Yi Shi carefully studied the investigation materials for the kidnapping case. Since he realized that this case might replay in his world, he needed to gather as much information as possible within the limited time to catch Pang Daozi and Tu Laogui’s group when he returned.
He saw the list of hostages and noted the names of the children. Suddenly, he saw the name “Jiang Dongliang” and asked, “Is this child safe now?”
Lin Heyu flipped to the later pages of the folder, where detailed reports of the rescue operation were included. Yi Shi skimmed through, and when he saw the bomb disposal unit’s photos, he paused and quickly opened his phone’s photo gallery.
His phone’s gallery mostly contained photos related to cases. The most recent ones were related to the bombing case, with images of the ruined explosion site and gruesome corpse photos. He opened the last photo in the gallery and compared it with the one in his hand.
Lin Heyu leaned in, glanced briefly, and concluded, “It’s the same person.”
Both the type of explosive used and the wiring methods indicated that the two explosives were from the same person. The photo on Yi Shi’s phone was of the explosive taken after rescuing hostage Xu Shang, while the one in Lin Heyu’s hand was taken after rescuing Jiang Dongliang.
“That’s how it is,” Yi Shi realized suddenly. After Xu Shang was rescued, he heard that the one who successfully defused the bomb was a young man from the bomb disposal unit named Jiang Dongliang. They must be the same person, right? The experience from his childhood had repeated itself, which was why he could perfectly solve the problem in such a time-critical situation.
Lin Heyu also guessed the connection between the two explosives and gradually began to see the link between the two cases—they seemed unrelated, but they were actually parts of a larger case. And now, they were happening simultaneously in two parallel worlds, with the criminals and their methods slowly converging, eventually forming a complete case.
It seems his guess was correct: the accomplice found by Tu Laogui was Pang Daozi from Turtle Back Mountain, and their next plan was likely to blow up some place. Could it still be the Nanyi Machinery Factory?
It was said that the Nanyi Machinery Factory began reconstruction shortly after the explosion, and with government support, it quickly resumed operations, with nearly a thousand employees returning to work. Could this factory, reborn, still not escape its fate, and face another disaster?
“What are you thinking?” Yi Shi asked.
“I’m thinking… we can’t let anything happen to the Nanyi Machinery Factory this time,” Lin Heyu replied softly.
“This time?” Yi Shi was startled, then suddenly realized: there was a time difference between their worlds. In his world, the Nanyi Machinery Factory had already experienced an explosion. For Lin Heyu, it was a case that had long since happened. His tone carried a mix of tension and anticipation: “How did the case end? How was it resolved?”
Lin Heyu hesitated, his silence making Yi Shi restless. Yi Shi grabbed his arm, “You know, and the facts won’t change, so why can’t you tell me?”
Lin Heyu’s brows furrowed slightly, then quickly relaxed as he smiled faintly, “All the hostages were rescued, all the criminals were captured, and everyone was happy.”
He really couldn’t bring himself to say the ending he knew, especially since it was all just hearsay. Until he had solid evidence, he didn’t want to put any pressure on Yi Shi.
Yi Shi smiled too. “Really? That’s good then.”
The hostages might die. The criminals might die. They might die as well.
He had already sensed it but still didn’t want to give in to the inevitable.
———
To avoid suspicion, Yi Shi couldn’t stay at the Nanyi City Police Station for too long. There were still some detailed physical evidence materials that he didn’t have time to go through. Lin Heyu agreed to take photos of everything and send them to him via WeChat.
“That works…” Yi Shi nodded, almost forgetting they were still just online friends. Even though they weren’t in the same world, the internet could still connect them. Isn’t that amazing?
Going all the way with the act, Lin Heyu handed him an empty manila envelope, pretending it was the materials to take back. While Sheng Guoning was being questioned by his superiors, Yi Shi and Lin Heyu left through the back door of the station. Yi Shi led the way since the Nanyi City Police Station was his turf, and he knew the routes far better than Lin Heyu.
But this route inevitably passed by the forensic department, and coincidentally, they ran into a young intern from the forensics team delivering some materials.
“Captain Lin, what a coincidence. I was just about to go to the Criminal Investigation Department to find you.” Qi Wenyu pushed his glasses and nodded at Yi Shi behind Lin Heyu as a greeting. He hadn’t been interning at the Haijing City Police Station for long, and he still hadn’t recognized all the faces in the Criminal Investigation Department, so he could only tell that the person behind Lin Heyu wasn’t from their team. Little did he know, Yi Shi wasn’t even from Haijing.
“What materials are you delivering?” Lin Heyu asked.
“The detailed autopsy reports of the previous victims,” Qi Wenyu said, shaking the file bag in his hand, “It’s all here.”
Yi Shi was puzzled. Wouldn’t it be faster to send these reports by fax? It wasn’t like the case was over and they needed original documents for filing.
Lin Heyu also found his extra effort strange. Qi Wenyu scratched his cheek, “Well, the head of Nanyi’s forensic department is an old friend of my mentor, so he asked me to bring some stuff over, and I just… hehe.”
Seeing Lin Heyu’s expression darkened, Qi Wenyu quickly added, “My mentor will also be coming to Nanyi! There’s another senior from the branch bureau in the station, so I won’t delay any other work. I’ll return quickly.”
Lin Heyu had already guessed that Gu Sanhuo (Nickname for Gu Yan) was using his young apprentice as a courier, so he didn’t bother arguing and waved his hand. “Leave the materials in the office. I’ll check them later.”
Qi Wenyu agreed repeatedly, noticing that Yi Shi’s deep, dark eyes were staring at him the entire time, making him inexplicably nervous. “Is there… anything you’d like to instruct me on?”
Yi Shi didn’t answer. After half a minute, he slowly shook his head and brushed past him. As Yi Shi left, Qi Wenyu could clearly feel that the bone-chilling cold was fading away, and he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Lin Heyu caught up with him, and after turning a corner where no one was around, he asked, “What was up with Qi Wenyu?”
“Hmm?”
“Your gaze was a bit strange.”
“It’s just that… the way he is now is very different from how I remember him,” Yi Shi said softly.
The rough and unkempt old man turned out to be such a shy and handsome young man in his youth. He had maintained some skepticism about Lin Heyu’s words before, but now, after seeing Qi Wenyu, he was even more convinced that time was indeed a merciless butcher’s knife.
“I heard Qi Wenyu started school early, skipped several grades, was recommended for both high school and university, and he’s not even twenty yet. He’s a genius,” Lin Heyu said.
“…He’s that impressive?”
Lin Heyu nodded. “Yes, his mentor once told me that Qi Wenyu is the most talented student he’s ever had.” He looked at Yi Shi. “Since you said the difference is so great, what is he like in your world?”
Yi Shi thought for a moment. “A chain smoker, sloppy, an old man, but he can make desserts, and he has peculiar habits—”
“Peculiar habits?” Given Qi Wenyu’s profession, Lin Heyu immediately thought of disturbing and taboo terms like “necrophilia” and “ice fetish.”
“Yes, he brings food into the autopsy room and places it beside the corpses,” Yi Shi frowned, “And he gives it to Yu Xue.”
Lin Heyu was speechless. Just how much of a grudge did this person hold to be so “unrestrained” towards their beloved? Wasn’t he afraid of driving them away? He noticed Yi Shi’s conflicted expression and instinctively reached out to ruffle his short hair, taking his hand and leading him down the stairs.
The back door of the municipal bureau opened into a narrow alley, directly facing a busy main road with cars and pedestrians moving about. Yi Shi held the kraft paper bag, recalling the nearby routes, and mentally mapped out the quickest path to their destination.
“Do you know how to get back?” Lin Heyu asked.
“Not yet,” Yi Shi replied, his expression as cold and indifferent as usual. “But I’ll figure something out. I’ll definitely find a way back.”
He had already identified two potential locations: Pingju Plaza and Time Flies Café. Since he could connect with Lin Heyu there, he should be able to return to his own world from those spots.
“Do you want me to go with you?” Lin Heyu glanced at his watch. “We still have time.”
Yi Shi raised an eyebrow. “What about your case?”
“As long as you send me the explosion case materials when you get back, the case will be almost solved.”
He already knew who the “partner” of the Tu Laogui was and what their next move would be. It was like a math problem where he had the key solution and method, and now just needed to carefully carry out the calculations. If he couldn’t score full marks on this, he might as well really become a chef.
“Okay, I’ll send it to you when I get back.” Yi Shi felt slightly apologetic. He was the one who suggested exchanging case information, but every time it was Lin Heyu who took the initiative to provide relevant details, while he was too busy with his own matters to remember to compile and send over the materials.
Fortunately, Lin Heyu didn’t mind at all, and Yi Shi could sense that Lin Heyu’s tolerance for him seemed higher than for any other friend around him.
Pingju Plaza was the largest shopping center in the district, bustling with people. Although it was only early spring, the fountain was already turned on, its jets changing shape to the rhythm of the music. Behind the curtain of water created by the fountain, a large diamond, cut into multiple facets, glistened under the sunlight. An abstract clock face cast a shadow over it, while a group of playful children climbed onto the diamond, playing hide and seek behind the clock.
Not to mention whether the fountain pool was accessible, even if it were, with so many people watching, someone disappearing in the water would definitely become the year’s top mystery or horror event. Lin Heyu pocketed his hands and looked up at the clock face. It was too late to observe it carefully last night, but it seemed to have numbers on it?
Yi Shi also squinted at the clock dial, and a little girl climbing on the diamond called out sweetly, “Big brother, what are you looking at?”
“Numbers.”
The little girl turned back and smiled. “Don’t you recognize it? That’s a ‘6’!”
In a flash of insight, Lin Heyu connected the clock face with the pattern on Lin Erde’s neck, further convinced that it was indeed a clock face.
“What did you think of?” Yi Shi asked.
“Lin Erde. I’ll organize my thoughts and send them to you when I get back.”
The plaza had a newly opened trendy dessert shop, and Lin Heyu dragged Yi Shi inside, picking out two boxes of desserts, one of which was macarons.
“Take them back for Zhizhi to try,” Lin Heyu paused, “Does she still like sweets?”
“Yeah,” Yi Shi said, looking at the colorful macarons, “especially macarons.”
As luck would have it, the dessert shop’s network was down, and they could only accept cash. Lin Heyu went outside to get cash, and the shopkeeper apologized profusely, offering a free egg tart.
While many customers were complaining, Yi Shi quietly sat at the small bar by the window, resting his cheek on his hand and watching Lin Heyu walk into the shop across the street.
Lin Heyu exchanged 100 yuan for cash and noticed that the shop also offered photo printing services. On a whim, he decided to print two copies of a photo he had secretly taken. Rather than a candid shot, it was more like a captured moment, with the camera focused on Yi Shi, capturing his side profile as he seriously reviewed the materials.
In the photo, the man’s features were as refined as a painting, his profile flawless, with sunlight spilling over his shoulders, casting a soft glow over his straight shoulders, while the blurred background made him appear even more gentle and elegant.
Holding the 5-inch photo, Lin Heyu smiled. Yi Shi doesn’t like being photographed, so he might never know just how captivating he looks in the lens.
Lin Heyu didn’t realize how gentle his gaze was at that moment. He quietly slipped one of the photos into the empty file bag, thinking that Yi Shi would be pleasantly surprised if he ever found it.
The two of them carried the desserts and walked down the pedestrian street of Pingju Plaza to Time Flies Café. The café wasn’t crowded today. Through the glass, they saw several female staff members in shirts and mid-length skirts chatting around the counter. Hearing the sound of the wind chimes at the door, they quickly stood up and greeted, “Welcome!”
As soon as Yi Shi stepped inside, he immediately sensed that the atmosphere was entirely different from before. The midday sun was still shining brightly, but the staff who came to greet them were now dressed in cream-colored shirts and black trousers, their hair color and height different as well, entirely unlike the people he’d seen through the window earlier.
The round clock on the wall showed it was exactly twelve noon, and the café’s decorations were exactly as he remembered. All these changes happened the moment he opened the door—this was his world.
Standing at the café’s entrance, Yi Shi turned to look at Lin Heyu. He was still standing there, the pedestrian street bustling with people, and the shops on the street looked just as they had when they arrived. But Yi Shi was now standing at the boundary between two worlds; one step forward and he could go back, one step back and he would return to Lin Heyu’s world.
Lin Heyu also noticed that the open door and the scene he saw through the glass were different. He smiled; Yi Shi really did have a way. There was nothing he couldn’t do, only things he didn’t want to do.
This time, Yi Shi reached out his hand, blinking, showing a rare hint of playfulness: “Do you want to come over?”
Lin Heyu pointed at his watch, and Yi Shi traced a counterclockwise motion in the air with his finger.
What’s the worry? Right now, the one thing they weren’t short on was time.
So Lin Heyu let go of his concerns, took Yi Shi’s hand, and this time was gently pulled over, stepping into Time Flies Café.
“Welcome, both of you. This way, please.”
Yi Shi’s gaze fell on the three oil paintings displayed on the counter. The first was Monet’s Water Lilies, the second was Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, and the last was Renoir’s Dance at the Moulin de la Galette.
Seeing Yi Shi’s focused expression, the staff member smiled and invited him, “Do you know about paintings, sir? Could you help us choose one? The manager gave us this task, but we can’t agree on which one is best, so we thought it would be fairer to let our customers vote.”
Another staff member standing beside Lin Heyu added, “Why don’t you both choose together? It would give us more opinions to consider.”
Lin Heyu and Yi Shi exchanged a glance and, almost simultaneously, reached out, one from the left and the other from the right, both grabbing the frame of the Sunflowers painting.
“You’re choosing Sunflowers? I knew this one was the best!” The staff member inside the counter laughed like a silver bell, picking up Sunflowers. “It’s full of vitality and warmth, and it matches our store’s main color scheme. Why don’t we just hang it up right away?”
“It seems Sunflowers is the most popular,” the staff member standing next to Yi Shi said, spreading their hands. “You two are really in sync. Most couples who came in this morning chose different paintings.”
Hearing this, Yi Shi touched the tip of his nose, feeling a bit of heat rise in his ears.
The two sat by the window, with a box on the table filled with dried jasmine flowers, releasing a faint fragrance. After ordering, Yi Shi turned his head and noticed that the tea-colored glass on the wall cast a reflection of the other world. Lin Heyu was also observing it. Clearly, that place was the one he was more familiar with, but at this moment, separated by a layer of glass, it felt like a dimensional wall. Was this café a portal of some sort?
The only thing certain now is that it indeed has the magic to connect two worlds, and the method of crossing isn’t that painful. Unfortunately, it doesn’t open at night, so it’s better to arrange meetings during the day in the future.
After several hours of silence, Yi Shi’s phone finally rang again. Yu Xue was calling to ask where he was since they needed to go and interrogate Zhao Chenghu in the afternoon.
“I’m at Time Flies. I’ll head to the detention center after I eat.”
Yu Xue was surprised. “You’re still there? Didn’t you have a date yesterday?”
“…I did.”
“If you had a date, why are you still at the same place?”
“…I came back.”
Yu Xue was convinced. Fine. He was eating lunch too and would pass by that street later, so he’d pick up Yi Shi on the way.
After hanging up, Lin Heyu remarked, “It seems that everyone’s colleagues are similar. If I take you back, they’d also think I’m on a date.”
Yi Shi had been somewhat bothered by it before, but hearing this, the uneasiness vanished instantly. Let them misunderstand if they will. It did kind of feel like a successful online romance that didn’t end in disappointment.
Both of them felt it. After this meeting, their relationship had moved a significant step forward, finally becoming more like “friends.”
Forty minutes later, Yu Xue sent Yi Shi a message telling him to come out since he couldn’t park there without getting a ticket.
Yi Shi stood up. “I’m leaving now. I’ll sort out the materials and send them to you. If anything comes up, contact me on WeChat.”
Lin Heyu nodded, watching Yi Shi leave. As Yi Shi opened the glass door, he turned back, his sharp brows softened, and a layer of light danced in his eyes. The corners of his lips curled slightly in a smile, dazzling like the March sunlight.
“Goodbye.”
Lin Heyu smiled, savoring the half-cooled coffee amidst the scent of jasmine flowers.
The leisurely yet limited time finally had to come to an end. As Lin Heyu stepped out of the café, he suddenly turned back, wanting to ask where he could buy the jasmine flowers in the scent box. As he pushed the door open again, the wind chime rang, and the staff members all looked up at him, saying in unison, “Welcome!”
They had all changed into black shirts and mid-length skirts, and beside the mirror covered in wish notes, directly across from him, there was an old painting of Sunflowers.
Lin Heyu sighed. He’d have to wait for the next unknown meeting.
____
Author’s Note:
At this point, the sweetest part of the story is over (crossed out) (I’m a soft-hearted author, so I added more sugar later).
Regarding the concept of time travel in this story, I’ll explain it again to help with understanding in the later parts.
The time in the two worlds is mirrored and reversed. For them, time moves forward clockwise, but for the other person, it’s reversed.
In a previous note, I lined up the comparison from 24:00 to 0:00. If you’re confused, take a piece of paper and write it down, and it’ll be clear.
So, the time Yi Shi spends in Lin Heyu’s world moves backward in his world, just like how when it’s 9:00 AM in Lin’s world, it’s 3:00 PM in Yi Shi’s. When it’s 10:00 AM, it’s 2:00 PM in Yi Shi’s world. The overlapping time points are noon at 12:00 and midnight at 12:00.
In this chapter, Yi Shi returned to his world at 12:00, so his timeline continues forward, from 12:00 to 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and so on. It seems like time flows similarly in Lin’s world, but there’s a fundamental difference because he just happened to return at that overlapping time, seamlessly aligning the timelines.
However, the time Lin Heyu experiences in Yi Shi’s world is reversed in his own. For example, he might have had lunch around 1:00 PM, but when he returns to his world, it’s 11:00 AM, equivalent to traveling back an hour.
I hope this explanation helps. You can always cross-check with a table if it’s still unclear. If needed, I’ll find ways to explain it further in the story.
