Chapter 14: Another Loop

“I don’t agree.”

No matter why these alternate worlds existed—whether to free her from unpleasant memories or to turn them into true love—Wang Jiexiang had every right to say, fair and square: in the human world, she had never treated Yin Xian as a mere passerby… That was why she stood here now, before him.

Yin Xian’s eyes were calm and indifferent, as if he had no great desire to insist he was right.

“Does it still hurt from the fall?”

Wang Jiexiang didn’t expect him to bring that up now.

“Suddenly showing concern? How kind of you. There should be a lot of other questions you should be asking first, don’t you think?”

Yin Xian raised a brow. “Such as?”

“Such as: who are you? Sneaking around the employee dorms—who were you looking for? How do you know things about me? What gave you the right to reveal my private matters without my permission and break me and my girlfriend up—what was your intention?”

She rattled off a series of perfectly reasonable suspicions about him.

He agreed with her: “You’re right, there are quite a few things worth asking.”

Wang Jiexiang had dug herself a hole. Venting her doubts had felt great—but she hadn’t figured out what lies to tell in response.

Yin Xian looked at her shifting gaze, and a flicker of confusion passed through his eyes.

“Strange. I don’t know you, and you’re definitely suspicious, but… I don’t really feel like doubting you.”

“An instinct not to doubt me?” Wang Jiexiang perked up.

After playing through so many rounds of this game, she’d only now realized: the instance reset automatically, and somehow she had a “familiarity effect” on her, which reduced Yin Xian’s suspicion?

Back when Yin Xian was a shy little boy, had she really grown close to him effortlessly just because of her dazzling performance and natural charisma?

“Instinct? Maybe a little,” he said. “Maybe it’s because you look kind of dumb.”

“You’re the dumb one!”

She puffed up angrily. He reached out and mussed her hair.

“Still hurt from the fall?”

“It stopped hurting ages ago.”

“Okay.” He glanced at his watch. “If it’s not hurting, I’m heading out. I’ve got other stuff to do today.”

Wang Jiexiang hopped after him. “You’re going to eat, right? I’m coming too.”

“You know that too?”

Unflappable Yin Xian was genuinely surprised at something so mundane.

“I get it now—your true identity is a fortune-teller.”

“???”

“You’ve got ghost eyes that see into people’s hearts, the body of a child, and the soul of a 200-year-old granny. Every day, you randomly pick someone and tell them they resemble someone you know, so they’ll buy you food.”

“…You’re seriously good at making stuff up.”

“Then what’s your version? Got your story straight yet?”

“I’ll think about it. Let me eat first.”

It was mealtime, and there was a long line at the cafeteria.

Wang Jiexiang looked around excitedly—this was her first time seeing so many people in an alternate world.

The workers all wore matching dark blue auto repair factory uniforms and looked similar in both appearance and height. After scanning the crowd, she didn’t recognize a single face.

“Which meal set do you want?”

When it was their turn, Yin Xian let her choose first.

Wang Jiexiang glanced at the menu on the wall and said, “I want the spicy braised pork rice.”

Yin Xian handed over his meal card to the lunch lady. “Two pork rice.”

Although clearing this world was a bit more twisty than the others, the perks were great. Wang Jiexiang held her tray of food, swallowing hard.

During the lunch rush, it was hard to find a seat. They waited a few minutes until a spot at a long table opened up in a corner.

The workers already sitting there were chatting and laughing. When Yin Xian walked over, someone saw him and gave a nudge to their buddies.

He had barely sat down when a voice came, faint but pointed.

“Useless at work, but sure shows up on time to eat.”

The table burst into laughter.

“He’s got time to flirt with girls too.”

“Hey, you’re just ugly and nobody wants you. What are you talking about? Jealous? You think anyone can pull off the pretty-boy act?”

They didn’t name names, but their voices were loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.

Yin Xian ignored them, picking up his chopsticks and starting to eat.

The coworker next to him burst out laughing so hard he sprayed food juice onto the table. His buddy scolded him.

“Watch it. You’re filthy, but other people are wearing clean clothes.”

Only then did Wang Jiexiang realize the group had been throwing shade at Yin Xian the whole time.

His uniform was bright and spotless, and his youthful face and well-kept hands were neat and clean.

The other workers’ fingers were stained with grease that wouldn’t wash out. Their clothes were grimy all over.

Wang Jiexiang remembered…

“They gave you that clean uniform when you left the dorm, right?” she whispered.

Yin Xian told her to focus on eating.

The workers quickly changed topics, turning their backs and chattering animatedly.

By the time Wang Jiexiang was halfway through her meal, the table finally quieted down as the group left.

She put down her chopsticks and sighed.

“Are you being excluded at the auto repair shop?”

Yin Xian didn’t even look up. “Aren’t you a fortune-teller? Figure it out.”

“Don’t take it to heart.” Wang Jiexiang fumbled for comforting words. “You’re an engineer. Your work’s different from theirs. And just because your clothes are clean doesn’t mean you’re not working hard. Even if we talk clothes, your uniform isn’t necessarily less greasy than theirs.”

He pushed back his chair and stood.

“I’m done eating.”

“You’re fast—wait for me.” Wang Jiexiang grabbed a spoon and began stuffing her mouth.

“Eat slowly. Don’t choke.” From the look of it, Yin Xian was trying to ditch her.

“Then I’m not eating anymore.” She stood up, cheeks still full of food.

Yin Xian gestured for her to relax.

“I’m going to buy cigarettes. You finish your food.”

“Alright,” she said reluctantly. “I’ll find you as soon as I’m done.”

Belly full, Wang Jiexiang burped as she walked out of the cafeteria, trying to remember where the kiosk was.

She’d seen it before when playing ball—near the gatehouse.

She strolled in that direction and saw someone standing in the phone booth from afar.

It was Yin Xian. She recognized him from the back.

The time now was about the same as the last time she had played ball on the open ground. A strange unease crept up in her, and Wang Jiexiang quickly reassured herself: No way. This time, He Shan and Yin Xian had already separated. She had taken action and changed this world.

Cough cough.

No way!

Frantically waving her hands, she tried to dispel the weird smell wafting in.

Wang Jiexiang refused a world reset!

It was already so hard to clear. Couldn’t someone give her a quit button?!

“I can’t smell anything, I can’t smell anything—”

But the foul stench didn’t leave, and the gray fog quickly followed.

Wang Jiexiang stomped her foot and ran in the opposite direction.

The crowd’s clamor, the sound of music from the TV, the shuffle and clack of mahjong tiles—all chased her, surging toward her.

The fog blocked her sight, and Wang Jiexiang ran faster, planning to burst through it.

Hope was beneath her feet. Success lay just ahead! Her vision slowly cleared as she ran—and what came into view was…the smoky, chaotic Employee Dorms 3.0.

People were playing cards and mahjong, noisy and raucous.

Yin Xian was still the same Yin Xian, sitting in the same spot, still holding a cigarette in his mouth.

“Hey, little one.”

Someone behind her bumped into her, holding her by the shoulders.

“Why are you standing in the doorway?”

Wang Jiexiang couldn’t hold back—she had to call this uncle out.

“Seriously, uncle? I was running—my legs were sprinting freely through the open ground. How did you even bump into me? You had to be running straight at me on purpose!”