Chapter 150: Who Did This? Step Forward

Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Who Did This? Step Forward

That same night, at Jingcheng University, Luo Hongyi lay on an iron-frame bed in his dorm room.

He had just completed one Circulation of his Internal Cultivation Methods while lying down. Feeling the fatigue and soreness throughout his body disappear, he quietly opened his eyes.

He finally confirmed that he wasn’t dreaming, but had returned to the year he turned eighteen and first entered university.

He didn’t know how something so incredible had happened, but after the final confirmation, he grew agitated. That agitation lasted only for a fleeting moment before being replaced by sheer ecstasy—he was back at eighteen. ’Doesn’t starting all over mean I can meet Nuannuan again in this life?’

The moment he thought of Nuannuan, Luo Hongyi’s mind was instantly filled with her image, from when they first met and fell in love, to their married life, to... Even now, he could clearly recall the heart-wrenching pain of losing her—a pain that had tormented him for decades, for the latter half of his life.

’Thankfully, he had returned before all those tragedies could happen again.’

Unfortunately, the timing of his rebirth wasn’t ideal. If only he had come back six months, or even two or three months, earlier. Then he could have secretly gone to see her before starting university. Instead, here they were, separated by thousands of miles. No matter how much he missed her, his pockets were empty. For the near future, he first had to figure out a way to earn enough money for the travel expenses to see her.

It’s true what they say: a lack of money can stump even a hero. Despite knowing countless ways to make money, he felt like his hands were tied at the moment.

’The year he was eighteen, Nuannuan... she would only be ten years old right now... Ten years old...’

Luo Hongyi was so startled he nearly shot up in bed. He mentally calculated the current date, and his heart clenched. ’Dammit, why couldn’t this rebirth have happened just two months earlier?’

After tossing and turning for a long time, he couldn’t take it anymore. He quietly grabbed a pen and paper, got up, and went into the bathroom. Two major events that would affect Nuannuan’s entire life had occurred in June and July of her tenth year. One was that his mother-in-law was disfigured. He sighed, thinking of the hideous scars on her face. That had probably already happened and couldn’t be undone. The other major event concerned the life and death of Nuannuan’s maternal uncle. In his past life, Nuannuan had sighed countless times, ’If only my maternal uncle hadn’t died...’

There was still time; the event wouldn’t happen for another ten days or so. But he had no money for travel, and the classmates he knew at this point were all broke.

Although telephones weren’t common yet, he could still send a telegram or a letter... But right now, he didn’t even know Nuannuan’s family. He was a complete stranger. He couldn’t possibly explain things clearly in a telegram or letter.

’Even if they were close and he could write it all out, what would he say? Should he just bluntly tell the man he was going to die in some incident on a specific date?’

Luo Hongyi’s brows furrowed. He’d be considered a madman if he really said that, and Nuannuan’s uncle would never believe his warning. And after the tragedy occurred, how would he explain himself and clean up the mess?

Gripping the pen and paper in his hand, Luo Hongyi felt a sense of powerlessness. He knew full well that even if he wrote and sent the letter, it would most likely be useless. It might even bring him big trouble later on.

Even if he could magically appear in Zhang Family Village where Nuannuan’s grandmother lived, trying to stop Nuannuan’s uncle from going out on July 10th would be no easy task.

He slammed his fist against the bathroom wall. After a long moment, a look of determination flashed across Luo Hongyi’s face. Using the wall for support, he held the paper and scribbled down a line of text before folding the sheet carefully.

’No matter what, I’ll write the letter first. Then I’ll find a way to raise the travel money as quickly as possible. Even if there’s only a one-in-ten-thousand chance of saving Nuannuan’s uncle, I have to take the risk.’

’If Nuannuan’s uncle doesn’t die because of this, it will only be beneficial for her future. In this life, I will definitely show up as soon as possible to protect her and prevent her from suffering any more harm.’

’Before that, if there’s any chance to spare Nuannuan from even the slightest grievance or hardship, I’m still willing to take the risk.’

--

In the fourth-grade, Class 2 classroom of the town’s central elementary school, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Lin Jia Bao was the first to run out. Lin Jiayi, as usual, went to find her follower, Liu Mei, who sat two rows behind her. "Liu Mei, want to go to the bathroom?"

"I’m not going. You can go by yourself." Liu Mei shook her head, keeping her eyes down on her workbook.

"Liu Mei, what’s wrong with you today? This is the third time you’ve refused. You can obviously finish this homework when you get home, so why won’t you come with me?"

Lin Jiayi was not happy. She reached out to snatch Liu Mei’s pen, her tone a pouting, half-commanding, "Stop writing. You’re coming with me now." In the past, whenever she used this tone, Liu Mei would reluctantly comply. But this time, things didn’t go as planned. Instead of helplessly putting away her workbook and obediently accompanying her, Liu Mei shot to her feet and shouted, "Give me back my pen! Lin Jiayi, are you deaf or something? I told you I’m not going, what part of that don’t you understand?!"

"Liu Mei, aren’t we friends?" Lin Jiayi stared in shock at Liu Mei, who had always been so mild-tempered but was now yelling at her. Her mouth hung open, and she forgot to even hand the pen back.

"Hmph, friends? Have you ever treated me like a friend? I think you’ve always treated me like your slave," Liu Mei sneered, snatching her pen back from Lin Jiayi’s hand. "You always act like you’re some princess. It’d be one thing if you were, but you’re just a pheasant who thinks a few pretty feathers makes her high and mighty."

With that, Liu Mei sat back down, picked up her pen, and continued with her homework, completely ignoring the stunned Lin Jiayi.

"You..."

Lin Jiayi’s eyes reddened. She put on a hurt expression, looking like she was about to cry but trying hard to hold it back. But after a while, when no one came to comfort her, she couldn’t help but look around in confusion. She saw that the remaining students were all staring at her with a look that inexplicably made her feel ashamed. Gu Nuan Nuan, in particular, had a mocking expression so blatant it was completely unconcealed. Lin Jiayi’s heart sank. She suspected everyone knew her father was in jail, and her face instantly flushed hot.

She stood there stunned for a moment, then shot a resentful glare at Liu Mei, who was still focused on her homework. The shame was so intense she felt rooted to the spot. But in the end, the call of nature was too strong. She finally turned and ran toward the bathroom alone. Before she could even make it out the classroom door, she heard someone behind her deliberately imitating her conversation with Liu Mei in a mocking, singsong voice:

"Liu Mei, no more writing! Hurry up and accompany this princess to the bathroom."

"Go away, I’m not going with you. You’re just a pheasant with pretty feathers, not a princess. You have no right to order me around."

HAHAHA...

Tears streamed down Lin Jiayi’s face. She bit her lower lip. Not daring to turn back, she only hesitated for a second before bolting out of the room, the words repeating endlessly in her mind: ’You’re not a princess, you’re just a pheasant. You’re not a princess, you’re just a pheasant...’

By the time she returned to her seat, the warning bell for the next class was ringing. The teacher hadn’t entered yet, but everyone was already in their places. Lin Jiayi quickly sat down, took out the art textbook for the upcoming lesson from her bag, and then opened her pencil case.

"AHH—"

Lin Jiayi snatched her hand back as if she’d been electrocuted, letting out a scream, her face deathly pale.

"Sis, what’s wrong?" Lin Jia Bao jumped at the scream. His eyes instinctively darted to Lin Jiayi’s pencil case and saw two earthworms wriggling inside. He shot to his feet, his eyes scanning the room, his entire body radiating fury. "Who was it?" he raged. "Who did this? Get out here!"

Lin Jia Bao shouted twice, but no one responded. This made him absolutely livid. He strode out from his seat and loomed over a boy in the next row. "Xu Yi, you tell me. Did you see who did it?"