Tong Yang opens the photo shared in the group its Liang Xi.
“Tong Yang Jie, are you still listening?” Yan Qing choked out.
“Mm.”
Tong Yang picked up the phone again, her expression darkening.
“Have you seen Liang Xi’s body?” Tong Yang asked.
Yan Qing replied, “No, my parents have been keeping me home these past few days.”
“Okay, I understand. I’ll hang up now.”
“Tong Yang Jie, did you discover something?”
“No, I’m hanging up.”
Tong Yang ended the call and entered the gossip group, asking: 【When did Liang Xi’s parents die?】
【It seems like late September to early October?】
【Tong Jie, the specific time hasn’t been announced online.】
【# Recently, a couple in the capital died in a car accident. It is reported that the two were a local court judge and a lawyer from a prestigious law firm… #】
Tong Yang clicked on the news link, which was published on October 6, 2024, and indeed, there was no specific time for the accident.
It was now September 30, 2024, and Liang Xi’s time of death was a few days ago. Her parents, worried about work, hadn’t publicized the matter, so it wasn’t impossible that there would be no news about Liang Xi’s death in the future.
Learning is for making money: 【Is Liang Xi still alive?】
【It seems she went abroad.】
【I’ve seen her videos; she’s definitely a socialite.】
【It’s said her parents were very strict with her, and after her death, she started living freely, squandering the large inheritance left by her parents, traveling around the world.】
【Her grandparents seem to have cut off contact with her long ago.】
Tong Yang furrowed her brows. If that’s the case, then Liang Xi wasn’t dead in the future?
Then who was the person who jumped off the car and got caught under the truck a few days ago? No matter how she thought about it, it felt suspicious. Could it be related to the parallel world’s Yan Qing?
“Tong Yang!”
Xu Junyue waved at her from a distance.
Chu Shiyu also returned with two little ones looking for her.
“How’s it going?”
Once they got closer, Xu Junyue asked.
“What’s going on?” Chu Shiyu said curiously.
Tong Yang shook her head, “Nothing, let’s go back.”
After dropping off Tong Le and the others at their place, the three of them made an excuse to leave and went to a nearby milk tea shop.
Entering the private room, Tong Yang sat down, deep in thought.
“Did you ask? What did Yan Qing say?” Xu Junyue asked.
Chu Shiyu looked at the two in confusion, “What’s going on?”
“Liang Xi is dead.”
“Liang Xi? Yan Qing’s friend? How could she die? Is it related to the parallel world?”
Xu Junyue said, “I don’t know. I heard she had an argument with her mom in the car, impulsively jumped out, and got crushed by a passing truck.”
Chu Shiyu showed a shocked expression, “What?”
“She’s not dead,” Tong Yang said.
The two looked at her in unison.
“What?”
“No way? How do you know?”
Tong Yang fell silent. Tong Le from 2036 had told her that the timelines of the other members in the gossip group were on the same level as hers. Changes happening in 2024 would cause a butterfly effect in 2026, leading to the same changes.
In 2026, Liang Xi didn’t die, at least not before her parents.
“Don’t ask me how I know, but Liang Xi is not dead. The accident and the body are suspicious.”
“Fake? There’s indeed no news about this accident online.”
Chu Shiyu said, “Is it possible that the one who died is the Liang Xi from the real world? The Liang Xi from the parallel world could replace her?”
Tong Yang shook her head, “If the goal was to replace Liang Xi, it could have been done without anyone knowing. There was no need to create a car accident.”
Xu Junyue said, “That makes sense. Even if there’s no news report, the police and the truck driver would know about it. Not to mention there were other cars on the road at the time.”
“Tong Yang, are you sure Liang Xi is not dead?” Chu Shiyu frowned.
“I’m sure.”
“Then that’s too suspicious.”
“What do you plan to do?”
Tong Yang didn’t answer immediately. If it was just an ordinary traffic accident, it wouldn’t concern her. But the fact that the person who died in the future wasn’t Liang Xi but her parents made it impossible not to connect it to the parallel world and “Yan Qing.”
However, she couldn’t enter the loop just because of a guess.
If she let it go, she didn’t know what kind of disaster it would lead to.
Regardless of whether it was related to the parallel world, she at least needed to figure out why the person who died in 2024 and 2026 wasn’t the same.
“I want to find out what’s going on,” Tong Yang said.
“I want to know too!”
Then, Tong Yang called Officer Lin.
The accident occurred in Shuangbai District, and the case was naturally handled by the Shuangbai District Public Security Bureau.
“Hello, Tong Yang?” Officer Lin’s voice came through the receiver.
Tong Yang said, “Officer Lin, I want to ask if you handled a traffic accident a few days ago?”
“Traffic accident? Yes, what’s up?”
“Was one of the victims a high school student named Liang Xi?”
“Liang Xi? Do you know her?”
Tong Yang said, “She’s taken my class.”
Officer Lin said, “Yes, she had an argument with her mom, jumped out of the car on the overpass, and got caught under a passing truck, which was fully responsible for the accident.”
“Can it be confirmed that the deceased is Liang Xi?”
Hearing her ask this, Officer Lin hesitated, “The upper body of the deceased was completely crushed, and the face was unrecognizable. Although the coroner didn’t conduct a tissue identification, Liang Xi’s mom was also in the car, so it can be confirmed that it was Liang Xi.”
Tong Yang knew this well. Liang Xi’s mom was in the car with her; if the deceased wasn’t Liang Xi, then who could it be?
But why was the person who died in 2026 not her?
That was a bit too strange.
“Officer Lin, do many people know about this?”
Officer Lin said, “The deceased’s family doesn’t want to publicize the matter, and the police will try to respect their wishes.”
Tong Yang fell into thought. The situation was too suspicious. The only explanation was that the Liang Xi in 2026 was from the parallel world. However, the members of the gossip group said she was considered a semi-public figure, often sharing her life online. Why didn’t the Shuangbai District Public Security Bureau expose her?
At least the Shuangbai District Public Security Bureau knew that Liang Xi died in the accident.
“Tong Yang, what’s wrong?” Officer Lin noticed something, “Do you think this might be related to the parallel world?”
Tong Yang didn’t reveal the secrets of the gossip group to others. More and more people knew about the time loop, and the gossip group was essentially her last trump card. She didn’t want others to know unless absolutely necessary.
So, she admitted, “I think it might be related to the parallel world’s Yan Qing.”
“Do you have any evidence?”
“No, where is her body? I want to see it.”
Officer Lin said, “The deceased’s body is still with the coroner, undergoing restoration work, but it’s very difficult. The upper body is gruesome; I don’t recommend you go see it.”
“It’s okay, Officer Lin, please help me contact them.”
Officer Lin reluctantly said, “Alright.”
After the quality gene drug incident, Tong Yang had been treated as an external personnel by the police and Bureau 749. Director Zhao asked them to cooperate with Tong Yang as much as possible.
“By the way, how is Meng Ting doing?” Tong Yang asked.
“She’s receiving psychological treatment and is doing a bit better than before.”
“Okay, I understand.”
“Come by tomorrow if you have time; I’ll take you to see the coroner.”
“Okay, thank you, Officer Lin.”
“Let’s leave it at that; we’ll be in touch.”
“Mm.”
Then, the two hung up.
“We’ll go with you tomorrow; it just happens to be a holiday.”
“Mm.”
The next day, after breakfast, around 8:30, Xu Junyue somehow got a car and picked them up to go to the Shuangbai District Public Security Bureau.
“You can drive?” Chu Shiyu said in surprise.
Xu Junyue raised her chin, signaling them to get in the car, “I’m nineteen and legally obtained my driver’s license.”
“Aren’t you only able to see with one eye?”
“My left eye meets the vision requirements; I have a horizontal field of 150.”
Tong Yang got into the car, pondering when she could also take the driving test, so she could get a second-hand car and go places more conveniently.
But she had to wait until she was an adult.
After driving for more than half an hour, the three arrived at the Shuangbai District Public Security Bureau.
Officer Lin had been waiting for a while and directly had Xu Junyue drive them to the coroner’s office.
Passing under an overpass, Officer Lin pointed above and said, “The accident site is right up there.”
Tong Yang looked up and then around at the buildings, not seeing anything unusual.
Before long, the car stopped outside a forensic identification institution.
“Let’s go.”
The three followed Officer Lin inside.
Walking through the clean, bright corridor, the smell of disinfectant filled the air. They arrived at a closed door, and Officer Lin raised his hand to knock.
A few seconds later, a man in a sterile suit opened the door.
He wore a mask and nodded at Officer Lin.
“How’s it going?” Officer Lin asked.
The coroner said, “It’s hard to say; you can come in.”
Entering the cold autopsy room, they saw a human-shaped object covered with a white cloth on a metal table.
Before lifting the white cloth, the coroner hesitated and glanced at Tong Yang and the others.
Officer Lin said, “It’s okay; I just brought them to take a look.”
The coroner nodded and then lifted the white cloth.
Seeing the body on the table, Chu Shiyu couldn’t help but gasp, and Officer Lin furrowed his brows tightly.
The upper body of the corpse was crushed into a pulp; the description was not exaggerated at all.
Tong Yang and Xu Junyue moved closer, one on each side.
Xu Junyue exclaimed, “This is worse than my family’s meat grinder!”
“Xu Junyue, shut up!” Chu Shiyu said, trying to suppress her nausea, giving her a glare.
The coroner said, “Your family’s meat grinder can crush bones?”
“I don’t know; I’ve never tried.”
Tong Yang ignored them. The deceased’s upper body was hardly distinguishable from pulp; attempting to restore it was basically impossible. After processing, the body didn’t emit any strange, foul odors.
The skin on the corpse’s face was gone, and only the features could be vaguely distinguished. As for whether it was Liang Xi herself, Tong Yang couldn’t tell.
Her lower body was in better condition, though still battered.
“Tong Yang, are you a weirdo? Why are you looking so closely?” Xu Junyue said in surprise.
“Shut up,” Tong Yang scolded without looking up.
“What did the family say?” Officer Lin asked.
The coroner said, “They want to cremate the body directly.”
“Alas, there’s no way; it can’t be restored.”
“Yeah.”
Leaving the autopsy room and returning to the car.
Officer Lin, sitting in the passenger seat, asked, “Tong Yang, did you find anything?”
Tong Yang shook her head, “No.”
Liang Xi’s mom saw her jump out; the corpse couldn’t be anyone else.
Officer Lin sighed, “Don’t be too nervous. That kid’s family is indeed strict, and coupled with the heavy self-esteem of adolescence, it’s understandable that she acted impulsively. It has nothing to do with the parallel world.”
Tong Yang lowered her eyelids and said, “Can the corpse’s DNA be tested?”
Officer Lin was taken aback. The dashcam in the deceased’s mom’s car was broken. Since she was the person involved, she was very certain that the people in the car were indeed the deceased Liang Xi, so the coroner didn’t conduct a DNA identification of the deceased’s identity.
In general, in such cases, the identity of the deceased can be confirmed without needing a DNA test.
However, Officer Lin knew Tong Yang’s character well enough; she wouldn’t make an absurd request on a whim.
After a moment of contemplation, Officer Lin asked, “Can you tell me the reason?”
The other two in the car were paying attention to Tong Yang, wanting to know why she insisted that the deceased wasn’t Liang Xi.
Tong Yang lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes casting a shadow under her eyes.
After a few seconds of silence, Tong Yang spoke, “The ones who died in the car accident should be Liang Xi’s parents.”
Upon hearing this, the three in the car looked at her in surprise.
“What do you mean?”
“Are you serious? How do you know?”
Tong Yang didn’t want to let them know about the gossip group, but since only she could see the content of the gossip group in 2024, revealing some information wouldn’t cause any problems.
Tong Yang said, “I can understand some things that happen in the future. I can’t tell you the reason for now, but the ones who died in the accident should be Liang Xi’s parents, and Liang Xi is still alive in the future.”
The three’s expressions changed slightly. If they had to say, since knowing Tong Yang, some of her actions did seem like she could predict the future.
Chu Shiyu felt this the most clearly. When Tong Le went missing, she was the first to know that Tong Le had been taken to Wuming Po, and it was the same during the college entrance examination.
Xu Junyue exclaimed, “Could it be that you really can predict the future? That’s why you’ve become so smart? Sometimes I feel like you’re so smart that you don’t seem human. You didn’t cheat on the college entrance exam, did you? I don’t believe anyone can score that high.”
Officer Lin’s expression became more serious.
Tong Yang shot her a glance, “Shut up, I hate cheating the most. I can only know a part of the information; it’s very limited.”
Chu Shiyu said, “Is it like fortune-telling?”
“Something like that?”
After going through so much, there was no need to doubt the truth of Tong Yang’s words.
Officer Lin asked seriously, “Is there any other important information?”
Tong Yang said, “The accident likely happened before October 6. If it’s related to Liang Xi’s death, even if it can be avoided at that time, something will definitely happen later, just like the Ye Wen missing case.”
Because the news report time was October 6, but there was no specific time.
Officer Lin nodded, “So, Ye Wen stayed at home for a week before returning to school?”
“Mm.”
Xu Junyue said in surprise, “Then isn’t it certain that she will die? The accident will happen sooner or later.”
Tong Yang said, “Not necessarily.”
Chu Shiyu said, “If the accident was man-made, finding the person who caused the accident could prevent it.”
“Right, I think Liang Xi is related to her parents’ accident because she didn’t die.”
Officer Lin looked thoughtfully ahead and said, “I will ask the coroner to conduct a DNA test on the body, but it will take at least a week.”
If it takes a week to get results, then the identification results won’t matter. Liang Xi’s parents will die before October 6, and they can’t change anything.
“Tong Yang, don’t tell anyone about the things you foresee; perhaps this can become the last trump card in the real world,” Officer Lin added.
Tong Yang nodded, “I know, and I also want to ask you not to tell anyone else, including Bureau 749.”
After dropping Officer Lin off at the Shuangbai District Public Security Bureau, the three drove back to Tianyuan District.
Having experienced even stranger things, the two didn’t press for details about the foresight.
Even if they asked, Tong Yang wouldn’t mind. It was precisely because she trusted the three of them that she chose to reveal some information.
While waiting for the DNA test results, Officer Lin found a reason for the police to keep a 24-hour watch on Liang Xi’s parents. Other than that, everyone had no direct evidence and couldn’t do anything.
Tong Yang and the members of the gossip group kept a close eye on future news and Liang Xi’s movements abroad.
To be honest, even if the DNA test results came out, without other leads, Tong Yang couldn’t do much. She just wanted to figure out if it was related to the parallel world.
Later, Tong Yang learned from Officer Lin about the events of the day of the incident. Strangely, in a city filled with surveillance cameras, not a single camera captured Liang Xi getting into the car. The police questioned Liang Xi’s mom, who clearly stated that she wouldn’t answer any more questions about the matter. Because a car behind had a dashcam recording, it indeed showed that the person in the passenger seat opened the door and jumped out, ruling out the possibility of homicide.
At this point, there wouldn’t be any further developments until the DNA test report came out.
【@ Learning is for making money @ Learning is for making money】
【Tong Yang Jie! Come out quickly!】
【Tong Yang Jie!!!!!!】
Learning is for making money: 【?】
【Liang Xi is back in the country!】
【I saw it too!】
【She’s traveling domestically and seems to be staying for at least two months!】
【Tong Jie, I’m super close to her!】
Tong Yang frowned at the messages in the chat box.
Liang Xi is back in the country?
【Since we don’t know what’s going on, why not just ask her directly?】
【Maybe we can find the reason before her parents get into the accident and change the past!】
【That makes sense! I think only Liang Xi knows what’s going on.】
【@ Hu Er Gou, are you in Langchuan?】
【Yep, I’m very close to where she’s traveling, a 40-minute bus ride!】
Learning is for making money: 【If she’s from the parallel world, you’ll be in danger.】
Hu Er Gou: 【Isn’t that more exciting? I’ve never met anyone from the parallel world!】
【Me neither!】
【Tong Jie is right; Er Gou, you better not end up not knowing how you died!】
Hu Er Gou: 【She wouldn’t attack me in public, right?】
Hu Er Gou: 【Tong Jie, didn’t you say you had no leads?】
Tong Yang paused for a moment. The reason she wanted to figure things out wasn’t to save Liang Xi’s parents; she simply believed it was related to the parallel world. According to future developments, even if they did nothing, the truth would eventually come to light.
Learning is for making money: 【Aren’t you afraid?】
Hu Er Gou: 【A little, but not much.】
Hu Er Gou: 【I mainly want to feel involved. How should I put it? It feels like being a spy.】
Learning is for making money: 【Then you can try it; just be careful.】
Hu Er Gou: 【Ah?? You’re not going to help me?】
Hu Er Gou: 【No, no, no, I can’t do it alone! I want to voice chat with you! I feel more at ease with you around.】
【Hahaha】
【I understand, I understand.】
【Tong Jie is like our solid backing; with her around, there won’t be any accidents!】
【Even if there are accidents, our Tong Jie can handle it!】
Learning is for making money: 【Alright.】
Learning is for making money: 【I can’t save you through the internet; you’ll have to handle it yourself.】
They were all adults and should be able to bear the consequences of their actions.
Although she wasn’t sure who exactly died in 2024, Tong Yang felt that Liang Xi in 2026 shouldn’t be from the parallel world.
On October 3, three days before the news report was released, Hu Er Gou went to Liang Xi’s travel destination and had a chance encounter.
According to her, it was quite normal to have a chance encounter with a popular influencer in 2026.
“Tong Yang Jie, who do you think the person who jumped out of the car and died could be?”
Hu Er Gou sat in a restaurant where Liang Xi had checked in, having spent the day wandering around nearby without seeing Liang Xi’s shadow.
Tong Yang didn’t have high hopes; she was just doing her own thing, reading in her room.
“Not sure.” Tong Yang said, wearing headphones, her tone indifferent.
“Maybe it’s better to head back early. We’ll know once the police DNA test results come out.”
Hu Er Gou sighed, “What a pity; I really wanted to meet her. I sent her a private message online saying I was waiting for her here, but I didn’t get a reply.”
“I want to sleep.”
“Me too.”
“Let’s just forget it. Tong Jie is right; we’ll find out sooner or later.”
“Liang Xi appearing in public as herself means that body will eventually be proven not to be her; otherwise, she would become a ghost!”
Tong Yang said, “Don’t wait any longer; let’s head back.”
Hu Er Gou muttered, “Alright… What the hell?! She’s coming in!”
Tong Yang’s expression froze slightly, and she reminded, “Be careful.”
“Y-You, hello? Are you Liang Xi? I’m your fan!”
Immediately, Hu Er Gou’s voice came through the headphones.
The restaurant was relatively quiet, with soft music playing in the background.
“Thank you.” A familiar voice rang out, indistinguishable from Tong Yang’s memory.
Tong Yang closed her book, listening carefully to every movement in her headphones.
“Can we chat? I’ll treat you to a meal?”
“Sure.”
Thinking she would be rejected, she didn’t expect Liang Xi to agree so readily.
Agreeing so easily? Something must be off.
Tong Yang said, “Don’t be alone with her.”
“Shall we go to a private room?” Liang Xi asked.
“Can we just stay outside?”
“Sure.” Liang Xi readily agreed again.
“From her voice, she sounds really young.”
“Duh, she’s not even an adult yet!”
The two placed their orders, and while waiting for the waiter to bring the food, Liang Xi took the initiative to speak.
“Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?”
Before coming, Hu Er Gou had prepared in advance, trying to make her reason sound less abrupt.
“I know you’re the daughter of Lawyer Qin; she helped my mom with a lawsuit before, and our family is very grateful to her. I just happened to know you were here, so I wanted to take a chance, and I didn’t expect to really meet you.”
“Oh, I see.” Liang Xi’s voice was calm, showing no signs of fluctuation.
“Do you want to talk about my mom?” Liang Xi asked.
Hu Er Gou said, “If you don’t mind, can we chat about it?”
Liang Xi smiled, “I don’t mind. I rarely talk about my parents with others; my friends are all very taboo about it, but I’m not avoiding it.”
Hu Er Gou sighed in relief, “Thank you.”
“Ladies, your orders are ready.”
“Thank you.”
Liang Xi said, “My mom always hoped I could study hard, get into Peking University, and become someone like her or my dad.”
Hu Er Gou asked, “Don’t you like that?”
“It’s not that I don’t like it; I just don’t want to live under their control all the time.”
“Do they control you strictly? Is it the kind where they arrange everything in your life down to the smallest detail?”
“Er Gou, you’re good at chatting! If it were me, I’d just say, ‘You’re so pitiful,’ and end the topic.”
“Of course! Aren’t I studying psychology?”
Liang Xi followed her question and answered, “Not really. Sometimes I feel like they hate me and can’t stand to see me do well.”
Hu Er Gou was surprised, “Really? When I met Lawyer Qin, I thought she was a very gentle person.”
“Gentle? You’re the first person to describe my mom that way.”
“Why is that?”
Liang Xi laughed, “Maybe to prove that I can’t do anything without them. My mom always contradicts what I do. I like eating vegetables; she tells me meat is better. I like math; she says language is better. I like white clothes; she buys me black ones… No matter what I like, she forces me to accept the complete opposite.”
“What about your dad?”
“Dad?” Liang Xi’s tone became sarcastic, “What’s the difference between him being alive and dead? If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have turned out like this.”
Hu Er Gou was shocked, “Is that true? The accident couldn’t be related to your dad, right? To be honest, ever since Lawyer Qin had the accident, I’ve felt that things weren’t that simple. I came to chance upon you today to ask about this matter; there’s hardly any information online.”
Hu Er Gou spoke naturally, following her lead.
Liang Xi fell into past emotions, and sure enough, she didn’t become wary of her, blurting out, “The accident was all his fault!”
“If it weren’t for him, my mom wouldn’t have died! I wouldn’t…”
“How could this happen?”
Liang Xi said, “My dad cheated.”
“Your dad cheated?”
“Ah???”
“No way?”
“How could there be such a hidden truth?”
Tong Yang remained silent, listening quietly.
“They had a big fight on the way home, crashed into a truck, and had the accident on the overpass.”
Hearing this, Tong Yang couldn’t help but furrow her brows. Why did it sound so similar to the circumstances of that corpse’s death?
“Hu Er Gou, ask her when the accident happened.”
Hu Er Gou asked, “Do you remember what date it was?”
“September 27, why?”
Tong Yang’s expression froze, “September 27?”
“September 27? Tong Jie, I remember it’s already October on your side, right?”
“Ah???”
“I don’t quite understand.”
Tong Yang said, “The accident that happened on September 27, 2024, where the person was caught under the truck on the overpass, was Liang Xi.”
Even though the identity of the corpse hadn’t been confirmed, the person who had the accident that day couldn’t possibly be her parents, because just yesterday, her mom, Lawyer Qin, was still alive.
Hu Er Gou stared blankly, “Are you sure the accident happened on September 27? I remember…”
After the incident, Tong Yang hadn’t asked about the specific time of the accident. Yan Qing had sent her a message saying it was September 27.
Suddenly, the headphones fell into an eerie silence.
After a few seconds, Hu Er Gou gasped, asking, “W-What’s wrong?”
It seemed that on the other end of the phone, Liang Xi did something that made her feel uneasy.
Then, there was another few seconds of silence.
Liang Xi’s tone became indescribable, carrying a hint of eeriness, “What do you remember?”
Hu Er Gou seemed to see something terrifying, her breathing becoming rapid, “Nothing, I might have remembered it wrong.”
Liang Xi’s voice softened a bit, “It should be; how could I remember my parents’ death anniversary wrong?”
“You agree, right?”
Hu Er Gou repeatedly responded, “Yes,” her voice trembling slightly.
“Ugh… I feel Liang Xi’s attitude is strange.”
“I do too; it feels weird to say it out loud.”
“Er Gou, why don’t you find an excuse to leave?”
“She might really be from the parallel world.”
Tong Yang also felt something was off and said, “Let’s leave.”
They could sense the abnormality through the screen, let alone Hu Er Gou, who was sitting face to face with Liang Xi.
“It’s getting late; I’ll leave first…”
“Don’t rush; didn’t you want to chat with me? We haven’t finished talking yet.” Liang Xi’s calm voice rang out.
“No, I’ll…”
“Are you afraid of me?” Liang Xi’s voice suddenly turned serious.
“Do you know any secrets related to me?”
“I don’t know,” Hu Er Gou said, forcing herself to respond.
“Then let’s continue chatting.”
Hu Er Gou fell silent, listening carefully. There was a faint sound of a chair being moved on the other end of the phone.
“Hu Er Gou?”
“Er Gou? Are you okay?”
“Say something!”
Liang Xi continued to talk about her childhood, and during this time, Hu Er Gou didn’t make a sound.
The gossip group members anxiously called her name, but she didn’t respond for a long time.
Suddenly, a bad premonition rose in everyone’s hearts.
Hu Er Gou must have encountered something dangerous, for some reason, she couldn’t speak.
“I hate my mom, and I hate my dad even more. My only friend is Qing Qing.”
“Qing Qing, right?”
Tong Yang’s breath hitched as she suddenly realized something.
The sound of the chair being moved earlier was because someone else had sat down next to them.
“Yes, Xi Xi is my best friend; I will always be by Xi Xi’s side.”
A familiar voice came through, and Tong Yang cursed under her breath. It really was related to the parallel world.
Liang Xi’s voice became a bit more cheerful as she said, “So even without my parents, it’s okay; Qing Qing will always be with me.”
“Yes, I will always be with Xi Xi.”
“Hu Er Gou?”
“Say something… don’t scare me…”
“They can’t all be from the parallel world, right?”
“Tong Jie, what should we do?”
“I… can I leave?”
Finally, at their utmost anxiety, Hu Er Gou’s voice rang out.
“Er Gou, are you okay? You scared me to death!”
“Run, run! I almost had to call the police!”
Tong Yang was calmer than them. After all, the restaurant was a public place. Even if Liang Xi and Yan Qing were both from the parallel world, they wouldn’t harm Hu Er Gou in public.
“The meal isn’t finished yet.”
Hu Er Gou took a breath, “I’m full…”
“By the way, what were you going to say you remembered?” Yan Qing’s cheerful voice came through.
“Nothing, I just said it casually.” Hu Er Gou tried to keep herself calm, clearly feeling more scared of Yan Qing than Liang Xi.
“Are you on the phone with someone?”
As soon as the words fell, the headphones picked up some rustling sounds. Everyone held their breath, not making a sound.
“Hmm? There’s no sound at all?”
Hu Er Gou said, “My dad is coming to pick me up soon; I’ll leave first.”
“Ah? What a pity; I thought you wanted to be friends with us.” Yan Qing said.
“Sorry, I have to go!”
The sound of a chair scraping against the floor came through the headphones, followed by a gust of wind.
Soon, Hu Er Gou’s panting could be heard.
“What the hell!!!”
“They’re not human!”
Hu Er Gou was breathing heavily, as if she was running wildly.
“What’s going on?”
“What the hell?!!”
“Be careful! Get to a safe place!”
Hu Er Gou continued, “Tong Jie, Liang Xi’s body is rotten! It’s like pulp!”
“What??”
“Don’t scare me! I’m scared…”
“Help… Er Gou, run!”
Tong Yang’s brows furrowed, “Be careful, try to stay in crowded places.”
“A bus just arrived; I’ll get on first!”
“Is there anyone on the bus? Be careful.”
“There are a few people.”
“How did Liang Xi rot?”
“It’s over! I can’t imagine that scene…”
“Er Gou, you’re really a warrior!”
“Let me find a seat in the back.”
After a while, Hu Er Gou let out a long breath, “I’m so scared!”
“Are you safe?”
“Safe!”
“Quick, tell us what happened!”
Hu Er Gou said, “When she bent down to drink water, the rim of the cup hit her face, and a chunk of flesh fell into the cup! Damn, there’s a piece of flesh missing from her face! It’s like mud!”
“That girl named Qing Qing popped up from somewhere and helped her pick up the flesh and stick it back on!”
“Ah!!!”
“Oh my god!!!!”
“I can picture it!!!”
“What the hell! She must have died a long time ago! No wonder she wears such heavy makeup every time!”
“Did you know? Someone dug this up on the forum and thought her face looked abnormal. There were even photos of her face drooping; everyone said she had plastic surgery!”
“Don’t! That’s so scary!”
Tong Yang said, “A few days ago, I went to see her body; the upper body was completely crushed into pulp.”
“Oh my god…”
“No way!”
“She can’t still be alive, right?”
“Impossible! The upper body was crushed into pulp; even a god can’t survive that!”
“What’s going on? I can’t take it anymore!”
“What exactly is the parallel world!”
Tong Yang said, “There’s a gene drug in the parallel world that can repair injuries on the body. Perhaps Liang Xi was injected with the gene drug. Although she survived, her injuries were too severe to be fully repaired.”
“I’m going! The parallel world is that amazing?”
“She can survive with her upper body crushed?”
“That’s not a gene drug; it’s clearly the elixir of life from the Supreme Lord!”
“If this drug can be mass-produced, ten real worlds wouldn’t be enough for them to invade.”
“How disgusting.”
Tong Yang thought for a moment, opened her phone, entered the social app, and clicked on Yan Qing’s chat box.
Learning is for making money: 【What date was Liang Xi’s car accident?】
Yan Qing, who was on vacation, basically wouldn’t be far from her phone. Not long after the message was sent, she received a reply.
Yan Qing: 【Liang Xi? September 27, why?】
Learning is for making money: 【What was the specific situation that day? Where did Liang Xi get into the car?】
Yan Qing: 【Liang Xi got in the car?】
Yan Qing: 【Tong Yang Jie, what are you talking about?】
Learning is for making money: 【?】
Learning is for making money: 【What?】
Yan Qing: 【It wasn’t Liang Xi who had the accident; it was Liang Xi’s parents!】
Tong Yang’s body stiffened, and a chill suddenly enveloped her.
She quickly sat up from her bed, opened the door, and went to the living room.
Chu Shiyu was watching TV in the living room. Seeing her serious expression, she asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”
Tong Yang asked, “Do you still remember Liang Xi?”
“Of course, what’s up?”
“She died in a car accident.”
Chu Shiyu showed a surprised expression, “What are you talking about? The ones who had the accident were her parents, right?”
Tong Yang tightened her lips, “Are you sure it was her parents?”
“Yeah, didn’t we go see their bodies together?”
Tong Yang clenched her jaw, “Let me borrow your phone.”
“Oh…”
Tong Yang took her phone and called Xu Junyue.
“Hello? Chu Shiyu? What do you want?”
“Do you remember Liang Xi’s case? You told me about it.”
“Tong Yang?” Xu Junyue’s voice was surprised, “I remember, what’s up?”
“Who died?”
Xu Junyue said, “Her parents! We went to the forensic identification institution to see the bodies; it was particularly tragic. Did you forget?”
“Did I forget?” Tong Yang scoffed, throwing the phone back to Chu Shiyu and returning to her room.
“What’s going on?” Xu Junyue asked.
Chu Shiyu shook her head in confusion, “I don’t know.”
“Do you remember what the bodies looked like?” Chu Shiyu asked.
Xu Junyue said, “I forgot; I just remember they were crushed.”
“Me too.”
Tong Yang closed the door, realizing something.
The past had been changed.
Just like when she entered the time loop, those outside the time displacement would have their memories refilled.
But she hadn’t entered the time loop!
Someone else had entered the loop and changed Liang Xi’s death in the past.
“Tong Jie?”
“Hu Er Gou?”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Why did you suddenly stop talking?”
“Hu Er Gou? How are you?”
“Say something! Are you okay?”
“Weren’t you safe on the bus already?”
“You didn’t hear what just happened?”
“After the bus arrived at the station, other passengers got on, and Er Gou hasn’t said anything since!”
“Oh no… it can’t be…”
At the same time, everyone realized a terrifying fact.
Tong Yang also discovered something more troublesome than others being able to enter the loop; Hu Er Gou was probably in trouble.
In 2026, the bus was driving on a bustling street, with an overpass a few hundred meters away.
For some reason, all the passengers on the bus gathered at the front, while three young women sat in the last row.
Two people whose faces couldn’t be seen sat on either side, with the girl sandwiched between them looking pale and trembling all over.
In 2024, Tong Yang’s headphones picked up a voice.
“Why are you running?”
