EMSD | Chapter 51

Yang Dad and Yang Mom handed things over to Tong Yang and Tong Le, preparing to enjoy their couple’s world. During this time, Yang Dad was busy dealing with work matters and rarely accompanied his family.

While waiting in line to register, many kids around the same age as Tong Le and Tong Yang came over. Tong Le had a cheerful personality and easily blended in with them, while Yang Lin just kept his head down, following behind him without saying a word. Tong Yang and Chu Shiyu stood behind them, occasionally exchanging a few words.

“I plan to move to school in a couple of days,” Chu Shiyu said. “School doesn’t start for another ten days,” Tong Yang replied. “It’s boring at home anyway, and I don’t want to disturb my aunt and the others.” Tong Yang said, “It’s up to you.”

After registering, Tong Yang took them to get their uniforms. After lunch, they would head back to school. Generally, after registration, classes officially started on September 1st. However, because Peking University Affiliated Primary School was reorganizing classes for the fifth grade, they had to take a test before the school year began.

“You two won’t be in the same class anymore,” Chu Shiyu said. Tong Le replied, “That’s okay, I’ll often go find Lin Lin to play. We can definitely make other friends too.” Yang Lin nodded, “Mm…” Chu Shiyu ruffled his hair, “Lele, please take care of Lin Lin at school and don’t let him get bullied.” Tong Le nodded seriously, “Don’t worry, Sister Shiyu, I’ll protect Lin Lin, and I think Lin Lin won’t get bullied.”

“That’s good.” “Let’s go, I’ll take you to eat.” After lunch, they strolled around the area, bought them new stationery, and then sent them back to school.

Currently, they hadn’t been assigned to classes yet, so Tong Le and Yang Lin were randomly placed in a class, sitting in the last few rows. The teacher was organizing the test papers at the podium. Tong Le took out his pencil case from his backpack, hung his blue backpack on the chair, and sat up straight. With his delicate and well-behaved appearance, he looked like a little girl, causing other students in the classroom to frequently turn around and look at him.

Yang Lin sat next to him, habitually keeping his head down to avoid the gazes of others. Noticing that Tong Yang and the others were still standing outside the window, Tong Le tugged at Yang Lin’s sleeve. They both looked up and smiled at her, then waved their hands. Yang Lin’s smile was a bit shy, and he raised his arm to wave in the air.

After leaving the teaching building, Chu Shiyu sighed, “I wish Lin Lin could be in the same class as you and Lele.” Tong Yang said, “So what if they’re not in the same class?” “I’m worried he might get bullied. Being with Lele has made him much more cheerful.” “Lin Lin’s issue is psychological. I asked Tong Le, and in the old town, aside from a few mischievous kids, no one bullies or ostracizes him. He’s too introverted; he only talks to Lele and not to other classmates.”

Chu Shiyu nodded, “That’s true. My aunt and the others care too much about Lin Lin and have just let him be without intervening.” “Tong Le can’t always look out for Lin Lin, especially since they won’t be in the same class in the future, and their learning pace will be different.” “So what should we do?” Chu Shiyu said helplessly.

Tong Yang thought for a moment, “Doesn’t he really like Xu Junyue? Maybe her carefree and easygoing nature could help him relax. We should often bring him to interact with Xu Junyue.” Chu Shiyu suddenly chuckled, “Do you think Lin Lin will really tattoo a tiger on his face in the future? Or come back with pink hair?” Tong Yang couldn’t help but laugh, “It’s not impossible.”

“But my aunt and the others would definitely be very pleased to see Lin Lin like that. They’ve always hoped he could be a bit rebellious and have some youthful energy.” “Rebellious?” Tong Yang raised his head thoughtfully, “I wonder what Tong Le’s rebellious phase would be like.” Chu Shiyu shook her head, “Lele definitely won’t have a rebellious phase; he wouldn’t want to make things difficult for you.”

Tong Yang shrugged, “It doesn’t matter; I’m actually quite curious about what he would be like rebellious.” “Then you might never see it.” After the school entrance exam, they rested at home for a day. The night before the official start of school, Tong Yang received the results of the rankings and class assignments.

As expected, even without experiencing the capital’s education system, Tong Le still achieved excellent results in the entrance exam, ranking fifth in the entire grade, successfully entering the rocket class of Peking University Affiliated Primary School. The teacher sent Tong Yang a long introduction about the rocket class, which only accepted twenty students, most of whom had outstanding talents in certain areas. Their learning direction and pace would be significantly different from regular students. If more than ninety percent of the students met the standards in the second semester’s final exam, they could directly skip to middle school. Even though Peking University promised Tong Le a continuous study program from undergraduate to doctoral levels, he must achieve a comprehensive ranking in the top five of his class before graduating from middle school.

In other words, in the talent-filled rocket class of Peking University Affiliated Primary School, only the top five students could enjoy the continuous study program. This also meant that even if Tong Le and Yang Lin were in the same school in the future, they would hardly have time to play together, and even their studies would be on different levels.

“Aunt Yu, what rank did Lin Lin get?” Tong Yang asked. Yang Mom sat on the sofa, looking worried, glancing at Yang Lin’s closed bedroom door from time to time. “Lin Lin ranked over three hundred, in Class Eight.” Chu Shiyu said, “Lin Lin getting over three hundred is already impressive. The teaching methods here are different from the old town, and the question styles are different too.” “What about Lele? How did he do?” Tong Yang replied, “Mm, he did well; he got into the rocket class.”

Yang Mom’s expression brightened, “Really? That’s great! I knew that kid Lele would be fine.” Tong Yang pursed her lips and remained silent. “Sigh, it’s just that Lin Lin relies too much on Lele. I wonder if he’ll be sad.” The three were talking when Yang Lin’s closed door suddenly opened, and a string of silver bell-like laughter came out. “Lele! I didn’t say that!” “You clearly did!”

Tong Le was the first to run out of the room, holding a drawing, and ran happily in front of the three. “Yang Mom, this is the portrait Lin Lin made for you!” Tong Le placed the drawing in front of them. They looked down and saw a simple sketch. “I asked Lin Lin why Yang Mom is standing on a colorful cloud. He said it’s because Mom is like a fairy, so of course, she has to stand on a cloud!”

“Lele! Don’t say that!” Yang Lin’s face turned red with embarrassment as he rushed over to cover Tong Le’s mouth. Yang Mom stared at the drawing in her hands, suddenly feeling teary-eyed. “Sister Tong Yang, I also know Lele’s secret!” Yang Lin said defiantly. “Lin Lin!” Tong Le panicked and reached out to cover Yang Lin’s mouth. “Lele said he hopes Sister will never have a boyfriend, and no one can take care of you better than him!”

Tong Le’s face turned from his forehead to the base of his neck, and he retorted, “I didn’t!” “You did! You totally did!” “Lin Lin!” “Lele!” “Pfft, hahahaha…” “You two…” Yang Mom and Chu Shiyu burst into laughter. Tong Yang covered her eyes, trying to hold back her laughter. It was the first time she had seen them argue like this.

The three adults watched the commotion before stepping in to mediate. By then, Tong Le and Yang Lin were already out of breath, their faces flushed. “Alright, you two, is it really necessary?” Yang Lin said, “Who told him to tell Mom my secret!” Tong Le said, “Who told him that if Sister has a boyfriend, she won’t want me anymore!” Tong Yang pinched his face, “Lin Lin is just playing with you.” “Lin Lin, you too! How can you say that if Sister Tong Yang has a boyfriend, she won’t want Lele?” “Apologize to each other.”

Tong Le seemed to realize his mistake and bent down to apologize to Yang Lin, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have told Yang Mom our little secret. You were planning to give this drawing to Yang Mom.” Yang Lin sniffled and said, “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have said that. Sister Tong Yang won’t abandon you.” “Are we good now? Let’s hug it out.” “Hehe.” The two little guys hugged each other, resolving their grievances.

Yang Mom and Chu Shiyu exchanged glances, thinking this was a good opportunity, as they would have to let them know sooner or later. “Lin Lin, Lele, the exam results and class assignments are out,” Yang Mom said. Tong Le and Yang Lin both froze, looking at Yang Mom in unison. “You won’t be in the same class,” Yang Mom said, stating the final conclusion, wanting to see their reactions.

Tong Le said, “We already knew.” Yang Lin nodded, “Lele’s grades are much better than mine. I can’t get into Lele’s class.” Yang Mom breathed a sigh of relief and continued, “Lin Lin, you ranked three hundred twenty-fourth. There are over seven hundred students in the fifth grade at Peking University Affiliated Primary School, and your teacher is different from theirs. It’s already impressive to score this high on your first exam!”

“Lin Lin, you’re amazing! The questions here are completely different from the old town. You’re really great!” Tong Le said. Yang Lin smiled shyly and said, “I had a few questions I couldn’t answer. I thought I would be at the bottom.” “No way!” “What about Lele? What rank did he get?” Yang Lin asked curiously. Other students’ exam rankings were only known to their parents, and several pairs of eyes turned to Tong Yang.

Tong Le looked nervous and expectant, and Yang Lin was about the same. Tong Yang said, “Fifth place.” “Fifth place…” “Lele, you’re amazing!” Yang Lin jumped up and hugged Tong Le’s shoulders, “I knew you could do it! You’re awesome! So great!” Yang Mom said, “Lele, you’re fantastic.” “Fifth place… You don’t plan to aim for first place in the city like your sister, do you?”

Tong Le’s eyes sparkled as he nodded, “I will also aim to be first like my sister!” “Both of our little friends are so great! Mom wants to give you gifts. Is there anything you want?” “I also want to give Yang Mom a gift! You’ve worked hard taking care of us!” “I also want to give Mom a gift!” Yang Mom was amused by them, and the living room was filled with joy.

Late at night, Tong Yang and Chu Shiyu were still awake. Chu Shiyu said, “I thought Lin Lin would be sad.” “Me too.” “But he isn’t as fragile as we imagined, which is a good thing.” “Want some water?” Tong Yang asked, picking up an empty cup from the bedside. “Sure.”

Tong Yang opened the door and walked out of the bedroom. It was dark outside, with no lights on. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tong Le’s room was lit, with some light spilling out from the crack of the door. Tong Le wasn’t asleep yet? It was almost eleven o’clock. Tong Yang hesitated for a moment, walked to the door, and knocked lightly.

Tong Le usually had a regular sleep schedule, and he should have turned off the lights and gone to bed by nine-thirty. What was going on today? After a few seconds, soft footsteps came from behind the door, and it opened from the inside. “Sister?” Tong Yang saw him standing there, looking sleepy.

Tong Yang glanced past him into the room and asked, “Aren’t you asleep yet?” Tong Le turned and walked into the room, sitting at his desk, where a pile of draft papers filled with writing lay. He rubbed his tired eyes, yawned, and his hair was a mess as he mumbled, “I’ll sleep soon.”

“What are you doing?” Tong Yang leaned against the desk and asked. Tong Le gripped a pen tightly; being a lefty, his left index finger already had a noticeable mark, probably from holding the pen for a long time. Tong Le said, “I want to write down what I remember from yesterday’s exam.”

Tong Yang asked in confusion, “Why?” “Even though the questions here are different from the old town, I can write every question. I thought I wouldn’t lose too many points.” Tong Yang pushed down his sticking-up hair and said, “You didn’t lose too many points. Fifth in the entire grade is already impressive.”

Tong Le shook his head, “I’m not impressive. Sister has always been first in every exam since childhood.” “That’s because I’ve always been in the old town. It’s normal for you to take some time to adapt. I’ve had my share of exam failures too. Don’t deny yourself because of one exam result; that’s meaningless.”

Tong Le looked up at her and smiled, “I understand, Sister. I just have two big questions left to write, and then I’ll sleep.” Tong Yang nodded and asked, “Do you need my help?” Tong Le shook his head, “No need. You have to go to tutoring tomorrow. You should rest early. I can handle it myself.”

“You also have to go back to school tomorrow. Finish writing and then rest. Don’t overthink.” “Mm, I know. You should go back and rest, Sister.” “Okay.” Tong Yang left the room, closing the door behind her.

Although she hoped that Tong Le would be different from her in the future and not feel pressured about studying, he was becoming more and more like her. Tong Yang had worked hard to practice writing and mental math to avoid making any mistakes in exams. However, if Tong Le liked it this way, then so be it. Some people are just born with high expectations for themselves.

On the morning of September 1st, Tong Yang went to tutoring and took on the responsibility of sending the two kids to school. After dropping them off, Tong Yang checked the time; there was still more than half an hour before tutoring, so she greeted the rocket class’s homeroom teacher and took them to their respective classrooms to confirm their locations.

Peking University Affiliated Primary School had a vast campus with advanced facilities and a modern decor style. There were more than a dozen teaching buildings, and not only were Tong Le and Yang Lin not in the same class, but they weren’t even in the same teaching building. After dropping Yang Lin off in Class Eight, she took Tong Le to Rocket Class Five, located in the last teaching building, far from the playground and cafeteria.

Each grade had one rocket class, and aside from the six rocket classes in this building, all the other rooms were teacher’s offices. According to the homeroom teacher, to save time going to the cafeteria, they wouldn’t have to eat there for lunch and dinner; the staff would deliver meals to them in advance. Moreover, aside from students with special talents in the arts, their schedule would only include major subjects and physical education classes. However, after each major exam, there would be art and music training sessions that students could choose to participate in voluntarily.

When Tong Le arrived in Rocket Class Five, there were only twenty students, and the classroom was the same size as a regular classroom. The desks and chairs were arranged in the middle, while various instruments and equipment for math and physics were placed on both sides and at the back, some of which even Tong Yang couldn’t name.

“Sister, I’m here,” Tong Le said, looking back. “Go on in.” “Be careful on your way back. Bye!” “Mm.” Watching him walk into the classroom in his blue uniform, which cost four figures for two sets, he was surrounded by classmates who were different from the kids they met on the way there. They sat quietly and calmly in their seats, with tablets openly placed on their desks, not playing games or watching cartoons, but researching content that wasn’t meant for their age.

The classroom was well-equipped, with various tools and instruments for math and physics on display. Tong Yang suddenly felt relieved that she hadn’t left Tong Le in the old town. Here, he could receive the best teaching conditions and environment, and with his solid foundation, he would definitely become a talent needed by the country in the future.

After watching for half a minute, she turned to leave, thinking she should buy Tong Le a tablet; it would definitely be useful for his studies. Leaving Peking University Affiliated Primary School, she grabbed a shared bike and headed to Half Moon Manor. She still had two tutoring sessions left with Yan Qing, and after today, she would fully return to school to prepare for her studies.

To cope with any unexpected events that might occur in the future, which could affect her studies, Tong Yang borrowed many physics books and familiarized herself with all the theoretical knowledge in them. She also found some lectures from Peking University physics professors online to watch. She had basically mastered the theoretical knowledge, which would make her classes much easier.

Sometimes, even if she had to miss a few classes, it wouldn’t affect her at all. As for other subjects, Tong Yang wasn’t sure what they were yet, so she could only roughly understand math and English. Although she planned to double major in astronomy, it was very difficult to implement, and even she felt that time was very tight. However, Chu Shiyu had already decided to study astronomy, so she could borrow her professional books to read later; there would always be a way.

Riding past familiar streets, Tong Yang couldn’t help but glance in the direction where the boy had left that day. Even though it was just for a moment, she felt she had seen his appearance clearly. Perhaps she was mistaken, or maybe she was just being delusional, but she felt that boy looked a lot like Tong Le.

How could that be? Even if the Tong Le from the parallel world hadn’t died, he should still be a nine-year-old child. The boy she saw that day was clearly a few years older than Tong Yang. Her intuition told her that things weren’t that simple, but her rationality told her that it couldn’t possibly be the Tong Le from the parallel world.

Could he be another person with a blood relation to Tong Le, aside from herself? A love child of her jerk dad or jerk mom? But the age still didn’t match. As for the 749 Bureau, they were still investigating He Jingjing’s case, trying to find other possible people from the parallel world through her background. Once Ye Huai’s condition improved, they would likely enter the parallel world under his guidance.

Soon, she arrived near Half Moon Manor, locked her bike, and greeted the security guard before walking in. No matter who he was, Tong Yang had a strange feeling that he wouldn’t harm her or Tong Le, so she hadn’t deeply investigated his background or whereabouts. If they met again, she could always ask him.

“Teacher Tong, you’re here,” Aunt Liu opened the door and welcomed her in. Tong Yang looked around the living room and was surprised, “Haven’t the furniture been chosen yet?” Aunt Liu said helplessly, “No, Qingqing disagreed, so Mr. and Mrs. have to choose again.”

Tong Yang nodded, “Alright.” On the night of August 27th, after Yan Qing was pulled down from the roof, it was as if she had suddenly opened up her meridians and stopped tormenting herself, instead, she began to torment her parents every day in various ways.

Today she smashed the TV at home, and tomorrow she would dismantle the sofa. She was dissatisfied with this and that, and called a moving company to throw out everything she didn’t like. Yan Qing’s mom was afraid she would do something silly again, so she let her do whatever she wanted, focusing all her energy on the house. She directly hired an agent for work, and every day she tried different ways to make her happy, and they hadn’t mentioned divorce again.

“Teacher Tong, today Qingqing brought a friend over and wants to take two classes with you. The fee is double; is that okay?” “Sure,” Tong Yang nodded in agreement. That little girl often found such things for her, saying she was afraid she wouldn’t have money and wanted to help her earn some pocket money.

Two classes for the same content, earning double the money, Tong Yang certainly had no reason to refuse. “Teacher Tong is here,” Aunt Liu shouted at the door, and in a few seconds, the sound of hurried footsteps came from inside. “Sister Tong Yang, you’re here!” Yan Qing stood at the door, looking excited. She had been causing chaos at home for the past few days, and her mood visibly improved.

“Mm,” Tong Yang nodded, taking off her backpack and walking in. “This is my classmate, Liang Xi.” The girl was wearing a clean white uniform, her hair tied in a ponytail. When she saw Tong Yang looking at her, she immediately stood up nervously. “L-L-Teacher, hello…” Liang Xi greeted her timidly, looking very uneasy.

Tong Yang nodded, “Hello.” Yan Qing walked over to Liang Xi’s side, put her hand on her shoulder, and said, “Don’t be scared; Sister Tong Yang just looks fierce.” Tong Yang closed the bedroom door and glanced at them. “Why are you wearing a school uniform?”

Liang Xi straightened her body nervously and said, “I-I lied to my mom that I was going to school, so…” Yan Qing patted her shoulder and said to Tong Yang, “Today is the first day of school, and some key classes have already started.” “Liang Xi and I aren’t in a key class, but I heard that I have a very good tutor, so I wanted to come and audit two classes.”

Liang Xi stammered, “I-I have pocket money… I can pay for the class…” “Mm,” Tong Yang nodded, not caring why Liang Xi was here. As long as they paid, she would teach. “As for the learning progress…”

“Liang Xi can just follow me; our levels are about the same.” “Sit down.” Yan Qing wasn’t wrong; the two of them were at a similar level. Liang Xi must have attended quite a few tutoring classes during the summer, and Tong Yang’s high school knowledge was not difficult for her to adapt to; her mind was still quite agile.

After the first class ended, Tong Yang let them take a half-hour break before continuing. She left the room and went to the living room, leaving the space entirely for them. “Teacher Tong, are you hungry? There’s still cake in the fridge; should I cut you a piece?” “No need, thanks.”

Tong Yang sat on the sofa playing on her phone, searching for tablet prices on a shopping app, which barely fell within her acceptable range. “Sister Tong Yang, are you buying a tablet?” Yan Qing suddenly appeared beside her, stretching her neck to look at the phone. “Mm, buying one for my brother; it should be useful for studying.”

“Studying? Aren’t you afraid that if you buy it for him, he’ll just play games?” Tong Yang said, “He can play during breaks if he wants.” “Isn’t he still under ten? How’s his self-control? Although electronic devices are convenient, it’s not good if kids get too addicted.”

“His self-control is good. I see that almost all his classmates have them, so it should be useful. Plus, his tenth birthday is coming up soon.” Yan Qing curiously asked, “Can they bring electronic devices to school?” “They should be able to; everyone brings them.” “What kind of school is that?”

“Why are you asking so much?” “Geez! Can’t I just ask a question?” Tong Yang ignored her and asked, “Which tablet is better?” Yan Qing said, “I think they’re all about the same; I never use a tablet for studying.” “For studying, that brand should be better, but it’s relatively expensive,” Liang Xi said softly.

Tong Yang turned her phone around and asked, “Is it this brand?” “Yes, it can last a long time.” “Thanks.” Tong Yang clicked on the homepage and selected the latest model with the largest memory in blue. The cost was already close to her tutoring fees for the past few days. “Let’s go, continue with the class.” “Ah! Half an hour passed so quickly? I haven’t rested enough!”

“Stop talking nonsense and hurry up.” “Oh…”

After the second class ended, Tong Yang packed her things, put on her backpack, and reminded them, “Yan Qing, high school math and middle school math are completely different. You must build a solid foundation in the first semester of freshman year. Don’t think you’re smart and get complacent; you can learn from Liang Xi about this.”

“Okay! I got it!” “Liang Xi, your current study method is fine, but it will be difficult to make progress. Although you’re smart, your thinking isn’t flexible enough. You can also learn from Yan Qing.” Liang Xi lowered her head shyly, “Thank you, Teacher Tong.”

Since Tong Yang came in, she had been like this, probably because her parents were very strict, and her living environment was oppressive. “Well, I’m leaving.” “Sister Tong Yang, can you tutor me again when you have time?” Yan Qing said pitifully. “I won’t have time during school. If you don’t understand something, search it on the browser. If it’s really difficult, message me, but I can’t guarantee when I’ll reply.”

“Oh!” “Teacher Tong!” Aunt Liu suddenly called out to Tong Yang, holding a large red envelope, “Teacher Tong, you’ve worked hard during this time. Qingqing has caused you a lot of trouble, and her exam results have indeed improved a lot. This is a little something prepared by Mr. and Mrs. as a token of appreciation, and they also want to apologize for the previous matters. They hope you won’t mind and can continue to be Qingqing’s tutor during the holidays.”

Tong Yang looked at the oversized red envelope in Aunt Liu’s hand and accepted it without much hesitation, “Thank you.” “You’re welcome! We should be the ones thanking you.” Tong Yang put the envelope in her backpack and turned to Yan Qing, “If you have any questions, feel free to ask me, and I’ll try to reply.”

Yan Qing rolled her eyes, “Sister Tong Yang, you’re only replying to me because of the red envelope, right?” Tong Yang nodded generously, “Yes.” Her straightforward admission made everyone laugh. “Aunt Liu, I’m leaving now.” “Alright! Teacher Tong, be safe on your way.” “I-I’m leaving too…” Liang Xi quickly put on her backpack, speaking a bit faster than usual.

“That’s perfect; you two can walk together.” “Mm…” Liang Xi glanced at Tong Yang and quickly lowered her head. Tong Yang paused slightly while putting on her shoes, narrowing her eyes in confusion.

She had felt something was off since she arrived. The summer vacation was over, and Liang Xi came to find her for a trial class without her parents. It just didn’t seem logical. After putting on her shoes, Tong Yang pressed the elevator button and waited at the door for her.

Liang Xi walked over slowly, taking a deep breath, “Teacher Tong, let’s go.” Tong Yang didn’t miss the fear in her eyes. She didn’t have many friends, but it shouldn’t be to the point where Liang Xi was scared of her, right? She had been polite to Liang Xi, after all; they were different from Yan Qing in personality.

Taking the elevator to the first floor, the two walked out in silence. Tong Yang didn’t initiate conversation, wanting to see what Liang Xi was up to. Liang Xi gathered her courage several times to speak to her but ultimately swallowed her words back down.

Tong Yang didn’t bother to ask either; Liang Xi was only two years younger than her, still just a kid. “Teacher Tong, I-I have a stomachache. Can you sit with me for a while?” Liang Xi suddenly called out to her as they passed an empty pavilion.

The excuse was so flimsy that even she felt it was awkward. When Tong Yang looked over, she found Liang Xi’s face was as red as a cooked crab. “Sure,” Tong Yang casually replied, walking into the pavilion and sitting down. “Teacher Tong, I heard you came from Yao City?” Liang Xi asked cautiously. “Who told you that?”

“Qingqing mentioned it casually.” Tong Yang leaned against the stone pillar, looking at her, “Yes, is there something you want?” Liang Xi hesitated, “Well, that’s it…” “What are you saying?” Tong Yang asked suspiciously.

Liang Xi looked up at her, but when she met her gaze, she quickly looked away, “Y-You…” Her stammering made Tong Yang feel annoyed, and she raised her voice, “Just say it. If not, I’m leaving.” “I have something!”

As if afraid Tong Yang would really leave, she suddenly shouted. Tong Yang sat back down, seeing her fidgeting and still unable to speak, frowned, “Just say it.” “D-Do you know about parallel worlds?” She tightly clenched her hands together and mustered the courage to say it.

Now it was Tong Yang’s turn to be silent. She straightened her back, sizing up Liang Xi. From her appearance, there was no indication of any connection to a parallel world. “Where did you hear about this?” Tong Yang asked, not answering directly.

Liang Xi said, “Someone told me that the Tong Yang from Yao City knows about parallel worlds, so when I heard Qingqing mention your name and background, I…” Tong Yang asked, “Do you know about parallel worlds?” Liang Xi shook her head vigorously, “I don’t know…”

“Then there’s nothing.” Tong Yang replied firmly, not wanting to involve a child in this. “There is!” Liang Xi suddenly shouted more confidently. “Teacher Tong, I haven’t been to a parallel world, but I’ve met someone from a parallel world!”

Tong Yang’s expression changed slightly, “You’ve met someone from a parallel world?” “Yes, don’t doubt me. I really have.” Tong Yang leaned back, saying, “I don’t believe it. How could there be parallel worlds in this world?” “Really!” Liang Xi’s expression became anxious, “I’m not lying! That person told me to find you.”

“That person told you to find me? What for? Even if parallel worlds exist, what does it have to do with me?” Liang Xi said seriously, “She said you’re amazing and have killed many people from the parallel world. Now those people are all lining up to kill you!”

Tong Yang: “…” “Lining up to kill me?” “Yes!” “What else did she say?” Liang Xi hesitated for a moment and said, “She said maybe only you can help her.”

Tong Yang’s expression froze for a moment, then she laughed, “She said I can help her?” “Are you joking?” Liang Xi shook her head, “I’m not joking. She asked me to find you; she has something to say to you.”

Tong Yang gradually stopped laughing, her gaze sweeping over Liang Xi’s face, “How do you know her?” Liang Xi said, “I’ve known her for a long time.” “How long exactly?” “About eight years.” “You were seven?” “Why do you know her?”

Liang Xi fell into her memories and said, “My parents were very strict and didn’t allow me to be friends with people they didn’t like, so I didn’t have any friends when I was little. But one day, she suddenly appeared. She became friends with me, chatted with me, and played with me. Every time my parents came, she would disappear. Later, I thought she was just a friend I imagined.”

“Who is she?” Liang Xi bit her lip and said, “She’s Yan Qing.” After hearing this, Tong Yang felt a headache coming on. The Yan Qing from the parallel world became friends with Liang Xi, and then she became friends with the Yan Qing from the real world?

Tong Yang hesitated for a moment and asked, “Why does she want to find me? Why does she think I would help her?” “If I have killed many people from the parallel world, I should know that if I encounter her, I wouldn’t hold back.” Liang Xi shook her head, “She just asked me to help find you.”

Tong Yang raised her chin slightly, “Find me, and then what? What do you all plan to do?” “She wants you to go to the parallel world.” Tong Yang chuckled to herself, “I won’t go. If she has something to say, she can come to the real world and tell me.”

Tong Yang wasn’t stupid; if she actively entered the parallel world, those people would have no restrictions and could act recklessly against her. Even if she could enter the loop, there was no need to do something so foolish. Liang Xi’s expression was hesitant as she took out her phone, “Can we exchange contact information? When she appears, I will call you.”

“Okay.” Tong Yang and she added each other on social media, and then they stood up and left Half Moon Manor. Tong Yang didn’t directly refuse Liang Xi. On one hand, she wanted to know the other party’s intentions, and on the other hand, she didn’t directly admit that she had been in contact with the parallel world, so she couldn’t determine how much of Liang Xi’s words were true.

Or perhaps, it was a mix of truth and falsehood. After leaving, she didn’t go to Yang Dad and Yang Mom’s place but went straight back to school. Chu Shiyu had moved into the school today and was in the same dormitory as her.

When Tong Yang returned to school, Chu Shiyu was already sweating profusely, having packed her things. The young lady from a wealthy family had never packed her room herself before, and now that she was in college, she had to do everything by herself, which looked quite difficult.

“If I had known, I would have applied to live off-campus! My grandma would definitely approve.” Tong Yang placed her backpack on the table and casually said, “You can still change your mind now.” “It’s too late! I worked hard to set up my bed; it would be a waste not to sleep on it for a few days!”

Tong Yang got a cup of water and asked, “Aren’t you in a different major? Is it okay for you to live here?” Chu Shiyu shot her a glance, “You only ask now that I’ve moved in. Can I still change dorms?” “Maybe.” “Shut up.”

Tong Yang had never lived on campus before and hadn’t spent much time under the same roof with others, but she had gotten used to squeezing in time with Chu Shiyu. “By the way, you sent them to school today. Are the two classes far apart?” “Generally, it takes about fifteen minutes to walk back and forth.”

Chu Shiyu pouted, “You call that general?” “What are we having for lunch?” “The cafeteria? If it’s not good, I won’t eat there again.” “Alright, it’s on me.” “???” “If I had known you were treating, I would have chosen something more expensive!”

Tong Yang shot her a sideways glance, “Guess why I asked you where to eat first?” Chu Shiyu: “…” After a few seconds, she looked at Tong Yang suspiciously. It wasn’t that she thought the other party was stingy; Tong Yang was quite generous most of the time, but she didn’t like spending money on meaningless things, like today’s lunch.

“Did you win the lottery?” Chu Shiyu asked curiously. Tong Yang wore a knowing expression and said, “A student’s parent gave me a big red envelope.” “How big?” “Twenty thousand.” “Twenty thousand? Your tutoring fees aren’t even twenty thousand. How did you get so much? Are you feeling guilty about it?”

Tong Yang took out the oversized red envelope from her backpack. She hadn’t counted the exact amount, but judging by its thickness, it was around twenty thousand. “Her daughter almost jumped off a building a few days ago, and I stopped her. Do you think I feel guilty?” Chu Shiyu was dumbfounded, “Jumping off a building?” “Yeah, let’s go eat.”

In the afternoon, Tong Yang didn’t have tutoring and stayed in her dorm to read. Chu Shiyu had originally been binge-watching a drama, but after watching two episodes and seeing Tong Yang continuously reading without stopping, she couldn’t sit still anymore and borrowed an English book to read.

At eight in the evening, the sky had darkened. After Tong Yang finished showering and drying her hair, she cleaned the dorm and continued reading. “Tong Yang! You’re such a study bug that I don’t even dare to take a break.” Tong Yang glanced at her, “It doesn’t matter; even if you don’t take a break, you won’t beat me in the exam.”

“Shut up!” After watching for a while, her phone buzzed with a voice call from Liang Xi. Tong Yang picked up her phone, took a look, and directly hung up. She opened the list and made a video call.

Chu Shiyu shook her head at her actions, “Are you an e-person? Scary.” “What’s an e-person?” “It’s someone with a cheerful personality…” Chu Shiyu paused for a moment and said firmly, “You’re not one.”

“Hello? Tong-Tong Teacher, why did you suddenly…” Liang Xi on the other side of the camera looked as awkward as ever. Tong Yang got straight to the point, “Where is she?” “Sister Tong Yang, I’m here!”

The phone was suddenly snatched away, and a familiar face appeared on the screen.