Chapter 108: The Mind-Reader and the Girl from Another World

[Hello, Zhong Tian. The words on this note come from a second-year student at Taisugi High School, me, Yu Yinlian, who is trapped in another world by her own ability.

I can only be active in the real world for ten minutes each day, after which I am forcibly returned to another unobservable world. At that time, everyone forgets me.

However, you, Zhong Tian, are an exception; you are the only one who can remember me.

During a difficult time in my life, you offered me much assistance, enabling me to continue facing life, and for that, I am incredibly grateful!

It was also my personal wish that you remember me in your daily life, which is why I asked you to write these things down.

This way, you won’t feel confused when you see the novel you’re serializing on the blb light novel platform.

(That’s the novel I use to make a living; if an editor ever approaches you, please be sure to sign the contract!)]

Zhong Tian silently finished reading the content on Yu Yinlian’s phone.

He nodded at her, indicating his understanding of her words.

“Um, because I was worried that what I copied down might not be observable to you, I had to trouble you to copy it yourself…”

Yu Yinlian bowed slightly to Zhong Tian.

“I wrote quite a lot, so it will take up a good deal of your time… Also! You and I agreed yesterday to meet this afternoon, but I was so busy writing that I completely forgot… I’m truly sorry…!”

Zhong Tian observed Yu Yinlian, who looked visibly uneasy, feeling a pang of emotion.

Yu Yinlian was overly concerned with his thoughts, speaking to him cautiously so that he wouldn’t grow tired of her.

Zhong Tian opened a new notebook and set Yu Yinlian’s phone aside.

He began copying as quickly as he could.

“Actually, you don’t need to speak to me like this,” Zhong Tian said as he wrote.

“I won’t get annoyed by trivial matters, especially not with a kind-hearted person.”

“A kind-hearted… person…”

Yu Yinlian pointed to herself, looking dumbfounded.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Zhong Tian glanced left and right, confirming that the other students had already left the classroom after school, before continuing.

“My ability is mind-reading.”

“The first time I met you, I already knew your past and understood your personality.

Perhaps I know better than you what kind of person you truly are.”

“So, there’s no need to be overly concerned with my feelings; just treat me like a friend.”

“Treat me… like a friend…”

Yu Yinlian’s eyes widened as she watched Zhong Tian write furiously.

A ripple stirred in the lake of her heart.

She couldn’t help but ask, “Can I… really?”

“Of course, you can.”

Zhong Tian finished copying and handed the phone back to Yu Yinlian.

“Here, take your phone, Yinlian.”

“Oh, should I start by calling you by your name directly? Then… Zhong Tian, your name…”

Seeing Yu Yinlian become a little flustered, Zhong Tian’s tone brightened slightly.

“You can call me Lao Zhong.”

“Lao Zhong…”

Yu Yinlian paused, looking at Zhong Tian’s smiling face, then quietly grumbled, “That sounds like a term uncles use…”

“Haha, isn’t it interesting?”

“Then… alright, I’ll call you ‘Lao Zhong,’ then.”

Yu Yinlian appeared much more relaxed than before, a smile returning to her face.

“You chose it, you know… !”

“Indeed,” Zhong Tian replied.

“How much longer can you stay in the real world?”

“Let me see…”

Yu Yinlian opened her phone’s timer.

“Three minutes left.”

“Three minutes… Do you still want to talk about what you wanted to tell me yesterday?”

“Ah… that…”

Yu Yinlian grew awkward again.

After all, theft was a difficult topic to bring up.

“Perhaps… let’s do it tomorrow…”

Her gaze drifted, searching for an excuse.

“Ahem, Lao Zhong, your friend is still waiting for you by the back door of the classroom…”

Zhong Tian looked back and saw that Su Linxi was indeed standing by the door, watching him silently.

“Alright then, whenever you feel ready to talk, come find me,” Zhong Tian said, tucking the notebook containing Yu Yinlian’s story into his canvas bag.

“I’m always here.”

“Okay… then, Lao Zhong, take care…”

Zhong Tian nodded and left the teaching building with Su Linxi.

Yu Yinlian walked to the corridor and leaned against the railing.

She returned to the unobservable world, watching the students leave the campus under the night sky.

‘I should tell Zhong Tian… Lao Zhong… about the theft after I’ve returned the money…’

She rested her forehead on her arm and closed her eyes.

‘I feel so peaceful inside…’

****

Zhong Tian and Su Linxi returned home.

The living room lights were off, and the house was shrouded in darkness.

If Zhong Tian hadn’t noticed Zhong Jing’s shoes in the entryway, he wouldn’t have known his sister was already home.

He neatly placed Zhong Jing’s shoes and then knocked on her bedroom door.

“Sis! Don’t play games with the lights off!”

A moment later, a sliver of light appeared through the door crack.

“…Do you want a late-night snack later?”

Zhong Tian continued to ask loudly.

“No.”

Through the door, Zhong Tian could barely make out Zhong Jing’s reply.

“Let me know on WeChat if you change your mind!”

Inside the room, Zhong Jing put her headphones back on.

– “Continue.”

The voice of Photographer Bro came through the headphones.

– “Was that your sister just now?”

– “…My brother.”

– “Brother? Their voice sounds a bit like a girl’s…”

– “They were born with it.”

– “I see…”

Today, Zhong Jing had made an effort to rally people for games in various groups much earlier than usual, but in the end, only Photographer Bro was free.

Ultimately, Zhong Jing chose to play a duo match with Photographer Bro, just for some casual fun, playing a few rounds before logging off.

Since it was a match, neither of them was playing very seriously, and during their travel time, Photographer Bro started chatting with Zhong Jing.

Chatting with someone as taciturn as Zhong Jing could be quite challenging for many, yet Photographer Bro managed to talk with her for nearly an hour.

Photographer Bro unilaterally tried to find topics to avoid awkwardness.

They would chat for a few sentences, only for Zhong Jing, the conversation-ender, to cut it short, preventing further progress, before they would switch to a new topic.

Photographer Bro went from school topics to household matters, only to find the conversation growing more awkward with each passing moment…

However, the awkwardness was solely on Photographer Bro’s side.

Zhong Jing could sense his discomfort, but being someone who typically adopted an attitude of ‘it’s none of my business, I’ll let it be,’ she had no intention of alleviating the strained atmosphere.

She focused on playing the game.

– “Hmm… speaking of siblings, I actually have a sister who’s in high school too…”

– “Mm.”

– “Her grades are much better than mine were in high school; she should be able to get into a top university.”

Photographer Bro continued.

– “I’m just not sure what major she’s interested in right now… but I definitely can’t let her study medicine, haha…”

– “Mm.”

– “Studying medicine is far too tough… a few guys in my dorm are losing hair all the time, making the dorm look like a barbershop.”

– “Enemy spotted.”

– “Oh, okay, mark the spot.”

Both of their attentions returned to the game.

After quickly dealing with the enemies, they once again entered the somewhat tedious phase of traveling.

– “……”

Photographer Bro wondered if he should resume their previous topic.