From the moment Chu Qing had the intuition that they would return to 2019 today, she and Qi Weichen began bustling about, getting everything in order at home. She wanted to take one last look at Qi Muyang's room, so she and Qi Weichen held hands as they opened his door. As soon as the door opened, a flash of white light appeared, and in the next second, the temperature suddenly dropped.
Snowflakes fell from the sky, and the biting wind seemed to penetrate their bones, causing their entire bodies to ache from the cold. Chu Qing came to her senses and realized she was standing in the park where she had been before the time travel, with Qi Weichen, who had returned with her, standing in front of her. For a moment, she was speechless.
Qi Weichen was the first to react, frowning as he embraced her. "Are you cold?"
When they had traveled from 2019 to 2042, it had been winter, but when they returned, it was during the height of an Indian summer. As a result, they were both wearing only short sleeves and shorts. Now, suddenly back in the past, they clearly couldn't adjust to such a drastic temperature change so quickly.
Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Chu Qing sneezed and hugged him back, shivering. "It's... it's too cold. Let's hurry home."
"My place is closer. Follow me," Qi Weichen said. Another gust of cold wind blew past, and he gritted his teeth as he let go of Chu Qing, taking her hand as they ran towards his home.
As they ran, the wind seemed to grow stronger. Their clasped hands turned red from the cold, and they drew many bewildered glances from passersby. Fortunately, Qi Weichen's home was indeed nearby, and they soon entered the house with its floor heating.
"I can't take it anymore. It's too cold," Chu Qing said, followed by another sneeze.
Qi Weichen frowned and pushed her towards the bathroom. "Take a hot shower. I'll get you some clothes."
"Okay, thank you," Chu Qing sniffled as she quickly entered the bathroom.
Qi Weichen, familiar with his surroundings, went to his wardrobe and found the thickest cotton clothes, placing them outside the bathroom door. He raised his voice, "The clothes are by the door. Just grab them when you're getting dressed."
"Okay!"
After giving instructions, Qi Weichen went to the kitchen and saw the vegetables he had bought on the 29th. For a moment, he felt disoriented. These vegetables were purchased a year ago for him, yet in reality, only a day had passed. Gathering his thoughts, he lowered his gaze and picked out some fresh ginger, chopped it, and made ginger tea. By the time Chu Qing came out, bundled up in thick clothes, he was already waiting at the dining table.
When Chu Qing had been pursuing him before, she often staked out his building, so she knew he usually lived alone. She casually sat down across from him and, noticing he was still in short sleeves and shorts, immediately frowned. "Why didn't you change your clothes?"
"I've already warmed up," Qi Weichen said, reaching out to hold her hand.
Chu Qing felt the warmth of his hand and relaxed a little.
"Drink this," Qi Weichen said, pushing the ginger tea towards her.
Chu Qing took it to warm her hands but didn't forget to ask, "What about yours?"
"There's only one set of bowls and chopsticks in the house. I've already had some," Qi Weichen said slowly.
Chu Qing frowned. "Don't tell me you only made one bowl..."
Before she could finish, Qi Weichen suddenly stood up, leaned across the table supporting himself with both hands, and kissed her lips. As she froze in surprise, he asked, "Can you taste it?"
"I can... the ginger flavor is strong," Chu Qing said, her face slightly flushed.
Only then did Qi Weichen smile and sit down, watching as Chu Qing sipped the ginger tea. The room fell into silence.
After what seemed like an eternity, Chu Qing spoke, sounding a bit dazed, "We're back just like that?"
"Yes, we're back," Qi Weichen replied, his eyes soft.
Chu Qing bit her lip. "We left without saying goodbye. Qi Muyang will probably be very upset when he wakes up."
"He'll adjust. Besides, the versions of us from that time will be returning soon. He'll only need to stay at school for a short while," Qi Weichen consoled her gently. "If you're really worried, we can keep this in mind and try to finish our work earlier when we go on that business trip in 20-some years, so we can get back to him sooner."
Chu Qing nodded silently, then after a long pause, suddenly said, "I find it a bit scary."
"What is it?"
Chu Qing met Qi Weichen's gaze for a moment before carefully explaining, "Think about it. The 41-year-old versions of us already knew we would travel back in time, so they gave us a lot of help. Now that we've returned, as we slowly grow to 41, we'll also give a lot of help to our 18-year-old selves. Then those 18-year-olds will travel back to 2019, continue living to 41, and then help their 18-year-old selves again... Isn't this an infinite loop?"
The more she spoke, the more confused she became. She felt her head starting to ache and desperately wanted Qi Weichen to give her an answer.
Qi Weichen was silent for a moment before asking softly, "Do you know your future life?"
"Of course not. I haven't experienced it yet," Chu Qing immediately replied.
Qi Weichen gave a slight smile. "Exactly. You don't know because you haven't experienced it. So from your personal perspective, the timeline is always unidirectional. You accidentally traveled to the future and lived there for a year, then came back. You'll live your life normally until you're 41, then find a way to help your 18-year-old self a bit. After that, you'll go to work for a year or so, return home when the work is done, and continue living your life until you grow old and die. From this timeline perspective, there is no loop."
"But..."
"Time is a very mysterious thing. If you insist on overthinking it, you'll find that everything is cyclical. It's better not to think too much about it and just live well in the present," Qi Weichen said, reaching out to stroke her forehead. "Understand?"
Chu Qing bit her lip and looked at him silently for a while before her eyes reddened. "I'm already starting to miss Qi Muyang."
Qi Weichen paused and withdrew his hand.
The emotional distress that Chu Qing had been too cold to feel earlier now burst forth. She choked up as she spoke, "I just wanted to see him before we left, but I didn't get to. What if he cries when he wakes up and finds us gone?"
As she spoke, tears began to fall. Qi Weichen stood up awkwardly and walked around the table to her side. Chu Qing let out a whimper and hugged his waist, starting to cry in earnest. Qi Weichen tried to comfort her in a low voice while gently patting her back, hoping to calm her down. However, Chu Qing only cried harder, showing no signs of stopping.
"If you keep crying like this, your eyes will hurt," Qi Weichen said, his voice deepening slightly.
Chu Qing, with tears in her eyes, defiantly replied, "I'm going to cry!"
Qi Weichen silently took a step back, forcing Chu Qing to separate from him. She looked at him through her tears, wondering what he was going to do—
Then she saw him take off his short-sleeved shirt.
He had always been diligent about exercising, and although he was lean, his muscles were clearly defined—powerful without being exaggerated. Chu Qing stared blankly at his well-defined abs, momentarily at a loss for words. It wasn't until he approached her that she jumped back like a startled cat. "What, what, what are you doing?!"
"Didn't you want to see Qi Muyang? I'll make you pregnant with him right now," Qi Weichen said with a straight face.
Chu Qing: "..."
Seeing Qi Weichen approach again, Chu Qing quickly hid behind a chair and begged for mercy. "I, I don't want to see him anymore, not at all!"
"Then are you going to cry anymore?" Qi Weichen stopped.
Chu Qing immediately shook her head. "No more crying."
Only then did Qi Weichen glance at her and put his shirt back on. Chu Qing let out a small sigh of relief. All her sadness had disappeared, and she grumbled at him a bit before putting on his down jacket, preparing to go home.
"I'll come find you tomorrow," she reminded Qi Weichen before leaving. "But I have to visit my godfather's family in the morning, so I probably won't be able to see you until the afternoon."
Qi Weichen gave a soft acknowledgment and was about to see her out, but Chu Qing quickly stopped him. "You haven't even changed your clothes. Just stay home. I can walk by myself."
With that, she hurried away as if afraid Qi Weichen might insist on accompanying her. Qi Weichen could only watch her figure disappear before closing the door.
After Chu Qing went downstairs, she found the snow falling even heavier than before. Wearing Qi Weichen's down jacket, Qi Weichen's pants, and shoes that were much too big for her, she trudged through the snow, her mood quite cheerful despite the circumstances. Although 2042 had been nice, it wasn't her own era after all. Only upon returning to her proper time did she feel a sense of true contentment deep in her heart.
It had been over a year since she'd been home. Her steps were hurried as she ran to the front door, her heart racing. She stood there for a while to calm herself. Spring festival couplets were pasted on the door, and red lanterns hung outside, exuding a joyful New Year atmosphere. She swallowed hard, finally mustering up the courage to knock after a long moment.
"Who is it?" Mother's voice came from inside. Chu Qing's eyes welled up before she could even answer.
The door opened, revealing her youthful and beautiful forty-something mother. Chu Qing's tears could no longer be held back and streamed down her face.
"You ran out early in the morning and only now you're back, how dare you..." Mother's words trailed off as she noticed Chu Qing's clothes, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.
Chu Qing hurriedly wiped her tears and explained, "I- I got my clothes dirty. These are borrowed from a friend."
"...Borrowed, I see." Mother forced a smile, then noticed Chu Qing's red, swollen eyes, a flash of pain crossing her face.
"Mom!" Chu Qing could no longer hold back and threw herself into her mother's arms, sobbing. Mother embraced her tightly, and both women cried together.
Father, hearing the commotion, came out. Seeing the two in this state, he was startled, "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Never mind, just close the door!" Mother glared at him, leading Chu Qing into the bedroom.
Having released her pent-up longing for her parents, Chu Qing's mood had calmed considerably. As she watched her mother close the door, she suddenly felt confused—
She had been away from her parents for over a year and seeing her mother's aged appearance made her want to cry. But for her mother, it had only been a few hours since they last saw each other. What was there to cry about?
Before Chu Qing could voice her confusion, Mother came over, choking back tears, and sat on the bed holding her hand. "Tell Mom, did something happen?"
"...There are some things." But I'm afraid you won't believe me, so I'd better not say.
Mother looked away, wiping her tears, then steeled herself after a moment. "Listen to me, child. We must call the police."
Chu Qing was stunned. "What?"
"Bad people must be punished. Mom knows this is cruel for you, but if you don't bring the culprit to justice, you'll be trapped in this shadow for the rest of your life. So even if it's for your future, I can't let that person go free," Mother's tears fell freely. "Don't worry, after we send the bad person to jail, Dad and I will move with you somewhere where no one knows us..."
"Mom, wait a minute. What are you imagining?" Chu Qing was speechless.
Mother froze. "Aren't you..."
"No, I'm not." Chu Qing said firmly.
Mother hesitated. "Then why did you come home wearing boys' clothes?"
"I told you, I accidentally got my clothes dirty," Chu Qing explained quickly, hoping to avoid further questions about the clothes. "I was running too fast and fell in dog poop. Those clothes couldn't be saved."
Sure enough, at the mention of excrement, Mother immediately became disgusted, but still pressed on, suppressing her revulsion, "Then why did you cry as soon as you came in?"
"...I was just being emotional." Chu Qing said dryly, truly not knowing how to explain this point.
Mother stared at her for three seconds, then frowned, "Take off your clothes. I won't be at ease until I see for myself."
"Mom!"
"Hurry up!"
Chu Qing finally yielded to her mother's pressure and reluctantly took off her clothes. Mother examined her carefully, and after confirming there were no marks on her body, she angrily smacked Chu Qing. "So you were just being dramatic for no reason!"
A red handprint immediately appeared on Chu Qing's fair skin, though it looked worse than it felt. She quickly jumped to the closet, found some pajamas to put on, and then whined, "Can't I just cry if I want to? Don't you ever feel melancholic?"
"I don't!" Mother stood with her hands on her hips.
Seeing her mother's lively demeanor, Chu Qing grinned and said flatteringly, "Mom, I just realized today how young and beautiful you are. I hope you'll never grow old."
"What nonsense," Mother glared at her, but her expression softened. "It's good that nothing happened. You really scared me."
"Mom, you're being too cautious. Think about it, even if someone had bad intentions, who could overpower me?" Chu Qing said casually.
Mother took a deep breath, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "You don't know anything. In today's world, of course we have to be extra careful raising a daughter. If it weren't for your mother keeping a close eye on you and making you learn martial arts, would you have grown up so safe and healthy?"
"Yes, yes, you're the best," Chu Qing quickly agreed.
Mother scoffed, "You'll understand when you have a daughter of your own."
Chu Qing thought to herself, I don't have a daughter, just a son.
Seeing that Chu Qing was truly fine, Mother turned to leave. She paused at the door, hesitating before turning back.
"What is it, Mom?" Chu Qing widened her innocent eyes.
Mother was silent for a moment. "Did you change clothes at a boy's house?"
Chu Qing: "..."
"You did, didn't you? You changed everything from head to toe. Where's your sweater? Where are your thermal pants?" Mother grew increasingly shocked. "Did you take everything off at his house? What's your relationship with that boy..."
"Mom, Mom, it's like this," Chu Qing hurriedly interrupted, "There was water where I fell, so I had to change my inner clothes too. That boy and I are just ordinary classmates. He couldn't just leave me in trouble, so he had to take me to his house to change. Don't overthink it."
Although she and Qi Weichen were destined to marry and have children in the future, it was best not to reveal their relationship to their parents before graduating from high school.
Mother frowned. "Really?"
"Of course!" Chu Qing quickly replied.
The mother and daughter stared at each other for a moment before Mother snorted coldly. "I should hope you wouldn't dare." With that, she turned and left.
Chu Qing let out a huge sigh of relief, jumping onto her long-missed bed. After a while, she chuckled softly.
That day was New Year's Eve. The family spent a lively evening staying up to welcome the new year. Chu Qing was distracted the whole time, hearing others discuss something about a flu epidemic but not paying much attention. After dinner, when the others weren't looking, she snuck back to her room to call Qi Weichen.
However, after two attempts, he didn't answer. It wasn't until more than two hours later that he called her back, his voice hoarse as he spoke, "What's wrong?"
Chu Qing paused. "Are you sick?"
"Mm, I have a bit of a fever. I just took some medicine," Qi Weichen said softly.
Chu Qing frowned. "Is it because you were in the wind earlier today? Do you need to go to the hospital?"
"It's nothing serious. My temperature is already starting to go down. I'll be fine after some sleep," Qi Weichen replied.
Chu Qing quickly agreed. "Then go to sleep right away. I'll come see you tomorrow."
"Okay." Qi Weichen was truly exhausted and hung up after acknowledging her.
Chu Qing tossed and turned, unable to sleep. After all the guests had left, she couldn't sit still any longer. Once her parents were asleep, she snuck out of the house and headed straight for Qi Weichen's place.
In the early hours of New Year's Day, the streets were deserted, let alone any taxis. Fortunately, there were still shared bicycles available, so she pedaled hard through the night towards Qi Weichen's home.
When she arrived, she regretted her impulsiveness. Qi Weichen had said he needed rest, and coming to knock on his door would only disturb him. But she couldn't put her mind at ease without seeing him with her own eyes. So she stood at his front door, conflicted.
After a while, she decided to send him a message: Are you asleep?
There was no response. He must be sleeping, Chu Qing thought, sighing lightly. She turned to leave, but after a few steps, she heard the sound of a door opening behind her. She looked back in surprise. "You're not asleep?"
"I guessed you'd come." Perhaps due to his illness, Qi Weichen's eyes had a watery sheen, and his hoarse voice sounded both gentle and rough.
Chu Qing quickly pushed him back inside, closing the door before scolding him, "It's so cold, and you answer the door in just a thin pajamas? Don't you want to get better?"
"We have floor heating inside."
"But not at the doorway. What if you catch a chill?" Chu Qing frowned, pulling him to the bedroom.
Qi Weichen followed languidly until they reached the bed. Then, with a sudden strength in his wrist, he pulled her into his arms and they fell onto the bed together.
"You really are..." Chu Qing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You're sick. Can't you behave?"
"It's so late. Since you're here, why don't you stay?" Qi Weichen gazed at her with misty eyes.
Chu Qing's face flushed slightly. "Mm, I'll stay."
"What if your parents find out?"
Chu Qing was speechless. "...You're quick to change how you address them."
"Won't you get scolded?" Qi Weichen asked.
Chu Qing reached out to feel his forehead. Finding that it was no longer hot, she let out a small sigh of relief. "Don't worry. They went to bed late today, so they won't wake up until after 9 tomorrow. As long as I go back before 9, it'll be fine. If they do find out, I'll just say I went out for breakfast."
"Okay, let's sleep," Qi Weichen said lazily, holding her close and not moving.
Chu Qing lay quietly in his arms, and soon both of them drifted off to sleep.
Chu Qing had planned well, intending to run home at dawn. However, when they woke up the next morning, the world seemed to have changed. News of a flu outbreak was everywhere, and everyone was gripped by real panic. City A responded with the utmost speed, and suddenly all residential areas began self-isolation.
Chu Qing, who had accidentally become quarantined in Qi Weichen's home, was dumbfounded.
