Life doesn't have that many novelistic plots.
The vast majority of people's lives are likely to be mundane and complicated, with media and the internet providing the space for daily reverie.
Just like when Lin Tian saw someone sitting on the parapet wall, his first reaction wasn't to think about suicide.
He even interacted with them in a joking manner...
But, after he returned to his room and recalled the many details, the more he thought about it, the more something seemed off.
If it were a joke, they wouldn't have entrusted their cello to him.
No, dude.
Are you for real?!
Lin Tian closed his laptop screen, took a deep breath, and fell into deep thought.
As for suicide, Lin Tian always had an open mind about it.
Life has always been focused on the individual, everyone has their own destiny, respecting others' fate is also respecting oneself.
Teenage girls commit suicide for one of two reasons.
Either to get someone's attention.
Or to truly find release.
If it's the kind who deliberately attempts suicide in a crowded place to ensure they get saved, thinking their actions are "cool."
Lin Tian thinks it's best they die quickly.
It would be better if the onlookers didn't move a muscle, munching on sunflower seeds and egging them on, making it impossible for them not to die.
In any case, the meaning of such a person's life is to infuriate everyone as much as possible while alive, and then provide a relieving laugh when they die, achieving a sort of dramatic irony.
But, the girl Lin Tian encountered just then was obviously not like that.
After Lin Tian said "don't die in front of my house," she politely moved to another spot.
A person who truly wants to die wouldn't want to cause trouble for others.
Lin Tian took another sip of his coffee, his head bowed, and suddenly realized—
The coffee in his hand was from a couple of days ago when Sir Gan made it personally to celebrate his decent midterm grades. Lin Tian didn't like coffee, but he had been drinking it on and off for a few days because it was Sir Gan's heartfelt gesture.
If that girl was really Sir Gan's granddaughter, and he had let her go...
Lin Tian would feel guilty for a lifetime.
With that thought, he immediately got up and pushed through the door.
Going up one floor, the rooftop door was indeed open, the lock fallen on the ground.
Damn!
Lin Tian cursed internally.
He burst out onto the rooftop, under the high-hanging moon, the ground covered with puddles from the rain.
He looked around but couldn't find a trace of anyone.
Had she already gone to pay homage to the legendary Los Angeles crash-resistant king?!
Just as Lin Tian was annoyed with himself.
A voice came from behind:
"What are you doing?"
Turning around, the girl stood in front of Lin Tian.
Tilting her head, staring at him blankly.
"Do you need something?"
Lin Tian was startled for a moment, calming his emotions.
"I came to see if you had jumped."
"Are you here to collect my corpse?"
"..." Lin Tian was choked by the girl's train of thought.
Yeah, I'm just waiting for you to hurry up and jump so that I can come over and have a good taste while it's fresh.
Would you not want to jump if I put it that way?
"No, not exactly. I just wanted to tell you that dying from a fall is actually quite painful."
"Have you tried?"
"I had a friend who died from a helicopter crash; he was the best pilot we had."
"Ah..."
The girl nibbled her index finger, "But weren't we just joking earlier?"
The earlier she referred to was the conversation on the sixth floor.
Now it was Lin Tian's turn to be confused.
"So, you?"
"I'm looking for a lost cat."
As the girl spoke, Lin Tian felt a touch at his feet, and looking down, a white cat was gently rubbing against his leg.
So she was really looking for a cat...
The girl crouched down, waved her hand gently, and the cat darted over into her embrace.
The cat affectionately licked the girl's palm.
This was getting complicated.
Lin Tian sighed helplessly.
But, it's good that she's okay, and not in vain did I come here.
He looked up, under the clear night sky, the moonlight bathed the silent rooftop. Only then did he notice that tonight's weather was very nice.
Lin Tian was about to turn around—
When an interface appeared before him.
[Detected a potential partner to be bound to, recommending for the host——]
[Name: Gan Yanyu]
[Successfully binding to the system's recommended partner will reward you with a newbie gift package]
"Gan Yanyu?"
Lin Tian couldn't help but read it aloud.
The girl in front of him looked slightly surprised:
"You know my name?"
"Your grandpa mentioned it in passing." Lin Tian responded quickly.
For some reason, when he heard what Lin Tian said,
Yanyu's gaze dimmed and she looked away.
[Binding Conditions:
1. Have the other party stay overnight at your place.
2. Extract the other party's body fluid for an intelligence check.]
[Time Limit: 24 hours]
Body fluid? An overnight stay??
No matter how hard he tried, Lin Tian couldn't imagine how he was going to convince this person, with whom he had only exchanged a few words, to stay at his home and obtain her body fluid!
That's not right!
It would be more plausible to let her fall to her death and then take her corpse home, stay for as many nights as he wanted, and have as much body fluid as he wished.
But she'd have to sleep in the fridge.
"♫~"
At that moment, a melodious violin performance began.
Lin Tian turned his head.
Yanyu was sitting on the door sill, caressing the violin with one hand and gently pulling the strings with the other.
No, why did she start playing music all of a sudden without any sign?
Although under this night sky and in this setting, a beautiful girl playing music on the rooftop really set the mood.
But when the atmosphere felt wrong, the scene seemed a bit eerie!
Lin Tian couldn't help but criticize in his mind.
However, should he say it or not.
Moonlight.
It was a very gentle piece.
The unique deep and soul-stirring tone of the cello wafted through the night sky, giving off a tranquil and beautiful feeling.
Looks like she's been learning this since she was young.
If she explored it further, her future would be limitless...
After finishing a piece, Yanyu put down the bow, tucked her hair behind her ear, looked up, and gazed at the boy.
"This piece was taught to me by grandpa."
"Sir Gan knows music?"
"He does, but he doesn't touch it anymore."
Yanyu said this, and a sudden gleam appeared in her brown eyes,
"Do you have a good relationship with grandpa?"
"He has taken good care of me." Lin Tian replied modestly.
"What's your name?"
"Lin Tian."
"Lin Tian..."
Looking at the boy before her, Yanyu's heart was filled with curiosity.
Whether it was their conversation on the sixth floor just now or his rushing onto the rooftop.
All of it made Yanyu feel that this boy... in Sichuan dialect, is a bit 'godly'.
He seemed like a very interesting guy.
And also, a good person.
However, this good person, now, was only bringing complications to her...
Ever since Lin Tian burst in, the girl's mind was all muddled.
Yanyu caressed her cat in her arms and whispered,
"Well, Lin Tian, it's getting late, you should go home."
"What about you?"
"I'll stay a bit longer and enjoy the breeze."
"Then, I'll keep you company for a bit."
A hint of surprise flashed across Yanyu's face.
Lin Tian was not stupid.
He wasn't about to just easily believe the girl's claim about looking for a cat; his instincts told him it wasn't that simple.
Lin Tian couldn't guarantee that the moment he turned around to leave, the girl wouldn't jump off from here.
Lin Tian figured it out.
Whether it was for the sake of this hard-earned opportunity to bind with the system or out of concern for the girl's safety,
Lin Tian had to take Yanyu home tonight.
Even if it meant resorting to somewhat forceful methods!
Knocking her out, tying her up, ordering some computer parts, and then fiercely collecting body fluids.
Once he got her home, where she wanted to go tonight would no longer be up to her.
Yanyu looked at Lin Tian, and Lin Tian looked back at Yanyu.
The atmosphere stayed tense like that for a while.
In the air, there seemed to be a whiff of a standoff.
The evening breeze blew through, lifting strands of the girl's ink-black hair onto her pretty face, captured by the moonlight.
Finally,
Yanyu let out a soft sigh:
"Do you have a bathroom at your place?"
"Yes."
What kind of question is that, who doesn't have a bathroom at home?
"Then, can I..."
Yanyu set the cat down on the ground, turned around, and showed her back.
Her blue and white school uniform and track pants were stained and wet in a large patch.
"Can I borrow your bathroom to take a shower?"
Ah? Did she come to me on her own?