The old security bars fitted over the window were covered in rust, their original color no longer visible. Sunlight streamed through the aged, rusty window and fell gently on a cheap, faded light-blue quilt. Although its color had long since faded, it was clean and fresh. The warmth of the sunlight passed through the quilt to the man sleeping underneath.
Yu Zhi lifted the quilt and wrinkled his nose at the dust floating through the air.
He got up and looked around. Only then did he suddenly realize that the cramped room and the iron-framed bed, which was only 1.5 meters long, had forced his 1.8-meter-tall body to curl up. Together, the cramped surroundings and his awkward sleeping position had created a sense of psychological oppression, leaving him feeling stifled and uncomfortable both physically and mentally.
The room was less than 20 square meters in size and was crammed with cardboard boxes of various sizes and piles of old, disorganized books. Aside from the bed, the only other large item was a big storage box. It was a crude container made from plastic and cardboard. Its rough but sturdy craftsmanship, along with its terrible appearance, made it clear that it had not been bought from a store but had been handmade by the original owner.
The large box was filled with neatly arranged books. It was obvious that the original owner treasured them. Yu Zhi could even smell the insect repellent inside, used to keep cockroaches, bugs, and ants away.
The only cooking appliance was a rice cooker. Yu Zhi found a bottle of Lao Gan Ma1老干妈 (Lǎo Gān Mā) – A popular Chinese chili sauce brand beside it. The bathroom was also extremely cramped and basic.
All in all, the original owner was a hardworking university student who spent most of his time studying, tutored on the side, and even collected old books and cardboard to sell for extra cash. His bank account held barely four digits, he lived in a tiny, triangular room he rented on the cheap, and most of his meals consisted of plain rice topped with Lao Gan Ma.
He had food to eat, clothes to wear, and a place to live. At least he had not transmigrated into the body of a beggar sleeping on the streets. Yu Zhi considered that acceptable.
The more information he learned about the original owner, the more of the original owner’s memories became accessible to him. However, he still had not unlocked all of them. He also had no idea what the original owner’s wish was, and there was not even a trace of this world’s plot or mission.
Even someone as unhurried as Yu Zhi could tell by now that something must have gone wrong, either with this world or during his transmigration, resulting in his current situation.
Yu Zhi frowned. Communication was cut off inside mission worlds, so he could not contact his department.
Did that mean he would have to waste his time in this world indefinitely?
Even if he ignored the mission, failing a world would only cost him some points. His account had enough points to waste on dozens of worlds without any problem, and he could use merit points to compensate for the original owner’s wish.
But what about his lover in this world?
The world was so vast. Was he really going to spend the rest of his life searching for that person?
Before Yu Zhi could come up with a plan, the secondhand phone in his pocket rang.
“Yu Zhi, why aren’t you at school yet? Old Wang’s class is about to start! He loves calling on you, so if you don’t show up, he’ll definitely notice. Hurry up and get here!”
As soon as he heard those words, memories of the classmate on the phone, the Old Wang he had mentioned, and the school itself immediately surfaced in Yu Zhi’s mind.
“Thanks for the reminder. I overslept. I’ll be there soon.”
With that, he stopped wasting time worrying about his situation. He needed to get back on track with the original owner’s life first. He could deal with everything else later.
The original owner was a biology student at the best university in the city.
It was a popular major with a high admission cutoff. Given the original owner’s financial circumstances, he probably couldn’t have afforded to buy his way in. He had earned his place through hard work, and Yu Zhi didn’t want to tarnish that achievement on his behalf.
During class, Professor Wang, whom everyone called Old Wang, really did call on him to answer questions. It was clear that the professor thought highly of the original owner.
None of the questions posed any difficulty for Yu Zhi. He answered them with ease and earned an approving look from Professor Wang.
After class, the professor even made a point of stopping him.
“Do you have any free time lately? A friend of mine has a granddaughter who’s preparing for the university entrance exam and needs a tutor. I recommended you to him. You’d be teaching her mathematics and biology. I think you’re more than capable of handling both subjects.”
Memories of tutoring surfaced in Yu Zhi’s mind. The original owner had previously tutored a middle school girl in Chinese, and the pay had been quite good.
However, the original owner’s face was simply too striking. He was so handsome that the girl, who was at the age when romantic feelings were just beginning to blossom, couldn’t resist his looks. She had secretly fallen for him. Once her parents found out, they had politely dismissed him.
So, at the moment, Yu Zhi had plenty of free time.
However, as soon as he heard that the prospective student was a young girl who might not even be an adult yet, he explained why his previous tutoring job had ended and voiced his concerns.
Professor Wang simply laughed. “You don’t need to worry about that. My friend’s granddaughter has a childhood sweetheart. They grew up together, and they’re boyfriend and girlfriend now. They’ll get engaged when they’re both adults and marry when they’re old enough. If that weren’t the case, I wouldn’t feel comfortable sending you over, either. After all, I know perfectly well how many people at this school have a crush on you because of that face of yours.”
Yu Zhi finally felt reassured. “Thank you, Professor.”
He knew the professor was aware that the original owner was struggling financially. He needed to earn money to cover his living expenses and repay his student loans, which was why the professor had recommended him for the tutoring job.
Yu Zhi could earn that amount of money in a short time, but the original owner couldn’t. Faced with such an opportunity, the original owner would certainly not have turned it down.
Besides… Whenever Yu Zhi transmigrated into a new world, his lover was always by his side. This time was different, but his lover probably wasn’t too far removed from his daily life, either. Maintaining his existing social circle and building more connections for the future would make finding him easier.
Yu Zhi forced himself not to think about the possibility that his lover had disappeared and hadn’t come with him into this world.
His lover had to be somewhere, waiting for Yu Zhi to find him.
As Yu Zhi walked around campus, more and more of the original owner’s memories returned. The only memories he still hadn’t recovered were those of his hometown, his parents, and the more than ten years of his early life. Aside from those gaps, he now remembered most things well enough to manage his current life without difficulty.
“Senior!”
A young woman in an ivory chiffon maxi dress, her long hair falling over her shoulders, hurried toward him along a tree-lined path.
It was a bright summer day. The branches and leaves of the parasol trees were lush, and sunlight streamed through them, casting dappled shadows across the ground.
The beautiful, fresh-faced girl clutched a stack of books as she ran toward a handsome young man wearing a white shirt and black trousers, a shoulder bag slung across his body. Her long hair swept through the air in graceful arcs.
The scene was so beautiful that it could have been used as a book cover or a phone wallpaper. Passersby couldn’t help slowing their hurried steps and turning their attention to the pair.
Yu Zhi could even hear people nearby gossiping.
“Isn’t that Senior Yu? The one who’s been voted the campus heartthrob for several years running? Who’s the girl?”
“You seriously don’t know? She’s the beauty of the vocal music department, a first-year student. I heard she’s been pursuing Senior Yu for months. Does this mean she’s finally won him over?”
“Oh my God, we’re so lucky today! We got to witness these two finally getting together! Quick, let’s pay our respects and pray they bless us with girlfriends of our own!”
“Bro, why don’t you try losing those hundred kilos first?”
After hearing enough of their chatter, Yu Zhi watched as the young woman reached him. Just as she was about to get close, he took half a step back, keeping a full meter between them.
The girl’s smile faltered slightly, and a hurt expression crossed her face. Still, she managed to smile and said, “Senior, I read your newly published paper, and it gave me so much inspiration. I composed a new piece of music a couple of days ago. I was wondering if you’d be interested in listening to it.”
Recognizing this as an invitation to a date, Yu Zhi turned her down without hesitation. “There’s no need. I’m just glad my work could help you.”
Seeing that he was about to leave, the girl hurriedly added, “Senior, there’s actually another reason I came here. I also wanted to apologize about what happened with your previous tutoring job. I’m sorry. I should have looked into the situation beforehand. If I had, you wouldn’t have lost the job.”
The girl had been the one who recommended Yu Zhi for that tutoring position.
Knowing that she had helped the original owner, Yu Zhi couldn’t bring himself to be harsh with her. All he could do was reply politely, “It had nothing to do with you. There’s no need to apologize. If we get the chance, my partner and I will treat you to a meal.”
The girl’s eyes widened as if she had just been struck by a bolt of lightning!
“Y-You have a girlfriend?!”
Yu Zhi smiled. “Mm. I have someone I love.”
The girl didn’t know whether he really had a partner or had simply made one up. But even if he had invented the story, his meaning was perfectly clear: Yu Zhi was rejecting her.
She lowered her head sadly. She had her own pride, too, and after being rejected, she wasn’t willing to keep pestering him. Fighting back her sadness, she said, “Th-Then… all right…”
“If… if I ever get the chance, I’d really like to see what your girlfriend is like, Senior.”
“Of course.”
Only after Yu Zhi had left did another girl, who had been standing some distance away, come over to comfort her.
“It’s fine! If it doesn’t work out this time, you can try again next time. Like the saying goes, ‘When a woman pursues a man, it’s only like a thin veil between them’. Just believe in yourself! He may be outstanding, but he’s poor, too. With a girl as wonderful as you, there’s no reason he wouldn’t like you.”
The rejected girl’s eyes were red as she replied, “Stop it. He already has a girlfriend.”
The friend’s eyes widened. Her voice nearly cracked as she blurted out, “WHAT?!”
A few minutes later, the news that the campus heartthrob was already taken was posted on the university forum, causing quite a stir.
Yu Zhi knew nothing about any of this.
He returned to the place the original owner had been renting, intending to sell off all the old books and cardboard boxes inside and keep only the books the original owner had read for himself.
The secondhand book business actually paid reasonably well, but the work was exhausting and time-consuming. Yu Zhi had no intention of continuing it, so he packed up the books and sold them at a reduced price.
Living in that cramped, triangular room was suffocating. He didn’t like it and planned to move somewhere else as soon as he found a suitable place. For the next few days, he could make do with his current accommodations.
When the day of the tutoring interview arrived, Yu Zhi put on the new formal shirt he had bought, made sure he looked presentable, and put on his newly fitted gold-rimmed glasses. Only after ensuring that he would make a good first impression did he leave his rented room.
The address Professor Wang had given him was in a suburban villa complex. It seemed that the professor’s friend was no ordinary person. That also meant the student he was about to tutor was probably a wealthy second-generation heir, born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
With the expectation that he might end up teaching a spoiled, arrogant, bad-tempered teenage girl going through her rebellious phase, Yu Zhi pressed the doorbell of one of the villas.
A servant soon came to open the door.
“Hello. I’m one of Professor Wang’s students. I’m here for the tutoring interview today.”
Yu Zhi greeted them politely after entering.
The person who received him was a young man dressed in a sharp suit. His gaze was deep and reserved. After giving Yu Zhi a discreet once-over, he smiled and said, “Please, have a seat. There’s no need to be so formal, Junior Yu. My surname is Sang, and I graduated from K University as well, though from a different department. I wonder if Uncle Wang’s classes are still as popular as they used to be?”
“Thank you, Mr. Sang. Professor Wang’s classes are always packed,” Yu Zhi replied with a smile as he sat down.
What a careful, impeccably composed man, they both thought of each other.
Mr. Sang was the older brother of the person Yu Zhi would eventually be tutoring.
And why say eventually? Because Yu Zhi’s future student would only marry Mr. Sang’s younger brother in the future.
After chatting for a while, the two men had formed a good impression of each other. Perhaps it was because they were somewhat alike.
“Brother Yun, what are you doing here?”
A girl’s voice rang out as a young woman wearing a high-waisted short skirt bounced down the stairs.
For the first time, Sang Xingyun’s formulaic smile toward Yu Zhi gave way to a little genuine warmth and familiarity.
“What else? Your uncle and aunt flew abroad for a vacation and left you in my care. They asked me to make sure your tutor was suitable.”
The girl smiled as she walked over to the living room sofa. Grinning, she poured him a cup of tea and presented it to him with both hands.
“You’ve worked hard, Brother Yun! Where’s that lazy bum, Sang Liushui?”
Xingyun Liushui2行云流水 (xíng yún liú shuǐ = moving clouds and flowing water) This idiom describes something natural, smooth, and effortless, often referring to writing, calligraphy, or movement… No wonder they were brothers.
Yu Zhi was speechless.
“At this hour, he’s probably only just gotten out of bed,” Sang Xingyun replied out of habit.
The girl folded her arms and sat down with a huff. “Hmph! Just wait until I improve my grades and get a high score. Then I’ll date a handsome genius with a high IQ and dump that academic loser!”
It was obvious she was only joking. Whenever she talked about Sang Liushui, she seemed completely relaxed, which made it clear that the two of them were very close.
For some reason, this made Yu Zhi think of his own lover. His heart tightened as the thought he had deliberately pushed aside earlier rose to the surface again.
N-No, that couldn’t be it. His lover had to be in this world. He shouldn’t let his imagination run wild.
As he considered making the search for his lover a priority, Sang Xingyun’s voice brought him back to the present.
“You’re thinking about this the right way. Here, this is the tutor I interviewed for you. His surname is Yu, so you should call him Teacher Yu. He’ll be teaching you biology and mathematics from now on.”
The girl greeted Yu Zhi politely and obediently. “Hello, Teacher Yu. I have a little question I’d like to ask.”
Yu Zhi had always been patient with his students. “Go ahead.”
“Are you going to assign me a ton of exercises and just make me work through them all by myself?” the girl asked seriously.
“I’ll need to understand your current progress and determine which learning methods suit you before deciding that,” Yu Zhi replied carefully. “Drilling exercises endlessly isn’t necessarily the right approach for everyone.”
The girl patted Sang Xingyun on the shoulder. “Brother Yun, this tutor is great! At least he’s not like that bookworm we had last time, who did nothing but make me solve exercises and then correct my mistakes! I think I actually have a chance of making it into the top hundred in my year. Just wait, Sang Liushui! Let’s see how far behind I can leave him!”
Sang Xingyun smiled. “Sounds good.”
But inwardly, he thought, Looks like I need to warn my younger brother to get his act together. Otherwise, if his girlfriend really dumps him, he’ll have nowhere to cry.
“I’ll head home first. Xiao Li, call me if you need anything.”
His gaze lingered on Yu Zhi for a moment. It seemed he still had some reservations about leaving them alone.
Yu Zhi smiled, not taking it to heart. After all, parents were all like that.
“Brother Yun, aren’t you going to the office today?”
“Great-Uncle just came back from the countryside, so I took the day off to keep him company.” Sang Xingyun’s lips curved into a smile. He seemed to be in such a good mood that even his voice carried a hint of excitement. It was as if the Sang Xingyun from a moment ago had been a guardian looking after the younger generation, but now he had become a child longing for the company of an elder.
The change made Yu Zhi a little curious.
Wen Li rolled her eyes at Sang Xingyun’s retreating back and muttered, “I wonder who’s keeping whom company here. Great-Uncle keeping you company, or you keeping him company…”
When she turned around, she saw her new tutor looking at her with a gentle smile.
“Can we start our lesson now?”
They had already agreed on the pay and teaching hours with Sang Xingyun, so all that remained was to begin the lessons.
Wen Li led Yu Zhi upstairs to the study she used for studying. There, they began their first lesson, which was also their first opportunity to get to know each other.
Not far from the Wen family’s home, in another villa, a lazy-sounding young man suddenly called out excitedly, “Great-Uncle, what delicious food are you making?”
Sang Xingyun had only just returned home, and that was the first thing he heard. When he saw his younger brother coming downstairs looking as though he had only just woken up, he couldn’t help scolding him.
“You’re lazy about everything else, but you’re always the first to rush to the kitchen.”
“Great-Uncle just got back. Why are you making him go into the kitchen? You’re spoiling him.” The last sentence was directed at Great-Uncle.
The elderly man chuckled. “It’s fine. Xiao Bao3Xiǎobǎo (小宝 = Little Treasure) – affectionate family nickname and Xiao Li are both in their final year of high school, so they’re under a lot of pressure. I haven’t cooked for them in quite a while, have I? Since they like my cooking, I thought I’d make something for them this time. I’ll pack some for Xiao Li to take home later, too.”
The rich, savory aroma of the broth simmering in the pot made everyone’s mouth water.
For some reason, Great-Uncle was an exceptionally good cook. No one else could recreate the flavor of his dishes. Even when he taught someone every step of the way, they still couldn’t make them taste the same. It was this talent that had won him the affection of the younger members of the family. When they were little, whenever he occasionally stepped into the kitchen to cook, a whole crowd of little kids would gather around him.
“Oh, right, Great-Uncle! I’ve been taking good care of all the flowers in your villa. Not a single pot has had any problems.”
Sang Xingyun deliberately brought it up, clearly fishing for praise.
Sure enough, Great-Uncle smiled and patted him on the head.
“Thank you, Dabao4Dàbǎo (大宝 =Big Treasure) – affectionate nickname that elders often use for a child or younger family member. You did a great job!”
The polished, sophisticated air was completely gone, but Sang Xingyun didn’t mind. He subtly shot his younger brother a smug, triumphant look.
Sang Liushui was having none of it. “Great-Uncle, why aren’t you praising me?”
Before the elderly man could respond, Sang Xingyun cut in. “What have you done that’s worth praising? Xiao Li has been working hard on her studies lately. She’s even hired a private tutor. With grades as terrible as yours, you’re practically destined to get dumped. Just wait until Xiao Li falls for a handsome genius with a high IQ. Then you can cry all you want!”
Sang Liushui rolled his eyes, just as Wen Li had done earlier. “Brother, stop trying to scare me! Xiao Li would never dump me.”
Sang Xingyun sneered. “Don’t believe me? Go see for yourself. Xiao Li’s new tutor is an absolute heartthrob.” After a brief pause, he added, “He’s even more handsome than you.”
Sang Liushui’s confidence began to waver. “Y-You’re not going to fool me that easily.”
“Fine. Don’t believe me, then.”
Yu Zhi had no idea he had just been used as a pawn in someone else’s little scheme.
After assessing Wen Li’s academic performance, he felt relieved. The girl wasn’t stupid; she simply hadn’t spent enough time studying in the past. With another year to go, there was still time to improve her grades.
He quickly worked out a study plan tailored to her current needs and began the lesson.
After an hour of studying, a beautiful, melodious piece of music rang out from Wen Li’s phone, signaling that the hour was up.
“What’s this piece called?” Yu Zhi asked with interest. It was rare for him to come across music that genuinely caught his attention.
The original owner of his body had spent his life doing little besides studying and earning money. He knew very little about leisure activities and entertainment.
Wen Li looked excited. “It was composed by an elder in my family. It’s really famous! Teacher Yu, you haven’t heard of it?”
Yu Zhi explained, “I haven’t really paid much attention to music before.”
Wen Li immediately launched into an enthusiastic recommendation, like someone eager to share a favorite discovery with others. “Then you should give it a listen! The composer is Sang Xiyin.”
Yu Zhi smiled and replied, “All right.”
The surname Sang was the same as Sang Xingyun’s. It probably wasn’t a coincidence. Yu Zhi immediately thought of the Great-Uncle they had mentioned earlier. Perhaps he had only noticed this person connected to the Sang family because, aside from the two brothers, he hadn’t heard anyone else mentioned by name.
“Teacher Yu, let’s take a break. We can continue with biology later.”
They had just been studying mathematics.
Wen Li stretched lazily. Her manner was still polite, but there was a hint of familiarity that hadn’t been there before. Clearly, Yu Zhi’s knowledge and the results of his teaching had impressed her. She hadn’t felt particularly tired, yet she had understood a great deal. She genuinely accepted him as her tutor now.
Just then, a servant walked over to the open doorway.
“Miss, Mr. Sang and Second Young Master Sang have arrived.”
Wen Li’s eyes lit up. She hurried to her feet. “I’ll be right down!”
To avoid any suspicion, they had kept the bedroom door open the entire time. From upstairs, Yu Zhi could faintly hear the voices coming from below.
“Is no one else home?”
“I brought you some soup… I made it myself.”
“Where’s your private tutor? I…”
“Xiao Bao.”
“All right…”
One of the voices belonged to a relatively young man. The other was harder to place, but its gentle warmth, tempered by the passage of time, carried a trace of weariness that told Yu Zhi the speaker was no longer young.
Pleasant music was still playing beside him, every note carrying the ache of longing straight into his ears.
With no one else around, Yu Zhi could no longer force down the yearning and worry that had been building inside him. The longing had sunk into his very bones, eating away at his patience and reason. The calmer he appeared on the outside, the more unsettled he became within.
It was almost laughable. This was the first time Yu Zhi had ever experienced a longing for someone that he couldn’t control. Having always been alone, he had never imagined that he would one day feel this way.
If he lost contact with his beloved in just one world, perhaps he could accept that. But what if he remained unable to find him afterward? Which stretch of the starry river would he have to search to find his own little star?
He didn’t even know what his beloved’s name was.
Yu Zhi closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath.
The timer rang, and the music stopped. Without the music to stir his emotions, Yu Zhi managed, with some difficulty, to suppress the feelings churning inside him.
Sang Xiyin? Was that the name?
He took out his phone and was about to search for it when he heard hurried footsteps coming up the stairs. Before he could press the search button, Wen Li appeared with a covered soup bowl and held it out to him.
“Teacher Yu, my Great-Uncle made this soup. This portion is for you. Drink it while it’s still hot.”
Yu Zhi smiled. “All right. Thank you.”
Yu Zhi had no real appetite for the soup. He swallowed it without tasting much of anything, his thoughts still occupied by something else.
Where in the world is my star…?
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Black lotus On DCHHLT Chapter 12