Cloudy sky turned partly cloudy
“…. Are you serious?”
“How could Sa Jia deceive you?!”
The tone sounded extremely sincere, leaving Qiao Yu’s mind in a jumble after being hit with this explosive news. She was momentarily unable to react, and the dark shadow, thinking she didn’t believe it, became agitated, gesturing wildly.
“After I finished writing twenty chapters, I somehow woke up in a strange, dilapidated world—”
“Wait, wait.” Qiao Yu, feeling lost in the conversation, interrupted her and asked, “I remember my system saying you were dead…?”
“I am alive and well!”
The dark shadow suddenly became angry, the intensity palpable even without seeing her expression.
“It’s all the fault of those systems! I was living peacefully until a new system mistook Sa Jia as its chosen host, forcibly took me away, and bound me to an apocalyptic world!”
“…”
“By the time it realized its mistake, it was too late. I had already left the original world and couldn’t return, so I had to go along with it, following its guidance to clear the mission—oh, it was incredibly dangerous!”
“…Oh my.”
Qiao Yu listened blankly as she explained with a fluctuating tone, grasping the general understanding of the situation.
In simple terms, the original author was unfortunate enough to be mistaken by a system and taken to a doomsday world. Unable to return, she was left with the task of “resolving the doomsday state to allow the world to continue” and struggled there in hopes of completing the mission and going home.
This led to the forced hiatus of her novel—after all, surviving in an apocalyptic world was already challenging, let alone expecting her to write.
The system responsible for this mess now had to decide how to compensate for its error. The means of compensation seemed to be something the dark shadow had just heard about from Qiao Yu.
As Qiao Yu carefully recalled, she realized her system had indeed never stated that the original author had passed away, only that there was an “accident.” She had initially thought it was a subtle way of putting it, but in reality, it was just an internal work mistake that led to an accident!
“…Huh? So, am I just a hapless bystander caught up in fixing the system’s mistake for you?”
“It seems so, Sa Jia must offer you an apology first.”
Qiao Yu’s temples throbbed, feeling her blood pressure rise, but she couldn’t lash out at the equally victimized and seemingly unluckier original author. She quickly stopped her from trying to apologize.
“No, if anyone should apologize, it should be me to you…”
At this moment, Qiao Yu finally felt embarrassed, with a thin layer of sweat on her forehead.
She had just realized that she had rambled on in front of the original author, making a mess of continuing her novel. Not only did she snag the female lead away, but she even changed the character’s orientation!
(Originally translated on littlepandatranslations.com, let's go!)
Being an author herself, Qiao Yu knew this was extremely rude behavior. She lowered her head nervously.
“Your, your novel being written by me so haphazardly, I am truly very sorry…”
“What nonsense are you talking, little sister?!”
Unexpectedly, the other party cut Qiao Yu off with a sharp tone, devoid of anger but rather… excitement?
“Just now, I heard you say you and Lin Qing have already agreed to spend your lives together?”
Approaching Qiao Yu, she spoke with a sense of urgency, making Qiao Yu unsure of her intentions. Steeling herself, Qiao Yu nodded, a determined look on her face, mentally prepared to stand by her feelings for Lin Qing no matter what was said.
“Could you… perhaps elaborate further?”
For some reason, the other person lowered their voice, their dark face expressionless, yet there was a sense of suppressed emotion lingering.
“The more detailed, the better! Don’t be shy, go ahead and tell me everything!”
Seeing Qiao Yu’s bewildered expression as she glanced over, the dark shadow suspiciously quivered and grinned innocently.
How can I put it…that laughter sounded really… mesmerizing.
In Lin Qing’s ordinary life, there were times when unusual ripples would occur.
Since the day when Cong Ye mentioned a name that didn’t exist in her memory, similar events began happening from time to time.
For example, during a study session with a few others, after she explained a problem to Lu Yao, the boy suddenly nodded in realization, gratefully smiling at her with a cheerful tone.
‘Lin Qing is so talented! With a great little teacher like you, it’s no wonder Qiao Yu’s grades improved so quickly before!’
‘…Huh?’
Before Lin Qing could react from her state of confusion, Lu Yao casually shifted his attention back to the question as if nothing happened. No matter how much she asked him later, she could only get a blank face in response: ‘Did I say something?’
Another example, during a conversation with Mi Yi, her thoughts were all over the place, the topics jumping sporadically. One moment they were discussing the cafeteria’s salty lunch, and the next moment, Mi Yi focused on Lin Qing’s right ear, pointing to her own right earlobe questioningly.
‘Are you planning to pierce your right ear too? I mean, you should have just let Qiao Yu pierce both sides before.’
‘…?’
This time, without Lin Qing mentioning it, Mi Yi felt something strange herself and furrowed her brows in confusion.
‘Did I say something strange just now? Why does it feel like I can’t quite remember what I said…’
Lin Qing silently shook her head, starting to adapt to this peculiar situation.
In the dark corners of her mind, a brief glimmer of light appeared, but the elusive impression that was there yet unreachable made Lin Qing gradually feel restless.
Teetering on the edge, as if something was trying to manifest its existence there but was repeatedly suppressed by an unspoken rule, she couldn’t break free.
Lin Qing fell into a state of unarticulated confusion, with nameless worries stuck in her throat, unable to confide in anyone because she knew others were completely unaware.
Despite hearing that name more and more from different people – her mom, President Cong, friends, even her homeroom teacher – everyone would casually mention that person, then forget what they said in the next moment, as if rewinding back to that instant.
Only Lin Qing, only she knew and remembered what they said.
She started to understand that there was once a person, someone who had truly existed in this world, leaving traces behind, but now seemed to be completely erased as if covered over with correction fluid.
But the fact of this person’s existence gradually took root in her mind, like a seed that had unknowingly sprouted roots and could never return to being just a seed. Her yearning and confusion grew stronger, and amidst the layers of strangeness, Lin Qing only grasped one thing.
This world seemed to be trying in every possible way to reveal something to her.
“Kou Jie, Kou Jie! Little sister and Lin Qing are truly a match made in heaven, a match made in heaven!”
“…Your laugh sounds so strange.”
Although Qiao Yu knew she should be critiquing something else right now, she was already caught in confusion, sitting stiffly beside the dark shadow as it patted her thigh. “Um, aren’t you angry?”
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Unable to hold back, Qiao Yu cautiously asked, to which the other party responded with a puzzled tone.
“Why? Do you think I’m blaming you for stealing Cong Ye’s wife?”
“…Quite close.”
You explained it in such a simple and understandable way, Qiao Yu reluctantly responded, but the dark shadow shook its head even more vigorously, making ‘tut tut’ sounds with its mouth.
“It’s not like you robbed the wife! Why would Sa Jia be mad about that!”
Wow, this person is really easygoing.
Qiao Yu was at a loss for words, not sure how to respond to this.
“Sa Jia didn’t have any impression of that, but listening to what you just said, it reminds me – that system brat did indeed inquire about the setting of that book from me.”
“At the time, it only mentioned wanting to write a report to hand in, I found it troublesome, so I let it search in my memory on its own. Now it seems, the world it constructed really isn’t bad, Kou Jie, Kou Jie!”
Laughing as if they were a villain.
But their behavior was actually quite friendly, not only not blaming Qiao Yu for unauthorized writing in her story, but also praising their relationship with Lin Qing.
“Sister, don’t worry! This matter has nothing to do with you, it’s all because of my system’s fault!”
“And besides, you and Lin Qing are really a perfect match! Don’t burden yourself with everything, in the world constructed by Sa Jia’s memory, everything that happens should be logical. You didn’t use any trickery or threats, so winning Lin Qing’s heart can only mean that you are more suited to her than Cong Ye, it’s only natural, it’s only natural!”
Unexpectedly receiving such strong support from the original author, Qiao Yu was shocked by the outrageous turn of events before her. Listening to the dark shadow’s “click-click, Kou Jie, Kou Jie” laughter, she blinked blankly, feeling confused. She couldn’t help but notice that some of this person’s actions were quite similar to those of the troublemakers in her class.
“However, the current situation doesn’t seem optimistic.”
The mood of the dark shadow fluctuated quickly, returning to calmness soon.
“Earlier, I heard sister say that this is where the exiled hosts reside?”
“That seems suspicious – Sa Jia have not fallen to the point of being exiled, nor have I even heard of such a term.”
“Could it be that the system brat deceived me? Unbelievable!”
Growing angry again, she seemed to be rolling up her sleeves, preparing to confront someone.
But Qiao Yu also felt that her current situation was not quite like the typical exiled condition, so she carefully explained the differences between what she observed and the “correctly exiled situations” to the dark shadow, who listened attentively, deep in thought.
“Let me not hide it from you, Sa Jia have been feeling extremely tired since earlier. I just don’t know what the consequences would be if I fell asleep, so I kept pushing through.”
“After all, Sa Jia fell asleep in an old, abandoned car in that other world, and when I opened my eyes, I was here. Oh, how I long for a bed!”
Listening to the harrowing description of her life environment on the other side, hearing the heartfelt wailing of the dark shadow, Qiao Yu felt genuine sympathy towards her.
“But listening to sister’s words, I have a bold guess.”
“If Sa Jia arrived in this world through abnormal means… then I will probably return there after this sleep.”
Qiao Yu felt a pang in her heart, but the other party quickly added a few more sentences.
“Even if I return, I will find a way to come back again, just like today!”
“Although I don’t know the specifics behind it, our meeting was not a coincidence. I have tried many times recently and have not been able to establish contact with the system. When Sa Jia return and ask it for clarification, we can make plans together!”
“Sister, rest assured! Since my story has caused trouble for you, Sa Jia will find a solution to reunite you with Lin Qing!”
“Wait for me to come back again! Wait for me to come b—”
Before the sentence could be completed, Qiao Yu saw the silhouette of the dark shadow shaking violently, and then the voice abruptly stopped.
The dark shadow began to blur gradually, and before completely disappearing, they gestured wildly, indicating to Qiao Yu that they would return, then dissipated into the mist.
The strange encounter just now felt like a dream, leaving Qiao Yu still feeling dizzy as she sat there for quite some time, murmuring to herself.
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“… What a good person.”
In the blink of an eye, it was winter break.
Rejecting invitations from others to go out and play, Lin Qing often stayed alone in her room. Apart from exchanging words with Mother Lin, she hardly interacted with anyone else.
It wasn’t that she wanted to deliberately distance herself from them, but the realization that she was missing certain memories grew stronger. She couldn’t focus on anything else.
As night fell, Lin Qing gently placed her hand over the spot in her chest where her heart should be, feeling as if there was a gap there.
She could almost sense a chilling breeze whistling through that empty void, emitting mocking sounds before disappearing.
This feeling had been with her for so long, the empty feeling of loss gradually becoming a constant ache, a reminder that she has forgotten someone. The lost past was hard to grasp, her mind shrouded in a haze, transitioning between numerous fragmented memories, barely connecting them together.
However, the world that once tried to erase those memories was now subtly trying to help her.
This left Lin Qing feeling confused. The box containing those lost memories seemed to be still within her heart, but she struggled to find it in the darkness. It was like a dim light occasionally flickering on, hinting at something existing in that area, but not bright enough for her to locate the box and open it.
Lin Qing never considered that this might be a mental illness, but she instinctively resisted that thought, instead stubbornly and almost obsessively pursuing this unusual feeling.
Today seemed like another day where nothing could be remembered, and the long hours of reflection left Lin Qing feeling exhausted. She went to her desk and took out a book, intending to shift her focus and relax.
As she sat down and was about to open the book, a folded piece of paper fell out from it unexpectedly.
Lin Qing had no recollection of it, and without any guard, she picked it up and slowly unfolded it, only to be overwhelmed by a rush of emotions.
The stopped clock began to move, and the missing puzzle piece finally fit in place.
The overwhelming sound in her mind was like the mournful cry of a clock struggling to move. A dim but sturdy light illuminated the dark corner, revealing the dusty box. Lin Qing’s immense sorrow mixed with profound fear as she trembled to open the box, revealing a vibrant and dazzling scene like fireworks, filling the hollow in her chest. Lin Qing finally saw its true face.
Facing the thin piece of paper, Lin Qing felt a sense of detachment and dizziness, as the unresolved emotions flooded her eyes, making them moist. Her tears splattered on the paper, and in her haste to wipe them away, her trembling fingers gripped the edge of the paper forcefully, trying not to crumple it.
Despairingly, Lin Qing opened her mouth, but her throat felt glued together, making those two syllables that had been recalled again feel especially dry. There was a sense of blood rising in her throat, a sensation of utterance that could break some established shackles the moment it was spoken.
The forgotten person by the world, the cursed fragments unable to remember, the unspeakable words lingered, as if speaking them would shatter some pre-existing restraints.
Once present in this world and called out countless times, but never before with such heaviness to the point of agony.
“…Qiao…Yu?”
The piece of paper only had two lines of text, the first written in her handwriting.
【Wish List】
The handwriting of the second line was familiar yet unfamiliar, like the gentle and affectionate eyes in her dream.
【I want to spend every day and night with Lin Qing】