Su Minguan was as excited as during New Year’s for his first time aboard a ship without steam stacks and coal boilers.

While others faced the windows to view the scenery, he stood outside the “Passengers Keep Out” sign, eagerly peering into the control room. Following the sound of the engine inside the hull, he earnestly peered through door cracks.

Lin Yuchan couldn’t stand it anymore—she had specifically booked top-deck unobstructed seats!

This didn’t stump her. Using her school account to log into a professional maritime online exchange platform, she downloaded product manuals for the same model passenger ship for him to read when they returned.

Su Minguan obediently followed her back to the top deck. Tea and coffee had already been served at their table. The opening announcement played over the speakers.

“The Pearl River is China’s fourth longest river, stretching 2,400 kilometers total, with a watershed spanning six provinces…”

Night fell completely. Brilliant lights sparkled along both banks of the Pearl River, with an unobstructed sense of modernity rushing toward them.

Jade waters rippled, magnificent lights flashed, pearls everywhere, with colors transforming fantastically on the water’s surface. Sometimes golden and resplendent, sometimes exquisitely delicate. Cool night breezes swept across the water, creating kaleidoscope-like reflections.

Su Minguan pressed his forehead against the window frame, watching silently. His first reaction was wondering how much coal all these lights would burn, but looking around seeing no smokestacks, he remembered that everything used electricity now. By rough calculation, the energy to light one building would be enough for common people to fuel their stoves for a year in the past.

If Cixi had dared to stage her birthday banquet like this, the Qing dynasty probably could have collapsed several years earlier.

And today, these expensive flowing lights and overflowing colors were happiness that every ordinary citizen was entitled to enjoy. Cheap to the point of being nearly free.

The 21st century was wonderful in every way, except housing prices were truly outrageous…

After some random thoughts, his gaze gradually focused as he held Lin Yuchan, pretending to be calm while identifying the riverside scenery.

“That’s Shamian Island—I’ve never seen it from this angle… Yueguan Customs, when was that clock tower built?—Ah, where is this?”

The female voice on the broadcast timely informed him that this tall building was the White Swan Hotel, New China’s first five-star hotel and a symbol of reform and opening up to attract investment…

Su Minguan asked softly: “How does it compare to the Astor House?”

Having traveled far and wide and stayed in many inns, he always liked to use the Astor House as his benchmark. Lin Yuchan saw through his intentions, her face warming as she smiled: “We’ll try staying there sometime in the future.”

The boat reached Haizhu Island’s Xizhou and turned east. Bell sounds drifted from the right—that was Haizhang Temple, once a Heaven and Earth Society stronghold. The temple’s eagle claw orchids still remained, though they no longer raised pigs.

Multiple bridges spanned the river. From the Republican era’s Haizhu Bridge to the twin-tower cable-stayed Haiyin Bridge to the Liede Bridge that had only been open for ten years, each had different forms bearing marks of different eras.

The cruise ship passed Zhongda Wharf and Xinghai Concert Hall, exploring into the softly glowing Haixinsha amid the night’s blooming flowers, suddenly brightening all around as the entire world rose a dimension.

Many tourists stood up to snap photos.

“Guangzhou Tower, the Little Waist,” Lin Yuchan proudly introduced before the broadcast, “Across is Huacheng Square, the new city axis.”

This area was beyond the old city—during the Qing dynasty, it was merely water markets and villages. Yet now it was where Guangzhou’s new commercial district was located.

A full moon hung beside Guangzhou Tower. Su Minguan was too embarrassed to ask how tall the tower was—he’d look it up later.

He had never been surrounded by such rich lighting. In this heavenly mirage on earth, individuals seemed infinitely small.

Lin Yuchan had expected to harvest a string of amazed exclamations from this country bumpkin, but turning to look, he remained consistently quiet, even with a somewhat melancholy gaze that seemed to hold moisture.

He wasn’t someone who wore his emotions openly. She asked softly: “What’s wrong?”

“A’Mei,” Su Minguan put his arm around her shoulders, holding her for a long time before asking softly, “Do you want to be an ordinary student here, or would you be willing to go back and distinguish yourself amid the bloody storms?”

She turned to meet his searching gaze.

She realized this was also the question he repeatedly asked himself.

She thought for a moment and said: “Without past ancestors’ sacrifices and struggles, there would be no ordinary people enjoying comfort today.”

However, crises still exist in today’s world. Perhaps one day, ordinary people would also need to respond to the call, once again using their flesh and blood to forge history’s turning points.

Thinking of this, Lin Yuchan suddenly felt somewhat panicked and said softly to the person beside her: “Don’t go back so quickly.”

He smiled, lowered his head to kiss her, seeing golden powder-like light reflections in her eyes.

She was different from the past. Her soft black hair hung fresh and clean, unlike Qing dynasty girls who braided and pinned their hair up. Sparse bangs covered her forehead, with hair ends bouncing playfully at her shoulders. He couldn’t help reaching out to comb through it, the more he combed the more he loved it.

“I won’t.”

He had a premonition that he would probably accompany her through this ordinary yet stable lifetime, blooming brilliantly in new ways in this strange world. Then, carrying the energy he’d absorbed, returned to the place where he was originally meant to struggle.

Suddenly someone nearby laughed softly. Something unusual in his embrace. Lin Yuchan’s face flushed deep red as she stiffly emerged from their entanglement, turned around, and stiffly greeted: “Professor… Professor Li, hello…”

Su Minguan turned to see an elderly lady in a business suit smiling kindly at him.

He asked in a low voice: “Professor?”

“She’s, she’s from our college,” Lin Yuchan’s limbs didn’t know where to go, stammering introductions, “Gave up Ivy League tenure to return, a big shot. Foreign Ministry advisor…”

Why would the big shot professor still participate in such a silly tourist activity?

Looking again, the old lady was surrounded by a group of other old ladies, all dressed up beautifully—a summer girlfriends’ group.

The old professor smiled cheerfully and, as expected, began gossiping, asking what the young man’s name was, how old he was, where he was from, how long he’d been dating Lin…

Su Minguan hid his appraising gaze while answering, marveling.

A woman had studied abroad, become a university professor, and served as a government advisor, apparently working for at least twenty years. Moreover, upon catching her student’s romantic affair, instead of exploding in rage, she seemed quite happy…

The younger generation was formidable. This 21st-century world of wonders was even more interesting than he’d imagined.

“Just arrived,” he confidently pulled Lin Yuchan closer, smiling politely as he answered, “Lived… in a very remote place as a child. My Mandarin isn’t very good yet, please forgive me.”

Lin Yuchan pursed her lips in a smile, secretly tugging his sleeve to tell him to restrain himself and not give himself away.

Suddenly the floor swayed slightly. Tourists rushed in one direction, raising various phone models, pushing the “elderly girlfriends group” aside.

“Wow—”

In the night sky, a formation of fireflies rose, accompanied by music, forming countless light points behind Guangzhou Tower.

“Drone performance! Hardcore!”

With just one computer and a set of code, wisdom unique to humanity could bloom in the night sky.

Lin Yuchan sighed in relief and quickly called out: “Time for photos!”

…

After the drone formation passed, Lin Yuchan found Su Minguan in the crowd and was amazed to discover he was still chatting happily with her professor…

“Ah, only six years of schooling before going out into society, not easy at all. Such a bright child, really couldn’t tell…” The old professor wiped her tears, sighing to her girlfriend beside her, “Our country’s poverty alleviation work still has gaps!”

Lin Yuchan: “…”

Su Minguan probably couldn’t lie about his education either. He couldn’t even make up a middle school name.

However, the intensity of old-style elite education wasn’t comparable to current compulsory education. The professor was underestimating him.

“No problem! This society has many opportunities!” The old professor forcefully patted his shoulder, “Look at that Tibetan child, he never went to school either, but he’s motivated and can speak English now too!…”

A girlfriend in the back reminded: “…That one’s from Sichuan.”

“No problem, the library card is on me!” The professor beat her chest, “Like this, I’m currently editing a set of financial history books and need to research a lot of materials. You come be my assistant, come to my office tomorrow to get a pass—you can enter the library freely!”

Su Minguan’s lips curved up, instinctively wanting to bow with clasped hands, but at the last moment pulled back from the cliff, shook hands with the professor, and smiled: “Thank you very much.”

Lin Yuchan watched wide-eyed throughout. Only after the professor walked away did she ask softly: “Just like that, she’s letting you into the library?”

The webpage clearly stated “not open to the public.” Indeed, rules were made to be broken.

“I have to help with work,” Su Minguan replied with laughing eyes, lazily, “But now I can study together with you.”

She jumped up happily, thinking of sending the professor a thank-you email when they returned.

Late at night, starlight and artificial light intertwined intimately while soothing music played in the bar. Neither wanted to go home, so Lin Yuchan pulled Su Minguan into a quiet bar.

Given her current financial capabilities, Lin Yuchan first went in to glance at the drink menu, confirming all prices were double digits before confidently calling Su Minguan inside.

In the half minute she entered the bar alone, two young men had already treated her as a single female customer and eagerly tried chatting her up, inviting her to join the singles party over there.

Su Minguan strode in and politely said, “She’s a student.”

The group was stunned: “Students are fine too, we’re all students! Which school are you from?”

“…She’s my girlfriend.”

21st-century young people didn’t talk about propriety or understand subtle implications—some things had to be said very directly.

Su Minguan learned to use modern phrasing for the first time, saying “girlfriend,” his tone quite domineering, though his face imperceptibly reddened. Fortunately, the lighting was dim, and no one noticed.

The would-be suitors retreated, knowing the difficulty, quite indignant inside. They couldn’t be blamed for being presumptuous—couples entering one after the other?

Lin Yuchan smiled apologetically at them and pulled Su Minguan to find a couple’s booth.

He asked: “Come here often?”

She heard the jealousy in his words and giggled: “Guess.”

She had indeed come once during competition celebrations. Senior students took care of her—she only drank half a pitcher of beer. Come often? She couldn’t afford it.

But she acted very practiced, browsing the drink menu and choosing a cocktail with the most incomprehensible name. Then handed it to Su Minguan.

He very modestly shook his head, asking her to choose for him.

So she closed her eyes and pointed to a line: “This one for him.”

When the two drinks arrived, the server looked a bit confused, placing a delicate, graceful glass in front of Su Minguan. The drink was bright red, garnished with a purple orchid, giving off lychee and subtle herbal aromas.

“Your ‘Selangor Encounter.'”

In front of Lin Yuchan was pale yellow whiskey in a short, squat square glass with slight caramel and butter notes, garnished with what looked like a cigar-like cinnamon stick.

“Wall Street at 3 AM.”

Su Minguan’s eyes held amusement as he stared at her, fingers playing with the coaster, his straight nose bridge slightly beaded with sweat. Under the bar’s hypnotic lighting, he was the picture of a “CEO’s playful smile.”

“Often,” he brushed her fingertips and repeated in a low voice.

Lin Yuchan stubbornly said, “This is called breaking gender stereotypes.”

She took both glasses and tasted each. Since neither understood cocktails, they drank randomly, only able to distinguish sweet from spicy.

Su Minguan had never drunk this kind of “foreign liquor” and said after one taste that it was fruit juice. Laughing and talking, most of the glass went down, and his ears were already turning red.

Lin Yuchan used the straw from his hand to finish the remaining “fruit juice,” feeling slightly tipsy.

The quiet bar played artistic, nostalgic music. A light male voice covered old foreign folk songs.

…

Daisy, Daisy,

Give me your answer, do.

I’m half crazy,

All for the love of you.

…

Both their expressions shifted slightly simultaneously. Lin Yuchan pulled Su Minguan out of their seat.

“Come dance!”

Su Minguan hesitated slightly, asking softly: “This is a song from that time, right?”

He just recognized the melody as quite retro.

Lin Yuchan smiled and pulled him to step to the rhythm.

Thomas Edison was not only an inventor but also a successful businessman. Her thousand-dollar investment that year hadn’t made her a benefactor providing help in the snow to a big shot. As Edison achieved great success, she merely became one of many shareholders in his company. The dividends were generous, though, and every time a new phonograph model was released, they’d send her one.

She remembered that among the black vinyl records that came with the phonograph was this very “Daisy Bell.”

She would dance with Su Minguan to the music, then be laughed at by Lin Youhua for imprecise steps, using Mark Twain’s signature triple negative sentences.

The little one inherited her father’s lineage, having no reverence for elders whatsoever.

The scenes from her past life were already quite blurry, but Lin Yuchan’s memory of this melody remained fresh.

Su Minguan laughed helplessly in her ear: “I don’t know Western dance.”

“I dance terribly too.” Lin Yuchan felt alcohol surging to her cheeks, smiling languorously, “Just swaying is fine, no need to be so professional.”

The other dancers on the floor were indeed all half-drunk and swaying.

He looked around curiously, somewhat reluctant to lose face. Caught off guard, she poured the last sip of “Wall Street at 3 AM” into him, the spiciness hitting his throat at once. Angrily, he cupped the back of her head, lowered his head, and returned all that remaining spiciness to her.

Someone whistled. Su Minguan wiped the sweat from his temples, then deliberately ground against her lightly, watching her already flushed cheeks continue heating up.

In this roomful of drinkers, who could compare to him in shamelessness!

Lin Yuchan bit her lip, smiling, her whole body seeming to ignite.

Anyway, she’d already scoped it out when entering—no teachers or classmates inside, no one she knew. Perfect for late-night indulgence.

Besides, she was already feeling dizzy.

Su Minguan’s alcohol tolerance was decent, but having never drunk cocktails, he didn’t know that mixed drinks were easier to get drunk on than straight liquor.

He clumsily followed the music’s rhythm, his low voice lingering in her ear.

“A’Mei, teach me.”

“It won’t be a stylish marriage,

I can’t afford a carriage…”

Since Lin Yuchan “came here often,” she couldn’t show ignorance. Recalling dance steps from videos, swaying until she bumped into him, caught by his quick reflexes, into his embrace, she giggled.

…

The result of indulgence was drinking two more glasses of unknown liquor, chatting about unknown topics, and laughing breathlessly. Su Minguan retained a trace of clarity and called a car back. Lin Yuchan started dozing halfway home, still humming “Daisy Bell.”

In modern Guangzhou, she wasn’t afraid of wandering the streets at midnight. With her boyfriend by her side, she felt even safer.

The two supported each other through the door like an old married couple. Su Minguan asked softly if she wanted to shower. Lin Yuchan mumbled something, not even knowing what she said. But hearing the sound of flowing water, he probably also thought she was sweating rather much.

Only when hot water hit her body and her back pressed against cool tiles did she somewhat come to her senses, exclaiming “Oh my” as she bumped into a burning chest. He held her in his arms, stroking her wet hair bit by bit. From her blurred perspective, she only saw powerful arm muscles moving slightly.

“Xiao Bai, I’m so tired…”

She instinctively felt weak in the knees, and her first reaction was to beg for mercy before he even moved.

“What do you think I want to do?” his breathing carried the creamy scent of alcohol as he deliberately pressed close, methodically rubbing her down, “I understand the law. You can’t touch girls when they’re drunk, or you’ll go to jail.”

Her cheeks flushed as she stole a glance downward, seeing a red cartoon little tiger spiritedly greeting her.

She immediately laughed until she got a stitch, swallowing a few drops of water.

Then she reached up to embrace his neck.

“Not too drunk,” she opened misty eyes, deliberately brushing against him, softly blowing air by his neck, “Still have some free will.”

He took a deep breath and asked: “Really?”

“Really. I can still sing.”

But what came out was off-key “Daisy daisy give me your answer do… Having children isn’t necessarily a blessing…”

She complained dissatisfiedly: “Why aren’t you joining in…”

Su Minguan sighed softly and reached into the basket to find body wash.