TOTWV CH1

The weather was gradually turning cold, and a light rain fell in the afternoon.

Jingya Kindergarten.

Human cubs under three years old raised the small transparent umbrellas distributed by the kindergarten and wore transparent rain boots, stepping on the rainwater on the ground with “patter-patter” sounds as they lined up one by one to go home after school.

When passing through the security gate, they would wave their little hands and say “goodbye” to the security grandpa on the side, before being handed over to their parents one by one by the kindergarten teachers to get into cars and leave.

Teacher Liang, a young preschool teacher, stood waiting at the entrance of the security room, gazing outside with a worried expression on her face.

The security grandpa beside her smiled cheerfully and said, “Teacher Liang, are you waiting for a child’s parents here again?”

Teacher Liang nodded slightly, not picking up the conversation, but instead letting out a heavy sigh.

The security grandpa instantly understood and also let out a sigh. “Such a beautiful little snow doll, how could he suffer from that kind of illness? It really breaks one’s heart!”

Just as he finished speaking, a woman wearing sunglasses and an overcoat walked against the flow of people to the entrance of the security room. She pulled at the scarf around her neck that had been blown by the wind, bowed her head slightly, and called out in a soft, gentle voice, “Teacher Liang.”

Teacher Liang immediately went up to greet her. “Are you Shi Li’s mother?” It wasn’t her fault that despite seeing Shi Li’s mother several times, it was still difficult to recognize her. Every time she came, she wore broad sunglasses, and the lower half of her face was covered by a scarf.

The woman nodded again. “It’s me.” Xiang Xiaoying’s tone was calm as she continued, “Please take me to see Li Li first.”

Teacher Liang hurriedly led the way. “I don’t know what happened with Li Li today, but he actually ate all his lunch nicely at noon without crying or throwing a tantrum.”

Xiang Xiaoying frowned. “What about the afternoon?”

Teacher Liang replied, “In the afternoon, he sat on a small stool in the corner, staring out the window the whole time. No matter who called him, he wouldn’t budge and wouldn’t pay attention to anyone. I really had no choice and was worried something might happen to Li Li.”

After all, Shi Li’s condition was more special and much trickier than that of the other children.

Jingya Kindergarten ranked among the top tier in all of Jing City in terms of decor and facilities. Even though the sky was dark right now, the lights inside were brightly lit, and the floor-to-ceiling windows were spotless.

They passed through the corridor and arrived at the first-floor teaching area.

At a glance, Xiang Xiaoying saw her youngest son sitting in the furthest corner of the toy area, hugging his knees, propping up his chin with his hands, and staring blankly outside.

She froze at the doorway without stepping inside. After watching for a moment, she suddenly turned her back and took a deep breath.

Teacher Liang handed over a piece of tissue.

Xiang Xiaoying waved her hand in refusal. “I’m fine.”

Teacher Liang took a few steps toward that little corner, squatted down beside the black-haired toddler, and said with a smile, “Li Li? Look who’s here?”

The black-haired toddler finally had a little reaction, sluggishly turning his small head to look in the direction Teacher Liang pointed.

His eyes were pure black, crystal clear, and extremely beautiful. Soft black hair fell in fine strands beside his snow-white cheeks. Clutching his little yellow backpack, he looked like a tiny, soft bundle.

Seeing the person at the doorway bend down slightly and stretch out both hands toward him: “Li Li, Mom has come to take you home.”

Shi Li blinked his eyes with a delayed reaction.

Soon, he crawled up from the corner, clutching his small backpack, and jogged toward the doorway. Then his speed gradually slowed down, and he stopped somewhat hesitantly in front of her, as if not quite daring to confirm. Because he was too small, his speech was still slurred and his voice sticky as he vaguely called out, “Mom?”

Seeing the other party nod and take off her glasses, Shi Li, who had been feeling dazed all day, finally felt a sense of landing on solid ground.

He looked at his three-head-tall reflection on the floor-to-ceiling window, then lowered his head to look at his own little hands holding the small backpack, stretching them out and clutching them again.

Just a moment ago, it had been the excruciating pain of being hit by a car, but in the next second, he had bizarrely appeared in another place. Because the current body’s age was still too small and many areas were not fully developed, his thoughts had become as sluggish as a toddler’s. He thought through things slowly, unable to process quickly, and even the memories of this body were fragmented and intermittent.

It took Shi Li a whole day of thinking to finally confirm that he had transmigrated back to his childhood. It took him an entire afternoon of processing to vaguely grasp the situation.

He seemed to have transmigrated into a parallel world.

In his previous world, he was a delicate Omega.

Not only that, he was an Omega with a defective gland who couldn’t smell pheromones, making him no different from an ordinary Beta, or even more frail than a Beta.

He was the most useless and invisible existence in the Shi family.

His father had single-handedly built the Shi family’s current vast enterprise. His mother was a former movie queen who had retired years ago, yet still had fans admiring her to this day. His eldest brother bore the high expectations of their father, waiting to completely take over the Shi family and inherit the family business.

His eldest sister was a famous director in the industry, whose self-directed movies had launched countless trending young actors. Even his second brother had made achievements in the scientific research community.

Only Shi Li, limited by his Omega body and fragile gland, couldn’t do anything at all.

However, from the hazy memories of this body, Shi Li learned that this world didn’t seem to have the concept of ABO at all; people were simply divided into male and female.

Yet, he had become a child born with autism—a condition that caused even more endless anxiety for those around him.

Right now, Shi Li was only three years old. He wiggled his small hands; when he bounced up, he wasn’t even as tall as an adult’s thigh. It seemed that besides being a bit quiet, a bit well-behaved, and not making his family worry as much, he couldn’t do much else.

His thinking seemed to have followed this body as well, becoming overly simple. Shi Li slowly nodded his small head, thinking to himself that passing his life as an ordinary person wouldn’t be bad either.

“Li Li? Li Li?” Xiang Xiaoying called out softly. She was already accustomed to Shi Li constantly being immersed in his own world, occasionally looking at his hands and nodding his head.

Compared to other children, Li Li had always found it difficult to respond to external changes, preferring to stay within his own little world.

Xiang Xiaoying nodded to Teacher Liang.

Teacher Liang said, “You can take Shi Li home first.”

Hearing his name, Shi Li’s reaction was a beat late as he raised his head and blinked his eyes. In the next second, his line of sight suddenly rose.

The tiny bundle of a toddler was lifted into the air out of nowhere.

Xiang Xiaoying was just about to carry Li Li outside.

Shi Li suddenly kicked his little short legs, struggling to get down.

Xiang Xiaoying was already used to it. Li Li would sometimes stay very quietly on his own, and other times he would suddenly scream and throw a tantrum. While eating, he would often cry and push his plate away. That was why she had been so surprised earlier when she heard Teacher Liang say that Li Li had eaten all his food nicely today.

She thought Li Li was about to start throwing a tantrum again.

Teacher Liang also looked on with some worry as Shi Li bounced down. Then she saw Li Li clutching his small backpack, glancing around the area, and taking the initiative to walk to the side of the doorway to laboriously pick up a transparent small umbrella that was taller than himself.

Then he ran back with “patter-patter” steps. Without speaking, he just looked at Xiang Xiaoying.

It took Xiang Xiaoying a moment to react before she asked, “Do you want Mom to carry you?” She was a bit cautious, not knowing what Li Li wanted to do and afraid he might really start throwing a fit.

Shi Li nodded his small head.

Only after little Shi Li was picked up again and carried all the way to the exit of the kindergarten building did Xiang Xiaoying suddenly feel her clothing sleeve being gently tugged.

It was still raining lightly outside.

Shi Li opened his small umbrella, laboriously holding his short arms high up. “Mom, hold umbrella.” His speaking speed was a bit slow, clumsily reminding her, “It’s raining, will get wet.”

Xiang Xiaoying herself had forgotten that it was still raining outside. Having rushed over in a hurry today, she had nothing on her except a handbag. Stunned for a moment, she then smiled and said, “Then my good Li Li, hold the umbrella nicely for Mom.”

Shi Li nodded his head forcefully. “Mm mm!”

The small umbrella distributed by the kindergarten obviously couldn’t block much rain. After getting into the car, Xiang Xiaoying was still slightly wet. She lowered her head first to check if Li Li beside her had also gotten wet.

Instead, she saw Shi Li laboriously trying to close his small umbrella, shaking off the rainwater outside the car, and then slowly putting it away.

Just like a normal child.

Xiang Xiaoying remained motionless for a long time.

The driver in front suddenly asked, “Sister Ying, are we still going to Dr. Chen’s place like before?”

Xiang Xiaoying snapped back to her senses, hurriedly shook her head, and said, “Forget it, let’s go home first.”

A young woman sat in the passenger seat, who turned her head around. “Why aren’t we going anymore? Didn’t you say last time that Li Li’s medication is almost finished?”

That was Xiang Xiaoying’s manager in the industry, Sister Fang.

Shi Li quietly pricked up his ears to eavesdrop, feeling a bit strange as to why Sister Fang—who in his memory was traveling around the world—was here. Only then did he realize in hindsight that this was his childhood.

His mother hadn’t retired from the entertainment industry yet.

Xiang Xiaoying let out a sigh. “Next time.”

Sister Fang said in confusion, “Didn’t you just hurry over from the film set after hanging up the phone? Then I’ll cancel your appointment with Dr. Chen for you.” She nagged on, “Also, did you look at that parent-child script I gave you last time?”

“I know you want to go back and accompany your family properly, Sister Ying, but right now is the peak period of your career. Recently, those child-rearing variety shows have been quite popular in the industry. You should really consider it again.”

“You can maintain your popularity and also spend time with little Li.”

There was no room for compromise in Xiang Xiaoying’s tone. “No. You know Li Li’s situation.”

“I won’t bring him onto the screen.”