Early morning, very quiet.

Li Weiyi opened her eyes, gazing at the familiar room furnishings, her mind not yet reacting.

The sweet fragrance of food wafted to her nostrils. Someone walked to the bedroom door and knocked: “Weiyi, I’ve made breakfast for you. I’m going to work.”

Li Weiyi shot up into a sitting position, staring at Li Xiaoyi’s face, now noticeably much younger.

Seeing her dazed expression, Li Xiaoyi showed a pained look and said, “If you want to go see Achan, wait until the weekend when you have time off. Focus on your studies first. As for Mom and Dad… I’ll talk to them for you.”

“Mm…”

Li Xiaoyi left. Li Weiyi pulled out her phone from under the pillow and looked: September 11, 2014—exactly two months since Zhang Jingchan became a vegetable. Today was also the day Zhang Moyun and Wu Xinhui would be burned to death, and tomorrow Li Jingxiong would jump to his death.

But why hadn’t she and Zhang Jingchan switched bodies? What had changed to affect the time travel? Was it because Zhang Jingchan had previously been in a vegetative state?

Li Weiyi had just jumped out of bed when her phone rang—an unfamiliar number. Before Li Weiyi could answer, the call disconnected itself. Li Weiyi felt the number looked somewhat familiar and called back, but no one answered.

Li Weiyi couldn’t be bothered and dialed Zhang Jingchan instead.

“Hello, Zhang Jingchan?”

“It’s me.” Zhang Jingchan’s familiar, steady voice came through, settling Li Weiyi’s heart.

Li Weiyi: “We…”

“Are you surprised why we didn’t switch this time?”

“You know why?”

“I think I can probably guess the reason. It’s hard to explain over the phone. Let’s talk in person—come to the villa.”

Li Weiyi called her homeroom teacher to request sick leave, then took a taxi to the villa.

She’d been coming frequently these past two months. As soon as she arrived at the villa, a bodyguard opened the door for her, his face full of joy: “Miss Li, Young Master Zhang woke up!”

Li Weiyi smiled and walked into the house. She saw Nanny Liu also looking delighted. Li Weiyi smiled and nodded at her before going upstairs.

Zhang Jingchan’s door was wide open. Faint crying and talking sounds came from within—it seemed he’d already been brought back from the hospital.

Li Weiyi knocked on the door. Zhang Jingchan was comforting the weeping Wu Xinhui with his arm around her shoulder. He looked up and gave her a gentle smile.

Li Weiyi’s steps paused before she walked in, calling out: “Auntie, Achan.”

Wu Xinhui wiped her tears excitedly, saying, “Ah, good child, you’re here. Achan called you, didn’t he? He woke up! He woke up this morning. Heaven truly has eyes, wuu wuu wuu…”

Li Weiyi sat to one side. After Zhang Jingchan comforted his mother for a while longer, Wu Xinhui stood up: “I’m going to wash my face and check if the congee in the kitchen is ready. I’ll also urge your father to hurry back. Weiyi, you keep Achan company and chat.”

“Alright, Auntie.”

Zhang Jingchan wore a black hoodie and black sweatpants. Aside from his slightly pale complexion, he already looked like that upright, handsome young man. He frowned and rubbed his forehead, then shook his wrists.

Li Weiyi sat beside him on the bed: “Still uncomfortable?”

“After all, I was lying down for two months.” Zhang Jingchan turned his head to look at her. “At least this time, I didn’t make you wait too long.”

Li Weiyi gazed into his dark, handsome eyes, her throat tightening. She rested her head on his shoulder. He gently held her, saying, “This time, we won’t be separated again.”

She nuzzled his neck with the top of her head, making him laugh softly. She asked again: “What do you think is the reason we didn’t switch this time?”

“During the crash, did you see clearly who was in the other vehicle?”

Li Weiyi’s heart tightened: “I saw clearly. Didn’t you say it was Cheng Chuan? Why did the driver change to Xu Yi?”

Zhang Jingchan’s expression turned grave: “After Cheng Chuan got out of prison, he very likely sought out Xu Yi. Back then they were inside operatives together—he might have dirt on Xu Yi. That jeep was clearly out of control. They very likely had an internal conflict.”

“So that’s how it is.” Li Weiyi nodded—this made complete sense. “But why didn’t those two time travel before?” Her eyes suddenly widened as she realized the answer: “They…”

Zhang Jingchan nodded: “Every time, they both died. But what if this time, Xu Yi didn’t die? From the situation at the time, he had the upper hand in that vehicle. If the number of time travelers changes, do the loop rules also change? That’s why we didn’t switch.”

Li Weiyi’s heart pounded, her expression uneasy: “He came, he also came… Then what should we do?”

Zhang Jingchan lowered his head, their faces lightly touching: “Still so afraid of him?”

Li Weiyi dejectedly hummed in acknowledgment.

He patted her shoulder: “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

“What should we do now?”

Zhang Jingchan lowered his eyes, his gaze calm as ice: “We respond to changing circumstances with constancy. No matter what Xu Yi does, in the previous timeline he set fire to kill my family and tricked Li Jingxiong out of the evidence—all just to escape punishment. Now the evidence still exists. We only need to do one thing: immediately find my father and submit the evidence to the police. Although the surface evidence can only convict Liu Ying and two others, once the police investigate further, Xu Yi definitely won’t escape.”

Li Weiyi’s heart suddenly cleared. She nodded: “This is called striking the snake at its vital point!”

Zhang Jingchan looked at her with a smile.

Someone knocked. Li Yunmo stood at the door looking dazed and confused: “I’m not dreaming, am I…”

He rushed over in one stride, stuck out his butt to push Li Weiyi aside, and hugged Zhang Jingchan: “Brother Chan, wuu wuu wuu, Brother Chan, I thought you really wouldn’t wake up until 2022! I’ve been feeling so guilty.”

Li Weiyi chuckled—this guy’s reaction was exactly the same as in 2022.

Zhang Jingchan patted his shoulder, saying, “I’m fine. I’m back.”

Li Yunmo was about to speak again when Zhang Jingchan turned serious: “Go home immediately. Stop your father—don’t let him argue with your mother. Based on the timeline, that evidence at your house has already been stolen. Tell him it’s okay, the evidence at my father’s place is still here. Tell him not to act rashly and to wait for further instructions from my dad. Otherwise, he’ll go looking for Zhang Fengming and the others and end up jumping to his death!”

Li Yunmo broke out in a cold sweat. Li Weiyi also reacted, urging: “There’s no time to explain. Go back quickly and stabilize your father first!”

Before Li Yunmo could say a word, he turned and ran.

Li Weiyi let out a long breath of relief, saying, “Your mind still works fast. This time, Uncle Li should be able to be saved.” She raised her hand to brush back her hair, looking at him.

Zhang Jingchan nodded: “Right.”

A car engine sounded from downstairs. Wu Xinhui’s voice came: “You’re finally back—our son woke up!”

Zhang Moyun’s anxious voice came: “Where’s our son?”

Then came the sound of hurried footsteps climbing the stairs.

Zhang Jingchan and Li Weiyi both stood up, exchanged a glance, and walked out the door.