You Mingxu and Yin Feng expended considerable effort to get Li Weiyi out of the villa. In the end, You Mingxu went alone as a diversion, drawing away most of the villa’s security guards. Meanwhile, Yin Feng brazenly led Li Weiyi out, unlocking doors along the way—out of the master bedroom, around the fire escape stairs, and finally running out through the villa’s main gate.

On You Mingxu’s side, when the security guards caught up with her, they saw her and Ding Chenmo lingering outside the villa’s high walls. You Mingxu expressed her desire to visit Xu Yi again, but after the security reported to the butler, they were flatly refused.

All four returned to Ding Chenmo’s car and immediately drove to the main road five kilometers away from the villa before stopping.

You Mingxu said, “Li Weiyi, I will immediately report this to the bureau. Combined with the evidence you previously submitted to the Economic Crime Investigation unit and this voice recorder, I believe the bureau will immediately launch a special investigation into Xu Yi. As the victim of this murder and kidnapping case, and also a key witness, you must come back to the bureau with me right away.”

Li Weiyi was wrapped in a thin blanket—a friendly contribution from Yin Feng. She clutched a corner of the blanket, her voice slightly hoarse: “I’d like to make a phone call first.”

Ding Chenmo nodded at You Mingxu and handed his phone to Li Weiyi.

After only three rings, the call was answered. Zhang Jingchan’s somewhat cold voice came through: “Old Ding, don’t tell me you haven’t rescued her yet.”

Li Weiyi smiled slightly and said, “It’s me.”

Silence on the other end.

Li Weiyi: “Why aren’t you saying anything? Aren’t you even going to ask if I’m okay?”

You Mingxu and Ding Chenmo simultaneously got out of the car. Yin Feng still had both hands pressed on the seat between his legs, his back perfectly straight, listening with great interest. You Mingxu opened his car door, pulled his collar, and he rolled out of the car using both hands and feet.

As soon as Li Weiyi’s reproachful words left her mouth, her own eyes welled up first.

Zhang Jingchan said, “I thought I was having auditory hallucinations.”

His voice was even lower and hoarser than hers, like someone who hadn’t slept well in a long time. Li Weiyi immediately said, “I’m fine.”

“Did you go hungry?” Zhang Jingchan asked.

“No, the food there was pretty good.”

A hint of amusement entered his voice: “Then… were you injured?”

Li Weiyi answered helplessly, “I took a fall.”

“How did you fall?”

“Climbing through a ventilation duct. I was too clumsy and fell down, but it’s nothing serious.”

“I’ll look at your wound when we meet.”

Li Weiyi said glumly, “That might not be very convenient.”

“Why?”

“The injury is on my butt and waist.”

“…”

The phone went quiet, but they could hear each other’s calm yet restless breathing.

“I’m sorry,” Zhang Jingchan said.

Li Weiyi immediately sat up straight and said, “Why are you apologizing! You did everything you could. It’s not your fault I was kidnapped. Besides, you even called in such amazing reinforcements. Ding Chenmo told me everything—if it weren’t for your decisive action, I might still be prying up floorboards in that sealed room right now!”

Zhang Jingchan sighed softly: “Silly.”

Li Weiyi: “You’re the silly one.”

“Where are you now? I’ll come pick you up.”

“They said you went to handle something very important…”

“It’s mostly done. What needed to be confirmed has been confirmed. We’ll talk when we meet.”

The two arranged a meeting place and hung up. Li Weiyi looked up to see You Mingxu with one hand on the car door, looking down at her: “You’re going to see him? Not coming back to the bureau with us?”

Li Weiyi: “Thank you for rescuing me, truly, thank you so much. But he and I have something very important to do today. After we’re done… tomorrow, we’ll come to the police station.”

The girl’s eyes were so clear and sincere that You Mingxu, after a moment’s consideration, smiled and said, “Alright, I need to write up a report today anyway. But you must be careful. If Xu Yi kidnaps you again, we’ll have no choice but to go after him directly.” She paused, tapping her fingers on the car door frame, and said, “I don’t know what secret you’re hiding, but please trust the police.”

Li Weiyi nodded vigorously.

Ding Chenmo also stood by the car, listening quietly the whole time. After You Mingxu walked away to retrieve the frolicking Yin Feng, he said to Li Weiyi, “Deceiving people again. Tomorrow… you two won’t show up again, will you?”

Li Weiyi smiled slightly: “As you understand, a white lie. Old Ding, we’ll meet again on September 11, 2014.”

——

Zhang Jingchan hung up the phone and had Li Yunmo make a U-turn at the intersection. The black jeep in his field of vision gradually receded into the distance.

Li Yunmo: “Not following anymore?”

Zhang Jingchan: “Not anymore. I know where he’ll appear tonight. Get out at the next intersection. You don’t need to worry about what happens next.”

Li Yunmo was stunned.

Soon they reached the intersection. Li Yunmo pulled over to stop, and Zhang Jingchan moved to the driver’s seat. Li Yunmo stood by the roadside as Zhang Jingchan gripped the steering wheel and turned to look at him.

“You’re… going to loop again?” Li Yunmo asked, his expression like that of a lost puppy—anxious and bewildered.

Zhang Jingchan nodded, looked at him for a moment, and said, “Li Yunmo, I will make this the last loop and bring Uncle Li back.”

Li Yunmo sniffled: “Thank you.”

“I’m the one who should be grateful.” Zhang Jingchan broke into a smile. The afternoon sunlight fell on his face, his features clear, his expression forthright. “Next time we meet, you’ll be vice president of Huicui Group again. Don’t show this pitiful expression anymore.”

Li Yunmo stood in place, watching the car drive away. Just as Zhang Jingchan said, when they completed the rewrite again, he would be overwritten as well. He squinted at the blazing sun in the sky—might as well look at this world a bit more. Today he’d squander all his savings, then shamelessly confess to the goddess he’d met in this lifetime. After all, when I wake up tomorrow, I’ll be a top-tier rich and handsome guy again. Tsk…

——

The car stopped downstairs from Li Weiyi’s building. You Mingxu had already gone upstairs to check—it was safe, no one there.

Several people waited by the car. You Mingxu had earlier begged a cigarette from Ding Chenmo, but Yin Feng angrily snatched it away, broke it, and threw it in the trash. You Mingxu was quietly scolding him while Ding Chenmo held his cigarette, watching the excitement with a grin. Only Li Weiyi stood eagerly looking forward.

Li Yunmo’s small car drove over and screeched to a halt in front of them. Only Zhang Jingchan was in the car.

Li Weiyi watched blankly as Zhang Jingchan unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the door, got out, locked the car, then put the keys in his pants pocket and looked up at her. He was still wearing yesterday’s dark gray jacket and black pants, his hair somewhat messy, with a faint bluish stubble about to emerge on his chin. He walked toward her.

Though they’d only been apart one day and one night, Li Weiyi’s heartbeat quickened. She actually felt too shy to keep staring at him and lowered her head.

Zhang Jingchan walked to her side and naturally took her hand, saying to Ding Chenmo and the others, “Thank you so much this time! If there’s anything you need my help with in the future, I’ll do my absolute best.”

Li Weiyi understood the weight of this promise. He wasn’t referring to this timeline that was about to be overwritten, but to the more distant future. Even if these police officers no longer remembered him, the Zhang Jingchan who would reclaim everything in the future would still watch over them and lend a helping hand when necessary.

You Mingxu just smiled: “No need for that, it’s our duty. We’ll give you one evening. You must report to the police station tomorrow.”

Zhang Jingchan and Li Weiyi exchanged a glance. He nodded: “We’ll definitely be there tomorrow.”

Ding Chenmo sighed and looked at You Mingxu with pitying eyes.

Watching the couple go upstairs, You Mingxu clearly misunderstood Ding Chenmo’s earlier look and said, “Don’t worry, I’ve assigned two people to protect them around the clock with guns. I won’t let Xu Yi succeed again.”

Ding Chenmo nodded.