The ship sailed slowly across the sea, ripples spreading out in circles.
Tong Yang stood on the deck and dialed the phone.
The ringtone sounded for several seconds before the call was finally answered.
"Sister, where are you? Why aren't you answering your phone? Are you okay?" Tong Le's anxious voice came through the receiver.
Tong Yang said, "I'm abroad, just finished work. I'm fine."
Tong Le breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "Sister Shiyu is injured. I thought you might be in danger too."
"I'm fine. How badly is she hurt?"
"The doctor said it's not serious. She'll recover with about half a month of rest."
"That's good. And you? What are you doing?"
Tong Le said, "The teacher took us to visit the Science and Technology Museum today."
"Are you still outside?"
"Yeah... I sneaked away to answer the phone."
Tong Yang said, "Don't get separated from the teacher. I'm hanging up now."
"Sister! When... when are you coming back?"
"Not sure. I won't be back for a while. Don't worry, I'll contact you when I have time."
"Wait, don't hang up yet..." Tong Le mumbled.
"Is there something else?" Tong Yang, less sensitive than Tong Le, thought he had another matter.
Tong Le thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and said, "Sister, do you know your final exam results?"
Tong Yang paused. Final exam results? They should have been out long ago; she had been too busy and forgotten, rarely even opening her social media apps.
"I don't know. I'll check in a bit."
"I... I know! You can just ask me!" Tong Le, thinking she was about to hang up, said in a fluster.
Tong Yang asked, "What are they?"
"First place in the 2024 Physics School! Sister Shiyu is in the twenties!"
The Physics and Astronomy departments were in the same school, with rankings divided by school and major.
Tong Yang nodded. "A bit better than I imagined."
"Of course! Sister is the most amazing person in the world, always number one!"
"And you? What place did you get in the start-of-term exam?"
"I'm also first!"
"Not bad. Is there anything you want? I'll buy it and ship it to you."
Tong Le's voice trailed off as he muttered, "I want to see you."
"In a while."
"Sister, I know you're very busy, but you must come back for your eighteenth birthday, okay?" Tong Le urged.
Tong Yang smiled. "I'll try my best."
"No, you have to come back. I couldn't be with you for your birthday last year."
"Alright, I know. I'll set aside the time in advance."
There was a long silence on the phone before Tong Le said reluctantly, "Are you going to be busy again?"
"Yeah. I'll contact you again."
Tong Le gave an "mm-hmm." "Then you must take good care of yourself. Yang Lin, Sister Shiyu, Dad Yang, Yang's mother, Grandma Yu, and I will all miss you very much."
"Okay, I know. Take care of yourself."
"Sister, you too!"
"Mm."
With that, Tong Yang hung up the phone.
Her position had become compromised; she probably couldn't return in the short term.
Although Wu Pingxue had told her that to make the magnetic field energy disappear, she must go to the First World, his own understanding of the First World was limited. Going there rashly would be suicidal. So, she still needed to grow, gather useful information, and make thorough preparations before going.
During this time, Tong Yang would stay abroad alone.
The sea breeze on the deck was cold. Tong Yang opened her social media app, which she hadn't entered for a very long time.
There were many messages in the list, including greetings from some people she didn't know.
Tong Yang skimmed through the messages and saw the "Netizen Gossip 007" group chat.
They had sent quite a few messages these days, asking about Tong Yang's whereabouts, though from their perspective, it probably hadn't been long.
Studying Is for Making Money: 【Just finished work.】
Studying Is for Making Money: 【What's the time over there?】
【Ahhh! My Sister Tong, you're finally here!】
【Haven't seen you bubble up for days, scared us to death】
【So bored lately ahhhhh】
【December 5th, 2026】
【What about over there?】
Studying Is for Making Money: 【Mid-February 2025】
【No way... a whole two months ahead?】
【How does this work? Sister Tong, you won't catch up to us by 2027, will you?】
Studying Is for Making Money: 【Possibly】
【What about the parallel world?】
【Any progress?】
【No news at all lately, calm as can be】
【Oh right, what was that about a traitor Police Officer Lin mentioned from 2026?】
【Sister Tong, I believe you, but I'm curious】
Studying Is for Making Money: 【Got framed by them while dealing with the black market. They said I was working for the parallel world.】
【???】
【Holy crap!】
【Handled already? That fast?】
【The process must have been interesting, such a shame we didn't see it】
【That's good, that's good. If Sister Tong really were a traitor, what would our real world even do】
Studying Is for Making Money: 【We've already found a way to resolve the parallel world issue.】
【What what?】
【All ears】
【Feels like our usefulness has gotten so low, we were quite helpful before】
Studying Is for Making Money: 【Make the magnetic field energy in all three worlds disappear.】
【Magnetic field energy? The thing mentioned before?】
【How do we do that?】
【Isn't that stuff super useful? Can't we just utilize it?】
【Yeah, harness the magnetic field energy, then what's there to fear from them】
Studying Is for Making Money: 【It's not that simple. The parallel world became what it is today precisely because they also developed the magnetic field energy.】
【I think I get it a little】
【The First World and the parallel world used magnetic field energy to fight each other, turning into the mess they are now. The real world wants to avoid that, so it's taking a different path, making the magnetic field energy disappear?】
Studying Is for Making Money: 【Yes. If the magnetic field energy disappears, everything it supports will fail, and the three worlds will return to their respective places.】
【Then how do we do it? Can we help?】
【Give us some sense of involvement! Sister Tong is out there soloing everything, we're just here cheering? We're just gossip spectators all day】
【There's basically nothing for us to do, it's a treat if we occasionally get to join the fun】
【Speaking of which, Sister Tong hasn't even asked lately if anything strange is happening anywhere】
Studying Is for Making Money: 【Might need your help, but not now.】
【Wow!!! Looking forward to it!!】
【Wonder if we'll meet strange people】
【We'll definitely do whatever we can!】
Tong Yang replied once more and ended the chat.
The sound of a wheelchair rolling came from behind. Tong Yang turned around to see Ye Huai had come out onto the deck alone.
"What are you doing out here? It's windy," Tong Yang said.
"You were out for a long time, so I came to check. The cabin air isn't great anyway, good to get some fresh air."
A blanket was draped over Ye Huai's knees, his face still pale.
"Your body probably can't handle even a minor cold."
"Just for a little while, it's fine."
Tong Yang glanced at him, said nothing more, and looked out at the boundless sea.
Ye Huai lifted his head, his bangs ruffled by the wind, and asked, "Are you still thinking about what Dr. Wu said yesterday?"
"Mm." Tong Yang lowered her gaze, her expression complicated. "According to his explanation, time anchors can only be set from one world to the next by the previous world. Why didn't it land on me the first time, but did the second time?"
In the original timeline, she wasn't the anchor. The 2036 Tong Le somehow made the anchor land on her. But, the 2036 Tong Le is still from the real world, so why could he manipulate the anchor of a parallel world?
Ye Huai said, "There are also time travelers in the parallel worlds. Could it be him?"
Tong Yang shook her head. The parallel world Tong Le was already dead. The time traveler from the first world had returned to over a hundred years ago. The 2036 Tong Le was undoubtedly from twelve years after the timeline of the real world where she died.
"The time traveler from the real world is the 2036 Tong Le."
Ye Huai looked slightly stunned. "What?"
Tong Yang said, "There are two timelines in the real world. One is the timeline after my death on May 28th, 2024; the other is the timeline where I survived May 28th, 2024."
Ye Huai pressed his lips together and glanced back.
"Don't worry, no one can hear our conversation."
Ye Huai asked, "Was it him who saved you?"
"Mm, the time dislocation was also his doing."
"You've met him?"
"I have."
"Can't you just ask him directly?"
Tong Yang fell into thought. "He said his timeline is different from ours. Once he interferes with matters on this timeline, we cannot form a closed loop."
Tong Yang sighed. "How he made the time anchor land on me is no longer important. There's one point I can't figure out. He comes from 2036, but not our future 2036, so that creates two different closed loops. However, the people from the time dislocation in 2026 are on the same timeline as me, and the events of 2026 will change due to my actions. This means that the original 2026 after my death and my current situation are still on the same timeline, only the events and memories have changed. So why is the 2036 Tong Le not on the same timeline as me?"
Ye Huai's expression turned serious. "Is it possible that, apart from him, there is only one timeline in the real world? But he entered time travel, detached from the original timeline, and thus extended a new timeline that belongs only to him? A timeline where he is the only one?"
Tong Yang looked up, startled. It wasn't that a new timeline formed around the 2036 Tong Le, but that Tong Le alone in 2036 detached from the timeline and entered time travel?
"If the magnetic field energy disappears, the time loops and everything born from it will vanish. Then what about the 2036 Tong Le?" Tong Yang murmured.
Ye Huai said, "The real world can only have one timeline, and only one Tong Le."
Tong Yang's breath hitched slightly. No wonder when she asked the 2036 Tong Le what he should do once the closed loop formed, he just looked lightly at the 2024 Tong Le and said, 'Am I not right there?'
Ye Huai glanced at her expression and continued, "After the magnetic field energy disappears, his solitary timeline will also vanish. He can't return to 2036."
"Then will he disappear too?"
Ye Huai said, "He is not a product of the magnetic field energy, so he won't disappear, but he probably cannot exist either."
Ye Huai thought for a moment. "To explain it with physics logic, he still exists in the real world, but we and he are not in the same dimension."
"We and he are not in the same dimension... meaning, we just can't see him, but he might still be able to see us?"
Ye Huai sighed. "You should understand physics logic better than I do."
Tong Yang silently watched the sea surface. After a few seconds, she said, "It's not that we can't see him at all. There will always be moments when we catch a glimpse of his shadow, or a tiny trace."
"He and the current Tong Le will become two completely separate people."
Tong Yang tightened her grip on her phone. "To me, from the moment he appeared, he and Tong Le were already two different people."
It's just that whether it's the Tong Le from the current timeline or the 2036 Tong Le, to Tong Yang, they are both people she is familiar with.
No matter how time changes, no matter how tall or clever he becomes, in front of Tong Yang, he is still the same as when he was little.
Tong Yang didn't need comfort or advice. She knew what she wanted to do and what she should do.
Ye Huai gazed into the distance, watching the churning sea with her.
"It's getting cold. Let's go back."
Tong Yang said, "You go in first. Have some hot water."
"Okay." Ye Huai lowered his eyelashes and handed her the blanket on his knees. "Don't stay out too long."
"Mm."
Ye Huai went back into the cabin. Tong Yang draped the blanket over her shoulders, opened her phone, entered the social app, and scrolled to the person with the pink flower avatar.
She suddenly remembered the day after the college entrance exam, when Tong Le said he would buy her lots of flowers in the future.
Tong Yang dialed the video call.
A moment later, the person on the other end switched the video call to voice.
"Sister..." The voice of the adult Tong Le sounded.
Tong Yang asked, "Why didn't you answer the video?"
The 2036 Tong Le's voice was low. "I can't take a video call right now."
"Oh, then I'll hang up. You go ahead with your work."
"No! That's not it..." The 2036 Tong Le stopped her. "I can't do video, but voice is fine."
"Where are you?" Tong Yang asked.
"Me? I'm in the country."
"Tell me the truth."
The 2036 Tong Le chuckled. "Sister, you're so clever. I'm in the coastal area of the US."
"Name."
"Port Lier."
Port Lier? That's the port near Hack Island.
Tong Yang leaned over, resting against the ship's railing. "You know I'm on Hack Island?"
The 2036 Tong Le said guiltily, "Mm... I've always known your location."
Tong Yang frowned slightly. "You've been following me?"
"Yeah..."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I didn't want to disturb you."
The 2036 Tong Le said, "Are you finished there? When are you coming back? I found a super delicious restaurant in Port Lier. Will you treat me?"
Tong Yang pressed her lips together. "Why don't you treat me?"
The 2036 Tong Le sounded a bit embarrassed. "I don't have extra money. This place seems pretty expensive."
Tong Yang's tone was meaningful. "Do you know someone else here? Who? Did you eat with them?"
"N-no, not at all."
"Then how do you know that restaurant is delicious and expensive?"
The 2036 Tong Le paused for a moment, then muttered, "I just know, that's all."
Tong Yang lowered her gaze, looking at the sparkling sea surface. Waves piled up layer upon layer, the damp, salty sea breeze brushing against her face.
The 2036 Tong Le had met someone in Port Lier. Who could it be? Could it be related to time travel?
"I'm going to ask you something. Answer me honestly," Tong Yang said.
2036 Tong Le paused for a moment and said, "If it's something I can answer, I will definitely tell you."
Tong Yang thought for a moment. He wouldn't tell her about things related to parallel worlds anyway, so she might as well ask something else.
"On your closed time loop, is it just you alone?"
Though it was a question, there was no hint of interrogation in her tone.
2036 Tong Le's voice grew heavier, "Yes, just me."
"My time loop with 2026 is complete, and the magnetic field energy has vanished. What about you?"
2036 Tong Le said, "I will stay here."
Tong Yang pressed her lips together, not responding immediately.
"Sister, don't worry. I won't affect the Tong Le here. He is me. We both want to stay by your side."
Tong Yang was silent for a beat. "As long as you're willing."
2036 Tong Le chuckled, "Sister, of course I'm willing. You surviving, me getting to see you again... nothing is more important than that."
"The current Tong Le must feel the same way I do. We both love you very much."
"Cheesy," Tong Yang said.
"Sister, this is just a normal expression of affection!"
Tong Yang smiled, "We probably have about two hours until we reach the port."
"Okay! I'll head over to wait for you right now!"
"Mm."
The voice call ended. Tong Yang put her phone away and gazed quietly at the distant sky. A whale let out an ethereal cry, leaped from the water, its agile body splashing up spray.
After standing still for a moment, she walked into the ship's cabin.
Everyone else was resting. Tong Yang went straight to Wu Pingxue's room.
Pushing the door open, she found Wu Pingxue serenely brewing tea.
"Thirsty?" Wu Pingxue glanced up at her.
Tong Yang asked, "Besides making the magnetic field energy disappear, are there any other solutions?"
Wu Pingxue looked surprised. "You're hesitating? Tong Yang, that doesn't seem like you."
"Cut the nonsense. Is there one or not?"
Wu Pingxue laughed softly. "I thought after working together for so long, your attitude towards me would have improved a bit."
"You're always leading people around by the nose. My attitude towards insincere people like you has always been this way."
Wu Pingxue chuckled and scolded, "You little fox, trying to wheedle information out of me in a roundabout way."
"So, is there one or not?"
Wu Pingxue lifted her chin. "Sit down first. Have some tea with me."
Tong Yang sat down opposite the tea table. Wu Pingxue's tea brewing process was elaborate, with many steps whose purposes were unclear.
Finally, she poured the tea into a ceramic cup and pushed it towards Tong Yang.
"Try it."
Tong Yang took a polite sip. "It's okay."
"Philistine. This single tea cake is worth an apartment in the capital."
"Really?" Tong Yang feigned surprise. "Give me one."
"Give it to you?" Wu Pingxue looked at her sideways. "For you to ruin? That would be a waste of a treasure."
"I'll give it to someone."
"I've never seen you give me anything?"
"Parallel world beings don't even count as people in my eyes."
Wu Pingxue looked somewhat speechless and steered the conversation back to the topic Tong Yang had started.
"Making the magnetic field energy disappear is, for now, the only permanent solution. Otherwise, even if you can resist temporarily, they have all the time in the world to make a comeback."
Wu Pingxue took a sip of tea and continued, "Whether it's the parallel world or the First World, the dependence on magnetic field energy is too great. Once it disappears, you and I won't need to do anything more; the social structure will naturally break apart and reorganize."
What Wu Pingxue said made sense. Eliminating the magnetic field energy was a foolproof solution. There was no need to hesitate.
"Do you have some concern?" Wu Pingxue asked.
Tong Yang hesitated for a moment but said nothing.
Ye Huai was right. It's impossible for two Tong Les to exist simultaneously in one real world.
"It's nothing," Tong Yang said.
Wu Pingxue sighed. "You young people are certainly clever, but perhaps too clever. You don't understand the principle that the moon waxes only to wane, and water fills only to overflow. Sometimes, being a little foolish is better for everyone."
Tong Yang looked at her suspiciously, feeling inexplicably that she was making a veiled jab at her.
"When do you plan to send me to the First World?"
"Not for a long time yet. Before that, you have other tasks."
Tong Yang was displeased. "Why so many tasks? Can't someone else do them?"
"Gaining experience for going to the First World is essential."
Tong Yang asked, "What do I need to do?"
"I'll have the anchor point in the parallel world send you the coordinates of all outsiders mingling in the real world. During this period, clean them up."
Tong Yang said in surprise, "Yan Qing knows how to obtain the coordinates now?"
Wu Pingxue said, "I know how to use her to obtain the coordinates."
Tong Yang narrowed her eyes. "You've known all along."
Wu Pingxue said without changing her expression, "Didn't I say? Revealing all the secrets too early makes it easy to lose your value and get discarded."
"Since I have a way to mask your coordinates and create virtual ones, naturally I have a way to obtain the coordinates of outsiders whose energy differs from that of real-world humans."
Tong Yang cursed inwardly and said, "I have a condition."
"Money? I know, transferred to you on the first of every month."
"No. Try not to involve Chu Shiyu and the others in what comes next, including Ye Huai. At the very least, they can't be put in danger."
Wu Pingxue said with a troubled look, "They are all rare talents. Properly polished, they would undoubtedly become fine jade. I can promise you I will never force them. Beyond that, as long as they are willing to help, I think it's better to make reasonable use of them. After all, not many people in the real world know about these matters, and you are friends who trust each other. They would be great helpers in the First World."
Tong Yang pressed her lips together. "Fine, then. Later, help me give that tea cake to Ye Huai."
"Borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha?"
"Mm. I'm leaving now."
Two hours later, the ship docked.
Everyone disembarked one after another. Tong Yang looked at Ye Huai and Xu Junyue and said, "I have something to do, so I won't be going back with you."
Xu Junyue asked curiously, "What are you going to do?"
Ye Huai simply nodded slightly. "Alright."
Xu Junyue, her uninjured arm slung over Tong Yang's shoulder, asked, "Are you going on a solo date with that guy over there?"
Tong Yang followed her gaze. A young man wearing a baseball cap and a mask was glancing in their direction from time to time.
"Mm, I'm leaving now."
Ye Huai said, "Be careful. Let's stay in touch."
Tong Yang paused, then re-draped the blanket over his shoulders. "I'm not returning to the country. Once you've rested and recovered, you should head back."
"Alright."
"I'm off."
"Mm."
After saying goodbye to them, Tong Yang, her backpack filled with her belongings, walked up to the young man.
"Let's go."
The young man straightened up, his eyes curving into a smile. "Yeah!"
The two turned and left the port, their figures gradually disappearing into the crowd.
"Sister, are you injured?" 2036 Tong Le asked.
Tong Yang said, "Minor injuries."
"Where?"
"On my back. It's nothing serious."
2036 Tong Le lowered his head dejectedly. "If only I were a bit older than you, then these things could be done by the current me. I would definitely protect you very well."
Tong Yang looked at him and said, "It's good that you're younger than me. You're obedient."
2036 Tong Le said with a serious expression, "Even if I'm older than you, I'll definitely be obedient."
Tong Yang looked him up and down. "How long has it been since you bought new clothes?"
2036 Tong Le was stunned for a few seconds, then laughed. "I'm holed up in the lab all day. I don't really buy clothes."
"Sister, are you going to buy some for me?"
Tong Yang pulled off his hat and mask, saying, "Mm, and get a haircut while we're at it. Shave that beard off."
2036 Tong Le suddenly covered his mouth, his ears burning red. "I-I tidied up properly before coming! I'm not sloppy!"
Tong Yang said with distaste, "You didn't even shave the stubble clean."
"And that messy hair, I don't even want to comment. Go get it shaved off right now."
"Oh, shave it all off?"
"How about a proper hairstyle?"
"Then I want a handsome one."
"How handsome do you want to be?"
"Just a bit more handsome than that guy in the wheelchair."
"You're not worse-looking than him."
"...I want to be more handsome than him."
"Haircut first."
"Okay!"
They walked into a barbershop, and Tong Yang also planned to get a proper trim.
Her hair was long, so it took longer to wash.
After 2036 Tong Le finished washing his hair, he received a phone call.
Seeing the caller ID, his expression became more solemn.
He answered the call and said, "Master."
"Mm, I'm with my sister."
"Thank you, Master. I'll find a chance to visit you alone."!
