The Journey to Godhood in Another World

Chapter 13 First Encounter with Lu Jinchen

Sunlight, like a golden veil, gently spilled across the university campus. A breeze rustled the trees lining the road, their lush foliage resembling giant green umbrellas, creating a cool and refreshing haven. Through the gaps in the leaves, sunlight playfully pierced through, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow, like dreamlike spots of light dancing on the ground.

The path to the cafeteria was bustling with people. Students walked in small groups, their laughter echoing in the air. Luo Li, carrying her schoolbag, walked briskly along this familiar road. Her long hair swayed gently in the breeze, a few strands playfully brushing against her cheeks. Her eyes were bright and clear, sparkling with anticipation for the new day.

Suddenly, a cheerful melody drifted into her ears. The melody, like a nimble sprite, danced lightly in the air, instantly capturing her attention. Luo Li stopped, turned her head slightly, and looked in the direction of the sound. There, on the open ground beside the road, the guitar club's recruitment booth stood out prominently.

At the booth, a handsome senior student sat there, intently playing the guitar and singing. He wore a white shirt, the collar slightly open, revealing his delicate collarbone. Sunlight shone on him, as if gilding him with a golden glow, making him look like a prince who had stepped out of a painting. His fingers were long and nimble, dancing rapidly across the guitar strings, each pluck seeming to tell a moving story.

Luo Li stared intently at her senior, her feet seemingly rooted to the ground, unable to move. Her heart pounded involuntarily, the "thump-thump" sound clearly audible in her ears. "That voice..." Luo Li exclaimed inwardly, "It's so similar, it's exactly Zhou Zhou's voice!" Zhou Zhou's image instantly flashed into her mind, the person she idolized. Zhou Zhou stood on the stage, radiant with light, his singing voice like heavenly music, capable of penetrating the soul.

Luo Li's lips trembled slightly, and she involuntarily murmured, "Zhou Zhou..." She seemed to be transported back to the scene of standing at Zhou Zhou's concert. Back then, the entire concert venue was filled with lights and cheers. The colorful lights intertwined, like a dreamlike painting. The screams of the audience rose and fell, as if trying to lift the entire venue. Zhou Zhou stood in the center of the stage, like the brightest star. Every movement, every expression of his, elicited screams from the fans. And Luo Li, to stand in that dreamlike place, had exerted a tremendous amount of effort. When she finally stood at the concert, listening to Zhou Zhou's voice, she felt as if she were in a beautiful dream.

But now, she had stumbled into this world by accident. Luo Li's heart was filled with nostalgia and melancholy, and tears involuntarily streamed down her face. Those days spent with Zhou Zhou's songs, those beautiful memories from her original world, all surged back like a tide, immersing her in deep longing. The surrounding noise seemed irrelevant; her world consisted only of Zhou Zhou's songs and those beautiful memories.

Just as Luo Li was lost in her thoughts, the girls around her suddenly erupted like fireworks. Screams and chattering voices instantly filled the space.

"Wow, that's Lu Jinchen, the senior from the pop music department!" A girl with a ponytail exclaimed excitedly, her eyes shining as she clutched her friend's clothes tightly. She unconsciously stood on tiptoe, leaning forward, her eyes fixed on the senior playing the guitar. She looked as if she had seen the most precious treasure in the world.

A girl wearing glasses next to her pushed up her glasses, her eyes full of admiration, and quickly chimed in, "He's the star of the guitar club! Lots of girls joined because of him." As she spoke, her eyes sparkled, and she unconsciously took a few steps closer to the senior. She seemed to be plotting in her mind how to get even closer to him.

"My senior hasn't been on campus for a long time. I heard he went to participate in a program in the second semester of his sophomore year," a girl in a floral dress said mysteriously, arms crossed, as if she knew a lot of inside information. As she spoke, she tilted her head, her eyes filled with curiosity and admiration. Her gaze was full of curiosity about her senior, as if she wanted to know every story about him.

"I heard quite a few companies want to sign him. How come he has time to come to the club's orientation? He's so handsome!" A short-haired girl said, fanning herself with her hand as if to calm her excitement at seeing her senior. Her eyes were fixed on Jin Chen, filled with infatuation, and her body swayed gently to the music he was playing. A fire seemed to be burning in her heart—the fire of her love for him.

Jin Chen sat there, seemingly in his own little world. His head was slightly bowed, his long, slender fingers dancing nimbly across the guitar strings, each strum telling a story. His gaze was focused and deep, immersed in the music he played. Sunlight streamed into his hair, casting a golden glow. The screams and chatter of the girls around him seemed to have no effect on him; he simply played and sang quietly, like a dazzling star, radiating an irresistible charm.

Luo Li's gaze was fixed on Jin Chen, the senior student playing the guitar, as if drawn by a magnet. The sunlight grew even hotter, illuminating the small space brightly and dazzlingly. Everything around her seemed to encourage her to walk towards the alluring guitar club booth.

Luo Li felt as if her legs were out of her control, inexplicably leading her towards the guitar club's booth. Her heart was pounding like a deer's, the rapid "thump-thump" making her nervous. She silently told herself, "Luo Li, calm down, don't be so pathetic." But her body wouldn't obey her, and she continued walking towards the booth.

She walked to the stall, her eyes quickly scanning the club application forms on the table. The form lay there quietly, as if waiting for her arrival. The air around her seemed to tense. Luo Li took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Her slightly trembling hand picked up the pen, the nib hovering above the application form, and she hesitated for a moment.

She was filled with conflicting emotions. On one hand, she was attracted by Jin Chen's singing voice and wanted to join the guitar club to get closer to him; on the other hand, she was also afraid that she would not be able to adapt to club life.

Just as she hesitated, Jin Chen's singing voice reached her ears again. His voice, like warm sunshine, shone into her heart, dispelling the gloom within. She glanced again at Jin Chen, who was intently playing and singing; his absorbed expression was like a ray of light, shining directly into Luo Li's heart. Luo Li bit her lip, as if making a great decision, and began to fill out the application form stroke by stroke.

She wrote very carefully, each word seeming to express her longing for her idol. Zhou Zhou's image and Jin Chen's voice, so similar to Zhou Zhou's, reappeared in her mind. "Because I love the guitar, and because there are people here who shine like stars," she thought silently, then carefully wrote down her thoughts.

Students came and went around her. Some glanced curiously at Luo Li as she filled out the application form, while others excitedly discussed senior Jin Chen. Luo Li, however, was immersed in her own little world. She seemed to have forgotten everything around her, focusing only on the application form in her hands.

As she filled in the last word, she gently put down her pen, looking at the completed application form with anticipation in her heart. When she handed the form to the staff at the booth, she felt as if she had completed a sacred ritual. The staff member took the form and smiled, saying, "Welcome to the Guitar Club." A bright smile spread across Luo Li's face.

At that moment, the sunlight shone on her face, and she felt that her world had become brighter.