The night wind whipped the hair at her temples, scattering it chaotically across her face.
In the quiet depths of the night, a dull thud startled everyone on the ninth floor of Xili Mall who had their eyes closed, savoring their survival.
They had barely heard He Jingjing's final words of guidance.
In the distance, multicolored neon lights illuminated their floor. A few teardrops stained the dusty ground, and the cold wind blowing from all directions made them shiver uncontrollably.
A slender girl was dangling from the edge of the building. The fierce wind made her hair fly and her body sway, blowing the tears from the corners of her eyes like broken strings of pearls down her cheeks, evaporating into the air.
"Jingjing!"
"Tong Yang!"
Startled by Tong Yang's shout and the sound of a heavy impact, everyone forgot that the process of traversing the two worlds was already complete and their surroundings were subtly changing. They all opened their eyes towards the source of the noise.
They saw Tong Yang sprawled on the ground at the building's edge, her arms scraped bloody against the concrete, her hands gripping He Jingjing(Sister) tightly as the latter's body hung in mid-air. Tong Yang's face was flushed crimson as she roared, "Help!"
"Jingjing..."
"Jingjing!"
Several people threw themselves down beside Tong Yang, grabbing He Jingjing(Sister)'s hands. Simultaneously, they felt a tremendous pulling force from the opposite direction, as if something was dragging He Jingjing(Sister) down at high speed!
"What's happening..."
"Jingjing!"
Tong Yang mustered all her strength, but even with the combined force of all eight of them, they could hardly contend with the pull on He Jingjing(Sister).
If this continued, they would all be dragged down.
"Oh no... we're about to return to the real world!"
"Why can't we pull her up... why..."
Tong Yang gritted her teeth until they ached, finally realizing what had felt off to her.
He Jingjing (Sister) was one of the fifty people sent to the real world by the parallel world. She bore a mission imposed on her by that world. She was supposed to remain hidden in the real world until the inhabitants of the parallel world launched a large-scale invasion. But now she had betrayed that mission, betrayed the parallel world, so... she would be discarded!
He Jingjing(Sister) had said that only fifty of them could exist in the real world; any extras would die inexplicably. Someone who could no longer fulfill her mission would definitely be discarded by the parallel world!
"Jingjing..."
He Jingjing(Sister) looked up at everyone. The icy wind at this height made it hard to keep her eyes open. Her legs felt tethered by something, forcefully yanking her towards the ground.
"Sister..." He Jingjing(Sister) opened her mouth, tears blown away by the wind. "I'm sorry, I can't go back."
"No! You can! We'll go back together! I'll pull you up..." He Jingjing wailed.
"Tong Yang... thank you for holding me... I want to say one more thing to my sister..."
He Jingjing(Sister)'s eyes were red as she struggled to force a smile. "Sister, I love you all so much. Please tell Mom and Dad for me, thank them, for everything..."
"No! Don't! I won't..."
"Sister, I was so lucky to grow up with you. That's enough, truly..."
He Jingjing(Sister) raised her hand, grabbing Tong Yang's wrist, and said, "I came to this world with a mission. I betrayed them, so I must die. Let go."
Tong Yang stared blankly. "You knew all along?"
"Yes, I cannot... betray them..."
"There's no way to save you?"
"No way... to save me..."
She pushed Tong Yang's hand away. They too seemed to feel a pulling force, and a wall flickered into view before them—they were about to return to the real world!
In the real world, there was a wall here; they would be completely separated.
"Jingjing! Grab me! Don't let go! Please... I beg you..."
He Jingjing(Sister) shook her head. "Sister, don't be sad."
Suddenly, she forcefully broke free from everyone's grasp. Her body was dragged into a rapid fall by that pulling force, the gale whipping her clothes and hair, her tears streaming upward.
"Jingjing!"
"He Jingjing!"
"Ah!"
The moment He Jingjing(Sister) fell, they were yanked backward by a force. A wall abruptly materialized before them, and the empty, unfinished building gradually began to show other objects.
The cold wind was blocked by the wall, the surroundings turned dark, and a "ding" sounded behind them as elevator doors slowly opened, spilling a beam of light onto the floor.
"Congratulations, players, on successfully clearing the level."
"Jingjing! Jingjing!" He Jingjing pounded the wall before her with all her might, but it was already useless. "Jingjing..."
Others who had spent a long time with He Jingjing(Sister) were already in tears, unsure how to react at this moment. They could only watch helplessly as He Jingjing(Sister) was pulled down, powerless to do anything.
He Jingjing suddenly remembered something, whirled around, and threw herself before Tong Yang, grabbing her ankle, her voice hoarse and desperate. "Save Jingjing, please? You saved us, you can save Jingjing too... If we just go back, if we just grab Jingjing..."
Tong Yang looked down, silently watching her.
After a long moment, she crouched down and took He Jingjing's hands. "We can't save her."
"Wah... you can! You must be able to..."
Tong Yang helped her up, her voice low and raspy. "What killed her was the entire parallel world. We can't save her."
"Damn it! Damn it all! We shouldn't have come in!"
"If it weren't for me... it's all my fault, all because of me!"
"Jingjing..."
Even if they went back ten minutes, He Jingjing(Sister) was still doomed. She had already chosen to betray the entire parallel world.
She knew what her fate would be, yet she still sent them back to the real world.
Tong Yang couldn't fathom the pain in He Jingjing's heart, but seeing her heartbroken tears felt like a heavy stone pressing on her own heart.
She pulled He Jingjing into her arms, letting her lean against her and weep unrestrainedly. Beyond that, there was nothing she could do.
He Jingjing clutched Tong Yang's clothes tightly, as if grasping a final lifeline, her sobs broken, her scalding tears soaking the fabric on Tong Yang's shoulder.
Tong Yang looked up at the others. Hu Shuo was crouched on the ground, holding his head in agony. Xu Junyue leaned against the wall, clear tear tracks on her face. Zhou Jingyun and Tao Bai stood to the side, eyes red-rimmed. Chu Shiyu crouched beside them, gently placing a hand on their backs in silent comfort.
It seemed like everything was over, yet it also seemed like something had just begun.
Pandora's box, Schrödinger's cat.
Everything, everything, seemed hidden in a thick fog, yet He Jingjing(Sister)'s death had made it a little clearer.
He Jingjing cried herself unconscious in Tong Yang's arms. The group left Xili Mall, took her to the hospital, and reported the incident to the police.
He Jingjing was not seriously hurt—overwhelmed by emotion, she had cried until oxygen-deprived, and coupled with physical exhaustion, had fallen into a deep sleep. Father He and Mother He arrived at the hospital not long after.
The others had sustained some minor injuries and were taken to the public security bureau after receiving simple bandaging at the hospital.
"Tong Yang." Police Officer Lin from the Shuangbai District Public Security Bureau sat in the interrogation room and gestured for Tong Yang to come closer.
"How are you here?" Tong Yang asked.
Police Officer Lin said, "I heard this case involves you, so my superiors assigned me to assist the Tianyuan District Public Security Bureau."
Tong Yang was led to sit on the chair opposite. The wound on her arm had already been bandaged, wrapped in white gauze.
The time was 6:00 AM on August 13, 2024. After leaving Xili Mall, they had rested at the hospital for two hours before being brought to the public security bureau.
"The surveillance footage from the live-action script murder venue failed after you left the seventh-floor elevator. We've already questioned the staff in advance. The NPCs at the venue didn't see you; they don't know how you got to the ninth floor."
Tong Yang's face was pale as she nodded. "Mm."
Seeing her condition, Police Officer Lin poured her a cup of hot water and asked another officer to leave the interrogation room.
"The surveillance in this interrogation room is off. It's just the two of us now. Speak directly."
Tong Yang took the disposable cup, lowered her head to take a sip, her parched throat finally getting some relief. "We entered a parallel world."
"Then what happened? Where's He Jingjing (Sister)? Why is she the only one missing?"
"She's dead."
"How did she die?"
"She fell."
"Fell? We haven't found her body."
"Her body is in the parallel world."
Police Officer Lin's expression was complicated. "Tong Yang, this matter is extremely serious. Only you know what happened inside. If He Jingjing (Sister) died and it's connected to you all, you could even be held responsible..."
"You won't find her body, and there's no evidence."
Police Officer Lin fell silent for a moment before changing the subject. "I know what you're saying is true, but He Jingjing (Sister)'s parents and the others..."
Tong Yang said, "It has nothing to do with me. We are victims too. No one harmed He Jingjing (Sister), whether others believe it or not."
Police Officer Lin quietly observed this excessively calm young girl. Unlike the other individuals involved in the case, she was far too composed, so composed it was unsettling.
After a long while, Police Officer Lin sighed and said, "If He Jingjing (Sister)'s body cannot be found, the police's approach will probably be the same as last time."
Tong Yang asked, "Pretend nothing ever happened?"
Police Officer Lin said, "Even if He Jingjing (Sister)'s body is found, it will be treated as if nothing happened."
Tong Yang nodded. "Because exposing this would cause public panic, and some lawless elements would take advantage of the chaos."
"Mmm..." Police Officer Lin couldn't discern the emotion in her words and had to acknowledge it.
"What if something like this happens again?"
Police Officer Lin was momentarily stunned, lowering his head without a word.
Tong Yang understood that the police's perspective prioritized the greater good. The state operated on a different level. Once supernatural phenomena were exposed, they would inevitably cause mass panic, leading to large-scale instability. She didn't blame them. It was just that if matters remained unresolved, similar incidents would keep occurring.
The things happening around her, the events in unknown corners—if they didn't improve, one day, their world would be eroded by the parallel world, becoming as cruel a place as theirs.
He Jingjing (Sister)'s appearance and death made Tong Yang fully realize a truth: there was actually no difference between their world and the parallel world. It was just that they hadn't yet experienced being invaded and plundered.
If the upper echelons of society in the real world agreed to Dr. Wu's conditions and decided to cooperate with them to eliminate people from the middle and lower classes, the real world would become just like the parallel world.
Moreover, the parallel world's gene medicine might become the most tempting thing for the upper echelons of society.
The progress of Bureau 749 was too slow. By the time they found any clues, the real world might already be hollowed out.
"I need to meet with people from Bureau 749," Tong Yang stated resolutely.
Rather than going through Police Officer Lin as an intermediary, it was better for Tong Yang to meet them face-to-face.
Police Officer Lin instinctively furrowed his brow. "This..."
Tong Yang said, "Police Officer Lin, I know what you're concerned about."
"Tong Yang, I also know you're different from other kids your age. You're brave, smart, but no matter what, you're still just a seventeen-year-old child. These matters are too dangerous for you..."
"Police Officer Lin, I can't avoid it."
Tong Yang raised her eyes, looking at him seriously. "I should have died on May 28th. Because I didn't die, a butterfly effect occurred in the real world. Haven't you noticed that most incidents related to the parallel world happen around me?"
Police Officer Lin said, "Don't think that way. It's not your fault..."
"Police Officer Lin, thank you. But similar things will definitely happen to me again in the future. For my own safety, and for the safety of others in the real world, I must formally meet with people from Bureau 749."
"Now I know some things Bureau 749 doesn't. It will definitely help them. If they don't meet me in person, I won't pass the information to you." Tong Yang's expression was exceptionally firm.
Police Officer Lin stared at her for several seconds before finally sighing helplessly. "Actually, Bureau 749 wanted to meet you, but we were worried about the impact on you, so we refused."
"It's fine. Nothing will have an impact on me."
Tong Yang's mental resilience was far greater than the average person's. It wouldn't affect her life or studies in any way. She wouldn't allow such a thing to happen.
"I understand. I'll convey your message to them. Rest well these next couple of days; I'll contact you again. Remember, you can call me anytime if you encounter any danger."
Tong Yang was momentarily taken aback. "What about He Jingjing (Sister)'s case?"
Police Officer Lin gave a bitter smile and said, "Your statements and the others' are highly consistent. Furthermore, her twin sister He Jingjing has already regained consciousness. The subsequent investigation of this matter will be handed over to Bureau 749. It's no longer under our jurisdiction."
Tong Yang was silent for a moment. "Alright."
Leaving the interrogation room, she arrived at a nearby rest lounge. The other five were already sitting inside.
When they saw Tong Yang, they pursed their lips, seeming to have something to say but hesitating.
After a whole night of exhaustion, everyone looked utterly drained.
"The police said we don't need to concern ourselves with this matter anymore. Just treat it as a dream."
"But how can we possibly just treat these things as a dream?"
"Jingjing (Sister) was right in front of us..."
As he spoke, Hu Shuo's voice grew choked with emotion.
Tong Yang found a chair, sat down, lifted her feet to rest crossed on the table, leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and immediately fell asleep.
She was too tired—physically and mentally exhausted. If she didn't get some rest soon, it wouldn't be impossible for her to just drop dead the next moment.
Chu Shiyu said, "Everyone's tired. Let's get some proper rest first."
"Tong Yang was right. It was the entire parallel world that killed Jingjing. Even going back in time wouldn't change anything."
Xu Junyue draped his jacket over his face and slumped into a chair, falling asleep.
After a moment of silence, the other three each found a spacious spot and closed their eyes.
There was something remarkable about Tong Yang that made people trust her, that made them feel at ease. It was as if whatever she said was simply the way things were, and as long as they listened to her, they didn't have to think about anything else.
When Police Officer Lin finished handling matters and passed by the break room, he glanced through the glass in the door. Seeing everyone sound asleep, a weary expression also crossed his face, and he rubbed his temples.
When would something like this ever end?
Perhaps they were all wrong. They really did need Tong Yang's help.
Because in the other witnesses' statements, it was almost entirely Tong Yang who had pushed everything forward. If not for her, the others would likely have ended up like He Jingjing (Sister), dead in another world.
However, their statements seemed to be missing one important piece of information about Tong Yang.
Before entering the police station, Tong Yang had reminded them not to mention having entered the loop. This was one of her only two trump cards. Apart from "Tong Yang," no one knew about the parallel world. "Chu Shiyu" and the other two would completely forget about the loop after they entered it.
The fewer people who knew about this, the better.
When Tong Yang woke up, it was utterly silent around her.
She opened her eyes. The lights were off in the break room, and the curtains were drawn tight. She moved her stiff neck; her legs felt sore and swollen.
Turning her head to look beside her, she saw Chu Shiyu sleeping soundly with her head on the table. Xu Junyue had pushed two chairs together and was lying on them, his breathing audible now and then.
Hu Shuo and the other two were sleeping directly on the floor, their soft snores drifting over.
Tong Yang put her legs down and took out her phone to check. It was dead, out of battery. She didn't know what time it was.
Not long after, the others also woke up one after another. Looking at the time, it was already 11 AM.
The police brought in the backpacks they had left at Xili Mall and also ordered them some takeout.
Tong Yang, acting as if nothing had happened, borrowed a charger to power up her phone, then started eating on her own.
The others, thinking of the bloody scenes from last night, didn't have much appetite, but they were truly starving. Watching Tong Yang eat heartily, they managed to eat a little too.
"You can leave after you finish eating," a police officer reminded them from the doorway. "Xu Junyue, your father is on a business trip these two days. He asked us to tell you to stay home and don't go anywhere until he gets back."
Xu Junyue nodded listlessly, "Got it."
After the meal, Tong Yang and the group left the Public Security Bureau and went to the hospital where He Jingjing was.
Arriving outside the hospital room, a dejected middle-aged man sat on a chair, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion.
"Uncle He," Tao Bai stepped forward and called out.
This was He Jingjing (Sister)'s father.
Uncle He looked up, forcing a smile. "You've come to see Jingjing? She's not seriously hurt, just emotionally unwell."
Uncle He didn't seem to hold any grudge against them.
"Uncle He, we're sorry."
Uncle He's eyes reddened instantly. He waved his hand, saying, "Jingjing told me. It wasn't your fault."
Tong Yang looked at him for a few seconds and asked, "Uncle, may I ask you something?"
Uncle He nodded, "Go ahead."
Tong Yang said, "Did you and Auntie know about Jingjing's situation?"
Uncle He lowered his eyes. There were some white hairs at his temples. He wiped the moisture from the corner of his eye and said, "How could we not have noticed at all? How could her mother not know how many children she gave birth to?"
"At first, we thought it was fate. After learning she had no biological parents, we took her home as our own child. Later, they looked more and more alike, more and more alike. Apart from their personalities, even their birthmarks were identical. But she wasn't a child her mother gave birth to. How could we not have sensed something?"
Uncle He's voice choked up. "We never thought deeply about her origins. We didn't dare to, and we couldn't bear to. Who would have thought that in the end, she would still..."
Tong Yang stood by the door, looking into the room through the glass.
"I'm sorry for your loss. Please accept our condolences."
Uncle He suddenly looked up at Tong Yang, his tone somewhat urgent, "Do you think Jingjing might still be alive? Could she suddenly appear again one day?"
Tong Yang looked at Uncle He, momentarily at a loss for words.
Under her silence, Uncle He lowered his head dejectedly, murmuring, "If you hadn't gone last night, if only..."
Unfortunately, there are no 'ifs.'
And even if there were, He Jingjing (Sister) would still be hard-pressed to escape death.
They could avoid yesterday, but they could never avoid the future.
Perhaps in the original timeline, He Jingjing (Sister), seeing herself as part of the real world, also led to her "disappearing without a trace" in some unknown place.
Tong Yang raised her hand and knocked on the door. The auntie sitting by the bed got up to open it for them.
"Auntie," Tong Yang nodded to her.
Auntie's eyes were filled with tears, her cheeks wet. She stepped aside to make way. "Come in."
The six of them entered the room. He Jingjing was propped up against the headboard, staring blankly out the window, tears uncontrollably streaming down her cheeks.
"You're here? Where's Jingjing?" He Jingjing turned to look at the group, her expression carrying a hint of confusion.
"Jingjing..." Auntie called out, her voice choked.
Tong Yang walked to the bedside, her expression somewhat somber. "Jingjing can't come."
"Jingjing can't come..."
"How can she not come? We've never been apart since we were little. I'm sick, I'm in the hospital. Why won't she come see me? Is she still blaming me? For not holding onto her back then..."
"She doesn't blame you. She said thank you back then."
"Thank you for growing up with her, thank you for still being alive. We all heard it."
Xu Junyue said, "Jingjing, you know Jingjing better than we do. She's been carrying that burden all along. Do you think she could have lived happily?"
"Though it sounds cruel to say this about her, we've all seen what happens to defenseless children in the parallel world."
Auntie covered her mouth, tears rolling down.
He Jingjing (Sister)'s origins couldn't be changed. She was from a different world from the start.
"Tong Yang, tell me, if we hadn't gone to Xili Mall last night, would Jingjing still be alive?" He Jingjing suddenly looked at Tong Yang, asking distractedly.
Tong Yang said, "I don't know."
"You don't know... Yes, who would know."
"Jingjing, I'm sorry." Hu Shuo lowered his head, speaking sincerely.
He Jingjing shook her head, "Who is really at fault? Perhaps, like Tong Yang said, it's not any one of us."
After leaving the hospital, Tong Yang and Chu Shiyu returned to the place where Yang Lin's parents lived.
They didn't know what had happened, nor did they know the events at Xili Mall were related to them.
"Back? Why didn't you answer your phone?" Yang's mother asked.
Tong Yang said, "Sorry, my phone ran out of battery, I didn't see it."
Chu Shiyu said, "Auntie, my phone was on silent."
"Didn't you say you were going out with friends? How was it? Did you have fun?" Yang's mother smiled gently.
The incident at Xili Mall last night hadn't been exposed by the media yet, and even if they did report it, there wouldn't be photos of the key individuals involved.
"Auntie Yu, where are Tong Le and the others?" Tong Yang didn't answer, glancing into the living room instead.
Yang's mother said, "They went out with Grandma Yu after lunch."
Since summer vacation started, Grandma Yu would occasionally take the two kids out to play.
"Are you two tired? You look so pale. Didn't sleep well? Go rest in Shiyu's room for a while." Yang's mother said with concern.
"Thank you." Tong Yang didn't refuse. The two of them walked silently into Chu Shiyu's room.
"Want to take a shower? I'll get you a set of clean clothes."
"Thank you."
Tong Yang took the clean clothes she found and went into the ensuite bathroom.
After showering, Chu Shiyu went into the bathroom.
Tong Yang sat at the desk, turned on her phone, and opened the social media app.
After that incident, Tong Yang hadn't noticed when her phone died and automatically shut off. After waking up, she also hadn't had time to check the messages in the group chat.
[@Study to Make Money, are you okay?]
[Why did you suddenly hang up? Nothing happened, right?]
[Is He Jingjing(Sister) really dead? Is it possible she just stayed in the parallel world and didn't die?]
[It was the ninth floor! No matter which world she's in, falling from the ninth floor leaves no room for doubt.]
[But the police didn't find He Jingjing(Sister)'s body. It's still an unsolved case.]
[I just want to know what really happened, why did He Jingjing(Sister) fall...]
Study to Make Money: [There's no possibility He Jingjing(Sister) survived.]
[Ah! Sister Tong! You finally replied!]
[Why? Even though we know she's from a parallel world, it still feels quite tragic.]
Study to Make Money: [The reason she was sent to the real world was to lurk among us, waiting for an opportunity, preparing for the future invasion of the real world by the parallel world. But she denied her identity and helped us leave the parallel world.]
If there can only be fifty pieces on the chessboard, for the parallel world, He Jingjing(Sister) was a damaged piece. Only by discarding the broken piece can a new piece be placed on the board.
However, it seems from this that Ye Huai and He Jingjing(Sister)'s situations are different. He isn't one of the fifty pieces, so he didn't die after they returned to reality.
In other words, Ye Huai is crucial to the real world. He can take them in and out of the parallel world actively, without restrictions.
After replying a few lines in the group chat, Tong Yang switched to her contacts and called Ye Huai.
The call rang for half a minute with no answer, then automatically ended.
Tong Yang simply copied his number, searched for his social media account, sent a friend request, and waited for approval.
She wanted to ask Ye Huai if he had any connection with Ye Tianlin from the parallel world.
"Aren't you going to sleep for a bit?" Chu Shiyu asked as she came out after drying her hair, finding Tong Yang sitting at the desk on her phone.
"You sleep first." Tong Yang said.
Lately, when she didn't go back to the dorm, she would squeeze into the same bed with Chu Shiyu. Both were used to it.
"Are you still thinking about Jingjing(Sister)?" Chu Shiyu walked behind her and asked softly.
"No." Tong Yang shook her head.
She had always been a decisive person. Although she did feel regret over He Jingjing(Sister)'s death, she couldn't dwell on that regret.
Her consistent mindset was that rather than mourning the past, it's better to prepare for the future in advance.
However, to others, it might seem like she was a cold and unfeeling person.
But Tong Yang didn't care about that.
Seeing Chu Shiyu standing behind her without leaving, Tong Yang turned to look at her. "What's wrong?"
Chu Shiyu said, "I was thinking, if we hadn't gone to Xili Mall last night, would Jingjing(Sister) still be alive?"
Tong Yang thought for a moment and said, "He Jingjing(Sister) isn't from the real world. If not for last night's experience, she might have died directly by my hand."
At the hospital, when He Jingjing asked her this question, Tong Yang had only said she didn't know.
If they hadn't been trapped between the two worlds last night, the moment she recognized He Jingjing(Sister), she would have killed her outright.
It was precisely because of last night's experience that the one who killed He Jingjing(Sister) became the parallel world.
"...You're right." Chu Shiyu nodded, seeming somewhat convinced.
Regardless of He Jingjing(Sister)'s original intentions, good or bad, her existence would always pose a threat to the real world. Even if she herself was unwilling, once a certain nerve in her brain was pulled, she could become an order enforcer who only follows commands.
"Don't overthink it. Sleep."
"You too." Chu Shiyu turned and buried herself in the bed.
She didn't know how the others were doing now. That scatterbrain Xu Junyue had already started sending her messages complaining about her dad.
Xu Junyue: [Our old Xu says he's going to treat me to 'bamboo shoots fried with pork' when I get back. Can I lie low at your place?]
Study to Make Money: [No.]
Not giving Xu Junyue a chance for a long rant, Tong Yang set her phone to silent and fell asleep.
Perhaps because she expended too much energy last night, Tong Yang felt like she hadn't slept so soundly in a long time. She didn't wake up until it was completely dark outside.
At that time, Chu Shiyu was still fast asleep.
By the light from outside the window, Tong Yang sat up. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a note on the nightstand with two goldfish pendants beside it.
Tong Yang picked up the note. It read: Sister, these are gifts for you and Sister Shiyu! We're going out. Remember to eat when you wake up!
Next to it was a smiling face with curved eyes.
Looking at the familiar handwriting, Tong Yang felt both exasperated and amused. Without disturbing Chu Shiyu, she quietly left the room.
It was already 8 PM. The sky was completely dark, and there was no one at home. They had probably gone out to the park after dinner.
Yang's mother didn't know when they would wake up, so she had sent a text before going out, telling them to order takeout or make something themselves after waking up.
Tong Yang replied, "We know," then went into the kitchen. Seeing tomatoes and eggs in the fridge, she put a pot of water on to boil.
While waiting for the water to boil, she checked the social media app and saw that Ye Huai had accepted the friend request she sent in the afternoon.
Ye Huai: [Tong Yang?]
Ye Huai: [What's up?]
Tong Yang checked the time: 6:31 PM.
Study to Make Money: [Got a few things.]
The pot started bubbling. Tong Yang put down her phone, first went to check on Chu Shiyu in the room—still asleep—then returned to the kitchen and cooked a portion just for herself, planning to cook for Chu Shiyu when she woke up.
After she finished cooking the noodles, fried an egg, and returned to the dining room, she picked up her phone. Ye Huai had already replied a few minutes ago.
Ye Huai: [What is it?]
Studying is for Making Money: [Are you free for a video call?]
Ye Huai: [Okay, please wait a moment.]
Studying is for Making Money: [Alright.]
Tong Yang propped her phone against a tissue box, positioning it to face her on the table, then began eating her dinner.
In less than two minutes, Ye Huai's video call came through.
Tong Yang answered. The steaming noodles in her bowl fogged up the screen slightly, and she had to squint to see clearly.
Ye Huai was sitting at his desk, his complexion as pale as ever, his expression faint. He asked, "What is it?"
Tong Yang swallowed her food and said, "After that incident, has the Ye Tianlin from the parallel world contacted you?"
Ye Huai shook his head, the light spilling onto his soft hair fragmenting a little with the movement. "No, I haven't seen him since that day."
Tong Yang said, "I'm now certain that you are from the parallel world."
He lowered his eyelids, leaned back in his chair, and covered his mouth with a light cough. "Is that so? When do you plan to come and kill me?"
"I'm not going to kill you."
"Why not?"
"You're still useful."
"Does the incident at Xili Mall early this morning have anything to do with you?" Ye Huai asked.
"How do you know about that?" Tong Yang paused, surprised. The media hadn't exposed their involvement yet.
"I know the owner of that shop."
"I see. Yes, it's related to me. Why do you ask?"
Ye Huai asked, "What about the missing person?"
"Dead."
"Was she from the parallel world? So the police couldn't find her body?"
Tong Yang narrowed her eyes. This guy was as sharp as ever. "Mhm."
"Are you able to go out recently?" Tong Yang asked. She had heard he had been staying at a sanatorium ever since.
"I can."
"In a couple of days, Police Officer Lin will arrange a meeting for me with people from Department 749. You should come too."
Ye Huai gave a slight nod. "Alright."
After a pause, he asked again, "Does it involve me?"
"Yes."
Although it involved him, Tong Yang could only share her conjectures with them. Whether a consensus could be reached in the end was unclear to her.
Tong Yang said, "I'll inform Department 749 of your identity then. If you have any concerns, you can raise them now so we can discuss it."
"It's fine. If it's related to the parallel world, I'll cooperate with you as much as I can."
"Okay then. I'll contact you in advance." Tong Yang took a bite of the golden fried egg. "Aunt Bai mentioned your family went bankrupt?"
Ye Huai replied, "Mhm. Once my health improves a bit, I'll find a way to pay you your fee."
"Fine, handle it as you see fit. I'm not short on money for now. That's all I wanted to say. I'm hanging up."
"Okay, goodbye."
After hanging up, Tong Yang drank the last of her noodle soup. As she returned to the kitchen to clean up, Chu Shiyu walked out of her room rubbing her eyes.
"Who were you talking to just now?" Chu Shiyu asked, peeking into the kitchen.
"Ye Huai." Tong Yang started boiling another pot of water. "Want some tomato and egg noodles?"
Chu Shiyu nodded. "Sure."
"Ye Huai... he's the eldest son of the White Horse Group chairman, right? The one that caused such a stir last month? Why are you contacting him?" Chu Shiyu asked casually.
"He's useful to us."
"Oh."
Not long after they finished their noodles, Tong Le and the others returned home.
Seeing the living room light on, Tong Le changed into slippers and came running over, calling out, "Sis!"
Tong Yang came out of the kitchen after washing her hands and almost bumped into him.
"Slow down."
"Sis..." Tong Le looked up with a grin, but his voice faltered when he saw the bandage on her arm.
"You're hurt?" Tong Le furrowed his brows. "How did you get hurt again? Did it bleed? We were only apart for one day, and you got hurt?"
"It's nothing. It didn't bleed."
"You're lying! That many layers of bandage definitely means it bled!" Tong Le glared at her indignantly. "Didn't you promise me you'd protect yourself?"
Tong Yang pinched his cheek. "If I say it's nothing, then it's nothing. If you keep nagging, I'll go back to school."
Tong Le looked at her with a resentful gaze. "Does it hurt?"
"No."
"You mustn't get hurt again, or I'll really get angry."
"Alright, I get it."
Tong Yang nudged him out of the way and greeted Dad Yang and Yang's mother.
Yang's mother smiled. "Lele is worried about his sister."
Tong Yang smiled back. "He just fusses over nothing."
"I do not!"
For the next two days, Tong Yang didn't return to school, waiting instead for Police Officer Lin's call.
During this time, she heard from Xu Junyue that He Jingjing had been discharged from the hospital. Her family had taken her abroad for a change of scenery. It was uncertain when she'd return; she might take a year off from school.
The others were affected to varying degrees, but life had to go on. They just hoped not to encounter anything similar again and didn't want to be dragged into such matters.
Afterwards, Tao Bai got her contact information from Xu Junyue. They exchanged a few words—nothing substantial, just saying they could get together sometime if they were free.
The Xili Mall incident wasn't directly exposed by the media, but many rumors circulated online. For now, they weren't dragged into it.
On the evening of the third day, after dinner, Tong Yang and Chu Shiyu took the two kids out for a walk.
They reached a nearby park, bought them each a glowing balloon, and as they passed a patch of grass, suddenly heard a meow from within.
"A cat?" Yang Lin exclaimed happily.
"I heard it too!" Tong Le bent down and imitated a cat's meow. A dark shadow suddenly darted out from the grass and ran straight towards him.
"A little black cat?" Tong Le squatted down and reached out his hand.
The little black cat didn't seem afraid. It walked up to him and affectionately rubbed its head against his fingers.
Yang Lin said, "Lele, it seems to really like you."
Tong Le squatted on the ground, the light from the glowing balloon reflecting on his profile as he scratched the little black cat under its chin.
"No collar? It's a stray," Chu Shiyu observed.
"How sad."
"Can we adopt it?"
"We have to ask your aunt and uncle if they agree."
Watching this scene, Tong Yang suddenly spaced out, feeling a sense of déjà vu.
She moved closer and noticed a tuft of white fur on the little black cat's left ear. She had seen this same little black cat by the roadside the night she left the Shuangbai District Public Security Bureau.
At the time, there was also a boy in a baseball cap nearby.
Tong Yang frowned, feeling that something was off.
It takes over an hour by subway to get from Shuangbai District to here. How could a little stray come all this way alone?
Wasn't that boy its owner?!
