So-Called Memory

The cold hospital corridor echoed with chaotic footsteps. The moment the vitals monitor let out a flatline beep, almost all the nurses and doctors rushed over, quickly wheeling Chao Yiyu into the operating room.

Even though everyone knew this moment would come sooner or later, they still wouldn't give up on taking every possible measure to save her.

But undoubtedly, it was all in vain.

By the time An Shiyu rushed to the hospital, the doctor had already stepped out of the operating room. From his solemn expression, it was clear—he had exhausted every method at his disposal, but to no avail.

She had arrived in a hurry.

And she had left in a hurry.

"How is this possible... It's impossible!" An Shiyu grabbed the doctor's arm. "You, you, all of you..."

The frantic girl was about to lash out, but her wrist was caught by Ye Shuang, who reached out from the side.

"Calm down."

An Shiyu bit down hard on Ye Shuang's arm. She bit with all her might, her long eyelashes already wet with tears.

Feeling the pain radiating from his arm, Ye Shuang did not let go. Instead, he reached out with his other hand and gently pulled An Shiyu into his embrace, trying to offer her some comfort.

After a while, An Shiyu seemed to calm down a bit.

Looking at the bleeding bite marks on Ye Shuang's arm, she raised her face, her vision already blurred.

"Let's go in and see her," Ye Shuang said softly, his fingers wiping away An Shiyu's tears.

The two walked into the operating room, where that familiar figure lay quietly.

An Shiyu's gaze fell upon her, only to notice a line of crooked words written on her arm.

[Reincarnated into One Punch Man. Don't miss me. If you need anything, burn some paper money.]

Next to it was a cartoon doodle of An Shiyu holding up a peace sign.

"Pfft." An Shiyu suddenly laughed, but a second later, her eyes turned red again. Crying, she muttered, "Idiot, idiot, idiot."

"Idiot!" She reached out and gave Chao Yiyu a push, desperately hoping to see her sit up and deadpan that she was just faking it.

"Sit up and say it!"

"Hurry up and wake up!!"

"Please..."

"Even if you eat my cake, I won't scold you anymore..."

"Please... open your eyes..."

But obviously, none of that was going to happen.

Standing to the side, Ye Shuang looked at Chao Yiyu, his heart heavy beyond words.

A miracle did not happen.

...

...

Chao Yiyu's funeral did not invite any guests. Just as she had quietly come into this world, she departed in silence.

She had left a will, quite literally stating her wish to be cremated and buried at sea.

Like a free-swimming little fish, she hoped to wander the ocean even after death.

Anshi Yilang followed all of these wishes. Just as he had said, Chao Yiyu was also his granddaughter, even if she was born in a laboratory. Anshi Yilang remained utterly silent throughout the day.

He silently processed everything.

After the sea burial procedures were approved, Ye Shuang and the others took a private yacht out to sea.

"Just... such a tiny box." Sitting in her seat, An Shiyu gazed at the boundless ocean, holding a small box in her hands.

It contained Chao Yiyu's ashes after cremation.

So tiny. It was hard to imagine that a person could fit into such a small box.

"Here should be fine, right?" The yacht slowly came to a halt. An Shiyu looked outside. Because the water quality near the coast wasn't great, they had sailed quite far out.

The ocean here was beautiful. Especially in good weather, looking from afar, the water and the sky merged into a single hue.

"..." An Shiyu held the small box. The sea breeze fluttered her hair and dried her tears.

"To think this day would actually come."

"She was in too much of a hurry. We didn't even get to say goodbye," An Shiyu said softly, then opened the lid.

The ashes drifted into the sea with the ocean breeze, just like Chao Yiyu, as free as the wind.

"Goodbye," An Shiyu said. Then, she tossed various game consoles, snacks, and other fun things she had brought along into the ocean as well.

The azure ocean was like an abyss. After the items sank into it, there was no sound, as if nothing had happened.

An Shiyu just watched quietly. She unintentionally turned her head and found Ye Shuang and Anshi Yilang standing beside her.

"She seemed to leave in such a hurry. How annoying," An Shiyu remarked.

"..." Ye Shuang responded silently, then reached out and gently patted An Shiyu's head.

Anshi Yilang did the same, gently patting his granddaughter's head. He looked out at the sea, his thoughts unknown.

Everything seemed to return to the starting point.

But it was not a new beginning.

"..." Ye Shuang's heart was far from peaceful at this moment. He hadn't slept well these past few days. His eyes were bloodshot, and even the stubble on his chin had grown out, unshaven.

"Let's go back."

"Yeah..."

Ye Shuang followed An Shiyu back home. Inside the clean, spacious flat, everything came in pairs.

Two computers, two controllers, two single sofas.

Even the pegboard behind the monitors had a left and a right side, with one pink and one blue flashing fish-patterned light.

Naturally, An Shiyu cried again after returning home.

In the end, it was Ye Shuang who stayed by her side.

"..." Seeing An Shiyu fall fast asleep on the sofa, Ye Shuang sat nearby. He didn't know how to process his own emotions. Looking at the layout of the room, he even felt a fleeting daze, as if Chao Yiyu hadn't really left.

"Can there really be no miracles?"

Ye Shuang muttered.

"If only there really were a miracle..."

"I can't do anything..."

Just as Ye Shuang was thinking this, a window slowly materialized before his eyes.

[Are you willing to pay the price?]

Seeing the window appear before him, Ye Shuang froze for a moment, then let out a bitter chuckle. "She's already dead. Can you bring the dead back to life?"

[Are you willing to pay the price?]

The window flickered. Ye Shuang fell silent. He didn't seem to know what the system was trying to do. Could it really revive the cremated Chao Yiyu?

However, the system was an existence beyond common sense after all. Thinking of the forced smile the young girl had squeezed out as she left, Ye Shuang's hand suddenly trembled, and he spoke up.

"I am willing."

[Pay one-third of your memories.]

Ye Shuang was stunned, and then his gaze fell on the window to the side.

They were—

An Shiyu, Chen Qin, Bai Yuyou.

The three names seemed to pierce Ye Shuang, and in that instant, he seemed to understand something.

"So that's how it is. The reason I lost my memories of Zhao Mengyao..."

"Was it because I paid the price back then?"

At that moment, the window appeared once again—

[Are you willing to pay the price?]