same reply as before. Clo understood what such an answer implied. She looked around aimlessly, waiting for time to pass. She occasionally thought that if she knew magic, she would make time move a little faster.

By evening, a light rain began to pitter-patter outside. Clo looked through the floor-to-ceiling windows. It was as if all the sunlight had been stolen and brought indoors; the interior was a scene of opulence, while outside, the wind blew and the rain fell, with trees in the distant shadows swaying violently.

That evening, Clo met that man—the man who looked as though he were hidden in the shadows. She felt an instinctive sense of fear and repulsion from him. Yet, she heard Li Yue affectionately calling him “Father.” To be precise, she remembered Li Yue’s actual words were, “M... Father.”

She didn’t know what that truly meant. She only hoped that this gentleman’s inner self wasn't as repulsive as he appeared, but the likelihood of that was slim. Furthermore, the complex injuries on Li Yue’s body had already completely ruined any good first impression Clo might have had of him.

She had to admit, Li Yue’s musical talent was truly exceptional. She had achieved so many honors at such a young age. In comparison, Clo felt as though she had nothing to show for herself. Her life seemed to be in a constant state of flux, unable to find a sense of belonging.

Rather than a gala, Clo felt this place was more of a marketplace for business. She watched Li Yue sitting not far away, playing a piece. The people below the stage held their wine glasses, conversing with those they needed to. Clo didn’t know what they were saying, but she guessed it was all incredibly boring.

After playing several pieces, Li Yue seemed somewhat fatigued. her arms trembled slightly, and she nearly missed a few notes. Clo saw the man lean in and whisper something in Li Yue’s ear. She couldn't hear the content, but afterward, she saw a shadow of gloom cloud Li Yue’s eyes.

“Whose daughter is this?” He seemed to notice Clo. A gentle expression appeared on his face as he reached out to shake her hand. His grip was heavy; Clo felt as though her hand were about to fall apart.

He looked around, and Clo saw her own father walking over slowly. The two men shook hands, appearing to be quite familiar with one another. That somber aura of his remained, but his manner of communication was bold and sweeping—like a tyrant...

With both sets of parents as witnesses, she and Li Yue had a formal introduction. The process was nothing more than incredibly boring pleasantries. Both sides remarked on the so-called coincidence of fate that had allowed her and Li Yue to develop a close relationship so early on.

But in truth, Clo didn't really care. She didn't think her relationship with Li Yue would become any closer. She wasn't a talkative person, and neither was Li Yue. It was difficult for such a pair to make progress in a relationship. Moreover, there was an entire world of distance between them, and she didn't feel she had the power to break through it.

But this was fine too. This way, she could continue her ordinary routine and go on with her flat, uneventful life. At least, that was what Clo thought.

Perhaps she didn't know that Fate loved to cling to such whimsical coincidences. It did not want to end things so simply. Since a story had begun, it must be either a joy or a tragedy. If there was no so-called happiness, then perhaps it would end in a grand tragedy.