Chapter 92: Anticipation, Return, and Hidden Talents

Su Linxi harbored a certain anticipation for the trajectory of her friends’ lives in this new existence.

Amidst the clamor of the classroom, even with her utmost concentration, Su Linxi could only just discern fragments of their conversation.

“Yining, after our supplementary classes this week, would you like to go out?”

Lin Han sat on her chair, extending her calves and gently swaying them.

“Mm.”

Chen Yining nodded, her expression placid, betraying neither joy nor anger.

Yet, Su Linxi could perceive the underlying happiness she felt.

Having lost some control over her own expressions as a consequence of her abilities in this life, Su Linxi felt a degree of empathy for Chen Yining.

“Once classes are over, we can stroll through the pedestrian street,” Lin Han suggested with keen interest. “Then, we’ll head to the cat cafe for some snacks and some cat petting!”

“Mm.”

“Let me tell you, there’s a Siamese cat there who’s incredibly affectionate and adorable! It always jumps onto my lap and kneads.”

“Mm.”

“How about we go there after school today, grab a drink, and then head home?”

“Mm.”

“Then it’s settled.”

‘A cat cafe…’

Su Linxi also recalled the place—the Cat’s Paw Cafe, a cat cafe where she and Bai Ruijin often spent weekends petting cats in her previous life.

Indeed, cats possessed an undeniable ability to lift spirits.

However, Su Linxi wasn’t particularly fond of overly enthusiastic cats…

Much like the Cat Class Monitor from earlier.

As Su Linxi pondered, the Cat Class Monitor, moving with agile feline grace, padded through the back door of the classroom, leaping over several students before settling back into its designated spot.

Noticing Su Linxi’s gaze, the Cat Class Monitor let out a soft “meow” and waved a paw at her.

‘Hmm, much cuter now.’

Su Linxi glanced back at the classroom clock, realizing that class was about to begin. She confirmed her schedule and prepared herself.

****

After dropping Tom back at school, Yu Yinlian waited for a long while at the public bus stop outside, until a bus bound for Moyong Town finally arrived. She then used the last of her allocated time to return to the real world and board the vehicle.

Dropping two yuan in change, Yu Yinlian’s time for activity in the real world for the day concluded. She chose a window seat and watched the fleeting scenery outside, keenly aware that she was drawing ever closer to her home.

‘Only her home…’

The further the bus traveled, the heavier her heart grew. Memories, like the fleeting landscape outside, raced through her mind, becoming increasingly vivid, making her wonder if her parents were still at home, if she hadn’t been forgotten by the world, and if her current life was merely a dream from which she was now awakening.

Twenty minutes swiftly passed, and the bus arrived in Moyong Town. Yu Yinlian disembarked and began walking towards the familiar small fishing village.

The walk back would take another ten minutes, so Yu Yinlian quickened her pace, breaking into a light jog in this world where no one could observe her.

Upon reaching the familiar village, Yu Yinlian navigated its streets and alleys, eventually arriving at the modest home etched in her memory.

She retrieved the key she always carried and stood before the door for a long moment.

‘If, after opening this door, I were to open my eyes in bed and discover this had all been nothing more than a long dream, then I would rush to embrace my parents, to cry my heart out in their arms…’

She inserted the key into the lock and slowly turned it.

A soft click—

She closed her eyes and pushed open the heavy door.

When she opened her eyes once more, she was still met with a veil of darkness.

The house was empty.

Within the tightly shut house, only the open front door offered a sliver of light to the interior.

Between the gloom and the illumination, dust motes drifted in the air, seemingly glowing as they slowly descended.

‘It wasn’t a dream after all…’

She sat down at her usual spot at the dining table, gazing absently at its surface.

‘It’s all covered in dust…’

Yu Yinlian’s tears fell onto the tabletop, forming several dark, circular marks that gradually expanded, mirroring the burgeoning grief within her heart.

After her parents’ accident, she had remained in the school dormitory, and in that place far from home, her emotional state had seemed much the same as usual. She had even convinced herself that she had emerged from the shadow of her parents’ passing. Yet, only today did she truly realize that she was still trapped beneath that shadow, never having moved even a single step away.

She wept for a very long time, until she was on the verge of suffocating, before finally rising from the table and wiping away the still-falling tears with the back of her hand.

‘Never come back here again…’

Still choked with sobs, she returned to her room, sat on the edge of her bed, and desperately tried to compose herself.

After a long silence, a somewhat dazed Yu Yinlian rose from her bed and used her phone to take a picture of the back of her computer, intending to use it as a reference to prevent incorrect reassembly later.

She then found a cardboard box and carefully placed the disconnected computer host and screen inside. She didn’t forget the mouse, keyboard, and speakers, adding them all to the box.

‘I wonder if anyone will hear the sound if I use the computer…’

She packed the box, then lifted it to gauge its weight, discovering it was significantly heavier than she had anticipated.

While not impossible to move, carrying it all the way back would surely be a struggle.

Her plan was to hitch a ride on a small freight truck heading into Taisugi City. Once the truck reached Taisugi City, she would likely disembark at the seafood market or one of the seafood-specializing restaurants, and then walk the rest of the way back to school.

The process was already quite troublesome, and now, with this heavy box added to the burden, she immediately felt the journey would be exceptionally arduous.

‘Sigh, I’ll just take it slow…’

‘After all, I have plenty of time; I’ll manage to move it back eventually, little by little.’

She picked up the sealed box and headed out of the village to search for a small freight truck.

****

During evening self-study, Zhong Tian, having finished his homework, was engrossed in contemplating panel layouts on a sheet of scratch paper.

He had already devised several paneling schemes for the long dialogue between the male and female leads, yet none quite captured the feeling he sought.

‘I’ll ask Su Linxi for her opinion tonight when I get back…’

Zhong Tian, with a sigh of resignation, gathered his sketches and tucked them into his canvas bag.

Wu Rui, seated nearby, had been secretly observing Zhong Tian’s drawing.

He had known for a long time that Zhong Tian drew manga, but since he had never asked, he had no idea what genre Zhong Tian’s manga was, or even if it was being serialized.

He thought Zhong Tian’s artwork was incredibly impressive.

He was also very curious why Zhong Tian, with such remarkable skill, chose to pursue academic studies rather than specializing in art.

As an art student, there would surely be far more time dedicated to drawing, and no need to hide it.

‘Perhaps his family disapproved?’

He had heard that becoming an art student incurred significantly higher costs over three years of high school compared to a regular academic path, and if a family’s financial situation was modest, such an aspiration might remain out of reach.

‘I wonder what Zhong Tian’s family situation is like…’

Wu Rui knew little about art students, and even less about Zhong Tian, so he could only indulge in curiosity and speculation.

After Zhong Tian finished tidying his scratch paper, Wu Rui instinctively let his gaze drift to Zhong Tian’s face.

Those star-like eyes, jade-like nose, and cherry lips—that nearly flawless profile instantly captivated him, making it impossible to avert his gaze.

Zhong Tian’s delicate face tilted slightly, and his deep blue eyes met Wu Rui’s. He spoke softly, “Is there something you need, Wu Rui?”

Only then did Wu Rui realize he had been staring too obviously, caught by Zhong Tian. Feeling a flush of embarrassment, he waved a hand dismissively at Zhong Tian and whispered, “Uh, my apologies…”

He had initially intended to brush it off with a simple “nothing,” but saying it aloud felt too much like a guilty confession. So, he paused, then spoke again,

“…I was just curious, Zhong Tian, are you serializing a manga?”

“Mm.”

“Ah, I think your drawing is really good… Uh, Zhong Tian, what’s your manga called? I’d like to check it out when I get home… You don’t mind, do you?”

“I don’t mind,” Zhong Tian replied softly. “The manga currently being serialized is titled ‘The Taciturn Him and Her.'”

“Is it a romance?”

“Mm.”

Wu Rui nodded, committing the manga title to memory.

Although he typically didn’t read romance manga, the fact that it was drawn by Zhong Tian sparked a nascent interest in him.

‘I’ll check it out tonight.’