Through the barrier of time, it was as if he could actually see someone in the room.
What was the Dai Yixin of another timeline doing now?
Huo Youqing stood in the doorway, watching dust float under the faint overhead light, like butterfly powder falling from the wings of a butterfly. His childhood had been happy, even though his parents had passed away early. His uncle’s family had given him enough love to fill his heart.
Before meeting Dai Yixin, he would never have believed there were parents like his, or that anyone could grow up in such a harsh environment.
A young man, covered in blood, laid sprawled on the floor, whispering someone’s name. A schoolboy in a uniform laid face-down, clutching an unsold movie ticket. A small child curled up in a corner, wide-eyed and staring into the void.
Huo Youqing took out his phone and called Assistant Gui. “Can I take over this room?”
“Yes.”
“Then please arrange for someone to install a light in one of the rooms on the second basement floor. If possible, add a window to let in some sunlight.”
***
The documents he retrieved from the twenty-seven-year-old timeline couldn’t travel with his soul back to the eighteen-year-old timeline. So, Huo Youqing had to memorize everything written on them.
After reviewing all the documents and sending them to Dai Yuan, Huo Youqing fell ill. The flu hit him hard, and not only him but also his roommates got sick one after another.
When he went to the hospital, Huo Youqing sat between his uncle and aunt. Across from him was his cousin, who seemed reluctant to be there but was secretly looking up information about the flu on his phone. Huo Youqing yawned tiredly, linking his arms with his family members and, with a hint of a spoiled tone, said, “Uncle, Aunt, why don’t you move back here for good?”
His uncle looked at his noticeably thinner nephew with concern. Originally, he hadn’t planned to stay in the country for so long, but after hearing that Huo Youqing had inexplicably fallen and knocked himself unconscious, and also learning about what had happened with the Gong family, he couldn’t rest easy and rushed back home.
Now, seeing Huo Youqing sick and pale, he began to waver. All the money he had made was for the sake of taking care of his family and giving them a better life. But if his family wasn’t healthy, no amount of money would matter.
His uncle glanced over at his wife. His aunt had always treated Huo Youqing like her own son, doting on him even more than her own child—perhaps like the difference between a first-born and a younger child.
Sensing her husband’s hesitation, she gently stroked Huo Youqing’s head and said, “I don’t mind; it’s up to your uncle.”
As soon as she said this, three pairs of eyes turned to his uncle.
His cousin had long been unable to bear his parents living abroad all the time. Since Huo Youqing had to live at school and rarely stayed with him on weekends, he had felt the large house was eerily empty for a long time.
Now, with his family’s attention on his uncle, his uncle could only smile helplessly. He didn’t give an immediate answer, only saying, “Let me think about it.”
Huo Youqing knew his uncle well. When he said this, it meant there was at least an 80% chance they would move back. Hearing this, Huo Youqing couldn’t help but smile, though the smile lasted only two seconds before he started coughing.
This bout of illness lingered for a long time. After sending the documents, Dai Yuan didn’t contact him again, and he didn’t reach out either. The terms of their deal had been set long ago, and all he could do now was wait for the outcome.
Time flew by, and the winter holiday arrived.
This year, Huo Youqing didn’t go to M country. After serious consideration, his uncle had really begun shifting the focus of the family business back home. A few days before the Lunar New Year, the family went on vacation to a tropical island together.
It had to be said, his cousin in the eighteen-year-old timeline was quite childish. For the umpteenth time, his cousin dragged him along to chat with girls. Seeing the girls’ either bold or shy glances, Huo Youqing felt a headache coming on.
He had to seriously tell his cousin, “In the future, don’t use me as an excuse to ask girls out. Also, why are you so flippant about chasing girls?”
His cousin, embarrassed, retorted, “What do you mean, using your name? I only asked you to join because you were being a stick in the mud, barely moving. And how am I being flippant? Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Fair ladies are what gentlemen seek’? If I don’t take the initiative, should I wait for the girls to approach me?”
Just as he finished speaking, someone did approach—but it wasn’t a girl, it was a man.
“Hi, could I have the honor of getting to know you?”
Before Huo Youqing could respond, his cousin immediately rejected the man, “No, he’s with me.”
Ever since learning what Gong Lang had done, his cousin had been extremely wary of any men approaching his cousin. The man glanced at them, seemingly sizing up the chances of taking his cousin away. This infuriated his cousin, who immediately pulled Huo Youqing into his arms.
“See this? We’re together,” his cousin said with a forced smile.
Huo Youqing smirked, allowing his cousin’s childish behavior.
The man, disappointed, still tried to hand Huo Youqing his business card, but his cousin firmly rejected it. Then, dragging Huo Youqing away, his cousin muttered, “This world is really strange. Why are there so many men who like men? You know, Youyou, maybe you should find yourself a girlfriend sooner rather than later?”
Huo Youqing pursed his lips, “Cousin, I’m pretty sure I also like men.”
His cousin froze in his tracks. He looked at Huo Youqing for a long moment, saying nothing. Seeing this, Huo Youqing tried to pull his wrist free. His cousin was a complete straight guy, and he didn’t want to scare him off.
But he didn’t succeed—his cousin tightened his grip instead, putting on a nonchalant expression, “So what if you like men? Just tell my parents when the time comes. They’re not old-fashioned, and neither am I.”
He said this with a brotherly pat on Huo Youqing’s shoulder.
Maybe the meaning of living life over again was to reclaim the things he had lost.
What had he lost?
He had lost the family who loved him.
He had lost a normal life.
He had lost the ability to love others.
And he had lost the ability to accept himself.
He hadn’t told anyone, but he had always been consumed by regret. If he hadn’t trusted Dai Yuan so easily back then, if he hadn’t developed other feelings while being with Dai Yixin, maybe his family would have been fine.
He had been living in self-loathing, clinging to hatred to survive. But now, it seemed like everything was still within reach.
A gentle smile tugged at Huo Youqing’s lips. The sunlight on the island was intense, and he walked past his cousin, looking out at the horizon. The sea and sky blended together, forming a vast blue expanse like glass. Occasionally, his gaze would return to his family.
This time, he put his arm around his cousin’s shoulders. “Come on, I’m hungry. Let’s go get Uncle and Aunt for dinner.”
After the Lunar New Year came Valentine’s Day. His cousin had already made plans, saying this time he had a real chance with a girl. So, Huo Youqing knew better than to be a third wheel. He didn’t even want to be one for his uncle and aunt.
On Valentine’s Day, he was alone at home.
