Chapter 4: A Street Where Only I Exist
“So, you have amnesia, is that it?”
“Yes, I only remember my name, and that Xiao An is my younger sister. I don’t remember anything else.”
“This child is your younger sister? But your hair colors are different…”
“Don’t ask. Ah… anyway, I remember she’s my younger sister. See, I even call her Xiao An, and we have the same last name.”
Hmph, even if you stare at me, I won’t waver!
I’ve known for a long time that my expression betrays me when I lie! So, while lying, I just need to silently recite a mantra in my heart to achieve a state of calm reflection. This way, the other party won’t be able to see through my inner thoughts.
And there’s one more thing I have to mention… this older sister asking me questions right in front of my eyes seems to be in charge of the local embassy.
While I was showering, the embassy people seemed to have already arrived. Then, without a word, they came straight to find me, and then the scene just now happened.
After I got dressed, I was bombarded with a series of questions by Nana, just like a interrogated criminal. Of course, my answers were basically all glossed over with the all-purpose excuse of “amnesia.”
I can’t exactly say I transmigrated from another world, can I? If I really said that, Nana might actually send me to a mental hospital.
Speaking of spirits, my spiritual power has a faint connection with this unfamiliar Nana in front of me.
I don’t know if it’s because we signed a contract in our original world, but I can now feel the connection of our spiritual powers.
It’s also because of this that I can use simple mental suggestions to make her believe I’m not lying.
“I’m sorry, I really can’t remember… Um, have I caused you trouble?”
“…Not really. Anyway, this is my responsibility. I’ll take you back, so don’t worry.”
Even though I used polite language, she didn’t seem to react much. It seems that even if they are the same kind of person, if the contract is signed with different existences, it doesn’t have much effect.
Incidentally, I can still use my spiritual abilities, it’s just that they’ve become much weaker.
But this is only because my spiritual power has not been fully restored. Once it’s replenished, I should be able to exert my original strength.
“A fire broke out on a nearby island, and our country’s victims were found there? Such a ridiculous thing… It was just supposed to be a location for the school’s summer camp, so I was just listed as a contact at the embassy here, I didn’t expect such a thing to actually happen…”
Nana looks troubled, frowning and rubbing her forehead.
“Tsk, they probably want to shift the blame to us. I guess so, after all, a victim incident on a resort island would only add a bad reputation to the tourist attraction… They want to downplay it, make a big deal out of a small matter… Considering our long-term cooperation, we can’t openly fall out.”
Alright, it seems she’s still the principal. Does that mean Lily is still working as a teacher?
The way she was mumbling to herself and thinking was quite like the principal. Whether in the organization or at school, she always played the role of a decision-maker, which is why she needed to consider so many things.
Before, I couldn’t understand why the principal agreed to eliminate Xuan’er. Now, it seems she just removed her emotions and made the most rational choice.
So she’s a cold-hearted succubus…
That’s also why she accumulated so much stress and occasionally came to my dreams to have sex with me. However, the principal then doing that was partly due to her identity as a succubus. This current principal is human, so what method will she use to relieve stress?
“Hmm? Sorry, I spaced out for a bit… Did you say something?”
“…It’s nothing. Then I’ll say it again. Because I’m also very busy, I’ve decided to take you back to the country first. After that, I’ll contact the police and have them investigate your origins. During this period, I will provide accommodation. Do you have any questions? If you do, please state them quickly.”
“Very well, then I’ll book our flight tickets for this afternoon. We should arrive tomorrow morning.”
This decisive approach to handling matters is just like the principal I knew. Xiao An and I didn’t have any luggage, so we booked the next available flight and prepared to head back.
After boarding the plane, Xiao An happily ran to the innermost seat and looked out the window at the scenery. After I helped Nana put her luggage on board, I sat next to Xiao An, with Nana sitting next to me.
Once settled, Nana tilted her head and stared at my face. She only spoke when I started feeling uncomfortable.
“Speaking of which, I haven’t asked your age yet. You look about the same age as my daughter. Are you a university student? Or have you already graduated?”
“…I think I’m probably a high school student. I still remember my birthday, it was on the first day of the new century, January 1, 2000.”
“So you’re eighteen years old in Western reckoning. That means you should be a freshman in university this year. I wouldn’t have thought you were so young; you look quite sturdy.”
“Ahaha, probably because I look older than I am…”
Even though I’ve been paying attention to my health, I still have a lot of white hair. For a while, my mom used to add black beans to my meals, hoping to reduce my white hair, but it was useless.
…Hmm? Wait, what did I just hear?
Eighteen years old in Western reckoning? Year… Was there a mistake?
“Um, what did you just say?”
“Hmm? You look quite sturdy.”
“Not that part, the sentence before.”
“I wouldn’t have thought you were so…”
“So you should be studying… this year? Is there a problem?”
Although Nana was confused, she repeated what I said as I asked.
Upon hearing this, a storm raged within me.
She said I should be a freshman this year? And even said I was eighteen years old in Western reckoning?
No, but shouldn’t I only become an adult after this year?
“Shouldn’t I be a junior in high school today?”
“You repeated a grade?”
“No, that…”
What does this have to do with repeating a grade?
As we continued, the conversation between Nana and me seemed to be out of sync, as if a crucial gear was missing. Something was wrong.
After hearing my birthday, she blurted out that I was eighteen years old this year. Was that just a slip of the tongue?
And then she immediately assumed I should be going to university this year… Could the difference here be?
I took out the plane ticket from my pocket and looked at the date.
Today is September 9, 2018…
2018!
How could this be…
…A whole year!
This one sentence shattered all my previous assumptions. My heart, standing on the edge of a cliff, lost its footing and plummeted to the bottom.
I didn’t go back to the past; I transmigrated to the future!
All that talk about taking Zi’ai’s exam became a thing of the past! It was as if I had returned from the Dragon Palace, and I felt a sense of being in a different world.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Could it be… you’ve remembered something?”
“Ah, no, that, it’s nothing. You mentioning repeating a grade reminded me. I might have really repeated a grade…”
“Is that so? Then it’s perfect. When we get back, I’ll arrange for you to enroll as a transfer student. Your studies can’t fall behind.”
“Mm, thank you…”
Time, space, and even the world were completely different.
I was thrown into a strange world, without even a trace of my past left behind.
A year’s time was stolen just like that. Lian Bing and the others must have already left school. My encounters with them had become a fragile dream like foam, and I had lost the chance to even see them.
I leaned back on the chair with all my strength, feeling utterly devoid of motivation.
Where should I go from here?
Suddenly losing my goal, I fell into endless confusion and became bewildered.
Wandering aimlessly… perhaps I was more like a zombie now.
At this moment, the only thought left in my heart was to go home and see.
Everyone has a home, and if you have a home, you want to go back and see it… I was afraid my parents and younger sisters wouldn’t recognize me. Even if I could just see them from afar, I wanted to find some trace of my existence.
With this last sliver of hope, after getting off the plane, I ignored Nana’s shouts and rushed straight to my home.
Ignoring everything, I ran frantically towards my… only to find it uninhabited.
The gate was chained shut, the nameplate removed, and the weeds in the yard had grown quite a bit.
What was going on?
Where did Mom and Dad go? What about Xinran? What about Ke Ling?
As I stood there in a daze, Aunt Li from next door asked me from her yard.
“Young man, who are you looking for?”
I was familiar with this hospitable neighbor. She would definitely know where my family had gone.
“Um, excuse me, where did the family that used to live here go?”
“Hmm? Oh, you mean Dr. An’s family who lived here? I heard that after their eldest daughter disappeared, they all moved away. I heard they moved abroad, and some say they moved back to their hometown…”
“Eldest daughter disappeared?”
“Yes, I heard she went missing abroad during summer camp last year… it’s such a pity…”
The old woman sighed and walked away, shaking her head.
I stood frozen on the spot, looking at what was once my house… After a few minutes, I also turned and walked away.
I should go back… As I thought this, I couldn’t help but ask myself, where should I go back to? How should I go back?
Perhaps I can’t go back…
The past, the original world, are all gone.
My own home is no longer my home, and there is no one left who recognizes me.
More thoroughly than before I met Lian Bing, in this world, I truly became utterly alone.
Having completely lost even a place to return to, where… where should I go?
Streetlights lit up one by one, adding some life to the dark night. Neon lights flickered in the distance, reflecting the many sleepless men and women. The once familiar city had become strange.
I walked alone on the street, like a homeless undead, wandering aimlessly.
Having lost everything I once possessed, I felt like I had experienced a fleeting dream. I thought I had gained everything, but when I opened my hands, I found them empty.
Turns out, I still have nothing.
