Chapter 83: A Price to Pay

A golden flash flickered in Zhong Tian’s eyes as he activated his mind-reading ability.

Yet, in that very instant, Li Jianren, holding his empty rice bowl, rose to wash it.

His mind-read had failed.

Zhong Tian, feeling about eighty percent full, also picked up his bowl and followed, joining Li Jianren at a sink to clean their dishes.

“Ren,” Zhong Tian began, “you just said you plan to wait until university to date, which means you don’t have anyone you like right now, right?”

“Of course not,” Li Jianren immediately replied. “Didn’t I tell you? I don’t really feel anything for the girls in our class.”

“You shouldn’t limit yourself to just our class, then.”

Li Jianren scrubbed his bowl, silent for a few seconds. “I don’t know anyone from the other classes either.”

“Then go get to know them.”

“…I don’t think it’s necessary.” Li Jianren finished washing his bowl and placed it back on his dorm desk. Lost in thought, he lowered his head, his fingers tapping continuously on the tabletop. “Old Zhong, why are you suddenly so interested in relationship topics?”

Zhong Tian’s hand, which had been washing the bowl, paused. “Well… then, let’s not talk about it.”

‘He noticed.’

‘I understand Li Jianren well, but conversely, Li Jianren understands me just as well. It would be strange if he didn’t find it unusual for me to bring up relationship topics we never usually discuss.’

‘Never mind, this is enough. After that little probing, I’ve already glimpsed some of the true reasons hidden in Li Jianren’s heart. A brief analysis should yield a fairly accurate answer, and without mind-reading, it shouldn’t be a big problem.’

‘It’s better to rely on analysis for things that can be analyzed; after all, the side effects of my ability are quite terrifying.’

“Ren, how about we find some time to go back and wander around the old district of Haibin City?”

“The old district?” Li Jianren sat back on his bed. “Why the sudden urge to go back?”

“Just want to wander around.”

“Alright.” Li Jianren swung his legs, gazing at the ceiling in thought. “How about this weekend? We could go after cram school on Saturday noon?”

“We’ll see.”

Having successfully diverted and ended the conversation, Zhong Tian didn’t dwell on it, quietly waiting for his feeling of fullness to dissipate, preparing for his afternoon nap.

****

Yu Yinlian awoke at two in the afternoon.

She had originally intended to find Zhong Tian during the long break to show him her novel outline, but her compensatory nap had stretched straight into the afternoon.

She rose, pondering whether to eat something to make up for lunch.

“…Forget it. I’ll save it for dinner. It’s better to be a little frugal.”

Yu Yinlian stretched, feeling much more refreshed.

She put on her Taishen Senior High School uniform, intending to go find Zhong Tian.

****

“Today, we continue with lines and circles.”

The first class of the afternoon was math, and no sooner had the math teacher stepped onto the podium and uttered his first sentence than someone in the class slumped over, donning an expression of agony.

The reason for their suffering was not merely that math was boring and hard to follow, but primarily the math teacher’s manner of speaking.

This math teacher typically started his lectures slowly and quietly, but once he reached a crucial point, he would suddenly amplify his voice, startling awake any students who were just drifting off. His students had dubbed this the “Taishen Senior High School edition of the Slow Sword Technique.”

However, despite the teacher’s tormenting speaking style, his lessons were actually excellent; one could understand most of it as long as they stayed awake.

As a liberal arts student who neither liked nor disliked math, Zhong Tian simply listened attentively and took a few brief notes, which was enough for him to grasp most of the course content. It was hard not to acknowledge the math teacher’s excellence.

It would be even better if he could change his speaking style.

Amidst the math teacher’s slow, drawn-out lecture, the first class of the afternoon concluded.

The bell rang, and many sprang from their desks as if reborn, seemingly forgetting their earlier grimaces of misery, immediately turning to chat with their friends.

“Zhong Tian, could you step out for a moment?” From the corridor, Yu Yinlian entered the real world, calling out to Zhong Tian through the window. “I have something to tell you!”

Seeing it was Yu Yinlian, Zhong Tian nodded and exited the classroom.

“What is it?”

“It’s about the novel we discussed before. I’ve written an outline, and I want you to take a look.” Yu Yinlian openly pulled out her phone. “Um, let me add you on WeChat first, and I’ll send it to you.”

“Okay, my phone number is 13011451400,” Zhong Tian replied. “I’ll accept your friend request after school.”

“Oh, I forgot you can’t use your phone right now,” Yu Yinlian said, jotting down the number on her phone. “Then I’ll add you after school, after I’ve eaten. I’m afraid you won’t see my friend request once I return to that world.”

“Mm.”

Zhong Tian nodded.

“Hey! You, over there!”

A booming voice echoed behind Zhong Tian, drawing the attention of everyone in the corridor towards the newcomer.

It was the Disciplinary Dean.

At that moment, the dean, a burly man with glasses who looked like a physical education teacher, strode menacingly toward Yu Yinlian.

“Quite bold, aren’t you? Playing with your phone openly in the corridor during break?” He reached out, demanding Yu Yinlian’s phone. “Which class are you in?”

Although she knew the Disciplinary Dean couldn’t truly do anything to her, Yu Yinlian instinctively panicked a little, hiding her phone behind her back.

“Uh… well… Zhong Tian, I… I’m leaving first.”

“Okay.”

“Leaving? Where are you going—”

Before the Disciplinary Dean could finish his sentence, Yu Yinlian vanished from his sight, and simultaneously, from his memory.

The Disciplinary Dean, Zhong Tian, and the surrounding curious onlookers all froze in place, bewildered.

The Disciplinary Dean looked somewhat confused, scratching his head before continuing his patrol of the teaching building.

Zhong Tian also didn’t know why he was standing in the corridor. He felt a bit strange but didn’t dwell on it, returning to his classroom.

****

As the class bell rang, Yu Yinlian strolled beneath the school’s shady trees, conceptualizing her novel’s plot as she walked.

She hadn’t realized it before, but now, as she prepared to write, she discovered that outlining a novel was such a mentally taxing endeavor.

She found herself increasingly admiring renowned novelists.

‘Forget it, if I can’t think of anything, I shouldn’t force it. I’ll take my time and just focus on perfecting the outline for the first volume.’

‘I spent about three minutes looking for Zhong Tian earlier, which means I still have seven minutes left to return to the real world today.’

‘From now on, I’ll keep track of the time each time I return to the real world. I need to manage my time properly, so I don’t run out of time mid-conversation awkwardly.’

She sat down on a wooden bench under the trees, intending to relax for a while.

****

Su Linxi was typing away in her room.

After three hours, the latest chapter was complete.

She saved the draft on her laptop, then picked up her empty mug, intending to refill it with water.

Leaving the kitchen, Su Linxi poured a cup of warm water from a thermos, planning to sit in the living room and watch TV as a break.

She turned, only to freeze in place.

On the sofa sat a woman with white hair and a black dress, holding an exquisite small porcelain cup.

“Good afternoon, Linxi.”

“‘Ms. Yan’! How… how are you… here?”

“A sudden whim brought me here to see you.”

She took a sip of tea, then placed the small porcelain cup on the table.

The instant the porcelain cup touched the surface, it vanished into thin air, as if it had never existed.

Su Linxi sat on the other sofa, her heart still filled with astonishment.

“Is everything going smoothly?”

Ms. Yan asked Su Linxi with a smile.

“Mm… for now, it’s not going very smoothly…….” Su Linxi answered truthfully. “I… I can’t assess Yu Naixi’s current condition, which makes me uneasy.”

“I imagine you are very eager for my help right now.”

Su Linxi nodded silently.

“I can offer you help, but as you know, it comes with a price.”

“…Can you tell me what it is?”

Ms. Yan shook her head.

“For you, who have already endured three prices, the next one would be so profound it would render all the efforts of this lifetime utterly futile.”

“Consider it carefully.”

“I…”

Though Su Linxi’s expression couldn’t betray her dilemma, her tightly clasped hands revealed her inner conflict and predicament.

“Linxi, do not put the cart before the horse,” Ms. Yan said softly. “For what comes next, simply trust yourself.”

“……Alright.”

Ms. Yan smiled, gently ruffled Su Linxi’s hair, and then vanished into thin air from the living room.