Eating Melons Until I Saw News of My Own Death Chapter 38

Upon reflection, Ye Huai had never shown much regard for his own survival since the day they met.

He would argue back against Ye Tianlin despite knowing full well that the man wouldn’t spare a thought for his well-being. He would willingly enter a perilous parallel world with them, even though he suffered from a heart condition.

His goal was simple—to kill Ye Tianlin, no matter which version of him it was, and he was prepared to pay with his own life.

"Ye Huai!"

Before he could pull the trigger, Aunt Bai’s furious shout rang out as a car screeched to a halt beside them. The three of them froze as the door slammed open. The usually composed Aunt Bai rushed forward, snatching the gun from Ye Huai’s hand.

"What are you trying to do? Have you lost your mind?"

She clutched his clothes, tears streaming down her face.

"You’re my child, Ye Huai…"

Whether from sheer exhaustion or the strain of the past day, a trickle of blood escaped Ye Huai’s nose.

"Mom… I might not actually be your child…"

"Brother! Brother! Waaah… Brother…"

Ye Wen, who had regained consciousness with the help of medical staff, burst into loud sobs inside the ambulance, held tightly by two nurses.

"Xiao Huai! Doctor! Someone, help my son!!"

Ye Huai seemed to finally collapse, his eyes closing as he fell to the ground. Aunt Bai caught him, her face deathly pale, screaming for the medics to intervene.

Tong Yang and Xu Junyue watched the scene unfold, stepping aside to make way for the swarming medical team.

Tong Yang’s expression was complicated. She couldn’t tell if Ye Huai’s last words were speculation or just an excuse to absolve himself. The truth might only be known by the two versions of Ye Tianlin.

But if the Ye Tianlin from the parallel world had sent Ye Huai here, then where was the real Ye Huai from this world?

Later, the Ye brothers were hospitalized, while Tong Yang and Xu Junyue were taken to the police station.

After an exhausting day, their adrenaline had long faded, leaving them utterly drained. Police Officer Lin let them rest first, planning to question them that evening.

Tong Yang was jolted awake by the sound of barking. Something wet brushed against her fingers, and when she opened her eyes, she found a Labrador licking her dangling hand.

"Lion, don’t bother her. Come here."

Xu Junyue called the dog over, ruffling its head.

"What time is it?" Tong Yang sat up, her voice hoarse.

"A little past three," Xu Junyue replied.

"Hungry? Officer Lin said there’s instant noodles if we want some."

"Yeah."

Xu Junyue had changed into a crop top and shorts, her hair tied into a messy bun. She grabbed two cups of noodles. "What flavor?"

"Not spicy."

"None left."

"Then why ask?"

"Just being polite. Most people would say ‘whatever.’"

Tong Yang took the cup from her, tearing open the seasoning packet.

Even though their trip to the parallel world had been easier than expected, she felt anything but relieved. If anything, she was overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness—though she couldn’t pinpoint why.

After what happened with Ye Wen, one thing was clear: "Tong Yang" had been right. They were far more dangerous than she’d imagined—calculating, resourceful, and always one step ahead.

Not long after finishing their noodles, an officer knocked on the door, and Police Officer Lin entered.

"Officer Lin," Xu Junyue greeted casually.

The officer glared at her. "Sit properly. You actually lied to us."

Xu Junyue shrugged. "Desperate times, desperate measures. And we got results, didn’t we?"

Her real personality was nothing like the first impression she’d given Tong Yang—brash, carefree, almost like a delinquent.

Officer Lin sat across from them, her expression turning serious. "In twenty minutes, the station will take your statements. But first, I want to talk to you privately."

"This morning, Ye Tianlin, chairman of White Horse Group, fell to his death. He’s still in critical condition. The scene showed no signs of struggle—only his fingerprints on the railing. It looks like suicide."

Tong Yang listened silently.

Xu Junyue nodded. "Probably was suicide."

"But how did he get into the school without us noticing?"

Xu Junyue shook her head. "No idea."

"Because of the parallel world," Tong Yang said grimly.

Officer Lin sighed. "Dr. Wu later stated there’s no such thing as a parallel world. He claimed you just used ‘special methods’ to find Ye Wen, who was hidden inside the school."

Tong Yang met her gaze. "Officer Lin, if the parallel world doesn’t exist, how do you explain everything? You already know the truth. Why pretend otherwise?"

She couldn’t understand how they could dismiss everything just because of Dr. Wu’s flimsy denial.

Xu Junyue glanced at Tong Yang, surprised she’d spoken up.

"Officer Lin, let’s be honest—we really did enter a parallel world," Xu Junyue said firmly.

Officer Lin studied them for a long moment before speaking slowly. "It’s not about denial. It’s not that the parallel world doesn’t exist—it’s that it can’t. Do you understand?"

"Why?"

Officer Lin hesitated, then lowered her voice. "I’ll be straight with you. Dr. Wu was indeed from Department 749. But this morning, we received word that he was murdered yesterday. We don’t know who did it. As for the ‘Dr. Wu’ we saw—was he even human? Can you prove it?"

Tong Yang pressed her lips together. "No evidence means no proof, right?"

"Exactly. No evidence, no proof." Officer Lin exhaled heavily. "Did you know? After Ye Wen’s disappearance, two similar cases popped up nationwide—same methods, all man-made. Tong Yang, these people are worse than you think. If we confirm this as supernatural, they’ll exploit the chaos, copycat the crimes, spread panic."

"Even with evidence, it won’t be made public, will it?" Tong Yang looked up.

Officer Lin nodded. "Of course not."

"But that doesn’t mean the authorities are ignoring it. Department 749 has taken over the investigation. They don’t want civilians involved anymore. Do you understand?"

Tong Yang nodded. "I get it."

Officer Lin relaxed slightly. "Good."

Xu Junyue frowned. "I don’t. Can you be vaguer, Officer Lin?"

"Stay out of anything like this from now on. Go back to your normal lives. Pretend none of it ever happened."

Tong Yang wished things could unfold that way, but it seemed that ever since May 28th, her life was destined to be anything but peaceful. Perhaps this was the price she had to pay for surviving.

After all, if she weren’t one of the time anchors and temporal anomalies, she would have died long ago.

Since her life couldn’t return to tranquility, she might as well go with the flow. Saving the world was beyond her, so making as much money as possible before the world ended was the real priority.

"Later, when giving your statement, don’t mention anything about parallel worlds. Say whatever you want—we’ve already drawn our conclusions," someone said.

Tong Yang nodded and asked, "Officer Lin, do you have paper and a pen?"

"I do. Just a moment."

Taking the pen and paper, Tong Yang wrote down the method they had used to enter the parallel world. "This is how Dr. Wu took us into the parallel world. Please pass it on to the 749 Bureau. Also, the parallel world is dangerous."

After a pause, she added, "If they need help, they can come to me. But I’ll require payment—the amount is negotiable, but it’s non-negotiable that I get paid."

Officer Lin took the paper and couldn’t help but chuckle. "You should focus on your studies. Why would they need your help? They’re all professionals."

Tong Yang didn’t argue. "Just in case," she said.

Though she hadn’t directly met or collaborated with the 749 Bureau, their involvement in the investigation meant the matter had caught the state’s attention. At least the outcome was favorable, and the hefty compensation made it all worthwhile.

During the statement-taking, the police only superficially inquired about the events of the early morning, practically guiding them through their answers without a single question touching on parallel worlds.

When she stepped out of the room, Tong Yang saw Officer Lin and asked about Ye Huai’s condition.

Officer Lin sighed. "Ye Huai’s illness has worsened. He won’t be discharged anytime soon."

Tong Yang nodded silently, offering no further comment.

As for Ye Huai’s final speculation, Tong Yang didn’t know whether it was true and had no interest in dissecting it. Either way, it had nothing to do with her.

As for Ye Tianlin’s fall from the building—Tong Yang hadn’t intended to kill him, and she didn’t know why he had ultimately plummeted. Still, he had deserved it.

By the time she left the police station, evening had fallen.

Xu Junyue had barely stepped outside before her father grabbed her by the ear and dragged her back to the car. She waved her phone at Tong Yang. "Tong Yang, I’ll text you! I’m probably gonna get a beating, so I can’t give you a ride!"

Tong Yang gave her a look that said "good luck," then turned and walked away.

On her way to the subway station, Tong Yang opened a social media app and skimmed through a gossip group buzzing with discussions about the incident. She glanced at a few messages but couldn’t be bothered to reply.

Passing by a lit-up pet shop, she noticed a small black cat crouched at the mouth of an alley, curiously peering into the display window. A young man in a white baseball cap stood beside it, tilting slightly as he pulled out a cat treat from somewhere. He crouched down, offering it to the cat with a soft chuckle. "Tired, huh? Go home and rest."

For a moment, Tong Yang’s gaze grew distant. There was something familiar about the man’s profile, half-hidden beneath his cap, but before she could place it, her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen—Chu Shiyu was calling via video.

"Hey, what’s up?"

Tong Yang walked past the man and answered the call.

"Sis!"

The first voice she heard wasn’t Chu Shiyu’s but Tong Le’s.

Seeing his mud-smeared face on the screen, she couldn’t help but smile. "What are you up to? You’ve got dirt all over you."

Tong Le grinned. "Shiyu-jie took me and Yang Lin to do pottery! Look, I made you a bowl!"

He turned the camera toward a lopsidedly painted bowl. "Do you like it?"

"Not bad," Tong Yang said.

"These are Yang Lin’s and Shiyu-jie’s bowls," Tong Le added, panning to two others. "Sis, which one do you think is the best?"

Without hesitation, Tong Yang replied, "Yours is the best."

"Hey! Don’t be so biased. Mine is clearly the best," Chu Shiyu protested.

Tong Yang’s voice was lazy. "Why are you competing with a kid?"

"Hmph. I’m just being objective."

"Oh, sis! My ID card is ready!" Tong Le exclaimed excitedly. "Yang’s mom said she’ll bring me to see you in early August!"

Warm light bathed Tong Le’s face on the screen, his smile as bright as a little sun.

Though Tong Yang had once considered leaving him behind in the old district, she now realized she could never do it. Maybe, compared to Tong Le, she was the one who truly wanted to stay with him.

"Got it."

"Hehe, sis, my final exam results are out—I came in first!"

"Good job. What about Linlin?"

Yang Lin chimed in, "Tong Yang-jie, I got 34th place."

"Is there anything you two want as a gift? I’ll get it for you."

Chu Shiyu cleared her throat. "I came in tenth."

Tong Yang glanced at the warm streetlights and replied, "Fine, I’ll get something for all of you."

Tong Le declared, "Sis is number one, so I’ll get her a gift too!"

"Me too! I’ll get Tong Yang-jie a gift!"

Chu Shiyu sighed in mock exasperation. "You two just can’t stand her losing out on anything, huh?"

"I’ll get Shiyu-jie a gift too!"

"And I’ll get sis one!"

Only then did Chu Shiyu seem satisfied, letting the kids return to their clay while she moved to a quieter spot.

"You okay?" she asked.

Tong Yang smiled. "Do I look unwell?"

Chu Shiyu nodded. "A little pale. Is that matter over?"

Tong Yang paused. "This one is, but there’ll be more in the future."

Chu Shiyu said softly, "Tong Yang, you don’t have to face those things alone."

Tong Yang stopped walking, her gaze drifting into the distance, her expression suddenly lost. "Do you think… I could kill everyone in the parallel world?"

"No."

"But if I don’t kill them, they’ll kill us."

Chu Shiyu hesitated. "...Honestly, I don’t know what to do either."

Tong Yang knew—no one did.

What terrified her about those people wasn’t their societal structure or their attempts to invade the real world, but their cruelty and numbness.

The image of those two children with stitched-up skulls lingered in her mind.

At the same time, she realized something.

The "Tong Yang" from that world had said that when Tong Le was two and running a high fever, she hadn’t taken him to the hospital, so he died.

But perhaps that wasn’t the whole truth.

If Ye Huai was right—if all resources were concentrated among the upper class, and even someone like "Ye Tianlin" couldn’t access medical care—how could an ordinary "Tong Yang" and Tong Le have gotten treatment?

Maybe, by then, hospitals no longer existed.

Because seven or eight years ago, the parallel world had already been hollowed out. She never had the means to save Tong Le.

Tong Yang didn’t feel no pity for them at all, but she wasn’t moved enough to grieve for people from a parallel world either. She just thought "Tong Yang" was right—what could she possibly change alone, even as a temporal anchor?

Perhaps, without anyone realizing it, people in the real world had already been replaced.

Ye Huai might very well be one of them.

"I’m going to major in physics," Tong Yang suddenly declared.

Chu Shiyu blinked in surprise. "Huh? That’s quite the abrupt topic shift."

"And maybe double major in astronomy if I have time."

Chu Shiyu sucked in a sharp breath. "Those aren’t exactly easy subjects to tackle. Aren’t you afraid of burning yourself out?"

Tong Yang continued, unfazed. "Whether parallel worlds will destroy ours is something for the government to figure out. I just need to take care of what’s around me."

Ever since leaving the parallel world, Tong Yang had been obsessing over things.

Dr. Wu’s suggestion of eliminating others to share resources with the upper class had triggered a sense of crisis in her, making her constantly wonder how to prevent it. But this clearly wasn’t something she could stop alone—it was a matter for the government and the 749 Bureau to handle.

Chu Shiyu hesitated before asking with concern, "Tong Yang, are you okay?"

"I’m fine now."

Chu Shiyu: "..."

"Good. Where are you right now?"

"On my way back to school."

"Alright, be safe."

"Has anything strange happened in the old district recently?"

"No, everything’s been normal."

Tong Yang nodded. "Got it. Thanks, I’ll hang up now."

"Okay..."

By the next morning, the police had already issued a statement—completely devoid of any supernatural elements—solely to reassure the public.

At the same time, news broke of Ye Tianlin’s fatal fall, followed by reports on the drowning case of a private tutor years ago. The police released Ye Tianlin’s confession video.

When Tong Yang saw the footage, she immediately recognized that it wasn’t the real Ye Tianlin. As for who it was, the answer was obvious.

With the tutor’s death case resolved, news surfaced about Ye Tianlin using White Horse Group for illegal transactions and massive tax evasion. Most of the company’s operations were suspended, and all accounts were frozen, leaving White Horse Group on the brink of collapse.

Though Tong Yang found the timing of these events suspiciously coincidental—likely orchestrated by Ye Huai—she doubted he could’ve gathered so much evidence alone. Aunt Bai was probably involved too.

Online, outrage erupted.

"Ye Tianlin got what he deserved!"

"I remember the tutor case. Ye Huai testified that Ye Tianlin killed someone, but the victim’s family suddenly retracted their statement and settled for just 200,000 yuan."

"Karma for Ye Tianlin! White Horse Group’s sudden rise was shady from the start."

"I bet Ye Tianlin was haunted by vengeful spirits. Serves him right."

"Rot in hell!!"

...

Soon after, Tong Yang received a call from an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Is this Teacher Tong?"

Aunt Bai’s familiar voice came through the line.

"Aunt Bai? It’s me, Tong Yang. What’s the matter?"

Her tone was calm, seemingly unaffected by Ye Tianlin’s death or the company’s downfall.

"Teacher Tong, Ye Huai mentioned that you helped us bring Ye Wen back, and he promised you 10 million, right?"

Truthfully, Tong Yang hadn’t done much—most of the work had been delegated to Xu Junyue. But without her involvement, in the original timeline, Ye Wen wouldn’t have been found until 2026.

"Yes," Tong Yang confirmed, ready to negotiate if Aunt Bai objected. "But we can discuss it."

"That’s good." Aunt Bai sighed in relief. "Ye Tianlin never allowed us to have money of our own. I’ve been using his credit cards, but most are frozen now. Who knows if what’s left will even cover the fines. Between me and Ye Huai, we only have 12 million, but Ye Huai’s treatment will require a lot more later. I was wondering… if we could pay you when we’re in a better financial position?"

Given the scale of Ye Tianlin’s crimes, this money was likely all they’d managed to save.

12 million… That guy Ye Huai—was he planning to kill himself, give her 10 million, and leave the remaining 2 million for his mother and brother?

If it were her, she’d have transferred enough funds to her own account before dealing with Ye Tianlin. But if the money was illegal, it’d be frozen anyway.

"Aunt Bai, don’t worry about it. You can pay me when things stabilize and you have enough to spare." Tong Yang wasn’t in urgent need of money, and honestly, such a large sum was hard to believe.

She asked about the two brothers. Ye Huai was still unconscious, having briefly woken up once, while Ye Wen was fine, remembering nothing except that he’d "slept for a while."

As for how they’d react to Ye Tianlin’s death—that wasn’t Tong Yang’s concern.

[Damn… Ye Tianlin really deserved to die…]

[That tutor was only eighteen. He ruined her entire future!]

[White Horse Group collapsed, and Ye Huai still ended up in a sanatorium.]

[@LearningForMoney where’ve you been?]

[But the reports don’t mention Tong Yang at all. Did the police hide it?]

[I still want to know what really happened.]

LearningForMoney: [LearningForMoney transferred 50,000 to BeDogeForOikawa.]

LearningForMoney: [After visiting the parallel world, Ye Tianlin probably got scared by the tutor’s ghost there and panicked to his death.]

[Thanks for the money, Tong Yang!]

[Yikes! So it really was vengeful spirits—retribution from another world.]

[Tong Yang, what’s the date where you are?]

LearningForMoney: [July 22nd.]

[It’s only July 19th here.]

[Our timelines are slowing down…]

[At this rate, Tong Yang will catch up to us eventually.]

[Not that I’d mind. I’d love to meet her.]

Tong Yang didn’t reply, growing increasingly curious about who had created the gossip group, how they’d gathered everyone, and why.

She checked the group owner’s profile, but aside from their gender (likely fake, given the age was set to 120), there was no information. The username and avatar seemed more feminine.

After a moment’s hesitation, Tong Yang sent a friend request. The other side didn’t respond immediately, but she hadn’t expected much anyway.

LearningForMoney: [Let me know if anything similar happens again.]

With that, Tong Yang closed the app.

Two days later, Tong Yang received a message from Police Officer Lin: the method she had written down for entering the parallel world didn’t work. Even when they tried multiple times at the same time and place, they couldn’t enter the parallel world.

Seeing the message, Tong Yang wasn’t particularly surprised. Of course, things wouldn’t be that simple.

Perhaps it had only worked in that moment with Dr. Wu’s assistance.

Tong Yang replied the same way as before—if there was anything she could help with, they could contact her again.

The "Gossip Group" and the time loop were Tong Yang’s only two trump cards. Unless absolutely necessary, she wouldn’t reveal them to anyone. After all, if Dr. Wu from the 749 Bureau could be replaced, then others could be swapped out just as easily without anyone noticing.

On the fifth day of the eighth lunar month, Yang Lin’s parents, Chu Shiyu, Tong Yang, and Yang Lin arrived in the capital.

Tong Yang and Yang Lin’s grandma, Grandma Yu, had arranged two cars to pick them up from the airport.

"Sis!" Tong Le, carrying a ladybug-themed backpack, ran toward her excitedly.

Yang’s mother, worried he might trip, jogged after him. "Lele, be careful!"

Tong Yang bent down and caught him, instinctively pinching his cheeks. "Why are you running in such a crowded place?"

Tong Le didn’t seem to mind the pinch at all. He held her hand and nuzzled against it. "I missed you!"

Turning to Grandma Yu, he said politely, "Are you Grandma Yu? Yang Lin talks about you all the time. I’m Tong Le—you can call me Lele. I’m Tong Yang’s little brother."

Grandma Yu’s surname was Yu, and Yang’s mother had taken her surname as well.

Grandma Yu smiled. "Lele, you and your sister look so much alike."

"Thank you, Grandma! Yang’s mother’s eyes look just like yours."

"Grandma."

"Mom."

Chu Shiyu and the others walked over, pushing their luggage.

Tong Yang took the bags from them and greeted, "Auntie Yu, Uncle Yang, it’s been a while."

Yang’s mother happily stepped forward and patted her shoulder. "You seem a little taller than before. And your posture looks better too."

"I’ve been working out lately," Tong Yang replied.

"And you’ve gotten even prettier."

"Thank you, Auntie."

Chu Shiyu gave her a once-over. "Your figure’s improved."

"Thanks."

Chu Shiyu snorted. "But I still prefer you with a little more meat on you."

Tong Yang raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t respond.

Grandma Yu owned several properties in the capital. She and her husband usually lived near the university, but she had arranged for Yang Lin and the others to stay in a house closer to Peking University Elementary School.

That evening, Tong Yang treated them to dinner. Yang’s mother tried to pay, but Tong Yang refused.

Though Tong Yang had left an allowance for her brother, she still felt indebted to them for all their help.

After dinner, Yang Lin’s parents and grandparents went home to rest, while Tong Yang took the two kids and Chu Shiyu out for a stroll around the neighborhood.

Tong Yang had already visited Peking University Elementary School before and was familiar with the area.

Passing by a shopping mall, she bought the kids matching water bottles in different colors and picked out a pair of earrings for Chu Shiyu. However, Chu Shiyu rarely wore accessories that cost less than four digits, so the earrings Tong Yang gave her were probably the cheapest in her collection.

The young mistress complained about them, but when Tong Yang offered to exchange them for something else, she refused.

"Lele, do you like it here?" Tong Yang asked as they walked back. It was likely they wouldn’t return to the old neighborhood again.

Tong Le nodded seriously. "I do."

"Really?"

He had only been in the city for a few hours—what could he possibly like about it already?

The bustling streets, the neon lights, the eclectic fashion, the noise and energy…

"Sis, don’t worry. I’ll like wherever I am. I liked the old neighborhood too," Tong Le said, looking up at her with a bright smile. "Every place is kind of special in its own way."

Yang Lin and Chu Shiyu, walking beside them, chuckled. "Lele’s right. Every place has its charm."

"Mm. But you still have to be careful. No running off, okay?"

"Got it!"

"I know too!"

That night, Tong Yang got permission from the Dormitory Aunt to stay out.

Over the next few days, Tong Yang and Chu Shiyu took the kids all over the capital, playing from morning till night. She even postponed several tutoring sessions, but fortunately, the parents were understanding and told her to take her time settling in.

The Gossip Group remained active, but as if giving Tong Yang a break, nothing particularly strange or terrifying happened. However, in 2026, there was another major aviation disaster—an international flight veered off course and crashed seven hours later, killing everyone on board.

During a spare moment, Tong Yang looked it up. It was a new model of passenger jet, in service for less than a year. But in 2024, when Tong Yang was, that model was still in testing.

Aside from sightseeing, there was also the matter of transferring school registrations. Fortunately, with the school’s cooperation, it wasn’t too difficult. They just had to report in September.

The only downside was that Tong Yang and Yang Lin wouldn’t be in the same class anymore.

One evening, after finishing a tutoring session, Tong Yang met up with Chu Shiyu and the kids for dinner.

Most of her tutoring jobs were near Peking University, so Chu Shiyu had taken the kids to explore the campus while waiting.

"Sis!"

"Tong Yang!"

"Hungry?" Tong Yang adjusted her crossbody bag as she approached them.

"Nope! Sis, you worked hard—let me carry your bag!" Tong Le said eagerly.

Tong Yang didn’t refuse. She handed him the bag and adjusted the strap to fit his height.

Come to think of it, Tong Le was taller than most kids his age. He’d probably grow past six feet. But then again, Tong Yang herself was taller than average for a girl, so it wasn’t surprising.

"Is it heavy?"

"Nope! I’m strong!"

Tong Yang smiled and pinched his cheek before turning to Chu Shiyu. "What do you guys want to eat? I just got paid—my treat."

Chu Shiyu shrugged. "They want KFC."

"Alright, let’s go."

Near Peking University’s west gate, there was a KFC across from a Dicos, and a street food stall in the alley next to it.

As they passed the stall, the outdoor seating was packed with groups of friends eating, drinking, and chatting loudly.

Tong Yang’s gaze swept over the crowd—then stopped at an unmistakable head of bright red hair.

"Seriously? That’s all you’re drinking? Pathetic!"

"Fill it up, fill it up!"

"Alright, listen up—tomorrow at eight, escape room and murder mystery. Whoever chickens out is a coward!"

"Pfft. I’ve seen scarier things than your fake haunted houses!"

"Sis, do you know them?" Tong Le followed her gaze curiously.

Tong Yang looked away immediately. "No. Let’s go."

But before she could usher the group away, the redhead slammed a hand on the table.

"Tong Yang!"

Tong Yang continued walking forward with Tong Le in tow, pretending not to hear.

"Tong Yang! I’m calling you!"

"Big sis, there’s a weird lady calling you," Tong Le reminded her.

Tong Yang glanced over helplessly, noticing that several customers outside the food stall had turned their attention toward their group of four.

Chu Shiyu asked curiously, "Who is she?"

Before Tong Yang could respond, Xu Junyue had already weaved through a few tables and approached them.

"Tong Yang, hey!"

"Hello, pretty lady! And hello, kiddos!" Xu Junyue greeted them naturally.

"Hello," Chu Shiyu nodded politely.

"Hi, sis!"

Yang Lin half-hid behind Tong Yang, murmuring, "H-Hello..."

Tong Yang shot a glance at Tong Le—just moments ago, he’d called her a "weird lady," but now that she was right in front of them, he was calling her "sis." This little guy really knew how to sweet-talk.

"What a coincidence," Tong Yang replied half-heartedly.

It wasn’t that she disliked Xu Junyue—it was just that this woman was an absolute chatterbox who preferred phone calls over texts. She’d call at the drop of a hat and could talk for an hour straight even if Tong Yang barely responded. If Tong Yang didn’t hang up, it felt like she could go on forever.

"Where are you guys headed?"

Tong Yang pointed at the storefront next to them. "Taking them to KFC."

"All kids love KFC," Xu Junyue remarked, eyeing Tong Le. "Your little brother? You two look so alike."

Tong Le grinned, his eyes crinkling. "Thanks, sis!"

"No problem, sweetheart."

Xu Junyue then turned her attention to Yang Lin, who shrank further behind Tong Yang.

Though Yang Lin had grown more outgoing, he was still shy around strangers.

"What’re you scared of? I don’t eat kids," Xu Junyue teased, pulling him out from behind Tong Yang. "Wow, you’ve got such a cool look! A tiger tattoo right here would be awesome."

Yang Lin blinked, his eyes suddenly lighting up. "R-Really?"

"Totally! I know a really skilled tattoo artist. Maybe someday—"

"Xu Junyue, enough. He’s a kid," Tong Yang nudged her heel.

Xu Junyue shrugged and dropped the subject, turning instead to Chu Shiyu. "Wow, you’re gorgeous! No surprise, since you’re friends with our Tong Yang."

Chu Shiyu: "...Thanks."

Xu Junyue slung an arm around Tong Yang’s shoulder and waved at her own group of friends before suggesting, "Let the kids eat inside. Why don’t you two join us for a bit?"

Tong Yang glanced at Chu Shiyu, who smiled. "I’m fine with it."

Clearly, Xu Junyue’s compliments had worked their magic.

Tong Yang wasn’t keen—she wasn’t used to socializing.

"Come on, your friend doesn’t mind! What’s there to worry about?" Xu Junyue urged. "Look, my friends are totally welcoming you!"

Tong Yang turned to the kids. "You two okay on your own?"

Tong Le peeked at Xu Junyue’s friends—four or five people, a mix of guys and girls, dressed normally enough.

"You guys go have fun. Yang Lin and I will be fine, right?"

Yang Lin nodded eagerly. "Yeah! We’ll be okay."

Seeing this, Tong Yang gave in. The KFC had glass walls, so she could keep an eye on them. She took them inside, ordered their food, and reminded them not to wander off before rejoining Chu Shiyu at the food stall.

"When did you make this friend?" Chu Shiyu whispered as they walked out.

"A while ago."

"Hmph. You never used to make friends."

Tong Yang shrugged. "I was busy before."

Chu Shiyu pouted. "You’re not exactly free now either."

They took their seats at the stall, both experiencing this kind of casual dining for the first time—Tong Yang because she’d never had the time or money, and Chu Shiyu because her parents had never allowed it.

"Nice to meet you all," Chu Shiyu greeted the group politely, while Tong Yang gave a simple nod.

Xu Junyue said, "I ordered some barbecue for you—it’ll be here soon. Tong Yang, you don’t eat spicy, right? I asked for less chili."

"Thanks," Tong Yang replied.

"Are you guys students?" someone asked.

Chu Shiyu nodded. "Yeah, we just graduated."

"Freshmen?"

"You’re that young? How old are you?"

"I’m eighteen," Chu Shiyu answered.

When the group’s eyes shifted to Tong Yang, she paused before saying, "Eighteen."

Chu Shiyu immediately called her out. "She’s lying. She just turned seventeen."

Tong Yang: "..."

Xu Junyue burst out laughing. "Seventeen?! You’re still a minor!"

"You’re the youngest here."

"We’re all adults—third-year college students."

Xu Junyue poured Chu Shiyu half a glass of fruit wine. "You’re legal, so have a little. Don’t overdo it."

Then she handed Tong Yang a bottle of soy milk, grinning. "You’re underage. Drink milk."

Tong Yang: "..."

Chu Shiyu couldn’t hold back a giggle.

"What university do you go to?"

"Peking University," Chu Shiyu said.

"Peking U?! No way!"

"Wait—are you two the girls from the news? The ones who saved those kids and then aced the college entrance exams? One ranked first in the province, the other tenth!"

Xu Junyue looked puzzled. "What news?"

Tong Yang cut in firmly. "Not us."

"Do you two have boyfriends?"

"Seriously? They just graduated high school."

"Hey, tomorrow we’re doing an immersive scripted murder mystery and escape room combo. It’s a brand-new scenario—no one’s played it yet. We’re short two people. Wanna join?"

Chu Shiyu agreed eagerly. "Sounds fun! I haven’t played in ages."

Then everyone’s eyes landed on Tong Yang.

She hesitated. "What is it?"

"You’ve never played before?!"

"It’s a horror-themed, puzzle-solving game. Super immersive. The one we picked just launched—a mix of scripted mystery and escape room. Might take over eight hours."

Chu Shiyu gasped. "A brand-new scenario? No one’s tried it?"

"Exactly! The owner’s a friend, so he let us be the first group."

"Come on, Tong Yang, let’s go!" Chu Shiyu urged excitedly.

Tong Yang looked from Chu Shiyu to Xu Junyue, then said meaningfully, "Doesn’t this sound... kind of dangerous?"

The others didn’t get her implication, but Chu Shiyu and Xu Junyue understood.

Xu Junyue waved it off. "Relax, I’ll protect you! You’re a newbie anyway."

Chu Shiyu hesitated. "It... should be fine, right?"

The group chimed in with reassurances:

"Don’t worry, we’ve done this tons of times!"

"If you’re scared, just stick close to us."

"Everything’s just props and actors—nothing’s real."

"Seriously, worst case, I’ll be your shield. I’m the tank!"