Chapter 587

Lin Xiaoyou was once again sprawled facedown on the floor.

“Ugh… sob… sob…”

Her round little face was buried against the wooden boards, her body trembling with every sob.

And Fang Qi…

He sat there in a daze.

Just moments ago, he had once again witnessed Liguang beat Lin Xiaoyou black and blue.

The genius girl’s shrieks were still ringing in his ears.

But…

Even now, his mind still hadn’t quite caught up. All he could do was instinctively…

Hold the silver-haired girl wriggling around in his arms.

At that moment, the Crazy Girl was curled up against his chest, sniffing him inch by inch like a puppy!

She sniffed from his hair down to his neck, then from his chest to his arms!

She even grabbed his hand and turned it over and over, sniffing every last part of it—not even the spaces between his fingers escaped her inspection!

Her cool nose pressed against his skin, while her breath was warm and ticklish.

Fang Qi sat stiffly, his expression numb.

“Master’s scent…”

As she sniffed him, she muttered under her breath,

“There doesn’t seem to be any trace of Miss Lin’s scent. Indeed, you haven’t touched Miss Lin…”

“I told you I didn’t!”

Lin Xiaoyou, still sprawled on the floor, let out a howl and suddenly lifted her head!

Her eyes were red as she glared at Liguang!

Her disheveled black hair stuck to her face. From that angle, with her lying facedown on the floor…

She looked exactly like a drowned ghost crawling out of the sea!

“Liguang, you beat me without even figuring out what happened!”

She howled furiously.

“You wouldn’t even listen to my explanation! I didn’t do anything! What right do you have? What right?!”

The more she spoke, the angrier she became. Then…

She began kicking her legs against the floor, throwing a full-blown tantrum!

“My life is so miserable—!”

“I came here to help you! You just accepted my ‘meeting gift,’ then turned around and came in here to beat me up!”

“Waaah—! I—I—I don’t want to live anymore—!”

She wailed and rolled around on the floor.

Fang Qi watched the genius girl rolling about, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Did she really have to make it so dramatic?

But who could have expected that, as she rolled around, one of her movements would become too large…

And the injured part of her body slammed into a table leg!

The genius girl’s entire body bounced. Her almond-shaped eyes flew wide, and she froze for several seconds before…

“Aaaargh—!!!!”

A genuinely earth-shaking scream erupted from her!

She immediately went limp, tears and snot streaming from her face!

The scream made even Fang Qi shudder.

Yikes…

This time, she definitely wasn’t pretending…

And yet, looking at her like this, he found that his heart…

Was completely unmoved.

He even felt a little like laughing.

There was no helping it. The genius girl had been beaten so often that he had already developed an immunity to it.

It was only a few swats to the rear. Her head hadn’t hit the table…

That didn’t count as anything serious!

Something shifted in his arms.

The silver-haired girl gripped his hand and slowly rose from his embrace. Narrowing her phoenix eyes, she looked down imperiously at the round-faced girl throwing a tantrum on the floor.

“Even if you didn’t touch Master…”

Her voice was so cold that Fang Qi shuddered slightly.

“It remains a fact that you blocked Liguang’s perception of everything inside the cottage!”

Fang Qi: “…”

Well, about that…

It seemed she really hadn’t been the one who did it…

“Master.”

Liguang suddenly turned her head toward Fang Qi, her mismatched eyes staring directly into his.

Her phoenix eyes narrowed, and a hint of deep blue slowly flowed through her amber one!

“What did Miss Lin say to you during that time?”

Her little hand tightened around his wrist.

Fang Qi opened his mouth.

What had Lin Xiaoyou just said to him?

…He remembered.

Of course he remembered.

Although those mysterious “memories” had faded away again, he still…

Remembered everything that had happened between Liguang dragging him into the wooden cottage and breaking down the door. He remembered every single word they had spoken with perfect clarity.

Only the parts related to the “switches” had been lost. The contents of their conversation were still there.

At that moment, Liguang was staring straight at him.

Fang Qi could see the faint unease and agitation hidden in those amber eyes.

Her gaze was terrifying!

It seemed that if he gave the wrong answer…

She would explode on the spot!

Apparently, beating Lin Xiaoyou up hadn’t improved her mood at all.

So Fang Qi subconsciously began to explain.

“We didn’t really talk about anything. We just—”

“Senior!”

Lin Xiaoyou suddenly shouted, cutting him off!

…?

Fang Qi turned to look at her instinctively.

“You promised me you wouldn’t tell Liguang!”

She remained sprawled on the floor, craning her neck as she glared at him with reddened eyes.

“Don’t you dare say anything!”

Fang Qi: “...?”

Huh?

Fang Qi was even more confused now. He stared blankly at the genius girl on the floor.

What…?

What was that supposed to mean?

When had he promised her anything?

Just now?

When the two of them had been locked up together, he hadn’t remembered making any kind of confidentiality agreement!

Could he really have forgotten some crucial part of their conversation?

But it didn’t seem like it…

Then he saw…

Lin Xiaoyou winking at him frantically, her eyes blinking as rapidly as a telegraph signal!

That expression, that gaze…

Ah.

Fang Qi seemed to understand.

What she meant was probably…

—Senior, don’t make things worse. You’re too stupid right now. Leave the rest to me!

Fang Qi: “…”

No, but…

Hadn’t you just been asking to die?!

He turned stiffly toward Liguang.

Sure enough, Liguang was already looking at Lin Xiaoyou.

And the instant Fang Qi saw her expression, his pupils contracted!

He held his breath.

Because…

Drip.

A bead of water slid down the silver-haired girl’s face and fell from her chin onto the wooden floor.

Her silver hair was still wet, hanging in clumps against her cheeks and neck. And on that lovely face…

The last trace of gentleness had vanished completely.

There was no expression left on her beautiful face at all.

“What. Did. You. Say?”

She stared straight at Lin Xiaoyou, spitting out each of the four words one by one.

And yet…

Lin Xiaoyou somehow didn’t back down!

“That’s right! I was the one who blocked it!”

Still lying on the floor, she raised her chin and glared at Liguang with her bloodshot almond eyes.

“Just so I could… whisper a few things to Senior!”

She wore an expression of magnificent self-sacrifice.

“As for what I said to Senior… I’m never telling you!”

She held her neck stiffly, her voice rising until she was practically roaring.

“Go ahead and beat me! You’ll never find out!”

…Huh?

Fang Qi stared at Lin Xiaoyou in utter shock.

No…

Miss Genius, what are you doing?!

Were you really trying to get yourself killed?!

You…

Ah!

His pupils suddenly contracted as he understood.

Lin Xiaoyou was taking the blame for him?

But…

He was even more baffled now.

Why would she do that? Why not simply tell Liguang the truth?

He instinctively looked at Liguang, then immediately shuddered again.

Yikes…!

His head cleared considerably.

Liguang’s expression right now was truly terrifying!

Those eyes that normally curved sweetly whenever she acted spoiled with him were now opened so wide that they looked almost unnatural!

A crimson hue churned deep within her red eye!

The deep blue in her amber eye was flowing without pause!

As he looked into those eyes, Fang Qi genuinely felt that…

Lin Xiaoyou was about to be swallowed whole!

Hey, hey, hey…!

He hurriedly gestured at Lin Xiaoyou where she lay on the floor.

Stop trying to get yourself killed!

You really want to get yourself killed out here in the middle of the ocean, huh?!

But Lin Xiaoyou remained sprawled on the floor, looking utterly fearless in the face of death!

Her hands were trembling, and so were her legs, but her eyes were terrifyingly resolute!

What a noble, self-sacrificing display!

“What are you putting on an act for?!”

Fang Qi glared at her.

“Quit trying to get yourself killed…!”

But Lin Xiaoyou’s gaze suddenly darted toward him.

—Senior, shut up already! Don’t say anything!

Her faintly disdainful look seemed to be saying exactly that.

Fang Qi: “…”

Fine, get yourself killed, then.

“Master.”

Liguang’s voice suddenly rang out.

She didn’t look at Fang Qi, continuing to stare fixedly at Lin Xiaoyou on the floor.

“Please go outside for a moment and look at the sea.”

Her tone was unnervingly gentle.

“Liguang has already dealt with the problem outside. It’s perfectly safe now, so Master can go get some rest…”

Fang Qi instantly came back to himself… and then froze.

Was Liguang… kicking him out?

Huh?

His gaze moved back and forth between Liguang and Lin Xiaoyou.

His brows slowly furrowed.

He had no idea why Lin Xiaoyou was helping him take the blame, but…

He couldn’t just leave like this!

He immediately put on a serious expression and began, “Liguang, actually…!”

“Mas-ter.”

Liguang interrupted him with heavy emphasis, then slowly turned her head to look at him.

She stared into his eyes, the corners of her lips curling into a smile that was all skin and no warmth.

“Liguang would like to have a nice little chat with Miss Lin.”

Her voice, however, was soft and gentle.

“Once Liguang is done talking with Miss Lin, she’ll have a nice little chat with Master too.”

She tilted her head slightly, and her silver hair slipped over her shoulder.

“Could Master please go outside for a little while?”

Fang Qi: “…”

…

“Bang!”

Fang Qi was abruptly shoved outside by a small hand, and the wooden door behind him slammed shut with a bang!

He staggered two steps before regaining his balance, then stared blankly at the calm, undisturbed sea before him.

What the hell was going on?

Had he… just been thrown out by his own wife?

“Liguang, what are you trying to do?!”

A voice came from inside the cabin again. It was Lin Xiaoyou’s, and she sounded noticeably braver than she felt.

“I’m warning you, even if you beat me to death, I won’t tell you a thing…!”

“Bzzzt—!”

A sudden burst of crackling electricity rang out.

“Aaagh—!”

Lin Xiaoyou’s scream only lasted half a second before abruptly falling silent.

There was no sound at all.

Fang Qi: “?!”

Wait…!

He spun around and stared straight at the tightly closed wooden door.

There was no sound from inside the cabin anymore. Complete silence.

Huh?

No!

His eyes widened.

Had Miss Genius gotten herself killed by being an idiot…?!

No.

It was too quiet.

He blinked at the wooden door, only realizing belatedly that…

It wasn’t that Lin Xiaoyou had been electrocuted unconscious.

It was just that he couldn’t hear anything happening inside.

The sound had been blocked again.

And this time, the person being blocked out was him?

Was it finally time for Liguang and Lin Xiaoyou to be alone together?

Fang Qi’s eyelid twitched slightly, his gaze growing fixed.

…Hm?

So his wife had been unhappy about him and Lin Xiaoyou being alone together in a room, and now…

She had thrown him out too?

Only to be alone with Lin Xiaoyou herself?

The corner of Fang Qi’s mouth twitched.

No, seriously, honey…

Have you never heard of “don’t do unto others what you don’t want done unto you”?

He stood outside the door, staring at its unmoving surface, and suddenly felt… rather uncomfortable.

Hey.

What were the two of them doing in there?

What was going on that he wasn’t allowed to hear?

Lin Xiaoyou wouldn’t be saying anything weird to Liguang, would she?!

“...!”

He took a deep breath.

This feeling…

It really sucked.

Fang Qi gritted his teeth and paced back and forth outside the door twice.

The more he thought about it, the worse he felt!

And yet… he still forcibly suppressed the urge to kick the door down!

…Forget it. It probably wasn’t a big deal!

Lin Xiaoyou was probably just getting beaten up in there!

Yeah.

The more she got beaten, the better. Maybe that would stop her from trying to get herself killed every other day!

Fang Qi raised a hand and rubbed his brow hard.

He finally understood why Liguang had been so angry just now!

It was a good thing Lin Xiaoyou was a girl. If she had been a man…

He would have already torn the door off its hinges!

Still…

He glared at the tightly shut wooden door.

“Crazy Girl, you were the one who locked me and her in the same room first. And now you’re blaming us instead?”

Fang Qi stood outside the door for quite some time, but it still didn’t open.

He reached out, firmly gripped the handle, and pulled…

It wouldn’t budge!

Fang Qi: “…”

He let out a long sigh.

Unbelievable!

With a stomach full of irritation, he turned around.

He walked to the edge of the platform on the sea and sat down, letting both legs dangle over the edge of the raft as he gazed at the ocean glittering beneath the sunlight…

Little by little, the irritation in his heart faded as he listened to the sound of the waves.

He gradually lost himself in thought.

The breeze was light, and the sea was calm.

His mind once again began wandering through all sorts of thoughts.

Liguang had just said that she had dealt with the problem outside.

Then that enormous thing beneath the surface, the one resembling an entire continent on the ocean floor, should be gone by now, right?

Hm… It really was gone.

The oppressive presence from the deep sea had vanished, and even the platform had returned to its former stability.

My wife really is amazing.

But…

Fang Qi stared blankly at the distant horizon, his mind churning with the conversation he’d just had with Lin Xiaoyou.

Those words hadn’t faded with time. Instead, they were etched clearly into his mind.

What had Miss Genius said again?

Lin Xiaoyou was the “carefree future” she wanted to become.

Fang Xiaoqi was the “carefree past” he wanted to return to.

And his reaction at the time…

It was obvious.

She had hit the mark.

All the experiences he remembered from before he crossed over had been real.

He really had been an ordinary person from childhood onward.

Going to school, playing games, failing classes, graduating, getting a job, doing nothing with his life, playing galgames…

All of it had been real.

But…

Fang Qi’s eyes slowly darkened.

From the conversation between himself and Lin Xiaoyou after his memories returned, it seemed that his “life before crossing over”…

had not simply ended at the point he remembered.

There had been more afterward.

And the remaining portion of his life in that world had been sealed away by his own hand.

He had locked it into the deepest reaches of his consciousness with a “switch.”

That version of himself, the one who possessed all of his memories, seemed to be…

Fang Qi lowered his head and looked at his open palm.

The sea breeze slipped between his fingers.

“Ha…”

Could he be the “future” version of himself?

Or, to put it another way…

Was the current him the younger version of his “past” self?

He clenched his hand, then slowly relaxed it.

Behind him, the wooden door remained utterly silent.

Fang Qi gently exhaled and tilted his face toward the sky.

…It was really quiet.

He stared blankly at the white clouds drifting across the sky.

So why had I… sealed away the second half of my life?

What happened afterward…

Oh, right—Liguang once said something about it.

A shelter five kilometers beneath the ground.

A desolate, terrifying surface.

A sky completely shrouded in dust and haze.

Shattered buildings, a shattered world, a shattered…

Fang Qi: “?”

His mind went blank.

Huh?!

He stared wide-eyed at the sky!

Wait…?!

The Earth was finished?!