Chapter 13

Compared to the panic he felt before his last穿越 (time travel), Qingchen was much calmer this time.

He waited for the world to shatter and reassemble, as if waiting for a dream to end.

In the cramped and narrow bedroom, Qingchen still sat on the edge of the bed in the same position he was in before he time traveled. It was night outside, and the bone knife he had been holding... was still in his hand.

Everything seemed as if it had never happened.

Qingchen frowned and took out his phone to check the time.

September 28, 2022, 12:00:01 AM.

One second past midnight.

He clearly remembered that the date of his time travel was also September 28, at exactly 12:00:00 AM.

In other words, he had spent two days in that world, while only one second had passed on Earth.

By the same logic, when he returned here and went back again, only one second would have passed there as well?

This should be the rule for all time travelers.

For some reason, Qingchen felt a sense of relief when he thought about this. This way, he wouldn't have to explain to anyone why he often disappeared for periods of time.

It was a very strange feeling of detachment, as if the world he was in now was no longer real.

Qingchen looked down at his arm; the bruise he had intentionally pinched was still there.

The white pattern on his other arm had changed, showing a countdown of 47:59:45.

Countdown: 47:59:44.

This countdown was for 48 hours, or two days, which was correct.

Only these things could prove to him that everything he had experienced was real.

He had really been to a mechanical civilization, and he had really met a person named Li Shutong. He had been tested by a nightmare by someone named Lin Xiaoxiao and had encountered a sycophant named Lu Guangyi.

There was a composed Ye Wan there, and a strange big cat.

Just as Qingchen was thinking, his phone rang with an unfamiliar landline number.

"Hello," Qingchen said.

"Hello, this is Wangcheng Road Police Station. Your father was detained for gambling. Could you please come over?" a female voice said on the other end.

Qingchen was taken aback. Calculating the time, his gambling father must have just been caught. He didn't expect the police station to call him so soon.

"Um, what do I need to do?" Qingchen asked.

"According to the Public Security Administration Punishment Law, he needs to be detained and pay a fine. Please come to handle the procedures," the policewoman said.

"I'm sorry, I won't go. Please punish him strictly. According to the law, for serious cases, the punishment is 10 to 15 days of detention and a fine of 500 to 3000 yuan. Please give him the maximum punishment, thank you," Qingchen shook his head and said.

The other side was also taken aback: "Aren't you his son?"

Qingchen replied, "I was the one who reported him. I'm not his son, I'm a concerned citizen, Mr. Qing."

The policewoman: "???"

Without hesitation, Qingchen hung up the phone. His gambling father would be detained for at least 10 days, meaning he wouldn't have to see him before his next time travel.

For some reason, Qingchen felt a bit happy and relieved.

However, for a teenager, having his father detained and being scolded by others is not a good feeling.

Most teenagers look up to their fathers as role models. Once you discover that your father has a bad reputation and no dignity, a crucial support in your heart suddenly collapses.

Qingchen took a deep breath and slowly lay down on the bed. He opened his phone to check his call history and WeChat, but there was no message from his mother.

For some reason, at that moment, he even wanted to return to that prison earlier.

Even though it was an unknown and dangerous world.

It was already past one in the morning, and Qingchen had no sleep.

In the dim room, only the phone screen illuminated his face.

On the phone screen was the sheet music for the Canon he had just searched for, and every detail was already etched in his mind.

This was a lifelong regret for Li Shutong, but for Qingchen, it was something he obtained effortlessly.

Perhaps this was the difference between being in different worlds. The other side also had something Qingchen yearned for.

But should he give the sheet music to Li Shutong?

If he did, how would he explain its origin?

This was a risky move. Although Qingchen wasn't afraid of taking risks, he didn't want to take a risk that wasn't worth it.

Therefore, before giving the sheet music, he had to determine if Li Shutong was worth it!

In the end, he still didn't receive a call or message from his mother.

...

Countdown Day 1, 7:30 AM.

Qingchen put on his blue and white school uniform and left the house, munching on instant noodles as he walked.

The Luocheng Foreign Language School he attended had been divided into three campuses a few years ago, and the high school campus was only a five-minute walk from his home, just across a small road.

On Xingzhu Road, the aroma of egg pancakes wafted from breakfast stalls, and pedestrians would sit at the stalls to enjoy a bowl of hot tofu pudding or spicy soup.

Freshly fried youtiao (Chinese doughnuts) were golden and crispy, and the tea eggs were smooth and translucent after peeling.

But Qingchen had no money left. His limited savings had been used to purchase supplies for the countdown.

This made him grind his teeth in frustration, but he didn't regret it. After all, who knew what he would face at that time?

In Class 3 of Grade 2, the students responsible for cleaning were sweeping the floor. The smell of water from mopping the floor hadn't dissipated, and the mop had probably been moldy for a long time.

Qingchen sat in the last row. His desk mate, Nangeng Chen, rushed into the classroom with a tense expression.

"Did Mr. Du say anything about me skipping class yesterday?" Qingchen asked in a low voice.

But Nangeng Chen seemed distracted and didn't hear him: "Huh? What?"

"Never mind," Qingchen shook his head. "Why do you look so nervous?"

"Nervous?" Nangeng Chen was startled. "No, I'm not."

Qingchen didn't say anything more. If the other person didn't want to talk, he didn't need to pry.

After a moment of silence, Nangeng Chen suddenly lowered his voice and asked, "Qingchen, if you encountered something really strange, what would you do?"

"Strange?" Qingchen was taken aback and carefully examined Nangeng Chen. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, "What exactly do you mean?"

"I don't know what it is, but it's just really strange," Nangeng Chen said.

"Then call the police?" Qingchen's gaze was fixed on Nangeng Chen.

Nangeng Chen's eyes lit up: "Right, find the police! Qingchen, do you know anyone at the police station?"

"Yes," Qingchen thought for a moment and said, "My father was just arrested for gambling last night."

Nangeng Chen: "???"