Chapter 23.2: Parallel Worlds
“Have a seat,” He Wei gestured for his younger brother to sit down and went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water. “How did you know I live here?”
He Lu shrugged. It was simple—he had called their mother, and she had inquired with Chief Zheng, which led him to He Wei’s address. He looked around the new apartment and sincerely admired it. “It’s really nice. Much bigger than the old dorm room.”
He Wei chuckled. “You still find it nice? Someone who sleeps in a luxurious mansion every day.”
He Lu retorted bluntly, “That’s because you refuse to go back home. Mom complains to me all the time, that she’s alone in that big house every day and wakes up feeling anxious in the middle of the night.”
The two brothers exchanged smiles, the atmosphere light and pleasant. He Wei refilled his tea cup and got to the point, “What brought you here today?”
“Nothing much, just that we haven’t met since the New Year. I wanted to check in and see how you’ve been…”
“To be honest.”
He Lu rubbed his nose and lowered his head, seemingly struggling to express himself, “Ge, in mid-June, there’s the Northern Lyrids meteor shower. There will be shooting stars, and the radiant point will be at the zenith during the night…”
“Wait, wait, wait. You know that telling me all this is something I won’t understand.” He Wei interrupted him. “You want me to make an appointment with Lian Jingyuan, right? Just call him directly to make plans.”
He Lu hesitated, “I do want to, but last time I tried to set something up with him, he didn’t agree, so I thought maybe I could…”
“You’re backing down? No wonder you haven’t even confessed yet.” He Wei’s hand rested on his shoulder. “Why not break the usual routine? Just go to his school or his place and kidnap him. He’s defenseless against you. Whether you take him to the mountains or to the observatory, it’s all up to you.”
He Lu’s face suddenly turned red, and he didn’t know where to put his hands and feet. He stammered, “No, no, that won’t work.” Doing something like that would surely make Jingyuan angry, and he couldn’t bear the thought of being ignored by him.
He Wei sighed and ruffled his younger brother’s hair. Despite being identical twins, their personalities were quite different. He Lu was always cautious in his actions, especially when it came to matters of the heart. He had liked Jingyuan since their student days, and after all these years, there had been no progress. The war of resistance only lasted for eight years, and he had been secretly in love for almost ten years.
“Then if you want me to help set up a meeting with him, what should we do if it doesn’t work out?”
“It will,” He Lu said earnestly. “You’re better at talking than I am.”
He Wei considered persuading his brother to give it a try, but He Lu had a firm grip on his arm, imploring him for this one favor. He felt quite helpless, to the point of seeking his brother’s help when he normally wouldn’t want to inconvenience anyone.
“Alright, I have some business to discuss with him anyway.” He Wei checked the calendar and couldn’t help but shake his head. “You’re something else. Making plans for June already. What’s the rush? If he doesn’t agree, do you plan on freeing up time to slowly work on it?”
With his thoughts completely seen through, He Lu grew embarrassed, keeping his head down and remaining silent. He Wei understood his younger brother the best and didn’t want to make things difficult for him. He patted his shoulder, saying, “I’ll try to help, but if I manage to set up the meeting, you need to behave well. Don’t procrastinate. If it’s time to confess, confess, got it?”
He Lu clearly hesitated at this suggestion, and he mumbled without a clear response. He Wei asked if he had eaten and that he was going to make fried dumplings, but He Lu quickly declined. He had a dinner appointment with the manager of a media company waiting for him.
The two brothers were accustomed to each other’s busy schedules. He Wei didn’t insist and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something. “A-Lu, do you know Cheng Zesheng?”
“Yeah, I know him. We’ve worked together before.”
“How’s your relationship?”
“It’s alright, just regular friends.” He Lu sat at the entrance, changing his shoes, and looked up. “I wouldn’t have remembered if you didn’t mention it. Wasn’t he killed recently? Have they caught the murderer?”
He Wei stared into his eyes, gauging his expression and demeanor to make sure he wasn’t lying or hiding anything, before slowly shaking his head. “Not yet.”
“Oh, a lot of the girls at our company liked him. Some even went to Fulong Mountain to offer flowers.” He Lu stood by the door, seeming a bit worried. He reminded his brother once again, “Ge, about that meteor shower…”
“I know, I know. I’ll definitely help you out, alright?” He Wei made a gesture. “We’ll get in touch when the time comes.”
———
That night, Cheng Zesheng didn’t return to Future Domain 404. It wasn’t because he didn’t want to or was afraid to, but because he made a call to his mother and was asked to come back home. He couldn’t go back anymore.
“Zesheng, don’t worry. Tomorrow
Mom’ll go to the temple. I’ll get some protective amulets for you to wear. They’ll keep you safe,” Ding Xiang said worriedly, “We have a peach tree in the backyard. I’ll go pick a peach branch and bring it back to hang on your door.”
“…” Cheng Zesheng was speechless. “Mom, did you hear this from Chief Huang?”
“Yes, you see, you moved out without even leaving a phone number. If it weren’t for Lao Huang updating us on your situation, I wouldn’t have known you were investigating a case involving ghosts!” Ding Xiang exclaimed.
“Mom, let me explain. It’s just a misunderstanding,” Cheng Zesheng sighed. He had mentioned it as a joke in the office, hadn’t he? He didn’t encounter any ghosts; it was just a lack of sleep from working late. How could Lao Huang spread the news so quickly, and why did it reach his parents?
The chief of staff, Father Cheng, sat on the sofa with a stern expression. Aunt Zhang served tea, and he took a sip. “You’ve only been living on your own for a short while, and there’s already trouble? Move back.”
Cheng Zesheng felt even more helpless. He wanted to facepalm. Why did he even mention the ghost story in front of Huang Zhanwei? Now his mom wanted to take him to the temple, and his dad wanted him to move back home. It was all too much to handle.
“I told you it’s a misunderstanding. I was just joking with Lao Huang in the morning. I’m doing fine there, everything’s alright,” Cheng Zesheng reassured his mother with a hug and quickly found an excuse to escape. “Mom, I’m okay. Don’t worry. I have to leave now; I have a meeting tonight.”
“What meeting do you have tonight? Why didn’t I know about it?”
“It’s an internal meeting at the Criminal Investigation Department. Do I need to report that to you?”
“Lao Huang said the case is still unresolved. Sleep at home tonight and spend time with your mom.”
“It’s because the case is unresolved that we need to have a meeting to discuss it, brainstorm ideas, and hopefully bring the case to a clear resolution.”
The conversation between father and son was tense, and Ding Xiang quickly intervened, giving Cheng Zesheng a meaningful look, signaling him not to argue further. Cheng Zesheng felt frustrated. He was trapped. Even if he had agreed to stay away, if he didn’t go back now, he’d be seen as cowardly, unreliable, and afraid of ghosts.
“Mom, I really have something to attend to tonight. I’ll come back and stay with you for a couple of days next week, I promise.”
Cheng Zesheng picked up his coat and car keys, heading towards the door. But before he reached the door, he heard a cry of “Aiyo, aiyo” behind him. He turned around to see his mom, who had been looking fine just moments ago, clutching her chest and collapsing onto the couch. Acting like a seasoned actress, she portrayed a heart attack quite vividly. Meanwhile, his father sat there, puffing his mustache and glaring at him with eyes that felt like daggers—full of anger.
“…”
Tonight, it seemed certain that he wouldn’t be able to return to the apartment.
He Wei read until midnight, the house was quiet, and Cheng Zesheng boldly stood him up by becoming invisible.
Heh. Closing the book, He Wu couldn’t help but think, “A man’s mouth is a deceitful ghost.”
—
On Saturday afternoon, in a lecture hall at Dongli University of Science and Technology, Lian Jingyuan’s class was about “Parallel Quantum Universes,” covering the concepts of multiple universes.
“When we imagine quantum multiverses, we’re faced with the possibility that, like the protagonist in Larry Niven’s short story ‘All the Myriad Ways,’ our parallel selves in different quantum universes might possess the exact same genetic code. However, at crucial moments throughout our long lives, opportunities, choices, and the driving force of dreams might lead us down different paths, guiding us along distinct life trajectories and routes.”
A student in the audience raised their hand, asking, “Teacher Lian, does that mean I can never become a millionaire in this lifetime, but another version of me in a different quantum universe might already own a Rolls-Royce?”
Laughter rippled through the classroom, and Lian Jingyuan smiled gently. “There’s that possibility, but I think you’re still in school. It’s not wise to label yourself at such a youthful age. Just as you fantasize about another version of you in a multiverse being wealthy and influential, perhaps that version is also wondering if the you here was already living in a mansion.”
Another student raised their hand, asking, “Teacher Lian, if one day I could meet my parallel self, could we become friends?”
“If that opportunity ever arises, my advice would be to avoid it.” Lian Jingyuan wrote the word “avoid” on the blackboard, leaning on the podium. “I assume everyone is familiar with the butterfly effect? A tiny butterfly flapping its wings might trigger a tornado in a distant location. The same principle applies here. If you view your life trajectory in four-dimensional spacetime, it’s like a roll of videotape, with each moment in time as a frame. If you insert scenes from another videotape into it, what kind of movie will it play?”
“Definitely something strange.”
“Probably gibberish?”
“The course of life would undoubtedly change completely.”
Lian Jingyuan’s lips curled into a slight smile, “It would become chaotic. And our universe is a strict teacher; it wouldn’t allow such disorderly chapters.”
The bell signaling the end of the class rang right on time, and students reluctantly left the classroom, clutching their books. Lian Jingyuan was tidying up his teaching materials when he lifted his head and saw a man standing up at the back of the classroom, slowly clapping his hands.
“For the first time, I’ve listened to your lecture attentively, and it’s really good. No wonder even an elective course like this is packed.”
Lian Jingyuan pushed up his glasses, “If I had known you were in the audience, I might have made mistakes during the lecture.”
He Wei slid his hands into his pants pocket, dressed casually in a hooded sweatshirt and jeans. He looked like he was in his early twenties, blending in perfectly among the college students. He walked from the back rows towards Lian Jingyuan, who held a book in his hands, and raised his wrist to check the time. “Can you accompany me somewhere?”
“An appointment?”
“Yeah, I want to introduce you to my little sweetheart.”
Lian Jingyuan drove the car, heading south in the city. After about fifteen minutes, he stopped in front of a pet hospital. It was then that He Wei realized his “little sweetheart” was actually a cat—a Ragdoll named Stephen, named in honor of the late physicist Stephen Hawking.
“…I didn’t expect you to even relate cat names to science. Why not call it Schrödinger?”
Lian Jingyuan held Stephen in his arms, stroking its soft fur. “Stephen is easier to remember.”
The two chatted about cats along the way. He Wei held the cat in his arms, and Stephen obediently lay in his embrace, occasionally nuzzling his arm affectionately. He Wei chuckled, “It seems like it’s not afraid of me at all.”
“Ragdolls have gentle personalities and are very easy to bond with humans.” Lian Jingyuan steered the wheel. “Did you need something from me? Where are we headed?”
“Let’s go to your place, we’re almost there.”
The pet hospital wasn’t far from Huyue Xingchen. Conveniently passing by the Leijing Internet Cafe on Fuzuo Road, He Wei rapped on the car window, “How about stopping by the Internet cafe? Do you have your ID with you?”
Lian Jingyuan looked a bit embarrassed. “It’s really unfortunate. I lost my ID card a while ago and I’m currently in the process of getting a replacement.” He glanced again at Stephen, who was peacefully asleep in He Wei’s arms. “I even have it with me.”
“Why are you so careless that you even lost your ID card?”
Lian Jingyuan smiled wryly. It wasn’t just the ID card he lost; a few credit cards were gone too. He had to make multiple trips to the bank, causing a lot of trouble.
He Wei scratched under Stephen’s chin, realizing that this matter was likely unrelated to Lian Jingyuan. He was probably an innocent victim who had his ID card stolen for someone else’s scheme.
Lian Jingyuan’s apartment was on the seventeenth floor. Perhaps due to the height, it was exceptionally quiet inside, devoid of any noise. Coupled with the well-insulated double-layered glass, not even the slightest breeze could make its way in.
Having been in the apartment for half a month, Stephen knew where the comfortable sleeping spots were. It elegantly walked to the windowsill and basked in the sunlight. He Wei received the cup of honeysuckle tea that Lian Jingyuan had brewed. “You’re incredible, knowing that I’ve been feeling exhausted recently because of the case.”
“I noticed a bit of redness around your eyes.” Lian Jingyuan sat down across from him, resting his chin on his hand. “What do you want to ask me?”
“Just wanted to chat with you casually. You were a prodigy since childhood, skipping grades to be in the same class with us when you were a few years younger. Whenever our classmates didn’t understand something, they’d ask you.”
Lian Jingyuan told him to stop teasing. Skipping grades was his parents’ idea, and it was quite intimidating and pressurizing for him to attend classes with kids several years older. Besides, being a child prodigy didn’t necessarily translate to success in adulthood. Despite winning numerous awards, he hadn’t even made it to the Chinese Academy of Sciences and ended up as an average teacher.
He Wei took a sip of tea and nearly spat out, “You call it being ‘average and unremarkable? You’re not even that old, and you’re already supervising graduate students. What more do you want?”
Lian Jingyuan smiled without saying a word. He Wei didn’t waste any time and got to the point. “I’ve encountered some things lately that I can’t understand, and I wanted to ask you about them.”
“Go ahead.”
Choosing his words carefully, He Wei began, “I live in a new apartment where I’m the only resident, but I sense traces of another person’s presence. I can’t bring out any evidence related to him from the apartment. It’s really strange. Doors suddenly open, the shower turns on by itself in the bathroom, and things appear on the coffee table for no reason… Also, that day, I even heard his voice.”
Lian Jingyuan’s gaze remained fixed on He Wei’s face as he observed his expression. After a while, he spoke, “A-Wei, I’ve always been involved in theoretical research and have never encountered real phenomena. If what you’re saying is true, it might be a point of interaction between you two in two parallel universes.”
“A point of interaction (node)?”
“Parallel universes can be divided into two types: those that possibly exist within the same spatial framework and those that possibly exist within the same temporal framework. You and your ‘roommate’ can discuss the time and place of your lives to deduce which situation it might be.”
Holding the cup of honeysuckle tea, He Wei said, “He mentioned a location that actually exists here, and in his world, I’m already dead. Does this make sense scientifically?”
Lian Jingyuan chuckled and shook his head. “If you’re asking me if it’s scientifically valid, all I can tell you is that from a theoretical perspective, another version of you in a different universe with an entirely different life trajectory is definitely possible. Did you attend my lecture today? The one who died isn’t you, but rather a parallel individual with the same genetic makeup as you.”
“I know it’s not me, I’m just curious,” He Wei continued, “But why can’t I bring anything belonging to him out from that interaction point?”
“Your meeting only exists at that interaction point. Beyond that point, they’re still two separate worlds,” Lian Jingyuan picked up two ribbons from the tray used for gifts, tying them together in a knot, “These two ropes only intersect at this one point. The atomic structures of the two parallel universes can remain stable here. Once you move away from it, multiple factors can cause the structure to collapse. Unless there’s some external force that can create a complete loop between the two parallel universes, then the atomic structure can remain stable even when leaving the interaction point.”
He Wei listened, finding it a bit mystifying. All of this was way beyond his understanding, and he realized that his younger brother He Lu could probably chat about this topic easily. For the sake of having a common topic to discuss with Lian Jingyuan, He Lu had put in so much effort to study astronomy and geography, delving into numerous scientific books.
Thinking about his younger brother, He Wei cleared his throat and naturally shifted the conversation, “By the way, there’s a meteor shower in June from a certain constellation. Are you interested in heading up to the mountains to watch it?”
“Which meteor shower are you talking about? Is it the Northern Lyrid meteor shower on the 16th?” Lian Jingyuan couldn’t help but smile wryly. “Why did you suddenly think of asking me to go watch this? Not investigating cases anymore?”
“Come on, it’s not me. A-Lu was too embarrassed to ask you, so he sent me instead.”
Upon hearing He Lu’s name, Lian Jingyuan nodded, his smile becoming softer. Seizing the opportunity, He Wei added, “I’ll take it as you agree then. He’ll contact you when the time comes.”
“…Well, alright, I’ll go.”
Seeing that it was getting late, He Wei didn’t intend to continue bothering him and prepared to leave. Stepping down from the windowsill, Stephen nuzzled against He Wei’s leg, emitting a delicate and gentle meow.
“It really seems to like me.” He Wei rubbed Stephen’s head. “Next time I visit you, don’t worry, I won’t come empty-handed.”
