Full-time Artist Chapter 1: Grow like summer flowers

~8 minute read · 1,953 words
It was nine in the evening. Madu Art Academy. He clasped the back of his head with both hands, lying on the green lawn beside the school's sports field, gazing up at the stars. The starry expanse above seemed identical to the one on Earth, yet even without spotting the North Star, he knew this wasn't his home planet. It was a parallel dimension known as Blue Star. "Lin Yuan, a sophomore in the Composition Department at Madu Art Academy." This marked his new identity after transmigration. He had inherited everything from the original owner, but his past life's name and the reason for his transmigration remained a mystery. All he recalled was that he had been a painter in his previous existence. Thus, he accepted his new name without question: "Lin Yuan." He delved into the original owner's memories. Lin Yuan was astonished to discover that the historical timeline of this world diverged significantly from his previous life. History had taken a different path from the Qin Dynasty. Fusu had succeeded Yingzheng, leading the Qin Iron Cavaliers to conquer the land and unite the empire, establishing dominance that persisted until the emergence of the more powerful Xia Kingdom a century prior. Global unity had been achieved. Warfare had ceased to exist. In this peaceful, prosperous land, art had become a collective aspiration for all inhabitants of Blue Star. The cultural environment was exceptionally vibrant, with every artistic field—film, music, painting, literature, and calligraphy—experiencing unprecedented prosperity! "A true utopia." Lin Yuan described it as such. This was especially true for those who pursued artistic endeavors. However, even an idealized nation experiences its share of hardships, and the original owner, into whom Lin Yuan had transmigrated, was facing such a misfortune. He was terminally ill. Yes, a common trope in dramatic series, often accompanied by excessive sentimentality. "Terminally ill." This was a revelation Lin Yuan uncovered in the original owner's memories after his transmigration. He had inherited a body with a severely limited lifespan. Doctors had already delivered a grim prognosis: "This child won't live past twenty-five." This prognosis was an unbearable burden for the original owner, leading him to end his life with sleeping pills. This act paved the way for Lin Yuan to inhabit his body. The nineteen-year-old original owner had relinquished his precious remaining days— Was it due to a fear of dying? So he chose death? Lin Yuan initially believed this was the sole reason for the original owner's suicide. However, upon deeper examination of the memories, he realized the situation was far more intricate: The original owner hailed from a single-parent household. His father had passed away from illness at a very young age. His mother had raised him single-handedly. The original owner had been sickly from childhood, frequently suffering from fevers so severe he'd fall into a coma. Hospital stays to manage his illness often extended for days, with the substantial medical expenses falling solely on his mother. Some funds were borrowed from others. Some were earned through his mother's tireless labor. To support him, his mother had endured immense suffering. Moreover, the original owner had a sister, a younger sister. Both his sister and younger sister were incredibly understanding. Despite their hardships stemming from the original owner's condition, they never complained. In a bid to earn money quickly and alleviate the family's financial strain, the elder sister sacrificed her chance to pursue postgraduate studies. To lessen the household's burden, the younger sister wore the hand-me-down clothes previously worn by her elder sister. The final, crushing blow came when... The original owner lost the opportunity to pursue his artistic dream. He was originally a student in the Vocal Music Department, blessed with a powerful singing voice. His vocal talent was undeniably the best in his cohort, and his lifelong ambition was to become a professional singer. But during his freshman year, his illness resurfaced. The direct consequence of this relapse was: The original owner could no longer sing. His vocal cords were damaged, rendering him incapable of sustaining the rigorous vocal training required, let alone hitting those high notes he was so proud of. With no other recourse. He reluctantly transferred to the Composition Department, a field where his talents were less pronounced. And in his sophomore year, he made the decision to end his life. This wasn't solely due to the shattering of his dreams; it was also because he could no longer bear to be a burden on his family. Once the countdown on his life had begun, every passing moment was an agonizing ordeal. He absorbed these memories. Lin Yuan, the transmigrator, could fully comprehend the original owner's decision. He couldn't adopt a morally superior stance to condemn the original owner for perceived weakness. He could only acknowledge that Everyone carries their own burdens, and some individuals' struggles are far more profound than the average person's. This echoed the Buddhist saying, "All beings are born to suffer." However, Lin Yuan himself would never choose the path of suicide.

Even though the body he had taken over was one that struggled to see past twenty-five, he still had a few years to cause some chaos, didn't he?

He could copy some songs.

He could copy some books.

He could spread culture.

He could earn some money for his family.

Yes, it was already incredibly difficult for Lin Yuan to alter his own doomed fate, but in the limited time he had left, perhaps he could change his family's destiny.

This idea struck him with a sense of urgency.

Lin Yuan couldn't discern if this compelling drive originated from the original owner's will or his own burgeoning desires.

Perhaps what had been passed down to him was not merely the memories of the previous inhabitant, but also all the accumulated joys, sorrows, pains, and even a mysterious bloodline.

Lin Yuan found himself not resisting this overwhelming sensation.

However, when Lin Yuan attempted to recall specific literary works from his past existence, he was dismayed to discover an utter blank; it was as if he had forgotten even his own name from that previous life.

His prior life felt like a fleeting dream.

Upon awakening from it, nothing remained.

What was the purpose of my transmigration?

Lin Yuan pondered this question internally.

Then, an answer, unbidden and unexpected, echoed in his mind: [Bloodline test... Genetic analysis... Iris scan... Compatibility: 99.36%... Standards met... Database selection... Solar System, Earth. System binding initiated.

A system?

Lin Yuan understood.

Despite the haziness of the detailed memories, he retained a vague recollection of perusing numerous web novels featuring systems in his past life. He knew this was a 'golden finger,' the very reason for his journey.

No more pointless thinking.

He quietly awaited the system's complete installation.

Not long after, a mechanical, synthesized voice chimed in his mind once more: [Loading complete. Literary System binding finalized!

"Hello."

Lin Yuan took the initiative to greet the entity.

[Greetings, Host. Congratulations on successfully binding with the Literary System. This system will endeavor to assist you in becoming a supreme artist on Bluestar. Communication can be established via thought projection. Host information will be displayed below in text format.

The mechanical voice ceased.

Transparent subtitles materialized before Lin Yuan's eyes.

[Age: 19]

[Lifespan: 22]

[Painting: 45]

[Literature: 105]

[Music: 1038]

[Comprehensive: 1188]

[Others: Pending Unlock]

[Note: With the exception of Age and Lifespan, all classification values signify Prestige—that is, the external and industry recognition the Host commands within each respective field. Theoretically, there is no upper limit. The greater the Prestige value, the more benefits the Host will receive...]

Lifespan... 22?

As if sensing Lin Yuan's unspoken thoughts, the system responded.

Another line of subtitles appeared: [Twenty-five is the theoretical maximum age the Host can attain. Considering current conditions, your actual lifespan is projected to be 22 years, with complete physical paralysis setting in at age 21.

"Can it be cured?"

Lin Yuan inquired mentally.

System: [When the Host's Prestige reaches the system's designated threshold, treatment will be administered. Following several treatment cycles, a recovery level can be achieved. The system will notify the Host each time a specific Prestige milestone is met...]

So, it could be cured.

Lin Yuan, with practiced ease, inquired, "Where's the newbie gift pack?"

Lin Yuan's promptness seemed to catch the system off guard, causing a few seconds of silence before it replied: [The newbie gift package has been transferred to the Host's backend inventory.

"Access inventory."

The instant Lin Yuan spoke, a virtual interface resembling a game inventory appeared. Within the first slot lay a piece of audio, barely recalled:

Song: "Born as Summer Flowers."

The newbie package is just one song?

Could you please omit the word 'newbie,' thanks?

Lin Yuan listened to the song once, grumbling internally, but as the prelude began, he instantly confirmed it was the very piece from his fading memories.

In truth,

The moment he tapped on the song, the memories associated with it from his previous life flooded his mind. Before this, he couldn't recall a single note or lyric.

Lin Yuan seemed to grasp the system's underlying logic.

The so-called Prestige value likely involved releasing a song, gaining sufficient recognition, and once that recognition hit a certain level, he could cure his ailment without meeting an untimely end...

Truly a perfunctory design.

The system appeared to detect Lin Yuan's dissatisfaction and promptly added a feature: [The Host may also acquire lottery chances upon gaining Prestige, with an exceptionally high probability of winning.

"Oh."

Lin Yuan's reaction was lukewarm; his thoughts were consumed by the song.

His vocal cords were already damaged. Although the vocal range for "Born as Summer Flowers" wasn't particularly demanding, according to medical advice, Lin Yuan should refrain from singing.

Still, beating Lin Yuan is a challenge.

If you cannot perform a solo, you can always perform for an audience.

Gaining prestige is the primary goal. In theory, fame is more easily achieved by singing for others, but Lin Yuan personally dislikes attention and even harbors a deep aversion to it.

The reason for this sentiment remains elusive.

Perhaps it's an echo from a past life?

Although Lin Yuan cannot recall specific memories from his previous existence, he senses that he might have been quite formidable, possibly even achieving significant accomplishments.

This particular song also possesses a unique charm.

It's at least fitting for the original soul of this body.

Pondering this, Lin Yuan's curiosity piqued, and he inquired, "System, now that I've transmigrated to this world, did my previous life simply vanish from Earth?"

System: [Life Exchange Completed]

The system had already grasped Lin Yuan's patterns. He possessed a sharp intellect and a remarkable capacity for learning, preferring directness and simplicity. Excessive explanations were unnecessary, prompting the system to adopt a more concise communication style.

"So, lives can be exchanged?"

A subtle gleam flickered in Lin Yuan's eyes, followed by a gentle smile. The prospect of someone else living out his former life wasn't entirely unappealing.

After all, he was unattached.

While many details remained hazy, Lin Yuan could discern the faint outlines of his past life's experiences.

It wasn't a life of hardship, nor one of exceptional fortune.

Ultimately, any life is preferable to a ticking clock counting down one's existence. He wished that a stranger could have obtained a system, rather than being reborn into the world like a fleeting summer flower.

At the very least, they were still alive.