As the New Year approached, the shadow looming over Nanyi gradually dissipated. With the assurance that there were no threats from hostages, the explosion case that had recently caused widespread panic was being pushed out of sight by the arrival of the New Year.
Perhaps in an effort to ensure everyone could celebrate a peaceful holiday, various parties were downplaying this case. The reconstruction of the Nanyi Machinery Factory was scheduled for after the New Year, and the work pace of people like Yu Xue was gradually returning to normal.
With the New Year nearing, various large-scale events required the Public Security Bureau to send personnel to oversee them. Concerts, temple fairs, and trade shows were springing up everywhere. Every day before work, Yu Xue had to remind everyone to avoid unnecessary outings and to be cautious.
Yi Shi sighed. Ever since he could change his own bandages, he hadn’t stepped out of the house even once. However, he would browse the news online every day and still hadn’t seen his missing person notice. When he asked Yu Xue about it, Yu Xue chuckled, “Do you really think it’s all calm? Chief Deng calls me three times a day, Uncle Sheng calls me more than ten times, and your younger brother even skipped class to come to the city bureau to find me.”
“… Then how did you handle it?”
“I said—this is your idea.” Yu Xue loosened his tie and downed his cup of tea in one go. “You’ve been in touch with me, the person is safe, but it’s inconvenient to disclose the specific location. This time, we need to take a long line to fish for big ones and uproot them completely.”
Yi Shi was surprised. This was merely a temporary measure; how long could it hold? Moreover, this lie was too easy to backfire—what if a colleague came by?
It didn’t seem like something Yu Xue would typically decide.
“Do you think I wanted this? It’s just that plans can’t keep up with changes,” Yu Xue shook his head helplessly. “The higher-ups are taking your disappearance very seriously. If I keep claiming I haven’t seen you while not agreeing to disclose your situation to the public, it would definitely raise suspicion. If anyone pays a little attention, they’ll realize you’ve been hiding here with me.”
“So I have to expose some information, allowing your disappearance to become part of the operation. It also provides an opportunity to report the inside story of the explosion case.”
If that was the case, their private discussions would turn into solid facts Yi Shi obtained from the bald old ghost. Fortunately, this insider information was logical and could withstand scrutiny, so Chief Deng would definitely believe it without doubt.
“Besides, this doesn’t count as deceiving the leadership, right? I have no guilty conscience about it at all.” Yu Xue placed his hand on Yi Shi’s shoulder, looking at him earnestly. “What you’ve been doing is to change the outcome, right? I believe in you.”
Yi Shi was stunned. “…Believe in me?”
In his moment of confusion, when he was even doubting whether all his efforts were in vain, Yu Xue actually said the words, “I believe in you.”
“What if this process lasts a long time, continuously repeating the predetermined outcome?” Yi Shi murmured to himself.
“Are you referring to the Möbius strip? But there are still starting and ending points, right?” Yu Xue stroked his chin. “If we calculate according to the timeline of the case, the endpoint should be in that explosion case, right?”
Yi Shi nodded and took out his notebook, handing it over. He had too much free time lately and sorted through everything from the occurrence of the case until now. He compiled all the relevant details, concluding that Yu Xue’s hypothesis was correct. If there were a cycle, the endpoint for him and Lin Heyu would be on March 1st.
“Oh, I didn’t expect you could write with your left hand too. Doesn’t that count as an unexpectedly developed skill?”
“Yeah, with more practice, you get used to it.”
Yu Xue sat on the sofa, crossing his legs as he carefully flipped through the notes. Today, Qi Wenyu happened to be out of town, so there was no need to hide their conversation. As for keeping Yi Shi a secret, Qi Wenyu hadn’t asked a single question; that was probably the highest level of trust between partners.
“This case is like a line, connecting the two worlds. The timeline may seem distorted, but with a slight adjustment, it wouldn’t feel awkward.” Yu Xue tore off a piece of paper and took out two different colored pens. “Let me lay it out for you again: the black ones are from our side, and the blue ones are from Lin Heyu’s side.”
Soon, three columns of names appeared on the paper. The left and right columns listed the names of the case handlers from the city bureau, marked with their ages, while the middle column contained the names of the people involved in the case. After rearranging them, there were black and blue ink marks in both columns, with the age difference on the two ends being exactly twenty years, almost matching perfectly.
The reason it wasn’t complete was that he and Lin Heyu had an empty space on the other side; there was no corresponding point for them in another world. Yi Shi silently picked up the blue pen and wrote “Xiao Shitou” in the corresponding column.
Yu Xue showed a look of surprise, but after a few seconds, the ripples in his eyes settled down, and he smiled. “Looks like my intuition was quite accurate.”
“Yeah, Aunt Shen came by that day. She knows me and confirmed that I’m the orphan from the hostage situation back then, who was later adopted by Captain Sheng.” Yi Shi looked up. “So the extra hostage is actually my sister. I have an obligation to ensure her safety.”
“Eh?” Yu Xue pointed to a line of small text. “Didn’t Lin Heyu say she’s doing well? Even without your intervention, she would eventually leave the kidnapping case smoothly, right?”
“What if my involvement gave her the opportunity to leave?”
Looking into Yi Shi’s calm eyes, Yu Xue gradually understood. There was no need for assumptions; this was a certainty. Because Yi Shi wouldn’t sit idly by, waiting for everything to happen quietly. His actions would inevitably create a butterfly effect, making the entire process of the event smoother and more complete.
“It seems you’ve grasped the rules of the game,” Yu Xue checked the time. “Let’s go; we need to see Xie Gang about your injuries. There aren’t many days left.”
Xie Gang’s adult store was still open, but the person was absent. Sitting at the counter was a heavily made-up middle-aged woman. Her hair was curled into fine waves, her lipstick was dark as if it could devour someone, and she wore black thigh-high stockings and high heels, with a rose tattoo creeping over her shoulder. They had encountered too many women like her; they could catch ten or so during every inspection.
She was cutting her nails while binge-watching a web drama. Upon seeing the two young men walk in, she lazily stood up, “KY, right? Do you need some co-ndoms?”
“Where’s Xie Gang?”
“He’s gone to the bar; there’s a new stripper tonight, and he won’t be back no matter what.”
The woman’s tone was tinged with sarcasm. Yu Xue had her call Xie Gang and put it on speaker. The woman was skeptical, and when the call connected, Xie Gang, having had a few drinks, responded curtly, “Damn it, didn’t I say I’m not coming back!”
“Which bar has a stripper? I need to send someone to check it out.”
Upon hearing Yu Xue’s voice, Xie Gang was caught off guard. “C-CaptainYu? I’ll be back right away!”
Half an hour later, Xie Gang stumbled into the shop. Yu Xue rested his elbow on the glass counter, while Yi Shi stood beside him, and the woman sat obediently on a stool. Seeing Xie Gang, she hurriedly found an excuse to leave, grabbing her bag and rushing out, fearing that staying even one more second would land her in trouble.
Yu Xue maintained his smile, teasing Xie Gang that he seemed to be doing well. Xie Gang was sweating, his face red but his mind clear, as he quickly led the two officers to the basement.
After taking some photos, Xie Gang touched his thinning hair and said, “Officer Yi, you’re recovering really well! No displacement, and the bone callus is coming along nicely. If you use the splint for another month, you should be fine.”
Yi Shi shook his head. “Take it off.”
“Huh? Now?!” Xie Gang seemed unsure. “But if you take it off, your arm won’t be able to move…”
Before he finished speaking, Yi Shi had already removed the hanging wire and lifted his right arm.
“I can move it,” he said expressionlessly, lifting it up to shoulder level. “It just hurts a bit. Can I get a cortisone injection?”
“…” After years in medicine, Xie Gang had only seen athletes request cortisone injections before competitions. This was the first time a police officer asked for one. Shouldn’t injuries like this be properly rested and recuperated by the bureau?
“Officer Yi, the cortisone is a mix of hormones and anesthetics, which could affect bone healing. Moreover, orthopedic treatment usually uses it for arthritis. In your case…”
“Can I get it or not?”
“I-I can… but still can’t…?” Xie Gang stammered, observing Yu Xue’s expression. Yu Xue had his arms crossed and waited until Xie Gang could no longer hold out before speaking, “In another 20 days, how well will his arm recover?”
“Generally, in 6-8 weeks, the bone callus will grow significantly, the fracture line will become indistinct, and it shouldn’t displace at all. You can start some light exercises and rehabilitation.” Xie Gang glanced at Yi Shi. “At his pace, he should definitely be able to move well in two weeks.”
“Okay,” Yu Xue nodded, tilting his chin. “Prescribe him some medication; if he needs anything later, he’ll come to you himself.”
In the end, the splint was removed, and Yi Shi finally didn’t have to keep his arm suspended. He felt a noticeable lightness. Yu Xue, driving, spoke cheerfully, “You’re quite clever. With all the attention on you, you still managed to sneak in some training.”
“You guys have your busy times too.”
It was rare for Yu Xue to be at a loss for words. He and Qi Wenyu kept a close eye on Yi Shi at home, and the only time they were busy was when they were in bed together. He didn’t expect to be teased about it.
If he got too carried away, they really shouldn’t marry him off to Lin Heyu.
Seeing Yi Shi’s awkward expression as he was still lost in thought, Yu Xue added, “I meant at work.”
“…” Yu Xue cleared his throat. “Yeah, I was thinking the same.”
———
[01/20, 16:20, Pingju Square, Nanyi City]
“The Nanyi over there feels very unfamiliar. I’m just a kid; I can’t help you with anything. You’ll have to rely on yourself,” Yu Xue ruffled Yi Shi’s black hair. “Don’t carry such a heavy mental burden. Just do whatever comes to mind. Like I said, the worst outcome is just remaining unchanged, right?”
Yi Shi nodded, picking up his small bag and opening the car door, but he was called back by Yu Xue, “Did you read the message I sent you that day?”
There was only one message in WeChat: the New Year’s wishes.
Yu Xue smiled gently. “Don’t let me down.”
For some reason, a wave of emotion and sadness gradually surged up. Yu Xue was a rare good superior and an invaluable friend. If he could change the current outcome, would there still be such a compatible person by his side?
Fate was unpredictable, and the future was unknown.
Yi Shi stood outside the glass door, watching the scenes inside through the glass. If he pushed the door open, would he really enter a mirrored world?
Lin Heyu had said that being in the midst of a case made crossing over much easier. Now, his memories of the case were almost saturated, so he should be able to reach that level too, right?
Taking a deep breath, Yi Shi grasped the doorknob and slowly pushed it open. The moment the wind chimes rang, that familiar sense of peculiarity hit him. As he pushed the door open, the café scene transformed, with the setting sun outside shifting its angle, casting a vibrant light from behind. The floor-to-ceiling mirror directly opposite was plastered with sticky notes, and the sunflower painting was lovingly brushed by time, exuding a gentle and serene atmosphere.
Successful.
“Excuse me, sir, how many people?”
“Waiting for someone.” Yi Shi found a seat for himself and took out his phone, but there was no signal. The text appeared reversed. However, one good thing about Chinese characters is that even changing the order doesn’t affect reading, and even reversed text can still be understood.
He still remembered the Wi-Fi password for the café. First, he needed to familiarize himself with the map of Nanyi, check the changes in bus routes, and then determine where to go next and whom he could ask for help.
Suddenly, a shadow fell beside him. “Hello, may I interrupt you for a few minutes?”
Yi Shi looked up to see a stranger standing by his table, holding a sketchbook. The man had a handsome appearance that was quite likable. He pushed up his glasses and smiled, “Don’t misunderstand; I’m not hitting on you. I just saw some unusual phenomena and wanted to understand it.”
Although Yi Shi didn’t understand the other party’s intentions, a quick assessment of his build and the strong scholarly aura he exuded indicated he posed no threat. Yi Shi nodded, his eyes, still visible outside his mask, remained cold.
“My name is Lian Jingyuan, a teacher of physics at Dongli University of Technology.”
Yi Shi continued to nod. And then?
Lian Jingyuan sat down and handed over his sketchbook. The paper depicted a street scene in a few strokes, almost capturing the entire view from the floor-to-ceiling windows. The artwork wasn’t intricate, but the essence was vividly expressed on the paper.
“I was sitting in the back, observing the people on the street until you came in.” Lian Jingyuan glanced around and lowered his voice, “I didn’t see you come from any direction; you just appeared in the shop.”
Yi Shi’s pupils constricted. This was the first stranger to actively notice the anomaly. In all his previous crossings, no one had been aware of his sudden appearance. Why was there someone so keenly perceptive today?
Seeing that Yi Shi was silent, Lian Jingyuan maintained his smile and continued in a gentle tone, “I do physics research, so I can understand this phenomenon. I used to have a cat that… uh, I’m just a bit curious. If you don’t want to speak about it, that’s fine too; just pretend I didn’t ask.”
Hearing that the other party specialized in physics research, Yi Shi gradually lowered his guard. Meeting his gaze, he confirmed that there was no malice in his eyes before whispering, “I don’t belong here.”
“A parallel world?”
Indeed, the other party got right to the point. Yi Shi nodded again, “Yes, and it’s a bit special.”
He took a coin from his pocket and handed it over. When Lian Jingyuan’s slender fingers touched the coin, the pattern appeared reversed, leaving even a quantum physics expert dumbfounded.
“This—” Lian Jingyuan turned the coin over, even suspecting it was a magic trick.
“Do you have any paper money?” Yi Shi asked.
Lian Jingyuan happened to have some change and took out a ten-yuan bill, placing it on the table. Yi Shi didn’t even pick it up; he simply pressed his finger on it, and the bill transformed into a perfect “misprinted bill.”
He scratched the top with his nail, revealing a bit of anti-counterfeiting gold thread, showing Lian Jingyuan that what he was witnessing wasn’t magic, but a miracle.
“…It’s truly breathtaking.” Lian Jingyuan was extremely interested in him and couldn’t help but ask, “How long will you be here? Can we exchange contact information?”
“Until the end of the month.” Yi Shi thought for a moment. “If you can help solve my financial problems, I’ll cooperate with anything you want to know that I can share.”
—–
Author’s Note:
Xiao Lian: Huh?? Why do such strange things always happen around me?
