Love in the Depths of Time (GL) - Chapter 12

Lynn often heard He Xiaoyong playing guitar and singing at school. His voice wasn’t particularly beautiful, but it had a unique charm that made people stop and listen. Every time He Xiaoyong sang, Carol would put down whatever she was doing and focus on his music. Her eyes were filled with admiration and joy, as if she were completely immersed in his voice. Lynn stood not far away, watching Carol’s absorbed expression, feeling a tinge of bitterness in her heart. She knew Carol loved music, but seeing her so captivated by He Xiaoyong’s singing made her feel a deep sense of loss.

He Xiaoyong’s guitar broke through the sound of the rain. He deliberately changed the lyrics of *Ming Ming Jiu*: “Ice cream melts in someone’s palm, and in the world of code, it’s raining.” His voice echoed across the school as he played popular songs on his guitar. His crisp and expressive voice drew the attention of many students, who paused to listen, gathering around him and swaying gently to the rhythm.

“He sings so well,” one student exclaimed.

“Yes, his voice is really touching,” another classmate agreed.

As Carol immersed herself in He Xiaoyong’s voice, enchanted by the flowing melody and heartfelt lyrics, the rest of the world seemed to fade away. Meanwhile, Lynn sat alone in the self-study room, staring at the cold computer screen, her mind in turmoil.

The self-study room was quiet, except for the faint hum of computers and the occasional tap of fingers on keyboards. Lynn’s fingers moved mechanically over the keys, nimble yet slightly frantic. Her gaze kept drifting from the lines of code on her screen to the window, as if her thoughts had already wandered elsewhere. Red error messages kept popping up on the screen—sharp, glaring warnings that rudely interrupted her thoughts and made her even more anxious.

“No… This isn’t working.” She muttered, her voice tinged with frustration. Rubbing her temples, she tried to refocus on the code, but her mind was flooded with distractions. The error messages seemed to appear on purpose, one after another, completely overwhelming her. Carol’s recorded encouragement kept playing on loop: “Lynn, you’re the best!”

She stared at the complex lines of code, trying to concentrate, but all she could think about was Carol and He Xiaoyong’s singing. Her thoughts were a mess, and she couldn’t focus on her programming at all. Her fingers moved faster on the keyboard, but the code became more chaotic, and the errors multiplied.

“No, I need to calm down.” Lynn took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She closed her eyes, attempting to clear her mind, but images of Carol and He Xiaoyong still lingered.

Time passed slowly, wearing down her patience. She bit her lip, trying to regain her composure, but the frustration inside made it difficult to focus. She attempted to fix the errors, but each time she pressed Enter, a new error popped up as if mocking her. Carol’s recorded voice continued to play on repeat: “Lynn, you’re the best!”

She stared at the screen, trying to regain her focus. This time, she forced herself to go through every line of code carefully, not allowing her thoughts to wander. She told herself that only by focusing on the task at hand could she find the solution.

Time slipped away unnoticed. Finally, she spotted the mistake—the program couldn’t recognize a function because of a simple typo. She quickly corrected it and ran the program again. This time, there were no more error messages. The program worked.

Lynn let out a relieved sigh and smiled slightly. Even though coding was frustrating and difficult, her persistence had helped her succeed. She stretched her stiff limbs and stood up. Though her body felt tired, she felt a sense of accomplishment.

Meanwhile, Carol was still lost in He Xiaoyong’s song, completely unaware of the “battle” Lynn had just fought in the self-study room.

Day after day, life continued. One day, Lynn was carrying her notebook through the hallway and stopped by Carol’s classroom. As the melody of *A Little Happiness* mixed with the autumn breeze and drifted into the room, she noticed Carol’s pencil tip pressing a dark hole into her test paper.

As the school bell rang, Lynn was taking a walk around the playground when He Xiaoyong suddenly ran up behind her, holding his guitar with a bright smile on his face.

“Lynn, wait a second!” he called out loudly.

Lynn stopped and turned to face him. He Xiaoyong stood in front of her, smiling slightly. “Lynn, I heard that you and Carol have been best friends since elementary school?”

Lynn nodded, feeling a little wary. She didn’t know why he was asking, but she answered anyway.

“Then you must know her really well, right? What’s her favorite color? What does she love to eat the most?” He Xiaoyong asked.

Lynn’s heart tightened. A strange sense of unease filled her. His tone sounded like a challenge, or maybe a test. She knew about his feelings for Carol and also knew how much Carol admired him. Taking a deep breath, she tried to keep calm. “Carol likes blue the most. Her favorite food is strawberry-flavored things.”

He Xiaoyong smiled, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. His fingers plucked the guitar strings teasingly. “Oh, is that so? You’ve known her since you were eight? Then do you know that she has night blindness? Do you know she actually hates the taste of strawberries?”

Lynn froze. Memories surfaced—how Carol had once quietly put a bottle of strawberry milk back in her desk, how she had accidentally taken Carol’s water bottle during a night study session.

Her nails dug into her palm as anger flared in her chest. But she forced herself to stay calm. She knew He Xiaoyong was trying to provoke her, and she couldn’t let him succeed.

Every time He Xiaoyong sang, Carol would stop whatever she was doing to listen intently. Watching this, Lynn’s sense of loss deepened. She began to question her place in Carol’s heart. Had she already been replaced by He Xiaoyong?

One day, Lynn was sitting by the window, lost in thought. Her mind drifted further and further away, filled with confusion and unease. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know how to handle He Xiaoyong’s provocations, nor did she know how to face her feelings for Carol.

“Lynn, are you okay?” Carol walked over and asked gently.

Lynn looked up at her concerned eyes, feeling a pang in her heart. She forced a small smile. “I’m fine, just a little tired.”

Carol sat down beside her and said softly, “Lynn, I know you haven’t been happy lately. But you have to believe me—we will always be best friends. If anything is troubling you, you can tell me.”

Lynn looked into Carol’s eyes, feeling torn inside. She knew Carol was sincere, but she was also afraid. Afraid that He Xiaoyong’s presence would change everything. Afraid to confess her own feelings. Afraid of how Carol would react. Afraid of hurting her.

Days passed, and He Xiaoyong’s voice still filled the school. Lynn knew that his presence had already begun to change her world, but she had no idea how to deal with it. All she could do was silently hope—hope that he would stop provoking her, hope that things would go back to the way they used to be.