FLME Ch104

Chapter 104: Returning to the Original World IF Line: (1)

The blaring alarm clock went off, startling the vague figure in the bed. After a moment, a hand reached out from the blanket, fumbling for a while before finding the alarm and turning it off.

“Where did this alarm come from… so noisy…” Yu Wen mumbled, turning over.

The alarm clock showed the time as 7:40 AM. The morning sunlight was streaming into the room, the perfect time to be full of energy, but Yu Wen hadn’t set an early wake-up time like this in a long time.

He tossed the alarm aside and habitually rolled to the side, intending to curl up in a firm, warm embrace.

But after rolling twice…

Bang—

The sound of something heavy hitting the floor echoed through the door into the living room. Yu Ting looked toward her brother’s bedroom and said to their parents, “I’ll go check.”

“Yu Wen, are you up?” Yu Ting knocked on the door and said, “Come out for breakfast.”

Inside the bedroom, Yu Wen, who had accidentally rolled out of bed, sat up on the floor. Half of his silk blanket was draped over him, and his hair was as messy as his expression. The full-length mirror nearby reflected the unfamiliar yet familiar room with its warm yellow bedding on the 1.5-meter bed…

Wait.

Yu Wen jolted again.

He slowly turned his head to look at the cause of his fall.

1.5 meters?

Where was his 2-meter, double-sized, super luxurious bed?!

…And.

Where was Xie Heyu, who was supposed to be in his bed?

Yu Wen had returned to his 28-year-old self.

He was still groggy, his mind still drifting, as he sat at the dining table, feeling as if he were still in a dream.

“…You don’t eat steamed buns anymore?” His mother looked at him as he held a small milky steamed bun in his hand, squeezing it without eating, and scolded, “If you’re not eating, put it down. Don’t waste food, you’ll starve to death.”

Yu Wen snapped back to his senses.

The steamed buns were made by his father. His father was a gentle middle-aged man with quite impressive cooking skills, working as the head chef at a five-star hotel. He handled all the cooking at home, and when Yu Wen was a child and refused to eat, his father would come up with creative ways to feed him. He vaguely remembered that before going to college in another city, his father was most concerned about his precious taste buds and stomach.

Seeing his father’s worried look, Yu Wen subconsciously said, “No, I’m just not hungry.”

Even so, he quickly stuffed the small bun into his mouth, and the familiar taste flooded his senses… It took Yu Wen a moment to realize, it had been many years since he had tasted this flavor.

“Why are you crying?”

His sister’s confused voice came from his side.

Yu Wen wiped his face, tears streaming down.

He sniffled and met Yu Ting’s gaze, but he couldn’t hold back anymore and choked, “Sis…”

He moved to hug her, but Yu Ting pointed a finger at his forehead, smiling and saying, “Wipe your nose first, then come to me.”

Yu Wen: “…”

He almost forgot, his sister was a cleanliness freak, just like him—extremely particular.

Yu Wen’s condition today seemed off, and his family unanimously agreed.

“Ask me, how old am I this year?”

His father: “22…”

“Wrong.” Yu Wen abruptly interrupted, speaking deeply and with a touch of melancholy, “The person you see in front of you, although I have a young appearance, my soul has already been weathered by time, marked with the traces of hardship. I am a 28-year-old, mature man…”

His mother looked at him like he was a fool.

Yu Wen: “Mom, you don’t believe me?”

Yu Ting: “Ask your dad if he believes you.”

“I believe.” His father chuckled, but before Yu Wen could feel pleased, he immediately added, “But why 28? Isn’t 30 even more mature? Or maybe 40, 50…”

“….” Yu Wen grumbled, “I’m not making up stories.”

His father took a sip of hot tea, still smiling, but Yu Wen figured he wouldn’t take his words seriously just yet.

Yu Wen decisively changed his target for sharing.

“Sis, last night seemed like an ordinary night, but actually, I traveled back in time. I went into a book and lived there for six years, and I even had a boyfriend…”

“Oh, okay. You can wash the dishes first.” Yu Ting’s response was uninterested.

Yu Wen couldn’t believe it: “I just got back and you want me to wash dishes?”

Yu Ting smiled at him, looking at him, “So if you traveled back in time, you can’t wash dishes?”

His sister was a kind and approachable person, inheriting their father’s good temper. But between siblings, there was always a little bit of natural violence. Yu Wen often didn’t understand why he sometimes felt afraid of his sister, until their mother explained that it was because of their bloodline dominance. When he was little, he was so mischievous that his sister beat it into him as a conditioned reflex.

That hidden danger wrapped in kindness, like a spring breeze that suddenly turns sharp and cold… It had been a long time.

“Ten minutes, I’ll finish the task for sure.”

The cool water running through his fingers brought Yu Wen back to reality.

It had been three hours since he woke up, and it seemed he had wasted too much time trying to distinguish between dream and reality, to the point that he had just forgotten to hug his parents.

He missed them, truly.

Once he was silent, the unusual aura around Yu Wen became more apparent. To Yu Ting, her younger brother was usually energetic, always smiling at others, but she had never seen him so… quiet.

Quiet to the point that it felt heavy.

“You just said how old you are?”

“Hmm?” Yu Wen turned around, and the weight of the previous moment instantly vanished. He broke into a bright smile, clearly still in the same cheerful mood he had before going to his room last night. “Sis, do you believe me now? I’m sure you’re curious about my experiences after traveling. I’ll tell you all about it later… It’s a long story, probably wouldn’t be finished even after three days and nights… And my job, you’ll be really shocked…”

Yu Ting: “Shorten it.”

Yu Wen: “No way, six years are my personal experiences.”

Yu Ting: “Then tell me the beginning and the end clearly, let me sort it out and see if I should believe it.”

Yu Wen clicked his tongue.

It had been a long time since he’d heard such a soft, direct, and sharp tone from his sister.

Yu Wen at 22 thought his sister was so cool, but Yu Wen at 28 thought… Heh, his sister didn’t seem to have as much patience as he did.

He cleaned the last bowl, placed the dishes back in the cabinet, adjusted his non-existent collar, and seriously said, “You’re only 25, still young. I won’t argue with you, after all, I’m a 28-year-old adult…”

Slap!

A small smack landed on his right cheek.

Yu Wen: “…”

Wah—

Why does she hit me over the smallest thing!

It was midsummer, and Yu Wen had come home for the summer break. He had only been back for a week, and the family was still very tolerant of him, treating him like a treasure for now.

Although everyone thought he was acting strangely, his parents just reminded him to rest well and didn’t say much.

When his parents went out, only Yu Wen and his sister were at home.

After finishing the housework their mother had asked him to do, the siblings sat on the balcony, talking heart-to-heart.

Yu Wen talked about how, when he first traveled, he was all alone, about his acting experiences, his friends, Xie Heyu, and how he had many, many fans.

Yu Ting quietly listened without saying a word.

She couldn’t tell if her brother’s words carried more joy or regret… Yu Wen was no longer the same child she could easily understand, and Yu Ting deeply realized this.

When Yu Wen mentioned he was thirsty, she stood up and said, “I’ll go cut some watermelon.”

As she turned to leave, she paused, gently patted his shoulder as a form of comfort.

The door opened and then quietly closed.

Yu Wen’s shoulders suddenly relaxed, and he bent down, burying his face deeply in his palms.

Life inevitably involves losing certain things. He had once lost his own world, and now, suddenly, he had it back—but it seemed… he had lost another world in the process.

It was hard to say whether the joy was greater or the regret deeper.

“Xie Heyu…”

Yu Wen buried his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.

I’m sorry.

“I broke my promise…”

The sun was scorching. By the evening, when the heat had dissipated and a refreshing breeze stirred the leaves, Yu Wen finally dared to step out of the house.

He wandered aimlessly around a 1km radius from his home, with no particular destination. The roads that had gradually blurred in his memory became clear again as his steps retraced them.

Along the way, he received a call from his mentor.

His mentor was a small, elderly man with gray hair at his temples. He had injured his legs when he was young, causing him to walk with a limp. Despite this, he developed an extraordinarily optimistic personality, with internet surfing at 5G speed, faster than Yu Wen, and he was very good at connecting with younger people.

The call was a video call, and when Yu Wen answered, seeing that familiar face made him momentarily disoriented.

“Xiao Yu, how’s your summer going? Your senior said she’s planning to go to South City in a few days, hahahaha you’re going to suffer, don’t say I told you that…”

Talking about school, Yu Wen’s memory system responded slowly. He mumbled for a moment, and then suddenly said without warning: “Teacher, actually, I’m 28 this year.”

There was a brief silence from the elderly man.

“What happened to the years 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27?”

Yu Wen: “Teacher, have you heard of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? It’s a fairy tale, and it’s got nothing to do with this.”

Mentor: “Ah… So, you’re no longer my student?”

Yu Wen: “Why?”

Mentor: “You’re 28 and still haven’t graduated? You’re finished, I’m going to deal with you.”

Yu Wen suddenly burst out laughing.

He said, “I had a long dream, in that dream… I had just celebrated my 28th birthday.”

The mentor seemed intrigued and asked about the research he had done in the dream, whether he had graduated successfully, and what his plans were after graduation…

Yu Wen replied: “Oh, no, I switched careers and became an actor.”

The elderly man immediately made a displeased face.

“Always lazy, even in the dream…” the mentor grumbled, then hung up the phone.

Yu Wen pouted.

This old man.

He graduated from South City No.1 High School, which wasn’t far from home, a 15-minute bike ride. Just wandering around aimlessly, he found himself near the school.

It was after school hours, and countless food stalls were set up in front of the school gate. Students in blue and white uniforms were weaving through them, laughing, cursing, full of energy.

Yu Wen strolled by, thinking of buying a couple of starch sausages.

The man selling grilled sausages was doing great business because he not only sold sausages but also cold noodles, spicy strips, and other foods that high school students loved. While waiting for the sausages, Yu Wen overheard two students talking.

“Do you know where to look for the outstanding alumni of our school?”

“Why are you asking about that?”

“Someone’s looking for a person with the last name Yu. They said if I can get their phone number, they’ll give me a very valuable watch.”

Yu Wen took the first sausage and bit into it, the hotness making him stick out his tongue. He casually said, “Look on the school’s homepage. Every year, there’s a list of alumni invitations. It should be recorded there. But I don’t remember many people with the last name Yu. Which year is it?”

The student next to him looked at him, “How do you know?”

Yu Wen: “I also graduated from here.”

“Oh.” The boy thought for a moment, “Then do you know Yu Wen?”

“…”

In a flash, a certain suspicion crossed Yu Wen’s mind. He looked at the boy, and his expression turned blank.

“Where is that person?”

Boy: “Who?”

Yu Wen: “The person looking for Yu Wen.”

The boy scratched his head, hesitating, and said: “He’s sitting on a bench by the garden near the senior class building. He’s a very handsome weirdo, wearing winter pajamas in the middle of summer, sweating like crazy. He didn’t bring his phone or money, and it seems like he didn’t even bring his ID…”

Yu Wen didn’t even wait for him to finish speaking. His steps moved faster than his brain could process.

He was stopped at the school gate by the security guard.

“Hey, hey, hey, what do you want? Outsiders can’t just come into the school.”

The boy immediately rushed over and, hearing this, very heroically helped him out: “I’m a student here, this is my dad!”

The air suddenly became still.

…Even though Yu Wen was anxious, he couldn’t help but turn around and glance at the boy.

The boy studied Yu Wen’s rather youthful face and quickly changed his tune: “—My dad’s other son, my older brother!”

“He’s your ancestor, but he still can’t come in!” The security guard said irritably. “Besides, you’re a day student. Why is your brother here? To watch you go to class?”

The boy: “I fought with someone yesterday. The homeroom teacher told me to call my parents, and this is my parent!”

Yu Wen: …Good one.

With some effort, they managed to talk their way through, but considering the time spent in university and traveling, Yu Wen hadn’t stepped foot in this school for at least ten years. Upon entering the school gate, he was momentarily dazed, not knowing where to go.

“Here.” The boy waved at him, quickly pointing the way. “Go through that corridor, turn right…”

The sun was setting behind the mountains, and the side garden of the senior building had already become cool, shaded by the building’s shadow.

It was a quiet spot, seldom visited by students, and there, on a bench, sat a figure. The person wore comfortable long-sleeve cotton loungewear, a black leather watch on his wrist, his head slightly lowered as if drowsy from the long wait, his eyes half-closed, on the verge of falling asleep.

Yu Wen instantly recognized the back of that figure.

They had been lying on the same bed last night, entangled and reluctant to part. They had fallen asleep in each other’s arms, and technically, they had only been apart for a little over ten hours. Yet, to Yu Wen, it felt like a century had passed.

He stepped lightly, as if afraid of disturbing a beautiful dream.

But Xie Heyu was always a perceptive person.

The figure on the bench suddenly opened his eyes. The sharpness of his gaze, fresh from drowsiness, was like that of an eagle, alertly scanning over.

Yu Wen saw the bloodshot veins in his eyes.

“…Xie Heyu.”

Yu Wen called out.

The alertness and sharpness vanished immediately. In the sweltering summer heat, Yu Wen saw the snow melting. Xie Heyu slowly exhaled, as if the dust had finally settled, and his eyes began to warm with a soft smile.

“You came.”

It seemed that Xie Heyu was sure Yu Wen would find him, and that they would reunite.

Xie Heyu had traveled to this time at the same moment Yu Wen did. The loungewear he was wearing was familiar to Yu Wen—it was the same outfit he had worn last night.

“How did you end up at the school… Wasn’t it hot? Let me take you home. My parents aren’t home…”

They went to a café, which was a little far from the school gate. The prices were slightly high, but even during after-school hours, the place wasn’t crowded. The café had air conditioning and was quiet—a good place for a conversation.

Yu Wen quickly bought a set of summer clothes and had Xie Heyu change in the restroom. After he changed and came out, Yu Wen opened a packet of wet wipes and gently wiped the sweat off Xie Heyu.

“I know your house is near the school, so if you came back, you’d definitely come to check out the school.” Xie Heyu grabbed Yu Wen’s wrist, gazing at him for a moment, then suddenly lowered his head, pressing his hot lips to Yu Wen’s.

The booth shielded their figures, and Yu Wen could feel the subtle unease in Xie Heyu’s actions. So, he didn’t hesitate, and responded enthusiastically.

After kissing for a while, both of them were breathing heavily. Xie Heyu embraced him, saying, “I once dreamed of you, fortunately, I once dreamed of you.”

He remembered some unclear details, like the small sycamore lane on Yu Wen’s way to school; how Yu Wen’s high school was near his home; how Yu Wen had once been invited to give a speech as an outstanding alumni.

Every road here felt excessively unfamiliar, but the school, however, was a landmark he barely recognized.

Yu Wen’s emotions were complicated. “When did you… travel here?”

Xie Heyu: “Early morning.”

It was a sudden trip across time. One moment, he was still in bed; the next, he was thrown out into the street. The scariest part was that Yu Wen was gone.

He spent some time processing the situation, then recognized the street and searched for a place to stay. He wandered around the streets at night… hoping he hadn’t frightened any children.

Yu Wen: “So early?! Then… were you outside all these hours?”

Xie Heyu didn’t want to dwell on this, so he skillfully changed the topic: “Mm, it’s so hot… I want some watermelon.”

Yu Wen took him home to have watermelon.

Before leaving, Xie Heyu didn’t forget to give his watch to the kind-hearted boy, who was still waiting at the school gate for his third dinner. The boy was surprised to receive the watch, saying, “Thanks, man.”

He hadn’t expected Xie Heyu to really give it.

He wasn’t familiar with the brand, but someone in his family dealt with second-hand luxury goods, so his eyes were sharp. The diamonds on the watch were bigger than their homeroom teacher’s eyes! Definitely real diamonds, it must be worth a lot.

Xie Heyu smiled. “I should be thanking you.”

Yu Wen’s parents weren’t home, but there was still an older sister at home.

“Who is he?” Yu Ting asked, pointing at the wild man Yu Wen brought home, holding a half-peeled sugar cane.

Xie Heyu: “Hello, I am…”

“I didn’t ask you.” Yu Ting shot him a cold glance and turned to Yu Wen, “Who? Your classmate?”

She still held some naive expectations, automatically ignoring the way their hands were intertwined.

Yu Wen: “No, he’s my boyfriend.”

Snap — Yu Ting bit into the sugar cane.

Xie Heyu suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck. Compared to the sugar cane, it seemed like Yu Ting was more interested in snapping his neck.

Yu Ting didn’t say anything and let them inside.

Once they were inside, she asked Yu Wen, “Did you meet his parents today? Did you make arrangements with them? They might be home late tonight after a work gathering.”

Yu Wen: “No, I suddenly got a call from him. I didn’t prepare at all. Hey sis, where are the disposable toiletries?”

Yu Ting paused chewing the sugar cane.

“Disposable toiletries?” Yu Ting asked. “Is he staying overnight?”

Yu Wen turned to look at her, blinking his eyes with sincerity.

“Yeah, this is my boyfriend from when I traveled across. We’ve been together for over five years, always sleeping together. I told you before, I’m an adult, 28 years old. Do you believe me now?”

Yu Wen made a gesture of eight with his fingers, proudly saying, “I’m 28, and you’re 25, sis. You’re younger than me… ow—”

His left cheek got slapped again.

Yu Wen was about to protest.

It didn’t hurt, but it was very humiliating. Yu Wen covered his face and turned to look for support, pitifully calling out, “Xie Heyu—” help me out!

“Name.”

“…Xie Heyu.”

“Occupation.”

“Agent, entertainment producer…”

Yu Ting suddenly interrupted: “Is he from here?”

Xie Heyu choked.

“No.”

Yu Ting nodded calmly, announcing: “An unemployed drifter.”

Xie Heyu: “…”

Yu Wen was stunned, saying: “Sis, you’re so harsh today.”

Yu Ting smiled faintly, “Really?”

Yu Wen instinctively covered his face, muttering: “This is my boyfriend. Don’t be so fierce, it’s like an interrogation…”

Xie Heyu comforted him, saying it was fine, but Yu Ting was watching their interaction and found it very unpleasant.

Even though it was a sudden confession, Yu Ting couldn’t help but wonder if Yu Wen had lost his mind. After hearing her younger brother’s words, she softened her tone, saying: “Mom and Dad will be back today. You’re not planning to meet the parents? It might not be convenient for him to stay here. Give me your ID card, I’ll book a hotel nearby. You two can talk and figure out how to explain this to Mom and Dad.”

She stretched her hand out to Xie Heyu. His expression froze.

Yu Wen also looked disappointed.

Yu Ting: “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t have my ID.” Xie Heyu said the six words very reluctantly.

“…Oh.” Yu Ting withdrew her hand, and once again announced: “Still an undocumented person.”

__

Author’s note:

This IF line will probably only last two chapters. Don’t worry, I’ll spoil it for you in advance: Xiao Yu and Xiao Xie will eventually hop between the two worlds, traveling back and forth.

Only children make choices, adults want it all!