Chapter 209: Glorious

When the school invited Yang Yi to the leaders' stand, a student, no one knew who, loudly suggested, "Let's take a group photo!"

Thus, Yang Yi was ushered to the center of the crowd; she offered a practiced, reserved, and friendly smile, and under the chant of "Cheese—," several photos capturing old friendships were taken.

Just as she was being led away by the school administration, a voice made her stop.

"Yang Yi, let the four of us take a photo too?" Li Li Ningxin said.

Yang Yi turned around; Li Li Ningxin, Han Jiao, and Zhou Zhou Beibei, her three former roommates, stood nervously in place, looking at her.

They all looked a bit more mature than before, appearing as if they had dressed up carefully.

Yang Yi had once envied them: envied that they could order takeout at will, envied that they could shop at supermarkets freely, envied that they could dress themselves as they pleased, envied that the greatest troubles in their lives were failing courses and boys they liked not liking them back.

But now, standing before her, they looked at her nervously, cautiously, with a hint of eagerness and barely perceptible flattery.

If it had been her former self, she might have been thrilled just to imagine such a scene.

But when it actually happened, she found it stirred little emotional turbulence within her; instead, there was a faint feeling: Ah, they are all very good people.

Han Jiao has a gentle personality, is understanding, and always considers others; among the three, she had the best relationship with her.

Li Li Ningxin sometimes likes to speak sarcastically behind people's backs; because Yang Yi kept to herself, she had been criticized by Li Li Ningxin many times, but Li Li Ningxin had never done anything to actually harm her.

Zhou Zhou Beibei is a loudmouth who can't keep things inside, often offending people; Yang Yi herself had been stung by her words a few times, but Zhou Zhou Beibei had never actively harmed others.

They are all just ordinary people; where are there any perfect beings? Was she herself a perfect being?

All the envy and jealousy before actually stemmed from her own deep-seated inferiority and arrogance.

She had never been good at hating others, preferring to find reasons within herself for everything. Even regarding the Yang family's treatment of her, she hated herself more, hating that she had once held expectations for unworthy people, that she had once wagged her tail and begged for pity from unworthy people.

Seeking family affection from insects—is that not her own problem?

Regarding the handling of the Yang family, it was more: their actions deserved punishment. Not because of hatred.

"It's only been four years, and everyone looks much more mature," Yang Yi smiled. "Come on, let's take a few more."

The strangeness in the three women's eyes faded somewhat; after the photo, Zhou Zhou Beibei, still blunt as ever, said, "Yang Yi, don't take those online vicious comments to heart; we all support you!"

Han Jiao pushed her. "We've gathered after so much difficulty; why bring that up?"

Yang Yi tugged a smile at the corner of her mouth. "It's fine. As long as one is alive, being commented on is unavoidable."

Li Li Ningxin said with deep emotion, "Yang Yi, you were always unconventional before; I even couldn't quite get used to you. Now thinking back, I was truly foolish! Geniuses are by nature unconventional and different from ordinary people; how can ordinary people expect Einstein to be like them?"

A genius? Unconventional?

Those times of being gradually marginalized because she couldn't afford to join group activities and kept to herself?

Those figures who, due to poverty, had to work multiple jobs and did not participate in dormitory socializing?

That silence caused by shabbiness, lacking fashionable clothes, cosmetics, or new electronic products, leaving her with no common language with others?

When you achieve success in the worldly sense, all past embarrassments can be reasonably beautified into the uniqueness of a successful person.

She gave a self-mocking smile, bid farewell to everyone, and headed for the leaders' stand.

At the climax of the school anniversary, surrounded by the Minister of Education, leaders from various cities, and leaders from various schools, she walked toward the center of the stage; the school leaders hoped she would say a few encouraging words to the younger generation.

Countless hot air balloons, pulling banners, floated in the sky, and countless ribbons slowly drifted down from the air.

Students shouted her name loudly, the sound waves traveling far through the vibration of the air.

"Yang Yi, Yang Yi!"

"God of Humanity!! God of Humanity!!"

She stood on the stage, surrounded by the eager, expectant gazes of officials, leaders, and professors from various sessions; below were tens of thousands of faces looking up, excited.

In the center of this surging wave of adulation, her senses were suddenly stripped away; she felt as if someone had abruptly thrown her into this world.

She heard no sound; the winter sun was cold and blinding, and the faces below blurred into a dizzying patch of light.

Her soul evaporated from her body, drifting like smoke in mid-air, watching all this without knowledge or feeling.

Amidst the roar like a tidal wave, amidst the frenzied crowd, a strong thought took hold of her: Let me disappear.

Let me disappear!

Let me disappear.

No.

She forcibly dragged her soul back into her body, steadied herself, and facing countless lenses, facing millions of vibrant faces, she said:

"The world has never promised us fairness. Do not pray that it will improve on its own; instead, ask yourself: What do I want this world to become? Then do your utmost."

"Cherish your original dream. It may be the only true coordinate in your countless future moments of confusion."

"We do not need to become gods. We only need to become the builders and interpreters of our own history. This is difficult, but it is also glorious enough."

——————

When going to the hospital to visit the professor who had helped her, Yang Yi met Chen Chen Huanyue.

He was sitting by the bedside talking with the professor; seeing Yang Yi and her group enter, he was somewhat surprised, then consciously retreated to a corner.

Yang Yi did not expect to meet him here; she only glanced at him, then looked away.

Amidst the harmonious atmosphere cultivated by the school leaders, Yang Yi said sincerely, "Professor Zhao, if you need anything, please contact me directly."

Professor Zhao had already retired; her spouse and children accompanied her; seeing her former student still thinking of her, she was deeply gratified.

After personally arranging for the professor to enter a high-level convalescent home specifically for retired cadres, Yang Yi took her leave of the school leaders and prepared to return to Beijing.

Walking out of the corridor, Yang Yi saw Chen Chen Huanyue standing by the window, looking down at his phone.

Just walking past without even saying hello would be awkward.

She asked politely, "Returning to Beijing? Shall I give you a ride?"

"Fly back?" Chen Chen Huanyue put away his phone and asked.

"Yes. That's faster."

"Alright," he said readily.

To avoid causing crowd chaos, the two found a less crowded place to prepare for takeoff.

She stopped, Yang Yi looked at him, hesitated, and asked, "Are you afraid?"

"A little," Chen Chen Huanyue said, pressing his lips together.

Yang Yi regretted her politeness; she extended her little finger, scratched her head, and comforted him, "Don't worry, it's very safe."

Having spoken, she grabbed his arm, and with mental power supporting both of them, shot rapidly into the clouds.

His body floated up uncontrollably; Chen Chen Huanyue was clearly startled, gripped her hand tightly, and even began to sweat.

They flew through the clouds for a while, and Chen Chen Huanyue gradually relaxed.

In some parts of the sky, the clouds were dense; at such times, they could only fly through the mist, a vast white expanse, as if they were no longer in the human world.

In other places, the sky was clear and cloudless, revealing the earth below; everything was tiny, winding rivers like the earth's blood vessels, rolling mountain ranges like the earth's wrinkles, and cities built by humans like ant nests.

Specific people vanished, leaving only the vast, boundless earth itself.

Compared with this ancient earth beneath them, it seemed in an instant that all human fame, achievements, and values... were as light as dust.

"So this is what it feels like," Chen Chen Huanyue said.

"What does it feel like?"

"A sense of distance, strangeness, smallness, alienation..." Chen Chen Huanyue said slowly, "If one remains in this perspective for a long time, then the way one views the earth and humanity must differ from that of ordinary humans, right?"

Yang Yi smiled but said nothing.

"You might be the loneliest person in the world," Chen Chen Huanyue said in a low tone, "If I could understand you a little before, now I understand you not at all."

"I am still human! Human minds always share common ground," Yang Yi said jokingly, "Perhaps one day in the future, I will become someone even I do not recognize."