Chapter 201: The Lone Chick

Chapter 201: The Lone Chick

As expected, on the homepage of the website, there was a video with Ji Ye holding a bouquet as its cover.

It was officially released, too.

Everyone had already noticed before that the official C-site seemed to have some sort of deal with the anime industry—or perhaps some unspeakable connection with Lin Qingshan.

After all, when Edge Walker premiered, all ten episodes were immediately uploaded to C-site, and later, Lin Qingshan opened an account on C-site, where he uploaded a stone-skipping tutorial video.

In the previous life, after Site B became popular, it indeed attracted many manga artists, actors, and voice actors from the ACG industry to open official personal accounts.

But C-site was nowhere near Site B's level in the previous life.

So currently, Lin Qingshan is the only well-known manga artist with a personal account on C-site. Doesn't that alone suggest an unusual relationship between him and the platform?

Zhou Wenwei directly clicked on the Deep Down video on C-site.

Sure enough, the opening was met with a flood of satisfying, dense bullet comments.

"Tribute to Senior Ji Ye—the undying love!"

"Senior Ji Ye! I love you!"

"Wuwuwu! Senior Ji Ye!"

"Qingshan, you sly old thief! Stop breaking our hearts, the kids can't handle it anymore!"

"Easy revenge!"

"First!"

"I just finished the manga and immediately saw this video! Boom! That was fast!"

"Lighting a virtual candle for Senior Ji Ye!"

Everyone was here for the interactive bullet comments. Zhou Wenwei couldn't deny the strange satisfaction he felt, watching the screen fill with tributes to Ji Ye.

Initially, he didn't like bullet comments.

At first, they just felt like a distraction that blocked parts of the video, making it hard to see clearly.

But after a while, he suddenly found them interesting.

Especially for certain videos—the content might not be very amusing, but the bullet comments could be hilarious.

Now, Zhou Wenwei was a firm believer.

He genuinely hoped to see more of his favorite anime, movies, and dramas on C-site! Watching them with bullet comments always brought a fresh experience.

Unfortunately, C-site currently only offered anime.

And many of them were older titles—after all, the Republic's copyright laws in this world were incredibly strict, with severe crackdowns on piracy.

While piracy wasn't completely eradicated, a legitimate platform like C-site uploading pirated content?

That would be the end of it.

Lin Qingshan thought C-site didn't need to rush right now. Once they went public and secured funding, they could start flexing their financial muscles.

In the previous life, after going public, Uncle Site B went on a spending spree with the raised capital.

A quintessential example of "too rich to care."

Of course, Site B ran out of money not long after.

For now, C-site just needed to solidify its foundation.

Old shows were fine; they were still watchable.

And many people enjoyed rewatching old shows.

Zhou Wenwei had found several of his favorite older anime on C-site. Watching them again with bullet comments was a fresh and unique experience.

Now, as he watched Deep Down again with bullet comments, he was once again struck by how clever people could be.

Viewers dissected the obscure lyrics line by line in the comments.

This was the beauty of bullet comments—they helped decode complicated content while watching.

After listening to Deep Down, Zhou Wenwei let the auto-play function take over and was greeted with the video for the second song.

The second song was called… The Lone Chick.

Clicking on the video, the screen displayed a single image that lasted until the end.

However, this time it was a different artwork—not a screenshot from the manga but an illustration Zhou Wenwei had never seen before.

It depicted Aki Hayakawa and Ji Ye, dressed in a suit and wedding gown, holding flowers while lying together in a cemetery.

Seeing this, Zhou Wenwei couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness.

But…it also fulfilled the long-held wish of many manga fans.

When the image appeared at the start of the video, the bullet comments were filled with tears.

"This artwork is incredible…Wow, I'm crying so hard right now."

"In the face of death, they mocked its futility with love."

"Teary-eyed, Aki only has two years left."

"I hope Aki and Senior Ji Ye reunite in the afterlife!"

"Did the official team draw this? Was it Qingshan's handiwork? Such cruelty!"

"Well…this picture alone satisfies me…"

The screen was crowded with comments, and as the accompaniment played, the vocals began.

Compared to Deep Down, this song was softer and more tender.

It didn't start with the heavy, oppressive atmosphere of Deep Down.

> "My sorrow echoes yours...

Awkward roles bring solace...

Even as mutual heartbreakers...

At least we found solace in each other…"

> "Two solitary chicks weathering storms...

Not alone amidst the hardships...

At least we leaned on one another…"

> "In moments of solitude, forget the barriers...

Borrow the fleeting spark of companionship...

For this brief moment, we're partners...

At least, we weren't truly alone…"

> "When you fall for someone else...

Erase my place in your heart...

Jealousy cloaked in kindness...

The meaning in my words—you know or don't…"

> "Unable to linger in your heart...

Just a fleeting lone chick...

Though I wish you happiness in life...

Perhaps, I'm not the one...

Talking to myself suffices...

Loving myself suffices...

You smiled—it doesn't need to be me…"

Compared to Deep Down, the lyrics of The Lone Chick were much more straightforward.

Wasn't this exactly Ji Ye's inner voice?

She knew Aki liked Makima, yet she stayed by his side.

Both were heartbroken souls, finding temporary solace and dependency in each other...

In the manga, weren't Aki and Ji Ye precisely that? Forgetting all else, borrowing fleeting sparks of companionship, momentarily like lovers?

Even in the end, Ji Ye didn't expect anything in return. She still gave selflessly.

Even knowing Aki loved Makima, that she could never stay in his heart, and that his happiness didn't require her.

The song, though gentler than Deep Down, left an even more profound sense of Ji Ye's sorrow.

After finishing the song, Zhou Wenwei felt an overwhelming sense of melancholy.

Sadness swept over him again, accompanied by the beautiful melody and lyrics, rising like an unstoppable tide.

At that moment, his previous urge to smoke resurfaced.

So…

He grabbed his soda and took a deep, satisfying gulp!

(End of Chapter)