[11/26, 14:11, Time Flies (Pingju Square Branch)]
Time Flies is a peculiar café, the main junction of two mirrored worlds. To be honest, Yi Shi still wasn’t quite clear on the detailed rules of time travel; he only knew that when he was with Lin Heyu, their success rate was very high. Once they separated, they would automatically return to their respective worlds.
To prevent Lin Heyu from mysteriously “getting lost,” Yi Shi always held his hand while entering. They found their usual spot by the window, ordered two drinks as usual, and the afternoon sun warmed everything, dispelling all gloom.
The weather was really nice. Yi Shi rested his forehead on his hand, squinting, looking like a cat basking in the sun. Lin Heyu instinctively reached out and pinched his cheek. Yi Shi’s body was all bone, but his cheeks had a soft, fleshy quality, making them feel great to the touch.
“Have you gained some weight recently?” Lin Heyu’s fingertip brushed against his soft cheek. “You look better than before; there’s some color in your face.”
Yi Shi’s face flushed slightly. He glanced around; there weren’t many people in the café, and the waitstaff were busy, so no one paid attention to their table. He rubbed his cheek against Lin Heyu’s finger, making him look even more like a cat in Lin Heyu’s eyes.
“Are you going back to Haijing later?” Lin Heyu asked.
“Yeah, I still need to meet Xu Shang and Lin Erde,” Yi Shi said, pulling out two keys—one for his rental and one for Lin Heyu’s home—and handed them over. “I made backup keys; you can use these if you need a place to stay.”
Lin Heyu took the keys. “The other you will be back in Nanyi tomorrow, right?”
Yi Shi nodded. “I’ll go back to pack a few clothes and leave soon. No problem.”
“Do I need to wait until December 1st?” Lin Heyu stroked his chin. He and Yi Shi’s worlds existed in a time difference. In his world, the normal timeline was currently February. If he went back to a non-mapping point, the time difference would be too great, and there wouldn’t be a corresponding mapping point to return to October 21st.
Yi Shi’s finger suddenly reached out and lightly scratched the back of his hand. “You’ve detached. The current me and you are no longer the Yi Shi and Lin Heyu from the normal timeline. We can be seen as having a god’s perspective, unaffected by the constraints and influences of the normal timeline.”
Hearing this, Lin Heyu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “You understand more than I do.”
“I just recovered my memory a bit earlier than you.”
At 4 PM, Lin Heyu walked out of Time Flies alone. The moment he pushed the door open, the sun had moved to the east, and time returned to the vibrant 8 AM. As the glass door closed, he looked back at the familiar spot, but Yi Shi’s figure had disappeared—just a door away, yet it separated two worlds.
Yi Shi returned to Haijing alone. The northern winter night was cold and biting. He went to Lin Heyu’s home, where there was no heating, and the air felt cold and stagnant. Without conversation or chatter, the harsh light of the fluorescent bulbs felt like it was covered in a layer of frost, leaving a sense of loneliness and chill.
He was truly spoiled; Lin Heyu had just left, and he was already starting to miss him. Yi Shi curled up under the blanket, took out the folded hundred-yuan heart shape from his pocket, and tucked it under his pillow before falling asleep peacefully.
———
[11/29, 07:25, Haijing City]
Yi Shi put on women’s clothing and a mask, finding a small red house with a sign saying “Beauty and Hairdressing” on a side street in the old town. He pulled open the glass door.
“What can I do for you? It’s early in the morning…” The proprietress, wearing a floral nightgown and slippers, came out, twisting her waist to greet him. Yi Shi glanced and confirmed it was Wu Xia, Lin Erde’s mistress.
It was well-known that places with such ambiguous pink lights were not proper establishments; the regulars were mostly middle-aged men from the neighborhood. It was rare for a young girl to come in, making Wu Xia curious. “Jie, who are you looking for?”
“I’m not looking for anyone; I want to stay for a couple of days,” Yi Shi replied, walking in and shutting the glass door behind him. “You can set the price, just don’t make it too outrageous.”
“Stay for a couple of days? We’re not a hotel,” Wu Xia was puzzled. “What exactly are you here for? If you don’t clarify, I can’t let you stay here.”
Based on his previous memories, Yi Shi fabricated a story about catching a cheating husband, saying her husband had brought a mistress nearby and that he was specifically there to catch them. Wu Xia’s interest piqued at the mention of a cheating spouse; middle-aged women loved to gossip. She immediately pulled him to sit down on the massage couch and incessantly asked about the mistress’s appearance and characteristics. She had been living there for several years and might know her.
Yi Shi casually improvised a story, fabricating a young, fashionable, and bold woman. Wu Xia chimed in, “Yes, yes, that kind of vixen is the best at seducing men. Jie, I think you’re quite beautiful; it must be that you’re too conservative and not flashy enough, which is why you can’t hold onto your man.”
“…” Yi Shi nodded. “Uh-huh.”
“Then why don’t you stay in a hotel? The hotel environment must be much better than my little place.”
Yi Shi cleared his throat. “I don’t have my ID with me.”
With this statement, Yi Shi immediately became a good woman who was completely under a man’s control in Wu Xia’s mind. She felt a surge of strong discontent and wrapped her arm around Yi Shi’s shoulder. “That’s too much! How can a couple live like this? He’s restricting your personal freedom! You need to catch him and that mistress together.”
“I’ll deal with him gradually. Just let me stay here first; how will you charge me?”
“Look, jie, just set the price based on the situation. We’re all women here; we should help each other out in times like this,” Wu Xia said with a smile. “You’re dressed nicely, so you must have money.”
That may have been the case, but there was a glint of greed in Wu Xia’s eyes. Yi Shi could easily guess her thoughts; she probably saw him as a wealthy lady, hoping to squeeze as much as she could from him.
He had always been a person who avoided trouble, so he decided to go straight to the point, following the investigation report from back then. Sure enough, when Wu Xia heard the amount, she beamed, grinning from ear to ear. She went inside, shooed away the three younger girls to one room, and cleared out another room just for Yi Shi. She even concocted an identity for him, saying he was a cousin from the countryside who had come for medical treatment, advising Yi Shi not to wander around during the day to avoid being mistaken for a new girl by the lecherous guests.
Yi Shi only took off his mask when he was in the room. The sound insulation of the shop was poor, and he could clearly hear the guests haggling and the girls gossiping. Some regulars would order two girls at a time, making some absurd requests, but as long as the money was good, there was nothing they wouldn’t agree to in their eyes.
That evening, Wu Xia knocked on the door to change Yi Shi’s bedding. Yi Shi sat on the chair and asked, “Wu-jie, do you live alone?”
“Kind of. I have a home in the north of the city, but there’s a deadbeat there who gambles all the time. I don’t like going back to serve him,” Wu Xia sighed. “You know, a woman really fears marrying the wrong man; it’s so painful to end up with someone unsatisfactory…”
Maybe afraid of touching on Yi Shi’s sore spot, Wu Xia awkwardly smiled and didn’t continue her train of thought. Yi Shi said, “Going home really can lead to arguments, but staying alone for too long can be lonely.”
Wu Xia immediately retorted, “Hey, I’m not lonely! Even without that deadbeat, I have other men. A woman can’t just hang herself on one tree! Jie, I actually wanted to advise you during the day: since you can’t hold onto him, it’s better to let go quickly. You find your fun, and he finds his; it’s perfect as long as he gives you money…”
“…” Yi Shi didn’t comment on her worldview. He mainly wanted to learn about Lin Erde’s situation, casually probing about her “other men.” Wu Xia didn’t mention names, only saying he was a good-for-nothing, but the one good thing was he was generous, often giving her bags and jewelry, and would send her money every month.
“Ah, today is the end of the month. If you hadn’t reminded me, I would’ve forgotten to ask him for this month’s money,” Wu Xia said as she stood up. “You should sleep early, jie. I’ll head out first.”
Not long after she left, Yi Shi heard Wu Xia on the other side of the partition wall using a sweet, flirtatious voice to tease someone. Lin Erde seemed to have things to attend to these days and didn’t plan on coming over. Wu Xia used all her charm, lingering on the phone for half an hour before finally hanging up.
On the evening of the 30th, Yi Shi paid attention to the commotion outside and finally heard a loud voice call out, “Xiao Xia!”
This voice was too recognizable. Yi Shi stood up and quietly cracked the door open.
Lin Erde not only came himself, but behind him was a thin, sickly-looking man. Wu Xia thought he was a friend Lin Erde brought over. Just as she was about to call the girls out to take orders, Lin Erde waved his hand, saying, “Go away, you don’t know anything. Just shave his head and trim his beard, and bring some good food and drinks. Hurry up.”
“Hey, why are you ordering people around as soon as you come in? I’m not your maid!” Wu Xia protested.
“Do you think I want to come? If you hadn’t been pestering me for so long, I would’ve stayed in a hotel tonight!” Lin Erde pulled out a stack of red bills. “Isn’t this what you wanted? If you want the money, hurry up and work.”
Seeing the money, Wu Xia was immediately agreeable. She personally went out, returned, and cooked a table full of delicious dishes. Lin Erde clapped Xu Shang on the shoulder, saying, “Last supper, huh? After we eat, you can hit the road tomorrow, haha!”
There was a knock at the door of Yi Shi’s room as well. Wu Xia said outside, “Jie, it’s time to eat! The big sister made her own dishes; come out and try some.”
Yi Shi had intended to meet them, and now the opportunity presented itself. He didn’t wear a trench coat, and the high-waisted skirt highlighted his slim waist. His sharp features and cool demeanor made him look like a breath of fresh air in the tacky, noisy hair salon.
Both Lin Erde and Xu Shang were stunned as Yi Shi sat down. As soon as he did, Lin Erde pointed at him with his chopsticks, asking, “Is this the new girl?”
“What new girl? She’s my cousin.”
“You don’t have a cousin. Who is she really? Take off your mask so I can see,” Lin Erde said, standing up and reaching for him. Yi Shi quickly moved aside, his slender willow-leaf eyes coldly staring at him.
Wu Xia intervened, “Distant relative, she’s from the countryside. Don’t touch her; she’s… she’s here for treatment, for a skin disease that affected her face.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Erde sat back down. “Tch, an ugly monster; that’s disgusting.”
Yi Shi was the one who felt disgusted. He sneered, didn’t eat a single bite, and found an excuse to return to his room.
That night, the hair salon closed early, pulling down the roller shutter. Xu Shang, having just shaved and bathed, sat alone in the dim room, looking glum and ashen-faced.
Yi Shi calmly walked over. Upon hearing the footsteps, Xu Shang quickly looked up, realizing it was the “cousin,” and let down his guard, slumping his shoulders again.
Yi Shi sat beside him and quietly asked, “Xu Shang, do you want to live?”
Xu Shang trembled all over, his voice shaking with excitement. “Yes… of course I do! Are you going to let me go?”
The flicker of hope was quickly extinguished when the woman shook her head, indicating she had no such intention.
Xu Shang didn’t care about that anymore; he kneeled down and pleaded softly, “Please, let me go… Otherwise, I’ll really die tomorrow, and it will be very miserable!”
Yi Shi helped him up with one hand and calmly said, “If you want to live, then listen to Lin Erde. Do whatever he says; someone will come to save you.”
“How can I listen to him!” Xu Shang wiped away his snot and tears, standing up. “Forget it, I plan to save myself. As long as I can get away from Lin Erde, I’ll run far, far away…”
Yi Shi pulled his arm back. He could see Xu Shang wasn’t joking; he genuinely intended to do so. The initial testimonies hadn’t mentioned any intention for him to escape. Had he forgotten to mention it, or had Yi Shi’s appearance caused some subtle change in Xu Shang’s psychology?
This time was crucial for the hostage’s life, and it was supposed to have a good ending, so Yi Shi had no intention of making any changes. He had been following the script step by step. But now, if Xu Shang’s psychological state changed subtly at this moment, leading to an unexpected situation, what should he do?
Although it was an established fact, there were not only Xu Shang on the roof but also Yu Cheng and others. After much thought, Yi Shi squinted his eyes and spoke clearly, “You can live, but the premise is that you must listen to Lin Erde. Don’t create any extra problems.”
“But, but…”
“Don’t hesitate. Besides trusting me, you have no other options.”
Xu Shang struggled for a few seconds, thoughts racing in his mind. As a prisoner, in this situation, he could only try his luck, so he weakly nodded, “I understand. I trust you.”
Around ten o’clock, Lin Erde finished his idle activities, came out of Wu Xia’s room to go to the bathroom, humming a song, looking very pleased. He passed by Yi Shi’s room, paused for a moment, and quietly peeked inside.
What does it matter if his face was ruined? Just don’t look at it; it’s the same when the lights are off! Lin Erde quietly pushed the door open, overjoyed: it wasn’t locked. It seems this cousin isn’t a decent person after all; tonight would be a night of indulgence.
Yi Shi had been pretending to doze with his eyes closed. Hearing the creaking door, he slowly opened his eyes—sure enough, the foolish Lin Erde had come. He deliberately did not lean against the door, just waiting for him to come in and give him a bit of “advice,” leaving him with nightmarish memories in the upcoming interrogation.
Previously, he had already noticed that no matter which world Lin Erde was in, he was extremely superstitious, no wonder he had been scared half to death by his own dissection video. He firmly believed in fate; once something took root in his heart, it would turn into a toxic vine, tightly coiling around his nerves, causing him to recall it and break into a cold sweat.
“Cousin, heh heh, I came to chat with you.”
Sounds nice, Lin Erde lunged toward the woman’s figure like a wolf. Yi Shi rolled over to dodge. Lin Erde’s hand touched his leg, his arm was fiercely twisted, causing cold sweat to emerge from the pain: “Ouch! You filthy woman!”
He twisted his body to break free from Yi Shi’s grip, sweat constantly forming on his forehead. How could this woman be so strong! He received another kick to the thigh, and Lin Erde fell on his back to the ground like a turtle, even more furious: “Alright, you wait! After I finish my business tomorrow, I’ll come back and deal with you!”
Yi Shi sat on the edge of the bed with his legs crossed, his gaze coldly watching him: “You will die.”
Lin Erde was stunned, hearing him continue: “You will fall and die a miserable death.”
“Dammit, you dare curse me?!” Lin Erde stood up and dusted off the dirt on his pants. “You filthy woman, wait, I’ll make you suffer when I come back!”
The next morning, Lin Erde took Xu Shang away from the hair salon. Yi Shi was also leaving, leaving a stack of money for the proprietress, with the hundred yuan that Lin Heyu had touched hidden inside.
__
[12/01, 11:30, Time Flies (Pingju Plaza Store)]
During the days Lin Heyu stayed in Nanyi, he got into the habit of going to Time Flies early in the morning to order a cup of coffee, leisurely spending a morning. Usually busy with work, he rarely had the chance to slow down and enjoy the scenery along the way. This was a rare opportunity, a hard-earned “vacation.”
Recently, he spent a lot of time observing this coffee shop and was once again amazed by its design. First, the uneven round wooden fence outside the floor-to-ceiling windows enclosed a small flowerbed filled with various flowers. Sitting by the window, savoring coffee was a pleasure, enjoying the blooming flowers and fluttering butterflies. Secondly, the shop’s decor, with thoughtful handmade ornaments in every corner, was remarkable, especially the hollow carved panels on the two floors. When he looked up, he didn’t see the second-floor scenery but rather the ever-changing sky and his own reflection.
This feeling was as if he was standing above the clouds, leaping over the line of dawn and dusk, walking from the inner hall toward the staircase, as if stepping from darkness into light. He wanted to go to the second floor today, moving toward this starry expanse. Just as he stepped onto the stairs, he encountered Yi Shi coming down in the morning sun. They both stopped, locking eyes, each filled with surprise and crackling excitement.
Yi Shi quickly ran down and pounced into his arms, his voice trembling with excitement: “Lin Heyu!”
Lin Heyu stroked the soft black hair: “Yeah, it’s me.”
Yi Shi tightly wrapped his arms around his waist, lifting his head with eyes sparkling like stars: “How did you come here? Weren’t you going back to Haijing? You—”
Lin Heyu interrupted his questions, pressing him back into his embrace: “I have something very important to tell you about… the separation.”
Author’s Note:
Let me clarify the timeline for this part:
12.11 (Lin regains his memory, catches Zhao Chenghu on the mountain, meets the first round Yi Shi, meets the second round Yi Shi at the foot of the mountain) → 11.21 (Yi’s world, Lin and Yi go to Haijing until 11.26) → 11.26 (Lin returns to his world, Yi continues to stay in Haijing) → 12.01 (Lin meets Yi) → 10.21 (Yi’s world)
This can be said to be the first systematic application of such a mapping point for seamless traversal. After laying so much groundwork, it shouldn’t be too difficult to understand here.
