At the age of three, Yuan Luoyi asked, "Magic?"
Yuan Fa said, "Yes, a magical spell so powerful that it can transcend life and death. Even the cruel passage of time cannot diminish its might."
Choking back tears, Yuan Luoyi nodded.
"Good, congratulations on being my first audience. Now, close your eyes and count to ten before opening them again."
Yuan Luoyi did as instructed, and when she opened her eyes after counting, she found herself alone.
Panicked, she started running around, searching for Yuan Fa and calling out his name with a crying voice that echoed hollowly in the garden.
She had lost her elder brother, lost her little bird, and now lost her second brother Yuan Fa too.
Overwhelmed by immense grief, she crouched down, curling into a ball, burying her face in her arms as she wailed uncontrollably.
Why was death so cruel?
Always taking away everything she loved most.
"Knock knock! Time's up for the magic trick, my dear sister! Look up, your second brother has come back to life!"
Hearing the voice, Yuan Luoyi lifted her head to see Yuan Fa bending down, looking at her with a shark-like mischievous grin.
She flung herself into Yuan Fa's embrace, freely smearing her tears and snot onto his white shirt.
"Hey, why are you still crying? Isn't the resurrection magic wonderful?"
"Second brother, what is death, really?"
"Let me think how to explain it to you... Ah! I've got it! Death is an endless game of hide-and-seek!"
"Hide-and-seek?"
"Yes, when you're searching for me in the hallway, I'm hiding around the corner. When you go to the corner, I've hidden in the bushes. You can never find me, but I'm always by your side, watching over you, protecting you, wanting you to be happy."
Yuan Fa picked up Yuan Luoyi and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. "So, don't cry anymore. Smile! Death can't truly separate us."
"But if you died, and I couldn't see you, I would still be sad."
"That's a tough request. All humans die, but I'll try my best."
"Will I die too?"
"Yes, of course."
"Then when I die, I'll stay by your side and protect you. Will you cry when you can't see me?"
"Haha, I won't cry. I have no heart, I can't feel sadness."
Time passed, and in the dilapidated Yuan residence, the 11-year-old Yuan Luoyi gazed into Yuan Fa's eyes.
Liar.
Those eyes held only sadness, as if everything else had become void.
You've always had a heart.
The gun in her hand felt so cold, and her once lively second brother was now begging her to end his life.
Seeing Yuan Luoyi's hesitation, Yuan Fa suddenly turned his wrist, trying to seize the gun.
His suffering was too great, he couldn't bear it for another second, so he decided to end his own life.
Yuan Luoyi sensed his intention, gripping the gun tightly before wrenching herself free from Yuan Fa and jumping off the armchair to the side.
Yuan Fa let out a low, hollow laugh. "Do you want to torture me further? Of course, you were kinder to our elder brother, killing him swiftly."
"I didn't kill our elder brother," Yuan Luoyi said.
Taking a deep breath, she stared at the gun in her hand, her gaze distant.
Yuan Fa stubbornly believed she was the real killer, thinking she truly existed in this reality. This was likely something their elder brother had told him.
In truth, Yuan Luoyi was merely a passerby in this space-time continuum. According to the System, she could not intervene with fate or commit murder, nor could she reveal the truth to Yuan Fa.
An idea formed in Yuan Luoyi's mind.
She would prove to Yuan Fa that she was merely a strange illusion.
It would be painful, and death would consume her. The previous times were accidental deaths that sent her to new timelines. Would she be able to return this time?
Her heart raced as she stared at the trembling gun in her small hand. Although she had witnessed many worlds' memories, she was essentially still an 11-year-old.
But looking at Yuan Fa, she found infinite courage, and her hand steadied.
"Second brother, why did you always steal my snacks?" Yuan Luoyi asked.
"Who knows?" Yuan Fa replied.
Yuan Luoyi reminisced about the past.
"I didn't understand it before. I thought you just liked bullying me."
"After so many things happened, I gradually realized that I had no friends. The snacks I hoarded, no one to share them with, so you stole them all."
"In your twisted way, you were telling me that you could be my friend too."
"All this time, you were different from others, often scaring me. But you're a gentle brother, so just as you've protected me, I must protect you now!"
To Yuan Fa's shocked gaze, Yuan Luoyi raised the gun, pointing it at her own temple.
Panicked and terrified, Yuan Fa rushed towards her, unable to bear losing his sister a second time.
"Don't come any closer!" Yuan Luoyi shouted.
Yuan Fa froze in his tracks.
Yuan Luoyi mimicked his movements, waving one arm in circles before bending down gracefully in an elaborate curtsy.
"I'm going to catch the real culprit. You must stay alive until I return, second brother!"
"Knock knock! Time's up for the magic trick!"
"Bang!"
Yuan Luoyi pulled the trigger, the bullet piercing flesh and shattering bone, the speed rapid but the pain immense.
It hurt so much...
Her frail body fell into death's gentle embrace, disappearing into the darkness.
In the room, struggling within the soft sheets, Yuan Luoyi woke with a start. She gasped for air, her heart still pounding. Looking around, everything was clean and bright - a new timeline. She had successfully returned.
Touching her temple, the lingering pain remained, a throbbing ache inside her skull.
But it was worth it.
After witnessing her disappearance, Yuan Fa would surely understand that she was merely a strange illusion, not his sister trying to kill him, but someone impersonating her.
As for the missing ashes, someone must have stolen them.
And the explosion - the true culprit was present. If she could solve that, her elder brother might not have died.
The System had a "Clue" feature. Once activated, she could change the Yuan family's fated deaths!
"Ah!"
Yuan Luoyi cried out, suddenly noticing a massive dark figure standing before the curtains.
After a moment of panic, she calmed down. Those long legs - it was her second brother Yuan Fa.
Running over to pull open the curtains, she asked, "What are you doing?"
Yuan Fa spread his arms with a wicked grin. "Checking if my pantry is ready for harvest. Looks like you just had a nightmare. Why don't you sleep with the magic bunny I gave you?"
"Smack!"
Yuan Luoyi turned on the bedroom light, the sudden brightness blinding Yuan Fa as he raised his arm to shield his eyes.
"Ah, warn me before turning on the light!"
Finding her stash of potato chips hidden behind the bookshelf, Yuan Luoyi offered them to Yuan Fa.
He waved them away disdainfully. "You're such a kindhearted person, but stolen snacks taste better. When it comes to food, I like to create some difficulty for myself."
Tearing open the bag, Yuan Luoyi raised a chip high. "Snacks shared by a friend can be just as delicious. Try it."
Reluctantly bending down, Yuan Fa took a bite and his eyes widened in surprise.
It seems... they are quite delicious after all.
