Culture from Another World

As the sun set and the light along the horizon gradually faded, night finally fell.

"Come on, let's get something to eat."

Li Mu Chuan rubbed his stomach, feeling a little hungry.

"What would you like to eat, Mr. Li?"

Hearing this, Wei Yu Meng hurriedly asked.

"Do they have crayfish? Let's have crayfish."

Li Mu Chuan thought about it. In the height of summer, nothing was better than crayfish.

"Yes," Wei Yu Meng replied, then led the way.

Li Mu Chuan followed behind her. The two first got into a car, which drove to the side of the snack street and stopped.

"Should we get it packed to take back, or...?"

The snack street was packed with people at the moment. If they went in, she worried that something unexpected might happen.

Li Mu Chuan did not really mind. With these bodyguards around him, and considering this was Huaxia, the chances of running into danger were not particularly high.

"Let's eat in the restaurant. It only tastes good fresh out of the pot."

After saying that, Li Mu Chuan took the lead in getting out of the car.

Wei Yu Meng hurriedly followed. The bodyguards beside them also quickly stepped forward, positioning themselves around Li Mu Chuan and vaguely shielding him in the middle.

Li Mu Chuan saw that quite a few of the nearby shops sold crayfish. Spotting one that seemed especially busy, he guessed it was probably good and strode inside.

"Welcome!"

The moment Li Mu Chuan entered, a server greeted him.

"Three jin of Thirteen Spice Lobster, and another three jin with Garlic Paste."

Li Mu Chuan glanced around and ordered directly.

"O-okay..."

The server beside him recognized Li Mu Chuan at that moment, and even began to stammer as she replied.

Her small hands twisted together nervously, making her look extremely tense.

"Do you have private rooms here?"

Wei Yu Meng asked. She had already noticed that people nearby had started focusing their attention on Li Mu Chuan.

It put her under some pressure. If she had known, she would have suggested that Li Mu Chuan wait while she came out to buy the food for him.

"We don't have private rooms here..."

The server answered awkwardly.

"Then let's sit over there." Wei Yu Meng looked around and found a table in the corner.

That spot would keep the other people at a distance, making it relatively safer.

Li Mu Chuan did not care where they sat. After taking a seat, he casually grabbed a bottle of soda and began drinking.

The people at the surrounding tables kept glancing over at Li Mu Chuan.

"Isn't he that transmigrator? He really looks like him!"

Someone at a nearby table lowered their voice.

"It really is him. He comes to places like this to eat crayfish too?"

"This transmigrator looks pretty much the same as us."

The surrounding discussions continued, and some people even took out their phones to secretly film him.

They were getting unbelievably close to Li Mu Chuan, so naturally they were rather excited.

Music was playing in the restaurant. The melody was somewhat lilting, and it was something Li Mu Chuan had never heard before.

It seemed he had not heard this song in the Main World either.

The first part sounded somewhat mournful, but when it reached the climax, the song suddenly turned impassioned and shifted into an operatic vocal style.

After listening for a while, Li Mu Chuan could not help nodding repeatedly.

"What's this song called? It's pretty good."

"I think it's called Yi Chun."

After thinking for a moment, Wei Yu Meng said, "This song has become popular recently. It's been used as background music in a lot of short videos."

"Besides this one, quite a few other popular songs have come out lately too."

Hearing that, Li Mu Chuan looked up each of those songs and listened carefully.

They all felt quite good, though they still fell a little short of being songs Li Mu Chuan truly liked.

"Do you like listening to music? What kinds of songs do you usually like?"

Seeing this, Wei Yu Meng hurriedly asked. One of her tasks now was to record Li Mu Chuan's preferences.

"I still really like them—songs with operatic vocals, Chinese-style songs, that sort of thing."

Li Mu Chuan listened for a moment, then put it down again.

"Then your world must have some really good songs, right? Could you sing one for us?"

Wei Yu Meng was interested now as well. She particularly wanted to know what the culture of another world was like, and how it compared to her own.

The others at the neighboring table perked up at this. These were songs from another world.

They were extremely curious about what they would sound like. After all, they said music knew no borders.

"I'm not much of a singer, but I can sing you the chorus."

The crayfish had not arrived yet anyway, so it would help pass the time.

At that, everyone sat up straight on their knees, their faces filled with anticipation.

Li Mu Chuan cleared his throat, then sang a cappella, "I blundered into the heavenly household.

They urged me to lay down the sand in my hand.

I opened my mouth to sing, but my voice came out hoarse.

With powdered face and draped robes, I played the false one.

They pitied me and let me sit below.

I dared not touch the tea before the Buddha.

I would only be a mortal, pursuing snow, moon, wind, and flowers."

Li Mu Chuan did not sing particularly well, but he managed to convey some of the song's original flavor.

Wei Yu Meng savored it carefully for a moment, then asked anxiously, "What is the whole song like?"

Those few short lines had already completely captivated her. No wonder Li Mu Chuan had chosen it!

The people at the neighboring table held their breath. That section had truly sounded good!

Was this a song from another world? It really was extraordinary.

"I'll write down the lyrics for you when we get back."

Li Mu Chuan said it casually. He remembered all the lyrics, but when it came to accompaniment, he was helpless.

Wei Yu Meng did not mind. Later, she could have Li Mu Chuan sing it a cappella again, then find someone to try writing the score and let Li Mu Chuan listen to it.

"Are there any other songs?"

"Sure. There's also The Wind Rises."

"The Wind Rises?"

That song title sounded rather interesting.

Mentioning this song made Li Mu Chuan feel somewhat sentimental. It had been 2018 when he first heard it, and he still rather missed that time.

That was why Li Mu Chuan had decided to come out for a meal. He wanted to see whether he could find that feeling from 2018 in this world.

No matter what, Li Mu Chuan had traveled through time and space. It was somewhat like returning to that point in time.

"Sing it already."

Wei Yu Meng perked up. Since they were songs Li Mu Chuan had chosen, she wanted to hear all of them.

Getting the chance to hear songs from another world in this one was extraordinarily rare.

"Walking and stopping along this road, following the traces of a drifting youth, at the moment before stepping out of the station, I unexpectedly hesitated. I could not help but laugh at my homesick timidity."

Li Mu Chuan was extremely familiar with this song, so once he began singing, he simply sang the entire thing.

The people at the neighboring table had already turned on their recording devices, taking the opportunity to record the song.

After all, they feared that once they had heard it this time, they would not get another chance.

"I once found it hard to free myself from the vastness of the world.

And sank into its dreamlike whispers.

Unable to tell truth from falsehood, offering no struggle, fearing no ridicule.

I once churned my youth into her.

And once plucked a flourishing summer from my fingertips.

When the heart is moved, let fate take its course.

Walk against the light, let wind and rain strike."

The song was incredibly light and brisk, yet it also carried an ethereal quality. Everyone listening at the side could not help but become immersed in it.